bikes I have known...

Being at the very beginning of my motorcycling life (at my advanced age) I
am so envious of all you lot who have photo galleries of all your bikes over
the years... what a bloody amazing storehouse of riding memories you must
have....

There have been motorcycling people in my family (mostly back in Pommyland),
but my first riding experience was as a pillion with one of my classmates in
Sydney back in the late 70's, in around Yr 11.... I can't believe how
trusting and immortal you feel at 16-17.... and then I pillioned again, just
once, around the streets of Bondi late at night, when I was about 20. What a
feeling!!!! When my baby brother took me around Christchurch on the back of
his peewee something-or-other back in the early 80's (and made me get off
and walk so he could get the bloody thing up hills) I was slightly less
exhilarated, but still had the time of my life!

It took me well over 20 years, one marriage and two kids for me to get back
to the idea of bikes.... and I don't suppose I will ever have a lovely list
of bikes to remember.

But... I want to say how much I love my little GPX250... I think I will
always love my first bike best - this is the one that has seen me through
the toughest times, in terms of learning roadcraft as well as being my
safe-haven.... I am so attached to my bike that I sometimes wonder how the
heck I will ever be able to get another bike later on.... just the thought
of doing that seems disloyal.

For ppl who've had bazillions of bikes, and all the memories that go with
them..... do you have a special soft spot for a particular bike, and is
there a special reason for that?

I can't imagine ever being this attached to a car (or a house, a pair of
shoes OR a bloke <grin>)

betty

 

BSA Bantam D14 when I was 17.

http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/Bike Directories/BSA Bikes/BSA index.htm

 

Factory spec. PE175...it absolutely flew! Won every enduro it entered until
it blew up...sob
Grump.

 

In aus.motorcycles on Thu, 1 Jun 2006 22:18:16 +1000

Hey, loved 'em all.

Well.. some more than others, I don't think "love" is the right term
for the GT550, more like friendship. And the SR250 was more like
"mostly working partnership".

The ones I liked the most I still have... Except the Baby Beemer, I
was sorry to see that go but it has gone to a good home.

Even the two boring "sensible" bikes, the GT550 and the SR250 were
at least motorcycles which means riding them was fun and better than
taking a car or the bus.

Zebee

 

Loved that little CX to DEATH!
Would love to get to know the
Vyrus....http://www.vyrus.it/it/motorcycle/984.asp

justAL

 

My first experience was at age 5, squished between my uncle and aunt on
their 1940-something Matchless. In the 1940s.
My kids were being pillioned from about age 7.

I've only had three bikes in the last 30 years. They were a Guzzi, a Guzzi,
and a Guzzi. Before that I had a 1956 BSA, a Lambretta, and a couple of
Yamahas.

Theo

 

My old Ducati 860 GTS (fitted with 900SS motor and fairing, kickstart only).
I miss that one the most of all. Probably because it took me to so many
places, and I prepped and sprayed it red all by myself, so was full of
memories. Also, because it's been a long time, the more errr... character
building issues... have faded in the mists of time. Still, I did get to
learn a lot about Ducati internals and electrics. ;^) Sold it to Tim Sanford
(Cycle Torque), who lived nearby at the time, and often wonder if he still
has it. Haven't seen it in years.

My black/gold Guzzi LeMans MkII ranks pretty highly as well. Another bike I
regret selling. Sure it needed money spent, but I've sunk a whole lot more
money into the bikes I've had since. One of the most beautiful bikes I've
owned, if not the most.

Perversely, I miss another Ducati - a 95 750SS. Would have been my number
one if I'd bought one that didn't have major problems, but buying secondhand
is always fraught with risk - especially buying from a bloody liar. Lesson
learnt, I traded it for next to nothing, and was glad to be rid of it, but
when it was running well, it was the best bike ever. Perfect size (fit me
beautifully), brilliant handling, adequate power, great looks. sigh... Maybe
I'll get another one - but a good one - one day.

A long run of trailbikes and other road bikes have memories, but they're
just not the same.

Tony F

 

Hmm, about 30 road bikes, of those...

I regret selling my Z1 900cc Kawasaki that I spent years (and about
$8000 back when that was worth twice what it is now) restoring.

I miss riding my rattly old unreliable Triumph T140 chopper (I don't
miss fixing the bloody thing after every trip!).

I still have a soft spot for GT750's (more for the time I spent on one
when younger riding a large bike for the first time and later on at the
Isle of Mann).

Many of the bikes are memorable but I don't miss, my Yamaha V-Max for
it's fierce acceleration combined with truly dreadful flexy frame (worse
than my Z1 easily).

My Kawasaki Z1300 Voyager13 full dresser is memorable for having to
actually ride a bike that weighed 375kg dry with a pillion and keep the
bloody thing upright at low speed!

Many of them like the Suzuki GSX750F were competant but bland enough
that over time I have trouble remembering lots of them.

My current Moto Guzzi LeMans V11 has turned into one of those few bikes
that is different enough and memorable enough that if I ever sell it I
reckon I'll miss it, whereas my current Yamaha Diversion 900S is
functionally very good but inspires no passion (like the GTR1000 I used
to own).

Bikes are different to each other, and each persons experience on them
is different but I reckon the key is to find a bike that inflames ones
sense of desire to own and ride it, not just when you buy it... but in
times to come down the track.

If you find a bike like that (and it can be hard to find out what bikes
do that for oneself) then yeah... expect to miss it if you sell it


G-S

 

My first bike was a Suzuki Hustler back in 1981 ( I hope that makes you feel
young ) . Picked it up in the afternoon and first trip was around Mt
Panorama where I managed to drop it at the Cutting. This was the first of
many falls from this bike but didn't I have fun on it. When you are young
you just don't have any brains or sense of danger. How I survived this long
is a miracle........................

 

oops......that should read 1971.....oh the brain begins to go at this age

 

Nice little sccoter , I ran an Rg about then . used to smoke the hustler
on topend .

 

nothing smoked the hustler off the mark

still remember someone in a hotted up FJ reckoning his car would blow my
bike off the road over ( could have been a mile, could have been half ). It
was where the stockyards at Bathurst are and beat him quite easily..

and that was my one drag......

 

I remember the look on a mates face when I lined my my week old MKIII
blue tank Kwaka against his"ported" RD 350
does smashed gel for you .?

 

Yeah... you and me both (although mine wasn't an LS)


G-S

 

You started well Betty; the GPX250 is certainly a lovable little package!

My first bike was a 60's postie scooter (before the current trail-bike type
posties) and it occupies a special place in my heart.
My first road-legal bike was a '72 Yammie 350 (R5) which I adored, and
later I had a '72 Kwakka 500 triple, a '77 860 GTS Ducati, a '94 Triumph
900 Sprint and a '97 BMW R1100GS.
I've had another 20-or-so bikes (over a 33 year period) and all of them had
their attractions but those 6 are my standouts.[/QUOTE]

 

i started on a bike aged 9. get this, dad bought a honda 185 road
bike...with the chopper handle bars....as a sheep herding bike. so i grew up
riding around the farm on that!!no dirt bike for me.

moved to a vt250 when i got my license, now shooting for a vtr1000

 

I was just-about to put my anorak on and argue that the GT250 wasn't
technically a "Hustler" but a '71 T250 is pukka.

 

Mine.....

175cc James
125cc Bantam
650cc A10 BSA
650cc Triumph Thunderbird
650cc Triumph Bonneville
1930cc Norton single - hack bike
500cc Manx Norton
250cc TD1C Yamaha
50cc Honda - while i was racing
250cc Yamaha trail
350cc Yamaha
750cc Ducati sports
750cc Kawasaki
1200cc Bandit
800cc Honda

Johno

Beer?

 

[waits patiently]
So..... did you LIKE any of them?!!?

 

http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/cx500/cx500.html
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/lazarus/lazarus.html