/r/vintagemotorcycles
Dedicated to love and appreciation of pre-1989 motorcycles in any shape: factory restored, chopper, bobber, cafe, flat track, hill-climbing, drag, racing, dirt, etc etc. Pictures of projects are also encouraged.
Note: If your post doesn't show up in the /new section, head on over to that "message the mods" button, your submission probably got caught in the spam filter.
Other reddits:
/r/Motorrad, specifically for German bikes.
/r/projectbike, for restoration, modification, and repairs on motorcycles
/r/vintagemotorcycles
25,028 Subscribers
Can someone tell me what kind of motorcycle my grandpa is sitting on? The picture is from the 50s in Germany
21:15 UTC
Run like a champ for a 54 year old. 1971 cb450.
19:35 UTC
For whatever reason this was hanging up in my dermatologist’s office.
18:44 UTC
1978 rm125 rebuild
Just got this 1978 rm 125 and I’m trying to find a kickstart lever for it not much luck finding one so far so I came to see if there’s any places or anyone that would have or know someone who has what I’m looking for any help would be appreciated 🤙🏼
14:49 UTC
Urgently Looking for Drawings, 3D Files, or Spare Parts for Hercules S 125
Hello everyone, I’m currently restoring a Hercules S 125 – year 1940 (NO K125) and urgently searching for technical drawings, 3D files, or spare parts for the engine. Specifically, I need: Engine gaskets Clutch plates Connecting rod bearings Piston rings Other engine components If anyone has these parts available, knows a good source, or has experience restoring this model, I’d really appreciate any help! Thanks in advance and best regards,
07:17 UTC
My first ride
Sorry for the crappy pic. Someone recently posted their 1982 Maxim so I wanted to post mine. 1980 XJ650G with an 1100 fuel tank. My uncle painted it midnight blue. I was 17. Many great miles on her. Miss it for sure!!
00:53 UTC
Question regarding my SR500
I Bought this bike a couple months ago and have been working on it to get it running perfectly. I have it where I can start it pretty easily. But for some reason, it doesnt wat to start with the choke on. Also, when I turn my idle screw all the way out, it still idle's at an acceptable rate. Definitely not where it should, but it doesn't die with the idle screw all the way out. I've messed with all different pilot jet sizes and am running out of ideas. Is this likely a rich or lean condition? Any help is much appreciated.
1978 yamaha sr500
22:56 UTC
1966 BMW R69S in Las Vegas
I recently acquired this R69S. I have a classic car shop in Las Vegas and, unfortunately, I’m not much of a motorcycle guy.
I’ve been told this is a pretty good one. 21,000 miles, all original with number matching engine and frame. Just had it completely serviced with new tires and tubes. Runs beautifully.
12:35 UTC
Can anybody help identify what year and model this is?
I was told it was rare but I don’t know much more about it than that.
14:00 UTC
Does it even make sense?
I bought a house this summer with a horse barn that was falling apart and i demo'd it and found this in there. I was planning on just giving away to anyone who is interested but the more I've been walking by it i just imagine how sick it would be to restore and ride it myself. Aside from rust it looks good. What should I be expecting to replace and is it even worth it? I have no experience in mechanic work other than changing my own oil. But it looks like it could be a fun project. Am I crazy for trying to do this with absolutely no experience? Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated
12:03 UTC
My 1972 Jawa 21 Sport (50cc)
11:18 UTC
1975 RS100 B or C?
Just scored this immaculate 1975 RS100. Want to get an owner's manual for it but I've noticed there's a B and C version. Anyone now how to tell the difference or if it even matters?
03:42 UTC
BSA 650 Lightning
02:23 UTC
Good deal?
I’m located in the Bay Area where bikes are priced through the roof and this one is on the lower end. Do you think it’s a good deal? Could I eventually make it road legal?
01:14 UTC
Picked up an xt500 project
00:26 UTC
Just had my dreamed crushed. Need advice or suggestions.
I have several years of bike riding an mechanic experience, but I haven’t had my own bike in about a year. Went to look at a better-than-mint condition 1973 Triumph Tiger. Been looking forward to it for weeks, I love old triumphs and this bike was perfect. Only issue is it’s a kicker, which I’ve had before but not one with such a large engine. I’m about 5’4” and 120lbs. Jumped on it with my whole body weight and then some, and not even close. My husband isn’t really sympathetic to my disappointment (“just get a bike why does it matter”).
Looking for something with that old Bonneville sound, weight, look and feel without being kickstart only. I’m also looking for something least 650cc. Or someway I can get a bike like that started on my own. Even warmed up it wasn’t happening.
18:34 UTC
1966 Ducati 250 Monza
I posted a couple photos of my 160 Monza Jr a day or two ago, this is the bike I was REALLY after that day. This was supposed to be the main project, but somehow it just never got finished.
It started life as a 250 Monza but at this point it doesn't have much Monza left in it. The new bodywork is by Evan Wilcox, front brake is an Oldani replica, and the engine is from a 350 Sebring. There have been a lot of changes with it over the years and since this photo was taken the front fender has been replaced with a smaller fiberglass part.
Since I've retired I've started working on it again, along with yet another single cylinder project, but it still never seems to progress as fast as I want. Other bikes keep sneaking into the rotation.
15:22 UTC
Can anyone tell me what motorcycle my Great Grandfather Owned
15:19 UTC
Getting my first motorcycle, and would love a little project. Is this a good deal and good for a beginner?
Saw this 1971 Honda CL175, 6500 miles, on FB Marketplace for $600. Says new tires, brakes, fork seals and boots last year. I got my motorcycle license a couple years ago, but life happened and I was never able to buy a bike and really get going. I am trying to get something together for the summer. I am mechanically well-inclined, though only on cars. But I am confident I can do any minor work or maintenance myself as long as I have the proper learning material (Youtube, mostly).
Also, I do not want some crazy fast bike. I saw this tops out around 80 MPH which is fine for me, won't be doing anything crazy.
Thoughts?
18:50 UTC
1966 Ducati 160 Monza Jr
Here are before and after shots of a 160 Monza Jr I rebuilt a bunch of years back. I had no idea I was building a TS clone when I was putting it together, I found out later Ducati had already built a bike that looked like this. Chances are I had seen it at some point and just didn't remember. Anyway, it was a fun little bike but not all that useful in modern traffic. I sold it to a guy who has it displayed in his auto repair shop. He rides it once in a while still too from what I hear.
23:40 UTC
Online video resource for vintage flatheads I run a UK based workshop & have been posting videos of our work on Harleys on YT for the last 7 years (https://www.youtube.com/@theworkshopuk). I was wanting you guys to check it out & let me know what you think, what you'd like to see & what you enjoy.
10:19 UTC
My rare but interesting looking soviet scooter Тула Тулица 200 (1982)!
Hi dudes!
Let me present you something kinda weird shaped but also a bit cute looking classic soviet scooter i completely restored all by myself!
The story goes like this:
Back in 2019, one weekend i decided to go for a walk, and for some reason i redirected my route and went through a less explored part of my city.
Just after around 10 minutes of walking there, i ended up walking through a garage complex (something pretty specific for eastern europe to have designated areas of the city with just car garages/storage units)
I kept on walking through there and i noticed a few kids peeking through the rusty gates of an abandoned storage unit, and when they noticed me, they ran away.
OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!
My curious ahh went there to see tf they saw there.. and there it is. the moment i found it.
I couldn't properly see it, because the gates were locked and the visibility was limited by only what i could see through the gap between them.
I was like, damn!! this looks pretty interesting.... but who is the owner???
I started asking around, but nobody knew who owned that storage unit.
I called the local land office (i have no mf idea how to translate its name from romanian to english but lets call it like this), and they also had no clue who was the owner.
I was burning to find out who this scooter belonged to, so i started a whole ahh investigation.
From putting up fake "for sale" signs on that storage unit, to make greedy storage unit re-sellers (yes we have something like this lmao) to do all the searching work for me, to [REDACTED] auto registration office workers to run the numberplate through the database (its a big nono to do this in my country), but they could not find it, the scooter could've been registered when the auto registration offices didn't even have computers, and it was registered manually... on paper. (during early 1990's basically no state institutions had computers).
I felt like i have to give up.
And one day, a little boy met me on the street when i was just minding my own business, not even thinking about that scooter at the moment, and he was like:
I heard you are interested about that scooter, do you remember? me with my friends were looking at it through the gates of that storage unit! It actually belongs to an old man i know! he lives in this apartment building! *pointing at it* he is friends with my grandfather!
I was ****ING SHOCKED
All that searching, digging, [REDACTED], tricking, calling... TO THEN FIND OUT HE LIVES LIKE 50 METERS AWAY FROM THAT STORAGE UNIT!!!!!!!!!
All my plans for that day were cancelled.
I went straight to that dude's home, knocked on his door, and when the door opened, he looked exactly as i was thinking he looks like XD
Skinny, tall, white hair, grumpy face, a lil bit of a double chin and a walking stick.
I told him about the whole story and i could tell his grumpiness started to fade away, he looked enthusiastic and talkative, he started to tell me the whole story how he bought it, how he used it, and why he abandoned it. (he had a major car accident many years ago, that's why he coundn't drive it anymore)
He also told me that the scooter sat there untouched for.. get this:
!!!!!!!!!!!! 20 YEARS !!!!!!!!!!!!! (pics attached)
Long story short, he planned to sell the whole storage unit, including all of the contents of it to a scrap yard in a couple of weeks, so i was super lucky i found him just in time!
I was super relieved about it, so i went straight to business:
How much?
He said [REDACTED] euro, and it's yours.
DEAL !
I bought it exactly that day.
4 years passed
You see what i did with it.
Full restoration, no f'ing around, top quality, as i love to do it ;)
I also have the whole restoration process on my YouTube channel, if you're interested, i will paste the link in comments.
Thanks for reading my lil story!
P.S I'm actually planning to sell it, to fund my next restoration projects! (yes, i already bought like 4 vintage motorcycles lmao), so if you're interested, hit me up!
21:58 UTC
Where to find parts?
More specifically, I’m thinking of buying a 70’s CB500 and it’s missing a couple of things. Tach, side cover, unk if more.
15:51 UTC