Benelli made the Fireball 50 (also sold as the confusingly-named Montgomery Wards 450SS) as a streetbike, but the Fireball Trail was its scrambler sibling with a one-person seat, high exhaust, and rounded styling.

Per a 1969 ad from Cosmopolitan Motors, the Fireball Trail was a setup up from the Dynamo Trail, and it was specifically designed “for trail riding for youngsters from 10 to 16” but was “powered enough for adults.” The four-speed transmission was amplified by dual sprockets that could be changed for hill climbing and rough trails, plus it had the equipment to be street-legal. It came standard with a skid plate, luggage rack, tall fenders, and silver/red paintwork.

This example will need some work, but they’re so rare that I’m sure someone will want to take it on. Currently, it has a brand new crank, rebuilt carb, “upgraded” head and piston, but there’s no spark. The seller will include a new set of points. Would you try to save this little Fireball? If so, find this Benelli project for sale in Longmeadow, Massachusetts with a BIN of $1,275 or best offer here on eBay.

American Rex Corporation used to be located at 1216 Monte Diablo Avenue in San Mateo, California. They imported Italian-made Garellis under the name of Garelli-Rex, and the naming convention was KL + the ccs of displacement. In period advertisements, American Rex referred to “KL” as “King of the Lightweights”.

I’ve featured a Garelli Rex KL125 before, and that utilized a Parilla-built motor. I’m having trouble identifying who makes this 75cc unit – do you know?

This example (VIN: 1100810) is said to be in “beautiful original condition.” The seller notes that it’s “all original except for air filter” and that it’s mechanically sound – he starts it occasionally and the odometer shows less than 60 miles.

Find this Rex for sale in Marienthal, Kansas with a BIN of $2,500 or best offer here on eBay.

We’ve just listed an awesome limited edition of Honda’s venerable Monkey on the auction site – but I had to take it for a spin myself. Come take a ride with me on the Honda Monkey Baja with the rare Africa Kit!

If you love this thing as much as I do, you can find it currently for sale with bidding up to $3,500 and the reserve not yet met here on Iconic Motorbike Auctions in Marina del Rey, California.

Full Disclosure: Bike-urious is a partner in Iconic Motorbike Auctions.

It’s tiny, but it’s packing a 125cc Sachs motor – more than enough to get in trouble. Speedway marketed this bike by saying “On the trail, leave the others looking at the tailpipe of your Super Spyder. If your bag is winning, go with the name that consistently wins — Speedway.”

Who knows if anyone actually raced these things, but features like a kick starter (instead of a pull starter) and foot-operated shifter flying through five-speeds would at least make the pilot feel like they were on a proper motorcycle.

This example is said to be in “original condition with all mostly original parts”, whatever that means. Ignoring that description, it’s been repainted, but it has the original motor. It’s been in “dry storage for a long time” and ‘has very strong compression”, but the next owner will need to commit to some work if they want it to be more than a display piece going forward.

Find this Super Spyder for sale in Bennington, Nebraska with a BIN of $5,495 here on eBay.

The most produced motor vehicle in history, Honda’s Super Cub is still in production (and just got a 125cc facelift with the powertrain from the Grom). These wonderful bikes, which changed the face of motorcycling in the United States in conjunction with the famous marketing campaign, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda.” It was a motorcycle for the people, with features like an underbone frame to make mounting the bike easier, an enclosed chain that kept clothes clean, and a leg shield that blocked road debris. All this plus the semi-automatic transmission turned the Super Cub into an appliance, as opposed to a hobby, and opened up motorized two-wheel transport to a much broader consumer base.

This example (VIN: C100R091341) has just 2,965 miles and it’s said to be in great running condition/good overall condition. It was bought new by someone in the military, then sold to the current owner’s uncle (who was also in the military) with a few hundred miles on it. The owner’s uncle commuted on it to a job at the post office for years, eventually gifting it to the seller in 2005 “on the condition I would keep her running. I have done that and much more but it’s now time for her to move on to a new home as my family has little to no interest in maintaining her.” The bike has covered just 10 miles in the last 15 years, but it’s a good runner that you can enjoy as is or use as the basis for a restoration. I’m hoping the next owner does the former! The seller calls it a ’66 but notes that it’s titled as a ’68.

Find this nifty fifty for sale in Saint Petersburg, Florida with bidding up to $1,000 and the reserve already met here on eBay.

Last week I featured a FZR1000 from a seller I trust in Chicago, and he let me know that he was about to list a couple of never ridden 70s Yamahas. Looks like they’re live now, and we start with a YZ80.

The YZ80 dates back to 1974, and it was the first motorcycle for many a rider, and I suspect that’s exactly the kind of person that this impressively unused example (VIN: 2J5-012262) would appeal to.

It is said to be entirely original (including the tires) and the sale includes the OEM number plate, which has never been removed from the packaging. Per the seller, “When I found the bike, it had been in dry storage since new and had never been started or ridden. It had also been coated by the factory with cosmoline, a petroleum based metal corrosion inhibitor and preservative applied by the factory and usually removed by the dealer as part of their “prep” before a sale. A lot of time was spent on the detailing of the bike and removing all of the cosmoline from the various surfaces. The inside of the gas tank, as you can see from the photos, is spotless, and has never had fuel in it. What you see is what you get, and the way it was for the past 42 years.”

Find this YZ80 for sale in Chicago, Illinois with bidding up to $4,550 and the reserve not yet met here on eBay.

I featured one of these a couple of months ago that had been with the seller for decades, and was impressed when it sold for $6,500. They rarely come up for sale, and I figured it was the nicest example I’d see for a while. Well, that changes today, as someone’s got one that’s still in the box!

Primarily produced in the late 60s and 70s, Indian’s range of off-road-oriented tiddlers included some very cool offerings such as the Boy Racer, the ME100, the SS125MX, even a kid bike with a full-on mini sidecar. One of the most visually distinctive options was the MT5A, mono-tank-and-bodied MT5A, a miniature trials bike with one piece bodywork and fuel tank. The baby trials machine featured a .75 gallon tank, a 48cc Morini 2-stroke engine, and a 12mm Dell’Orto carb. It was offered with optional training wheels and it weighed just 57 pounds dry.

This example “was purchased as a present in 1975 and sat undiscovered until 2014,” and I can’t imagine you’d find another one like this any time soon. The box is beat up and the bike has a couple of minor cosmetic issues though it’s in bubble wrap. Will this ever be put together and fired up or do you think it’ll stay like this on display?

Find this MT5A for sale in Webster, New York with bidding up to $3,600 and the reserve not yet met or a BIN of $12,500 here on eBay.

In the US, Hercules is probably best known as the first company to sell a Wankel-engined bike to the public – the Wankel 2000. The firm started building bikes in 1904 and was sold to ZF Sachs in 1963, eventually becoming part of the Zweirad Union. As you could probably guess, before the ’63 sale, Hercules wasn’t doing particularly well in the market. Around this time, they were using Sachs two-stroke engines, which presumably had something to do with the sale itself. Here’s one of those small two-stroke bikes, the Hercules K100.

This example (VIN: L136338) is claimed to be fully restored with a rebuilt motor. All the seller has to share is that it has approximately 12,700 miles and would be a “great Giro bike.”

Find this Hercules for sale in Kingfield, Maine with bidding up to $1,000 and the reserve not yet met here on eBay.

This bike-uriousity brought to you by Robert B!

Also known as the Trailhopper, the Suzuki MT-50 was a mini bike designed to fit in the trunk of your car with swing-in handlebars and a removable front wheel.

Distinctive styling surrounded a 50cc, 3 horsepower engine that was mated to a 3-speed clutchless transmission. The tank was about half a gallon, “so it would only cost about a quarter to fill it.” This first-year example is said to be all original, “fun as heck and easy to ride.”

Find this Trailhopper for sale in Austin, Texas for $1,500 here on Facebook Marketplace.

This bike-uriousity brought to you by Robert P!

Over on the auction site, we’re handling an estate sale for someone who was clearly into small-displacement Japanese machines. There’s a lot of two-stroke repli-racers, but my favorite of the group is something I had never heard of before. Meet the Super Monkey!

It was extremely tough to find info on the Super Monkey, but this is what I’ve got: A company called New Monkey Racing built 50 Monkey-based baby racers and they were replicas of early 80s GP bikes – the Kawasaki KR500, Suzuki RGB500, Yamaha YZR500, and the Honda NSR500. I’ve also read that they made a Bimota replica, but I haven’t been able to find a photo of one of those.

It’s a kit that’s completely bolt-on – no modification required to the stock frame. The bodywork is an obvious change, but the kit also includes a subframe that converts the Monkey into a monoshock. Some sources say that the engines were modified, other sources don’t mention it, I don’t know for sure. All I know is that it’s rare, and it’s cool!

It’s got just 426 kilometers (266 miles) and it runs great.

When we were looking for comps, we could only find one in Belgium and they wanted about $14,000. The seller’s reserve on this was $4,000, and it’s just been met so this will sell! Find this Super Monkey for sale in Marina del Rey, California with bidding up to $4,000 here on Iconic Motorbike Auctions.

Disclosure: Bike-urious is a partner in Iconic Motorbike Auctions.

Post Listing Update: This QR50 was pulled off of eBay “because there was an error in the listing,” final sale price unknown.

Built as a rival to Yamaha’s PW50, the Honda QR50 was never officially sold in the US. It was, however, sold in Canada in 1983 and 1984, so a few have made their way across our northern border. Much like the Yamaha, this was powered by a 50cc 2-stroke single paired with an automatic clutch.

This example (VIN: AE01-5103860) was on display at a Honda dealership in Colorado for 15 years – the seller acquired it 10 years ago, verified that it ran, drained the fuel, and kept it in his heated basement ever since. The seller states that it looks new except for a peeling tank decal.

Find this QR50 for sale in Littleton, Colorado with an unmet opening bid of $1,500 here on eBay.

Here’s one I’ve never seen before!

It’s been surprisingly difficult for me to look up information on this – I can’t even figure out if MZ officially sold these in the US or not. From what I can tell, it’s got a liquid-cooled DOHC single that makes about 15 horsepower, paired with a 6-speed transmission. The whole package weighs about 320 pounds.

Everything is said to work on this example, and it has just 105 miles. It’s been given an oil change and a new air filter, and it’s offered with a “transferable registration” from Vermont (which doesn’t require a title for bikes under 300cc).

Find this MZ for sale in Southampton, New York with a BIN of $1,800 here on eBay.

This bike-uriousity brought to you by Jim A!

In 1965, Harley-Davidson bought a 50% stake in the Italian manufacturer Aermacchi, and they proceeded to import small-displacement Italian motorcycles and sell them under the H-D name.

The Rapido featured a 123.5cc air-cooled two stroke single that pushed 13hp through a 4-speed transmission – enough to get the 250 lb motorcycle to about 70 miles per hour.

This example (VIN: 7A10698H1) has 972 miles, and it’s said to “run and ride great.” It has a new battery and a recent carb rebuild. The seller states that everything works and the sale includes the original key and owner’s manual. Find this Rapido for sale in Mentor, Ohio with bidding up to $2,075 and the reserve met here on eBay.

In 1936, NSU introduced a moped called the Quick. It was quite popular – they sold almost 250,000 over a production run that lasted until 1953. Even more popular was the successor, the amusingly-named “Quickly.” From 1953-1968, NSU sold over a million units! Here’s a 60 year-old survivor.

“Moped” wasn’t a term back then, so NSU called it an “autocycle.” For some period advertisements, check out Cyclemaster.

The Quickly had a 49cc two-stroke engine paired with a two-speed transmission and a pedal start. This example has been with the seller for nine years and during that time it got a “completely rebuilt engine.” Because of that, it now starts on the first kick. It runs with premix in the ratio of 25:1, and it features Bosch electrics as well as a Bosch horn.

Find this Quickly for sale in Gompers Park, Illinois for $3,000 here on Craigslist.

This bike-uriousity brought to you by Dan A!

The Honda MB5 was only imported to the United States for one year, and for a while it did not leave a lasting impression. However, riders that grew up with these (or had a friend that used one as a first bike) are feeling pangs of nostalgia and these baby bikes are arguably turning into a cult classic.

The MB5 was very interesting – an incredibly light motorcycle that was styled like a tiny sport bike, had 5 speeds, and a tiny 49cc two-stroke engine that produced nearly 7 horsepower. MSRP was $398, and it included features that were reminiscent of much bigger bikes of the time, like a front disc brake, Honda’s Comstar wheels, and even a tachometer with a 10,500 rpm redline. For more on the MB5 (known as the MB50 outside of the US), check out the MB5 Super Site.

This MB5 (VIN: JH2AC0101CK006061) has 7,994 miles, though it seems as though none of them came after the bike was purchased by the current owner – he or she purchased it specifically to be restored and then put into his/her collection. “A professional restoration was completed by the technicians at Blair Honda in Altoona, Pennsylvania in 2005. The bike was placed into the collection and not ridden subsequently. It is in excellent condition with all mechanical and electrical functions working perfectly. Includes sales literature and owners manual.”

Find this MB5 for sale in Enola, Pennsylvania with bidding up to $1,875 and the reserve not yet met here on eBay.

By 1993, Honda’s venerable CT70 had just one last year of production left in it. By 1998, Honda’s patent would expire and the world was flooded with clones.

This example (VIN: JH2DB0107PK203449) has just 878 miles and it’s offered by the second owner. He says that the original owner last rode it in 1994 and then “stored in his garage for over 27 years before I bought it off him. I went through everything and changed the oil when I purchased the bike. I also cleaned the carburetor and installed a new air filter and battery. I have owned this bike for 3 years.” Everything is said to work and it starts on the first kick.

Find this CT for sale in Clarkston, Michigan with bidding up to $1,900 and the reserve already met here on eBay.

8-18-20 Update: This pair of Z50s has been traveling! They originally sold at Mecum Las Vegas for $13,200 at the beginning of 2020, then traded hands on eBay for $16,700 just a few weeks later in February. Now they’re up on eBay again in Indiana with an asking price of approximately $18,900! The story continues…you can find the new listing here on eBay.

Post Sale Update: Shows what I know – this pair of Hondas sold for $16,700 after 28 bids on eBay in Tucson, Arizona, making the seller a cool $3,500 just a month or so after he bought these bikes at Mecum Las Vegas.

I may never understand why little Hondas that never got out of the crate are so valuable, but I still feel obligated to share them with you. Fresh off a recent sale at Mecum, here’s a pair of ’99 Z50s that are still in the crate. The bidding is already over $16k with over 4 days left to go…

There’s nothing inherently exciting to say about these bikes (VINs: JH2AB0204XK800172 and JH2AB0209XK800135), though it’s worth noting that 1999 was the last year of production for the Z50. These are being sold in their original shipping crate with Arizona titles. Find this pair of little Hondas for sale in Tucson, Arizona with bidding up to $16,500 and the reserve not yet met here on eBay.

I’m somewhat surprised that the seller’s reserve is this high considering that this pair of bikes just sold at Mecum Las Vegas in January for $13,200. but who am I to get in the way of a flip?

Over on the auction site we’ve got an example of the hardest of the Japanese minibikes to find in the US, as it was only produced for 2 years as a JDM bike only.

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. For more on this baby GSX-R, check out this summary from Suzuki Cycles. Note how the usual “Suzuki Advanced Cooling System” has been replaced by “Suzuki Advanced Comical System”:

This example (VIN: LA41A-101065) was imported from Japan in 2019, and the odometer shows 4,262 kilometers (2,648 miles). It has several upgrades, including a 89cc engine kit, upgraded camshaft, upgraded carb, aftermarket oil cooler, and a full exhaust.

Find this GSX-R 50 for sale in Marina del Rey, California with bidding up to $4,500 here on Iconic Motorbike Auctions.

Finding a plated modern RS125 is hard enough in the United States, but this example stands out even further thanks to the fact that it has just 389 miles. It does beg the question – what would you do with a bike like this? It’s best on a track but it’ll lose value with every miles. Are these collectible enough to sit on display? I’d vote no, but you tell me!

The ’09 RS125 was the first year Aprilia exported this bike directly to the USA, but due to EPA emissions standards it was exclusively for closed-course use despite the lights/mirrors/etc. The 125cc 2-stroke engine is a Rotax unit, and fueling was handled by a 2mm Dell’orto carb. Dry weight was just 280 pounds and while it seems like a tiny bike, the ergonomics aren’t bad for bigger riders, either. MSRP was $5,499. For more on the RS125, check out this First Ride from Motorcycle USA.

This example was stored as a display piece by the previous owner but the fluids were flushed and the carb’s been cleaned so it’s ready for someone to ride this in anger again! Extras include a Arrow full exhaust that’s been Jet-Hot coated, Delta 3 V-Force reeds, and a 415 o-ring chain. All stock parts are included.

Find this RS125 for sale in White, Michigan for $5,600 here on ADVRider.

Built as a rival to Yamaha’s PW50, the Honda QR50 was never officially sold in the US. It was, however, sold in Canada in 1983 and 1984, so a few have made their way across our northern border. Much like the Yamaha, this was powered by a 50cc 2-stroke single paired with an automatic clutch.

This example (VIN: AE01-1009071) is said to be all original except for a new graphics kit and seat cover. It’s a runner offered on a bill of sale, and the plastics, while faded, have no cracks. Find this QR50 for sale in Tempe, Arizona with an BIN of $2,100 or best offer here on eBay.