We don’t normally post project or incomplete bikes here on RSBFS, but this one seemed too good to pass up: one of Cagiva’s inspired but ultimately doomed series of 500cc GP machines, the V589. Battling against the established giants, Cagiva originally experimented with an inline-four configuration but eventually followed Suzuki’s successful formula with a square…
A tiny racebike with big performance, the Yamaha TZ125 was a pure racebike and should not be confused with the TZR series of sportbikes. Handling was thought to be on par with the Honda RS125 but the Yamaha was down slightly on power compared to its rival. At 56mm x 50.7mm bore and stroke, it…
Faced with the onslaught of powerful, dead-reliable motorcycles from Japan, many of the storied British and European motorcycle brands folded and Triumph was among them, although the story of their eventual resurrection is suitably British. These days, they’re famous for their characterful performance machines, but it took them years to earn that enviable reputation. This…
The second Honda RS125 that’s been up for sale in the past couple weeks, this looks like a more bare-bones offering than the last one we featured, although it still appears to be in decent shape. If you’re not familiar with the RS125, it’s no “race replica”: it’s an over-the-counter competition machine meant for racing,…
The MC21 was the third generation of Honda’s lithe NSR250R, their entry into the quarter-liter two-stroke class that had been hotly contested by the major Japanese manufacturers since the mid 1980s. Power was modest, at least in stock form, but handling was cutting-edge, and the bike was packed with the usual wealth of Honda tech:…
The very last post of 2016 is this slightly scruffy, but ready-to-race Honda RS125. It’s not a display bike, it’s a full-on racing machine, ideal for a new racer who’s learning the trade, or a veteran who just likes bikes that weigh less than they do… At just 160lbs partly-fueled, these offer up more performance…
One of the most desirable sportbikes of the 1980s, the Suzuki RG500Γ was in a class of basically two with the Yamaha RZ500. Powered by a two-stroke square four it shared with no other bike in Suzuki’s lineup, the Gamma was intended to evoke their Grand Prix racebikes, which led to an interesting dilemma: two-strokes…
If you want a machine with charisma, humane ergonomics, and a dash of tradition, the early 90s Ducati 900SS is a modern classic that offers a less frantic experience than similar bikes from Japan. Straight-line performance for the two-valve v-twin is modest, but these were all about midrange power and torque. Powered by a 904cc…