California Bob found this old (1967) Benelli 250 on Ebay.Michigan Mike kibitzes:
Wards and Sears used to remarket Benellis, Puchs, Bridgestones and those relabelled small displacement Indians back in the 60's. It's a good way to pick up a hidden collectible, although most people who like those things already know the whole array of labels applied, what factory they were made, what the local town ethnicity makeup was, and the source of the aluminum forged in the Caucasus'es for the right side case.
"Yep, that thar is a a 1962, but really it was brought over in a whole surplus shipment from Sevastapol, so it's actually a '53.. A Wards purchasing agent by the name of Herman Smurdgen from Rockford, Illinois heard about it from his sister's cousin Henry who worked on Great Lakes ships when crates of 'em were brought into Chicago. The local German community was talented at cleaning up the machines and getting them ready for sale, so they put those Wards labels on 'em and stuck 'em in the new auto service stores. It's got that funny 17 pitch chain and cogs, so if that breaks, you may as well throw the whole thing into the pond. I'll give you $25 bucks for it."
Nah, that's the rarer scrambler model (with aftermarket mirrors added). Asking price $2000, realistically about $1200-1400 if you can find a collector.
ReplyDeleteInferior to the Ducati Mach 1, even the non-desmo version. Spares rare.