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1955 Vincent Black Knight

In England, Touring by AbhiLeave a Comment

Designer Phil Vincent called this “a two-wheeled Bentley“, but when Shane A submitted this to me just now he said that “it’s kinda like if Darth Vader had a head-on with a 50’s motorcycle.” That’s an amusing summation of the Vincent Black Knight, which was built to be the ultimate sports tourer – a Black Rapide with ample bodywork to …

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MHR Livery – 2007 Ducati SportClassic Sport 1000 S

In Italy, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

6-8-21 Update: Five years later, this bike is back up for sale. Interestingly, the seller now claims that the original paint job was done by Ducati North America, though I haven’t been able to find any sort of confirmation of that claim. Bidding’s quite a bit stronger than it ended at last time, however it still hasn’t met reserve – …

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2004 Aprilia RSV1000R Nera

In Italy, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

In the early 2000s, Aprilia decided to launch the “Dream Series” of motorcycles and scooters – limited edition variants of their already-impressive machines. At the time, the Italian firm’s highest performing bike was the RSV1000R, so that’s what they used for the platform of the first Dream Series motorcycle – the Nera. Per Robert Pandya, Aprilia USA’s Promotions Manager: “Our …

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2008 Suzuki B-King With Zero Miles

In Japan, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

The best way to think about the Suzuki B-King is to consider it a naked version of the famous Hayabusa. Sold only for one year in the US, it features the 2nd generation, 1340cc Hayabusa engine that was retuned for more mid-range torque. When it was unveiled to the world as a prototype, this bike featured a 240 section rear …

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1986 BMW R80 Custom

In Custom, Germany by AbhiLeave a Comment

In the seller’s words, this “is one of the most properly sorted BMW cafe racers you’re likely to come across. If I were to list out all of the work/details that went into this bike, I’d be here all night…and would still inevitably miss a ton. This is NOT one of the hacked together BMW cafe racers that seem to …

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2003 Aprilia RS250 Challenge Cup

In Italy, Race by AbhiLeave a Comment

The Aprilia RS250 Cup is by far, the most race-oriented of the street-legal 250s sold in the US. Built from 1995-2002, it was designed to pay homage to Aprilia’s success in the 250 GP championships. Powered by a modified Suzuki 250cc originally designed by Rotax, Aprilia made some of their own changes and made one of the most desirable 250’s …

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No Reserve – 1971 Ducati 450 R/T Desmo

In Italy, Off-Road by AbhiLeave a Comment

For one year only, Ducati decided to create a 450 motocrosser after their American importer convinced them it was a market worth exploring. “R/T” stood for Road/Trail, which might explain why the bike was heavier than the MX competition at 300 pounds. It did not sell well, meaning these are hard to find nowadays.

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Still New – 2005 Honda XR650R

In Dual-Sport, Japan by AbhiLeave a Comment

Also known as the Big Red Pig, Honda’s XR650R is a legend in desert racing and the Baja 1000. Even though it was killed off in 2008, the bike is still race competitive and it enjoys quite a cult following. Here’s one that stands out as it supposedly has never been ridden.

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1972 IZH Jupiter 3

In Standard by AbhiLeave a Comment

IZH, also known as Izhevsk Machinebuilding Plant, has been making motorcycles since 1928. But that’s not why you know them. You know them as the manufacturer of the ubiquitous Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle.

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1985 Husqvarna CR500

In Less than 5k, Off-Road, Sweden by AbhiLeave a Comment

In 1983, Husqvarna introduced a new 500cc motor for their Open Class bikes, and they promptly won the 1983 Baja 1000 in 14:48:10 with the US team of Dan Smith and Dan Ashcraft. While there were obviously plenty of modifications to the race bike, the production motorcycle was quite formidable in its own right – Husky offered the powerhouse engine …