Honda GB500 TT

Tomorrow sees the start of the Isle of Man TT2009. When casting around for a motorcycle to connect with this legendary event, we decided to avoid the glamour machines—such as the NCR Hailwood TT—and pick instead the obscure Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy. Its engine was a sleeved-down variant of the XL600 dirt bike motor: like many TT-winning racebikes, it was a 500cc big single. A tube frame, wire wheels and retro-styled gas tank completed the vintage ‘clubman’ look. The GB500 lasted just two years, disappearing from US showrooms in 1990, but today, good condition examples often fetch more than the...