How many bikes have you owned ?

[Anonymous]

In chronological order I have owned the following:

1. 1966 Honda CL160 scrambler
2. 1972 Yamaha XS 650
3. 1946 Indian Chief
4. 1979 Harley Sportster XL1000
5. 1981 Harley Sportster
6. 1981 Harley FLH "Heritage Edition"- only a few hundred were made, I believe this was the bike that started the whole Harley heritage/retro bit. Wish I still had this one.
7. 1989 Harley FLHS
8. Harley servi-car (trike) with a Panhead front section grafted on. This was a basket when I got it, minus motor and trans, but I actually rode the thing when a friend of mine had it together with a nice Pan motor and a 'glide front end extended about 12" over.
9. 1983 Suzuki GS1100E, my current ride.

My favorite? Loved them all. The Indian was the coolest with it's tank shift and rocker clutch. The FLHS was almost like a two wheeled car, dependable and almost maintenance free. The Sportsters were fun but tempermental. The GS1100E is the fastest I have owned, and I am liking it more all the time, it is a lot of bike for the money.

 

[Dark Jedi]

in order

69,70,71,72,73.... yamaha 175, built out of a scrapyard from parts.
85 Honda 125r
84 TRX-350x
74 KZ400
86 VMX-1200
82 CM400
82 GS1100E
79 GS550E

and current:
82 GS650G
04 GY200

 

[lberkhei]

1. ~'70 Honda CT70 (Bought new; co-owned with Dad; he and I both took our MC driving tests on it!)

2. '70 Honda CL350 Scrambler (Used, a year or so old when I bought it; got me back and forth to college several times; my first 'real' motorcycle.)

3. '72 Honda CB500-4 (A 'leftover' I bought new, early 1973; traded the CL350; added a Windjammer, rack, backrest, and trunk; travelled a fair bit; my sentimental favorite because I owned it longest and put the most miles on it. 'Died' in '80; sat around for several more years waiting for me to fix it, while we raised a family, etc. Finally gave up and sold it ~'90)

4. ~'71 Yamaha 125 "enduro" (the one with an electric starter! Bought slightly used, ~'73; sold it after a year or so to move up to a 175.)

5. ~'70 Kawasaki 175 "enduro" (Bought used ~74; owned until '80 or '81)

6. ?78 Suzuki GS750E (Currently own. Bought in '02 for my return to biking; second to the CB500 only because I still haven't owned it as long or put as many miles on it - but I love this bike!)

7. ?81 Suzuki GS250 (Currently own - Bought in '03 because my 2 teenagers want to learn to ride - and I don't think the 750 is what they should learn on!)

 

[Katamaniac]

These are the bikes I've enjoyed owning over the years.

1. 2.5 HP Minibike
2. '74 Suzuki DS 80
3. '84 Suzuki 185 Quadrunner
4. '73 Husqvarna 450 single Two-sroke
5. '73 Suzuki GT 550 (hand-me-down from my dad)
6. '86 Kawasaki 600 Ninja
7. '91 Honda CBR 600 F2
8. '82 GS750??
9. '86 Honda fourtrax 250R
10. '83 Suzuki GS1100S Katana (the only one I still own)

I don't have a favorite, but my most memerable bike was the DS 80. I got it when I was 10 years old and rode it as much as I could. I grew up around some great trails in Upstate New York.

 

[Anonymous]

Some bikes I can remember:
1. 5 horse home made mini bike
2. 1966? Vespa Motor Scooter 3 speed
3. 1957 650cc BSA Goldstar chopper
4. 1967 Yamaha 250cc Big Bear Street Scrambler
5. 1972 Yamaha 250cc DT-1 Enduro
6. 2 Honda Hobbit Mopeds
7. 1969 Honda CB750K
8. 1971 Honda CB450
9. 1971 Honda CB750K
10. 1978 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing
11. 1983 Yamaha XV750 Virago
12. 2 1975 Honda CB125s
13. 1983 Suzuki GS1100GL
14. 1981 Honda XL500R Enduro

I had fun on all these bikes, but the two I have now that I will never get rid of are the 1978 Honda GL1000, and the 1983 Suzuki GS1100GL. My wife is learning on the 1975 Honda CB125s. I hope she gets her license this coming year as planned. I wish I still had the 1969 Honda CB750K. That bike was fast and reliable, but not as fast and reliable as the GS1100GL. Every bike is a different kind of ride, and to each his own as to bike choices. Anything on two wheels is fun, and that's the name of the game. Bill

 

[bwringer]

Good grief! Don't you guys DO anything else?

My teeny tiny little itty bitty list:

1. 1974 Yamaha TX500 (not an XT dirtbike, a TX dangit!)
A really cool purple parallel twin my uncle gave me. I rode it a few times when he had it -- amazing power from a relatively small 4 stroke engine. After he gave it to me, it had been sitting for a couple of years and I never did get it running well enough to take it on the street. If I had known then what I know now...

2. 1978 Suzuki GS400
Paid way too much ($500 in 1989 or '90). Sweet little bike that taught me how to ride, took me to class, and put up with my general cluelessness quite well. It had weak rotor magnets, so I had to plug in a charger every night, and its range was limited.

3. 1979 Kawasaki KZ650B
Awesome bike! I went absolutely everywhere on it. The previous owner had installed shocks and fork springs, so I started to learn about handling. After the exhaust mostly fell off one fine summer day, I put on a set of Mac pipes and filter pods and learned about the black arts of rejetting. I got it sorted after only a couple of tries and rode it even more. I finally sold it a year after I got my GS850G and realized I never rode the KZ anymore.

4. 1983 Suzuki GS850GD
My current ride! Back in 1991 or '92, I had read and saved an article in Cycle World about tarting up an old GS850G into a "poor man's BMW". It had some ridiculous stuff, like $2,000 worth of Givi luggage, butsomething about that article stuck with me. When I stumbled across a well-kept GS850G a few years later, I dug out the article, read it again, and bought the bike. I still have the article, too.

 

[lhanscom]

85 GS700ES
77 GS750
80 GS550
85 GS1150ES

I started riding in 2002, so I think I'm on track for a very long list. 8)

 

[Sandy]

I find it quite interesting the number and types of bikes some of you have owned and hopefully enjoyed over the years so I'll shared mine with you too. Total mileage I?ve put my bikes is about 389,000 Kms (245,000 miles). It's less than I thought I put on, never really stopped to figure it out before. Some years I rode lots, some years not much, but I have riden every year for 34 years now. Guess it averages out over time.

?71 Honda CL450 (35,000 Kms)
Bought new with flat bars, TT100 tires, owned for two years (traded a buddy for his ?72 RD350 in ?73)

?68 Suzuki T500 (15,000 Kms)
Bought in ?72, clubman bars, TT100 tires, fiberglass tank ? fairing and tail section, 4 shoe GT750 brake, pipes, major engine work, retired it as a street bike and turned into a drag bike when I got the ?72 RD350. (gradually sold off as parts)

?72 Yamaha RD350 (25,000 Kms)
Got it in ?73, Clubman bars, ? fairing, TT100R tires, was fast and fun with unbelievable brakes for the time (crashed hard and sold for parts.).

?73 Suzuki DS185 (minimal Kms)
Bought used in ?75 from a friend who ran enduros with it, had quite modified suspension (sold in fall?77)

?77 Yamaha XS750 (90,000 Kms)
Bought new as non current model in spring ?78 w/flat bars, Michelin M45 tires added Koni shocks, did lots sport touring with it, sold it after I got the Interceptor (sold ?84)

?68 BSA A65 Lightning (minimal Kms)
Bought it in ?82 in boxes for $1000.00, owner said everything was there, turns out only part missing was one throttle cable collar, restored it over the winter, rode it a bit. (traded Summer ?84 for an almost new, 4,000 Kms 750 Interceptor)

?83 Honda 750F Interceptor (47,000 Kms)
Got it used summer ?84 rode for two years, nice motor, great handling, great brakes, really comfortable, bad cams, bad fork seals, bad rear suspension bushings, bad coils, gas leaked out filler cap under hard braking, hard to work on, bad motorcycle!!! (traded for my first GS1000 spring of ?86 and got some cash to boot)

?79 Suzuki GS1000E (first one) (88,000 Kms)
Got it spring of ?86. Added supersport bars, Dunlop K591R tires, made rear set pegs and controls, updated brakes, and suspension, did a lot sport touring and just plain sport riding with it, the old technology sure surprised a lot of people. (crashed hard and sold for parts fall of ?88 )

?85 Yamaha FZ750 (81,000 Kms)
Bought fall of ?88 with minor accident damage and rebuilt over the winter. Installed K591R tires, 4 to 2 Super Trapp, K&N filter, great motor, great brakes, absolutely neutral handing and stable at any speed, bike saw track time on occasion and still ran strong when I sold it with 100,000 Kms on it and after I bought my current GS1000, wife hated it. (sold fall ?92)

?84 Honda XL350 (minimal Kms)
Bought summer of ?88 for exploring back roads in our area, great all round on/off road bike (traded a friend for my current GS summer of ?92)

?79 Suzuki GS1000 (second one) (8,000 Kms by me 30,000 Kms total)
Got this one summer of ?92, came with ?S? fairing, bars and mirrors, K&N pods and 4 to 1 exhaust, licensed it fall ?92 when the FZ750 sold, had only 13,800 Kms on it and was virtually perfect, immediately put on about 2,000 Kms then parked it for the winter, bought rural property the next spring and ended up taking a break from riding and the bike didn't get riden much for several years, it did get some miles very year though. Sold to a friend in 1999 and bought it back fall 2003 and put it back to stock for collector plate status. This one?s a keeper.

 

[snowbeard]

just my one, and never even ridden any other yet...

:wink:

 

[Anonymous]

bikes owned

bikes owned

In order of appearance:

1) 1993 Honda Nighthawk 750 - dependable, good 1st bike
2) 1984 Honda V65 Magna - fast, smooth, a sleeper
3) 1996 Yamaha Vmax - fast, handful in twisties, wish I didn't sell
4) 2001 Suzuki DR650 - fun, too big for real dirt riding
5) 2000 Triumph Thunderbird - good power, handled well, fun bike
6) 2001 Kawasaki Concours - good tourer, buzzy, top heavy
7) 2001 Kawasaki KLR650 - fun, no good in dirt, good adventure tourer
8) 1998 Honda Superhawk - unique sound, good power, hard on wrists
9) 1993 Kawasaki KZ1000P - old police bike, burned oil, scare speeders
10) 2001 Yamaha FZ1 - very fast, good handling & brakes
11) 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200 - fast, good handling, ok overall
12) 2001 Triumph Legend - nice looks, bad electrical, sold fast
13) 2001 Kawasaki W650 - retro fun, decent power, conversation starter
14) 1997 Yamaha Virago 1100 - ok power, good handling
15) 1982 Suzuki GS1100e - just got it, in shop getting tuned up, i'll let you know how it is shortly!

 

[Anonymous]

1. An old Sparta moped with JLO engine.
2. Kreidler moped.
3. GT380.
4. GS550.
5. GS1000.
6. GS850.
7. Another GS850.
8. Another GS550 (Dineke rides it now).
9. Another GT380.

 

[Anonymous]

Seems for as long as I have been riding I have not owned enough motorcycles. I guess living on an EMT salary for most of my life and with kids and a wife to keep happy, I have sacrificed too much of my love for two wheeled machinery.
in order of purchase:
1966 Wards Riverside 50cc two stroke 1st motorcycle (Benelli built Italian crap, totally forgettable)
1967 Wards Riverside 125cc two stroke single (another Benelli milestone but it actually had some power)
1969 Yamaha 180cc two stroke twin Street Scrambler - bad ass little bike. Wish I still had it.
1982 Honda CM200T (hey I was getting back into it after some years of forced abstinence) Still got that one.
1998 79 GS1000, given to me by a friend. Put enough money into it to buy a couple of bikes. Can you say love?? So far invested $3400.
2001 2000 model ZRX1000 Kawasaki, baddest bike for the money IMHO. Nearly stock (but who can keep them stock, eh?

 

[Pillage]

Mine
1980 CB750F
1990 FJ1200A
1998 GSF1200S
1981 GS1000GLX
2001 FZ1000S
1978 CB750Four

Hers
1985 VT500FT
1997 GSF1200S

My all around favorite is the GSF1200S Bandit. To me it is the pinnacle of the Suzuki GS's.

 

[vwbeatle1214]

bikes

bikes

no particular order and this is only bikes over 500cc(i've had 20-30 under 500cc)

1981 xs650 yamaha
1984 gpz550 kawasaki
1983 750 shadow
1986 v-65 1100 magna
1976 kz900 kawasaki
1978 kz650
1986 gs700es
1991 zx-11
1996 zx-6r
1986 vfr 1000 honda
1983 gs1100e (current)
1979 gs750e (mine next week)
1985 500 honda intercepter
1976 1000 goldwing (before they became a closet on wheels)
i'm sure i'm missing some. by the way i'm 27 so all of these havebeen in the last ten years.....

over all if i could have one back and i could only have one bike it would have to be the zx-11 fast,good handling, comfortable, smooth enough for 1000+ mile days,, great bike

 

[MikeW665]

Just one....My 83 GS850G. Maybe at some point I'll add a GS1100 or 1150.

 

[Anonymous]

The line-up

The line-up

1- Late sixties Honda step-thru 90 auto trans, Broke the clutch hub off the 'output' shaft, a clean spire point of the shaft.
2-1976 Suzuki GT-500 original condition, red,not running traded some stereo equipment for it, handmade an ignitor box for it, seized up broke it free & immediately traded it for.....
3- 1972 Kawasaki 3 cyl. 750...actually a H1 frame with a H2 motor in it.
traded the good tires off the GT500, never did get the tranny to work right ,rounded off dogs in the trans, filed the dogs several times to work, shimmed & reshimmed perhaps 5 times, Engine in & out as many times, worked a deal to trade for a 1970 Torino with a 429 fell thru & promptly stolen.
4-79 GS1000, ran great several tires, chain sprocket combos,headlight update, sprang a leak in the gastank(rust-thru) promptly nailed by a car parked on a busy street...then stolen.
1996--------2002
5-84 GS1150, rebuilt this poor abandoned dragstrip veteren to its former glory---current
6-80 GS850L? shaftie...(wifes machine) really a butch hack thrown together thing...wife thought it pretty with the white powdercoat wheels, never did run right from day one.....now a parts machine--current
7- 1979 GS1000E, another project for the 'down' time...did good on the 1150, very familiar machine,to be finished for summer 05

 

[Anonymous]

bikes owned

bikes owned

My first was polish Falcon 1000 from 1933 - mostly Indian copy with HD type front end, clutch was operated by my left leg, gear change on the tank. After 3 years of riding and restoring to oryginal I sold it ( for 10 x my buying price ) to buy my second:
Russian K 750 with BMW R75 tuned engine and AJS front end.
Used and tinkered on it another 3 years, but in the meantime owned:
3. Rudge 500 Special in some BSA frame, never on the road and sold,
4. Zundapp KS750 ( german army bike with a sidecar 2WD, differential lock, strasse und gelande transmission, hydraulic brakes ) restored and sold - I would love to keep this one.
5. BMW R75 ( as above ) restored and sold
6. 72 Honda CB350 my first `modern` bike used for 2 years and in the meantime:
7. 33 Ariel 4F 600 Square Four - I bought it mechanically restored and used it for 3 years trying to restore it visually to original cond, finally sold.
8. 37 Brough Superior SS100 ( model with Matchless engine ) mechanically intact and in good condition, unfortunatly without oryginal tank and front end - sold after a year of use. The cost of restoration was to high for me to bear, but this is the bike I would love to keep.
9. 69 Honda CB 750 was a next `modern` bike in my stable.
10. 7? BMW R75/5 was my last bike in Poland.

After relocating to Canada )) I just used old jap iron:
11. 82 Kawi 1100 Spectre,
12. 81 Suzuki GS 750 ( I liked this one)
13. 82 Honda VF 750 Sabre,
14. 84 Honda VF 1100 Sabre,
15. 84 Suzuki GS 1150 EF, modded - GSXR front end, brakes and wheels for 4 years now and looks like a keeper.
After my house is paid off - Zundapp KS 750 is coming back to my garage.

Adam M.

 

[$enseless]

I have only owned a few probably due to my late start...

'80 Yamaha GT80 - dirtbike, part ownship with my mother who thought I
would never come up with my half of the money. Bought it during first of
summer in grade 7. Sold before going away to college.

'82 Yamaha XJ650 turbo - I thought it was the baddest bike in the
shop during high school. Bought one in 1988 after finishing college
and starting my "career". Sold before getting married.

'85 Suzuki GS1150ef - another "baddest bike". Saw these bikes on many
of my tours on the '82 Yamaha and thought it would be a great "step up"
from the 650. Bought one in spring of 2004 apon my return to the
two-wheeled world after 12+ years away.

SC

 

[bybowtie]

Well I have been at this a little over a year and have amassed a collection, most of which did not run or were troubled in some for or another.. Ready? here we go

1. 1982 Honda CM200t Twinstar ; Restored to good mechanical and visual condition for wifes B- day.Fun little bike that I later found was a collector, Hey SCOTTY hold onto yours its worth it..It was sold ( ) so the wife could get new bike.

2. 1981 Suzuki GS1100gl ; Did not run had been sitting in a buddies back yard for quite some time, not a whole lot left when I got it. Stole good parts off and sold the rest

3. 1982 Suzuki GS1100gl ; It too did not run when I got it, was a parts bike that I bought off ebay that was basically an engine and rolling chassis but in great shape. I took parts off of bike 2 and this one to make a great bike that after some great frustration with (what turned out later to be a float) carbs I sold it .Probably should have kept it but oh well..

4. 1997 Kawasaki Ninja 250 ; This is the one the wife bought for a mothers day gift, A GREAT beginner and a blast to ride, low on power but man you can literally throw it around! This to got sold at a later date due to upgrade.

5. 1999 Kawasaki Ninja 250 bought in a package deal with a newer version to replace, rather add to the upgrade. OK long story there. It had been blown up(head gasket) during breakin and driven that way for another 4200 miles,left outside to die then sold to me with the next bike...

6. 2001 Kawasaki Ninja 250 See above. This one had about 250 mi on her until the owner had it parked at the DMV and it was backed into an run over. Only damaged plastics and bent up Exhaust but totaled nonetheless.. Enter me put 2 together and made a great bruiser looked good tooo..... This too was later sold due to not being ridden

7. 1985 Honda VF500 Interceptor : This one was never intended to be bought . I went to pick up the other GS and this was there another parts issue but I saw potential.....See next post

8. 1985 Honda VF500 Interceptor : Hmm I got bit on this one. It was originally intened to replace the previous VF but didnt work out that way. It was found on YAhoo and came with a jacket the was a perfect match and fit.Anywho when I got there I rode it (was already warmed up should have known better) and all seemed fine...Well after a few issues after returning home. I decided that there was definitely something wrong out come the tools. Bent forks, one wheel, a WHOLE lot of metallic flake in the carbs and an endless assortment of gremlins that seemingly came from nowhere and I was beat, for the fist time I didnt win, She got sold along with her sister to a honda mechanic shortly after finding my next ride ( which has been the most fun to date) He spent a few weeks with her and after swapping and buying hard to get parts shes spinning like a top...

9. 1998 Yamaha YZF 600r ; What has to be one of the best entry-mid level bikes on the market, underated too... Lots of power lots of comfort for those long rides and excellent handling for those track days.. Truly a blast to own and drive... Howeever buyer beware inspect trannys as they are the week link( 2nd gear dogs resulting in rplacement of gears 2/6 and consequent complete engine teardown approx 1500$ ), if well taken care of and not abused unlikely to have issues but a shift kit is available from Pro-Yam 1, for $40 - 80 depending on model, that almost elliminates any issues at all.... On a scale 1-10 I give it a steady 8.9 would be a bit higher if not for the tranny! The story behind this one is long, I rode it for a while and the wife liked the looks, She went away juat prior to her b-day
and I went to work. Lowered it 1.75 inches in the front and 2 in the rear(still kept the rake using a modded R-6 shock) and cleaned her up good.Gave it to her as a b-day gift. One month later riding to work she was hit( backed into by a lady in a Bronco at a red light) The lady said she couldnt see her and thought she was poking into the intersection so she backed up, the wife layed on the horn(which the lady did not hear as her phone was to her ear) and brace for the hit. Well a cracked upper bent forks,front brace, bound tranny,wife was in gear as the light was cycling, and a few others totallying more than $ 6800 in damage and the bike was a loss.RIP.. The wife has not ridden since.......Well I think its more due to the fact shes waiting on her Busa..lol

10. 1985 Honda Shadow 750 : Well I bought this one due to being confused as to whether or not I wanted a cruiser or a sport, wel the sport
Won.....Good torque but parts are a rare and expensive as this was one of 2 years that they used this particular engine....Dont reccomend very uncomfortable and needy.

11. 1985 GS1150 ; This is a bike I had wanted since the 1100s, I found it not realizing what I was going to get into, as Earl hes been a GREAT help.
The bike is not currently running as a matter of fact its only been ridden about 5 miles since I bought it. Its now partially in my shed and partially in my workshop as I search for a good used crank......Oh well this ones a keeper however as the wife and I have bonded through starter gears/clutches,welders and gobs of JB Weld, I dont think it will ever go anywhere.....Now wheres that BUSA?????lol

 

[Anonymous]

1. 1977 GS750 - Bought it just 3 months ago, my first and only bike so far. I had my mind set on an 83 Nighthawk 750, but then I stumbled upon the GS for $600 with only 11,000 miles on it. It just needed a new battery and condensers and it has been running great since!