what motorcycle?
- Thread starter david ellwood
- Start date
richardg
Admonishtrator
A pic from yesterday's tootle:
Nice. Is that a Welsh flag I see?
THAT is a beautiful bike.
This bike ended it's days in the side of a nissan micra, how did you know?
When the first Ducati 999 came out my friend was owed a favour by his friend, a Ducati dealer. We had a 999 on Italian plates, here in the UK, for the weekend. I clicked with that bike immediately. Fast and totally with you in the bends, didn't feel like you were working it at all. If anything it was too easy. Didn't have the looks of a 916 though. That's a design classic.
RustyB
Registered Ginga
Can be a problem. My last bike was a Suzuki RF 900, I guess you'd class it as a sports-tourer, not exactly radical.
My right wrist would go numb if I had to ride it at speeds less than that required to balance the weight on my arms, for any length of time.
In the USA, the popular fix was a Corbin seat and some higher bars. Thus equipped, the RF would be hard to criticize, except maybe for being another boring UJM!
RustyB
Registered Ginga
My daily ride is breathed on TL1000S with all the bells and whistles and nothing beats getting the gearing right on my favourite twisties..
Really? All that torque and you you're worried about the right gear?
Head to head (stock bikes) the TL and my RF were even Stevens, the difference being that I had to down-change a couple of times and he could just roll it on.
Problem with the TL is short range, as also with the VTR.
My friend's TL also tried to kill him, when the output shaft bearing collapsed, broke the seal and coated the rear wheel with oil.
Shades of Norton Commando: ooh, that felt a bit slippery, check the mirror, nothing but smoke.
Really? All that torque and you you're worried about the right gear?
Head to head (stock bikes) the TL and my RF were even Stevens, the difference being that I had to down-change a couple of times and he could just roll it on.
Problem with the TL is short range, as also with the VTR.
My friend's TL also tried to kill him, when the output shaft bearing collapsed, broke the seal and coated the rear wheel with oil.
Shades of Norton Commando: ooh, that felt a bit slippery, check the mirror, nothing but smoke.
Best Bike you never owned?
How about this one; Triumph 500 speed twin - bought for 50 quid by a mate just after he passed his test back in the 70s. He moved on to a Honda 500/4 and I was offered the Triumph for the price he paid. What a fool I was for not breaking his arm for it. Wonder what it would be worth now?
Looked like this -
Mr Tibbs
How about this one; Triumph 500 speed twin - bought for 50 quid by a mate just after he passed his test back in the 70s. He moved on to a Honda 500/4 and I was offered the Triumph for the price he paid. What a fool I was for not breaking his arm for it. Wonder what it would be worth now?
Looked like this -
Mr Tibbs
Snufkin
pfm Member
This bike ended it's days in the side of a nissan micra, how did you know?
That's a shame, were you OK? I bought a Mk 3 350 in 1973; it was a lovely bike but had a few flaws. Speedo used to go backwards over about 75-80mph, rear light bulbs broke with monotonous regularity, headlight was a joke and its ignition switch had to be kept away from water. On the other hand it handled impeccably, made a glorious noise and made every other bike I tried that year look like a joke for one reason or another. Yes 500 Kawasaki's did have strange/challenging handling; Honda 750 4's seemed like porky pigs and Suzuki 750's like they were hinged in the middle.
richardg
Admonishtrator
RC30, no question. I was a motorbike salesman in one of Hull's bike shops when it came out. It was on a massive plinth in front of our desks. We spent weeks staring at that thing. Eventually I rode one up and down a short road in 2000. That was enough. It still mesmerises.
Joe
pfm Member
It is a difficult choice but you may be right about the RC30... I owned two of them and they really do deserve their status... they never disappoint.
But I think they might just be edged by my Ducati 888 SPS. It had that impossible to define something that rare greats possess.. something almost magical in the way it made you feel.
I use to go into the garage just to look at it sometimes... just to stare at it.
richardg
Admonishtrator
Except from the front they look like these: http://slacks-creek.australialisted...honda-cbr1000f-1000cc-nbsp-1988_17250939.html
Best Bike you never owned?
How about this one; Triumph 500 speed twin - bought for 50 quid by a mate just after he passed his test back in the 70s. He moved on to a Honda 500/4 and I was offered the Triumph for the price he paid. What a fool I was for not breaking his arm for it. Wonder what it would be worth now?
Looked like this -
Mr Tibbs
Very nice Mr T.
I always wanted a British bike but never got round to buying one.
No, I was nearly dead, spent nearly 9 months in hospital. God know what happened to the bike the family got rid of it. It had a brand new witty rebuild!!! Speedo a rev counter were useless. (smiths), The bike is a 350 with desmo seat unit. Moto guzzi front brake, 12 volt morini headlight and electrics. Borrani alloys. Stainless steel 750 SS silencer and stainless 860 type mudguards.
The main problem was you needed long arms and short legs. I had the latter only.
Best trip was the TT one year after my morini let me down. (ignition electrics)
Joe
pfm Member
What does?
MarkW
Full Speed & Pagan
I had similar issues with my BMW S1000RR. After even an hour my right wrist would start to complain. Since changing to the ZX10R I have not had a single twinge. The geometry can't be hugely different but the Kwacker is very easy ride for longer.
the types that ride the sports/plastic bikes here, are, in every case i've seen, enormous douchebags.
i enjoy riding very long distances, to clear my head, to get writing ideas and get the wind in my face, sunshine. i dont ride to show off or fly around hairpin turns. it simply does not interest me.
for the times I do want speed, my Intruder has more than enough for me. when I combine that with the sound, the looks, and the comfort.. ..the combination facilitates attainment of a mindset that I find very appealing..addictive even.
a sports bike just does not inspire that sort of "walkabout on two wheels" feeling. Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance wouldnt work on a damn aprilia or ducati., you know? nor would it on easy rider. but the cb77 superhawk and the harley panhead.. yes
im very philosophical about these things. sportsbikes conjur up a certain feeling that I find revolting, and counter to what motorcycle riding means/is to me.
Philosophical? Given that you've taken every opportunity to call in to question the sexuality of the riders of a certain type of motorcycle I find that assertion hysterical in the extreme. I take offence to your statements in that regard, (as I'm sure you can tell from my reaction to them), and it's not because I'm homophobic in any way. Which is something I'm not convinced can be said about you from your comments.
Definitely a good rider - went on to do well in the Aprilia 250 challenge series but unfortunately had to stop racing after a spine injury. I think the big Bandit was near enough standard apart from the obligatory loud exhaust. Just one of those guys who could go fast on anything. Well, not on a Harley obviously
Not that I have anything against Harley ownership - I'd have one for pottering about on a lazy Sunday afternoon if spare cash and garage space allowed (that and at least half a dozen other bikes I can think of ATM).
Ha! A quote that should have been written into every Kawasaki 500 owners handbook.
Mr Tibbs
On one of the track days I went on there was a woman who turned up with some kind of trials bike with (semi) knobbly tires, a road going one I might add not a full on CR type stroker. She proceeded to overtake significant numbers of the guys on all manner of road sports bikes, including people on fireblades and 916's.