Ooooooooooo don't start a motorbike thread I'll get all teary eyed and nostalgic, I rode for 20 years until I the financial stress of kids and one wage forced me to hang up my helmet That's when I got back into cycling though to fill in the gap it left

My biking CV:
1977 Yamaha FSIE
1981 Suzuki GP100
1982 Suzuki GS650 Katana
1988 Yamaha FZ750
1990 Yamaha FZR1000 EXUP
1994 Yamaha YZF750
1980 Honda XL350 (Overland Africa trip)
1996 Yamaha YZF1000
1997 Suzuki GSXR750
1996 Honda XR600
1997 Kawasaki ZX6R
1994 Yamaha FZR1000 EXUP
1999 Yamaha R1
1987 GSXR1100

So mostly big sportsbikes, highlight of course was the R1, pictured below at Silverstone trackday. Then moved to NZ and the money ran out, hence the old Gixer at the end of the list.

Other notable highlight the overland Africa trip, on a US$400 XL350 from South Africa to Egypt.

Here are a couple of the Scrambler. I sold a very good condition bike I bought brand new, which had all the mods I have done to this, and only about 12000k on to buy the Scrambler, but I am pretty happy with the choice. My last bike was not great on gravel, whereas the Scrambler (aside from its 200 + kg dry weight) is fine. And there are a lot of shingle roads round here I had never been on. Its fine on the road, stable up to 140k, and the brakes and chassis dynamics (now) are good. I say now, because I have put new Ohlins shocks on the back, and had the front forks worked over (Racetech cartridges, fork springs, Ohlins oil) and now its better. Way oversprung for me as stock and too much compression damping, but then it gets going and blows through its travel too soon. The money Ive spent is money well spent and I would spend it on any bike I bought in the future. First tyres, then suspension, then engine, then fripperies.

I do have a set of Thunderbike matt black headers to go on it but havent fitted them yet.

Nice bike, good two up, cruisy and with 58hp or something its not going to set the world on fire.

scrambler from other side.

It's best side

I had rare 110cc manual 3/4 size Black Widow replica chopper (not the silly little ones on TM), but it sucked for riding on the road. I attempted it a few times but hated it. It looked really cool and seemed like a good idea at the time, but I think Dwayne rode it more than I ever did
I never felt happy about the steering with the huge front forks on it.
I would like a road bike, but havent managed to ever find anything small enough to feel confident on that didnt cost too much.

These days we are riding offroad bikeys and doing all the trail rides round the lower north.
He has an RM250 and I have a TTR125.
I will probably upgrade to a 2-Stroke for summer, but for now am enjoying learning on the 4-Stroke. Gives me more time to putt around and get better before I go to something with more power.
I'm a shortass so like to be able to reach the ground so will likely stick with 125's being that the size suits me well.

Had:
FZ6 Fazer
SV650

Fancy:
GSX-R 750
R1
Street Triple

Have my beady eye on:
A mint looking R1 for reasonable money....

Dream bike:
MV Agusta F4

Realistically? None of the above right now. Have just dropped an obscene amount of money on a bike i have to power myself. Whats up with that?

Started back with a Gen 1 XR200, then went through about 50 bikes (at one time I owned 5 cars and 7 bikes, kept that ratio for about 3 years, changing a bike every 3-4 months or so ) over the years. The ones that stick out:
CBR250RR - little screamer
CBR600F3 - cruisy
CB750 (ex MOT)
Maxim X with YZF 750 engine (spent 9 months touring Canada/USA on that beastie)
Cagiva Mito who said 125's arent fun
GL1000K1 - the mistress, the only bike I truely regret selling.
GB400TT (slightly modified and probably the most pure fun commuter ever invented)

Checking the list, the bikes that stick out are the Honda's

i've mostly had dirt bikes. racing 2 strokes over the years 125's, 200's, 250's
then my last bike was a rmz250 (only one i got pictures of sitting pretty), but had to let that go once the mortgage started

one day one will return to my garage, probably a ktm200 2 banger.

here's the 850T... love them twin barrels.

I really like Guzzis: there is a daytona on tardme for like $10k presently.


Its funny how many of us have had bikes (lots of bikes) sold them when poor (ion my case mortgage/University) then when we could afford it, got back into it. Once the bug has bitten, generally it stays bitten!

I will try and get some digi photos of my track bike.

Henry Dorset Case wrote:I really like Guzzis: there is a daytona on tardme for like $10k presently.


Its funny how many of us have had bikes (lots of bikes) sold them when poor (ion my case mortgage/University) then when we could afford it, got back into it. Once the bug has bitten, generally it stays bitten!

I will try and get some digi photos of my track bike.

I thought when I sold the old mistress (the K1) that it was all over between me and bikes. But for some reason I kept my helmet and leathers etc -

guess at heart i am hoping to one day own another bike, and holding on to that gear is my last brave struggle against domestification, where there is leather, there is hope*

*works on so many levels.

when I decided to buy another bike I got an SRX600 "for commuting"

wish I hadnt sold it, it was fun.


oooooh leather. I might have to have a lie down.

i have visions of putting a tiny little seat on mine, and biiiiig wide bars, maybe forward mounted foot gear. it was never a sporty bike (tho the cam on the T was apparently like the first lemans, sportier than following T's), so why not totally cruise/chop it... at the same time, i'm kinda for keeping it original(ish)

I've had a couple over the years, and like most here had a gap when the money got tight with kids and mortgages.

Started on a Suzuki TC100, sold for a crate after I pretty much killed it.
Moved on to a Honda CB360, sold when I needed the money
Bought a 1956 Puch RLA125, rode it about 3 times and parked it in a shed

Insert gap of about 15 years.........

Bought a 1991 Yamaha XJ600 to go touring with the wife & commuting to work.
Removed 1956 Puch RLA125 from shed and restored from the ground up, now roadworthy.
Bought a 1983 Honda XL250 in bits and rebuilt, ready to go playing next summer.

Currently considering what to replace the XJ with when I've got some money to spend.....

reading this thread it got me to relised I have actually only owned 1 motorcycle the 1 i brought about 4 yrs ago 84 Honda CR250R

but have raced plenty and effectively the were called mine
Yamaha JT1 50cc
Suzuki RM80 N
Yamaha YZ 80 H, I*, J & K (2 of)
Yamaha YZ 125 L,N
Yamaha YZ 250 S

I have also raced occasionally Yamaha's IT 200's , YZ 490's , YZ250G , Norton's 500 Domiracer, 650 atlas & a 750 atlas

* the "I" was a hybrid: "J" frame with a "H" motor, it was the best of the both, Yamaha did not make an "I"