Made for Japan: 1984 Yamaha RZV500R

The Japanese home market for sport motorcycles is the stuff of dreams for those of us based in the US. Some of the best and most extreme examples of high-tech performance sadly never makes it out of the country of origin when it comes to the Big Four. Take the V4 two-stroke RZ500 from Yamaha.…

Still Fuel Injected: 1998 Bimota V-Due

There were a lot of things that led to the Bimota V-Due’s inauspicious fall from grace, mostly related to costs and hype that would ultimately spell disappointment when the bike finally broke cover. But by far the bike’s worst flaw was its positively heinous fuel injection system, which was designed to keep the bike in…

Hen’s Tooth: 1983 Bimota SB4S

Hailing from a time when Bimota had its pick of mass-produced engines to stick into lovely bespoke frames, this 1983 Bimota SB4S is a one-of-34 machine from a factory that wasn’t exactly known for its production capacity. What makes this SB4 so rare is that it is fully faired, setting it apart from the other…

Built to the Hilt: 2006 Ducati PS1000LE

As special editions to begin with, Ducati Paul Smart 1000LEs generally see duty as garage queens, left largely stock and original. This one certainly has led a pampered existence thus far, but clearly was owned by someone who did not know the phrase “leave well enough alone.” 2006 Ducati Paul Smart 1000LE The list of…

Origami Superbike: 2010 KTM RC8R 1190 for Sale

Origami, if you’re not familiar, is the Japanese art of paper folding, and the resulting creations look like angular, abstract animals. KTM’s RC8R takes folded paper style to extremes, with elemental shapes and broad, flat panels that would look more at home on a concept bike than a production machine, like an origami Ducati 916.…

Import Eligible: 1988 Honda CBR400RR

We have seen our fair share of VFR400Rs and lightweight, two-stroke screamers on home soil this year, but Honda’s pint-sized inline-four sportbikes have stayed fairly scarce, except for a few examples here and there. The other side of the pond is another story, where the rev-happy “training” bikes can be had for a song. 1988…