Designed to be a tourer, the BMW R52 featured a 486cc boxer twin that generated 12 horsepower. The three-speed transmission had just been redesigned for this model, during a time frame when BMW was constantly making changes. Due to this, BMW switched to pressed-steel frames by the end of 1929, meaning the rare R52 was produced for just two years.
First Year Knucklehead – 1936 Harley-Davidson EL
Post Sale Update: This EL sold for $120,000 after 20 bids on eBay. Harley-Davidson debuted the Knucklehead motor in 1936 (though it didn’t earn the nickname until after the Panhead was released) and just 1,704 first year examples were built. As HD made several changes to production in the first few months, particularly to timing covers and kickstart gearing, some …
1935 Victoria V98L
Post Listing Update: This Victoria did not meet reserve despite 46 bids up to $3,300 on eBay. Founded in 1886 as a bicycle manufacturer, Victoria produced motorcycles from 1901 through 1968. In the beginning, they used third party motors, but they produced engines in-house starting in 1923 – though this 98L uses a 125cc Fichtel & Sachs powerplant.
Ending Soon – 1949 Lowther/Indian Trike
Post Sale Update: This Lowther sold for $8,000 after 4 bids on eBay. In the late 40s, when Indian was in its death throes, they partnered with the Lowther company of Joliet, Illinois. Lowther had already been producing scooters with a slogan of “Park Avenue Scooters with the Main Street price”. Indian rebadged an existing Lowther scooter and called it …
1938 Velocette GTP
The “Velocette” came about in 1913 as a way to differentiate 2-stroke models from the 4-strokes that Veloce making at the time. Company founders preferred the “ette” to the point that they the renamed the brand. No matter the name, the British firm earned a reputation of a fine builder of top-notch 2-strokers with clever technology such as a oil …
Restored – 1939 Norton 16H
Post Sale Update: This Norton sold for $10,601 after 32 bids on eBay. Between the impressively distant years of 1911 and 1954, Norton produced a series of bikes all around a 490cc side-valve engine. These bikes were referred to as the 16H – H stood for Home, as in a domestic model. The 16C (Colonial) was introduced in ’21 for …
Supposed Factory TT Test Mule – 1930 Rudge Ulster Racer
Post Listing Update: This Rudge did not get any interest at the BIN of $39,900. Founded after an acquisition in 1894, Rudge introduced its first production motorcycle in 1910 — reportedly re-badged versions of France’s Werners. The marque really made its mark in 1924 however when it unveiled a new four-speed production model featuring a four-valve cylinder head. Sales of …
1938 Harley-Davidson EL
Post Sale Update: This EL sold for a cool $100,000 after 75 bids on eBay. Harley introduced the Knucklehead in 1936 as a 1,000cc V-Twin. While H-D had been using overhead valves in race bikes previously, this was their first usage of the technology in a production motor. It’s a beautiful motor that has stood the test of time, even …
Rare German In New Zealand — 1905 Köln-Lindenthaler Metallwerke AG Vindec Special
Post Listing Update: This Vindec Special did not meet reserve with one bid up to $10,000. Unless you’re a diehard TT fan, chances are you’ve never heard of the Vindec Special, or the little-known German company that produced it, Köln-Lindenthaler Metallwerke AG — which also reportedly sold products under the “Allright” (or “Allreit”) and “Tiger” monikers.
Restored – 1939 Triumph 3H
Post Listing Update: This Triumph got no interest at the opening ask of $25,000. Triumph introduced the 5T Speed Twin in 1938, and it immediately set the standard for other English manufacturers when it came to parallel twins. It was one of Edward Turner’s most notable designs, and it had a long production life – it sold until 1966 with …
Replica Frame, Original Motor – 1911 Pierce Four
Post Listing Update: This Pierce did not meet reserve despite 15 bids up to $44,667. The first four-cylinder motorcycle built in the US, the Pierce Four showed up other American brands that still looked like bicycles with motors. The Four emphasized the “motor” in motorcycle with a 696cc engine that pushed 7 horsepower through a 2-speed transmission. The hefty frame …
Restored Danish Classic – 1949 Nimbus Model C
Post Sale Update: This Nimbus sold for $12,658.50 after 38 bids on eBay. In 1919, Nimbus debuted its first motorcycle with the Model A (or “Stovepipe”), followed by the unimaginatively named Model B. In 1934, the company introduced the Model C, which was, at the time, a pretty advanced and cutting-edge offering. Manufactured by Fisker & Nielsen of Copenhagen for …
1936 BMW R4
Post Listing Update: This R4 did not meet reserve despite $10,300 after 20 bids on eBay. As the 30s rolled around and Depression hit, BMW saw the need for a diminutive single-cylinder bike to offer alongside its twins. The sub 200cc R2 sold quite well, but the BMW R4 was an intermediate bike between the budget single and the bigger …
1936 BMW R2
Post Sale Update: This R2 sold for $12,099 after 39 bids on eBay in Corona, California. Built between 1931 and 1936, the R2 was the smallest displacement motorcycle ever built by BMW. Powered by a 198cc OHV single, the R2 could hit 59 miles per hour thanks to 6 horsepower – later on (1934) an Amal carb helped bump power …
First Year, First Model Project – 1955 Yamaha YA-1
Post Listing Update: This YA-1 was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. The company we all know today as Yamaha began as Nippon Gakki Co. Ltd in 1887 (incorporated in 1897), producing musical instruments. Founded by Torakusu Yamaha, the company would remain in operation for nearly seven decades before it produced its first motorized two-wheeler. Following the Second …