Top 5 Bike-uriosities - Week of April 17 2017

Top 5 Bike-uriosities - Week of April 17 2017

At Bike-urious, we’re spending all of our time finding the most interesting motorcycles that are currently for sale for you to drool over (and maybe empty your wallet for).

1. Unexpected Chopper – Suzuki TL1000R Custom

V-Twin motors are typically the powerplant of choice for choppers...but seeing a 130-horsepower Suzuki TL1000R motor crammed in one, is unexpected. Combine that with a hardtail frame and knobby tires and you've got a bike that'll get crazy in a hurry.

I'm not entirely sure what the target market is for this, but it's definitely for someone that wants something different. The motor has 12,000 miles on it and the bike is ready to go. It has a "power programmer" (I assume the seller means a Power Commander?) that has been tuned for the custom exhaust and velocity stacks - a previous owner claims the motor puts down 145 horsepower.

The seller said he's got this crazy mash-up of a bike on eBay, but he's willing to sell it privately for $10,000 here on Craiglist in Reno, Nevada.

2. 1984 Moto Guzzi SP1000 with Sidecar and Trailer

A few weeks ago, I featured a modern Harley with a sidecar and trailer, and the general consensus (understandably) was that you'd be better off with a truck. While that might be true, I still find these combinations interesting - triply so when it's a classic Italian, the sidecar allows the bike to lean, and everything is painted to match!

With its giant fairing, the SP1000 was obviously designed for touring, and this example (VIN: CGUVGC2EM2118) might be as touring-oriented as it gets. The 1000cc engine pushed out about 75 horsepower, yielding a top speed of 116 miles per hour. The bike weighed 460 pounds dry and according to contemporary reviews, had good handling and a fantastic integrated braking system. For more information, head on over to the Ye Olde Cycle Shoppe for a period review of this bike.

According to the seller, you can disconnect the trailer and sidecar in less than five minutes if you want to use the bike as Guzzi intended. It's got 76,787 miles and "too many extras to list", inlucding the exhaut, carbs, cylinder head guards, hand warmers, and a larger belly pan. Find this massive Moto Guzzi rig for sale in Grand Prairie, Texas with bidding up to $7,100 here on eBay.

3. Growler – 1988 Honda NX650 Custom

Some of my favorite customs nowadays are based on the Honda NX650 (known outside of the US as the Dominator). While my absolute favorite Dommie is this beauty by Andrew Greenland, I'm also enjoying this build called "Growler" by Neuga out of Budapest, Hungary.

Highlights of the work include a redesigned subframe with bracing, a digital Koso speedometer, a front fender that can be adjusted with custom brackets, a Suzuki DR125 tank, and some in-house custom made pieces like the fuel cap, oil cap, and turn signals. Personally, I'd prefer to have some sidecovers and a bigger headlight - what do you think about how it looks?

For more information, head on over to the Neuga site. Or just find the Growler for sale in Budapest, Hungary for $7,505 here on The Bike Shed.

4. MPS Build – Honda CRF450R with CR500 Engine

MPS (Motorsports Products Services) is the brainchild of George Fanelli, who creates aluminum framed two stroke MX bikes. Want a Kawi KX 500 motor in a modern four stroke frame? A Yamaha 500 two-stroke in a YZ250F frame? MPS has done it before. Here's one of their Honda builds - a legendary 2001 CR500 motor in a modern 2007 CRF450R frame.

I should make it clear that opinions of MPS vary highly on the internet. A quick web search will find people that are very happy with the conversions, while others show examples of shoddy welds and generally odd workmanship. As always, do your research! This example has six hours (three hours were break-in) since a full rebuild. The seller had a crash on a separate bike in which he broke a femur and both ankles, and now he can't kick start a bike. So, this custom needs a new owner. The potential for an open-class two-stroke motor in a modern four-stroke frame is high, and it's why companies like Service Honda are darlings in the MX community. This could be a great deal if you're able to take a close look at the bike in advance and verify that it's put together well.

Find this Honda hybrid for sale north of Denver, Colorado for $4,200 here on ADVRider (registration required).

5. 741 Miles – 1989 Yamaha FZR750R OWO1

If a Honda RC30 is just too commonplace for you, then the Yamaha OWO1 might be right up your alley. Just 500 of these motorcycles were made, and the MSRP was a healthy $5,000 more than the rival Honda as well. Many folks believed at the time, that this was as close as a member of the public could ever get to owning a street legal racebike. This example stands out as it has just 741 miles and it was clearly owned by a Yamaha enthusiast - check out his garage!

The OWO1 was built for homologation purposes so that Yamaha could compete in World Superbike. Along those lines, a race kit was available that bumped top speed up to 170 miles per hour with a compression of 13.5:1. Top-notch components included Nissin four-pot calipers and Ohlins suspension.

This example is said to be in mint condition and it's had a fair amount of recent work - new battery, oil, coolant, fork seals, fork oil, brake fluid, spark plugs, and more. It's still got the original tires but there are cracks in the sidewalls. When the seller acquired the bike, he took it apart, and cleaned it while he put it back together. The original fuel cap had been dropped so it was replaced with a NOS item. What do you think should happen - should this get ridden or restored?

Find this legendary Yamaha for sale in Springville, Utah with bidding up to $15,500 and the reserve not yet met or a BIN of $27,500 here on eBay.

Which would you put in your garage?