Pics of my old bikes pre-Kiwibiker

[MD]

If this is boring for you then use your mouse and move on.
I've been scanning old family pictures to make a digital backup and decided why not throw some of the old 80s and 70s bikes on to KB. Most people now have heaps of digital camera pictures going back 4 or 5 years only. I'm disappointed that like most young bods I never thought about taking pictures. Live for the moment as teenagers do.
See, I've had a few cruisers and three 500cc twins! What gives there?
Not a single off road shot. Guess I would have trashed any camera taken off road. Not one from my novice racing at Ruapuna and Levels (the 400/4). Had an XL100, 175 (written off in Waimakariri river)and 250 (stolen). Had three SL125s. Looks like that's one in the wheelie down Dad's driveway in full safety gear note- togs and jandals. Them were the days before the pc brigade arrived.
In order of ownership; CG110, CB400/4, Z650 (broken leg!), CB750F see the front wheel is touching the motor (another broken leg, getting the hang of it by now), Yam XS650 Custom (In London, I rode to work that day in the snow)

[gijoe1313]

Nice! Bit of historic archiving there - classic, including the hairstyle and 'stache! Did ya have a change of heart and get them lopped off for the wheelie in the last photo? (or izzat the new invisible riding gears?)

:niceone: nice one Stewie, nice one!

[MattRSK]

Your Old!..........

[Hitcher]

Seeing that CB400/4 brings back some memories.

[MD]

Honda VT500 dyna-wide-glide-rod. Yeehah.
The Harley, need I say what model and yet another 500 twin (Suzook GS500) then another, Kawasaki ER5.
Notice the well trained guard dog. Always turned up when he saw a camera.
Bugger, forgot to scan the CB400 single. Back in a minute.

[terbang]

Those CB 400's had the sexiest header pipes that I've ever seen..!

[oldguy]

Love the ol 650, I had the later model with the twin dics up front.

[merv]

Had three SL125s. Looks like that's one in the wheelie down Dad's driveway in full safety gear note- togs and jandals. Them were the days before the pc brigade arrived.

Geez man at least I wore jeans then as safety gear on my XL175 http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=37969&d=1153900842

[MD]

Trusty GB400 single. bought this brand new. Amazing tank range.

[MD]

Seeing that CB400/4 brings back some memories.

Yeah, one of my all time favourites. Most at that time went for the RD400 two stroker but I felt the 400 Four had class and cornered much better. At Ruapuna they made us push start for some of the racers. Impossible to do on the CB400. So my mate and I would run along beside the bike, wait for the screech of all the 2 strokes firing up to hide the noise of our electric starters.
The z650 was a power beast. The Honda 750 was a ... don't know? I fell asleep whenever I approached it.
Looking back the seventies were the best decade to be a teenager. Best music, best fashion sense (yeah right) I had long hair! good dope and petrol was $1 a gallon. That's my white TR6 in the garage. What a life that was. Go dirt riding all Saturday and take the girlfriend out in the convertible on Sunday. And yes, TR6s were just fine for bonking in. Never did find the back seat though and don't get a high heel through the soft top.

[Maha]

Cool pic's MD, love the GS500 and the Honda VT, thanks for sharing those with us, you must have been stoked with each and every one of them...:niceone:

[MD]

Those CB 400's had the sexiest header pipes that I've ever seen..!

Beautiful weren't they. Sometimes when I gave it a full clean I would remove the tank and would ride around the block with no petrol tank to puzzle the neighbours. Looked weird but kinda cool and it could go quite a way on the carbs only.
Who remembers kick starts. That's the funny shiny stick on the rear righthand side of the motor for those raised on electric starts.
Pleased some of you enjoyed seeing these snaps. Just wish I had taken more- or even one of some bikes!

[Ixion]

Wodda ya mean, "remembers kick starts" I've still got 'em.

[MD]

Cool pic's MD, love the GS500 and the Honda VT, thanks for sharing those with us, you must have been stoked with each and every one of them...:niceone:

That Honda VT500 was a rare bike. Most around were the VT400 and 750 customs. For the early 80s it was hi-tech with water cooling and shaft drive. Maintenance free stuff. Loved it aswell. Reasonably quick for the time. Super reliable like most Hondas.Traded the VT up to the Harley 1200 then traded up again to the GS500 (joking peps). The Harley was a beautiful machine, nice apple red and loud pipes. Brings back happy memories seeing that picture. The wife used to say I would be half way into town and she could still hear me. Bastard for the neighbours since I only travelled by bike and went to the gym at 6am every workday. It only had the 8.5L tank. For real I pushed it all the way up the Ngauranga Gorge once for fear it would be nicked if I went for a can of gas. Only to get to J/ville and realise I could have easily walked it on the flat towards the Petone gas station- doh! Did a few long Nth and Sth Island trips on the Harley. Never broke down once out of town thank you very much. But boy did it make up for it at home. In the end I asked WMCC for a permanent Monday workshop booking and bulk purchasing for their pick ups.

[MD]

Nice! Bit of historic archiving there - classic, including the hairstyle and 'stache! Did ya have a change of heart and get them lopped off for the wheelie in the last photo? (or izzat the new invisible riding gears?)

:niceone: nice one Stewie, nice one!

Like the hair! You're lucky I wasn't wearing my bell bottoms and platforms.
Who needed a helmet with a mop like that. bellbottoms were a pain on the bikes- caught on the kick start when you came to a halt.

[Ixion]

Like the hair! You're lucky I wasn't wearing my bell bottoms and platforms.
Who needed a helmet with a mop like that. bellbottoms were a pain on the bikes- caught on the kick start when you came to a halt.
Don't even mention winklepickers and gear levers!

[Blackbird]

Trusty GB400 single. bought this brand new. Amazing tank range.

Yep, it was a midnight blue GB400 which got me back into bikes in the late 80's - they were a peach of a bike to ride. Put an aftermarket full fairing on mine. Thanks for the memories:Punk: :Punk:

[ceebie13]

..... Yam XS650 Custom (In London, I rode to work that day in the snow)

Jesus! MD... the Yam looks in better nick than the house!!!

[t3mp0r4ry nzr]

you are true O.G MD :cool:

[Pwalo]

I think you might be older than me. Reckon I've seen your old GS500 around Petone a couple of times.

From memory I've owned T125, CB125, TS185, XL175, TS125, DT175, RD400, CB250RS, long gap, FT400, GS500E, and GS500K1.

I really don't miss long hair and flares.

[Motu]

I just miss hair....

Very few of those bikes were of interest to me in those days,apart from the Sportster,they were beneath my dignity.They are still of no interest to me.But liking older bikes the GB500 has always interested me,and still does.

[ceebie13]

You've started something here MD...hope you don't mind me jumping on board. Here's a selection of some of the bikes I've owned, loved, hated, been embarrassed with...prior to KB. Naturally the Honda Cub is my newest!! NOT.
Typically, you imagine you've got the best bike in the world until something goes wrong. But briefly the Honda Cub was bought for me by my parents in 1965. It served its purpose in getting me my licence. Various mid weight Hondas followed including the CB500T The cam chain broke on this and the drive sprocket bored its way out of the cylinder head!! The CB750K7 and rain just did not mix. It didnt run in the wet at all. This put me off Hondas and I switched to Kawasaki. The Z1000Mk2 was (at the time) blisteringly quick, but wallowed like Dean Martin at a German beer festival! Great nose fairing though eh? Then after a break of about eight years, along came the two Zephyrs (ZR750 shown, but also had ZR1100) and three ZX9's (only two shown). The C2 was very much a long termer. I loved it. Went everywhere on it. Shipped it over from the UK cos I couldn't bear to part with it. It now lives in Hamilton :-( And finally... the new CB... which, now that I'm old, is very comfy indeed thank you very much. It does, however, have scope for personalising and customising so I think I might keep it a while.
(CB500T pic courtesy of Bikez.com)

[98tls]

Great pics MD.....the SL125 brings back memories.....came home from school one day when i was 9 and there was one parked in the driveway....my first bike..awsome....although it took a lot of holiday work to pay the old man for it...next was an XL175 (orange).along the way i to had an Z650...great bike..and strangely enough i had an XS650 special....i look back and wonder why but it all seemed good at the time...thanks for the memories....

[petesmeats]

Thanks guys... Really enjoyed seeing the progression... There's hope for me yet... Pre liscence: CR80, DT125, Liscenced: GN250x3, GSX400X (impulse), CBR 600, ... Who knows... Hopefully something cool... Like a brutale or a '97 916 (fingers crossed) But will in actual fact be something dumb...