The introduction of the 851 in 1987 was a watershed moment for Ducati. Their first liquid-cooled, four-valve engine displaced, naturally, 851cc and established a superbike formula that the company would follow until the introduction of their V4. The 851 didn’t need to rely on nostalgia to compete at the highest levels of racing and re-established…
The Yamaha YZF-R7 OW02 was one of the very last 750cc homologation specials and was available for just two years before Yamaha folded their World Superbike team and ended production. Utilizing the frame geometry from their GP YZR500, the OW02 featured many exotic components, as you’d expect from a bike like this. Unfortunately, in road-going…
Hard for a sport rider to keep any factory’s stock set-up, but the 2005 Honda RC51 SP2 might be a good candidate. This seriously black stocker from Mass. has all the SP2 goodness and none of the typical farkles. 2005 Honda RVT1000R / RC51 SP2 for sale on eBay After two successful years with the…
If your significant other said there was room for just a single bike on your side of the garage, a 996 SPS might be a worthy choice. This turn-of-the-century model has been babied but not left un-ridden. 2000 Ducati 996 SPS for sale on eBay The SPS was the top of the line for 2000,…
Update 9.19.2020: This bike has SOLD to an RSBFS reader! Congratulations to buyer and seller! -dc Long time RSBFS sponsor, Speedwerks, has trained their restorative techniques on a 1993 Kawi, and ensured that its outstanding looks are backed up by a healthy dose of attention from their service technicians. 1993 Kawasaki ZX-7 for sale at…
The early 1980s were a bad time for speed. With a very few exceptions, cars had spent the previous decade becoming wheezy, lumbering and compromised. Motorcycles were yet to fully cross the Rubicon from being either quirky runabouts or the steeds of tattooed heathens to the mounts of true enthusiasts. And then in 1981, Kawasaki…
Update 8.27.2020: SOLD IN JUST 3 DAYS to an RSBFS reader! Congratulations to buyer and seller! -dc This 2002 Honda RC51 SP2 is a U.S.-market bike that was dressed up from new with European-market bodywork that sets it well apart from the red-black-silver and all-black bikes that were standard here. It also means the bike…
Update 8.22.2020: This bike has SOLD to an RSBFS reader! Congratulations to buyer and seller! -dc The 2002 Honda RC51 SP2 was the first year of the ultimate evolution of Honda’s gorgeous World Superbike conqueror. Built to play on Ducati’s v-twin field and engineered to within a millimeter of its life thanks to Big Red’s…