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News June 2023
Lap of Oz, June
30
Thanks to reader Gary White for pointing
this out: It seems the attraction of doing a lap of Oz has
not diminished over the years. In fact, there appears to
be as many people as ever having a crack.
That's putting aside for a moment the
insane record attempts from decades past – see this Australian
Motor Cycle News story.
There are a couple of options if you
want a taste of what it's really like to tackle the
trip. One is Snag's
Lap from the crew at Info Moto, full of
character as you might expect.
Another is one we only just tripped
over, called A Bit of a
Detour, which is a well constructed ten-part
series. The final episurd covers costs and a
bunch of tips...both are well worth a look.
Suzuki RG500 –
how many would you like? June 29
We wouldn't have thought it possible, but there seems to
be a bit of a glut of Suzuki RG500 square-four two-strokes
in the Australian market at the moment. That's if you can
call six bikes a glut – normally we'd expect to find only
a couple at any one time.
However the pricing is all over the place, near the lower
end is Au$29,500 (US$19,500, GB£15,400) for an example
claiming 34,000km (21,000 miles) all the way up to an
imaginative Au$85,000 (US$56,000, GB£44,500) for one
claiming just 9km on the odo.
We live in interesting times. See all six (plus
a 400) at Bikesales.
See our Suzuki
RG500 backgrounder.
Tiger Cub –
today's random brochure, June 28
Since we got on to the topic of Triumph's soon to be
released range of singles, we thought we'd share this: A
brochure for a 1961 Tiger Cub T20. The 200cc series
sold pretty well for the company across 1956 to 1968 and
two generations that included several variants.
More at British
Classic Motorcycles
New 400 line for
Triumph, June 29
Triumph has announced an interesting
break with recent tradition, by releasing pics of its
new two-bike 400cc range – namely the Speed 400 and
Scrambler 400 X.
This is on the heels of the 2021
announcement the company was developing competition
dirt bikes and would be entering the
2024 world enduro and motocross championships.
It's some 60 years since the marque
was last developing single-cylinder machines.
According to the company, the single-cylinder 400s "allow Triumph Motorcycles to enter into segments that we have not been represented in previously, which make up about 30 per cent of new road going motorcycle purchases per year."
The
company promises the machines will carry good spec
and will be price competitive. Australia can expect
to see them towards the end of this year.
Ducati 916
heroes, June 28
While we've been seeing signs of a softening market for
classics, there are certain 'investment grade' machines
that often defy the odds.
For example this 1998 Ducati 916 SPS Fogarty replica,
number 1 of 202 made and with just a few push miles on the
odometer.
The combination of rare and desirable model, in
as-delivered shape, is the proverbial catnip for investors
and you could be forgiven for feeling a little upset that
the thing has never fired a shot in anger. However doing
so would potentially pop a pretty big hole in the value.
It's up for
auction with Silverstone in the UK on July 23, with an
estimate of Au$130-150,000 (US$90-100,000,
GB£70-80,000).
In the same category (and likely from the same
collection) is a 1995 Ducati 916 Senna 1, again with just
a few push miles. It's number 42 of
300 and carries an estimate of Au$75-95,000
(US$50-65,000, GB£40-50,000).
See the 916 that was in our shed
Plus the
contemporary 916 Strada test from Classic Two Wheels
CZ classic, June
27
Today's random brochure, CZ/Jawa enduros circa 1974. Handsome-looking things, aren't they?
See the period Cycle World test on the motocross 250.
Turbo time, June
26
Another former resident of our shed: Kawasaki GPz750E Turbo -– see the story here.
(Stuart Grant pic)
1 mil GS Boxer,
June 25
BMW on June 22 celebrated the completion of its 1 millionth boxer-engined GS series – an R 1250 GS – some 43 years after the launch of the first R80G/S. (Pictured at centre is Motorrad head Dr Marcus Schramm.)
The company is in the throes of celebrating its centenary, with a number of events set for July 7-9.
It will be launching the new R1300 GS on September 28.
BMW R80G/S
profile at Paris Dakar Melbourne
Period road test
at Classic Two Wheels
See the R100GS
Paris Dakar that was in our shed
Flashback:
Aprilia Tuono, June 24
Aprilia's feisty and character-filled Tuono – future collectible. See the story here.
Home mechanic –
today's random retro ad, June 24
With some aptitude just a few hours of
study a week, in your own time, you could become your
own mechanic. That was the 1979 promise of Stotts
Technical Correspondence College, which seemed to
offer courses in every imaginable field. Did anyone
out there ever try it?
Honda GL650
Interstate – today's oddball, June 23
And now something for the dedicated Honda collector: A 1983 Silver Wing Interstate.
Honda traded off the success of the Gold Wing by developing more touring-oriented versions of the CX500/650 V-twin platform, which makes some sort of sense. The Interstate was the full dress version.
While the 500 was probably a little under-powered, the
650 with its claimed 64 horses (versus 48 for the 500)
evidently managed pretty well and would have made an
interesting alternative to its big brother.
It's relatively obscure and rare, and is said to have been built for one year only, though sold across two (1983-84) in the USA market.
This one is up
for auction with Iconic in the USA and comes
complete with the pillion seat kits and what seems like a
lot of paperwork and support gear. What's it worth? Not a
fortune we suspect...watch this space.
Silver Wing
profile at Motorcycle Specs
See our Gold Wing GL1000 profile.
Old bikes and
the shrinking repair pool, June 22
Greg 'Snag' Leech over at Info Moto asks
the question are our old bikes getting too hard to fix?
He's concerned the talent pool for older gear is
diminishing...see the story
here.
Speaking of challenging old bike
builds...see the hair-raising Sunbeam story:
Part 1 – the day it spat a conrod
Random shot for
the day – Triumph Super 3, June 21
Triumph Super 3
out of our shed...story here. Pic by Ben Galli
Neander cycle –
today's oddball, June 20
Here's a brand name you won't hear often: Neander.
Shown is a 1929 498cc M.A.G.-powered single with some
advanced features for its day, including four-speed
transmission and duralumin (an aluminium/copper alloy)
frame.
It's coming up for auction with Mecum
in the USA, with an estimate of Au$118-141,000
(US$80-96,000, GB£63-75,000). See it here.
The Vintagent has a brief video on another Neander, a 1930 machine powered by a JAP V-twin. See it here.
Here's brief Neander profile at
Wikipedia.
The mighty Zed
1, June 19
It's 1972 and Two Wheels magazine
has published a road test on the exciting new Kawasaki Z1,
set to leapfrog Honda's CB750-Four. See the story at
Classic Two Wheels.
Martini's
Bimota, June 18
An example of our all-time favourite
Bimota, the YB5, has come up for auction with Iconic in
the USA.
Powered by a variant of the Yamaha FJ1200
engine, it was designed by Frederico Martini, who also
penned the DB1.
The YB5 was hugely expensive when new.
Back in 1988 it would have cost you Au$22,500 (US$15,500,
GB£12,000) plus on road costs in Australia at a time when
a Honda CBR1000F cost Au$9300 (US$6400, GB£5000).
Plus the
specs and backgrounder here.
Sydney SR500,
June 18
Old Bike mag has a fascinating story online about
how the Yamaha SR500 was essentially inspired by a crew of
motorcycle nuts at a Sydney (Australia) advertising
agency. Worth a read,
here.
See the story on
the SR500 in our shed.
Aussie Bond's
BSA, June 17
We couldn't resist bringing you this pic. A BSA Rocket 3
bought new by Australian film star George Lazenby was
recently up for auction in the UK via Charterhouse. The
actor played James Bond for the film On Her
Majesty's Secret Service and famously turned
down a contract for six more Bond flicks.
Lazenby evidently used the machine to commute between his
apartment in Bayswater and Pinewood Studios. More on it here.
As for the auction, no result is available but the value
of the restored BSA was estimated at Au$47-56,000
(US$32-38,000, GB£25-30,000).
That late night
bike purchase, June 16
Should internet shopping be a grog-free zone? There’s an
argument for it...see the story
here.
See the K1 we had in our shed.
Yamaha XS650 – random ad for the day, June 15
Yamaha threw down the challenge to
Brit twins with its XS-1 and on series from 1969, with
mixed results. We have to admit we like the style of
this XS650-2 ad, circa 1972. By that time the bike had
picked up a disc front brake and electric start, hence
the -E designation.
Yamaha XS650 club
Australia resources;
Motorcycle Specs
profile and data.
Bimota YB11,
June 14
One of
Bimota's more successful models and still low volume
at 600-ish units, the YB11 promised Italian style and
chassis with Japanese reliability...a tempting
package.
This one,
which the seller says needs some minor cosmetic
repairs, is on the market at Au$20,000 (US$13,500,
GB£11,000) with around 15,000km (9300 miles) on the
odo. See it here.
See the stats and
summary at Motorcycle Specs.
Sports-tourers
day, June 13
A day off was as good an excuse as any to sort a few
little issues on the Kawasaki ZX-12R, which remains a work
in progress.
Having replaced the chain/sprocket set and tyres, fitted
a charging socket for the hard-to-reach battery and sorted
some cosmetic issues, we're now looking at rebuilding the
six-pot front brake calipers to sort a binding problem.
Oh, and then there's the gearshift replacement...more to
come.
Meanwhile the normally ultra-reliable Honda Blackbird rewarded us with a dead battery...such is life. We fired it up with a jump-start unit and took it for a run anyway.
Flashback:
Aprilia RS250, June 12
Dominant in its day, is this the ultimate 250 stroker? See the story here.
Random brochure
for the day: Adler MB 280, June 11
West German make Adler survived just eight years (to 1957) in post-war form but it was long enough to have a major and lasting impact on the motorcycle world. Its earlier twin-cylinder 250 two-strokes were effectively the prototypes for the start of Yamaha's stroker dynasty, in the shape of the YD-1.
These later 280cc twins (1955-56) would have enjoyed a
little more flexibility in the power delivery, but it was
the 250 which really made the firm's reputation. It went
on to become a maker of office equipment.
Moto Guzzi Sport
1100, June 10
One of our favourite Guzzis and one
that's yet to make an appearance in the shed at Chateau
Guido...maybe one day!
This example claims just 4528km (2800
miles) and to be in good shape. At Au$14,950 (US$10,100,
GB£8000) on Facebook it could prove to
be good buying.
(Oh, and a quick tip for sellers: Whoever
told you it's a good idea to shoot a vehicle on grass is
wrong...unless it's a ride-on mower.)
See the Cycle
World Sport 1100 period road test;
Plus our
Daytona 1000 profile.
Friday eye-candy
– MV Agusta 750 S, June 9
Paul Jason, aka The Motorcycle
Broker in the UK, shares a video about his 1974 MV
Agusta 750 S. See it here.
See the Ian
Falloon model profile.
See the Classic Two
Wheels period road test.
Time machine –
Shogun's heroes, June 8
It's year 1998
and this Shogun Imports ad highlights the mini boom
that then existed for grey imports of models not
handled by local distributors...see the full story here.
American Bruiser, June 7
Eight years down the road the rare
and obscure Indian Chief Vintage still makes us happy,
despite a few twists and turns. See the story.
See more bikes
from our shed, here.
Flying W, June 7
Silodrome
has published a story on this 1909 Czechoslovakian
motorcycle, which rejoices in the name of Trojan &
Nagl Torpedo.
What you see here is a recreation of what
is thought to be a one-off prototype.
The W4 engine displaces around 1600cc
and the entire bike was built from scratch from a
surviving catalogue drawing and knowledge gained by
examining other models from the maker. See the story
here.
Street Stoker,
June 6
Yamaha's twin-cylinder two-stroke
RD5-C of 1972-73 was a potent bit of kit for its day,
with 36 horses claimed for its 141kg dry weight.
It could just hit the magic imperial
'ton' (100mph or 160km/h) and could cross the standing
quarter mile in a then very respectable 13.8sec.
Of course this was part of a much bigger
dynasty of strokers from the maker.
See our YD1 and YDS-1 profile;
And the
Motorcycle Specs sheet on the R5-C.
The rise of the
916s, June 5
After sitting in the market doldrums
for many years, Ducati 916s have in the last 18 months
experienced a surge of interest in the collector
market, with prices shifting north by around 30 per
cent, or more for rare variants in prime shape.
If the latest Collecting Cars auction
in the USA is any indication, even Stradas are on the
radar. A 1995 Varese-built (as in early build) monoposto
with under 600 miles (1000km) on the odo recently sold
for Au$50,000 (US$33,000, GB£26,600). See it here.
Before Australian owners get too
excited, keep in mind that the USA collector market
prices are much stronger than they are here – think 30
per cent or more.
See the Ian
Falloon model profile here;
And the story
on the 916 we had in our shed for a while;
Plus the
Classic Two Wheels period road test.
F1 auction, June
3
Ducati's F1 750 has been on the collector radar pretty much since it was first shown at the Sydney Motorcycle Show back in February 1985. However prices have fluctuated wildly since then, and been fairly modest over recent years.
Until now. A nicely-presented version claiming 23,000km
(14,000 miles) sold for Au$39,400 (US$26,000, GB£21,000).
That represents around a 25 per cent leap in price for
local sales. See it here.
See our profile
here, and the Motorcycle Specs
stats here.
How much for the
Tesi? June 1
One of the problems with pricing
exotic motorcycles is finding any reliable market
data...oh, and making sure what you're told in fact
gels with reality.
This 1991 Bimota Tesi 1D is a good
example, promoted on Ebay as one of 20, which is
right...sort of. There were 20 of this variant, but
the seller also points out that production numbers
rose to some 413 models across 1990 to 1994.
That nevertheless makes it rare by
most measures, but adds the intriguing question of
which variant should you chase? New pricing for the 1D
904 was listed by the seller at a gob-smacking
Au$69,000 (US$45,000, GB£36,000)
While the Tesi concept has an
interesting race history in the prototype class in
Italian superbike titles, first with an FZ750 engine
and then with an 851 Ducati powerplant, it was no
world-beater. As for the styling, well, it's very much
of its era and is an interesting piece of motorcycle
history.
This example
being auctioned in Germany claimed just 1350km
(835 miles) on the odo and appeared to be in
exceptional condition. It got bids to Au$77,200
(US$50,100, GB£40,400), which wasn't enough to meet
reserve.
Back at the start of 2021, an SR version with zero miles and a spare race ECU sold through Bring a Trailer for Au$98,000 (US$76,000, GB£56,000).
See the stats
at Motorcycle Specs.
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