Any bikers around?

[niels]

Besides beer I also like cars, motorcycles, airplanes, ... Everything with an engine. I'm in no way a connoisseur, but I can appreciate the smell of gasoline and the sound of a V8. However I seem to like classic vehicles more than the modern ones.

Since a few years I ride a motorcycle to work every day. It started with a 125cc Vespa as it didn't require me to take additional exams, but after a while I swapped it for a 1990 Honda XL600V Transalp. An ideal starter bike! I really loved it, but the lack of ABS and my all-year riding was not a safe combination. I never crashed or dropped it, but I had a few "almost" moments. Since I'm now responsible for my offspring I decided to treat me with a modern bike.

Last year I started looking at bikes in the 600~900cc range, but there were not much that compelled to me. As I wanted some weather protection all nakes bikes (like a Triumph Truxton) were written off immediately. Narrowing it down to a sportstourer I ended up buying a 2013 BMW F800GT. I've done about 13.000 km with it over the last 15 months and I'm quite happy with it. Although I can't stop looking at a possible successor. Also, I do miss the sound of my Transalp. The parallel twin engine of the F800GT just doesn't sound as nice as a simple V-Twin with a cracked exhaust

A few weeks ago I saw the new 2014 Honda VFR800F and I must say that I'm a bit sad that it didn't came out a year earlier. I would swap my bike in a minute...

Any other bikers around?

- Niels

[dinnerstick]

former biker... has been years.
1975 honda cb550 four was my first. you never forget your first.
some sort of kawasaki 250 scrambler, rotary valve 2 stroke, can't remember... loud...
yamaha rd 350 LC, lovely liquid cooled 2-stroke twin. hold on to your knuckles once the tachometer gets high enough. in the low rpm's it like riding a unicycle with a flat tire.
honda cbr600, very ratty
cagiva/ducati alazzurra 650. classy, with some torque. ducati pantah motor
ducati 900ss. omg fast.
ducati 750ss, junkyard/salvage rebuild

now i stick to pedal power!

[cpa4ny]

Former biker as well; here's my list:

- HD Sporster 1200cc
- HD Fat Boy 1450cc
- HD Road King Classic 1550cc (Big Bore kit)

Loved all of them, but sold the RK after getting married.

Coolest trip I have taken was a 2-day trip from Singapore to Phuket (was there for the Bike Week).

Day 1: Singapore - HatYai (~900 kilometers - crossing entire Malaysia)
Day 2: HatYai -Phuket (~450 kilometers)

Lovely memories

[dinnerstick]

badass lineup of big bikes!

[cpa4ny]

Those were the days...

[niels]

@dinnerstick: Nice bikes. The Honda CB is a nice classic. Love the Yamaha RD too! Although these Ducatis are badass and are pure exhaust-sound-porn I have always associated them with inferior Italian quality (and overpriced). But I can be totally wrong!!

@cpa4ny: You're definitely a Harley fan A bit too big for my purpose: defying traffic jams by splitting lanes...

Recreational riding is only limited to one weekend a year where I go on a trip with two ex-colleagues (and friends) whom I converted to riding a bike. They are planning on doing some riding in Iceland or Morocco (both are riding a BMW GS), but I will have to wait it out until my kids are a bit bigger.
I would also pick up my flying lessons over spending time on a motorbike.

- Niels

[paulg]

me too my list from 1975 onward in order of owning
1962 bsa 250cc to pass my test on
1971 yamaha 200 cc
1965 triumph t90 350cc ( restored from box of bits)
1972 triumph tr6r 650cc
1975 triumph trident t150v 750cc
1974 ducati 850cc
1967 norton atlas 750cc (restored from blown up wreck)
1974 triumph t150v *
1972 triumph t150t * can you see a pattern here
199? triumph hinkley trident 900cc * * all owned at the same time
1994 triumph hinkley sprint 900cc
1996 triumph hinkley sprint sport 900cc
1954 vincent rapide 1000cc
2001 triumph hinkley sprint st 900cc

also 1979 norton wasp motocross sidecar 850cc
1980 yamaha wasp motocross sidecar 880cc both used in classic motocross

1958 ariel trials sidecar 500cc *
1960 triumph /bsa trials sidecar 650cc used in pre65 classic trials

in 2004 I emigrated to greece and sold my off road bikes and the new triumph sprint and bought my last triumph trident t150 with me but sold it due to the poor roads here

now only a honda 250 xlr

[niels]

Wow Paul, that's one hell of a list. You must have been a vivid rider if you owned and restored that amount of bikes.

If I were rich...

- Niels

[Nesto]

I got a bike late in life, bought a Suzuki Bandit 600 for my 40th birthday. Don't ride a ton, but usually commute to work on Friday's when it's not raining or wicked hot.

[BrauTim]

Great Thread.

I think I've owned around 15 bikes over the last 30+ years, my latest one is this one :

BMW K1600GT SE

I also run a track bike:

MY 2000 Aprilia RSV1000 at Silverstone

[dinnerstick]

aprilia.... jealous.
very jealous.
wouldn't trust myself at the track, would be in the gravel sharpish...

[paulg]

no niels
I found more pleasure in restoring the old bikes as a hobby and competing in off road competition.The newer triumphs were my main transport which I kept updating before they lost too much value.

[gert]

This is my bike! A real one, without engine... A vintage one, from the best biker (= cyclist) in the world!

[mrpilsner]

2012 FLD (Switchback)
Riding every day now that I'm in Texas!

[niels]

Great Thread.

I think I've owned around 15 bikes over the last 30+ years, my latest one is this one :

DSC01277.JPG

I also run a track bike:

Me@Silverstone21.jpg

I would love to do a track day course to improve my riding, but I don't think I have the balls to go all the way on a track with a bike. Even when I drive on public roads I remind myself regularly that my girlfriend and kids want me to come home...
Although... I did enjoy a few rounds on Francorchamps and the Nürburgring in a car. It feels a bit safer Normally I will be riding the Nürburgring again this summer.

BTW: The K1300S might be my next bike. But I'll first have to spend 2 or 3 more years on this bike.

IMG_0621.JPG

2012 FLD (Switchback)
Riding every day now that I'm in Texas!

That's exactly the type of bike I associate with riding on the highways in the US. I have a friend who moved to Austin and bought a stereotype US car: a Ford Mustang. Gas is cheap over there...

- Niels