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.
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
I really REALLY miss this bike!
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.
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.
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
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.
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 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..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.
alex
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
this one has taken me halfway around Australia faultlessly.
rumour has it, Aprilia have an entry in the MotoGP's this year
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!). 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.
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...
Prior to the XR 600 I had a bike drought of about 15 years... 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!
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.
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
??? What next??? Leaning towards a bigger BMW...
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...
I've had this one to 280k (on the track). Suzuki reckon they're good for over 330k
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?
cant show mine from youth, they are embarrassing cheap 'rice burner rats'
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 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
..but it was great...unbelievable the power and suspension.. I loved it so much... maybe after the hernia opperation I have been thinking
.
... 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!
What next??? Leaning towards a bigger BMW...
