Built and sold for the street in just about every other country, the 2009 Aprilia RS125 came to this country as a track-only weapon, thanks to its two-stroke mill’s inability to pass EPA muster. That didn’t stop more than a few track rats from ponying up the $5,500 MSRP for one of these GP grid-derived…
The Honda NSR250R is THE iconic grey-market two stroke. Featuring legendary Honda build quality and infused with the kind of technology only Honda could deliver, the MC21 variant features a 90° liquid-cooled 249cc v-twin connected to a six-speed cassette-style gearbox (indicating the track intentions of the bike). Fueling – as with all successful two strokes…
With a wheelbase just over three feet, Tonka truck sized wheels and a wet weight that sneaks in four pounds lighter than I am, the 1988 Yamaha YSR 50 set out to make the very most out of the smallest package possible. They were, for better or worse, glorified mopeds, albeit with proper clutches and…
Suzuki gave the RGV250 a masterful re-design before the second-to-last year of production, with a new 70-degree two-stroke twin, and a lot of Grand Prix thoughts. Never imported to our shores, the RGV250 was a domestic and progressive-license machine, and in its Sports Production variant, a race replica. This owner has legalized and re-furbished his…
When it comes to RSBFS, the most popular category for our readers seems to be the quarter-liter two stroke arena. The 250s make up the most often requested, clicked on, and likely purchased machines, and it’s not hard to see why. For those who prefer a pure, unadulterated GP racer with handling that would embarrass…
The early 1980s were an interesting time for motorcycle enthusiasts. Big changes were in the air, and all manufacturers were scrambling to develop disruptive models in the search for performance and sales; think of the groundbreaking Ninja 900, GSX-R 750, V45 Interceptor, and the Turbo era bikes, to name a few. Riders and drivers across…
Aprilia was late to the quarter-liter two-stroke party when they introduced their RS250 in 1995, but the bike stayed in production long after the NSR, TZR, and the RGV that donated its powerplant had gone the way of the dodo, with road bikes available until 2002 and “for off road use only examples” several years…
Looking like a modern take on the wildly popular RZ350 two stroke, the 1991 Yamaha R1-Z somehow never made it out of Japan. That’s a shame, too, because the R1-Z sports a too-sexy-for-my-fairing steel trellis frame and the powerplant from the TZR250 race replica. 1991 Yamaha R1-Z for sale on eBay Sneaking in under 300…
