Bikeography

[timbox2]

Ok its probably sad but had a bit of time and thought i would try and do a chronological history of my biking career.

1) Gilera 50 ( Cant remember model)1974
2) Yamahaha DT175( Learnt to do wheelies) 1976
3) Suzi GT250 RamAir ( Learnt how to crash)1977
4) Kwak KH400 1977 ( Learnt how to sh.. myself) 1978
5) Triumph Bonnevile (Sic) ( Learnt how the British Bike Industry had fallen) 1980
6) Yamahaha XS650 ( Learnt how you should build a parallel twin) 1981
7) Suzuki RG500 ( Learnt how not to crash,bad one, very frightening) 1985
Kawasaki Z750 (Learnt how to get back on after 20 years, told you it was frightening) 2004
9)Kawasaki ZRX1200(03 mod, lots of mods 136bhp at wheel!!) ( Learnt how to spend lots of money on tyres and chains) 2004( 2 chains 5 tyres 6 months)
10)Suzi Bandit 1200 ( learnt how to be a twat again)2005
11) Kawasaki GpZ 1100E1 ( learnt my lesson) 2006
12) Kawasaki GpZ1100E1 ( No i didnt, one above hit a tree) 2006
13) Honda CBX750FE(84 mod) ( money spending project again) 2007
14) BMW 1100s(00 mod) (maybe ive got the right bike finally) 2007

Might have missed a couple, notably a very forgetful Honda Hornet and a BSA C15 somewhere in the early days of darkness

So what have I learnt? Ive had a great time and been very fortunate to have ridden such an array of good and bad bikes and lived to tell the tale, heres to the next 30 years God willing.

[Daz555]

Might have missed a couple, notably a very forgetful H*nda Hornet......

Forgetful? Really?

I loved my H0nda Hornet (600 faired version) - great for my commute and yet suitably mental for a blast on Sundays. Some bstard stole it earlier this year.

[GeordieBoy]

Very interesting list! Which was your favourite? Here's mine for comparison (don't even ask me about the cars!)...

(1) Kawasaki GPZ500S (1994, on passing test, dog, full of electrical gremlins, too slow, chopped it in after 6 weeks)
(2) Suzuki RF600 (1994, weird looks, fabulous bike)
(3) Honda CBR 600 FR (1995, superb, did the Bol D'or on it)
(4) Kawasaki ZZR1100 (1995, great, esp for pillions, but scary)
(5) BMW K100RS 16V (1997, worthy but too sensible)
(6) Honda CBR900 RRT (1998, superb) *2nd Favourite*
(7) Yamaha Diversion 900 (2000, worthy, but poor handling & too sensible)
( 8 ) Yamaha Fazer 600 (2001, ace)
(9) Yamaha R6 (2004, too small, too uncomfortable, too revvy, awful)
(10) BMW R1100S Sport (2006, great but ultimately not sexy enough)
(11) Aprilia RSV 1000R (2007) *Favourite*

What have I learnt? I discovered twins late in my biking life, but I think they rock ; I tend to alternate between sensible & sporty; I think I favour a sport, sport, tour style of bike.

Mark

[Gromit]

Some interesting bikes the Timbox - always loved the 500 Gamma.

Here's my little lot (hope we've the bandwidth!)

1973 Honda C50
1974 Honda PC50 (got it off my dad)
1975 FS1E
1978 RD50M
1981 RD250LC
1982 RD125LC
1983 VF400F
1982 Z400F
1984 GPz1100A2
1984 VF400F (yes, another one)
1983 GPz550A1
1983 Laverda RGA1000 Jota - Windy Corner special...oh the noise!!!
1985 GT750 (Kwak)
1985 Guzzi Lario - blew it up; dropped a valve at 90mph coming down A1, totally lunched the motor and wrecked the gearbox when the whole lot seized.
1982 RD350LC
1977 CX500
1989 FZR1000 Exup (blew its guts out having spat a rod at 130mph)
1988 CBR600 - the indestructable motorcycle
1993 Trident 900 - written off by some bint in a L/R Disco
1996 BMW R1100R
1999 BMW R1150GS
1999 R1100S (black)
2001 R1150R
2001 Aprilia Falco
1999 Triumph 955i Daytona
2000 Triumph 955 Speed Triple
1999 R1100S (mandarin)
2002 Harley XL883R Sportser (bored out to 1200 etc)
1992 MZ ETZ301 (still got it)
2002 Buell XB9R Firebolt
1975 MZ TS250 (still got it)
2000 VFR800 (quite possibly the most uninspiring bike I've owned)
1997 R1100R - felt like coming home again!
2001 Triumph TT600
1999 R1100S (Paul's old mandarin S)
2004 Triumph Sprint RS - very underrated bike
2005 Harley Dyna Sport (1560 big bore/stage 2 cams/Vance & Hines etc etc)
2005 Harley VRSCR Streetrod
2004 Boxercup Rep
1999 Honda Blackbird

[GeordieBoy]

I make that 40 bikes Grom !!! I thought I was bad ! Some absolute classic bikes in there though, especially the Jota & the RD's

[timbox2]

Gromit, we must be around the same vintage then, a fair collection, mine would have probably been a similar number if not for the big off in 87.
Oh to have experienced a Jota, magic.

Daz, sorry,the hornet wasnt a bad bike by any means, probably too good in fact, found it a bit characterless and for me a little too revvy, but it did go when you wound it up.

My favourite? A difficult one, as at the time they were all nice if different, for pure adrenelin rush it has to be the RG, there was something about big strokers, never got to ride the original widowmaker H1 Kwak, but the noise smell everything, ahhh.
The real shame was the Bonny, probably the worst of the bunch, uncomfortable,rattly, slow( my mate would piss all over me with his RS Capri), and it broke, often.

[throttlemeister]

Damn, I have a lot to go.

Yamaha FS1
Honda CB400F (1977)
Honda CB650Z (1979)
Honda CBR1000F (1992)
Honda VFR750F (1997)
Yamaha FJR1300 (2003)
BMW R1100S (2003)

That's my eenie wheenie list over 20 years of riding. I still feel sorry I sold the VFR. But with the S, I have found a worthy replacement and one that I am just as in love with as I was with the VFR. The CBR was really nice too, but too long and heavy for the type of riding I love. The FJR was honestly a mistake. It's a great and very capable bike, but at 36yo I am not ready to settle down yet.

[Archie]

Well here's mine from 1977, not necessarily in the right order, plus a couple I can't remember. Favourites are marked *

Honda CD175*
Yamaha RD250B
Yamaha YR5
Honda CB500-4
Honda CX500*
Suzuki TS185
Yamaha DT175
Honda CB250RS*
Honda XL250S*
Yamaha XS500
Honda CX500
Yamaha RD250LC*
Honda CB750KZ
Suzuki GS1000
Suzuki GSX1100
Ducati 900SS*
Kawasaki GPZ900*
Suzuki GSXR1100K*
Ducati 916
BMW R1100RT
Ducati Bevel 975*
BMW R1100S
BMW R1100S
Ducati 900SS Bevel
Ducati Pantah 600
BMW R1200GS*
Suzuki GSXR1000K2*
Suzuki GSXR1000K6*

Special mention goes to the CB250RS, coz you could be racing someone and they'd be completely unaware

[JoeC]

Mine won't take too long to read :

Yamaha RXS100
Yamaha Diversion 600S
Yamaha Fazer 600S (sexy red and black one) - still got
BMW R1100S - still got

[Gromit]

Tim/Geordie - my Jota was one of the namby-pamby 120 deg crank ones but despite that it was an awesome bike. Didn't have the heavy vibes of the 180 deg bikes, and it had a hydraulic clutch which helped no end (still bloody heavy though).

The one I had was one of a small number of bikes (about 20 or so I think) modified by Roger Winterburn at Windy Corner. The original RGA1000 was a flop - it was simply an unfaired RGS1000 painted orange and rather ugly. Mr Winterburn obviously decided to take it upon himself to put some fire into its belly and turn it into a bike worthy of the Jota name. Fitting RGS Corsa cams, forged hi-comp pistons, bigger carbs and a 3-1 pipe gave it some teeth. Also came with a 2-headlight wrap-around fairing.

I had to run mine on 4 star gas with Pro-Boost to stop it pinking. Did less then 30mpg (could get it down to 20 or so if I was hammering it) but it was worth every penny to keep it going. It's 19 years ago since I sold it, and still regret doing so. A327 PUD - where are you now??

[Dog Tyred]

Mine won't take too long to read :

Yamaha RXS100
Yamaha Diversion 600S
Yamaha Fazer 600S (sexy red and black one) - still got
BMW R1100S - still got

Ahem........yeah ,but twice as long as mine
2004 SV 650S
2003 R1100S Boxercup

Reminds me of that scene in Four weddings, when Andy McDowell is remenissing on how many blokes she'd shagged.... and poor old Hugh Grant is sitting there wondering what he'd been doing all his life:lol:

Nu2biking

[Boxered]

I think we've been here before, but here goes:
1975/6 yamaha fsie
1986 yamaha rd200
1977 kawasaki z650b1
1979 z650 c3 my first brans new bike
1980 suzuki gs1000s
1982 kawasaki z1000j
1983 kawasaki gpz100a2
1985 yamaha fj100
1990 kawasaki zx10
1994 yamaha fz400
1997 yamaha szr660 belgarda
2002 kawasaki zx6 j2
2004 BMW r1100s
2006 bmw r1200s
and very proud of he fact that I NEVER once owned a Honda

Steve

[timbox2]

There, wasnt that fun,

Nu2beemers, nothing wrong with that mate, you havent bought any shite yet in my opinion


Archie, looks like your the only one having had Ducs, what do you reckon on em?

[Desmo904]

This has really hurt my brain, but I think I've remembered them all;

AJS 500 Scrambler ('59 engine in '55 frame) I was 13 years old
Honda C90
Yamaha RD125LC (passed my test on this)
Kawasaki GT750 (bought 15 mins after passing test)
Kawasaki GPZ900R
Yamaha RD350LC
Honda VF750F (Fell off this and did meself some damage)
Suzuki Bandit 600
Kawasaki ZZR1100
Ducati 900SS (Had this for 4 years - and nothing went wrong with it)
Aprilia RSV1000 mille
Yamaha TTR250 (Green laner)
Honda VFR800 (zzzzzzzzzzzzzz)
Triumph T595 Daytona (fast as f**k, but unreliable)
BMW R1100S
Ducati 996BP (I never want to sell it)

Why do you need 4 cylinders - that makes it a car engine doesn't it?

[Stevie]

I think my list looks a little pathetic. Not exactly the list of an enthusiast, is it.

1976 Casal 50 (obligatory sports moped, ah...1978, my summer as a 16yr old!)
1961 BSA C15 (bought in four cardboard boxes, assembled, MOT'd, passed test. Rode and (more often) pushed from 1979 until 1981)
1977(?) Honda CB550Ksummat (well, it was actually my da's)
1979 Triumph Bonneville (also my da's, got nicked, they were welcome to it)
1988(?) SRX600 (well, it got me back in the saddle after a longish break)
1991 TDM850 (watched it virtually dissolve through 3 Swiss winters)
1995 R850R (lovely bike to ride and looked as good after 4 Scottish winters as the Tedium did new)
2000 R1100S (still got it, still love it)
2006 R1200S (current bike of choice)