The Yamaha XS650 has been called the “best British bike never made” — a tongue-in-cheek reference to the large debt the bike owes to the British twins of the 1950s and ’60s — and the […]
Tag: Washington State
Supermoto Elsinore: Honda MT/CR250 Retromotard!
Snore no more: an enigmatic Elsinore with modern upgrades… In 1973, the Honda CR250M revolutionized the motocross world. Until then, Honda had only produced four-stroke machines, and all of its off-roaders were converted from street […]
“Lil Sebastian” Honda XL175 Bobber
The Honda XL175, built from 1973-1978, was a lightweight dual-sport with a 2-valve SOHC wet sump engine and 6-volt electronics. The 4-storke engine was lauded for its wide powerband, low pulling power, and ability to […]
Whoa, Black Betty: Kawasaki KZ400 by Classic Moto Works
The Kawasaki KZ400 was an air-cooled twin built from 1974-1980 out of plants in Akashi, Japan and Lincoln, Nebraska — the first foreign motorcycle factory on U.S. soil. In 1974, it was marketed alongside the […]
Flat-Six Brat: Honda Valkyrie by Basan Metalworks
The Honda Valkyrie, first introduced in 1996, was intended to be the world’s ultimate cruiser, a six-cylinder brute that was bigger, badder, and more powerful than traditional V-twins. Said one Honda VP: “The [flat-six] motor […]
Speedy Siegl’s 100,000-Mile DRZ!
The Little Thumper That Could… Suzuki’s DR-Z400S (dual-sport) and DR-Z400SM (supermoto) may not be the lightest, most powerful thumpers on the market, but these 400cc machines have earned a cult following with riders all over […]
Kawasaki H1 Street Tracker by Vallantine Motor Works
Who doesn’t need a 500cc, two-stroke, triple-cylinder tracker? The Kawasaki H1 Mach III — a 500cc, two-stroke, 60-hp wheelie machine that became a legend in its own time. The smoking banshee of a machine did […]