Show us your bikes past and present....

[Moabite]

First new bike I ever owned, 1971 Yamaha RT360. One of several I wish I had back.

Kawasaki 650W1. Sexy as all get out, but a beeyotch to start and the brakes were more of a concept than a reality.

1974 TX650A, straddled by a 1974 Downeaster. Kept that bike longer than I've ever kept any bike and probably should've never let it go.

198? Honda XL500. Put some serious miles on that bike in the piney woods of Northwest Florida while stationed in Pensacola. Got snookered into swapping it for a 1978 nekkid Goldwing. Had a bad alternator on it, easier to sell than to fix, but was a great cruiser as long as you kept the battery topped up.

1979 Special, the bike I bought to relive my yoof. Kept it quite a while too, but the new bike urge bit me, so...

My current ride is a 2016 Yamaha FJ09. 115 HP. Fuel Injection. ABS. Traction Control. Real brakes. Real suspension. 115 HP. Horry Sheet!

That looks super nice...the 2016 FJ09...great other fun bikes too

 

[Downeaster]

That looks super nice...the 2016 FJ09...

Most fun I've ever had with my clothes on.

 

[GLJ]

Most fun I've ever had with my clothes on.

This had to be a close second. You were even catching air.

 

[Downeaster]

That bike got me into dirt bikes in a fairly big way.

Had a Yamaha SC500 for a while:

Scary bike. Didn't turn worth a damn but was a ROCKET in a straight line!

 

[Jim]

Before smartphones, I'd go years and never see a camera so I ain't got much..
A 60something 305 Superhawk. Drove it home as it sits. Fixed it up and was a daily driver for a while.

First brand new bike I ever bought. A 72 R5C... the RD350's daddy.

R5C somewhere in the N Mex./Arizona desert....

78 (I think) 650 Special. Florida around 1980.

Changing the tire on the R5.... beer was mandatory

I've owned dozens of bikes. Other that the current SG, these are all the pics I have.

 

[Mailman]

Had a Yamaha SC500 for a while:

That was a bike you just didn’t see a lot of, unless you raced open class. Cool bike!

Other that the current SG, these are all the pics I have.

Yeah, I know what you mean. It used to be such a chore to take photos. I never took photos. A lot of lost history.

 

[geedubya]

I had a R100/7 , which I loved. But I’ve always wanted a “toaster”. Nice bike!

G'day B-O-B,

Toaster??

Because of the tank perhaps???

GeeDub

 

[geedubya]

Before smartphones, I'd go years and never see a camera so I ain't got much..
A 60something 305 Superhawk. Drove it home as it sits. Fixed it up and was a daily driver for a while.

View attachment 153058

First brand new bike I ever bought. A 72 R5C... the RD350's daddy.

View attachment 153059

R5C somewhere in the N Mex./Arizona desert....

View attachment 153060

78 (I think) 650 Special. Florida around 1980.

View attachment 153061

Changing the tire on the R5.... beer was mandatory

View attachment 153062

I've owned dozens of bikes. Other that the current SG, these are all the pics I have.

G'day Jim from Gondwanaland,

Is that Honda 305 also known as the Honda Dream??

GeeDub

 

[geedubya]

View attachment 147217 Ya, wasn’t mine

Insane.............however I like it.

GeeDub

 

[beano]

Here's my first, way back as a 16 year old in 2003, a Honda NSR-80:

Doubt many of ye in the US would have seen one of these!! 75cc two stroke, the clocks went to 120km/h and you could get her to 130km/h (80mph) down a hill.......with a tailwind.

Next up a year later was its (slightly) bigger brother a NSR-125:

Again two stroke, 125cc engine with a powervalve. I loved the evil foxeye headlights on this, and capable of an indicated 170 km/h (105mph). This was the biggest bike you could get if you were under 18 on the restricted licences we have here in Europe

That same year I turned 18 so could finally get a bike bigger than 125cc, but insurance costs limited choices. I settled for a grey import, Japanese domestic model 4 cylinder 250cc screamer, a Yamaha FZR-250:

This bike tested my patience, back then the internet was'nt as wonderful as it is now, technical documentation was unobtainable, and so were spare parts. Mikuni BDST carbs that had to be set up for a range of between 0 and 18,500RPM didnt help matters. Being as mechanically adept as an 18 year old didnt help either, so it languished in the back of the shed for a decade until i finally restored her back to glory in 2017.

After the chronicles with the FZR i decided that new was the only way to go, so as a fresh faced 19 year old I somehow managed to obtained a loan from my local credit union and went shopping, the result my first and only ever brand new machine, a Suzuki GSXR-600:

I loved that bike, went everywhere on it, put up more mileage in those two years of ownership than I have done in the 11 years since!! such is life, university, projects etc.

After selling the GSXR I picked up a real nice Yamaha R1, which I still have to this day.

This thing was a revelation, the power was something immense. I'm older and wiser now, and completely stepped off the sportbike bandwagon. I enjoy classic machines and fettling almost more than riding I'm ashamed to say it, but I do have big plans for biking in 2020 once I get finally get school out of the way and get this degree done and dusted.

 

[azman857]

G'day Jim from Gondwanaland,

Is that Honda 305 also known as the Honda Dream??

GeeDub

The single carbed C 77 pressed steel frame was the Dream model.

 

[Mailman]

G'day B-O-B,

Toaster??

Because of the tank perhaps???

GeeDub

Sorry I missed this earlier GW, Yes the early 70’s BMW’s had smaller gas tanks with chrome side panels , and were commonly referred to as “ toaster tanks”. At the time of production the look wasn’t received well, but is now considered classic and desirable.

 

[firedome]

Had a '71 Toaster tank in blue, bought used, very briefly, just like the one pictured above.
Came after the Harley and before the Trident (below). Nice tourer, but not a sporting ride. Rode it a few times and sold it, just not me (at the time, but probably now! LOL)

I do have actual photos of all the bikes below. but some are in albums I'll have to try to scan:

'68 b100p aka "bloop" Suz 120cc I got in '69 that was my only transport for a year (yes I was nuts). I thrashed the hell out of the poor thing.

'71 Suzi T-350J (pic 1). A real screamer, beat my friend's RD5, a GT380, a Kawa 400, and a Trumpet Daytona... in the mid-cc class only the Kawa Avenger A7 could take it, just barely. T-350s are kinda rare-ish now.

'58 DuoGlide dresser. Mistake! Got rid of 'cause shite to ride, slow and clumsy. (Pic 2, dresser version).
Great looking chick magnet (important when you're 24! and no, not her that's pictured, mine (now wife) was much younger & better looking LOL) but it was a horrible bike to actually ride fast.

'73 Trident bought new in '74. (like the one pictured, the actual pic I have was taken in my kitchen 'cause we couldn't afford a shed after buying our new house that year... and no way it's going sit outside LOL. The last competitive 4-stroke road racer (along with Rocket 3 BSA) before the 2 strokes took over. Ridden by Gary Nixon (have his autograph, we lived in Baltimore and he hung out at Boutwell's Triumph), Dick Mann, Gene Romero, and Mike "the bike" Hailwood. Totally awesome machine, really fast for the time, and a great handler. When in the market I also test rode a Ducati GT750. The Trumpet handed as well, was faster, and 400$ cheaper. The Honda 750 was fast but a pig. The T-15O was a beautiful and awesome machine that I should have kept.. but then the kids came.

No known pics of my RD350 and T-100 Daytona. Had the latter at the same time as the Trident, the T-100 was beautiful like all Triumphs, a great handler but also a real vibrator and not overly quick. I was such a Triumph nut that I visited the factory in Coventry and the "Mighty South London" branch of the TOMC, of which I was a member in the mid '70s. Great memories!

Will try to scan the old photographs (does anyone even take those anymore?)
Roger in NY

.

 

[Mailman]

Hey Firedome! You’ve had some really great machines and an interesting past! Boy I would’ve loved to meet Gary Nixon, one of my boyhood hero’s for sure!

 

[firedome]

He was very cool, unassuming and totally down to earth. He had a catalog of aftermarket stuff on display there at Boutwell's Cycle (York Rd in Cockeysville, about 10 mi N of Baltimore. They were a long time dealer, he prepped his bikes there. IIRC he lived in Cockeysville too, kinda country back then). I grabbed one and he signed it on the cover. When I can figure out how to fix my camera I'll post a pic of it. He was just hanging around there between races, it was his hangout and I think he had recently broken some of his bones, which he did a lot. I grew up in Towson MD, which was where Triumph/BSA East HQ was, and why he located (and eventually died) there.

Around 1971 I recall walking into the Triumph East lobby, at the front of their large modern warehouse and distribution center once. I had no appointment, just wanted to see the bikes featured in the lobby. Can't remember exactly what now, I think several TR/BSA big singles and the last version Rocket 3. Boy I'd love one of the latter (the last US version with the pretty chrome-y tank) now, much rarer than a Trident. I'd also been waiting and hoping to see the stillborn ultra-modern TR/BSA 350 dohc twins that were featured in their catalog but they never made it in the midst of all the financial troubles. I would have definitely bought one and was hugely disappointed when they never materialized. I understand there are still a couple of them somewhere.

The whole reason I finally ended up such a XS-650 fan (black/gold '75 and dark blue '77, can't find pics, not sure I took any!) by the end of my early (pre-kids) riding "career" was because they were essentially a better Triumph. I was crazy enough about TRs to arrange a trip to England around visits to factory and a club chapter, and also visited a tiny dealer and snagged some unobtanium in US parts. I still have a few mementos, including the S London monthly magazines ("Nacelle"), and a pic of the prototype (purple and silver!) of the future Bonnie Special with disc brakes and cast wheels that was introduced several years later, given to me by the factory's Managing Director. He personally gave us the tour and then took us to tea in the village. The factory was experiencing one of their periodic strikes and the line was shut down, so he had the time! It was v cool to see new partly assembled machines waiting to be finished, but seeing active work would have been cooler! He also asked for opinions on styling and the US market in general. I think he realized I was a true TR fanatic and really knew them. Actually I'd love a new Bonnie now, but retirement finances and my polymylgia-induced slowing reflexes & coordination will, of necessity, make riding a very limited and local activity now, sadly. But bikes are such a part of my identity I've realized I have to have one, regardless. While nice Trident's are out of my price range, I love my 650C!

 

[Moabite]

...and with the ending to your story how about a picture of your bike...
so we can love it too

 

[firedome]

My camera has a card recognition problem, so I only have these taken by the seller (the other bike in the background is his) until I can fix it. No smart phones here! Besides the bike shown, also have the original seat and 2 cast "5 point star" wheels, not shown. Also the 2 boxes of original parts replaced by air front forks and other small mods.

 

[madmax-im]

Here we are presently...Had it out for the first time in over a month...New battery..and finally i can run around the 'hood..With just a few tweaks this bike will be just excellent. Neighbors love the sight and sound...me too...

 

[madmax-im]

Added new aftermarket mirrors...They work much better than the Emgos'..they dont look too bad either...

 

[Mailman]

Here we are presently...Had it out for the first time in over a month...New battery..and finally i can run around the 'hood..With just a few tweaks this bike will be just excellent. Neighbors love the sight and sound...me too...

Looking good! I’m happy to see you getting some riding in!