Im a young 62...lol... I rode in the 80s...
Im in love w/ the newer bonnies...
05 to 2012 or so...
sooooo affordable..
rode an 05 on Fri eve......so vintage...I loved it...
any insight as to y I should / should not
do u ride???
pics of your ride?
Printable View
Im a young 62...lol... I rode in the 80s...
Im in love w/ the newer bonnies...
05 to 2012 or so...
sooooo affordable..
rode an 05 on Fri eve......so vintage...I loved it...
any insight as to y I should / should not
do u ride???
pics of your ride?
i`v ridden a lot back in the 90ies way more than i drove my cars....stopped riding around the year 2000... in 2010 or so i went for a week long trip with a friends motorcycle(same type as i used to ride) and it was horrible...way more trafic on the roads..and way more care/recklessness against motorcyclists...it was not much fun....Quote:
Originally Posted by 70tangerine
my rides ... several KTM DUKE + competitors ..one still in my garage
yes...my buddys been riding 45 yrs.... he says nowadays its waaaay more dangerous
but id only be on B and back roads.......
buttttttt, i see your insight
still riding...started with 12...;)
bikes are the reason for my oris trailer hook...:)
but: you always! have to calculate with everything!always!
riding a motorcycle is a Brownian motion combined with the attraction of differently charged particles.
be aware of where you are...we are free flying in space...:)
and yes...
it‘s easy on a triumph
Started at 16. Stopped at 50. Never had an accident or an off. But distracted drivers started becoming a huge issue around the time I quit (6 years ago). Riding B roads isn't even safe and you have to get there first. Had two friends hit by texting drivers in 2012 and 2014. One died. Other can barely walk with a walker. Both on rural roads. So there is no safe place. Until cell phones became viral, I used to be able to predict what drivers would do and had a really well developed situational awareness. But not any more. Too unpredictable, at least where I live.
I was pretty hardcore too. Rode from the time the snow cleared to when the snow settled in. 8 months of the year or so. Even built my own 1087 cc Triumph Thruxton from the ground up. Here's a pic of it and my Speed Triple.
Still miss it every spring.
Attachment 524471
Quote:
Originally Posted by NorthernThrux
siiiiiigh...
that Thruxton....wow
Other way 'round for me. Bought my first road bike in 1978 (new '78 KZ650 Custom). Gave up and sold the last one ('91 K75RT) in 2013. Close to 200k miles on a total of 5 bikes over those 35 years. But roads filled with more big SUVs than I prefer for biking these days.
Attachment 524476
Started riding in my late 30’s. Had fierce parental resistance, then fierce spousal resistance. When I found myself single, i figured it was a window of opportunity. Been riding almost 20 years now, in and around NYC, and love it. For sure, there’s more distracted driving then ever, but regardless in the congested North East, you’ve got to be on high alert at all times.
May not count as a motorcycle but I got this for my 50th
Attachment 524477
..after my older sis was forcefully convinced by my parents not to take driving lessons .i avoided this by confronting themQuote:
Originally Posted by KennethClay
with faits accomplis...and few days after my 18th birthday(that was the legal age for riding big bikes here in AT) i bought my first motorcycle ..registered it and wroom ,wroom .
Yes, I ride too :) - some are small, some are bigger..
Attachment 524574
...2 answer the thruxton
I've had a few, but had a long break when I had nowhere to keep it off road. As soon as I bought a house with a garage I was back in the game. Bike theft is far too big of a risk in London. I use my BMW to commute through central London every morning (when I'm not isolated at home). Biking through London is super dangerous, but the only way to get anywhere in a reasonable time. The BMW 1250 GS is a great bike but too big for weaving through traffic. I need a screen to protect me from the weather too, so a sports bike or naked bike isn't ideal for commuting.
Yamaha RD50 (86-87)
Suzuki TS100 (87-88)
Honda MBX125 (88-90)
Honda GSX600 (91-94)
BMW F650 GS Dakar (2011-2019)
BMW F850 GS (2019-Now)
I stopped riding about 10 years ago but still have my 94 Ducati 900SS/SP that I got back in 94 along with my Bultaco Metrella MKII (project) and more recently purchased a Gilera 150 Sport. I sometimes think of selling Bothe the Ducati and Bultaco and keeping keeping just the Gilera... we'll see.
After having totaled 2 cars when I stuck my bikes (also both totaled) into them after their drivers haven't seen me I only drove off Road and haven't been on the street for 20+ years.
Still have 3 Bikes '87 Heos Husqvarna 501 (a one-off), a 93 HD Sportster (also more a one-off, but stopped rebuilding it - so it' in boxes), and a GAS GAS trial bike.
A friend who lives near me has close to 30 bikes everytime he visits me I am tempted...
Bikes like that were my inspiration!Quote:
Originally Posted by haul
Been riding 40+ years with my brother, almost always on dedicated motorcycle trips. Used to commute to college, then work in LA in the early 80’s. It was scary then and I can’t imagine what it’s like to daily commute in big city traffic these days. We take the country roads now but you still have to be exceeding careful and expect every car will do something bizarre and try and nail you. If you haven’t ridden in a long while, I strongly suggest a refresher intermediate instruction course even if you think you don’t need it. You will be glad you did.
Attachment 524706
And latest non-Porsche project
Attachment 524707
I had a few Triumphs back a few years ago:
https://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c...aR/triumph.jpg
The above was a Triumph Bonneville poster from when I dated blond girls.
Then:
My 1973 Bonnie with a Harley that I flipped:
https://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c...canTriumph.jpg
I also had a 1972 Norton Commando (it was stolen):
https://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c...ScanNorton.jpg
your Triumph poster..:) thank you for this...really great
would love to hang it on my wall.:)
I once had been together with a very nice woman, who made her bicycle driver license only for the purpose to drive a Triumph.
She still has her 500 Daytona from Las Vegas and a 73 Bonnie....
concerning the Norton...there is only one tone:
The Nor Ton
enjoy
stay safe&healthy
haul
Oh God - don't get me started on motorcycles. They may be an even bigger addiction for me than early 911's...
I grew up riding dirt bikes, and bought my first road bike at 16, a then one year old Harley Sportster. Within three years time, I went through three, and still own the one I bought in 1979. In its current iteration, there is not a single HD part of any kind left inside the motor or trans. I won't bore you guys with the details, but essentially a cost-is-no-object study in hot-rodding an early "Ironhead" Sportster. Kind of quirky in this day and age, as it's right hand shift and kick start only.
Next up is my 1993 Ducati 900 Super Sport. Another bike with every imaginable, every available hop-up made. I've got its weight down to 365 pounds wet, with the help of all carbon fiber bodywork, including the tank. Mark Sutton of The Duc Shop in Atlanta ported and set up the heads for me, replacing the stock cams with ST2 units. J&E pistons, Keihen flat slide carbs, Termi "Spaghetti" exhaust, etc. etc. Paint job by me, after I low sided it off a cliff one day (long story...).
And then there is the bike my wife and I call "the minivan", our 2013 Harley Road King. This is our two-up, long distance, state to state touring bike. I cannot think of anything better for that duty. Very comfortable for the long haul, yet not so "protected" by all kinds of fairings and lowers that you don't know you are on a bike. Plenty of power, with its 103 cubic inch engine, even with both of us and all of our stuff for multiple days on the road.
And, finally, my "adventure" bike. 2003 Honda XR650L, otherwise known as "the Big Red Pig". It's actually heavier than my Ducati... Again, all "farkled" out, with all of the popular mods. Really huge tank - 6.5 gallons - so I can go way way up into the mountains or out into the desert. Not great on the freeway, not great on tight, wooded single track, but a great compromise on which I can spend days and days exploring pretty remote country.
I recently bought a low mileage Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 on a whim.....I liked these when they first came out back in 2014. They aren't very fast and kind of primitive but still a lot of fun for Sunday morning country back roads.
well, yes...the uk has a real phantastic vintage bike tradition...and this was kept alive most of the time..
But with the relativ low costs.......
the one is from 64:
one time opportunity
porsche 1500, silvergray, built 52, defect engine. 500.- Deutschmarks to give price
the Norvin add is from 72
stumbled across an old external harddrive today ...some early digital photos of some of my bikes .... brings back memories
my first ever ride on an an fuel powered vehicle.. puch mv50 from my grand mother(pic stolen from the webs)
my first own fuel powered ride: KTM quattro(4-speed) 50cc not the hottest ride when it comes to attracting the other gender...my john kocinski helmet did enhance my appearance...
more successful(age 16) in that matter was my sachs cup replica(stolen pic)...110kmh( with tailwind) not 100% street legal i have to admit
kawasaki F6...very weird motorcycle from the 70ies--the turbine inside the muffler is still a mystery.. ...payed 1000 austrian schillings (was my aunts ride) somewhen in the late 80ies with only 5000km on the odo and still on it`s first set of tires...sold for 3500öS a few hundred painful km later.
`96 ktm duke that i slimmed down a bit with home made carbon fibre parts ( even some pre-preg autoclave parts went onto it--F1 tech back then)+ an engine tune up... about 640cc engine (straight out of KTM R&D department)instead of the 609cc+ktm power parts exhaust...lot`s of fun and lots of tickets
the orange in the background my very first "real" bike (´ 94duke ) i do not miss KTM quality stone age...but i still love this bike today.
my first 911 (braunkupfer) and #1 930 (minervablue) in a very spacious facility that today is overcrowded.
my first mountain bike also shown in the background (specialized stump jumper epic)
and my GSXR 750?1000? can`t remember...never liked the monkey riding position.
I was thinking of getting a small motorcycle for back roads cruising, but all these testimonies about how its much less safe now has me changing my mine.
i do think in the years before it was much more dangerous...
there had been legal drink&drive, no seatbelts, nearby no speedlimits ...
no real safety for bikers..
the hit and run statistics and sure the statistics for motorcylce
accidents are declining since years
for me...it is more safe than before, because our competitive traffice
sharers, aka cardrivers, are more aware...
and maybe...when we all had been young...
we just did not care about: is it dangerous or not..we just did it..
And cellphone usage? I've seen cars in front of me just weave across a lane suddenly...Quote:
Originally Posted by haul
true...absolute desaster...Quote:
Originally Posted by rower
Haul, if a restored 29 Scout surfaces in the U.S. or on BAT in fine shape, collectors will pounce on the thing like there's no tomorrow...taking it to 911E price levels.Quote:
Originally Posted by haul
Likewise in Europe ?
Attachment 525145
absolutely yes...Quote:
Originally Posted by 62S-R-S
rarities are collectables, and depending on occasion the collectiors are at the same auctions worldwide
Started with a CZ then a Yamaha 360mx I bought for weekends at El Mirage, then a 175 Yamaha enduro. Now I have a Honda 250xl, Honda ct110, Yamaha qt50 and a Puch moped I havent ridden in decades. Im actually enjoying my electric bicycles more these days.
My Happy Place - glad it's not any bigger
R69S, M8 Bultaco Metralla, Trail 90, and M137 Bultaco Alpina - and that red thing, not sure what that is...
Big difference then and now; used to be able to grab and go out the door and ride off into the countryside, often meeting up with the rest of the gang. Now have to drive to trails to ride and mostly solo.
Still love the feeling though.
After many years of fire and EMS work, I no longer have any desire to ride a bike, but still enjoy looking at them. Thanks for the pictures.
English rider Peter Hickman holds the record Isle of Man TT at an average speed just a tad over 135 mph covering lap of almost 38 miles…A lap with him with commentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju_hxwAanX0
These guys have balls…nearly 150 riders killed since event started in early 1900s which is harldly a surprise seeing the trees, lampposts, stone walls and houses flash by. Many car road races (eg Targa Florio discontinued in 1973) got banished on safety grounds but somehow this event still flourishes on the island, a self governed British dependency, in middle of the Irish Sea.
Madness but .....Enjoy
Steve
I used to ride a lot and have had more than my fair share of cool bikes over the years. I don't ride much anymore unless it's on limited access roads like the Blue Ridge Parkway or Skyline Drive which are nearby. (Cell phones don't work due to poor coverage) :D
My keepers are 5 "elderly" BMW's + an Electra Glide. Sold the bevel Ducatis years ago and all of my Moto Guzzi's over a year ago. I've had the Electra Glide since '96 which I will still ride because it's brakes and handling outmatch any of the old BMW's I have. Never cared how fast they went; only how fast they stopped. I do miss (looking at) my 851 and 888 even if they were some of the most uncomfortable bikes I ever owned. The bevel 750 Sports were 1st place. I refer to them as "15 minute rides".;)
Best all around bike I ever had was a Honda VFR 750. It did nothing wrong.
www.pbase.com/tdb
I watched that YouTube. Thanks for mentioning it. That is insane. Wow. I always wanted a 750 VFR when they were new. My dream bike by the reviews. Are there any great ones for sale?Quote:
Originally Posted by sithot
I‘ve seen this on Saturday... really nice. But my mantra „I won‘t ride a bike in public traffic“ says no
Attachment 526761
Attachment 526762
Last one I looked at was around 2001. Mine was carbureted and the next iteration was fuel injected which was a plus because while they really did respond well to carb kitting it was a bit of a pain.Quote:
Originally Posted by rower
I had a Staintune can on it. Between the gear driven cams and the V4 arrangement it made noises just about as pretty as a Ducati. Less maintenance too. I'm not seeing any that I'd be interested in. I do have a contact that does nothing but motorcycle buying, selling and trading. Known him for years. If you want I'll pm his information.
Just bought a 2010 Ducati Monster 696. Last few months' shelter in place left me depressed so I decided to buy a bike.
couldn't resist a ride on a friend's 42 BSA today - has some agricultural character like a lanz bulldog
Attachment 527738
Thursday/300miles/10hours/85degrees/WhiteMts.
Nice John
40 years apart , your R69S and the 1100S's
Yes Ron, it was a good day.
Only times I feel vintage is when I need to accelerate, or brake - or when I look in a mirror.
Your [older bike] would have fit in nicely.
If anyone has a story on importing a bike...that can lend any advice, expertise.
Attachment 534040
good this thread came up again...almost forgot
i did spend Erwin a new toy...
a motorcycle trailer,
built 12.19.1958
by the police workshop Osnabrueck -
hence the german police coloring - green/white -
for towing the BMW motorbikes,
250kg empty weight,
Hahn axle with torsion bar damping,
5.6x15“ VW/Porsche 356 rims,
the top with the ramp can be fully removed and switched to another frame for different use...
Nice trailer Haul - quite substantial for a single bike
Had a few motor bikes through the years, started with a hand me down Whizzer as a kid. Currently have a 72 Kawasaki 500 H1, 92 Harley Fatboy, and 77 Honda Express. Been to Sturgis and Laconia on the Harley.
I've been riding since I was a kid and I'll always have a bike or two. I haven't been riding on the street lately but I have been doing quite a few trackdays which is by far more rewarding.
Presently I have a 2000 Ducati 996 for the track and a 2001 Ducati S4 Monster that I've owned since new.
Not later in life however used to ride learning as a Sophomore in college and riding thru the mid-2000s. The use of phones and all the infotainment systems in the cars now scare the heck out of me. I still love motorcycles and thankfully my wife still allows me to keep them even though I don't use them. I now only plan to ride on dirt trails and track days.
Attachment 534667
Have been riding off and on for 50+ years.
I build this flat track bike in high school, registered and rode it regularly. Traded it for a car so I could drive to community college.
Bought the Champion frame from Doug Schwerma and the hubs and disks from Sandy Kosman.
Sorry for the terrible pic. It think I left the film in the Kodak Instamatic for a few years too many
I’m looking far a bike presently.
Attachment 534691
I never trust these light weight trailers...they jump on the road when empty and I feel more comfortable with a substantial trailer having a 10k+ USD bike on the back...;)Quote:
Originally Posted by one-two
br
[QUOTE=haul;1074164]I never trust these light weight trailers...they jump on the road when empty and I feel more comfortable with a substantial trailer having a 10k+ USD bike on the back...;)Quote:
Originally Posted by haul
I agree, back in the early 70’s when I was motocrossing I bought a used home built 3 rail trailer. It was very light weight, didn’t even have fenders or lights! The real kicker (pun intended), was the solid axle with NO suspension! When empty it seemed to fly more than it rolled. Pulling it behind my Datsun roadster was quite a trip when it would launch a foot or so in the air after hitting a large bump.
Always forget to take a picture of the new ride, so just my two cents. Been riding dirt bikes since I was 10, mostly Bultaco’s. Sherpa T’s. Started riding on the street when I was 35. Mostly BMW’s and Ducati’s. Now new BMW and still competing in Trials with my Gas Gas. Try to take one fairly long trip each year, starting in CA, but this year has been strange as we all know.
Solex Micron?Quote:
Originally Posted by mathieulecomte
Mine is red and not road legal.
It was designed for teach young kids the basics of driving, into schools.
Attachment 536842Attachment 536843Attachment 536844Attachment 536845Cleaned up and ready for winter hibernation.
Hmmm... interesting thread - it's great to see so many of you riding. Myself, I've been riding since 1976, and have accumulated an honest 600,000+ miles on various motorcycles. It's a huge part of me that I don't think I can ever give up. That said, I would be reluctant to encourage anyone to pick it up today - things have changed dramatically since I was learning. The single biggest issue that I've run into - quite literally - are the distracted drivers of today. One almost killed my wife and I back in 2013, when he rather unceremoniously ran us over with his F250 while we were innocently putting along on our Road King. "Never saw us" - of course he didn't - doing so would require he be looking out his windshield, rather than down at the cell phone in his lap... Anyway, whatever - I (we) are still riding. The current stable includes the replacement Road King (2013 model), my prized '93 Ducati 900SS hot-rod, a Sportster I bought in 1980 (that no longer has a single Harley-Davidson produced part anywhere inside of it), and my completely farkled-out Honda XR650L:
Jeff,
Very nice bikes.
I now want a new small 'dirt/street' bike so I can wander around the north Georgia trails and have motorized wheels to check out the road racing events (mostly Road Atlanta with the annual pass).
Georgia requires a motorcycle license. I have it from previous English Triumph's and Norton's (more fun than reliable).
I think a Bronco with a tent?
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
I can't get in trouble with a small Honda hung on the back of the SUV?
My old 71 Husky 400. SMQ loved these too. Currently restoring a 70 and a 71. Huskies are a slippery slope!
Attachment 539609
My Dad back in the day...Quote:
Originally Posted by MC71S
Amazing photo!!!
Had not seen this answer, I am impressed, you are one of only two other people I know in the US with a Micron!Quote:
Originally Posted by 928cs
I'm 68, been riding since age 14, but swore off bikes about 20 years ago. Recently, however, I couldn't resist the urge to get a KTM Duke 200 for some short blasts throughout the nice roads we have here in eastern CT. Not sure I would call it a real 'motorcycle' but it satisfies the urge. Also added to the collection with a 54 MV Augusta road racer.
Wow love the MV!!!!!!
I did, and it was a mistake, to be honest. The mistake is not about getting a bike, no, that idea is amazing, the mistake was to get a bike so fast and powerful without knowing how to ride properly! First of all, you have to be careful, riding a bike is nothing like riding a car. When you are on your bike, it’s always like playing with nature, all the stones and damaged read can be shortcut to God for you. If you want to be sure about buying one, I recommend you rent one, from a place like motorbike rental, for example, and only if you will feel completely comfortable on it, to buy one. Be careful, mate, it’s extremely dangerous!
Easy to reverse - just get rid if it! Ideal riding scenario is one where you start off as a kid riding in the dirt, progress to small displacement road bikes before graduating to more power. Worse scenario is going directly to high-powered street bike with no experience. The financial loss of getting rid of it now can be far less than other potential setbacks. Riding a motorcycle is not like driving a car -- it takes much more skill and talent.Quote:
Originally Posted by FirstImpact
I recommend the old
„on any sunday“
by bruce brown
https://youtu.be/QiRD2s3VcHQ
just to get an idea...;)
a triumph twin is always a nice ride,
kickstarting is getting on the knees in age if you have a high compression engine,
so maybe a norton with electric start,
or hey
the new triumphs are really well done
1200 parallel twin, wow
a bobber is a nice ride, but these are having a rigid rear frame...
well your back needs to be fit enough to get the punches..
but love that style and the new bmw R18 is also really nice ...
there are many nice rides out on the road and in the stores..;)
Nothing beats the braking system of a new bike!
Great old movie!Quote:
Originally Posted by haul
soooooooo I wanted to share.....
took a lil vaca...first since covid, and first since being single.
I looked around in Fla( I am in NY) to be able to rent..pickings were slim, and I decided to go Ft Myers...and get a sportster to rent.
I had a blast....bike was great for tooling around under say 60 mph.....very torquey.....great sound......very clunky trans...neutral was impossible to find..it was a 2015...
BUt wow, did I feel vulnerable on it...highways I hated.....but back roads 40-60 mph were fantastic.
You see and sense sooooo much more vs a car.....lol
Would I buy one?.......i still might...but it was really an eye opener...yes I loved it ...but I felt sooooo naked.........renting might be best a bit for now
so i wanted to share!!!!
looked for months to get away for 3 or 4 days... I have worked thru covid, in health care,,,I needed a break. Renting a bike is not that ez......and then when a bike is avail it may not be what u really want or its just too far away.
So basically I find Florida which was on my radar anyhew...and I find a Harley dealer I can rent from. Not my style at all...but I do like sportys.....I rent an 883....2015 or so... bare bones....no frills....and its not for the hwy..I want for tooling around town, bars and beaches ...up to say 60 mph. It was fantastic. It had aftermarket pipes.... the sound the shifting ...it was so much fun. But getting here and there required some hwys...that was awful.....man I felt so naked..so vulnerable.
And yet in Fla most dont wear hats...
Would I buy a bike?...yes.. but I really would limit my time and locations ....ask me after a few months or so..maybe Ill get more relaxed.... so much fun...
and it sharpened my driving skills!
been looking at r80's.....maybe even a cafe style custom.
………….. :)……….
haul... not sure I get that.
If it's a BSA or Royal Enfield.....
or maybe some
peashooters installed..:)
there had been the tv series
„a girl is a gun“ ->s.o. transduced it
to
„a bike is a gun“
maybe the
„happiness is a warm gun“
should also be transduced
to
„happiness is a warm motorcycle“
I posted a pic of the Thruxton I built 10 years ago earlier along with a pic of my Speed Triple. Here’s another of the Thruxton, with an earlier version of the tank, because reading the recent entries in the thred always makes me miss my bikes.Attachment 553197
Attachment 553257
Picked up an old RG500 Gamma.
Beastly at 365lbs wet with about 100hp at the wheel.
Attachment 555087
‘66 TT Special
:) love itQuote:
Originally Posted by 911TES
I bought this bike new in 1979... Still ride it occasionally.
It is the other " air cooled 6" in my garage..
In it's day the fastest Production bike you could buy.
Foul handling due to a 23 lb frame and plastic swing arm bushings..
I weighed 140 lbs and it didn't even know I was on it.
I lusted after the 6 into 6 exhaust from Australia for many years
but had a hard time justifying the cost..
More than 1/2 the cost of the bike new. BUT, it did happen..
Now sounds like an F1 car when you get it to around 9000 rpm..
We are both dinosaurs now....
I'll be 67 in a few months...
ATTACH=CONFIG]555121[/ATTACH]
Hang on.
Does this count ?
Attachment 557847
I have a nice original 68. Though I don't ride it like I should.
Attachment 558354
‘Member these. Restoring a 1968 BC1300
Yeah, me too. Well, I'll take this as a bump and reminder that Spring is right around the corner need to give some attention to my other air cooled ride. Attachment 567148Quote:
Originally Posted by uai
And it has brakes...find me one please.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQD7dGwG9VM
Ask and you shall receive.
There is a site in the UK called "Car and Classic" and there is one for sale there.
Pretty cool bike actually.
Attachment 574070
I’m 56. I have 4 of these.
Back in the day. Headed north on Hwy 400
Attachment 574747
Completely stuck as a result of a flood and being varmitized. Resucitation vs restoration. I love bringing things back to life. :D
the moto morini is an all time
classic…absolutely understandable to have more of them…;)
enjoy & safe rides
haul
Your now on the way to saint hood..nice work on the 75/6
very good parts availabilty and support
https://www.airheads.org/
Thanks! Already a member and yes the forum has been very helpful. Nice bike!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gumby
Attachment 586988Quote:
Originally Posted by NZVW
V twin like this, and I die a happy man..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJS8...qpaXOO&index=5