The Motorbike Thread

[therapy]

Well, I hope this is ok here, but there would appear to be a few of us in the forum who like our bikes and it may help stop us from hijacking the bike build threads.

So, tell us your biking stories past or present together with any pictures you care to add.

To get the ball rolling, I started riding in March 1978 and haven't been without at least one bike since...

Here's a picture from 40 years ago of two teenagers with their first new bike.



Nick

 

[PaulTRose]

nice elsie!........never quite got one of those back then

was into bikes the first time round at the same time

had a 600 Bandit in middle 00's but cant have one now........dont have any where to keep one and current memsahib would take a dim view if i suggested it lol

still follow bike racing

 

[Dave Ward]

Nick,
first bike - step through Honda 50, then Triumph Tiger Cub - and finally a Triumph T100 - on which I had an accident, which put me off bike riding for life! No pictures, sadly, all have vanished
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

That’s a suicide Elsie to me....my mate had one and if he hit the power band on a corner it used to try and go off in a straight line tangent! I owned several bikes in my youth. First off was a Suzuki B120....that was my learner bike. The night befor3 my test the indicators failed, so I passed my part two test using hand signals. The clutch was also a bit dodgy, so when I had to carry out the safe turn in the road I got off and pushed it around.
All perfectly legal
I was the first person in Salisbury to pass the (then new) two part test....
After that I bought a Yamaha SR500 single. A fantastic bike with rubbish swingarm bearings. I got the kick wrong once and it nearly sent me over the handlebars. I also ran out of petrol at about sixty mph, pulled in the clutch, switched to reserve, and let the clutch out. On the old SuzuiI when I did that the engine would just restart...on the Yam the back wheel locked and it slid about fifty yards until I realised what was going on Fantastic torque from the engine, but it ate chains and sprockets with alarming regularity!
After that I bought a Honda CB 550 four. Nice bike, but to be honest I found it a little bland after the Yamaha. Last big bike I had was an SR 650 Kawasaki. Basically a touring version of the Z750. I loved that bike to death and still miss it now thirty odd years later! It had absolutely no vices and was a really relaxed tourer. I occasionally dream I find it at the back of my garage....some hope!

 

[tigersteve]

Great idea - but you are warned, I can be boring about the subject !!

But I guess only interested parties will be reading this ......

36 , I think ! some for commuting, some for going very slow ( off road ) some for going very fast!

Many long distance tours of Europe, Route Napoleon and The Route De Grande Alps being the highlights plus trips to many race tracks inc. Monza, San Marino, Assen, Jerez and LeMans.

Several Track days at Brands, Snetterton and favourite ( on the Kawasaki ZX9r ) Nurburgring Nordshcleife

Passed my test in 1974 on a Lambretta Scooter and until last year following a health scare, I have never been without a bike.
Will change that soon I hope !!

Not in any order but registration dates ...

Suzuki T20 250 - 76
GT250 - 74
X7 250 - 81
B120 - 77
GT 500 - 81
GXF 600 99 -
DR 350 16-

Lambretta SX 150 - 74

Jawa. 350 - 79

Honda CB360 - 82
XR250 07-
XR400 04-
Firestorm 98 -
Blackbird 98 -
Blackbird 03

Yamaha RD400 -
R1 09

Kawasaki ZX9R 01-

Ducati SS750 97 -
SS900 08-

KTM. 990 ADV 08-

Triumph 750 Jubilee Bonneville - 77
Black Silver 750 Bonneville 95 -
750 Daytona 02-
900 Tiger steamer-
900 Tiger
955 Tiger x4
1050 Tiger 08-
1050 Sprint ST x 08 & 10 -
800 Tiger XC 11
800 Tiger XCx 17


BMW R100RT - 86
1150 GS

A few photos to add to the fun ( tried to restrict them )

 

[AlanG]

Haven't got a bike at the moment due to finances but i used to have a Honda CBR600 FR and then bought a Kawasaki ZX6R. Love the ZX6R as it was well rapid and comfy.

Hoping one day to get a Ducati 899. Just love them.

Here was my lovely ZX6R

 

[therapy]

Wow! Great stories and pics guys.

The Young Lady in my pic promised she'd never make me sell my bikes and has kept to it as well. She's also happy to spend all her holiday time sat on the back.

That Yam only lasted 3 months before I got knocked off it. Didn't manage to put me off, however, despite still having the scars today.

Both my kids are well into their bikes too but they have grown up with Dad going off to work every day on two wheels. I've had to promise each of them that they'll get one of my modest collection in my will...

Nick

 

[Gern]

Absolute heresy I know, but my only bike was a little Honda 50 moped - and never again! I used it for the journey to school for a year and got totally fed up of having to dress up twice a day, only to be harassed and terrified by other motorists and tortured by whatever the weather threw at me!

I'll stick to my 4-wheel automatic thanks. Go out the door in whatever clothes I like - who cares about the weather for the ten seconds or so I'll be out in it!? - cross the pavement, get into the car, point it in the right direction and go - Simples!

 

[Tim Marlow]

That was the crux of biking to me. You weren’t looking out at the world, you were moving through it. Nearest thing to flying without leaving the ground.

 

[therapy]

That's a good sentiment. When I started out, cars seemed so expensive that bikes were the cheaper way to buy some performance. Not so today.

The togging up and dressing for the weather has never really bothered me although I do feel the cold more these days.

The way I look at it now and especially where so many cars are marketed on their 'infotainment' features is that when you're in a car you can be a passenger even when you're the driver. On a bike you can't be a passenger even when you are the passenger!

Nick

 

[john i am]

Annoyingly my road tax is up this month £90 for the year (Yam XSR 900). So is the wife's for her diesel car £20.

 

[therapy]

Yeah the ''road tax' thing used to bother me esp when they went down the 'polluter pays' route and car manufacturers started stating some very dubious figures in order to get a low annual fee. I'd like to see those cars only being able to run at their lab tested emissions - there'd be some very slow ones about I reckon.

These days I console myself with the fact that bikes aren't subject to emissions test are MOT and you can basically do what you like once you've got them home....

Nick

 

[JayCee]

I grew up with bikes as my father was a keen rider. Bought my first in 1965 (Royal Enfield 350 Bullet) genuine, not the Indian repros. Bought my all time favourite bike in 1967. BSA DBD 34 Gold Star, The pinnacle of British motor cycles. Unfortunately sold when I was posted back overseas. No more until about 2000 when the urge hit again. Ducati 500 cc Pantah ( one of the first built ). Now being nearly 75 and having suffered a Stroke, can only watch Moto GP. Here is the Duke..
Cheers, John.

 

[tigersteve]

Some historical bikes there for sure John - Love the Ducati !!

 

[therapy]

On a more forum related note, I must have over twenty bike kits in my stash, but have struggled to make any progress with either of the couple that I've tinkered with over the past few years.

I occasionally open the box and fiddle with some part or other, but can't seem to keep going with it.....

Nick

 

[Airborne01]

Absolute heresy I know, but my only bike was a little Honda 50 moped - and never again! I used it for the journey to school for a year and got totally fed up of having to dress up twice a day, only to be harassed and terrified by other motorists and tortured by whatever the weather threw at me!

I'll stick to my 4-wheel automatic thanks. Go out the door in whatever clothes I like - who cares about the weather for the ten seconds or so I'll be out in it!? - cross the pavement, get into the car, point it in the right direction and go - Simples!

Gern, way back yonder I had an Itom 50cc racer - gear change on the 'other' side, racing seat. knee grip tank, and scary 'lift the front wheel in third (5 speed box!) acceleration. Probably worth a small fortune now. Screamed like a banshee as you went through the revs = also no good for going to work on!

 

[outrunner]

I got my first "big" bike in 1964, a Norton Dominator 88 all of 500cc.

Note the up to the minute gear, studded donkey jacket and huge gauntlets. I had to get that bike on hire purchase as it cost £74 and my father had to sign as guarantor.
Sold this one today, 1986 Honda XBR 500 G.

I bought it 12 years ago and it had a great engine but was cosmetically in poor condition so I ran it for a few miles then stripped it fully and restored it to its former glory. Over the years I have had too many bikes to remember but keep going back to Honda as they are just so well buit and reliable, present bike is a 2016 Honda NC 750X DCT which I bought new and 58443 miles later it runs as well as the day I got it.

Andy.

 

[Airborne01]

I got my first "big" bike in 1964, a Norton Dominator 88 all of 500cc.
View attachment 422907
Note the up to the minute gear, studded donkey jacket and huge gauntlets. I had to get that bike on hire purchase as it cost £74 and my father had to sign as guarantor.
Sold this one today, 1986 Honda XBR 500 G.
View attachment 422908
I bought it 12 years ago and it had a great engine but was cosmetically in poor condition so I ran it for a few miles then stripped it fully and restored it to its former glory. Over the years I have had too many bikes to remember but keep going back to Honda as they are just so well buit and reliable, present bike is a 2016 Honda NC 750X DCT which I bought new and 58443 miles later it runs as well as the day I got it.

Andy.

I agree, it's Honda all the way for me in the latter days - the CBs were thirsty but reliable, quick and fun! I had Triumphs , Nortons, BSAs, a TRIBSA, A TRITON, AJS's and several 'oddball's like DKWs and a 500cc long stroke Panther (with stripped down Watsonian sidecar chassis! Also, temporarily, a 500 Vincent with girder forks and strange triangular rear suspension system based on a single, centrally mounted, shock absorber. This was a unit hack that you bought, rode, then resold for about the same price - serviced and maintained by friendly REME mechs!

 

[therapy]

I'm a real fan of a big single cylinder engine. Really like the look of that XBR.

Have to admit though that I've never been much of a Honda man. My second bike was a mid-seventies SL125 and I once bought a CD185 for sixty quid as a winter bike. The wife had a CG125 to take her test, but that's it. No more Honda's since about 1986.

Nick

 

[Airborne01]

Nick, Nothing wrong with a big old thumper - top end detonation every second lamp post!