In the 1930s, DKW was the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer. In 1939, they released the RT125 – it would go one to be one of the most popular motorcycles in the world, but for a reason you might not expect.
Fast forward to the end of WWII. As part of war reparations, DKW gave blueprints of the RT125 to Harley-Davidson and BSA, among others. In fact, the RT125 ended up varying forms in at least six different countries, produced by eight different companies.For more on how the RT125 became “The Most Copied Motorcycle of All Time”, check out this article on All About Bikes. Or, check out Vintage Veloce for a list of bikes inspired by the RT complete with photos so you can do a little perusing.
Despite all that, this example is actually somewhat rare, and those of you familiar with the RT125 might note that this bike doesn’t look like what you expect. For an explanation of why, let’s meet a man named Bruno Cavani. Cavani was the first DKW dealer outside of Germany – you could probably guess that he was in Italy from the name. After WWII, Italy banned imported motorcycles that weighed 185kgs or less, and Bruno was a bit out of luck. Ever the entrepreneur, he imported DKW engines (125/175/200/250cc) and then made his own bikes with local suppliers! The seller claims this is the only Cavani RT125 in the US and I have no way of proving him or her wrong. The bike is claimed to be in great cosmetic condition for the age and while the motor is free the seller “hasn’t tried to start it”, which I just assume is code for “I can’t start it but it’s not my problem anymore.” Still, the least rare part of this bike is the engine, so it shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.
Find this Cavani RT125 for sale in Towson, Maryland with bidding up to $202.50 and the reserve not yet met or a BIN of $3,000
This bike-uriousity brought to you by John K!