Biker Thread

[nixhaz]

Been riding since I was 13 - first ride was a 400/4 which I promptly fell off within 200 yards. From that day forward I was hooked!
Really learnt to ride in the bush in Oz when I was 16 on a Honda dirtbike of some kind, then came back to the UK and passed my test without ever having ridden on the roads! (It was the kind of test where the bloke runs around behind you with a clipboard. Luckily he didn't see me stall it in the middle of a junction!).
My first real bike was an '86 CB350 twin (the one nobody has heard of).

Then I bought a Yam XJ600. Back in those days they wouldn't let girls do test rides round here, so I bought this new bike without ever riding it. I HATED IT!! Traded it in for my beautiful FZR600 in metallic black. I loved that bike, it's the one I compare every bike to. The handling was superb.
Also had TS185, Kwaka ZR750, GPX550; Bandit 650, 900 Hornet, FZ-1-N (mental!), and still have my Triumph Daytona 675R. I taught riding for a few years, CBT and DAS. Did my advanced test a few years ago too.
Considering changing to a street triple as I'm getting a bit long in the tooth for a full on race bike!

 

[Dads_Ale]

Long list of previous bikes:
Road Bikes.
Puch Maxi
BSA Bantam
BSA C15 x 2
Triumph 5TA
Yamaha IT175
MZ 150 x 2
Triumph Bonneville x 2
Triumph TSS
BMW R100CS
Kawasaki Z650
Buell M2 Cyclone
Triumph TR7

Scramblers.
Suzuki TM400
FB AJS 250 Stormer
FB AJS 360 Stormer
FB AJS 360 Red Devil
Yamaha YZ465 x 2

Current bikes are a BSA B40 SS90 and a Triumph Street Cup

 

[Rigsby666]

Hi guys, it's great to meet a few fellow motorcyclists, I expected we had something in common (homebrewing), but didn't think about the bike thing.

As with most of us, I've had a few bikes over the years. Some of them I still have. Kawasaki z650, Honda XBR500, Kawasaki 750 Zephyr plus all sorts of odd stuff. Norman Nippy, Puch MS50V, Mobylette SP93 Sports, Suzuki T20 Super Six (half assembled/half in boxes), Kawasaki z400 J1, BSA Bantam D5/D7 hybrid, probably forgotten some there too. Don't have anything modern (yet).

Had a Honda CB200 to start with, then went to a Honda CB350K4 fitted with a 2-1 piper exhaust, but that was my teens. LOL. Had many good enjoyable years riding bikes. Was supposed to go touring France this summer with mates, but COVID called to cancel!

Good to meet all you guys.

 

[Gerryjo]

Was supposed to go to Jerez for my 50th to the MotoGP but again COVID19 intervened and would have been my first.

 

[VW911]

Considering changing to a street triple as I'm getting a bit long in the tooth for a full on race bike!

Been having similar thoughts. Wrists and back let me know all too soon after a few miles!
Thinking more along the lines of a speedy, or maybe a 765. (Think I'd miss the linear power of the Daytona if I were to go down the 675 Street route...)

BUT, I've just heard of a GSXR 1000 K4 for sale nearby....

 

[dv12]

Current stable is a 08 fireblade, 97 cb500. Pilsner boiling in the background. Lol.

 

[terrym]

Many (many) years ago my first bike was a BSA C12 on which I passed my test. This was in the days when all you had to do was turn up, ride around the block, most of which was out of sight of the examiner, and you then passed. Followed by a Lambretta 150 - hated it really unstable. Finally a Model 50 (non featherbed), before I had to buy four wheels due to circumstances.
That was it for over 35 years.
But in my mid 50s I bought an XJ600N (a naked Divi) to see if I could still ride. Quickly moved to an XJR1300, then a TDM900, and now 18 years on I'm on an MT-07, which is probably my last bike, but at 170kg or so is like riding a push bike.
And to any former bikers out there who are over 50 or even a lot older and say I'm too old to get back on two wheels , that's not an excuse if you have a little spare cash and space in the garage. Just do it.

 

[Gerryjo]

Well something is wrong but no has owned up to owning a superdog yet and I can't as I didn't own one but did drive one and put me right off.
Had a few other small bikes VT250, H100s and a GP100.
We had some fun with the Honda MB5 as we use to pull the engine from the H100 and it practically bolted straight in with the only mod being that you had to drill a hole an 1" forward on the top mounting lug. I burnt a hole in the piston so sent to DK spares for HP+B and got a shock when it landed as it had already been bored 1mm oversize and that went a scalded cat at 80mph.
Miss them days of messing around and my mate is the mechanic though I did my share until it came to the serious stuff like brakes, timing, clutches etc..

 

[nixhaz]

Been having similar thoughts. Wrists and back let me know all too soon after a few miles!
Thinking more along the lines of a speedy, or maybe a 765. (Think I'd miss the linear power of the Daytona if I were to go down the 675 Street route...)

BUT, I've just heard of a GSXR 1000 K4 for sale nearby....

Yeah I was thinking of the 765 Street Triple, it's rather tasty!
I've never owned a gixxer, but have ridden plenty. They really are great, and the sound is to die for. Keep us posted!

 

[kelper]

What makes the 'new' Triumphs so good compared to the best Japanese bikes? I had a Triumph before the company folded.

 

[nixhaz]

What makes the 'new' Triumphs so good compared to the best Japanese bikes? I had a Triumph before the company folded.

The sound!
That triple engine has such a lovely power delivery and sounds delicious.
Admittedly they do have some issues (the old ones had regulator rectifiers made of cheese) and they aren't perfect but they have a lot of character.

 

[Ian Watkins]

Here's mine.

In the past:
Yamaha SR125
Honda 250 Superdream
Kawasaki Z550
Yamaha XS650 chop

Current:
BMW R850R
Honda C90 x 2 (one is shared with friends for racing)

The poor BMW hardly gets used as the Cubs can cope with anything. I've forgotten what it's like to go over 55!

Ian

 

[Gerryjo]

Here's mine.

In the past:
Yamaha SR125
Honda 250 Superdream
Kawasaki Z550
Yamaha XS650 chop

Current:
BMW R850R
Honda C90 x 2 (one is shared with friends for racing)

The poor BMW hardly gets used as the Cubs can cope with anything. I've forgotten what it's like to go over 55!

Ian

Congratulations you're the first Superdog owner to respond...

 

[Gerryjo]

Here's mine.

In the past:
Yamaha SR125
Honda 250 Superdream
Kawasaki Z550
Yamaha XS650 chop

Current:
BMW R850R
Honda C90 x 2 (one is shared with friends for racing)

The poor BMW hardly gets used as the Cubs can cope with anything. I've forgotten what it's like to go over 55!

Ian

C90 cubs are like hens teeth but take some abuse..

 

[Sandimas]

What makes the 'new' Triumphs so good compared to the best Japanese bikes? I had a Triumph before the company folded.

Hard to describe but "character" is the best word I can find. I've had two of them, old-style Sprint (that 900 Triple engine was incredible) and now have the Speedmaster, which is coming up to 11 years old and the best and longest bike I've had. In between I had a Honda CBR 600 which was incredibly fast but it was so perfect I just found it a bit boring. Plus I was going to lose my license on that thing hence moving to an unfaired bike to slow me down.

Been riding 39 years, various Japanese and British bikes. First bike I rode was a Honda 250 Dream.

 

[VW911]

What makes the 'new' Triumphs so good compared to the best Japanese bikes? I had a Triumph before the company folded.

I have to agree with @nixhaz , the sound of a 675 at full revs is awesome!...

...Not to mention the linear power delivery, sublime handling, eye-watering top speed (on a track), and just the look of it. Even on its sidestand it still looks quick!

 

[Cwrw666]

Don't ride anymore, not for 25 years. Last bike I had was a Guzzi T3. Still got it in the shed.

 

[Dads_Ale]

Don't ride anymore, not for 25 years. Last bike I had was a Guzzi T3. Still got it in the shed.

View attachment 28829

Love the ape hangers friend of mine had a pair like that on his C15

 

[LED_ZEP]

These are all the ones I had for more than a couple of months
KH100
RD125
RD250
GPz550
GSX600F
CBR600
SRX600
GS1000
VF750
RF600
GSXR750
VFR800

The last two still in the garage but need more work than I have the desire to do to get them back on the road.

 

[Old Geezer]

My first bike was a 98cc Bown. I loved that bike