All the motorbikes I've owned down the years

[Hobbit]

Perhaps not so many have had bikes, or even still have them, but maybe interesting to know what 'beast' you've had down the years.

1976 - Honda CD175. Not my bike but the bike I learned to ride on. At the time I was living just outside Ambleside, and the roads were quiet.
1977 - Honda CB125s. Back then you bought, stuck 'L' plates on it and rode off. This bike did the length and breadth of the UK for 2 years.
1979 - Honda CB400-4. Passed my test in the Oct and celebrated by buying the 400-4. Superb handling bike, made better with some Girling gas shocks. It then got a Cibie headlight upgrade as well as a Yoshi big bore kit. Another bike that did lots of touring, and it was a hooligan's bike.
1980 - BSA B40. An old single cylinder thumper, bought as a project bike.
1983 - Moto Guzzi 850. Could eat the miles at speed but handled like a barge. Definitely a motorway muncher.

Went without a bike from about '85 to '92 - kids, and the need for a car.

1992 - Suzuki GT380. first of my proper projects. Built it back up with lots of new parts and paint jobs. Showroom condition when I finished.
1993 - Yamaha YB200. another, much older, project bike. Similarly, built back up to showroom condition but it was a boring pig. Sold on quickly.
1994 - Kawasaki Z650.a US import. In good condition for its year, and even better by the time it had been through my garage.

Nothing from '98 till '08

2008 - Honda VFR800. Had this bike for a few years. It was a revelation after the '70s bikes. ABS brakes and a Vtec engine.
2013 - Triumph Street Triple R. Basically got bored with the VFR - bad mistake. Build quality and rust - light years behind the VFR. This bike took me back to my late teens/early 20's. I was mental, and in the interests of reaching retirement age I sold it after 3 years.

I have a hankering after a Triumph America or a Hardly Dangerous. Roads and the weather out here make it very tempting but arthritis... maybe not.

 

[Mandofred]

Just one.....about a 1977 Yamaha 360. Now.....the question I've always wondered about....and just never knew enough to know why...

First, I bought it out of ignorance. Rode it off an on for about 4 years before selling. It was "fine" for around town and very short highway trips.
Second, what a gutless motorcycle. I think I got it up to 80mph once, any kind of a decent slope and it would really struggle. At the time I was a serious runner and only weighed about 145lbs fully clothed, so it wasn't carrying any weight. I had a roommate in college at that time that had several bikes, one was a 350 or so. I tried it once and it was light years faster. Why was my bike so damned slow? I thought it might have been the gearing......but there was NO gear where it performed well. Over the years I've occasionally thought back to that bike and just wondered why it wasn't faster than it was.....

 

[Robster59]

Without any real chronography on these.

• Raleigh Moped - A 1959 model, same year I was born.
• Honda CB200 - fun till the big ends disintegrated going down the road.
• Honda CG125 - The ones the big ends finally went on.
• Honda CB250 - First bike after I passed my test with a full Rickman fairing. It didn't go very fast.
• Honda CB550 - My first "big bike". A bit rough and ready but it worked.
• Kawasaki GTR1000 - My first new bike. Basically a de-tuned ZZR1000 tourer which got really hot whenever you were in traffic. I went round Austria on it.
• Honda VFR750 - My absolute favourite. A jewel of an engine, handled beautifully and was a great sports tourer.
• Honda VT250 (was owned by my ex when I had my VFR750 but a great little bike)

 

[bobmac]

1976-77 Honda SS 50
1977-80 Kawasaki KH250.
Got scared, bought 4 wheels

 

[Blue in Munich]

Honda CB125 nice, but physically too small for me.
MZ125 sounded like the Crazy Frog
BMW K100SE insurance write off put back on the road.
BMW R100RS probably worth a small fortune now, but it was agricultural
BMW K75S

Big gap

KTM 640LC supermoto probably the most fun on a bike I've ever had (road legal race wets on it ), but the saddle was a killer after 20 miles
Yamaha FZ8
Ducati MultiStrada 950 favourite of all of them

Might look at a Ducati Streetfighter or MultiStrada V4 as a last hurrah, alternatively I'll get the suspension overhauled by Maxton or K Tech and add some more bits. When that goes then anything else will be a downsize.

Fancy getting something as a doer-upper (bit of stress relief) but not sure what, & the classics now go for crazy money. Maybe a VFR750 or 800 pre Vtec...

 

[Hobbit]

Honda CB125 nice, but physically too small for me.
MZ125 sounded like the Crazy Frog
BMW K100SE insurance write off put back on the road.
BMW R100RS probably worth a small fortune now, but it was agricultural
BMW K75S

Big gap

KTM 640LC supermoto probably the most fun on a bike I've ever had (road legal race wets on it ), but the saddle was a killer after 20 miles
Yamaha FZ8
Ducati MultiStrada 950 favourite of all of them

Might look at a Ducati Streetfighter or MultiStrada V4 as a last hurrah, alternatively I'll get the suspension overhauled by Maxton or K Tech and add some more bits. When that goes then anything else will be a downsize.

Fancy getting something as a doer-upper (bit of stress relief) but not sure what, & the classics now go for crazy money. Maybe a VFR750 or 800 pre Vtec...

Crazy prices for 70's classics. I was looking at a CBX1000 but at £10,000. Its cheaper to buy a 1997 Fireblade, £3000.

 

[Smiffy]

First "proper" bike was a Honda CB200.
Then moved on to a Kawasaki KH250 which I loved.
Long gap until my divorce in 2000, had a midlife crisis and went out and bought a Honda 750 four.
Shortly after, bought a VFR750, then a VFR800. Traded that in for a VFR800 V-Tec. Hankering after a bit more power, in 2006 I brought a brand new Kawasaki ZZR1200. God,how I hated it. For a tourer, it was horrendously uncomfortable, even a new gel seat couldn't sort it. Got rid after six months and got what turned out to be the best bike of the lot, Kawasaki ZZR1400. What a machine, went like a bullet, handled superbly and was soooo comfortable. Kept it three years or more, but losing a good friend to a motorbike smash saw me selling it and I've not been tempted since.
But if I ever did decide to start riding again, I'd buy another ZZR1400 in a heartbeat.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Just one.....about a 1977 Yamaha 360. Now.....the question I've always wondered about....and just never knew enough to know why...

First, I bought it out of ignorance. Rode it off an on for about 4 years before selling. It was "fine" for around town and very short highway trips.
Second, what a gutless motorcycle. I think I got it up to 80mph once, any kind of a decent slope and it would really struggle. At the time I was a serious runner and only weighed about 145lbs fully clothed, so it wasn't carrying any weight. I had a roommate in college at that time that had several bikes, one was a 350 or so. I tried it once and it was light years faster. Why was my bike so damned slow? I thought it might have been the gearing......but there was NO gear where it performed well. Over the years I've occasionally thought back to that bike and just wondered why it wasn't faster than it was.....

This?

https://bikez.com/motorcycles/yamaha_xs_360_1977.php

Compared with the RD350 it was well underpowered by about 20% which might explain it.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Crazy prices for 70's classics. I was looking at a CBX1000 but at £10,000. Its cheaper to buy a 1997 Fireblade, £3000.

Fireblades are looking like the next ones to start going through the roof & there's the size issue for me Brian. Was the VFR 800 physically big?

 

[Hobbit]

Fireblades are looking like the next ones to start going through the roof & there's the size issue for me Brian. Was the VFR 800 physically big?

I was tip toes on the VFR but, typically of a Hobbit, my inside leg is only 28". The early VFR's were a little shorter but the later ones were a couple of inches higher to the seat. Cracking bike, and I'd be very tempted to get one again.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Does a Lambretta moped count.
Inclusive of Tiger Tail and go faster stripes.

 

[GuyInLyon]

BSA Bantam
BMW R65
BMW K75
BMW R100 Paris/Dakar
BMW R850
BMW F650
BMW R1100 GS
BMW R1100R

 

[drdel]

Ariel 350 single
James 250
Bultaco 325
Triumph T120 Bonnevile
Honda 750 4cyl
Yamaha xt500
Yamaha 1200
Bultaco 250
Bultaco 175
Beta 250
BMW 1200

Stopped in competitions as I ño longer bounce as well ! Road usè stopped as too many lunatics on four wheels whose eyes do not seem to function.

 

[Reemul]

Yamaha RD50
Yamaha TZR125
Yamaha RD350YPVS
Yamaha FZR600
Yamaha R1

 

[Swinglowandslow]

1959- BSA Bantam 150. First bike . Rode Bournemouth to Blackpool one day.!
Bum has never forgiven me.
Sold 1962,
Late 60s..... moped , then CZ.
Early 70s. Honda 400/4. Frightened myself eventually and decided on 4 wheels.

Loved bikes in summer, but gotta be sensible when you have a family??

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Yamaha RD250LC
Honda 400 soup dragon
Laverda Jota 180

Then came wife, family, mortgage, responsibility ?

 

[Sats]

Got into bikes in the very late 90's early 2000's.

Yamaha FZS600
Honda CBR 600
Susuki GSXR 750
Honda Blackbird
MV August Brutale 800

I've thankfully never had an accident on the bike, but I've had a few close shaves. Then one friend lost his arm during a ride, another had a years worth of surgery to re-pin his legs and fuse his spine, then an old sergeant of mine died on the way back from night duty and it's put me off ever since. It's not a case of 'if' it's a case of 'when' you have an accident.

 

[SteveJay]

Just 3, at 16, a 50cc Gilera ....then moved onto cars (and as my best mate was killed in an accident whilst on his bike at 17).

Decided to take an intensive coarsen my 40's and had 2 bikes since. Had a Honda CBR600F after passing my test. Sold the second one, the VFR 800 below, about 8 years ago now as I wasn't using it enough. Still hanker for one now and then but can't see it happening.

 

[2blue]

'72 - Some kind of Moped gifted from College caretaker
'73 - Triumph Tina Scooter..... some ones cast-off
'74 - Honda CB 200 ....... bought new & passed bike test on it.
'75 - Triumph Bonneville 500 It caused me to get two tickets in one day. First for speeding on the Honda 200 in my lunch-hour, going to get cash from the Bank to buy the Triumph that night. 2nd was that night on the just bought Triumph..... for failing to stop for a Police officer who 'I didn't see' when riding without lights (Battery was useless & not charging) following me mate's Reliant Robin who'd taken me over to Sowerby Bridge for the bike. Bike was nicked 3 years later. Not a lucky bike, that one.
'78 - Norton 650SS which I own to this day. Currently in Hebden Bridge being refurbished to a working bike standard. Will go to my youngest who, as a Marine, can handle 'risk'
'80's - Kawasaki 185 Trial bike - got nicked & burnt-out
'80's - CZ 250 - as a 2-stroke petrol-oil-mix you only had 1 chance of starting it otherwise plug was oiled up.... so un-nickable as also very ugly.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Got into bikes in the very late 90's early 2000's.

Yamaha FZS600
Honda CBR 600
Susuki GSXR 750
Honda Blackbird
MV August Brutale 800

I've thankfully never had an accident on the bike, but I've had a few close shaves. Then one friend lost his arm during a ride, another had a years worth of surgery to re-pin his legs and fuse his spine, then an old sergeant of mine died on the way back from night duty and it's put me off ever since. It's not a case of 'if' it's a case of 'when' you have an accident.

How did you find the Brutale?