Monthly Archives: May 2015

MV Agusta May 9, 2015 posted by Tad Diemer

Blue Chip Investment Italian: 1978 MV Agusta 750S America

Like Ferrari, MV Agusta was a company that lived for racing. Road Ferraris, traditionally, were sold simply to subsidize their on-track efforts. But MV Agusta took things a step further: when they finally deigned to produce a roadgoing model, it was hobbled by hideous looks and power-sapping shaft drive. The later 750 looked good, but still featured that driveshaft that made it more suited to touring than track duty. This was supposedly to discourage privateers from buying a street MV and competing against the factory bikes. Italian bike specialist Magni makes a chain-drive conversion, so if you happen to own one of these, have access to a time machine, and possess the skills to go racing against Giacomo Agostini and Mike Hailwood, it’s something to keep in mind.

Until the Japanese Big Four flooded the market with cheap, reliable machines, inline four motorcycles were very exotic and considered the height of sophistication. And MV’s four was no Honda knock-off, with gear-driven cams and an overall width less than that of a CB400. A closer look reveals beautiful, sand-cast parts and quality construction not found on most machines of the period. Even the clumsy shaft drive features a beautiful, finned housing.

The America upped the game with 787cc and 75hp, moving the gearshift to the left side of the bike to cater to a wider audience. While it was a competent handler, it was heavy and expensive, a bike better suited to showing off your peerless good taste than actually carving canyons.

From the original eBay listing: 1977 MV Agusta 750S America for Sale

ONLY 1,112 Miles, original paint, excellent condition and VERY RARE.

Last owner had this since early 1980s-I have a picture of this title.

Included with this sale:

– 2 fairings

– 3 sets of exhaust pipes

– Original tool kit

– New battery

– Spare New Marzocchi Shocks

– Riders manual, shop manual, MV Agusta Super profile book & various related literature

– Street & Race Air Cleaners

– Brembo & OE front calipers

– Bike runs EXCELLENT. However, it is currently on display in my home, therefore, there are no fluids in the bike.

Honestly, it’s pretty amazing that all those extra parts are included: bought separately, they’d probably add up to the cost of a second bike! The 750S is, quite literally, one of the most collectible bikes of the modern era, the bike that all the folks snapping up limited-edition F4’s are hoping their purchases will turn out to be. But this is the real deal, a proven blue-chip collectible bike whose value turns on heritage and rarity, not outright performance.

-tad

Blue Chip Investment Italian: 1978 MV Agusta 750S America

Sport Bikes For Sale May 8, 2015 posted by Tad Diemer

Devil in the Details: 2014 Confederate Hellcat XR132 for Sale

One of the things I love about old bikes is the detailing. Even simple oil lines and brackets are often beautifully crafted, even if they leak or quickly corrode… But with modern bikes, so much is molded from cheap plastic, or hidden behind overstyled panels. Sure, it all works, but where’s the art? Well, apparently, Confederate has been collecting all the art and putting it into their range of handmade, boutique motorcycles, like the XR132 Hellcat.

Even if you’re not particularly into the whole drag-bike aesthetic, standing ten feet away, it’s hard not to be blown away by the close-in details, like the machined-from-aluminum engine case and the little window that lets you see the cam belt spinning away, like some enormous, thundering Swiss watch.

That engine isn’t simply a warmed-over Harley Twin-Cam and, at $65,000 new, it’d better not be. It’s a 56°, 2163cc, perfectly-square unit by S&S, mated to a rugged 5-speed gearbox that puts 121hp and 140 ft/lbs to a balloon-like 240-section rear tire. The rest of the specifications are pure bike-porn with Berringer brakes, BST wheels, WP suspension, all topped off with a MotoGadget gauge to keep an eye on things.

From the original eBay listing: 2014 Confederate Hellcat XR132 for Sale

The Hellcat 3 is a turning point in the history of the world’s most exotic bespoke manufacturer… because this is a bike that has been transformed from raw iconic hand made custom to sophisticated, drivable, maintainable, hand made custom by the genius and perfectionism of ex Ducati legend of the 90s, Pierre Terblanche who took over the role of head designer at Confederate between and 2012-2014 and who personally oversaw the build of this particular machine to make sure it was within the best of the company tolerances.

Boasting the legendary 2.2 S&S vee twin mill, the Hellcat now features useable geometry and an adjustable swing arm, plus a thousand other improvements and innovations over its predecessor which now take the pain out of ownership.

It’s interesting to note that the original listing shows the price in pounds sterling, so it makes one wonder: is the bike in Birmingham, Alabama, or Birmingham, England? It doesn’t really matter, since we’re all likely just looky-loos, here to talk about how we’d never spend our money on such an overpriced toy. But honestly, if I had all the money in the world, I probably would own something like this, because why the hell not. Although it’d more likely be the Hellcat’s stablemate, the Wraith, since it’s even weirder-looking…

With a Buy It Now Price of $49,500 this is a seriously top-shelf machine for riders with a whole lot of disposable income, but also know a good bargain when they see it… It’s the kind of luxury motorcycle that is basically pointless, festooned with impossibly trick, high-performance bits that are basically unnecessary, given the bike’s likely uses: it’d never be your day-to-day bike, it’s lousy for track days, you can’t take a passenger, and you certainly can’t tour on it. Although anyone with enough cash to splash on a Hellcat could probably also afford to hire a chase van to follow along with your camping gear, espresso-maker, portable hot tub, and masseuse.

It’s a bike to own for no other reason than “because you can.” To paraphrase Mad Max’s Night Rider, the Hellcat is a “fuel-injected suicide machine, it’s a rocker, it’s a roller, it’s an out-of-controller…”

-tad

Honda May 8, 2015 posted by Mike M.

Spool Me Up – 1983 Honda CX650 Turbo

1983 Honda CX650 Turbo on eBay

In the 80s, turbos were supposed to be the future of motorcycling. The technology had been around for a little while, but was just starting to trickle into cars and motorcycles. They promised liter bike power in a more compact package, so what’s not to love? Honda’s 1982 CX500 Turbo was one of the flagbearers of the influx of turbo bikes and it was clear there were some issues. While it was impressively fast on boost, it was tricky to control just when that boost happened as they suffered from serious turbo lag. Honda addressed the issue with a bump in displacement, better computer tuning and gearing changes for the 1983 model, now known as the CX650 Turbo.

This is a machine that collectors go nuts for, so expect to see a lot of action on this one. The CX650 Turbo was produced for just one year and they made less than 2,000 of them (rumored production numbers vary from 1500-1800). The seller’s eBay ad leaves a bit to be desired, with just a few words and fewer pictures, but you can check it out here: 1983 Honda CX650 Turbo on eBay. Somehow I think it will sell just fine regardless.

this bike is in unreal beautiful condition restored by a factory certified Honda mechanic everything totally redone in mint condition has been in personal collection for many years has been in heated display garage. won several 1st pace trophies at high end classic motorcycle shows. bike is 100% complete and ready to ride or display. looks like it just rolled onto the showroom floor.

Kawasaki May 7, 2015 posted by Donn

Grown-up’s Ninja – 1994 Kawasaki ZX-9R

Tagging along with the CBR-900RR of 1992, Kawasaki developed a bike to bridge the gap between the 750cc sportbikes and the 1100cc sport-touring machines. Offered in the green, white, and blue of Kawasaki’s racers, it was also available in maroon or smoke subdued paint schemes.

1994 Kawasaki ZX-9R for sale on eBay

More than a racer with lights, the ZX-9R is a stable-handling powerhouse, 139 hp and slightly relaxed riding position. Race-developed innovations are civilized on the ZX-9R, the fabricated alloy perimeter frame and swingarm are made from beautiful sculpted stampings. The clip-on handlebars rest on top of the triple clamp, ready for a longer ride. The adjustable upside-down forks and remote-reservoir rear shock are rather softly sprung. The 4-piston front brakes from the ZZ-R1100 are more than up to the task.

The owner gives a lot of information in the eBay auction:

You are looking at a classic 1994 Kawasaki Ninja ZX9R in Maroon/Silver/Black.This was the 1st year of production for the ZX9R. My bike is in unbelievable condition.I have owned it since June 1995, when I purchased it from Kawasaki of Ft. Lauderdale off the showroom floor with 1000 miles on the odometer. The bike has been registered and on the road since then, but only has 11,692 miles on it 21 years later. That’s an average of 557 miles per year! It has been garage kept and I have never driven it in the rain. The bike is impeccable,no dents, no dings and the only mar is a scrape under the fairing below the radiator that can’t be seen.There is no pitting,no rust,no discoloration anywhere. The bike runs, rides and drives as strong and straight as it did the day I bought it. Everything functions perfectly including the radiator fans. The only flaw mechanically is a slight clunking sound while shifting (may need a new clutch eventually). The bike is tastefully upgraded with a Vance & Hines ss2r pipe, Scotts steering damper, braided steel brake lines, K&N air filter, rear tire hugger, carbon look turn signals and Corbin gunfighter seats (I have the like new original seats). If this is your dream bike don’t hesitate! The only way you will find a nicer example of a ZX9R is to find one still in the crate! I even have the original tool kit, books and paperwork for the bike!

Not ridden much and garaged in Florida, this example has a few nice improvements, still undamaged and shiney. Nice Corbin seats, but stock seat included, as are owner’s and workshop manuals. The owner promises two helmets and jackets if you use buy-it-now. Still a sportbike capable of a 10-second 1/4 mile and 170 mph, maybe you had a green/white/blue one some twenty years back and are ready for another, like you, camouflaged as an adult.

-donn

Suzuki May 6, 2015 posted by Mike M.

Blue Smoke – 1986 Suzuki RG500 on eBay in Canada

Even by today’s standards, the numbers are impressive… a claimed 95hp to go with a dry weight of just 340lbs would have this little 500 hanging right with the best of the modern 600s. And they don’t sound nearly this cool! The RG500 or “Gamma” was a legitimate monster back in it’s day. Yamaha had similar offerings in the RD500/RZ500, but they claimed right around 80hp (give or take). The Suzuki’s 95hp was the big number on the block. Suzuki had a fair amount of success with the RG500 in Grand Prix racing, taking 4 Championships in 10 years and allowing numerous privateer teams a real shot at dethroning the factory Yamaha and Honda teams. It’s no wonder that the Gamma has such a rabid following among both vintage race fans and those determined to terrorize the streets.

This isn’t a museum piece, but it’s still in very nice condition with a few modifications, including fitting more modern Suzuki GSXR-750 suspension both front and rear. We all know that suspension and braking technology from the early years was a limiting factor, so this RG should be even quicker around the track and a little less scary on the street. Suzuki only made about 1400 RG500s in 1986, so it may be a while before you see another one for sale. The seller is very descriptive and has even been kind enough to include a video of a one kick start that you can see here: 1986 Suzuki RG500 on eBay

For sale a very hard to find 1986 Suzuki RG500 in good overall condition with lots of modifications to improve the handling and the power plus also change the look of the bike a bit.

If you are looking for something unmolested and something that looks like it came out of the show room this bike is not for you. Keep in mind it is a 29 year old bike and they are known for having a lot of cracks to begin with.

I am selling this to Canada, USA, Mexico and any other countries too but I could not get it to change it when I listed the bike.

I had this bike in my collection for 15 years and I never even rode it once. I figure why not let someone enjoy it instead of keeping it in storage.

They will only go up in value so when I do sell it I would get way more than now.

The bike is not mint and it has it’s shares of small cracks here and there mostly on the upper and tail section, but there are also some cracks on the lowers that are very hard to see. It also looks that the paint was touched up here and there but as you can see by the pictures the bike still looks very, very good for a 29 year old bike.

The front end and rear end were replaced by the previous owner who was a mechanic and he did all the modifications and fabrications of what needed to be done to bolt the 1999 GSXR750 front end and rear end on to the bike.

Blue Smoke – 1986 Suzuki RG500 on eBay in Canada

Bimota May 5, 2015 posted by Tad Diemer

Japanese-Market Rarity: 1988 Bimota YB7 for Sale

Only rarely seen outside Japan, the market for which it was exclusively designed, the Bimota YB7 is like a 3/4 scale YB4. The bike is based around the FZR400 powerplant, so it’s obviously no real powerhouse, with a claimed 65hp from the 399cc liquid-cooled four. But that just means you get a sweet-handling, four-cylinder exotic with performance you can actually access, seeing redline in multiple gears, instead of just first, without finding yourself in the pokey.

And weighing in at 352lbs dry, it’s not like the bike is actually slow: 136mph is plenty to have fun with, and the bike has a reputation for being relatively easy to ride and unintimidating as well, even in everyday traffic.

They’re very rare as well, with less than 500 produced and, being Bimota, they’re certainly collectible. So these fill a bit of a weird niche: an everyday exotic that won’t try and kill you. For me, that’s a big plus but, for many speed-junkies, anything less than 750cc’s is a complete waste of time.

From the original eBay listing: 1988 Bimota YB7 for Sale

Located in Santa Ana, California. Bike has 5951 km = 3570 miles on it. This Bimota is based on the Yamaha FZR400. These bikes were built for the Japanese market only. Bimota made approx. 321 of these bikes. This bike is in very good condition with low miles. The engine runs very good. There is no crash damage on this bike. I do not have a title for this bike. Bike is being sold with a bill of sale only. Non USA buyers will have to make there own shipping arrangements. I can recommend a very good shipping company in Los Angeles. Bike is being sold as is, no returns. So, ask questions and look at the pictures carefully before you bid. Again, this bike is being sold with a bill of sale only. I do not have a title for this bike.

The seller mentions that he doesn’t have a title for this bike, so be sure to check with your DMV if you plan to register it for the road. Caveat emptor: in some states, this will definitely cause headaches, although it may be no problem at all in others.

That being said, it’s a really cool little bike that has, so far, generated very little interest. Which is a shame: parts to maintain it should be easy to come by, even if fairing panels are not, and the bike will provide more capability than probably 90% of riders can actually exploit.

If you could locate some pattern bodywork, it might make a very cool little racebike or track-day curiosity. Certainly, it’d be satisfying to run down literbikes and even 600’s on a screaming little 400…

-tad

Japanese-Market Rarity: 1988 Bimota YB7 for Sale

Yamaha May 5, 2015 posted by Mike

Featured Listing: 1993 Yamaha GTS 1000

An interesting corporate experiment and a RSBFS fan favorite, the Yamaha GTS is a rare two-year model bike that continues to look cutting edge. Derived from James Parker’s efforts with his revolutionary RADD suspension concept, the GTS is a modern cult classic. With the Parker test mule originally ridden by none other than Wayne Rainey prior to Yamaha’s green lighting the project, the GTS promised to usher in a new era of sport bike suspension design. What emerged from the Yamaha labs was not a new FZR sportbike, but rather a FZR-based concept that was decidedly middle of the road in terms of focus. Perhaps Yamaha decided to make the unconventional GTS as conventional as possible to lure people into the showrooms. The GTS was relatively large and bulbous in proportions when compared to the XT 600 dual purpose-based prototype and the FZR750 follow on. Parker was reportedly unhappy with the outcome, and what could have been simply languished on showroom floors until Yamaha pulled the plug.

1993 Yamaha GTS 1000 Featured Listing

The concept is a good one: conventional front forks need to manage steering, weight changes due to braking and acceleration, and provide control over road irregularities – that is a lot of jobs for a single piece of equipment. The RADD design helped to isolate the pitch moment of braking from the bump compliance of road irregularities, while allowing steering to occur completely independently. In short, it was a novel way to focus on specific tasks via suspension and chassis components. The downside of this approach is weight and packaging. The GTS does not have a conventional frame – instead both front and rear swing arms bolt to the “C” section plates on either side of the motor, and provide the hard points for the suspension to connect. Dragging bits of the front suspension (swing arm and attach points) can be an issue for extreme riders. For the rest of us mortals, this is usually not a problem.

From the seller:
Don’t miss out on your opportunity to own a rare and unique ride. Offered for only two years in the US, there are few examples left that are this nice. This GTS has been ridden, although very lovingly.

This bike is 98% stock, with a Corbin seat and a MRA Touring windshield as the only improvements. With ABS, fuel injection, and a front end that separates suspension from steering, this bike is a joy to ride. James Parker’s RADD forkless design works as advertised, effectively providing greater suspension and better chassis control. The 1000cc motor the 5 valve powerplant from the FZR that is retuned for sport touring duty. This bike is traditional Yamaha, with excellent fit and finish. These engines are near bulletproof, and she pulls like an electric motor.

The seller has provided a video of the bike in question, which looks fantastic in this particular light:

GTS models are hard to find in good condition. These single-sided front hub-center steering classics that are appreciating in value right now; and this will still be a fond novelty in another 20 years. The FZR1000 motor is strong and bullet proof, and despite the novelty, the front suspension really works. These are great bikes to ride – the steering is a bit heavy, but that is not inherent to the suspension but rather Yamaha playing it safe – but otherwise once in the saddle you can’t even tell you are riding something with a funny front end. Check it out here – we don’t see many of these around, and even fewer in this sort of condition. Good Luck!

Ducati May 5, 2015 posted by Mike M.

1983 Ducati 900 SS – Mike Hailwood Replica

1983 Ducati 900 Supersport – Mike Hailwood Replica

Before there was a Carl Fogarty or a Troy Bayliss or a Casey Stoner championing the Ducati brand, there was Mike Hailwood. Hailwood is one of the few men to ever stand on the podium for both a motorcycle Grand Prix and a Formula One Grand Prix (which is really amazing). Hailwood won numerous Grand Prix championships throughout the 1960s and then decided to pursue a career in Formula One and WSC. After being away from motorcycle racing for over a decade, he returned to win the Isle of Man TT at the age of 38. Ducati repaid him for the win by releasing the MHR (Mike Hailwood Replica) that we see here.

The sellers states that he is just the third owner and that his MHR has a very low 9400km on the clocks. It appears to be in fantastic condition for a bike that has actually been ridden. You can read more on eBay right here: 1983 Ducati 900 Supersport MHR

After many years of ownership I am listing my unrestored low km. kick start 1983 Ducati MHR. The time has come to let this beautiful full blooded italian motorcycle go from my collection. The bike is in good shape and does not need restoration beyond the aforementioned details. The engine cases have never been opened as the factory lead seal is intact. When I bought the bike in 1999, from what was then the second owner, it still had the original Pirelli Phantom tires which helped attest to its low mileage (listed in kilometers). I installed a set of Metzelers to make it roadworthy and have ridden a total of 2261 km to date. It has been stored for several years in my heated shop. After installation of a new battery and fluids it starts and runs well but would benefit from a carb cleaning. It has the original Silentium Brevettato mufflers which are clean and show no signs of corrosion. Mechanically this MHR is very good and correct and kicks over as it should. Cosmetically the paint is in good shape. There are no dents on the tank and the MHR’s fiberglass is consistent with the mileage and age of the bike. I have never run the MHR without its aftermarket K&N air filters…I have the original bell mouths in an included spares box.