The Moto Guzzi 850 LeMans II took the marque’s sportiest offering from the ’70s and updated its styling and technology for the new decade. What had been born in the mid-70s as the high-compression, big-carb version of Guzzi’s familiar v-twin standard was updated with air-assisted forks, linked brakes and Nikasil cylinder walls. The 850 LeMans…
It’s a shame we’ll probably never see a modern Moto Guzzi sportbike, since they’ve been nominated official “heritage brand” for the Piaggio Group. Especially disappointing, since Guzzi was active and successful in a variety of racing classes up into the 1970s. Guzzi even had a modern superbike in the works intended to compete head-to-head with…
KTM’s booming orange RC8 was a bit flawed when it was introduced, but still represented a hugely impressive effort by the first-time superbike maker. They’d worked out some of bugs of the new 75° v-twin using their earlier 990 Superduke that was a bit of a half-step between the supermoto Duke and the superbike RC8.…
During the 1980s and early 1990s, the Japanese manufacturers engaged in heated competition in the quarter-liter class, creating some of the most exciting small-displacement motorcycles of all time. They were lightweight, highly-developed, and looked great. Unfortunately here in the USA, we didn’t really get to experience them at the time, as ever-tightening emissions regulations effectively…
eBay has been awash this summer in rare and exciting two-and four-stroke quater-liter bikes from Japan, a testament to the collector market for these bikes, which are neither common nor terribly easy to import. This 1990 Suzuki RGV250SP is at least the third of its kind we have posted this summer, and it is offered…
The days might still be hot here on the East Coast, but they’re steadily getting shorter, and the evenings have the familiar cool snap. Summer is nigh over, but here at RSBFS we are just gearing up for one of the best seasons to get out on a sportbike and relish the crisp temperatures and…
Update 10.12.2017: SOLD. Congratulations to buyer and seller! -dc Update 9.23.2017: Back on eBay with fresh pictures and a buy-it-now of $9,000. Seller note: Open to trades, would consider a trade up or trade down on a RC30, RC45, NC35 and possibly an Ow01 or Ow02, already have an NC30 so I’m good there. Yes,…
Guzzi is generally thought of these days as a purveyor of weirdo touring rigs, butch nakeds, and alterna-Harley cruisers, all with their big v-twins turned 90° from the expected orientation and the cylinder heads sticking out by the rider’s knees. But in the 1950s and 1970s, Moto Guzzi made genuine sportbikes and competed successfully in…