The one that got away

phillycyclocross

phillycyclocross

XS650 Enthusiast
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Kind of off topic but every so often I get all bummed out about one bike in particular that I wish I never sold. Wondering what bikes you guys wish you never got rid of.

Here she is(was)
i6wokj.jpg
 
That would be a long list for me . Almost every bike I ever owned has been a true classic , even if it wasn't when I owned it . Back in the late 70s early 80s I could by 10 year old bikes in good condition for $500-$600 and beaters for $200-$300. Great bikes , like '72 cb750s , late '60s early '70s brit bikes ( had a sweet 1969 BSA 441 victor back in '78 ,cost me $400 and didn't need a thing ) . I bought two 1978 sr500s , the first one I got when it was almost brand new for $500 cause the owner could never start it and the second one I got for $100 cause it had some minor cosmetic damage . I used to buy and sell bikes constantly and always came out ahead .
 
I've been considering selling my super moto but why? I completely love it. probably will never own again.

It would always be the one that got away
 

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'73 Norton 850 Commando roadster. It was a nice original garage find that I got cheap. I cleaned it up and got it running good and a guy made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Still kickin' myself for selling it. I did put the money towards the Super Glide that I still have, though.
 
81 Katana 1100. It cornered like it was on rails.
Actually had a hard time selling it (in 84) because sport bikes hadn't really taken off yet. It was my last bike before I picked up my XS a few years ago.

full
 
This one just left not long ago, went across the pond to Australia. Kinda miss her..


The orange bike I was fortunate enough to buy back a few years back after my dad sold( it got away) it to his friend back in 93. Pops built the bike 30 years ago, are now in the process of redoing it. Going back together the same way, same color it was, just changed the striping up on it. It has a nasty shovel set up. Aluminum polished Pool racing jugs, 2 plug heads, this intake set up that they told him way back when would never work.. :D
 

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Not the greatest bike for long trips. It was out of its element until you were doing about 80 mph. The clip-on handle bars, even though they were loaded with lead slugs from the factory, would buzz something fierce at legal highway speeds. Rear suspension was way too stiff. It wouldn't even budge when you sat on it. Clutch lever pull was so hard, driving around town was a pain. Sure brought a smile to your face though whenever you opened up the throttle........
 
had many a bike both large and small but the most enjoyable one was the honda 400 supersport (4cyd).had a couple over a lot of years and allways regreted selling them.(a bit like my xs650s) another loss was the yam xt550 (after being use to the xt500 the power increase was amazing/handling not so much)
 
my 2004 999....useless, and goes against everything I need in a bike. But it was fast, and handled, and drew a crowd anywhere.
999-1.jpg


A mint GPz750 non turbo I picked up from a local collector who bought it new for his wife in 83....No grease or oil stains or anything on iit anywhere......and I mean cleeeaaaan. paid 1500....sold it to fund my first Duc...a 2007 GT1000

PICT0065.jpg


A 1981 GPz1100....Low k, pretty clean...working EFI. Yoshi 4into1 . I was 25, not really mechanically inclined. Needed some harness work. Didn't realise its rarity. sold to help buy that Duc. paid 1000.....sigh, owned the 750 and the 1100 at the same time. I still kick my ass for selling them both.

gpz1.jpg


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Many years ago I was at a table in the mini chow hall and one of the guys mentioned he wanted $50 for a Honda CB450 with a bent shifting fork. Another guy got his wallet out faster than I did.
 
PICT0033.jpg


and this...If you have never ridden an aircooled Duc big bore....it will leave your Xs feeling underwhelming.

Plus my first XS, a clean 77 I chopped and built a shitty bobber out of......sucked. ran like crap cause I had no clue what I was doing. Gave myself some time a knowledge and now have a nice runner close to stock 74. Then a 680 motor I built right from cases up....new rods and all. Then got offered a good chunk of change for it and my 75 complete but rusty parts bike and front end with mag and rear drum mag from a special....sold all that XS stuff and I cant get it back. Got a new engine though im working on again...78:laugh: I finally quit impulse selling/buying. My 74 has so far been with me the longest and it will stay that way. I did make lots of money in my youth and housing was cheap then, so I just had a lot of fun with no worries. Married with adult house (and housing skyrocketed) and responsibilities make me think a lot harder now, although we are very lucky we both made lots on out houses when we sold.

I have toyed with selling the Versys and buying another KLR650...but the KLR is just to anemic for any slab. Versys has taken me on 35,000 kms of bike travel. Coast to coast on my honeymoon, and on our Jasper trip prior to that my wife proposed to me. Its been just to damn perfect.
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'72 BMW R75/5. Bought as a basket case from a customer, and built back up as a daily rider. Not much to look at, but a really beautiful ride. Traded for an RD 400 and cash. My son was ready to disown me for that. Another was a '71 CL 450 Honda. Bought with a holed piston, rebuilt it, and rode it for a while until the garage was full of bikes and sold it to get more room. And the most recent was a '67 Honda 305 Super Hawk, that I resurrected. Neat ride and I loved it. Why I sold that one I dont know. Must be some sort of disease.
Mikey
 

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