What is your motorcycle history?

[Desert Dust]

After three years without owning a motorcycle, I went out and bought a used S2R 1K last August because three of my friends were wanting to get into riding for the first time. So far, only one of them has actually bought a bike.

So I started thinking about how much money I had spent on motorcycles over the years. A lot.

After forty-seven years of riding (mostly on dirt) here is a list of two wheelers that have been in my stable at one time or another.

Briggs & Stratton powered mini-bike, Yamaha 80, Honda 55, Honda 65, Honda 90, Honda 100, Kawasaki 100 Green Streak, Yamaha 125 Enduro, Hodaka Super Rat, Yamaha MX 125, 360 Yamaha in a Hindle Frame, Yamaha 250 twin in Champion frame, (what a handful!) Bultaco 200 Sherpa, Bultaco 250 Pursang, Bultaco 360 Astro (two different ones) Bultaco 250 Astro, Honda 305, Honda 350, Kawasaki 400, Kawasaki 500 triple, 400 KTM, Triumph 750 Bonneville, Ducati 900 SS, and currently, a Ducati S2R 1000.     

I could probably be retired by now if I had chosen a different hobby.
I haven't learned my lesson yet because I'm still pumping $$$ into my S2R.


What is your history of ownership?

[myssrhl]

starting at the age of 12....
HD  M65, HD Baja 100, Sears 175, HD Sprint 350ERS, HD XR750, CZ 500, Bultaco Matador, Husky 400, Montesa Scorpion, Honda 750, Yamaha 400 Daytona Special , HD 883 Sporty, Honda CR250, Honda CR125, Norton 750 Commando, BMW R1100R,
BMW Boxer Cup Replica, Ducati S2R 1000.....

Had some gaps in time with no bike thus the short list...

Still have the Norton....wished I still  had the Yamaha 2 stroker 400 and the XR750. Got the XR brand new took it home in the crate....

[Desert Dust]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I always wanted a Norton. Your Commando should bring a healthy price today if you were to sell it.

We use to call them Snortin' Nortons   

A BSA was a Beezer and a Harley was a Hog.

[msh441]

KID BIKE:
Yamaha YZF80

First street bike (1988-1990):
1980 Yamaha 650 Special (sort-cafe'd out w 2into1 pipe & drop bars)

College BIKES (1990-95):
1982 Yamaha XJ650RJ Seca (GREAT bike! Shouldn't have sold it)
1986 Yamaha FZ600 (first squid bike. Serious POS)
1988 Handa 600F Hurricaine (second squid bike. Better than the FZ, though)

My adult bikes (1995+):
1997 Honda CBR 600F3 (first new bike)
2001 KTM 620 LC4 (first adult dual sport/dirt bike)

Bikes still in the garage:
2000 Triumph 955i Daytona (my first love-I'll NEVER SELL HER)
2007 Husqvarna TE250 (do it all dirt bike/dual sport/supermoto)
2002 Ducati Monster 750S.i.e. (my second love-passed down from my dad-I hope to pass it down to my kid in another 10 years or so)
2003 Ducati Multistada 1000
1996 Honda Z50S (my son's bike)

[mojo]

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=34765.0

[justinrhenry]

1982 Yamaha XJ1100 Maxim


2005 Triumph Sprint ST


2005 Triumph Rocket III


2003 Ducati Monster 620ie

[mraff]

1991 Suzuki Katana 750 (gotta learn to ride on something)
1998 Suzuki TL1000R (cause it was at the dealer when I went to get a filter for the Katana and I had my checkbook out)
2000 H-D Softail Standard (military sales out of Kuwait; way cheaper than MSRP)
2005 S4R (Imported it from the US to Germany; ouch$$$)
2007 H-D Road King Custom (Can't ride to Sturgis on a Softail now can we)
1999 H-D Sportster 1200 (My better half wanted to ride too!)

[Preisker]

In 1970, I bought a CT-70 Honda, the start of a lifelong obsession that my old lady doesn't quite understand, and really can't believe how much money I spend on bikes, tires, magazines, and anything else even remotely related to motorcycles.    And the pile of gloves and helmets is getting larger all the time. 

#37 or so now.   

[DoubleEagle]

I started riding on 2 wheels at age 15 on my neighbors Honda 50 Sport in 1967.

When I turned 16 that same year I talked my folks into letting me get a new black and chrome Honda Sport 50.

Than I got a new Honda 160 CB Scrambler. ( Really wanted the 305 )

I rode bikes off and on through the years but spent most of my time on the Golf Course .

Got into Body Building in the '80s and continued to be in the Gym until I destroyed my major Joints in the late '90s. ( Knees , Hips and Shoulders ) from lifting too heavy and not resting enough between lifting sessions.

Just in the last 8 years here's what I've bought . All new Bikes.

'02 H-D Road King
'03 H-D Heritage Softail Classic
'05 BMW R 1200 RT
'06 BMW K 1200 GT
'2) '07 Ducati S4Rss.
'07 BMW K 1200 S
'08 Ducati 1098-R
''09 BMW K1300 GT
'10 BMW S 1000 RR

Currently have the last 3 on the list.

I rode a Yamaha IT 175 in the woods and Ice Raced it in the late '70s

Had a BSA Mark 2 Spitfire Special in the late '60s.

I've always loved riding but never as much as this past riding season.

Never have I ridden faster and harder than I did this last riding season.


I really felt my skills improving as a corner carver and just being able to handle a bike at high velocity. I guess it was partly because I rode w, very little fear and studied a lot of the DVDs of Moto GP , of The Isle of Mann Races and especially Troy Bayliss's last Season's masterful run for his 3rd and final victory , this time again in World Super Bike.

Also I read Keith Code's " A twist of the Wrist "and I practiced what I had learned until I felt I could do it instinctly.

I'm lucky to have 125-150 miles of beautiful lightly patrolled and most of the time lightly traveled 2 lane roads in the hills of South Eastern , Ohio.

It's too bad that I'm going on 61 'cause things don't come easy like they used to.

4 hours of hard riding and I'm all stoved up for a couple of days.

( The joints you know )

But I still love riding.

Dolph     

[koko64]

'82 Kawasaki Z250
'73 750 Bonneville
'75 1000 H-D Sportster custom
'72 H-D FX custom
'93 H-D FXR
'95 Ducati Monster
'95 YZF 750 (road and race)
'95 ZX6R (race)
'92 VFR400 (NC30) (road and race)
'92 Ducati Superlight
'92 VFR400 (NC30) (race)
'92 VFR400 (NC30) (road and race) FOR SALE
'95 Ducati Monster Current bike

[WetDuc]

About 12 years old started with a Briggs and Stratton mini-bike (me and dad built it), Aprilia SR50R, Piaggio MP3 250, Ducati M695...I'm a newbie.  There was a long break I didn't ride between 15-22.  Just the duc in the stable right now.

[barkertodd]

Aug 2008 - Completed BRT, got my endorsement
Aug 2008 - 2002 Suzuki GZ250 (road ~500 miles)
Jan 2009 - 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 650R (road ~8,900 miles)
Aug 2009 - Traded ninja for my 2009 Ducati Monster 1100 (road 3,200 so far)

I never sold the GZ. My girlfriend is learning, and it's the perfect bike for her

[MadDuck]

1st bike that I owned outright was in 1970, a used Yamaha YM2 305cc.
Then a Norton Commando 750 Fastback.
Dirt bikes -- Yamaha YZ250(?) Yamaha's first dedicated dirt only moto-cross.
Then two Husky 405's.
Back to the streets with a brand spankin' new Honda CB350 that I rode for years.

Too many years passed where I bummed rides now & then on friends Harleys or BMWs but I didn't own anything. I saw the first VFR750s & the CBR600s arrive. OMG!!

In 2005 a friend talked me into taking his M900 around a 3 mile loop where I live. I was doubtful because I always remembered Ducati's as being finicky, quirky bikes but I thought what the hell. I came away from that ride duly impressed. Three weeks later he got me to ride the bike 25 miles into town and back.  Six weeks after that I had my own 1998 Monster 900.

A couple years later I wound up with a 2003 999.

Last year I bought a 2009 848.

I currently only own the 848 but a KTM SuperDuke is looking real good too. 

[DW]

1979 Honda 75cc dirtbike
1985 Honda Rebel (Used for dirt duty pre-license due to a motor with busted rings, smoked like Mt St Helens)
1989 Kawasaki Eliminator 250 (First streetbike with license)
1991 Katana 600 (Junior year of high school through grad school)
2006 S2R1000 (getting back into things after a few years off)
2002 VFR800 (Current Bike, here for the long haul)

[Mike Qube]

Mine's pretty simple,
First motorized bike:


Second(current) motorized bike.