Best motorcycle you've ever owned, for nicksta43..

My 1977 CB550F Super Sport was my favorite by far. I kept it for 19 years. Just about the perfect bike.

Beagle wrote: not "the" first, that was a Suzuki TrailHopper... but I got my license on it so it's the best. The others along the way were just too reliable or fast or comfortable.

I had that exact same bike in a 175. I liked it, and rode the daylights out of it. But my favorite was the bike the Kawasaki replaced:

Dear Bob, I loved that Honda. 4-stroke torque, light, strong, reliable, easy to fix, handled great, very capable in the woods. A blast to ride. When I was a kid I could - and did - ride from near West Chester, PA all the way out to Coatesville, without doing more than crossing a road with line markings on it. Never ever got busted, either.

!977 Honda CB 750k. We were both trying to kill each other, and fortunately neither of us succeeded. .My wife sold it a a yard sale when we moved.

the one that was the most fun … also the most dangerous was a '72 Kawasaki MkIII … 3 cyl. 2 stroke … 38mm Mikuni carbs., Torque Eng. expansion chambers, 20mm over bore, front sprocket 1 tooth smaller …

brutally quick … it could easily just be called sudden … (this was quick for 1980) … I could easily outrun KZ 1000's stoplight to stoplight … but any curve in the road was a scary prospect … would not corner AT all

+1 Yamaha RD. I had a 250 and two 400's, all used for production class roadracing for several years. My God, the abuse those bikes took with zero problems. Superb brakes. Needed aftermarket rear shocks and an occasional spark plug and that was it.

I've never had a bad street bike, but there are two that stand out as great.

My RD350 never missed a beat, I rode it hard too, it seemed to run better when I did, but that shouldn't be the surprise.

Next is my Honda NT650 Hawk GT. The only problems it ever had were related to aftermarket parts and modifications, and they were all minor issues.

I've been blessed with two.

1997 TL1000S

It had power everywhere. With Yosh pipes it sounded like God was ripping a monstrous fart all the way to red line. I also installed helibars to get myself into a better riding position. Best change I ever made to that bike.

This one was great too. 1998 Buell S3. The last of the carbed 101hp sportster motors. I put 17k on this bike with no trouble. Had a great time and it had one of the best stock seats I ever used. I could stay on this one for hours. Just like the Suzuki it never saw the inside of a dealership once I owned it. Not because it didn't need work but because it was so easy to work on and maintain in my shed with simple hand tools.

Duke wrote:

Beagle wrote: not "the" first, that was a Suzuki TrailHopper... but I got my license on it so it's the best. The others along the way were just too reliable or fast or comfortable.

I had that exact same bike in a 175. I liked it, and rode the daylights out of it. But my favorite was the bike the Kawasaki replaced: Dear Bob, I loved that Honda. 4-stroke torque, light, strong, reliable, easy to fix, handled great, very capable in the woods. A blast to ride. When I was a kid I could - and did - ride from near West Chester, PA all the way out to Coatesville, without doing more than crossing a road with line markings on it. Never ever got busted, either.

My very first bike was an XL75. Got it when I was 8.

Cotton wrote:

Duke wrote:

My very first bike was an XL75. Got it when I was 8.

I was 9 or 10 when I got the XR75? It replaced a Yammie Mini Enduro 60 that I got when I was about 7. We had a pair and they were probably a year or two older than this one - they were red, but they had a light package.

That was the only thing I wish the Honda had - lights. Then, when I was about 13, I moved up to the 175 Kawasaki. A much more capable bike, but not as much of a companion as the XR75 had been.

Duke wrote: I had that exact same bike in a 175. I liked it, and rode the daylights out of it. But my favorite was the bike the Kawasaki replaced: Dear Bob, I loved that Honda. 4-stroke torque, light, strong, reliable, easy to fix, handled great, very capable in the woods. A blast to ride. When I was a kid I could - and did - ride from near West Chester, PA all the way out to Coatesville, without doing more than crossing a road with line markings on it. Never ever got busted, either.

I had the XR75's predecessor, the SL70.

I stripped the lights etc, cut the exhaust off and put a megaphone on it. That's what I started motocrossing on. It still holds a place in my heart along with my 1969 Mini Trail 50.

We started with Honda Mintrail 50s (a pair) and they got stolen and were replaced with a pair of Yamaha Mini Enduro 60s. They got stolen and my dad bought a '74 Kawasaki F7 175 like this:

A couple years after that, I replaced the XR75 with a '73 F7 just like the blue one above, except it was orange. It was competent enough, but I bonded with that XR75 like you do with a dog or horse.

Can't exactly call it the best bike I've ever had, but I've had it for over 30 years and still can't convince myself to let it go. This is a picture of what it should look like. Sadly, mine does not look this nice.

1968 Honda CD175

71 SL175

Woody wrote: My 1977 CB550F Super Sport was my favorite by far. I kept it for 19 years. Just about the perfect bike.

That's a nice looking bike!

Xceler8x wrote: I've been blessed with two. 1997 TL1000S It had power everywhere. With Yosh pipes it sounded like God was ripping a monstrous fart all the way to red line. I also installed helibars to get myself into a better riding position. Best change I ever made to that bike. This one was great too. 1998 Buell S3. The last of the carbed 101hp sportster motors. I put 17k on this bike with no trouble. Had a great time and it had one of the best stock seats I ever used. I could stay on this one for hours. Just like the Suzuki it never saw the inside of a dealership once I owned it. Not because it didn't need work but because it was so easy to work on and maintain in my shed with simple hand tools.

How was the Buell after a long day?

NGTD wrote: The most fun? My 77 Yamaha RD 400 - bought it in pieces for $50 and rebuilt it:

+1

Best bike is this:

I guess I should say how was your body after a long day on the buell?

bravenrace wrote: 71 SL175

I had one just like that for a short time, swapped it for an SL100 because that was one of the hot bikes in the 100cc MX class at the time. The other was this:

Dad was helping bankroll my racing effort and said 'no two strokes'. Dammit. I did finally get one many years later, I called him and said 'You remember you said I couldn't have a Hodaka? Yeah? You do remember? Well, listen up: I GOT ONE!!!' then hung up. He called back laughing his ass off.

Duke wrote:

That's a 73. I'm building a 74 that should look just like this when I'm done (with the proper grey fenders, side plates, tank, etc. - but not the XR200 motor)

1982 XV920 virago

only because it's the only bike i've ever owned. my 225dx three wheeler is way cooler, but i would love to mate the 920 v-twin to the trike.

Been a long time (sold the bikes to build a house 15 years ago, but mine was a 1983 Honda 650 Nighthawk - the shaft drive one - and my wife's was a 1983 Yamaha 750 Midnight Virago - think JPS Lotus paint scheme cruiser bike. Both sweet machines.

foxtrapper wrote: I was looking for a Pacific Coast when I accidently sat on a Road King. I still would like to get one some day. Though they are a bit tall and awkward for me. I've always loved the trunk design of the Pacific Coast.

Tall and awkward? Who are you Vern Troyer?

The PC was the most comfortable and under-rated bike I ever put seat time on.

stroker wrote: Best bike is this:

I have a '79 GS1000S myself. I did a full restoration on it but had the engine rebuilt by a shop that wasn't very good...I never did get the thing running right. As a result it's been sitting in my house on display for the last decade; if I can't ride the thing I can at least look at it.

In reply to Flight Service:

Oh, I dunno. I too found it a bit ungainly at walking speeds - it's like it's top-heavy or something.

I'd love a NT700V if they weren't going for more than twice the price of the PC800.

My favorite was my 1982 Honda FT500. I changed the seat, bars, and made some rear sets for it. I also had a couple different front sprockets that I could change depending on whether I was riding the local mountain roads or the highways. Put 20K miles on that bike and wish I still had it. (pic is not my bike)