Motorcycles and cars?

[jayhawk]

I remember from an old post here about how many cars people had, it seemed like a lot of this group also mentioned that they had motorcycles-- Well I had a little one about 40+ years ago and have had the urge to get one for a few years. I just bought a little 250cc Suzuki street bike-- Its a 1981 with 1800 miles. It looks new, runs great-- a lot faster than the 90cc putter that I had as a teenager but I see that entry bikes are often seen as 600 cc or greater these days.. Any of you guys got little ones or had them before? Seem like a lot of people tend to get the urge for bigger/faster-- or is there a range at which people generally get satisfied? I don't intend to do cross country jaunts, just puttin' around the city/back roads and don't want something I can't pick up if necessary.

pete

 

[aeronca65t]

My scooter is a Honda 500 Ascot "thumper" (single) but I don't ride it much. Still, it's fun once in a while and doesn't take up much space, so I'll probably keep it for now. The Ascot is sort of a "fake" British bike, modeled after the older BSA and Triumph thumpers.

I rode AMA enduros (East Coast Enduro Association) in the 70's and 80's and I still follow and attend local bike enduros occasionally. I rode The Sandy Lane Enduro, The Meteor and many others (the two I've mentioned are among the oldest motorsports events held in the US).

I'll be a lifetime AMA member at the end of this year.
Bikes are fun!

 

[Guest]

I've got a '78 Kawasaki KZ400 LTD that I bought a few years ago for my wife for her birthday. She's always wanted a bike and the KZ has a nice low frame (she's short) so that she can sit on it and still have her feet flat on the ground.

 

[Bawanadic]

I only have one Norton left 1967 P11. Matchless frame, 750cc Combat engine but not running right now.
I had 8 at one time but sold all but this one.
I also just sold a Kaw 700 that had a one on one with a horse and lost.
Lucky for me I wasn't driving it when they met at 60mph.

 

[mikeyr]

I started out with a 175 many more years ago than I care to mention, had it for a few years, went to 250, then several 550's, a 750 and now 1,500. Love it and don't get enough miles on it a year (about 8,000/year). I always swore I would never go above 550, that seems to be the perfect size but as I got older I started riding longer distances and the big bikes have an advantage on 400+ miles a day, if I were to stop riding like that, I would go back to around 550.

You are right it seems now the entry bike is a big bike ( I consider 500+ to be big) and I have even seen absolute beginners hop on a 1,500's for a first bike. In the old days when I started riding, a reputable dealer would not sell a new rider a bike over 2 or 300cc until they had a few months to a year, I went to buy a GT380 to go up from my 175 and the dealer said no way, its too fast for a new rider,I had cash, I was shocked but he got a rider for life with that trick (at least until he sold the business a few years ago)

 

[Steve_S]

I started out with a 1982 Yamaha Enduro. Decided I was never going to ride off road so I bought a new 1989 Honda Hawk GT 650. A car took care of that one for me, and nearly took care of me, too! My last bike was a 2001 Honda Superhawk 996. This is a fantastic bike! It was at home on the highway and in the canyons, and the V-Twin had plenty of low-end torque for riding in traffic.

I sold the Superhawk a few months ago to purchase an MG TC. I do miss the Superhawk, but the trade was sooo worth it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[PC]

[ QUOTE ]
... a lot faster than the 90cc putter that I had...

[/ QUOTE ]He, he, he. I saw a "gang" of Honda 90s in traffic a couple days ago during the after work rush hour. Three young guys, wearing similar clothes and flamed black half helmets, it was a riot. Everybody in the traffic jam got a big kick out of them.

Think about your local roads, traffic and how far you like to ride to decide if 250cc is enough. For toodling around a small towns or cruising lightly traveled, not too fast back roads a small bike should be fine.

Around here even a lot of the surface streets feel like freeways and the freeways, well, they're California freeways. I've never felt comfortable on a bike much smaller than about 500cc.

I see a lot of new riders starting out on big bikes. Ever since Hogs became "fashionable" you see people with zero riding experience buying bikes that are way too big for them (but with lots of chrome) so they can be "bikers". Big sport bikes too, you get new guys with more money than brains who have to buy a Hayabusa just to outdo their pals. Kind of Darwinian.

My last bike was a Laverda 750, similar to the one shown here but with Borrani wires.

(I'm such an idiot, I never took a picture of mine).

I'd love to pick up a new Triumph or Duck but there's no room in the garage (or life) for it right now.


PC.

 

[Super 7]

I've got several bikes:
1975 Norton 850 Roadster Purchased new by me.
1973 Norton 850 Roadster
1970 BSA 650 Lightning
1968 Royal Enfield 750 Interceptor
1970 Triunph Trophy 250
1971 Triumph Trail Blazer 250
1980 Suzuki GS-1000G
1982 Honda Ascot 500 single

1976 Yamaha RD 400

1978 Yamaha RD 400

All are in very good to excellent condition.

I'm thinking of buying a new one though. A Suzuki V Strom or Buell Ulysess perhaps. I would like an all road touring bike.

 

[jayhawk]

[ QUOTE ]
I've got several bikes:


[/ QUOTE ]

Why so many? Collectables? Different characteristics? Buy and sell? Diffreent purposes? Good deals and can't pass up?

 

[Steve]

Yes, entry-level bikes are now seen as 600cc and above, but I started with 250's, and they were great for commuting. 125's are the mandatory maximum starter bikes in the UK now......I would love to find another 250. Maybe a look in the paper might yield a bargain now that fall is here.

IMO BMW still make the best all-terrain touring machines.

 

[Banjo]

I've had a few. I started off-road with a 73 Honda XL100 on-off road. Then I graduated to a 74 Kawasaki KE175 On-off road. Then jumped to street bikes with a Suzuki 80 GS550L.
I still have the Suzi but I'm trying to sell it. $500 anyone?. It runs good.....
Ok
I lost my main intrest in two wheelers when I got my first MGB. But if I ever get back into bikes here's what I want
https://www.dneprworld.com/special.aspx

 

[Paul Johnson]

I also have the mc disease. Currently a BMW K75 on which I've ridden 92,000 miles. An '02 Triumph Bonneville that is great fun, and an MZ Mastiff. Spent some time on the big bores, but have now settled back into the 6-800cc range.
Think one attraction is that gatherings are dynamic; that is, we ride all day. Old car groups don't do much anymore besides stand around grass fields talking about how much fun the cars are to drive. Guess that comes from being up to my eyeballs in them from the early 60s when they were new and all we had to drive.

 

[AngliaGT]

I also have a '78 Triumph Bonneville that I bought at
a yard sale for $500.Needs some work,7800 miles.
I've been looking at them for years,but have always been
able to talk myself out of buying.
I had an '80 Suzuki 550-4,but it did nothing for me.
A guy took in part trade for a '64 Lotus Elan,which I swore
to my wife that there was "no way that I could lose money
on this car".
I did,I lost $1500 on it,but bought a running TR6 for
$2000.



------------

Doug Milota
'60 Anglia (under restoration)
'62 Consul Capri (For Sale)
'64 Corsair GT (For Sale)
'67 Cortina MKII GT (For Sale)
'72 Cortina MKIII (From Canada -eh!)
'74 1/2 TR6
'94 Dodge Dakota (Tow Vehicle)

 

[jessebogan]

I have had several BSA/ Triumph singles. I had a BSA 250 up until a couple of years ago. It cruised at about 45, but was great on back roads. I also had a 441 BSA. It had a lot more urge than the 250, but also cruised at 45. Go figure. I sold both of these bikes in a fit of stupidity, and am looking to replace them. I currently own a '70 Yamaha R5 two stroke 350, and am restoring a '68 triumph Bonneville. My ultimate plan is to sell the Yamaha and the Triumph, and buy a nice 40s or 50s vintage english single. I really like the thumpers. With one cylinder you discover how good of a mechanic you are. The current fleet is as follows
1989 XJS V12 coupe
1986 XJSC 3.6 5 speed
1991 chevy truck
1987 audi 5000 Quattro wagon
1966 ford Anglia 1200
1970 Yamaha R5
1968 Triumph TR120
Never a dull moment, and a vehicle for every mood.

 

[sparkydave]

I once got my learner's permit for my dad's 1972 Honda CL100, and it's fun for tooling around town; downright scary on the highway. The unique thing about this bike was it was modified by Suitcase Cycle so it comes apart without tools and fits into a package the size of a large suitcase. You put a different gas cap on so the fuel doesn't leak out, and it takes about 10 minutes to assemble or disassemble it. My dad bought it long ago so he could stow it in his small plane, then he had transportation from the airport. Never seen another one like it, but it reminds me of James Bond's collapsible gyroplane in "You Only Live Twice".
-Dave