Motorcycles

[Alex_C]

They're big, they're powerful, and they go between your legs.

Aren't motorcycles great?

I've come down so far in the world I'm reduced to riding "everyone's MSF course friend" the Honda Rebel, and it's still fun.

But I've been given a BMW K100 which is a very cool bike, but too big/wide for me, so I'm selling it and have decided I'm going to take the money from that and trade in or sell my Rebel and find a nice BMW "airhead", a 1980 (not interested in earlier) to 1995 flat-twin.

I've had one of those before, an 800cc, and they're great bikes.

Anyone else have a favorite bike? Remember fun times on a bike? Had a good time taking a special friend for a ride on a bike?

Let's talk about it here.

[Flan]

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/501/0/home.aspx

My unaffordable luv

[Janet_Girl]

My baby that I had to sell.




Janet

[Alex_C]

Very nice all!

I had the hots to get a BMW R65LS until I did some reading on them, they can be a real PITA compared to a regular R65/80/100 of the same set of years, too many custom parts. So I"m just gonna look for any post-1980 R bike.

For go-fast I'd love to come across an old RZ350, that was the last 2-stroke bike sold in the US due to emission regulation difficulties and for extra-cool points it was not only endorsed by Kenny Roberts but also came with a kickstarter, and is painted bumblebee black/yellow. They're kinda collector's items now.

[Bellaon7]

Oh yeah, now we're going somewhere! Ok...wiping the foam from my lips. My fav I've owned & road hard, a Canadian version of an 81' Yamaha YZ465, ugly & uglier, but pure ride! you can make it purdy, but that's as loud as the lion roared. 
Post Merge: November 07, 2009, 03:30:15 AM

My baby that I had to sell.




Janet

I'm crying & sucking my thumb wrapped up in the fetal position, "she needed the money, it's ok"
Post Merge: November 07, 2009, 01:36:22 AM
I got a bolt in my heart.

[Alex_C]

Any early 80s 500cc class 2-stroke dirt bike is a beast. Most people had an intelligent amount of awe for the things and never rode them hard.

[katherine]

This is mine, hope I can keep it...

[Windrider]

This is Bluebird, a Kawasaki ZR-7s (and me!):



This is what I want, an FJR 1300A (no E for me please!):



I'm hoping that I can find a way to keep both bikes. Bluebird is very rare and he's (yes Bluebird's a he ) a great commuter and all around bike. The FJR is for distance touring. I'm not much of a cruiser person, mostly since I can't pick them off kickstands. I leave the cruisers for Dani

WR

[Alex_C]

I'm hoping to get a BMW flat-twin, because they're the best "survivalist" bikes. And we're certainly heading into survivalist times. I had an 800cc one before and it was so simple and basic to work on, the idea for me is to get a bunch of spares, and be able to ride the thing for the forseeable future, as long as gas is available and the roads aren't too full of raiders/brigands/what-have-you.

I'd LOVE a zippy-zoomy bike but one of those can't zip-zoom AND handle dirt roads, carry a week's supplies or all my worldly possessions, carry a passenger well, be very visible in traffic (small frontal area) etc.

[Bellaon7]

Any early 80s 500cc class 2-stroke dirt bike is a beast. Most people had an intelligent amount of awe for the things and never rode them hard.

Lucky for me the guy I bought it from through consignment was harder on it than I was. I don't know how he did it, but he threw the rod right through the side cover. It freaked him out so bad he wouldn't ride it again. So he had it rebuilt, put it up for sale, & I got a cheap thumper with a new motor. The compression was so heavy, the only way to start it was to get the piston tdc & jump down on the kicker with all my weight(120lbs soaking wet). When you put it in first gear the thing jerked so hard it would scare the hell out of anyone who hadn't rode it before. And  the gnarly part was it didn't a front sprocket cover (I knew a guy who lost toes from this). I grew up in Montana & there tons of old logging roads & open grass land & gravel to really open it up & air that beast out. It would shake so hard my arms felt like wet noodles.   

[Windrider]

I'm hoping to get a BMW flat-twin, because they're the best "survivalist" bikes. And we're certainly heading into survivalist times. I had an 800cc one before and it was so simple and basic to work on, the idea for me is to get a bunch of spares, and be able to ride the thing for the forseeable future, as long as gas is available and the roads aren't too full of raiders/brigands/what-have-you.

I'd LOVE a zippy-zoomy bike but one of those can't zip-zoom AND handle dirt roads, carry a week's supplies or all my worldly possessions, carry a passenger well, be very visible in traffic (small frontal area) etc.

Very true Bluebird is a street bike. Although if you notice I'm riding on a dirt road in that pic. We used to live on a farm and I had a minimum 1/2 mile of dirt to ride to get to a paved road. I typically went the other way on the dirt road, so usually had about a mile. The driveway was dirt too, ~1/8 mile long, with a nice nearly 90 degree turn - that went uphill and a ditch (my nemesis!) Yeah, we lived in the boonies.

Dani and I are very interested in distance riding, i.e. taking the bikes for vacations and trips. The bikes we have now can't carry the load of clothes, gear, etc and Dani's has a short range between fuel stops. That's where the FJR and whatever Dani gets come in. I unfortunately have a small pool of touring bikes to choose from - the FJR or a Triumph Sprint ST. They're the only 2 I can lift off the kickstands. Although I'm amazed because the FJR weighs over 600lbs; the Triumph is ~430.

Dani will pretty much commute all year on her bike. I can't deal with the cold as much so my riding season is mostly done until spring.

I totally wanted a dirt bike when I was a kid. My Mom would *never* have gotten me one (I was smart enough not to even bother asking.) Like a lot of things in life, I just waited until I could do them myself

WR

[Alex_C]

With those 500 and 600 thumpers yes TDC is the way to go, and you don't "jump" on the starter, maybe it's jump but you jump to go down not up, and you have to MEAN IT. And I was 115 soaking wet I know!

[Bellaon7]

That's the one!

[Alex_C]

I keep wavering.... maybe I'll end up with a Sportster after all, if anything bigger than the darn 250, my cash flow is so horrible lately. Made $10 yesterday and got mugged for it(!) made $40 today, I'm used to $200+ on a weekend.

[Bellaon7]

Don't the sideways pistons on those old BMW's rub the cylinders funny?(great cooling idea though!)

[K8]

Here are my buddies, patiently waiting in the garage for some decent weather.  (They may be plotting to run away together, since I've been neglecting them lately, but I hope not.)

Here's Giselle, on our way to Alaska for one helluva ride:


And here's Rita in Ontario, on a cross-country trip with better weather:


(Rita's my favorite, but don't tell Giselle.  )

And I loved riding a Rebel.  The only problem was that I wanted to just go and go all day, day after day, and I would just get too sore on it.

- Kate

[Bellaon7]

Keep a close eye on those lovely ladies K8, & I WISH I could say I rode a Rebel as they're the most reasonable option to the H-word I've seen.

[Alex_C]

K8 anyone over say 5'5" riding a Rebel is cruelty. They are made for short people did I mention SHORT people? So are Sportsters BTW.

Oh I wish my pal had given me an R100 not a K100 ...

And yes, the pistons do rub the cylinders in an R bike funny, this is why if you listen carefully you'll notice R bikes giggle a lot when running.

[OriSoul]

This was my baby before I had to sell her also... I miss her sooooo much 

It's a Honda CBR250R Import from Japan with 45hp and this type was produced between 1986 and 1996. It was a lightweight 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, and 6-gear sportbike capable of revving up to 19,000 rpm.

I'm waiting till I am 25 to get my next bike because of insurance here in Canada (could not come sooner)Grrrrrr, lol.

[Alex_C]

Wow Ori ..... that makes "little Alex" stand at attention hehe

People do not seem to realize the bikes the racers ride are about the size and weight of street 250s and that riding a bike is about being able to throw it around not hang on and hope. This is why I like small bikes with big engines like the Sportster, the SR500/XT500, etc.