Racing Motorcycles Archives

Villa V4 Replica

If you’ve never heard of the Villa V4, it’s not surprising: this racing motorcycle never turned a wheel in anger. The lovely…

The Moto Guzzi V8 ‘Otto Cilindri’ is widely regarded as one of the ten greatest motorcycle designs of all time. Yet it…

I’m always looking for an excuse to feature a racing motorcycle with a dustbin fairing. These new shots are from Australian photographer…

By Richard Fowler of Motorsport Retro—This exquisite piece of rolling sculpture is Yamaha’s 1975 YZR500. It’s the OW23 variant, the machine that…

In 1981, Ducati unveiled a gorgeous racing twin based on the successful Pantah. The TT2 used a Verlicchi-designed frame with a steel…

Here’s an interesting old ’un that went up for auction in England. It’s not an original DKW, but a replica of the…

I’ve always thought the Cagiva Elefant was the coolest Dakar motorcycle of all time. And this one, naked in white and straight…

In Australia, Tony Hannagan of BevelTech is the man to call if you need help with a classic Ducati. And this sleek…

Sometimes a motorcycle built purely for function can have beautiful form as well. This vintage 50cc racer from the Spanish Derbi factory…

I’ve often thought that the appeal of racing motorcycles is in their sculptural qualities. And despite the charmless name, there are few…

Bonhams can usually be relied on to supply some oddball motorcycles in their auctions—but I haven’t seen the likes of these Triumph…

This is a beast with a convoluted history. It’s one of just three racing RR1000s produced by Erik Buell before the road…

Early last year, Lowbrow Customs’ Tyler Malinky was working at Four Aces Cycle—the shop owned by his friend Wes White—building the Salt…

If I had to make a list of the most iconic racing motorcycles of all time, the Honda CR 750 would be…

In 1960, the young Spanish manufacturer Bultaco decided to make a name for itself and claim some long distance records. It built…