Introduce here the one of your bikes that always will be the favorite.

[Conquiztador]

Was thinking, that we all have a bike that was/is our favorite. The one we owned/own that, if we had a chance, we would keep/want back.

I would be interested to read and se a pick of her. And I think there might be others on here too who would enjoy the opportunity.

So how bout it? Give us a short story re who she was/is and a pic or two.

So I start:

48 Panhead.
"Gullet"

I had a 750 Bonny that I had crashed in Italy. Forks damaged, but could still ride after some bending. But I knew that when I got back home to Sweden I would have to do some major repairs.

So it was a good opportunity to trade in and get something else. A HD was on the wish list. Something old that I could customise.

So when back home after a long trip w/o any front suspension and no lights... the search started. A private sale/purchase was out of question as not many would want the Bonny as a swap for a HD.

I heard about a small shop up north that had brought in a Panhead that was standard. Needed some work, but all was there. A Hydra. So I spoke with the guy on the phone and then packed up my Bonny in a van and went up.

He offered me enough for my broken bike so it was worth it. And the Pann was ok priced... But then I did see another one he had there: A rigid rat Pan with jockey shift and 20+ inch extended springer. All black and peanut tank moulded in to frame. I was in love. The guy told me that the rat was not worth buying and he had brought it in for the motor only. But I could not hear him from all the buzzing in my head.

A 1/2 hour later I was on my way back with the Pan's forks sticking out from the back of the van.

I got her running and used her for a month w/o any papers or wof. Managed to get a few tickets. But it did not stop me from loving her. (Was even taken off the road once and given one of those stickers that said that it could not be removed and there would be a huge fine...right)

Then I spent the winter modifying and customising.
I took back the rake from 55 degree to 45.
I stretched and changed the frame.
I repaired the forks (cracks galore...)
I fitted a wheel with a brake on front
I put a VW 15" rim on back
I stripped motor and got all sorted.
I put primary belt on.
I painted.
I chromed.
And you name it I did it.

Cost me all money I had and a relationship.

I kept her for 5 years and only sold her as I left Sweden. But I still think about her. And some day soon I will do something very similar.

[cave weta]

Kawasaki Mountain Goat!

First bike I rode
First bike I jumped
First bike I crashed!
First bike I wheelied
First bike I put over backwards!
First bike I blew up
First bike I rebuilt!
First bike I repainted
First bike I sold
First bike I missed!

I think they were made in Levin- galvanised waterpipe frame and wheelbarrow wheels! with a 90cc rotary valve Kawasaki engine....

God it was awfull!

[Headbanger]

As pictured.

I regretted selling her since the day I let her go, Though I don't regret why I sold her, Life has to be lived, and if that means sacrificing the bike so be it.

[cave weta]

As pictured.

I regretted selling her since the day I let her go, Though I don't regret why I sold her, Life has to be lived, and if that means sacrificing the bike so be it.

Why the funny Handlebars- did your mum take thallidomide?:Pokey:

[Headbanger]

Why the funny Handlebars- did your mum take thallidomide?:Pokey:

I was 21.:Punk:

Besides which apes look wicked, are comfortable and easy to ride with.

200km/h with those babies was a thrill.

[cave weta]

I was 21.:Punk:

200km/h with those babies was a thrill.

:crazy::eek5::gob::blink:.......respect!:shutup:

[fatzx10r]

my current bike zx10r, it's just an awsome toy tick's all the box'es for me. the only problem's with it is the rider lol, and it try's to get me into trouble with the law from time to time :Oops:

[98tls]

At the tender old age of :pinch:well oldish have to say my favourite bike of all ive owned is one of the ones i still have,my old TLS has been in the shed for many years and see no reason to part with it in the future,40,000 odd kms later and its never let me down,fell in love with TLs the first time i clapped eyes on one and the wonderful sound they make is a bonus,they have an interesting history and many seem to be experts on them though generally there opinions are based on nothing more than there sisters boyfriends cousin had one and it blah blah blah..all good stuff.:yawn:

[1vanvan1]

The good old VTR250

First bike I ever owned.
Nice hum with the custom exhaust.
Nice look.
Easy to throw around in twisties.

Basically it ticked every box for a first bike!

[madbikeboy]

My CBX1000. I'll be buried with it. If the bank was knocking on the door and was about to foreclose, the bike wouldn't be sold. If the dog needed a life saving operation - pooch would understand. If the world was about to end, and handing the CBX across would save it, well, it would become a real dilemma...
:confused:

Nup, I'd keep the bike and ride it to hell. :2guns:

[Oscar]

My KTM950 Adv.

Slap on some knobblies, 25mm bar risers and Staintunes, then take offroad - wow. Show the Charely and Ewen wannabes how it's done...

[trustme]

Norton 850 Interstate mk2

Owned it for almost 10 years , completely rebuilt it , Universal Mcs blueprinted the motor. She ran sweet, was pretty reliable , a few little glitches but it always got me home . Rode it around the Sth Is on three occasions never broke down
Set up right & treated right it was a bloody good bike, trick was not to rev it hard or they died pretty quick , the head breathed real well but the bottom end & high piston speed meant they did not hold together long if ridden real hard.
Favourte ride . From Whaitianga to Tairua & back over the Kopu Hikuai in the company of an XS 1100 & a GSX750. They would pull away on any straight, but come the tight stuff & I would poke my wheel up the inside
on corners just to remind them I was there , had a yack at Tairua where I had to admit the clutch was slipping so I was not on full throttle. These guys found it disconcerting that an old Pommie POS could go so well
Could not hold them sth of Tairua & over the hill , they were just too fast in open going
My favourite bike even now but not the best I have owned

[martybabe]

The last and best of my FJs. It was born just at the right time, after I left the fire brigade and before I re-joined the rat race, some six months. It was the only time in my life I've been truly free, we went hundreds of miles for no reason at all, just because we could.

My daughter submitted an essay for English at school, the subject was what do your parents do. She put mommy is a nurse and daddy just rides round on his motorbike all day. :laugh: Outstanding I thought. Happy days.

Oh yes and the point was, because it was an FJ, it never ever let me down, any time I felt the urge, just start her up, piss orf to who knows where and return seamless and faultless. Top bike and I do miss it. :confused:

[Number One]

My baby blade will forever hold a place in my heart but I have to say that my current ride + hubbies suspension + throaty growl is my favourite!

I see myself riding this baby for a very long time and don't ever see myself getting anything 'bigger' I really don't need it nor would I be able to use it in a way that would warrant getting a bigger bike.

Anyway - threads are nothing without pics...so here's my baby (with hubbies bikes arse on it...imagine silver everywhere) :lol:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=253&pictureid=9134

[Forest]

I'll always miss my TU250. Rego number 96UIS. I see it riding around Auckland occasionally.

Funnily enough I bought my dream-bike a little earlier this year (for which I'd been lusting over the last seven years) but I don't think I'll miss it when it is gone. It has style and soul but I've never felt connected to it.

[Number One]

It has style and soul but I've never felt connected to it

Bit of UHU will fix that :niceone:

seriously though I do get ya! I have only felt 'connected' to three of the bikes I've owned over the years and one of them I don't miss because it was far too gutless anyway :laugh:

[FROSTY]

1984 Yamaha XJ 900 seca. White with red and blue stripes. I nicknamed it ICE

I bought the bike in late 84 with 8000km on the clock.
I fitted a set of stainless mufflers,Koni rear shocks,progressive front springs and put SBS pads in the front.
I think I did about 100000km on that beasty and it never let me down.
I used it for commuting,tried a bit of drag racing,Touring,backroad scratching,I even in a fit of insanity raced it once at bay park back when we could do graded class racing
Back then the GPZ900 ninja was king of the heap with the gixxer750 slabbies still not really available to the general public.
The bike was able to keep up with about anything I rode with.
Fond memories of some bloody good time we shared

[NighthawkNZ]

The one I am riding...

[Blackbird]

The Ducati Elite I had in the UK 35 years ago was my dream project. Not many people will have heard of them, so I've attached a picture (not my actual bike, sadly). I still think it has the sexiest shaped tank of any bike before or since. In stock form, it was fairly unremarkable, around 85 mph from a 200cc engine.

However, I shoe-horned the Triumph twin motor from my drag bike into it to turn it into a road-going special. Quite a bit of work including changing the drive chain to the other side, getting some beautiful alloy engine plates made by drag racer Alf Hagon, high level exhaust pipes like the early 70's Triumph 500 factory racers and a half fairing similar to the early Ducati 900ss. Made a single racing seat from glass fibre and polystyrene.

Here's the sad bit. Most of the major engineering was done but it needed a good 6 months of detailed finishing. We decided to emigrate to NZ and I sold it as a project bike in the UK. I don't know if it was ever finished off or not but is genuinely the only regret I've had in 40+ years of motorcycling. If I only had a magic lamp to rub....:doh:

[BMWST?]

havent had a bike for a while but honestly i loved every bike i had....i cant pick a favourite they all had something special for me...
honda cl 175,yamaha dt3,honda cb 500,yamaha sr 500(didnt like that one so much)yamaha xs 750e,Honda cb900x2,kawasaki Z1000J,Ducati 900 s2,BMW k 100 rs,yamaha fz 750...sigh,I miss them all:(

[piston broke]

loved my old '74 cb400 four.it was a bike you could put anywhere,when it was pegged you knew it was low.i fully rebuilt it,powdercoated frame,all crome redone,new paint,fully rebuilt engine that the mechanic told me the first ride to get it into second and see how many rev's i could pull,got 14k rpm out of it,after that 14 was sweet,only used to do 10'ish before rebuild.
amazing brakes for it's time too.once had a 14 stone pillion,pulling up to a roundabout at speed and had the rear bouncing.(very young and VERY silly).
sadly it was stolen, taken down to the river thrashed,jumped bent to buggery.lovin the duc tho

[Pussy]

The one I am riding...
Same for me... just been for a scoot on the sem fiddy, and thought to myself when I got home.."there is no better bike for me!"

[Katman]

Spent 20 years dreaming of owning mine.

[martybabe]

Same for me... just been for a scoot on the sem fiddy, and thought to myself when I got home.."there is no better bike for me!"

Yep, it looks like a happy union. :niceone:

[Conquiztador]

I was really hoping for a short story re who she is and perhaps a pic.

The: "Yeah, the one I have now" does nuffing for me. C'mon, U can do better than that!!!

[Pussy]

Yep, it looks like a happy union. :niceone:

Thanks, Marty! Gassit Girl and I swapped notes when I got home... she feels the same way about her sem fiddy :niceone:

[Bonez]

You poor dear.

Well some of us still own THE bike. My '76 CB550F(first bike I pulled the engine down and rebuilt) still puts a smile on my dial every time I fire it up so does the GB for that matter. Pics are in my attachments.

[terbang]

One of my current bikes a Cagiva Navigator. Powered by the awesome TL1000 engine, it takes me everywhere and is one of the nicest handling bikes I´ve ever owned. Picture tells it all.

[Conquiztador]

You poor dear.

Well some of us still own THE bike. My '76 CB550F(first bike I pulled the engine down and rebuilt) still puts a smile on my dial every time I fire it up so does the GB for that matter. Pics are in my attachments.

Thats all cool. But to expect ppl to be so interested in you that they visit your profile? Why not attach them here? Or is that asking too much??

[Bonez]

Thats all cool. But to expect ppl to be so interested in you that they visit your profile? Why not attach them here? Or is that asking too much??Whats a few mouse clicks?

[Conquiztador]

Whats a few mouse clicks?

Dude, I am not looking for a fight. If U had the feeling for her that I had for the Pan you would understand. If not, then nothing I will say will change that. All well.

[Bonez]

Dude, I am not looking for a fight. If U had the feeling for her that I had for the Pan you would understand. If not, then nothing I will say will change that. All well.I do appreciate where you're coming from.:yes:

The ol CB and I have been through a fare bit together in the 22 years I've had it. Due for another strip and tidy up now though. It convinced me I didn't need to buy a new m/c every other year or so to enjoy two wheels.

Here's an attachment url of it-
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=48610&d=1166296070

KB doesn't like uploading the same pic in different posts without saving it under a different name.

[piston broke]

nice bike bonez.
tho the cb400 f supersport had a nice square tank,and was a little more cafe racerish:msn-wink:o and it was blue<_<

[Bonez]

nice bike bonez.
tho the cb400 f supersport had a nice square tank,and was a little more cafe racerish:msn-wink:o and it was blue<_<Cheers. Had a sohc CB750F1 at one stage too. No where near as much fun in the tight stuff as Ronda so flicked it off to an Air Force buddy who restored it (was doing up Gerties donk at the time to iirc). My brother had a 400/4 (the red faster one with the pillion pegs on the swing arm:crazy:) gave the thing arse holes.

[piston broke]

here's one,alittle different to mine tho,mine was a european model,got it off a german lady that had rode it round most of europe.lurvly machine

[piston broke]

oop's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TsCeKUruf0&feature=related

[piston broke]

lol,thrashed mine beyond belief,
went and sounded best 4 into nothing,
guess the neighbours didn't think so but i did

[Bonez]

lol,thrashed mine beyond belief,
went and sounded best 4 into nothing,
guess the neighbours didn't think so but i didFunny you should mention that my bro lost/dropped his muffler more than once. Must be a 400/4 thing. Ronda has rusted out two OEM ones(in 20 odd years since she was new I might add) and has a Dunstall replica on it now. Not too loud not too quiet-just right. Got a groty old cycleworks 4/1 hanging up in the garage if I feel like being a rebel.

[Brutus]

Why the funny Handlebars- did your mum take thallidomide?:Pokey:

Shit nearly pissed myself. Shot!
And I got a mate known as T-Rex.

[Chooky]

This one always brings back memories.Bought new in Cairns for $1550 aus dollars in 1969 I think.....New vehicles were delivered with no rego plates,just a permit to ride....Plates arrive in the mail 6 weeks later from Brisbane..Had to have a front plate in them days..
Anyway I gets the plates,put the back one on and some ar**ole aussie cop gives me a ticket for no front plate....Huh wtf I said I been riding round for 6 weeks with no plates at all....Well never heard anymore about the ticket,I think he was just pissed he couldnt catch me speeding..

[pritch]

Kawasaki Mountain Goat!

I think they were made in Levin- galvanised waterpipe frame and wheelbarrow wheels! with a 90cc rotary valve Kawasaki engine....

God it was awfull!

Actually made in Waitara, Lavender City, in the 'Naki. The factory later expanded to make mainly Subaru cars.

The Mountain Goat was originally the concept of Johnnie Callender (sp?) a long time bike dealer in New Plymouth. As I recall he sold AJS and adopted Suzuki from their first days here. The name continued up to recent years as a Suzuki BMW dealer although Johnnie left us long since.

There are probably pictures to be found of him racing or hill climbing a Cooper/JAP which he campaigned for many years.

Mountain Goats preceded farm bikes in this country and I guess they filled a need at the time. If you had one now it might almost be worth hanging on to...

[Motu]

I tried to think of some of my favorite bikes....but I kept comparing them to the Rickman Metisse.I hate to keep going back to 1975...but ever since I let the Rickman go I've been trying to find a more modern bike that has a fraction of the potential I only scratched.

I had watched Rickman's race at the scrambles I went to as a young teenager,and like the speedway bikes I also watched....I used to reckon one of those would be neat to ride on the street eh? One day at the Mangere Mountain scrambles I saw a red Rickman Metisse in the car park,with lights and plate.WOW!!! I'm gunna do that I said.I got close to getting one a couple of times,and then I scored.

It was a 1964 with a unit Triumph 500 engine,I'd seen this bike race before.The owner had fitted lights,and like all bikes back then,even competition ones,it had a plate.It was powered by an old 5TA engine,single carb and distributor - I told him I'd give him $200 less minus motor,he agreed so I came back a couple of days later and gave him $400 and put the rolling chassis into my Kombi.We will gloss over why I had a 1973 T100C engine in 1974,but such things happen.

I had a few hassles getting it all sorted out,and was staying on a farm in Taranaki when I got it running.I had ridden off road a fair amount before of course,but my first ride on the thing was like first love.....I....I...I didn't know I could do that! Into the first paddock and turn under the trees - full throttle,full lock sideways and in complete control on a 500cc motocrosser like I never was on a 175 Jap bike.I had rubbed the magic lamp,and a genie came out - the bike rode itself,I just sat on it and held onto the handlebars....and then it just did these fantastic full lock slides,went over jumps and down the paddock on it's rear wheel.Shit,I'd always wanted to be able to ride like that,and to have a magic genie in my bike that could make me look like a good rider was an answer to a prayer.

It was the bike that made me completely master gravel roads,I could ride them as fast as the bike could go in complete control,never ever thought the bike would put me wrong,and it never did.I guess I was adventure riding and motarding before they found names.Street legal motocross bike? There was nowhere I couldn't go.I used to cross it up just riding around town....sideways on seal was no big deal on this bike,it's just how I rode it.

I'm looking back with some badly distorted glasses at what must of been a mediocre bike and an inexperienced rider......but nah,I don't think so man.I'm still looking for a bike with a genie inside that will make me that good again....

<img src="http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/2662/scan0021fixedwv0.jpg">

[TLDV8]

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/1978CBX.jpg>

[piston broke]

cool lookin machine

[flame]

This one, loved the bike and the performance, though the paint job pissed me off in the end. Shoulda just kept it and painted him 'black'!

Though if Bostrom had of come with the bike I'd sure woulda kept it :shifty:

[Number One]

if Bostrom had of come with the bike I'd sure woulda kept it :shifty:

:yes: I concur and that was a shexxy machine...not that you have any uggers of course :rolleyes:

[Her_C4]

Though if Bostrom had of come with the bike I'd sure woulda kept it :shifty:

Hmmm oh yeah baby.....:jerry::eek:


not that you have any uggers of course :rolleyes:

Oooh I dunno - that yammy wasn't the prettiest :shit::laugh:

[flame]

Oooh I dunno - that yammy wasn't the prettiest :shit::laugh:

oh THAT yammy.....lol...it burst into 'flames'! while I was riding it! never dismounted so fast in my life!

[ntst8]

Bought 24 years ago and still going strong...most of the time :clap:
Other stable mates come and go but i'll be in a box before this one has a new owner.

[vifferman]

This thread makes me a bit sad.
I wouldn't want to see any of my bikes again - maybe it's because they were all well used or broken by the time I moved on to the next. :confused:
Or maybe it's because they were all ghey (had to get in before someone else said it).
Or maybe it's because I never had as much money to spend on each one as I would've liked. The VFR's come close - apart from getting the front end revalved and tidying up the paintwork, I've pretty much modded it as much as I've wanted to.
I'd really like to have another v-twin, but not the FahrtSturm - it was too ugly and too compromised, even with the mods that had been done.

[OutForADuck]

I think I've been in love with just about every bike I have ever owned.. they have all brought me joy, lots of stories and good friends. Not to mention the required amount of adrenaline :laugh:

But if I had to choose one I would choose the Triumph T595, Very first production run in '97, Bright Yellow (First run had a very deep bright paintwork). It was respectably fast if a little fat and stable if slow handler.


Guess the whole package just added up to more than the sum of its figures.... Loved the sound, the speed and the fact I could grind headers on the road when seriously in the mood...... Oohhh why did I sell it!!!!:stupid:

Clocked up over 40K MILES all over europe on it.

[chrisso]

My old Yammie 1973 YR5 350....before I ported it & made it unridable

[driftn]

1989 PEPSI RGV 250. Awesome little bike sold it cheap went for a holiday to england:doh: Got some nice expensive photos though.

Have had a couple of these and this one was a FREAK Only pic I have on the computer is one taken on my cell phone and it didnt have the proper tank on it as it had a bit of crap in the bottom at the time and kept sucking shit through the fuel line and dieing.

[buellbabe]

My CBX1000. I'll be buried with it. If the bank was knocking on the door and was about to foreclose, the bike wouldn't be sold. If the dog needed a life saving operation - pooch would understand. If the world was about to end, and handing the CBX across would save it, well, it would become a real dilemma...
:confused:

Nup, I'd keep the bike and ride it to hell. :2guns:

DITTO except that I would find a way to give the dog the life saving op as WELL as keep the bike.

But save the world?/keep the bike? sorry world...no contest...

My Buell X1 Lightning is the one for me...its a keeper ...

[woodboats]

Although it doesn't get as many mile put on as my Cruiser, the Royal Enfield Bullet 500 is still my favorite bike.
Riding something that gives you a taste of how biking once was is a lot of fun.
Although not a speed machine it is a very nice handling, pleasant bike to ride.

[vgcspares]

My Daytona 1050 - there's nothing like building your own (okay so this is more of a hybrid than a scratch-built job) and then playing your own tunes on the ignition & fuel mapping. Great sense of accomplishment when it all works - the only downside is the resale value, but hey I built it to keep not to sell.

[vifferman]

My Buell X1 Lightning is the one for me...its a keeper ...
What a gorgeous paintjob! :niceone:

[Max Headroom]

I had a look at a '75 BMW R90/6 for sale in Whangarei back in January 1986.

It was a dog.

It had been stripped in England, shipped to NZ and badly re-assembled. Some bits were missing, most were worn out and a few in the wrong places. And it kept saying to me "buy me, buy me....." so I did. I'm a sucker for lost causes.

I fixed up the worst bits immediately, and progressively worked my way through the other bits. I rode it for almost seven years as my daily commuter transport and used it for touring. Along the way it acquired the genuine R90S bodywork, and eventually didn't look too bad.

This bike really got under my skin. It wasn't fast, but it covered distances effortlessly. It wasn't the best handling, but it was predictable and sure-footed. It was great with a pillion, and easy to mount luggage. It also proved to be very reliable and straightforward to maintain once the previous owner's bodging efforts had been overcome. It wasn't brilliant at anything in particular, but it was good at most things. I came to appreciate the German logic behind the design more and more.

Then the engine started making terminal noises after a trip to Hastings late in 1992, and I couldn't afford to fix it due to the birth of our second child and dropping to single income. I parked it in a corner of the shed and put a cover over it, waiting for the day when time and money would coincide...

Five years later, I dragged it out and started the process of restoring it. As I could afford it I'd send an order to suppliers in the UK, Germany and the USA accumulating the bits I'd need to finish it off.

In the meantime, my wife had bought two BMW airheads, so we shared them while my bike was off the road.

Then about five years ago, a genuine R90S became available in west Auckland. (For non-BMW folk, the R90S is the Holy Grail for airhead enthusiasts!) Owned by a current member of Kiwibiker for many years, it was already in bits and in need of full restoration. Most of the stuff I'd already bought for my bike could be used on the R90S, so I bought it and put in the shed along with everything else. Then about three years ago, my beautiful wife said, "it's time. Get your bike finished." So I was given the opportunity to spend most nights and weekends in the shed to put the bike together. The result is an amalgamation of the R90S frame and crankcase, bits of my original R90/6, a whole heap of new parts, plus various bits taken from my ever-growing stock of second-hand BMW parts....

Six months later, on 1st June 2006, it passed its VIN inspection and has clocked up almost 11,000km since. It's my only bike, so I use it occasionally for work, it gets ridden in the rain, it gets *ridden*. It's no garage queen!

Meanwhile, my son and daughter are already arguing over who will inherit it, and my wife has forbidden me from selling it....

(for those interested, pictures under my profile)

[Blackbird]

The other bike I have some affection for is the Honda GB400TT which got me back into bikes in 1987. I'd driven to Barry's Pt Road in Auckland to pick up a yacht sail and spotted this beauty in the window of the Honda shop. I just HAD to have it. Mrs B was not well pleased and retaliated by buying a piano at nearly twice the cost of the GB. All's well that ends well....:laugh:

[Kiwi Graham]

Has to be a ZXR750R-M. :love:
I used to work for Phase One Endurance and was part of the team that built the qualifying bikes. Over the years with Kawasaki the team collected a mass of new parts. For a small price I was able to build a bike out of the parts and Russel Benny built me a blue printed engine. This baby kicked out 138hp a fookin amazing amount of power back then. It would blow away litre bikes with ease and the handeling was sooooo sweet. I guess its the one bike that I really conected with, built with my own two hands (except for the finer points with the motor). A high compression ratio and living life at the red line took its toll and she got traded for an RC45..........another story.

[The Pastor]

cbr250 mc22.

my 3rd bike, but i really class it as my first bike - one that works

[Brian d marge]

Although it doesn't get as many mile put on as my Cruiser, the Royal Enfield Bullet 500 is still my favorite bike.
Riding something that gives you a taste of how biking once was is a lot of fun.
Although not a speed machine it is a very nice handling, pleasant bike to ride.

Isnt it !!!! I race Em!

Stephen

[Clivoris]

Aaah. Memories of glory days. As a 7th former at highschool in the 80's I did some deals and became the proud owner of a Honda XR 500a. No doubt my memories of this bike were greatly enhanced by raging hormones but it was a beast. Power-slides and wheelstands that lasted for days. Racing a mate on his RD 350 LC around country roads, and hooting with the closeness of it all. Being followed home by the popo after school to be complemented on my wheelstand control. At last I was one of those guys.
Broke my heart when it was stolen. Have often thought of getting another but don't want to be a catcher in the rye.
No pictures more's the shame.

[pzkpfw]

About 1990 bought an RD350LC (so there!) that was really a 250 that'd had the barrels and pistons changed.

Not the oil pump, so it was a pre-mix. All the oil pipes had been gooped shut. Used to ride around with a bottle of Castol Super TT in my pocket. (Also still had the single disk front.)

Bought it off a mate in Johnsonville, and with no more experience of riding than brief hooning around the farmland behind J'ville (start of the old coach road) on a Superdork (CB250RS), and some emergency braking practice at that park past Titahi bay, rode it back to Palmy (North).

It had been painted the colour of roadside bushes as "camoflage" but I repainted it Blue. Rode it for half a year or more with no licence (for me or the bike) no WOF most of the time and never ever got stopped. Chatted to a forecourt guy about the pre-mix situation once and forgot to pay for the gas. Spent the next half day hoping like hell the police were not out looking for me. Went back and paid, the guy wondered why I'd bothered.

Something I learned at University: Kick starting and warming up a two stroke at midnight doesn't make flatmates happy.

Did some reasonablish trips on it (Mt Ruapehu and back, via Wanganui), (round the Tararuas). Took my girlfriend for a ride on it and binned twice on the same gravel road. (A story of its' own). Rode it to my sisters place with bent handlebars. (About 45 degrees out).

Rode around in a canvas Nato army jacket, with a peace (CND) sign screen printed on the back, and two pairs of jeans until a mate broke a car in half with his GSX750. Then I bought all leather.

The chain kept coming loose and one week I got lazy about retightening. Going slow round a corner in town the chain slipped off the back sprocket and when I tried to accelerate away it whizzed round and knocked a bit of the case off. It dropped all of its' gearbox oil on the road. I got it welded up but after that it always dripped a bit.

I took the engine out for the welding (dumb idea) and never quite got the seal of the pipes right. After riding a while (when it got warm) all power would go away. I thought it was the carbs and stripped and cleaned them. Much later I learned that the 350 and 250 pipes were different in regards the the fitting into the barrels - and I think the bike probably still had the 250 pipes. (If you were a young workshop/parts guy in the Palmy Yamaha dealer in 1990, I apologise for being such a jerk).


For all that, it was a comfortable and easy to ride bike that never let me down in a way that wasn't my own stupid fault. Loved riding it, and sold only because I went overseas.


When I came back (3 years later) I found it in a bike shop in Palmy - someone had even fitted an oil pump. They wanted too much for it (and I was really really poor; had married that girl, and we had our first kid by then) so only drooled over it for a while.


No pictures, because everyone says I look like a girl in my 1990's bike photos. (When I bought my helmet, the guy said I'd have to buy another if I got a hair-cut). And you all know what an Elsie looks like.


[This time around (no bike from 1990 to 2005) I went the legal way, set an example for my kids. Did learners on an NZ250. Have to say I remember the RD being "easier" to ride than my current Z.]


I'd buy another, if the right one came along, at the right time. Though in a moment of clarity gave my RD250/350LC Haynes manual to the man formerly known as JIM2.


They say you always remember your first, and yes, it was a two stroke.

[puddy]

My GSXR1100L. I bought it with 8000kms on the clock. I did 5 GCs and the GC-and-a-half on it. It never broke down on me. I never crashed it, although I did hit a dog on it during the '98 GC. Had it for about 8 or 9 years. Loved that bike! I hate having my photo taken!

[Conquiztador]

I was looking for something and found this one from the past. Flame me as much as you like. I don't care. Loved reading the postings again.

And as it is a few years ago...perhaps some of the new members have a story to tell...

[Tigadee]

I believe the FZX and I will be inseparable...

[ducatilover]

My favourite. Some heap 272269

[@ndy]

Aprilia RS 50cc CHESTERFIELD.

272273

Yes a 50cc... first bike, first "almost' knee to the ground, best bike. Top speed of 110kpa. Having this when I was 15 (thank you Italian laws :lol:) felt like Max Biaggi every day haha (and girls loved it).

One day i'll buy another one and put it in my lounge.

[unstuck]

Wish I would of kept my 1969 suzuki T500 titan. Had some good times on that fucker.:headbang:

[BMWST?]

http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/classic_bikes/honda_cbx1000z.jpg

me mate had one...made my cb900 although the 900 was a better bike allround ,seem like an imitation of a bike

[roogazza]

Not this one but mine was the same model. One of my favorites and I've had 50 bikes.



272278

[blackdog]

I would still quite like this one back in the collection.

Freaking animal of a machine, but I could foresee alot of enforced walking if I kept on my wicked ways with it at the time.

[sugilite]

I missed this thread the 1st time around.
Here is mine....
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~sugilite/jpg/rz500.jpg

At the time I had 3 bikes, a RG250, RM125 and a ATC200X. The 1st time I scrapped my boot while riding the RG250, I got ideas of becoming a Eddie Lawson, so decided to go all in on a fast road bike. There were only 20 RZ500's in the country at the time. It had the most character of any bike I've ever owned.
I saw it in the window at Wellington Motorcycles. It was lust at first sight!
I'd only just finished reading the day before how it won the Aussie six hour.
Bob Toomey was the sales man and he did not seem to keen to get it down out of the window for a 17 year old. I showed them the color of my money and it was done.
By 2nd gear, I knew I was buying the bike! :2thumbsup

[Conquiztador]

I missed this thread the 1st time around.
Here is mine....


At the time I had 3 bikes, a RG250, RM125 and a ATC200X. The 1st time I scrapped my boot while riding the RG250, I got ideas of becoming a Eddie Lawson, so decided to go all in on a fast road bike. There were only 20 RZ500's in the country at the time. It had the most character of any bike I've ever owned.
I saw it in the window at Wellington Motorcycles. It was lust at first sight!
I'd only just finished reading the day before how it won the Aussie six hour.
Bob Toomey was the sales man and he did not seem to keen to get it down out of the window for a 17 year old. I showed them the color of my money and it was done.
By 2nd gear, I knew I was buying the bike! :2thumbsup

The sad bit is missing... where and why did she have to go?

[sugilite]

Oh yeah, that part :cry:
I sold it to a university student so I could buy a race bike. I never heard or saw anything of it again.
It's funny, in bike mags like Practical Sports Bikes, the most common reason for people buying older bikes is because now they can afford to buy them now. The way things have gone with RZ500's I can't bloody afford one now lol
I intend to one day own both a RG500 and a RZ500. :cool:

[Drew]

This is a tough question, it's a dead heat between two of my bikes.

[allycatz]

Hey Drew this is the bike in daylight you were jumping over?

[Drew]

Hey Drew this is the bike in daylight you were jumping over?Jake will be so proud!

[Corse1]

I only had this for 6-8 months and crashed it. It was the only bike so far that if I had to sell one of my bikes would have knocked the ST4s of the Keeper perch. Only 5 came into the country of only about 250 ever made to homologate for Italian racing series. I had it custom chipped and it went very very well. The seating position was perfect for my frame and offered more exciting performance than the later model Tuono that I replaced this with. The only thing bad was it was a bitch to clean the white wheels. The St4s I have had since it was 700kms old and does everything very well.
I do have fond memories of a CB 900 boldor that was my only mode of transport about 23 years ago:cool:

[Blackbird]

Mine is the bike that got me back into motorcycling in 1987.

I was into competitive sailing at that time and had gone to Auckland to pick up a new sail. Next door was a Honda dealer and there was a new GB400TT on a stand in the window with spotlights on it. Looked a million dollars in rare metallic midnight blue. The colour and "British" look reminded me of the Tiger 100 which was my only form of transport as a student in the UK. I just had to have it! :love: A deposit was duly deposited, having already figured that it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission from my wife :eek5:

Got home and the sh*t hit the fan. After a few days of long silences, she announced that she'd always wanted a piano. She chose one which was almost exactly twice the cost of the GB 400, so overall, it was a bloody expensive bike, but not something to be regretted :rolleyes:

Had it in its standard form for a couple of years, then saw an advert for a Hamilton company making aftermarket full fairings. The one for a GB400 was modelled on an RZ350 fairing. I had it sprayed to match and signwritten by a guy in Cambridge and it looked a bit like the fully-faired British bikes of the 60's - original Thruxton Bonnevilles, Manx Nortons and so on; especially with the single race seat I put on after a while. Performance was around 160 km/hr flat out but the handling was great. Most importantly, I was back on a bike for the first time in over 10 years. When I moved on to a BMW K100 RS, our eldest son took it over for a year and we then sold it to a chap in Hawera. I often think of it and wonder if anyone has ever seen it on the road in recent times?

[cheshirecat]

1974 MV Augusta. We visited a mates place whose Dad collected Honda 50's, he had 31 of them and he led us past them all to a garden shed and wheeled out the MV. Further in side was a Honda 250 IOM factory racer. Anyway he started this MV up and it sounded like the worlds most sophisticated gravel crusher with all those straight cut gears an all. Then it fired up and the exhaust from the 4 open pipes pinned my trousers back and engine noise made the hairs in my spine tingle. Never got to ride it but it haunts to this day.

Got a 94 VFR now and have no intention of changing it. Best I've ever owned.

[joan of arc]

Great stories!

The Duc has attitude but she is not one. Still waiting to find the love of my life.

[Conquiztador]

Got home and the sh*t hit the fan. After a few days of long silences, she announced that she'd always wanted a piano. She chose one which was almost exactly twice the cost of the GB 400, so overall, it was a bloody expensive bike, but not something to be regretted :rolleyes:



What I REALLY want to know is did your wife ever learn tp play that piano? Or is it sitting there taking place and gathering dust?

[Conquiztador]

1974 MV Augusta. We visited a mates place whose Dad collected Honda 50's, he had 31 of them and he led us past them all to a garden shed and wheeled out the MV. Further in side was a Honda 250 IOM factory racer. Anyway he started this MV up and it sounded like the worlds most sophisticated gravel crusher with all those straight cut gears an all. Then it fired up and the exhaust from the 4 open pipes pinned my trousers back and engine noise made the hairs in my spine tingle. Never got to ride it but it haunts to this day.

Got a 94 VFR now and have no intention of changing it. Best I've ever owned.

31 Honda 50's... One can only wonder what mental illness would make you gather so many??? It makes 1,550cc...

[cheshirecat]

31 Honda 50's... One can only wonder what mental illness would make you gather so many??? It makes 1,550cc...
He was an accountant and apparently didn't think Honda would continue making them when he started.

[Blackbird]

What I REALLY want to know is did your wife ever learn tp play that piano? Or is it sitting there taking place and gathering dust?

She didn't need to learn, just shake a bit of rust off. She used to play in competitions when she was at school. She just plays classical music but our daughter plays all sorts, including mean blues. Mind you, it only gets used occasionally these days and does gather dust :rolleyes:

[DEATH_INC.]

There's a few, but I'll probably own the Turbo 'till I die, or thereabouts. Though it'll probably be it that kills me :crazy:

[mossy1200]

BMWR1200S

Was a nice ride.

[Metal Doctor]

Mine would have to be the very first bike i had. i was 6 years old when my dad got me a 1982 CR80, i couldnt touch the ground and had to use an old milk crate to get on it!

would love to have that bike back again! never seen one since, and cant find one anywhere!

[Conquiztador]

Mine would have to be the very first bike i had. i was 6 years old when my dad got me a 1982 CR80, i couldnt touch the ground and had to use an old milk crate to get on it!

would love to have that bike back again! never seen one since, and cant find one anywhere!

For $500 you can have a 84 model... <o:p>http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/dirt-bikes/auction-525600589.htm

</o:p>

[GrayWolf]

Certainly in no way was it EVER the best bike I have owned, nor the fastest. It drank petrol like a rugby team getting a 'free' visit at the Speight's brewery. The frame came with a certificate from 'bendy toy'. Us old buggers know what they were! The brakes (drum) were marginal, forks flexed like a bastard as all bikes of that era did, tyres were only slightly wider than push bike tyres. it wanted to run away from corners, proved easily by hitting the powerband exiting said corner, the power delivery was like a knife blade, narrow and sharp, it came on like a light switch... imagine riding an R1 on 2 cylinders, hitting the revs where max power is delivered in 1st or 2nd, then a switch instantly turns on the other 2 cylinders... that's what an original 'Mach 3' or the H1a was like to ride. By todays standards, ho hum, where's the power, but for those days? a 60+hp 500 was astronomical power,,, remember the RG500 only produces 85 bhp, designed almost 25 yrs later.
It burnt out middle cylinder spark plugs at an alarming rate, often in the middle of overtaking, the middle pot would cut out, Kawasaki had a plastic 'box' and a bracket under the seat to hold 3 spare plugs... I shit you not,, all Kwaka triples had this.

BUT Favourite?? Oh hell yes,...... on 'power' there is NOTHING like that Kwacka triple moan, it was scary, it had a reputation as the Widowmaker, and certainly out of all the triples? H1's were the most difficult to ride! A change of undies was almost prerequisite when you went for a ride on the twisties.. but the thrill it gave to ride 'fast' and the 'control' you needed to tame the beast, to slip the clutch from the lights and see the voluminous cloud of smoke covering the bikes left behind you, to hear the rattle of the cylinders, the rasp, then the howling moan as the power band came in?? Only those who have owned or ridden a triple in 'anger' would understand, faster or not, no other 2T comes close to them.
I would'nt OWN another, but its the ONE bike that I never forget the impression owning it made on my riding enjoyment.

[Magnum Noel]

Yep I'll concur with that. I remember getting into a tank slapper going down Ngauranga Gorge one day on mine. VERY memorable indeed.

Certainly in no way was it EVER the best bike I have owned, nor the fastest. It drank petrol like a rugby team getting a 'free' visit at the Speight's brewery. The frame came with a certificate from 'bendy toy'. Us old buggers know what they were! The brakes (drum) were marginal, forks flexed like a bastard as all bikes of that era did, tyres were only slightly wider than push bike tyres. it wanted to run away from corners, proved easily by hitting the powerband exiting said corner, the power delivery was like a knife blade, narrow and sharp, it came on like a light switch... imagine riding an R1 on 2 cylinders, hitting the revs where max power is delivered in 1st or 2nd, then a switch instantly turns on the other 2 cylinders... that's what an original 'Mach 3' or the H1a was like to ride. By todays standards, ho hum, where's the power, but for those days? a 60+hp 500 was astronomical power,,, remember the RG500 only produces 85 bhp, designed almost 25 yrs later.
It burnt out middle cylinder spark plugs at an alarming rate, often in the middle of overtaking, the middle pot would cut out, Kawasaki had a plastic 'box' and a bracket under the seat to hold 3 spare plugs... I shit you not,, all Kwaka triples had this.

BUT Favourite?? Oh hell yes,...... on 'power' there is NOTHING like that Kwacka triple moan, it was scary, it had a reputation as the Widowmaker, and certainly out of all the triples? H1's were the most difficult to ride! A change of undies was almost prerequisite when you went for a ride on the twisties.. but the thrill it gave to ride 'fast' and the 'control' you needed to tame the beast, to slip the clutch from the lights and see the voluminous cloud of smoke covering the bikes left behind you, to hear the rattle of the cylinders, the rasp, then the howling moan as the power band came in?? Only those who have owned or ridden a triple in 'anger' would understand, faster or not, no other 2T comes close to them.
I would'nt OWN another, but its the ONE bike that I never forget the impression owning it made on my riding enjoyment.

[banditrider]

I've got this problem in that I pretty much like every bike I get to ride and all of the bikes I've owned (http://banditrider.weebly.com/the-garage.html) have been favourites at some time or other...

I really enjoyed my time on Bandits and the RF was a real cracker. The VTR was also a lot of fun.

But I think the Connie definitely is my all time favourite and after 5 years and 87,000km I still can't see myself parting with it. I have a lot of fun on the DL but 5 minutes into a ride on the Connie it amazes me as to just how good it is at what it does. Super smooth, more power than I need, fabulous brakes and great handling for a 280kg "tourer".

Spent a bit on farkles too: Oxford grips, sheepskin, Givi V46 mounted on a custom rack, Rad guard, fender extender, hugger, helmet locks, bigger screen, GPS and mount, PCIII, +100 bulbs, Stebel. All this stuff helps to make the bike mine!

272346272347272348272349

[Paul in NZ]

Ok.. I'll have a go at this one largely by reposting what I've already written....

I sold a Rickman Metisse' to buy Vickis engagement ring - a bike that was always going to increase in value. At the time the Rickman was in big bits with the rolling chassis restored and awaiting the engine rebuild so it was (relatively) not worth much but was always going to be super collectable and I knew I would never ever find or afford another one. However, we were broke and in love. Its still the best deal I ever made...

It didn't take long to get a return either.. We had years of having kids and renovating old houses and stuff that consumed all our spare money and I was reduced to a $75 Suzuki TS250 for a while. Then one day the house was basically completed, painted and looked great. All it needed was carpet and the $$ for that was in the bank product of a years overtime. While we were hauling literally the last load of crap to the dump we went past Bland Brothers. Out front Alan had a 1970 Triumph TR6C and a 1970 T120R for sale outside. I told Vicki, 'after we buy the carpet for the house, I want a bike like that one' pointing at the TR6C. (the bonnie was a better buy and now prob worth more but again - I was in love).

After the dumping was done Vicki jumped into the driving seat which was something she rarely did with a trailer attached. She stopped outside the shop and told me to go in and have a look at the bike and find out how much it cost. Turns out it was just about exactly the amount we had saved for carpet. "Buy it she said. I can wait for carpet a bit longer and you have waited long enough.." I spluttered and resisted but I don't think I ever loved her more for that!!!

I'll tell you! I worked my arse off to save the money for that carpet and it was down within 6 months.

140,000 miles, 2 major rebuilds and 2 minor ones later I still have that bike and I hope I will never have to sell it. I still love my wife and I still just go out to the garage and sit and look at that bike and think about that day. Shit we have had some epic fun on it.... We have competed (lightly) on it, ridden it to work, been to rallies, bike shows and ridden it just for the heck of it, made friends and loved life.

[BuzzardNZ]

The other bike I have some affection for is the Honda GB400TT which got me back into bikes in 1987. I'd driven to Barry's Pt Road in Auckland to pick up a yacht sail and spotted this beauty in the window of the Honda shop. I just HAD to have it. Mrs B was not well pleased and retaliated by buying a piano at nearly twice the cost of the GB. All's well that ends well....:laugh:

+1, actually +3, that's how many GB's I've owned.

However my fav bike was my old Suzuki GSX400X Impulse. Some say it had looks only a mother could love, but at the time ( 1987 ) , it was a bloody quick bike and one I'll never forget.

[banditrider]

However my fav bike was my old Suzuki GSX400X Impulse. Some say it had looks only a mother could love, but at the time ( 1987 ) , it was a bloody quick bike and one I'll never forget.

Forgot to mention my Impulse - that was a great little bike too!

[Magnum Noel]

Ok.. I'll have a go at this one largely by reposting what I've already written....

I sold a Rickman Metisse' to buy Vickis engagement ring - a bike that was always going to increase in value. At the time the Rickman was in big bits with the rolling chassis restored and awaiting the engine rebuild so it was (relatively) not worth much but was always going to be super collectable and I knew I would never ever find or afford another one. However, we were broke and in love. Its still the best deal I ever made...

It didn't take long to get a return either.. We had years of having kids and renovating old houses and stuff that consumed all our spare money and I was reduced to a $75 Suzuki TS250 for a while. Then one day the house was basically completed, painted and looked great. All it needed was carpet and the $$ for that was in the bank product of a years overtime. While we were hauling literally the last load of crap to the dump we went past Bland Brothers. Out front Alan had a 1970 Triumph TR6C and a 1970 T120R for sale outside. I told Vicki, 'after we buy the carpet for the house, I want a bike like that one' pointing at the TR6C. (the bonnie was a better buy and now prob worth more but again - I was in love).

After the dumping was done Vicki jumped into the driving seat which was something she rarely did with a trailer attached. She stopped outside the shop and told me to go in and have a look at the bike and find out how much it cost. Turns out it was just about exactly the amount we had saved for carpet. "Buy it she said. I can wait for carpet a bit longer and you have waited long enough.." I spluttered and resisted but I don't think I ever loved her more for that!!!

I'll tell you! I worked my arse off to save the money for that carpet and it was down within 6 months.

140,000 miles, 2 major rebuilds and 2 minor ones later I still have that bike and I hope I will never have to sell it. I still love my wife and I still just go out to the garage and sit and look at that bike and think about that day. Shit we have had some epic fun on it.... We have competed (lightly) on it, ridden it to work, been to rallies, bike shows and ridden it just for the heck of it, made friends and loved life.

Can,t see the screen properly Ya brought tears to me eyes.:weep:

[Banditbandit]

Hmm .. the first bike I ever owned, which will always have a place in my heart .. I rebuilt it to this ...

http://www.ulysses.org.nz/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=7&pictureid=33

However - they are crap to ride in real terms (fun classic - crap to ride for real) so I think the best bike I have ever ridden and probably ever wil ride is my 1250 Bandit ... wen I'm sick of it I'm likely to be old enough for a cruiser ...

[slofox]

Current is the best so far - in terms of the kind of performance it can produce. Pity I didn't have one of these when I was racing all those years ago. I might have learned to ride more properer..

Benelli 250 Supersport is another favourite. Pity about the Italian ignition system...:whistle:


There are more bikes I'd like to ride than I have years left to live, dammit. How the fuck do they expect a man to keep up..? Slow down productionIsayfuckingsnortroarantraveoink bzzztzzt!

[Drew]

1250 Bandit ... wen I'm sick of it I'm likely to be old enough for a cruiser ...:shit:They're not called cruisers?

Who knew?:scratch:

[Banditbandit]

:shit:They're not called cruisers?



Bwhahahaha ... :finger: ... Some might call them cruisers - it depends how you ride them ...

[ellipsis]

...i still get pissed off now when i recall getting rid of my first bike, a 1971 T250 Hustler with the up-swept pipes...i dont think i knew what i was doing at the time, (it was 1974, of course i didn't know what i was doing)...it hurt me big-time,(the bike), and i had just about rebuilt it twice and that coupled with the fact that i got shit for riding a jap bike from some influential, (wankers), people in my life...if only i had known what it was that i owned at the time...had dozens of bikes since then but none get the 'why did i do it', retrospective kickings i give myself, like the T250 does...

[rastuscat]

1982 Kawasaki GPz550H3.

Real cool bike. So cool some bastard stole it.

[rastuscat]

272477

Sorry, pic added.

[Tigadee]

So cool some bastard stole it.

:eek5: Even popos get hit?

[Grubber]

Certainly in no way was it EVER the best bike I have owned, nor the fastest. It drank petrol like a rugby team getting a 'free' visit at the Speight's brewery. The frame came with a certificate from 'bendy toy'. Us old buggers know what they were! The brakes (drum) were marginal, forks flexed like a bastard as all bikes of that era did, tyres were only slightly wider than push bike tyres. it wanted to run away from corners, proved easily by hitting the powerband exiting said corner, the power delivery was like a knife blade, narrow and sharp, it came on like a light switch... imagine riding an R1 on 2 cylinders, hitting the revs where max power is delivered in 1st or 2nd, then a switch instantly turns on the other 2 cylinders... that's what an original 'Mach 3' or the H1a was like to ride. By todays standards, ho hum, where's the power, but for those days? a 60+hp 500 was astronomical power,,, remember the RG500 only produces 85 bhp, designed almost 25 yrs later.
It burnt out middle cylinder spark plugs at an alarming rate, often in the middle of overtaking, the middle pot would cut out, Kawasaki had a plastic 'box' and a bracket under the seat to hold 3 spare plugs... I shit you not,, all Kwaka triples had this.

BUT Favourite?? Oh hell yes,...... on 'power' there is NOTHING like that Kwacka triple moan, it was scary, it had a reputation as the Widowmaker, and certainly out of all the triples? H1's were the most difficult to ride! A change of undies was almost prerequisite when you went for a ride on the twisties.. but the thrill it gave to ride 'fast' and the 'control' you needed to tame the beast, to slip the clutch from the lights and see the voluminous cloud of smoke covering the bikes left behind you, to hear the rattle of the cylinders, the rasp, then the howling moan as the power band came in?? Only those who have owned or ridden a triple in 'anger' would understand, faster or not, no other 2T comes close to them.
I would'nt OWN another, but its the ONE bike that I never forget the impression owning it made on my riding enjoyment.

Amen!!
Had one of those and they were the rocket of the 70's. Hell of thing to keep under control though.
My favourite is my Daytona 955i that i have in my shed.
Still love the triple sound each time i ride it.

[celtickiwi]

rg500 gamma. always came home giggling after riding that thing!