Show us your Motorcycles

[ballaratdragons]

This thread was inspired by Ric, who showed us his BMW a few months ago, and it was mentioned it would make for an interesting thread. So here it is. :thumbsup:

I finally got a scanner and tracked down my photos. I won't put in all my bikes as there have been too many, so I chose to post my favourite two!

Pic 1 is my 2nd favourite bike. It's a Harley 1000cc 'J' model racer which I added a few mod cons to, then after a while I took it off the road and spent 3 years restoring it back to original. It was stolen on the night I finished it. It had straight through exhausts, which sounded like shotguns going off!!!!! It was FAAAST! (well, it was a factory racer).

Pic 2 was my favouritist favourite!
A 1948 'U' model 1200cc California Highway Patrol 'Police Special'. I gave it the total Custom treatment (sports S.U. carby, ape-hangers, chopper seat, wide-glide front end, 2" primary belt drive, straight through exhaust, etc).

Too keep the Heritage and History of the bike, I kept the Suicide Clutch (Foot Clutch), Jockey gear shift, and repainted it back to it's correct 'California Highway Patrol' paint scheme.
This bike had no brakes (I liked it that way) and I used only the engine to slow or stop :D
I really REALLY miss this bike!

[turbo_pascale]

Here's mine (photo circa 1998 with my first digital cam and a UV filter that vignetted the image a bit!).

Got it new back in 1997.
I've been told to get rid of it for the last 2 years (since my son was born), but have not been able to part with it.

If anyone's interested, I'd be willing to swap for a PME. ;)

For interest's sake, it is a 1997 Ducati 748SP. Is has the Termignoni Race pipes, close-ratio gearbox, polished exhaust, braided lines, Spyball alarm system. Theoretical top speed of about 260 km/h (you'd have to be a fair bit smaller than me and be able to crouch really small). I've managed about 210 km/h on it, but at that speed it's all a bit overwhelming to pay too much attention to the speedo.

Turbo

[Ric]

Excellent toys gents.:thumbsup:

Ken, I love your restoration work, form the pictures I can see a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into them and it is not an easy job.

Nice Duke Turbo, wasn't that the first model Ducati released with the true sports chip in it as well?

I thought I'd post my mistress as I call her again for those who might have not seen the earlier post, She just clocked over 304,000 kms this morning. She's 23 this September.

Cheers:)

[xelasnave]

Love this thread... mine is a pile of junk unfortunately.. the fire destryed the tank and the seat and other stuff in the shed that burnt down and I have never repaired it ... I love them but have resolved not to go back..I only raced them so I have a stop or go mentality that would kill me at my age now..so I will sit back and enjoy all that is posted.
alex

[Omaroo]

Not my bikes, unfortunately, as I lost all the photos I had from the 80's years back. A big regret in my life.

Anyway - three of my favourites that I had for a while - a Yamaha FJ1200, a Honda CB1100R-C and Suzuki Katana 1100.

Nowadays - if I were to ever get on a bike again, I'd go for a big chopper or a BMW K-series.

[xelasnave]

Most of the bike was outside and did not suffer in the fire..if you wonder how some still remains
alex

[xelasnave]

Ken what about a thread...show us your tattoes?
I dont have any but many here may have...
alex

[Ric]

Your never to old Alex, a mate of mine still races in the vintage Motocross series on a Suzuki TM75 1973 model. As he says he doesn't care whether he comes first or last, he just loves the atmosphere of track day.

I must admit it's something I miss as well from my old Superbike racing days.

Cheers

[Ric]

Hi Chris, why not the BMW R1200 Cruiser, then you'll have both.

Cheers :)

[xelasnave]

Ric I rode a MXer a while back and was surprised that the lack of strenght in my legs left me with little control over the thing:eyepop:..but it was great...unbelievable the power and suspension.. I loved it so much... maybe after the hernia opperation I have been thinking;)... but as I said when I get on a bike all reason leaves me and I drift back to a time where it was stop or go..
I had a 350 cc yammy two stroke that I did ride on the road and frankly I was an idiot ...my Son was embarrassed because I wheel stood it thru Spencer and really scolded me so much that I saw what he was geting at.. He made me realise I could not appreciate the danger I constantly placed myself in..never crashed on the road however... It was a great bike I would ride it on the dirt with road tyres and in the dry it handled like a dream..I know there are guys much older than me riding but I must recognise I have a problem I think:whistle:.
alex:):):)

[Omaroo]

Gee thanks Ric... I'm suddenly in lurve....... :sadeyes:

[astroturf]

Hi Guys
this is my baby.
Aprilia 1000 Falco , bought it new in 2001 after many years of owning various Ducati's & have never looked back :whistle:
this one has taken me halfway around Australia faultlessly.
rumour has it, Aprilia have an entry in the MotoGP's this year

Bryan

[Ric]

Very nice Bryan, the lines created by the frame design really set it off.

Cheers

[zipdrive]

I have a Yamaha R1 with some racing bits.. :D

[dugnsuz]

Not my bike - but recent pix from Hahndorf Xmas Toy Run
Cheers all
Doug:thumbsup:

[sheeny]

My current bike is a BMW R80 (1st pic). Nothing flash but simple and reliable. It also has panniers and a top box, intercom and heated grips (handy around Oberon in winter!:thumbsup:). I bought it for $5500 just before I finished paying child support (I was looking to buy a bike when I finished paying CS but realised I could afford this bike now!;)). I also wasn't sure if my current partner Lyn would be into pillioning so the price was appropriate if it didn't work out. Turns out she loves i so when this girl gets tired I think I can safely invest more next time:thumbsup:;).

My previous bike was the XR 600 shown. I sold this after I got the BM. Great fun on fire trails, but a bit of a handful for a little fella with short legs like me in the tight stuff. It was a great stress reliever, but I'm getting too old for the offs...:lol:

Prior to the XR 600 I had a bike drought of about 15 years:rolleyes:... I had sold my XR 250 to build a garage on the house I owned in Thornton. I thought it would only take me 12 months to save up enough to get another bike. In the end I took out a loan to get the 600!:P

I'd like to post photos of some of my previous bikes but, all the photo albums are packed up while we try to sell the house:rolleyes:.

From start to now my bikes have been:
Honda 50 step through x 2 (when aged 8!)
Honda CT90
Suzuki 90 Honcho
Honda 250 Dream (wish I had kept that for a collector!)
MZ 250 Enduro x 2 (genuines from the 1971 ISDT)
Honda CX500 (Poor man's BMW - great bike)
Honda VF750SC (the original shaft drive one, with the cam and drive train problems)
Honda XR250
Honda XR600
Suzuki RL250 (veteran trials bike)
BMW R80
???:shrug: What next??? Leaning towards a bigger BMW...

Al.

[Louwai]

Here's my baby.
Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa
I took this pic during a little rest break when riding from Brisbane to Melbourne.
I've been riding big bikes for years. Mostly 1000cc.
I've had this one for over 2yrs now & the power still scares me sometimes.

I think biggest rush comes from knowing that you don't have to race anyone cause anyone who knows anything about bikes, knows the 'Busa is the fastest on the road. Although mines a little weighted down here.
145k - 1st gear, 195k - 2nd gear. 4 more to go...:D
I've had this one to 280k (on the track). Suzuki reckon they're good for over 330k:screwy:

Bryan

[fringe_dweller]

wow some nice motasickles - they're works of art Ken! so you rode a hard tail - yikes! ouch! I think i know what that means for ya now? :/

I hear the new hyabusa is out in europe now? scary bike from description i heard - i thought they were power limited in oz for a while now? - friend has older unlimited one, its a low k's shrine now i think? :P

cant show mine from youth, they are embarrassing cheap 'rice burner rats' :D

[fringe_dweller]

ok, i'll join in :) heres a coupla pics, one is FD as a 19 yr old hairy neighbourhood nuisance - circa 1981? ex amateur racing bike I bought, piece of flexi frame doodoo by todays standards, but hey fast enuff to kill yerself on :D couldnt go over 189k? as tank slap was atrocious

second pic for Harley fans ;) my missus's dad when a boy very early 50's, later became a speedway star of sorts - old WLA war surplus (he had a vincent later on! sold it for a triumph, boy is he sad bout that now! i see they are approaching 100k? nowadays) always loved this shot, thought i would share! taken with a brownie camera i believe, woodville gardens adelaide

[Starkler]

If you like classic bikes, here is my Dad on a Triumph Speed Twin he had as a young fella.

[ballaratdragons]

WOW!

I love the pics of the old bikes!!!!!!

Yes Kearn, the old Honda 4's had terrible tank slap :scared: I remember it well!!!

Geoff, that's a beautiful Triumph! Similiar to my old Thunderbird :thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

I just pulled out one of my old Triumph Thunderbird :thumbsup:

It was a 1957 model (good year ;) ), and it also came under the custom treatment. I've got pics somewhere of it customised :)

[ballaratdragons]

Here's where it all began!!!! :ashamed:

Me, back in 1966 learning to ride a Lambretta Motor Scooter at 9 years old :lol:

Oh well, gotta start somewhere ;)

[night-vision]

My GSX-R 750 K7 and KTM 300 (2 stroke)

[fringe_dweller]

enjoying this thread Ken! i'm always amazed to think how far bikes have come, as anyone can see here! space age lookin things now,

how was the young aussie that did the freakish record jump in las vegas recently, same day as when evel kneivel died, then turned around and did the jump again! how good was that! looked impossible

and cheers Geoff, bikes were even bigger then, 40's and 50's then now I think, they have always been a really cheap ferrari :)

[Ric]

Hi Ken, you would remember those old Kawasaki H750 triples of the 70's. People were convinced the frames had hinges in them as the frame flex was that bad.
What amazed me is that people were game enough to race them as well.

Cheers

[astroturf]

I survived my teenage years riding this - Kawasaki 500 H1 (1970)
A lot of guys didn't due to piss poor brakes & the fact they handled like a wheelbarrow(13% death rate, of ownership in NZ)

It used to spew plumes of thick blue smoke under accelleration, & man did it accellerate - wheelstand in 1st three gears
I think this bike would still keep up with a lot of todays moderate superbikes

Bryan

[Louwai]

The 2008 'Busa was released in Oz in November last year. There are now several running around Melbourne.
Personally don't like the shape mods to the tail.
Yes all 1999 & some very early 2000 models are unrestricted. All models after that are speed limited to 300klm/hr, but only electronically. A small TRE mod & they are back to unlimited performance. (which realistically is about 340klm/hr)
The speedo on the 1999 models does show up to 340klm. The later models have digits to 280 & marks to 300klm.
Mine is a 2004 model which has not been modified, so I am strill "restricted" to 300klm/hr.
Not really a restriction to worry about in my book.:)

[ballaratdragons]

I know that the Yammy 750 Virago frame snaps in 2.
I broke one riding down to Melbourne. I hit a deep pothole on a sweeping bend near Melton at 160kph and when it broke, it sounded like an explosion. I investigated the damage (it snapped clean thru under the seat!), looked safe enough, and kept riding it for several months before getting rid of it :screwy:

[fringe_dweller]

ah the legendary kwaka triples! that culminated in the then mega famous late '70's 'water bottle' first liquid cooled beasts (EDIT: whoops that was suzuki, just remembered, but hey its a triple) - (now 'everything' is cooled on bikes!?) i test rode a few from shops back then, scared the s**t outta me, and yep try and keep the front wheel down was job, in a straight line

and cheers Louwai :thumbsup: I dont know much anymore, just little tidbits of info i hear, but i do know the hyabusa has entered the halls of legend, as mega bike legend of all time!, top of the heap, thanks!

[Ric]

I remember hearing that about the Virago's, but never heard of an account of one until now.

Cheers

[snowyskiesau]

Fond memories of the Suziki 750 waterbottle. Nice smooth engine but, typically for the times, a crap frame.
Most recent machine wa a Rickman Honda 750. I still have this but not in a ridable condition. Must restore it one day...

http://www.cybermotorcycle.com/gallery/rickman/Rickman_Honda_CR750_1975_orange.htm

[Louwai]

Yeah, the power is just amazing. I can't Full Throttle in 1st or 2nd at any speed. If I do it will stand up straight away. 140klm in 2nd, accellerate & it comes up. Full tank & leaning over the front. Still comes up.
Just after i first got it (young & stupid 3yrs ago) a guy decided he wanted to prove he's faster & I obliged. ;)
Took off from the lights, was winding up in 1st gear, being careful to wind the power on gently but quickly. Got to about 8000rpm (about 110klm) still in 1st & figured I was OK now to crank the throttle all the way.
WRONG.!!!!
Front wheel came straight up. :eyepop:
Ever since then I only blast it on the track. (mostly :whistle:)

We did a servey in the club recently. 70% of club members are over 40 & 20% are 30 to 39. The remaining 10% are under 30 with 50% of those not having a bike or a licence because they haven't figured out how to control their right hand as yet. Either lost the licence speeding or crashed the bike & were not insured.

Full cover for a 22yo is about $3k / yr on a 'Busa. I just renewed mine. Full cover with NO excess $329.00 Age & driving record help.

[EzyStyles]

great bikes and great threat Ken!

I had two in the past was about 12 years ago.

First pic is the Honda NSR 250 M18 up at the Dandenong mountains.

Second bike was also a Honda NSR 250 M21 limited Rothmans edition. I loveee my 2 strokers.

Nowdays have quit riding due to a major accident i had in the past, but the adrenaline is still in my blood :lol: :lol:

[ballaratdragons]

Racey looking bikes, Eric. :thumbsup:

I bet you're glad the one in the 1st pic had good brakes when you pulled up at that spot!!! :scared:

[EzyStyles]

hahahaaa lucky! i remember back in the 80's it was Wayne Gardner influenced me to get myself a Rothmans NSR! what a legend he is.

[Bassnut]

Bah, ill go with Kens original pic. Ive had a Triumph Saint and much later, a Harley Dyna, miss em both. You cant beat a Harley with ape hangers, now thats a wank, do it properly or dont bother at all ;-).

[Ric]

Hi Fred, there is an old biker saying

"It doesn't matter what your riding, just so long as your riding"

As long as your in the wind Bro, that's all that matters.

Cheers

[taminga16]

Great thread Ken,
If I could just work out how to compress stuff I would post some images, mean while T.E. Lawrence once wrote...

It's my usual satisfaction to purr along gently at about 60 mph, drinking in the air and the general view. I lose detail at such moderate speeds but gain comprehension.

When I open out a little more, as for instance across Salisbury Plain at 80 or so, I feel the earth moulding herself under me.

Almost the earth comes alive; Heaving and tossing on each side like a sea.
It is the reward of speed.

I could write you pages on the lustfulness of moving swiftly.

Regards,

Greg.

[Bassnut]

Ill give you that Ric, true, but you cop a lot more wind with ape hangers and an open face stack hat ;-). Monkey-on-a-barrel white line screamers are sure an adrenalin trip, but you got to appreciate Gregs line "It's my usual satisfaction to purr along gently at about 60 mph, drinking in the air and the general view. I lose detail at such moderate speeds but gain comprehension", sweet words indeed.

[Ric]

Hi Fred, I have always ridden with an open face helmet come summer or winter, the only exception being on the racetrack.

I love the open feeling and the wind in my face and have probably eaten a few kg's of bugs in my time as a result .:D This also include a massive shiner that took a week to subside from wearing a Christmas Beetle at around 140 kph. It even shattered the lens of my classic aviator mirrored sunglasses.

Somehow though I dont think the ape hangers would suit the style of my BMW ;)

Cheers

[Bassnut]

Ah, a BM, yeah well, that would tend to less "fail to procceed" than just about anything else, a real bonus ;-). Im kidding (a bit) about the ape hangers on a long road trip, very tiring, but an upright stance sure is comfortable at moderate speeds (dont start about corners), and oh yeah, them bugs sure sting, but hey, bikies are tough.

[ballaratdragons]

Give me apehangers, legs forward and NO helmet any day!

I was fortunate (some will disagree) to ride helmetless in N.S.W. :thumbsup:
Then I moved to Victoria and had to wear a stupid helmet! :mad2:

So, to feel as free as possible, I only ever wore a very small pudding bowl helmet with no padding. The shell just fit on the top of my head. It felt a bit like I was only wearing a beanie. Still annoying, but it was the least I could wear. The police never inspected it at any of the many times I got pulled over!!!

Cornering is awkward with apehangers??? No way. You have to learn how. You just hang your right leg out to turn right and left for left. Simple :) Riding with a club, we had to regularly do 1000's of k's at any time and the apehangers never got tiring or uncomfortable. It was like sitting in an armchair at home with your feet up and your arms resting on the arms of the lounge (sort of).
Mind you, I rode most of the time with only my right arm anyway. The left just hung down, or held the gear knob waiting to do gear changes. :P

Arms up, feet forward, sitting low and cruising on a custom Harley (even at 180k's) is totally different to leaning over a tank. It feels free.

[fringe_dweller]

lucky this is a 'show us your motorcycles' thread, not a 'show us your harleys' thread :)
A thing that puts me, and many others i would imagine, off owning a harley, is the fort knox security needed to ensure fellow harley enthuisiasts don't 'borrow' it :D

like the pocket rockets eric, i rode mostly 500cc type bikes, you can sure throw them around in the tight stuff :thumbsup:

like you, i also decided i wanted to live a bit longer and was sick of getting into trouble ;) they used to call bike riders temporary australians back then?

Louwai, interesting you say that re ages, I remember reading statistics recently of cashed up baby boomers reliving their youth and buying megagbikes, and writing themselves off as their riding skills/reactions werent what they used to be possibly

as mentioned the word 'freedom' comes up a lot

the adelaide hills used to be our awesome racetracks - been totally ruined for many years now I understand, by all the treechangers/extra traffic, speed limits, and the youngsters with the little 4 cylinder cars who learned to drive on gran turismo, and like to think they can out do a motorbike in the hills

[erick]

My experience is limited to a few occasions of hurtling around properties on little two-strokes, trying hard not to hit anthills in the long grass :scared:


My Dad told me he used to ride an Indian around Western Queensland in the 30's. I think I have a photo of him on it somewhere - I'll search.

[fringe_dweller]

:thumbsup: hey yep i learned to ride as a jackeroo on ag bikes in central qld in first proper job after leaving school, that and i had my first road bike out there traveling between towns - but yeh ant hills was my fave too! till the boss cocky saw all the tyre tracks thru em :whistle: :help:

[erick]

I recall them being tough buggers - a couple of foot high - hit them and you come off!

[fringe_dweller]

dunno - these werent the towering kind, just small-ish coupla foot mounds? different species there maybe? :shrug: lol long time ago now!

[Louwai]

Last ant hill I got close to was pretty tall. Was in the middle of an old WWII air strip on Cape York. I parked the Hilux 4x4 next to it, climbed onto the roof, reached up & I still wasn't near the top. (I'm 6'3")

[ballaratdragons]

I gave the 'Trail bike' riding a go back in 1975. Never again!

I bought a Bultaco Trail Boss (16 gears on the one I bought :eyepop: ).

I was riding across a paddock at 'The Rock' near Wagga and the throttle jammed open, and the brakes failed, sending me over the edge of a dry creek bed at around 90k's!!!! All I remember was being airborne then WHACK!!! into the side of the dry creek.

It winded me badly, and after a while, I got up, looked around, and I never found the front wheel! :scared:

I left the bike there in the dry creek, walked home and never went off-road on a bike again.
It ain't for all of us :thumbsup:

[Ric]

Just thought I'd drop in a picture of my latest addition to my stable.

It's a BMW R1200c, a beautiful cruising bike

[ballaratdragons]

Whoah! nice step up from your last bike, Ric :thumbsup:

Looks like you can 'Cruise' in style on that new Beemer :)

[Shawn]

GSX1300R Hayabusa..

It is for sale too guys...keeps getting me in trouble...:shrug:

[Waxing_Gibbous]

I love my '98 Sporty, but the 748-916-998 Dukes ARE the best looking bikes ever!
Incredible handling combined with an easy power delivery - and, again those looks.
Dribbly!

BTW, If I knew what a PME was I'd happily swap you! :thumbsup:

[leon]

Here ya go Ken this is what i used to ride when i spent 2 years in New Guinea as a volunteer working with the High land people of Goroaka .

Cant remember what it was, :shrug: but it served me well on those wild mountain roads. ;) I'm the white Fella !! :lol: :lol:

Leon :thumbsup:

[The Mekon]

Two of mine below,
Had the VFR for 10 years and cannot find a better bike to replace it.
The little green dirt bike is a mildy modified and lightened 250 (now 300cc). This has been supplemented by a KLX450 which is probably a bit too much bike for me.

[sheeny]

Here's my current stable.

My Montesa 315R trials bike for play, and my BMW R80 for touring, though I'm currently looking at buying a BMW R1150GS Adventure:D.

I sold my favourite rear-wheel-steer bike about 5 years ago - my Honda XR 600. After I bought the R80, I started touring and not so much trail riding. Probably a good thing as its easier to get injured in little falls as you get older:sadeyes:.

Al.

[adman]

ok - at considerable risk of ridicule - given the serious nature of some of the bikes presented here - here are the three bikes I have ever owned:

1. Suzuki DR250 circa 1985 model - owned around 1987-88 when I first got my licence.
2. Kawasaki LTD750 1983 model - owned around 1992-1994. Bought on the spur of the moment when I was at uni.
3. Sachs Madass 125 2006 model - owned 2008-2010. Just for commuting

I have heard the sachs described as the tough guys postie, or the gay mans ducati :lol:. It didn't go very fast, but it got me from a to b and did get more than a few double takes from other riders/drivers

these are not my photos - just grabbed from google. My DR250 was red.

Adam

[Shawn]

Id swap mine for a PME too...:P

[marki]

Here is mine, she was 21 last oct :)

[gliderdog]

Only photos that I could find....missing a few...

Current ride is Suzuki V Strom - a very easy comfortable bike.


.....Hey c'mon Kinetic....show us yours......!

[keni]

I've owned 2 bikes.
The first was a Honda XL250 that was scared of water...well any moisture really...........not good for a trail bike.

I currently own a Suzuki SV650 but am looking at several cruiser style bikes.

96115

[kinetic]

LOL!
I'll fill in the blanks in your shots and add mine in the next day or so...
900SS :love:

Edit:You asked for it mate :)
First 3 are more of Pete's bikes. RM125, VF750 and XJ650 (couldn't find any
of your first Honda Pete)
Next 2 are some of mine.
CB100...my first bike done up by my grandpa...I used to use this sucker for
trailbike riding :)
GPZ250...my first bought bike. Remember the mad mile on the 'nindee Road Pete? :rolleyes::thumbsup:

And I can't find any of my most favourite trail bike ever....the thing must have been too fast for a camera , eh Pete :D

Steve

[supernova1965]

Well these are not my motorcycle's they belong to my neighbour

Photo 1 is a 1958 Royal Enfield Meteor Minor, 500cc Twin
Photo 2 is a 1986 Suzuki GSX 1100 with Sidecar
Photo 3 is a 2010 CAN-Am Spyder 1000cc Rotar V twin

Maurice Price was a Road racing, national and international competitor in 125,250,350,500cc in England from 1958 to 1978 he raced at Brands Hatch track among others. Anyone heard of him:question:

[Ric]

Love that sidecar.

That's an idea I've been toying with for a while now.

[kitsuna]

Here's mine. First motorcycle I've ever owned. 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250R.

Saved up my pennies and pocket money (well, job money) and bought it outright. it arrived on my mum's birthday... she was not amused. :P

These pictures were taken on the day of arrival. I'm not looking smug, it's just very bright out that day and I couldn't find my sunglasses. :ashamed:

[ballaratdragons]

:rofl: Classic!

[kitsuna]

Pity she didn't share your mirth. :P

[ballaratdragons]

I went through my photo albums and found a pic of me on my trusty 1948 'U' model 1200 Harley. :)