Post Sale Update: After 29 bids on eBay, this Honda sold for $2,550. When it was first released, the Honda GL500 basically sat in a class by itself – a full dress, middleweight tourer. Hell, I can’t think of something similar that’s available now – can you? I suspect bikes like the BMW F800ST or the Honda VFR800 come closest, …
1994 Yamaha GTS1000
Post-Listing Update: This Yamaha GTS1000 did not meet reserve at $5,700. For only one year in the US, Yamaha sold a sport-touring bike that was far ahead of its time – the GTS1000. Full of technology that would not make its way to most bikes for years to come, the GTS featured fuel injection, ABS brakes, and most importantly, the …
Fair Price – 1971 BSA Thunderbolt
BSA is probably best known for their Lightning, but they also had a touring complement known as the BSA Thunderbolt.
Budget Tourer – 2002 Kawasaki Concours
The Kawasaki Concours isn’t the most exciting bike out there, however if you’ve been looking for an excuse to get into sport-touring, this might just be a perfect way to get started. This Connie has aux driving lights and an aftermarket windshield in addition to the factory luggage. It has all service records for the last 30,000 miles (odo is …
1958 MV Agusta Raid 300
Originally introduced as a 250cc model, the MV Agusta Raid 300 brought an increase in displacement as well as new fenders, tank, and exhaust to make it an even better long distance mount.
1968 BSA Shooting Star
Considered by many to be the best Beezer ever, the BSA Shooting Star was a street-based twin of the Victor 441 – it was even originally called the Victor Roadster before a name change for US dealers.
Not Actually Last – 1984 BMW R100 Last Edition
Here’s a bike that pissed off a few BMW enthusiasts back in day – the BMW R100 Last Edition. You should probably be asking why it pissed riders off. It wasn’t the bike itself, it’s how BMW decided to market it.
The Dude Abides – 1983 BMW R100RS
Post Listing Update: This RS was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. Here’s a nice example of the BMW R100RS that’s recently done 1,000 miles in 24 hours. It has the rare solo seat and a dual seat, the System (normal size) and rare City (slim) luggage, Cathy’s bag liners, BMW OEM tank bag, and more. It has …
1960 BSA Thunderbolt
The BSA Thunderbolt, despite the aggressive, sporty name, was designed to be a touring bike from the Birmingham Small Arms company. Powered by the traditional 650cc air cooled twin with a single Amal carb, the Thunderbolt had evolved to minimize vibrations found from previous BSA Twins. This allowed for sustained 70 mph travel in comfort for the first time. In …
865 Miles – 1981 Honda CBX Supersport
The Honda CBX only lasted five years, but it led to a new wave of sports-oriented motorcycles, and eventually to the Honda ST series. A 6.1 gallon tank was necessary as the 6 individual carbs and monster power led to just low 20’s miles per gallon. Want to learn more? Check out Motorcycle Classic’s writeup of this legendary bike here. …
1984 BMW R65LS
Post-Sale Update: This BMW R65LS sold for the BIN of $4,200. The BMW R65 was the baby touring bike in BMW’s lineup, built from 1978 to 1993. A limited run, called the BMW R65LS, was built from just 1983-1985. Less than 6,500 of the LS bikes were built, and it was a very polarizing design. Even to this day, riders …
Restored Rarity – 1978 BMW R100RS Motorsport
Post Sale Update: This Motorsport sold for $6,477 after 29 bids on eBay. A classic in its own right, the BMW R100RS needs no introduction. However, in 1978, BMW released a limited edition – the Motorsport. Just 200 were sold in the United States.
1979 Moto Guzzi 1000SP Spada
One of the better touring bikes in its day, the Moto Guzzi 1000SP Spada typically falls under the radar of some of the more classic Guzzi names. Then again, every once in a while a guy like George Dockray gets his hands on one and then turns it into an absolute beauty.
1984 Laverda RGS 1000
Post Sale Update: This Laverda RGS sold for the opening bid of $13,000. The Laverda RGS 1000 is one of the last versions of the big triple, which tamed the “peaky” Jota engine, isolated the rider from vibrations with rubber mounts from the engine, and added the half-fairing. It was a true sport tourer, best on fast roads with long …
6-Cylinders – 1980 Kawasaki KZ1300
Post Sale Update: After 33 bids on eBay, this big KZ sold for $6,799. The Kawasaki KZ1300 was the last (and biggest) of the 6-cylinder bikes that did not have as much of an impact on the market as companies expected. Built for 10 years, the 1,300cc engine produced over 120 horsepower, which was one of the reasons why France …