Classic Motorcycles and the People Who Ride Them

I didn't see anything on the new TFP 5.0 yet about classic motorcycles, so here it goes...

For the sake of defining the word "classic" lets count everything before 1987 (25 years ago). That was very roughly when modern sport-bikes were coming of age and all bikes were still carbureted with no fancy inverted forks or mono-shock rear suspension.

I digress...

I like to ride classic motorcycles. I've had several over the years, with a couple not-so-classics in between. I recently sold my newer GSXR600 to pay off a loan, but since I have the motorcycle bug so very bad I had to buy another one within a couple weeks!

I found this 1981 suzuki gs450 for $800. I originally wanted to turn it into a cafe, but it ended up being in too good of condition for me to hack it up... It is super fun to ride and maintenance is easy to do. I do wish it was a little bigger so the lady and I could take long trips, but it's great for around town and mountain riding.

Let's hear your stories and see some pictures!!!

 

Favorites are/were....the older BMW's from the 60's to late70's. R69..R75, Unfortunately I had to give up the bikes, too dangerous here in South FL...bad enough in a car!

 

I've always been a fan of anything BMW Boxer.

With that said, it's hard to argue with a post 1981 (when they went to DOHC) CB750 ish.

Naked bikes - the essence of motorcycling. Which is why I want a Monster or a Speed Triple.

 

I rode a few bikes that met your criteria back in the day; but bikes have come a long ways since then.

My 72 Honda CB750k was a great bike in it's time. It was also top heavy and high maintainance. I don't need to ever balance 4 carbs again. Points, plugs, valve adjustments every 1000 miles? You can have them. My wife drives a newer Kawasaki VN800 that could blow away the Honda and is drivable by a 5'4" woman.

I live in the mountains, EFI is nice. I live on a dirt road, shaft drive works well for me. I have a bad habit of only using the front brakes, so having them linked is pretty nice, as well. I'm driving a 2012 BMW R1200RT these days. It's easily the most technically sophisticated bike I've ever driven and I'm liking it that way.

 

Yeah, The new bikes especially the Beamers, are so good they blow away anything else...(but they cost as much as a damn car)
Get's me going, but at my "advanced" age, even the slightest damage to my body would be unacceptable...I'm paying for those crashes 30-40 years ago in aches and pains.....you only think you got away with it...it comes back to haunt you

 

I ride an older BMW not quite classic yet... love it to death but totally want to sell it for a little honda 650 or something.. maybe a suzuki dr

 

Those little Honda's are excellent "get around town bikes" but for the open road. a BMW is second only to a classic Harley

 

Dunno, when talking to guys at work about motorcycles I've heard ride, drive, push, and roll used in reference to both ownership and operation.

"Ride" seems to be the most popular term for things with the right wrist twist.

 

It's ride, most definitely ride

 

Obviously, I use both interchangeably.

 

I just go out with my motorcycle. It has a female name. We're practically married.

 

That makes me want a honda!

 

Saw an old Enfield parked up outside the shops. Proper saddle - if you know what I mean. Lovely looking old bike - obviously much loved. I dont think anything is built to last so long these days.

 

I don't currently ride anything that is vintage, though I'm in the process of restoring a 1971 Yamaha CT1 175. A pretty common bike in its day, and not really a collectors item, but my wife saw it and told me she would actually ride it, which was earth-shattering since she hates motorcycles and the fact that I ride them. I'm also reviving a 1988 KLR 650, though since half the parts of that bike are interchangeable with my 09' KLR I suppose it's not all that close to vintage either. I hope to pick up an old Yamaha XS someday and bob it, but we'll see when the funds allow for that project.

 

Ex FWB bought a 76 KZ900 LTD a couple years ago. I would actually classify it as a "find." He met a guy in a bar who was going through a divorce and needed to sell it. The bike was well loved and cared for by it's previous owner. Kind of a win win situation because the way he would talk about it - it was one of his kids. It most certainly went to a good owner.

My cousins do flat track motorcycle racing. The oldest went to school for Motorcycle Mechanics and his grandpa owns a motorcycle shop. It's kind of a family hobby they were able to turn into a business. I think he has a stronger preference towards the vintage european bikes. I would say between these two experiences is where I have less of a preference for Harley's. I like the older bikes - domestic or european and then the newer sportbikes. The Hayabusa's kinda make me drool a little bit.

Last time I brought up learning to ride a motorcycle and getting one for myself was the last time I saw my dad really mad. I think he would be okay with me getting a dirtbike to ride around the farm, but riding on the streets with the drivers that don't watch out for motorcycles is another issue. (And yes - I'm old enough to do what I want without his permission - but I respect him too much to have him scared for my safety all the time.)

 

Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixels. Other resolutions: 320 × 213 pixels | 640 × 427 pixels | 1,024 × 683 pixels.
Full resolution ‎(1,350 × 900 pixels, file size: 600 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)

​

This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons. Information from its description page there is shown below. ​

Commons is a freely licensed media file repository. You can help.​

[edit]​

Summary

Description​

English: The original (restored) Brough Superior of T. E. Lawrence / Imperial War Museum / London