Post Sale Update: This Van Tech sold for $6,300 after 22 bids on eBay.
Van Tech was one of America’s first dirt bike manufacturers, though the company did not build complete bikes. Instead, the brain child of Bill Van Tichelt built frames for small-displacement Japanese motors like the Honda S90, Kawi 100/120, and Bridgestone 90/100. There were two main advantages to a Van Tech frame – first, they weighed much less than their OEM equivalents. Second, with an engine adapter kit you could hot swap engines!
As they claimed in one of their ads – you can “run a Hodaka this week- and a Yamaha next week – just by changing from one VanTech engine kit adapter to another.” No matter the choice of powerplant, these little bikes have become highly collectible over the years. Want to learn more? Check out Motocross Action Mag for a bit more on Van Tech and what they offered. Yamaha’s AS1C was a 125cc two-stroke twin that featured race-derived technology, which is why the little motor produced a healthy 15 horsepower! For more on the stock AS1C, check out this story on Moto-USA.com – Frank Melling calls it one of the “best motorcycles ever to leave Japan.”
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This bike (VIN: AS1-300939) was built by someone who rode a different Van Tech 125 to a podium finish at Daytona in 1971. Over the years he collected and restored Japanese bikes, and eventually he decided to recreate his personal race bike. The replica is what you see here, and it’s being offered with no reserve. The sale comes with a file of receipts detailing the restoration work.
Find this VanTech-framed Yamaha for sale in Chelsea, Michigan with bidding up to $1,775