Yankee Motorcycles

Today in Motorcycle History

More Motorcycle Pictures From the Past:


1972 Rickman 250

1972 Rickman moto-crosser with a 250 cc. Montesa engine
This 250 handled well for back then because of it's light weight.
I had problems with the rear brake for the first 4 or 5 outings.I ended up putting
on a Husquarna lever and brake rod. I never had problems after that.



1974 Rickman 250

1974 Rickman moto-crosser with a 250 cc. Montesa engine
This bike weighed in at a very light 198 pounds.
It was my second 250 Rickman, following the 1972 model.



Matchless-Rickman 600 cc.

My Matchless-Rickman before I bought it in Mechbach, West Germany in 1968.
This bike had a Matchless Cyclone 600 cc. engine. Talk about torque!
After getting it back to the United States, it blew it's main bearings through the cases.
Behind the Matchless is the 350 cc. BSA Goldstar grasstracker belonging to my friend, Fritz Sandner.


Me riding a KX250 in 1975

1975 Kawasaki KX250
My friends and I did a lot of play riding in the gravel pits in the early and
mid 1970's. This is in an abandoned gravel pit west of Chillicothe, Illinois.


1969 OSSA 250 Stiletto

My 1969 250 Stiletto in Canton, Illinois in 1971.
This bike wasn't stock as you can see by the Betor front forks and the cylinder head
off of a 5-speed OSSA. This is the 4-speed moto-crosser made in 1969.



1969 OSSA 250 Stiletto

Same bike, same day



Mick Andrews in 1970

Mick Andrews on an OSSA "Plonker" trials model behind Yankee Motor Company.
Mick would visit the Yankee factory from time to time in promoting the
OSSA lineup of trials machinery. The OSSA factory in Spain developed the
MAR (Mick Andrews Replica) based on the changes Mick made to the "Plonker".

1980 KZ1000 Kawasaki w/sidecar

Marriage and the addition of a step-daughter lead to the
purchase of this rig. The bike is a 1980 Kawasaki KZ1000 with a Vetter Terraplane
sidecar. It was a nice looking outfit, but not nearly as much fun as riding solo.

If your interest is in vintage trials bikes, and in particular,
OSSA trials bikes, write to Karl Heise at kheise@msn.com

1966 175 cc. Bultaco Campera

My first two-stroke in the long line of dirt bikes.
I learned a lot from falling off of this motorcycle. Practice, practice, practice,.....



1960 BSA 650 cc.

This was my first experience in owning any motor vehicle.
For it's time, it was a good running motorcycle. After the accident, it was replaced
with a 1955 Chevy. This motorcycle met a car to end it's life after I owned it about 4 months.



Me on my first motorcycle

This black and white photo shows a proud owner of the BSA shown above.
I put many miles on this bike, since I didn't own a car back then.


OSSA ST-1 short-tracker

This Champion-framed OSSA was fun in the turns
on the flat tracks around Peoria, Illinois around 1976.

It handled the best of any motorcycle I ever rode on a smooth track.



500 cc Triumph-Rickman

500 cc. Triumph-Rickman
This was my fourth Rickman chassis motorcycle. What a beauty it was.
I can't imagine taking it around a moto-cross track though.
It saw some dirt use, but mainly was just something to show off.

1978 Yamaha SR500

1978 Yamaha SR500
This bike is one of my current rides. I'm falling for singles, and this is the fourth SR500
I've owned. I find a nice one, then someone offers me good money for it, so I end up
letting it go. This one, hopefully, will stay in my garage for a long time.

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