6 rare retro bikes you probably won’t see

1. Aspes Juma 125 Sport
Those who have heard of the Italian motorcycle manufacturer Aspes probably associate the brand with high-quality motocross bikes of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The marque was made famous by the success of Italian rider Felice Agostini, the brother of the great Giacomo Agostini, who won national motocross titles on the off-roaders. Based in Varese, Italy, the company produced all-Italian roadbikes, too, and this Juma 125 Sport was a thing of beauty. Powered by a 123cc single-cylinder two-stroke engine capable of almost 20hp, it weighed 95kg and boasted a claimed top speed of 140km/h. It used a six-speed gearbox, 18-inch wheels and a pair of drum brakes provided the stopping power.

2. Batavus Starflite GTS
Today, as it was just after it was founded in 1904, Batavus is a successful bicycle manufacturer based in the Netherlands. To meet an ever growing demand, it diversified into mopeds during the 1970s and was producing some 70,000 units each year at the same time it was pumping out 250,000 bicycles in the same 12-month period. A few pedal-less motorcycles appeared in the late 1970s, with one example being the Starflite GTS. It was a 49cc single-cylinder two-stroke tuned for 6.25hp at 8000rpm and transferred the power through to the 17-inch rear wheel via a five-speed gearbox. The 81kg machine was said to be good for 90km/h, though we suspect that would drop slightly if the particularly lanky model pictured in the marketing material were to attempt a high-speed run.

3. Ossa 250 Turismo
Better known these days for its trials machinery, Ossa produced a 250cc roadbike between 1969 and 1985 which went on to form the basis of a one-make race series in its native Spain in 1976 and 1977. The 250 Ossa Cup, as it was known, was run in collaboration between the Spanish manufacturer, the national governing body for motorcycle sport and well as Spanish motorcycle magazine Motociclismo. The 250 Turismo (pictured) hit the market one year earlier, boasting a single-cylinder two-stroke power plant matched to a five-speed gearbox, it rolled on a 19-inch front wheel, an 18-inch rear and employed drum brakes at both ends.

4. MotoTrans-Ducati Mini 3
There was a Spanish motorcycle company called MotoTrans which produced motorcycles between the late 1950s and early 1980s before it was purchased by Yamaha in 1983. But before the Japanese acquisition, it produced many machines under an alliance with Italian marque Ducati and the 48cc two-stroke was one such Ducati-branded bike to roll off the production line in Barcelona, Spain. It used a three-speed gearbox with a wet, multiplate clutch and it rolled on 12-inch tyres both front and rear. It had a fuel tank capacity of just over five litres and tipped the scales at just 65kg — that’s probably lighter than you!

5. KTM Comet 50
The Austrian brand’s foray into the burgeoning moped market of the early 1970s was the 49cc two-stroke Comet 50. While export markets like the UK received a less expensive version with pedals, wire wheels and a less powerful engine, Germanic countries received a version with alloy wheels, a bikini fairing, a five-speed transmission and hydraulic disc brakes at both ends. It weighed 92kg and had a power output of 6.25hp at 7100rpm for a claimed top speed of 85km/h.

6. Silk 700 S Mk2
The 700 S was the work of British motorcycle manufacturer Silk and hit the UK market in 1975. It was powered by a 653cc two-stroke parallel-twin engine but, with no starter motor, owners were forced to kickstart the machine into life. Its engine was good for 48hp at 6500rpm, it tipped the scales at 140kg and a claimed top speed of 180km/h. Where the standard model had wire-spoked wheels, the Mk2 rolled on gold-coloured cast 18-inch affairs and boasted adjustable suspension. The firm also produced an SPR production racing version in its Derbyshire factory.