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Feb 12
Love0

World’s Oldest Production Motorcycle Sells For $212,000

By General Posts

This example may be the earliest one still in existence in 2023.
World’s Oldest Production Motorcycle Sells For $212,000 At Auction

by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://www.rideapart.com

The early days of motorcycling were a wild time. From strapping engines to the frames of unsuspecting bicycles, to steam-powered velocipedes, people were eager to find new and improved ways to get around. New technological frontiers are typically a time of great experimentation, and this era in motorcycling was certainly no different.

In February, 2023, an extremely interesting piece of that early history went up for auction at Bonhams Paris The machine in question is an extremely rare 1894 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller, which bears the reputation of “the first powered two-wheeler to enter series production,” as well as the first vehicle to be called by the name “motorcycle” (or “motorrad,” in German). It ultimately sold for €195,500, or roughly $212,000 Yankee dollars including the premium.

Brothers Heinrich and Wilhelm Hildebrand set to work crafting their first powered two-wheeler designs during the crucial transition between steam-powered and gasoline-powered vehicles. As the story goes, they started with steam, but eventually turned to a two-stroke design in cooperation with two other individuals: Alois Wolfmüller and his mechanic Hans Geisenhof.

Development is often an iterative process, and what the team eventually came up with to make this production vehicle was a water-cooled, four-stroke, parallel twin engine with what must have been a breathtaking displacement at the time: 1,489cc. This reportedly made about 2.5 brake horsepower at 240 RPM, and resulted in a machine that could top out around 30 miles per hour. That might seem terribly slow in 2023, but was likely more impressive in a time when motor vehicles (let alone faster ones) weren’t so commonplace.

If this machine seems like an alien contraption to your modern eyes, that’s because it’s quite different from any motorcycle we know today. Here’s how the Bonhams listing describes some key features of this bike:

“Steam locomotive practice was further recalled by the long connecting rods directly linking the pistons to the rear wheel, which opened and closed the mechanical exhaust valves via pushrods actuated by a cam on the hub. The latter contained an epicyclic reduction gear and there was no crankshaft flywheel, the solid disc rear wheel serving that purpose. Rubber bands assisted the pistons on the return stroke. Fuel was fed from the tank to a surface carburetor and thence via atmospheric inlet valves to the cylinders where it was ignited by platinum hot tube, as developed by Daimler. The box-like rear mudguard acted as a reservoir for the engine’s cooling water, while one of the frame tubes served as the oil tank. The tires, manufactured under license from Dunlop by Veith in Germany, were the first of the pneumatic variety ever fitted to a motorcycle,” it reads.

Also, this bike didn’t have a clutch. Instead, the starting procedure involved pushing it until the engine fired up, then jumping into the saddle and riding it wherever you needed to go. (Perhaps it wasn’t only the world’s first production motorcycle, but also the world’s first production exercise bike?)

The design for this bike was patented in 1894, and the machines were produced both in Munich, by parent company Motofahrrad-Fabrik Hildebrand & Wolfmüller , and also under license in France as La Petrolette. People of the time were reportedly optimistic about the new bikes, but their optimism was soon tinged with regret and demands for their money back due to starting difficulties and unsatisfactory running performance. By 1897, after French licensee Duncan, Superbie et Cie lost a court case with a customer about these issues, both the German and French concerns went bust. It’s unclear how many of these machines were ever made, but it’s believed to be somewhere between 800 and 2,000 in total.

This specific example is believed to be the earliest numbered example still existing today, with frame number 619 and engine number 69. It was last sold in 1990, and documentation that accompanies this sale includes papers from that time, as well as period marque literature (mostly, if not all, in German). The tires and bands have been replaced (and one of the bands needs replacing yet again), but this bike is otherwise in mostly untouched condition—which makes it even more remarkable, given the fact that it’s almost 130 years old.

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Apr 12
Love0

adidas Originals and Past, Present, & Future of Kawasaki ZX

By General Posts

adidas Originals and Kawasaki Celebrate the Past, Present, and Future of ZX with Two Collaborative Sneakers

Herzogenaurach, 11th April 2022 – Born out of a shared passion for forward thinking design and unrelenting innovation, this season, adidas Originals and Kawasaki join forces to celebrate the history and future of ZX with two unique takes on the ZX8000 and ZX 5K BOOST silhouettes.

An icon that needs no introduction, Kawasaki has been at the forefront of the motorcycle manufacturing industry for decades. Known for its inimitable aesthetic approach, the brand’s signature sportbike brand – ZX™ – served as the inspiration for the adidas design team when they first introduced the original ZX500 sneaker in 1984.

Taking cues from Kawasaki’s instantly recognizable design philosophy of motorcycle and color palette, the collaborative ZX8000 sneaker features a White kangaroo leather upper, with Kawasaki Green leather overlays, blue map suede accents, and a Kawasaki Ninja® graphic on the lateral. Meanwhile, the ZX 5K BOOST boasts a Black TPU overlay and eye stays, Kawasaki green accents, a semi-transparent Black ripstop vamp, and a Kawasaki Ninja® logo on the toe-box.

Both sneakers are capped off with electroplated lace tips, shoe jewelry and heel pieces, as well as co-branded sock liners. Each pair then comes packaged in a custom box with a printed graphic of the latest Kawasaki Ninja® ZX™-10R, filled with tissue paper bearing a printed Kawasaki motorcycle sketch.

The launch of the adidas Originals and Kawasaki collaborative partnership is accompanied by an evocative campaign film which pays homage to Japanese motorbike culture by taking the viewer on an unexpected journey through the city’s streets.

Arriving on 14th April 2022, the collaborative ZX8000 and ZX 5K BOOST Kawasaki sneakers are available globally (excl. China) through adidas stores, adidas.com, Confirmed, and select retailers.

Additionally, the ZX 5K BOOST will also be available directly from Kawasaki*.

* In Japan, EU, USA, Canada, Australia, Thailand

About adidas Originals:
Inspired by the rich sporting heritage of adidas – one of the world’s leading sports brands and a global designer and developer of athletic footwear and apparel – adidas Originals is a lifestyle brand founded in 2001. Visit Website at http://adidas.com/

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Dec 07
Love0

Triumph Collector Stumbles Across Ultimate Collectible, the 1901 Prototype

By General Posts

from https://www.autoevolution.com/ by Daniel Patrascu

At the turn of the last century, a time when horse-drawn carriages turned into automobiles and bicycles into motorcycles, most of the companies active back then wanted a piece of the new action, and turned their businesses around to include the production of the new mechanical wonders.

So did a British enterprise that went by the name Triumph Engineering, which used to make bicycles. Which, if you come to think of it, are just like motorcycles, only without engines, hence easy to re-make.

And that’s exactly what Triumph did with one of its bikes, fitting it with a Minerva engine and opening the doors to a history that has spanned so far for 120 years. That production motorized two-wheeler came to be in 1902, but as you can imagine, a prototype had to be made before that. A prototype that, like many others of its kind, was considered lost for a long time, despite rumors surrounding its existence floating around.

Extremely conveniently-timed, the first 1901 Triumph motorcycle prototype just resurfaced, having been uncovered by a collector named Dick Shepherd, and put back into the spotlight by the company itself.

According to the available details, attesting to the motorcycle’s authenticity are the engine number, “consistent with references in Minerva’s engine records of a 1901 first Triumph engagement,” and a “letter from Triumph, dated in 1937, that outlined the bike’s unique origins and provided key details.”

As far as we understand, the bike was uncovered some time ago, as the collector had time to restore it.

“As a lifelong passionate fan of the history and achievements of this incredible British brand, to have discovered this amazing survivor and restored it to the glorious condition it would have been in when it first went on display in 1901, has given me an immense amount of satisfaction,” Shepherd said in a statement.

The prototype will be, of course, included in the celebration events the British company has planned for next year, and it will be shown, together with the millionth Triumph manufactured in Hinckley, in a special display being set up at the factory.

PRESS RELEASE

4 DECEMBER 2021 – An amazing historic find, discovered and restored by leading vintage Triumph collector Dick Shepherd, the 1901 Prototype rewrites the history books, adding a whole new chapter prior to Triumph’s official sales starting in 1902.

Long rumoured to exist and referenced within advertising and reviews that appeared in 1901, this first Triumph prototype was developed from a standard Triumph bicycle, with an engine provided by Belgian manufacturer Minerva, in order to generate interest and gauge the public’s demand for a Triumph motorcycle.

Dick Shepherd said “Having been approached by a friend of a collector, who had sadly recently passed away, to evaluate an old Triumph I was incredibly excited to discover that the bike they had featured unique details that were not present on the first production Triumphs. Along with the bike, the collector had also received a letter from Triumph, dated in 1937, that outlined the bike’s unique origins and provided key details.”

“With an engine number that is consistent with references in Minerva’s engine records of a 1901 first Triumph engagement the historic significance of this motorcycle became incredibly clear.”

“As a lifelong passionate fan of the history and achievements of this incredible British brand, to have discovered this amazing survivor and restored it to the glorious condition it would have been in when it first went on display in 1901, has given me an immense amount of satisfaction.”

First unveiled at the UK’s Motorcycle Live show the 1901 prototype will feature in dedicated event at Triumph’s Factory Visitor Experience on the 14th December, where the machine will be ridden in public for the very first time in over 100 years.

This incredible, historic motorcycle will then be on display, alongside the millionth Hinckley Triumph, in a new, specially created 120-year anniversary display, hosted within Triumph’s Factory Visitor Experience.

The Triumph Factory Visitor Experience is free to visit and is located at Triumph’s HQ in Hinckley, England and is open daily Wednesday through Sunday, from 10am – 4.30pm.

Oct 17
Love1

Launch of Honda CB750 & Dick Mann at AMA Daytona 200-Mile Race

By General Posts

by Todd Halterman from https://www.autoevolution.com

On Twitter by Honda Powersports: Monday’s passing of Dick “Bugsy” Mann, American Honda sends its heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and fans. Mann’s 1970 Daytona 200 win aboard the CR750 (the racing version of the CB750 four-cylinder) was momentous in Honda’s history Thank you, Dick, and godspeed.

The Honda CB750 Changed the Way Motorcycles Were Made, Raced and Sold

Though now highly prized for their potential as re-imagined cafe racer machines, the venerable Honda CB750 was – back in its infancy – the bike that changed the game.

So how did it happen that the Japanese took over the worldwide motorcycle manufacturing industry? To a large extent, it came down to the creation of a single model.

With five consecutive championship titles under their belts, Honda decided to withdraw from the World GP circuit in 1967 with a plan to develop high-performance consumer motorcycles at the forefront of their vision.

While Honda exported more than half of their output back in the mid-’60s, they didn’t make a large-displacement sport bike model which would appeal to the hardcore rider in the U.S.

And it’s not like the honchos at Honda failed to notice that glaring deficiency. Sales of Honda motorcycles in America were flagging in 1966, and the company knew a brand-new worldview was in order. While the company had created the Dream CB450 in 1965, they were still being outgunned by big bikes from other makers. The CB450 sold well, but for the vast majority of American riders, it just didn’t have the requisite zing and bottom-end torque they craved.

What really drove Yoshiro Harada, the head of Honda product development at the time, was hearing the news that Britain’s Triumph was deep in the development process of a high-performance, 3-cylinder 750 cc engine. With the ante thus upped, Honda laid out plans to compete by creating their own 750 cc engine, which would lay down 67 horsepower to overtake the juice you could get from the 66-horsepower Harley-Davidson’s 1300 and the proposed Triumph Triple.

Though Honda was already the industry’s leading maker of motorcycles (due in no small part to the success of the most popular motorcycle in history, the Super Cub), the introduction of the CB750 sought to become the world’s top manufacturer of quality motorcycles as well. They were up against some formidable competition as comparable models from Triumph, BMW, and Harley were already on the road.

So what were the targets? Honda wanted to make a long-range, high-speed touring machine, so they turned to science for answers in the form of a newly-minted paradigm dubbed “ergonomics.”

Those targets included: Stability at highway cruising speeds, a reliable and cooled braking system that would handle frequent rapid decelerations from high speed, minimal vibration, and noise to fight rider fatigue on long hauls with a rider position which complimented the smoother power plant, lights and instruments which were large, gauges which were easy to read, easy maintenance and servicing for all the various modules of the bike and the use of top-quality materials and production techniques.

Perhaps the most significant innovation for Honda’s showpiece bike? The adoption of disc brakes. While that design decision proved costly and time-consuming, it was also a stroke of brilliance and one which made the CB750 a favorite of the serious riding set.

Released to the U.S. public in January 1969, the announcement of the new bike’s retail price, $1,495, was met with stunned silence at a dealer meeting in Nevada. The other shoe had officially dropped. Large-displacement bikes were selling at that time for between $2,800 and $4,000, and the 2,000 dealers on hand for the announcement exploded into applause when they recovered their wits.

And they had good cause for their optimism. The CB750 immediately commanded a premium sales price in dealer showrooms of between $1,800 and $2,000 to get one out the door.

Featuring an integrated crankshaft and metal bearing to replace the split-type, press-fit crankshaft with a needle bearing used in previous Honda motors, the CB750 was a great leap forward in design as well as price.

As great as this new machine was, the company initially had a serious problem. They could only manage to make something like five bikes a day, and that was clearly not enough to meet the demand for what had become a major hit with the market. Production was pushed to 25 units per day and then to 100 units, but that still left an enormous pile of backorders building up under and an entirely expected sales landslide.

It became clear that the production of the original sand-molded crankcases would never meet the rate requirements of mass production, so the factory switched over to producing crankcases of a metal, die-cast construction. The bikes were such a hit with the riding public that the production of engines and chassis was moved to a Suzuki factory in mid-1971. The “sandcast” CB750 models are now fetching enormous prices from collectors of up to ten and fifteen times higher than their new-off-the-line premium price back in the day.

But what really made the bikes a smash hit with the public?

Performance. Pure and dependable performance.

The factory racing team at Honda R&D took the new machines to compete at a 10-Hour Endurance Race in August 1969 to coincide with the commercial launch of the big bike, and Honda dominated, notching one-two finishes with the teams of Morio Sumiya and Tetsuya Hishiki taking first place and Yoichi Oguma and Minoru Sato pulling in a close second.

The deal was done when rider Dick Mann blew away the field on his CR750 during the AMA Daytona 200-Mile Race run during March 1970. The field was now wide open for large-displacement Japanese bikes, and in 1972, Kawasaki launched the 900cc ZI to compete on the big-bike stage…and the rest is, as they say, history.

Oct 16
Love0

Another Movie inspired Custom Motorcycle: Only One Unit for Raffle

By General Posts

by Otilia Drăgan from https://www.autoevolution.com

Wesley Snipes and Boom! Moto Roll Out a General Izzi-Inspired Custom Motorcycle

The “No Time to Die” frenzy has proved, once again, that movies and movie characters can be a great source of inspiration for custom or limited-edition vehicles, from cars to yachts and two-wheelers. One of the latest fiction-inspired models is a motorcycle that reflects the flamboyant spirit of General Izzi.

It looks like Wesley Snipes is making a grand comeback, and it was about time he did. If you haven’t heard of General Izzi, you’re missing out. He is the character that Snipes is playing in Coming 2 America, an Amazon Original comedy that premiered earlier this year.

The original Coming to America movie came out over 30 years ago, starring Eddie Murphy. In the sequel, Murphy is joined by the legendary action movie star, who plays the part of General Izzi, the military leader of the fictional land of Nexdoria. Although not nearly as famous as James Bond, General Izzi was well received by the public and gained his fair share of popularity. So much so, that he inspired a motorcycle design.

Boom! Moto is an Oklahoma-based distributor, specializing in 100% electric motorcycles, bicycles, and scooters. As it turns out, the company’s owner, Jeff Holley, was determined to develop an electric motorcycle based on Wesley Snipes’ character, even before the movie had been released. After the film’s debut, which ranked number one in streaming for that weekend, Holley resumed discussions with the actor, for a movie-themed motorcycle.

“If you’re gonna do it, do it ‘Izzi style’ and make it go BOOM!” – this “slogan” pretty much sums up the fun, daring look of this new motorcycle. The company hasn’t revealed too many details about it, other than the fact that it’s based on the EMB-R3 model that can reach a top speed of 90 mph, and a range of up to 100 miles. Equipped with dual disk brakes and 17” vacuum tires, the Wesley Snipes X Boom! motorcycle can be charged in less than eight hours.

If you’re wondering about the price, there is none, because this one-of-a-kind custom bike will be raffled off later this year. So, if you would like the chance to own a Wesley Snipes-approved motorcycle, all you have to do is CLICK HERE TO sign up on the official website.

PRESS RELEASE 13 OCTOBER 2021
Actor, Wesley Snipes has teamed up with BOOM! Moto in Oklahoma to produce a custom designed 100% electric motorcycle based on his character in the hit Amazon Original, Coming 2 America. The General Izzi inspired motorcycle will be raffled off in a sweepstakes later this year. Enter to win this gorgeous bike at wesleysnipes.boommoto.com.

BOOM! Moto distributes 100% electric motorcycles, bicycles, and scooters and is located in Oklahoma. Owner and CEO, Jeff Holley was in contact with Mr. Snipes in March of 2021 before the release of the film on Amazon about developing a character themed electric motorcycle. The film enjoyed a remarkable opening, scoring #1 in streaming that weekend and the #1 opening weekend of the past year. Its Virtual Premiere day, resulted in 5.6 billion global views.

Following the success of the film, progress resumed on the project to create a custom designed motorcycle to raffle off to one lucky winner later in the year. BOOM! Moto worked with PDG+creative, a local marketing agency to create the art and produce the graphic to wrap the bike.

Learn more about the film at DaywalkerExperience.com and enter to win the bike at wesleysnipes.boommoto.com.

“If you’re gonna do it, do it ‘Izzi style’ and make it go BOOM!”
– Wesley Snipes

BOOM! Moto distributes 100% electric, low-to-no maintenance eMotocyles, eBicycles, and eScooters that present various advantages: NO Gas, NO More Oil Changes, NO More Clutch Replacement, NO More Air Filter Change, NO Timing Belt, NO Spark Plugs, NO Adjusting Clutch Cables!

Oct 15
Love0

Limited Edition from Indian Motorcycle & Jack Daniel’s

By General Posts

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE, JACK DANIEL’S® & KLOCK WERKS® KUSTOM CYCLES CELEBRATE AMERICAN CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH LIMITED-EDITION MOTORCYCLE

Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse Pays Homage to Tennessee Rye Whiskey with Premium Amenities, State-of-the-Art Technology & Custom Rye Metallic Paint with Gold and Green Accents

Minneapolis, MN – October 14, 2021 – Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, and Jack Daniel’s®, America’s first registered distillery, along with Klock Werks® Kustom Cycles have partnered to celebrate American craftsmanship with the introduction of the Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse. Marking the sixth year of the bold partnership and limited-edition series, the 2022 Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse draws inspiration from Jack Daniel’s® renowned Tennessee Rye whiskey – each product embodying the same spirit of innovation to break the mold and exemplify world-class craftsmanship.

With only 107 available globally, the Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse

makes a bold, one-of-a-kind statement. Its custom Rye Metallic paint with gold and green accents nod to the high-touch crafting process of Jack Daniel’s® Tennessee Rye whiskey, while the bike’s premium amenities and state-of-the-art technology deliver unmatched comfort and performance.

“We’re proud to continue this unique partnership with Jack Daniel’s® and Klock Werks® – two respected brands with whom we share the age-old American ethos of uncompromising quality and craftsmanship,” said Aaron Jax, Vice President for Indian Motorcycle. “The Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse takes our award-winning bagger to an even higher level, representing the highest levels of premium technology and craftsmanship – just as Jack Daniel’s® has done with its Tennessee Rye whiskey.”

With custom-inspired style and technology at the forefront, key features for the 2022 Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse include the following:

Bold, Exclusive Design

The attention to detail and spirit of innovation that has made Jack Daniel’s® Tennessee Rye whiskey a bold, unique success has been imparted throughout the design of the limited-edition motorcycle. Along with its custom paint, the motorcycle features a numbered Jack Daniel’s® Montana Silversmiths® badge, custom engraved rider and passenger floorboards, and a genuine leather, Jack Daniel’s® custom-stitched seat.

Premium Amenities & Technology

Premium features aboard the Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse, include a Pathfinder Adaptive LED Headlight and Pathfinder S LED Driving Lights, electronically adjustable rear suspension preload, Powerband Audio, a stylish flared windscreen, low-rise handlebar, and more.

Pathfinder Adaptive LED Headlight and Pathfinder S LED Driving Lights

The adaptive headlight from Indian Motorcycle senses the bike’s lean angle and activates individual LED projector beams to provide unprecedented visibility. With 15 individual LED lenses that adjust in real-time to bike lean angle, patent pending technology, and the industry’s first adaptive high-beam feature, the Pathfinder Adaptive LED Headlight delivers unparalleled illumination of the road ahead – whether upright and traveling in a straight line or leaned over to carve a turn.

Fox® Electronically Adjustable Rear Suspension Preload

The Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse has Fox® electronically adjustable rear suspension preload which allows riders to adjust their rear suspension preload from the convenience of their infotainment system. To do this, riders will select if there’s a passenger and simply enter the approximate weight of what is being carried on the motorcycle. The electronically adjustable rear suspension preload handles the rest and sets the preload for optimal riding and handling.

Powerband Audio

Loud and clear. The Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse features the premier Indian Motorcycle sound system, Powerband Audio. With upgraded fairing speakers and added saddlebag speakers, Powerband Audio is up to 50% louder than stock audio.

Ride Command

Riders will also receive the luxuries of the Indian Motorcycle industry-leading seven-inch display powered by Ride Command with Apple CarPlay®, which delivers an easier, more customized level of control for music, navigation preferences, and mobile device information. In addition, Ride Command provides riders with traffic and weather overlays, key vehicle information, and extensive customization capabilities.

PowerPlus Liquid-Cooled V-Twin

Featuring the liquid- cooled, 108 cubic-inch PowerPlus engine, the Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse delivers a class-leading 122 horsepower and 128 ft-lbs. of torque.

Riders looking to add custom style and improve sound can add a PowerPlus Stage 1 Air Intake with the Indian Motorcycle Stage 1 Oval Slip-On Muffler Kit. To unleash 10% more horsepower and 3% more torque, riders can upgrade to the Indian Motorcycle PowerPlus Stage 2 Performance Cams.

“Just as the Indian Challenger breaks the mold for American baggers, so does our Tennessee Rye for American whiskey with its unique distilling process and bold finish,” said Greg Luehrs, sponsorships and partnerships director for Jack Daniel’s®. “This year’s bike perfectly embodies what our rye is all about – innovation and a relentless, uncompromising drive to craft American products of the highest quality.”

Each Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse will come with a custom, co-branded bike mat with the corresponding motorcycle number (#001-#107).

Starting at $36,999, the Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse is exclusively available through Indian Motorcycle dealerships.

The order window will open on October 21, 2021, at 12:00pm EST and close once all bikes are sold. Each Indian Motorcycle dealer will have a chance to place orders during the window and will then contact the lucky buyers when the order has been confirmed. To ensure the rider is in contention for a purchase, each customer needs to fill out the form on IndianMotorcycle.com and contact their Indian Motorcycle dealership. Each bike will be built as a model year 2022 with delivery starting October 2021.

For more information on Indian Motorcycle, or to find a dealer, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook®, YouTube® & Instagram®.

Oct 04
Love0

Honda Motorcycle bought in 1981 with zero miles in original condition

By General Posts

Honda motorbike bought in 1981 that has zero miles on the clock because it was confiscated by its teenage owner’s father and locked in garden shed goes up for auction for £2,000

  • Honda CB100N was bought 40 years ago but was never ridden by its teen owner
  • Strict father banned him from riding it and it stayed untouched locked in storage
  • After father died, son found his bike in remarkable condition four decades later
  • The 1981 bike is now going up for auction and is expected to fetch up to £2,000

by Katie Feehan from https://www.dailymail.co.uk

A 40-year-old Honda bike with no mileage on it has been rediscovered and is up for auction after the disapproving father of its first teen owner banned him from riding it and locked it away in storage for decades.

The 1981 Honda CB100N was bought brand new by the youngster in his youth while he lived with his parents.

However, his boyhood fantasy of riding a motorcycle never materialised because his strict father banned him from riding it.

Instead the machine was left to languish in storage for the next four decades.

After his father died the unnamed owner, who is now aged in his 50s, was tasked with clearing out his house in Bridgewater, Somerset, and stumbled upon his old but immaculate bike.

He agreed to sell the time-capsule Honda to neighbour Graham Tozer who has now put it up for sale at auction.

The bike still has its original tax certificate with an expiry date of July 31, 1982. The odometre displays the exact mileage of a mere four tenths of a mile.

Mr Tozer, 64, said: ‘I’m a collector of classic bikes and cars, so six months ago my neighbour called me up and said they needed rid of it.

‘He was born in the house and spent all of his life there. When he was a youngster he really wanted his own bike but when he brought it home his dad wouldn’t let him ride it.

‘He’d saved up for such a long time to buy it but his father just said, ‘you’re not going on that. You can stick it in the shed’.

‘Apparently his dad was really strict. He was ex-military and he was the boss of the house.

‘I would have loved a bike like that when I was younger but my dad probably would have done the same thing.

‘To have a motorbike from the eighties which hasn’t been touched is so unique. It really is like the Holy Grail for collectors.’

George Beale, a specialist at Charterhouse Auctioneers of Sherborne, Dorset, said: ‘These bikes were ordinarily used for commuting, so those which are still on the market from the 1980s tend not to be in the greatest condition.

‘But with a little work this one could be like brand new, which is incredibly unusual for something so old.

‘It would be rare to find any vehicle from the 1980s without any miles whatsoever. It just so happens that this young boy’s tyrant father was far more forceful than he was.’

The Honda is being sold with a pre-sale estimate of £2,000 at the Haynes International Motor Museum on October 14.

Sep 28
Love0

Harley-Davidson 9 hp Scooter up for Auction

By General Posts

from https://www.financialexpress.com

The Harley-Davidson scooter was considered ‘highly maneuverable and well balanced’ and definitely looks nice with its identifiable aesthetic from the early 1960s. Now, more than a vehicle, it is a piece of art.

Imagine you’re minding your business selling V-twin motorcycles from Milwaukee and then you see a manufacturer from Japan selling nippy compact imported bikes and little scooters in a market you’d been very popular in. What do you do? Simple, build a scooter yourself. And so Harley-Davidson did when in the late 1950s, Honda surfaced as a competitor.

Harley’s answer was called the Topper.

The Topper remained in production for only five years with production estimates in a four-digit figure, Jalopnik writes in a report. Barring the electric concepts Harley now has, the Topper was the only scooter the manufacturer ever built and also mass-produced. One of these has been found and is now heading for auction at Mecum’s Las Vegas Motorcycles 2022 auction.

Unlike the big V-twin that power H-D motorcycles, the Harley-Davison Topper was powered by a two-stroke single-cylinder that delivered between 5 to 9 hp. It came in three models. It is not known which one of them is heading to Mecum.

All that power was sent to its wheels through a continuously variable transmission. American Motorcyclist magazine from November 1959 mentions a pull start cord hidden in the chrome instrument cluster.

The Topper was considered ‘highly maneuverable and well balanced’ by the same magazine and definitely looks nice with its identifiable aesthetic from the early 1960s. Now, more than a vehicle, it is a piece of art.

Imagine being able to say you own a Harley-Davidson scooter today. And if you want to, you could. Mecum’s auction is set to begin on 25 January 2022 until the 29th of the month. Interested? Look for the Harley-Davidson Heritage Collection.

Aug 31
Love0

The Last Crocker Ever Built

By General Posts

The Duesenberg of Motorcycles
By Steve Klein with images from the Bob T. Collection

The Crocker motorcycle has long been known as “The Holy Grail of Motorcycling” due to its rarity.

It also carries the nomenclature, “The Duesenberg of Motorcycles,” due to its hand built high-quality, and finally “America’s Superbike,” due to its performance. Three titles suggesting strongly that no other machine has reached such a high pinnacle of acclaim.

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Aug 27
Love0

MOONEYES Heavy Weight MOON Tank

By General Posts

Limited Quantity Available from 10 AM Aug. 28th 2021 (JST)
HEAVY WEIGHT MOON TANK

MOON Genuine Product MOON Tank is turned to a mini size and will be released!!
It is elaborately crafted and detailed and finished like the genuine MOON Tank.

It features the brackets like the real MOON Tank and MOON EQUIP. CO. logo is embossed on the spinner cap. There is also the special label that is used for MQQNEYES Genuine Product.

The metal feeling enhances the product to the masterpiece. Add it to your collection or showcase and enjoy the MOONEYES Quality.

Size: (H)6cm (W)7cm (D)4.5cm
(About (H)2.36in (W)2.76in (D)1.77in)
Weight: 185g (6.52 oz.)

Available from 10 AM Saturday, August 28th 2021 (JST)
Available at MOONEYES Area-1 Shop, MOONEYES Official Online Shop.

Limited quantity. Limited to one per customer.

This item is also sold at MOONEYES Area-1. Therefore, please note that depending on the time you ordered, it might get sold out.

HEAVY WEIGHT MOON TANK
【MG925】 12,000円 (excl. tax)

AT WEBSITE http://mooneyes.jp/