Starting with a Honda CB125S that was sold new in Salt Lake City, someone imported a period sidecar from the Philippines to form one heck of a (slow) attention getter.
The original owners (Morrie & Faye) had a mural painted on the front of the rickshaw, including their names, and the current owner has kept it. The seller notes that “this bike has only been used in parades and to putter around town.” I’m not sure what else this would be capable of!
This bike (VIN: jc045104247) is claimed to start on the first kick bike and be in great condition though it’s got a small dent on the tank and some chipping paint. Find this CB125S rickshaw for sale in Salt Lake City, Utah with an unmet opening bid of $500
In business between 1962 and 1978, Alta was a manufacturer of motorcycles, cars, and trucks based out of Athens, Greece. When they started, they built vehicles around a Sachs 50cc engine – one of the most notable was the Alta 50S.
There isn’t much detail given on this specific example but it’s claimed to be in working condition. Find it for sale in Agrinio, Greece with an unmet opening bid of $2,500
The asking price is a little crazy, but this is by far the nicest X-90 I’ve ever seen.
Built by Aermacchi for Harley-Davidson, the X-90 was the successor to the Shortster and one of the tiniest Harleys ever made. Approximately 7,000 examples were built and most were treated like you’d expect a minibike would be, making this example a rare sight indeed.
This example has been given a “100% complete frame off restoration” and is claimed to be practically brand new. It was apparently on display in a country store in Virginia for 10 years then sat in a barn until it was brought to Texas early this year for the restoration. 520 miles are on the odometer and I’m hoping you’ll put some more on it.
Find this X-90 for sale in Houston, Texas with a BIN of $5,000
Somehow, someone in Southern California has got his/her hands on a few Indonesian market bikes that are nearly impossible to find in the US. 6 are currently on offer on eBay – here are my 3 favorites.
Depending on what state you’re in, the paperwork to make these bikes street legal may not be worth it, which really limits the potential market. Still, there’s a good chance that I may never get to feature one of these bikes in the US ever again, so here goes:
1.) 2012 Suzuki Satria F150 (VIN: MH8BG41CACJ880233). Known in other markets as the Raider, this is the biggest underbone motorcycle available in Indonesia – it apparently was well equipped for the price when compared to other underbones.
This example has 31 miles and it comes with electric and kick start, though the seller notes it’s a bit hard starting and it should probably have the carb looked at (and probably have the jets adjusted).
Find it with an unmet opening bid of $1,800
2.) 2013 Yamaha Vixion (VIN: mh33c1205ck060251).
A naked bike with just 23 miles on it, this Vixion is claimed to be one of only a few in the US. It features a Deltabox frame, center stand, and electric and kick starts.
Find it with an unmet opening bid of $1,800
3.) My favorite of the 6 bikes, a 2013 Honda CBR150R in Repsol livery (VIN: MLHKC1796C5101123).
It has 515 miles and is claimed to be in good shape though it has a few scratches from shipping. It is equipped with a Two Brothers Black series exhaust as well as electric and kick start. However, the blinkers and high beam are currently not working.
Find it with an unmet opening bid of $2,500
Or find all of this seller’s offerings in Camarillo, California
A rare Kawasaki minibike, the MB1 was also known as the Coyote.
Kawi actually made two versions of this bike – the MB1 (featured today) was a two-stroker, but the KT-30 (50cc unit) was apparently under-powered (3 horsepower) and not reliable. After approximately 400 units, Kawasaki quickly replaced it with a 134cc four stroke engine. For a lot more information on this rare find, check out this page dedicated to the Coyote on Mini Doodle.
http://jleibovitch.tripod.com/id258.htm
This example is claimed to be in beautiful shape and it runs great, though there’s a slight tear in the seat stitching and some discoloration/rust from age. Find this Coyote for sale in Jefferson City, Missouri with bidding up to $2,001
Discovered hanging in a shop for over 40 years, this MZ TS150 is claimed to be in great overall condition though it’s going to need some work.
The TS series (acronym for Telescopic Fork/Swingarm) was available in big or small versions – the latter was either a 125 or 150. The 125 produced about 10 horsepower and it was available in standard or luxury models with flat or high bars. This example (VIN: 7817067) is missing a sidecar and it has good compression but it will need a little TLC.
Find this small TS for sale in Vidalia, Louisiana with an unmet opening bid of $1.00 or a BIN of $5,000
Known in other markets as the Van Van, the RV90 Rover is an adorable dual sport (this is plated and street legal in California) that featured 10″ wide tires and (according to Suzuki) “the ability to go anywhere you point it.”
With a 88cc 2-stroke engine that produced 8 horsepower at 6,000 rpm paired with a 4-speed transmission, the Rover could hit between 45-50 miles per hour.
From http://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/RV/RV90-brochurer/1973_RV90K_brochure_800.jpg
This example (VIN: RV9022966) has 2,658 miles and is equipped with auxiliary driving lights, a bike horn, and additional, horrible-looking turn signals (plus the wiring seems a little wonky). Find this Rover for sale in Cerritos, California with an unmet opening bid of $1,000 or a BIN of $2,000
In the 1930s, DKW was the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer. In 1939, they released the RT125 – it would go one to be one of the most popular motorcycles in the world, but for a reason you might not expect.
Fast forward to the end of WWII. As part of war reparations, DKW gave blueprints of the RT125 to Harley-Davidson and BSA, among others. In fact, the RT125 ended up varying forms in at least six different countries, produced by eight different companies.For more on how the RT125 became “The Most Copied Motorcycle of All Time”, check out this article on All About Bikes. Or, check out Vintage Veloce for a list of bikes inspired by the RT complete with photos so you can do a little perusing.
Despite all that, this example is actually somewhat rare, and those of you familiar with the RT125 might note that this bike doesn’t look like what you expect. For an explanation of why, let’s meet a man named Bruno Cavani. Cavani was the first DKW dealer outside of Germany – you could probably guess that he was in Italy from the name. After WWII, Italy banned imported motorcycles that weighed 185kgs or less, and Bruno was a bit out of luck. Ever the entrepreneur, he imported DKW engines (125/175/200/250cc) and then made his own bikes with local suppliers! The seller claims this is the only Cavani RT125 in the US and I have no way of proving him or her wrong. The bike is claimed to be in great cosmetic condition for the age and while the motor is free the seller “hasn’t tried to start it”, which I just assume is code for “I can’t start it but it’s not my problem anymore.” Still, the least rare part of this bike is the engine, so it shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.
Find this Cavani RT125 for sale in Towson, Maryland with bidding up to $202.50 and the reserve not yet met or a BIN of $3,000
Motorcycle racers are all aware of the NSR50, Honda’s beginner race bike that has started plenty of careers and passions. But for one year, just 50 examples of the Honda NSF100 were also imported to the states as one of the best ways to get into road racing.
Track-only bikes are a limited market in the states, so it’s hard to find these floating around in the used market. It’s powered by a 99cc four-stroke single that produces 8.7 horsepower and 5.6 pound-feet of torque. All were body-in-white and weighed just 165 pounds.
This example is claimed to be in excellent condition with a clean title…and that’s pretty much all the seller has to say about it. Due to the rarity of this baby racer, that might be all he/she has to say for someone to snap it up anyway. Find this Honda NSF100 for sale in Woodbridge, Virginia with a BIN of $3,000
Sold for only 3 years, the Honda Motocompo was a tiny 50cc folding scooter designed to fit into the trunks of the subcompact cars Honda was making at the time, like the City. In fact, the City’s trunk was designed specifically to house the Motocompo. Nowadays, they’re very difficult to find, which makes a restored example like this even more special.
The defining feature was the mechanism that enabled the handlebars and seat to fold in almost flush with the top of the bike. It weighed little enough that an average sized man could pick it up and then put it in the trunk of a City or Civic. As it was only made for a few years (and designed to stay in the Japanese Domestic Market, these little scoots are very tough to find in the states, and they’ve got a cult following so they usually get snapped up quickly. For more on the Motocompo (and an example of it being folded into a Honda hatchback), check out this tiny video from Honda’s official site.
This Motocompo (VIN: AB12-1051292) received a cosmetic restoration two years ago and while it has a couple of minor chips in the paint it’s claimed to still be in excellent condition. Everything is claimed to work but the seller says he/she will have the bike serviced before you’re given the bike and you’ll want a new battery. Find this Motocompo for sale in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with an unmet opening bid of $2,500
This example (VIN: 01779) is listed as a ’66 but the seller is not confident about that – he/she also notes that it looks similar to a ’62, so it’s possible that some parts have been switched out. Regardless, the bike is claimed to pull strong and run smoothly with no mechanical issues. Note that this Corsaro is missing the headlight and speedometer and the fuel tank has some small dings in it. This example isn’t perfect but you don’t see this model up for sale very often…so find it for sale in Nashua, New Hampshire with a BIN of $2,500 or best offer
Yes, I just featured a Motocompo, but cut me some slack – these things are cool and they so rarely come up for sale! I won’t bore you with the details again, but as a reminder this 50cc folding scooter was designed to fit into the trunks of the subcompact cars Honda was making at the time, like the City. In fact, the City’s trunk was designed specifically to house the Motocompo.
This example (VIN: AB12-1038553) is claimed to be in excellent overall condition as the engine starts on the first kick from cold and it ‘runs perfectly’. Everything works and the plastics only have a few scuffs. The seller imported the bike from Japan him/herself and has customs paperwork for it. Find this Motocompo for sale in Arlington, Virginia with bidding up to $1,525 and the reserve not yet met or a BIN of $3,000
Just like that, this XTR is gone – unclear if it sold or if it was pulled off the market.
Americans may know Beta because we can occasionally get some of their cool enduros out here. But 50 years ago, they sold a complete range of smaller dual-sports and street bikes, like this 100cc XTR scrambler.
As you might see from the below specifications, the XTR used a 2 stroke single and it sold for $399.
This example has 950 miles on the odometer and is claimed to be all original/ready for restoration. It has spent the last 30 years in heated storage but it’s unclear how functional it is. Unfortunately, I have to assume that the bike does not run, which makes the asking price ridiculous. Hopefully I’m wrong and the bike works just fine, in which case the asking price is only slightly ridiculous. Despite that, I figured this bike was worth sharing due to the rarity. Find this Moto Beta XTR for sale in Stanwood, Washington for $9,500 here on Craigslist.
The GSX-R 50 was Suzuki’s take on the street-legal minibike movement of the 80s. The Yamaha YSR50 and Honda NSR50 are the more common options, I love the ‘little engine that could’ feel of the Suzuki GSX-R 50 – especially this paint scheme which almost exactly matched what you’d get on the Gixxer 1100.
This baby gixxer is easily the hardest of the Japanese minibikes to find in the US, as it was only produced for 2 years as a JDM bike only. The seller says only 904 of were made but I can’t find another mention of that. Making just 5.2 hp and weighing 140 pounds, this won’t be much more than a novelty item, but these mini-bikes can still be a lot of fun.
Unfortunately, this example is not street legal, so hopefully you either live in a state that is lenient with what they’ll put a plate on or you have a desire for a very cool pit bike? It was recently serviced and got new Continental tires. Find this baby GSX-R for sale in Smallwood, New York with an unmet opening bid of $2,000
$10 a cubic centimeter – that’s what you’re getting with this 80cc, 8.5 horsepower, very rare example of Germany fury.
This bike is rare enough that I’m pretty much out of the loop and I can’t find any information on it. All I can tell you (in addition to the above info) is that it featured a 5 speed transmission and oil injection.
I really struggled to find information on this bike, which is rare even in its home market of Germany. Anybody out there have some experience with Tornados?
According to the seller, this bike has a 98cc Sachs engine paired with a 2-speed transmission (shifter on the handlebars). It’s running and comes with the license plate and all German papers from the last registration – it was registered until this year.
Find this Tornado for sale in Pompano Beach, Florida with bidding up to $1,525 and the reserve not yet met
The performance minibike of the Rupp line, the Black Widow featured a 4 horsepower Tecumseh motor paired with a Dell’Orto carb. Hold on tight!
The Black Widow was introduced in ’71 and also featured a straight exhaust and 12″ spoke wheels with motocross tires. Leftover ’71 bikes were sold as ’72s and thus ended the Black Widow line.
The seat has a fake taillight!
This Black Widow apparently went through a complete restoration five years ago and it’s claimed to ‘run as good as it looks’. Find it for sale in Middleburg, Pennsyvlania with bidding up to $2,025 and the reserve not yet met
Someone’s got a series of classic Hondas up for sale. One one hand, they’re not super-exciting and they’ll need a little work. One the other hand, there’s no reserve, so you might be able to get a steal. All the bikes are being described in a similar way: haven’t been run in a few years and have been in dry Southern California storage.
All bikes are in Newbury Park, California. Here they are, from youngest to oldest:
1983 Honda XL80S – VIN: JH2HD0401DK303128 – 2,059 miles. Find it with bidding up to $520
1974 Honda CB125 – VIN: CB125S1107167 – 4,933 miles. Find it with bidding up to $685
1970 Honda CB175 – VIN: CB1755016128 – 13,310 miles. Find it with bidding up to $665
1966 Honda C90 Cub – VIN: CM91A116913 – 3,949 miles. Find it with bidding up to $560
Of course, the best for last – 1966 Honda S90 – VIN: S90481978. Find it with bidding up to $578
As a bonus, the seller’s also offering an adorable Subaru 360
Made in Mexico, the Carabela MotoPony was a 60cc two-stroker that was the first ride for plenty of Mexican riders. This is a “Formula”, which got a sweet set of bodywork, to boot!
This specific example is claimed to be all original (including the tires) and close to mint condition. The bike sat in dry storage for almost 30 years before the current seller acquired it, and he/she brought it back to life last winter.
Find this Carabela for sale in Boerne, Texas for $750 here on Craigslist.
I don’t pretend to know anything about bicycles, but the David Sherrell Classic (I’ve heard rumors that production was limited to anywhere between 35 and 65 bikes) is definitely something you can’t help but notice. Plus, this one’s got a Whizzer motor kit so I can feature it!
First produced in 1939, the Whizzer bicycle engine was built by Breene-Taylor engineering, an airplane part manufacturer based out of Los Angeles. Three years later, the engine production was sold off and it continued on until the mid 60’s. There isn’t a “standard” Whizzer. They were simply engine kits sold so that consumers could make motorized bicycles (although Whizzer eventually started selling complete kits, as well).
The seller says this example was ‘built from the factory’ with the Whizzer motor because the motor mounts are molded to the fiberglass and welded to the frame. This might be true, but it should be noted that Whizzer was out of business from ’65 to ’98, so the builder would have had sourced an old engine to make this happen. Either way, the motor will have to be replaced or rebuilt. It ain’t cheap, but it sure is rare. Find this Sherrell Classic for sale in Galveston, Texas with an unmet opening bid of $2,000
