The Paso has long been the low-cost entry into Ducati ownership, an often overlooked bike maligned for its slab-sided styling. Shockingly different when introduced and unfairly shunned by the oddly conservative Ducatisti, sales were disappointing. But in spite of its red-headed-stepchild reputation, the bike has the usual Ducati pedigree: it was designed by Massimo Tamburini,…
Introduced in 1981, the GSX1100S “Katana” was styled by Hans Muth, formerly of BMW and appeared to have been sculpted by someone wielding its namesake. So much for “conservative German design”! The new bike was powered by Suzuki’s 1074cc, air/oil-cooled four-cylinder hung in a relatively conventional twin-shock frame. While the technology under the skin was…
Okay, I know you guys are going to jump on the non-standard paint, asking just what damage the shiny, orange-scented paint is hiding… This particular Aprilia RS250 definitely isn’t for purists, but might make a great bike for the right buyer. The RS250 is a famously agile, although this bike features the front end from…
This Honda RS250 is not a road bike. It was never a road bike. It’s not a streetbike stripped of lights or a “race replica”: it was never meant to be used anywhere but the track. An over-the-counter GP250 machine from Honda, it is powered by a slightly undersquare 249cc two stroke v-twin and weights…
It’s been a banner week for “Slabby” Suzukis on eBay, with a range of bikes to tickle any Gixxer-lover’s fancy, including an interesting restomod with billet 17″ wheels that I’m sure would have ignited a firestorm of controversy in the comments… This one is a bit more traditional and should appeal to fans of RSBFS.…
The MV Agusta F4CC might at first look to be something along the lines of Ducati’s endless, blinged-up “S” versions that slap on some carbon, slightly up-spec suspension, and call it a day. But the F4 “Claudio Castiglioni” is far from a paint-and-tape special edition. It is, without question, the ultimate incarnation of the first-generation…
Although forgotten now, Gilera was one a famous manufacturer of serious racing hardware, and this “Nuovo” Saturno was an attempt to revitalize the marque in the late 1980’s. Now owed by Piaggio, Gilera was originally founded in 1909 and had a long history of high-performance motorcycles. These sportbikes were often based around big singles, sort…
A bike with skinny tires and a wide powerband, the Fabio Taglioni-designed Ducati TT2 bears a passing resemblance to the roadgoing F1, but was tuned to perfection, utilizing a philosophy that resulted in a lightweight, very nimble package with a broad spread of useable power that made it ideal for roadcourses. Displacement was up slightly…