I Was Framed! 1975 Rickman Kawasaki CR900

Update 6.18.2023: Billy has reached out to get his bike on the homepage. His new price for RSBFS is $17,500. Reach him by email. Good luck to buyers and seller! -dc

In the 1970s and 1980s the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers made huge strides in terms of technology, performance and reliability. The engines were more powerful than ever. Gearboxes had evolved from 4 to 5-speed units with crisp action. But somehow the chassis side of the business languished; the frame tech of the Big Four was way behind the power curve – quite literally. Enter smaller boutique builders looking to add substance to the rest of the package by way of wrapping all of the goodness in a custom built frame. One of the earliest players in this space was Rickman. Today’s Rickman CR900 looks great in its original dayglo green paintwork, and is a great example from this period.

1975 Rickman Kawasaki CR900 for sale on eBay

Brothers Derek and Don started their eponymous company back in 1960, originally upgrading scramblers and dirt bikes before turning their attention to racers and road bikes. The frames themselves were pieces of art in a totally functional manner; thicker, more heavily braced and much stiffer than any OEM unit. They were also beautiful, nickel-plated affairs (although the nickname for a Rickman frame is “Metisse” which means mongrel in French). In the case of the CR900, motive power was taken from a donor Z1, and the rest of the bike was fitted with upgraded suspension and braking components before receiving beautiful fiberglass bodywork.

From the seller:
1975 Rickman Kawasaki CR900. Here’s your chance to own a Rickman at a very attractive price-don’t wait 5 years from now when they might be going for $30k! This is 1 of 1,258 Rickman’s produced from 1974-1981. This is also 1 of 299 Rickmans produced in 1975. Rare long tank/short seat version. This Rickman has been restored to as close to original spec as possible after the previous owner converted it to a sport tourer. It is powered by a 1975 Kawasaki Z1 engine with @4,422 miles showing on the donor bike speedo(true mileage unknown). It has a high quality aluminum tank that was supposedly made by the guys that made the frame (per the previous owner-but I have no proof of this). It has a period correct Hooker 4 into 4 exhaust system. A picture of an ad from Cycle World Magazine circa 1975 is included with the pics verifying the system does exist-as I never knew Hooker made such a system. It still has the original Rickman aluminum chain guard-which a lot of Rickmans tend not to have. The forks are also original spec Rickman. The headlight fairing mount seems to be for some other model Rickman as it does not fit perfectly(Rickman CR750 Honda maybe?)-I had to fabricate aluminum(to keep it as light as possible) brackets to mount the fairing. The 2 lower fairing mounts are the correct Rickman ones.

More from the seller:
The bike is 5 VIN’s numbers away from the Rickman Craig Vetter (official Rickman importer) used to ride to a 3rd place finish in the Café Class at Daytona in 1975. The bike was accepted into the prestigious invitation only Boca Raton Concours De Elegance in 2019.

The tach and speedo is a tight fit in the fairing and makes the slightest of rubbing when you make any turns.

More from the seller:
The nickel plating on the frame is bright and shiny. The paint is brand new and concours quality. The windshield is a brand new genuine Gustafsson screen. The battery is 2 years old. It has a battery tender lead connector for charging. I fabricated some silencers for the exhaust system as it was a bit loud for the neighbors-but the fabrication is totally reversible. The bike has a clean and clear Florida title in my name.

Rickman bikes were originally frame kits, requiring owners to source a donor motorcycle and perform the assembly. By the early 1970s they were producing full on motorcycles, usually based on Honda or Kawasaki power. By the mid to late 1970s the Rickman brothers sold the company, which – following a short chain of custodians – continues to this day. These are justifiably rare machines that really show the potential of the 1970s. And while some may think they lack the “motorcycle as art” mentality of say Bimota, one has to only look closely to see that a Rickman has only what it needs to perform, without unnecessary farkles. This mean green 1975 Rickman CR900 is based in Florida, and has a starting bid price tag of $18,000. You can check it out here, including a walk around video. Good Luck!!