Midnight Oil Cycle Co. Honda CX500

The Honda CX500 was a significant departure from the norm for Honda. The Japanese marque had made a name for themselves by introducing the Honda CB750 and creating what would become the Universal Japanese Motorcycle (or UJM) and have its basic layout copied by the other three major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers.

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1951 Triumph 6T Thunderbird – Salt Flat Racer

The Triumph 6T Thunderbird was a British built motorcycle specifically intended for the Americans, who had been asking for more power both for racing, and for sidecar applications. The Brits were the muscle bike kings in the 1940s and 1950s, and the 6T Thunderbird was built to keep that crown firmly in British hands.

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Moto Adonis Yamaha TR1 Cafe Racer

The Yamaha TR1 was developed to appeal to the motorcyclists who had been left behind by the great UJM arms race – not all riders wanted a high revving inline-4 that’d snap your neck if you grabbed a little too much throttle. Many riders wanted a bike that favored torque over high-RPM horsepower, a more upright riding position, and a simpler engine that they could work on themselves.

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