Calling all saxophonist bikers........... Who rides what?....

[Pyrografix]

Okay, I'll start the ball rolling with a Bikers thread...........

This is my two-wheeled transport:


A girlie Suzuki GSF 600 V Bandit! 1997 model with less than 8000 miles on the clock as it only goes on dry roads and we don't get an awful lot of those here in Scotland!

And here is my alternative horse-powered model:

Mr. P, a 17hh Thoroughbred/Irish Draft!


Hope you have a lovely Bank Holiday w/end - snowing here!!

Cheers,

Amanda

 

[Pyrografix]

I put this in the wrong section - please could a nice moderator move it into the breakfast room?! Thanks!

 

[kevgermany]

I put this in the wrong section - please could a nice moderator move it into the breakfast room?! Thanks!

Done, not so sure my son would agree with you about nice....

 

[Jazzaferri]

I have a 05 KTM 950 supermoto which is for fun days, a 1998 BMW Rt 1100 for touring and a 2006 Vespa 200 gt for running about town.

 

[ArtyLady]

Ex-biker - sold my SV 650 last year because I just wasn't riding it anymore, ex-horse owner since 2004.....

 

[kevgermany]

Haven't had a bike for years. Was crazy about them for ages. Started with a Suzuki 80 K11 Super Sports (don't laugh). Moved up(?) to a CZ125, thn after that got my first real bike - a Suzuki T500R. This got upgraded to a Triumph trident, T160V, then downgraded to a Honda CX500 V twin. Then came a UK spec '78 Laverda Mirage which had had a lot of work done on it. Kept this for ages. Then had a Honda 750F1 (as a backup to my car), Ducati 900SS and Laverda RGS. Also had a Triumph 500T trials, but never got it on the road. Best of the lot was the Mirage, but it was a beast, really heavy clutch, 180° crank, hand numbing vibrations and a weave from about 110 upwards that always threatened to turn into a tank slapper, but never did. No pussying about with that one, throw it into the corners and lots of power. Back off in a corner and it wanted to get rid of the rider.... Made for an interesting life.

Don't miss them, but would love the Mirage back again.

 

[jonf]

A girlie Suzuki GSF 600 V Bandit! 1997 model with less than 8000 miles on the clock as it only goes on dry roads and we don't get an awful lot of those here in Scotland!

I wouldn't call it a girlie bike - more a bike for anyone. Would suit a novice or an old hand, man or woman, sensible rider or nutter. Great bike.

 

[jonf]

Haven't had a bike for years. Was crazy about them for ages. Started with a Suzuki 80 K11 Super Sports (don't laugh). Moved up(?) to a CZ125, thn after that got my first real bike - a Suzuki T500R. This got upgraded to a Triumph trident, T160V, then downgraded to a Honda CX500 V twin. Then came a UK spec '78 Laverda Mirage which had had a lot of work done on it. Kept this for ages. Then had a Honda 750F1 (as a backup to my car), Ducati 900SS and Laverda RGS. Also had a Triumph 500T trials, but never got it on the road. Best of the lot was the Mirage, but it was a beast, really heavy clutch, 180° crank, hand numbing vibrations and a weave from about 110 upwards that always threatened to turn into a tank slapper, but never did. No pussying about with that one, throw it into the corners and lots of power. Back off in a corner and it wanted to get rid of the rider.... Made for an interesting life.

Don't miss them, but would love the Mirage back again.

You've had some interesting kit. I was admiring a Laverda RGS on Madeira Drive in Brighton last summer. Would like one as a summer plaything.

 

[jonf]

This is what I ride most of the time.



It's a year 2000 BMW R850GS. I go to and from work on it almost every day, 70 mile round trip right into the heart of London. It's done 82,000 miles now but still rides really well. Funny looking thing, but lots of very clever design. It weighs a ton (well, a quarter of a ton actually) but it handles brillliantly, and it storms along very nicely.

I also keep a 1996 Honda CB500 as a spare bike. It's a really simple two cylinder thing, as basic as you can get these days, but all the better for it. It's really just a humbkle commuter bike, but it's far more fun that the spec would make you expect on twisty country roads. In London it's fantastic, Many's the time I've startled sports bike riders by passing them on the inside, as they wobbled round Marble Arch or Hyde Park Corner.

 

[jonf]

I have a 05 KTM 950 supermoto which is for fun days, a 1998 BMW Rt 1100 for touring and a 2006 Vespa 200 gt for running about town.

I bet you have to watch out for those speed camera cops on the KTM. On my one and only trip to your part of the world I got nabbed for speeding. Was driving back to Victoria from Tofino, and got caught on a completely deserted straight bit of road by a cop with a long distance camera with a telescopic scope on it. Mind you, I was in a 6.6 litre Pontiac Trans Am........

 

[MandyH]

And here is my alternative horse-powered model:

Mr. P, a 17hh Thoroughbred/Irish Draft!
Amanda

Hey, my son rides a horse called Mr P.
Since I know little about horses, all I can say is he's dark brown and pretty tall!
(my son is 5ft11, and has been riding for about 7 months, they put him on a "big" horse from day one. It's quite sweet to see him in class with lots of little girls on "thelwell" style ponies!)

I think his full name is Mr Pistachio.

 

[aldevis]

Sold my Yamaha xtz660 eight years ago, still own a vespa buried in a garage in another country.

I wish I had a Triumph Bonneville, a Honda4 (actually quite affordable), BMW R80GS.

On the other hand, in England, weather is rubbish and everyone drives on the wrong side of the road.

 

[Fraser Jarvis]

Don't start me on bikes! started out on an old unrestricted Fizz that did 60mph, then went on to a Kawasaki H3 (an ultra fast earlier version of the old KH 250) can anyone remember those? that was when you could ride a 250 on L plates at 17! another friend had a road legal Yamaha TD1-C ! bloody ridiculous that thing was! then ended up with a Suzuki GSXR 1100 (L) did the TT and France on that!

Also did a bit of motocross way back (KTM 500) with a few factory parts! as we were friendly with the dealer at the time who rode for the factory, nothing to get exited about though, i had some factory reeds and a factory seat from Derk Gherkins (not sure of the spelling)

Would really like to post some pictures but i didn't own a camera "back in the day" but i'm sure i've got some of the 1100 somewere (film prints) so will try to find some and scan them.

 

[jthole]

I'm a happy honda rider (the NT700VA is my 4th Honda)

 

[Tadpole]

Harley 1997 soft tail custom, the only way to travel. Yeah I know, Harley's aren't everyones cup of tea, but I love 'em and as the blurb goes" if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand"

 

[Pyrografix]

That was when you could ride a 250 on L plates at 17!

I passed my test 'back in the day', on a GP100 (it was raining, and I was able to keep an eye on the examiner standing at the road-side with his umbrella - no ridden escort!), then within a few weeks went from that to a GS550, to a Honda VFR900 - Scary Times!!

I did take a refresher course before getting back onto 2 wheels a couple of years ago!!

 

[kevgermany]

You've had some interesting kit. I was admiring a Laverda RGS on Madeira Drive in Brighton last summer. Would like one as a summer plaything.

Didn't like it too much. Rather bland, but much easier to ride than the Mirage. Too much like a BMW....


Not that I want to insult BMWs, but I didn't get on with them. Much preferred the way the Italians built their bikes. Loved the big Guzzis, but they didn't fit me too well.

 

[Taz]

I've had a few, I started on a Gilera 50cc motor cross when I was 12. It was old, beaten up but the most fun a kid could have! Then I moved onto a Honda CB 125 when I was old enough. I moved from that onto Honda 400 4, what an exciting machine that was. A great sound, it had 4 into 1 pipes, clip ons' and rear sets. A real cafe racer (very appropriate really) I then moved into the big league with a beautiful streat fighting Kwak Z 900. Now that is what a bike should be! It got stolen and when I got it back about 6 months later, it was a bent frame and a smashed front end everything else was gone! I gave up bikes for a few years and then out came the Susuki SG 500. Now there was a machine that had the ability to grip your inner fear and squeeze until you were sick. I realized one day that at the speeds that I was riding I would soon be another statistic so I gave up bikes forever. Probably not a bad idea really, 'cos during that whole time I never possesd a licence for them. Luckily I grew up a lot after that!

 

[bodak]

Harley 1997 soft tail custom, the only way to travel. Yeah I know, Harley's aren't everyones cup of tea, but I love 'em and as the blurb goes" if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand"

Understand completly-----1997 Fatboy.
Regards.

 

[Jazzaferri]

I bet you have to watch out for those speed camera cops on the KTM. On my one and only trip to your part of the world I got nabbed for speeding. Was driving back to Victoria from Tofino, and got caught on a completely deserted straight bit of road by a cop with a long distance camera with a telescopic scope on it. Mind you, I was in a 6.6 litre Pontiac Trans Am........

I find the biggest problem is getting on the throttle a little to hard and it lifts the front wheel just off the ground. A couple of times have done that to scoot ahead of traffic and went to turn and got to wiggle the bars instead. Lol. I have been riding long enough to know wherenthembad guys with their cameras and radar hide out.

If I open the throttle wide in 1 to 3 it rears like a horse. Torquey and light. It rides on rails though and even the bumpiest roads in our are don't throw it off line.