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Bikes the Last 2 Decades

2K views 16 replies 9 participants last post by  Craigar 
#1 · (Edited)
I see quite a few "Old Guys" on this forum, and as everyone knows us old guys like to reminisce about the past.

So I thought a quick journey of bikes we have owned during the last 20 years or so would be fun. Please post your pics and let the conversation begin.

Mine are displayed in chronological order as follows.

The dirt bikes:

2005 CRF 450X bought new from LA Cycle.

2003 CR 250 used from a private party. The most fun dirt bike I ever owned.

2007 WR 450 I made street "Legal" and got plated. A world of fun for sure.

The Street bikes:

2001 FZ-1 used from a private party

2011 Ninja 1000 used from private party.

2014 FZ-09 New from Power Motorsports in Oregon.

2012 Connie 14 used from a dealer in Idaho.

2015 KTM 1190 Adventure almost new from private party. Odometer only had 211 miles on it. I stole it at $11,500.

2015 V-650 from private party. Most fun street bike I have owned.
 

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#3 · (Edited)
They apparently cannot remember that far back. Lol
You have had some great machines in the stable.
I don't have a lot of picks of my bikes. But I will list them out.

1980 Yamaha XJ 400 Seca - purchased used from my best friend
1986 Yamaha Radian 600 - New - Yamaha Lynnwood WA
1998 Kawasaki Concours - private party Stanwood,WA
2001 Honda Valkyrie Tour- purchased used 2k miles, Cyclebarn Lynnwood WA
2005 Victory Kingpin - private party 4k miles, Tacoma WA
2004 Victory Vegas Ness Edition - private party 4k miles
2002 BMW K1200lt - Private party 10k miles
2008 Victory Vision - New Lake Havasu Powersports
2013 Victory Cross Country- New Scottsdale
2008 Yamaha FJR 1300 AE Private party- 6.5k miles
2016 Kawasaki Versys 650LT- Private party 3.4k miles (current)
 

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#7 ·
Full disclosure, the only pics I had available digitally of my own machines. Were the Vic Vision, Cross Country, FJR, and my Versys.
I do have a pic of my radian. But that's in an album with all my car(s) pics when younger. Perhaps that's another thread for a later date.
 
#5 ·
Over the last 20 years? That's easy 'cuz I keep my bikes a long time.

1990 Yamaha XY600 "Radian" (bought w. 830 miles on it in 1994; sold 2004 w. 78,000 miles)
2003 Kawasaki ZR-7S (bought new in 2004; sold 2016 w. 65,000 miles)
2015 Versys 650 ABS (bought new in 2016; current mileage ~11,000)

I'll have to dig out a pic of the Radian; that was before I went digital. :^)





 
#8 · (Edited)
Goin' back MORE THAN 20 years:

'62 Triumph Thunderbird
'62 Triumph Bonneville
'fuel dragbike' based on the above Triumphs
'74 Yamaha DT360
'77 Yamaha TT500
'78 Yamaha XS750E
'79 (?) Hercules 125 Enduro
'82 (?) CanAm Qualifier 400 (ex-factory ISDT bike!)
'79 Yamaha SR500
'03 Suzuki Bandit 1200S
'04 KLR 650
'08 Kawi V650 (still got it)
'09 Kawi V650 (written off after crashing just S of Inuvik in '15, but ridden S to Kelowna over three days)
'15 Kawi V650LT





























I'll try to add the remaining bikes....
 
#13 ·
Goin' back MORE THAN 20 years:
'62 Triumph Thunderbird
'62 Triumph Bonneville
'fuel dragbike' based on the above Triumphs
Love the old Triumph's. I used to race a 65 TR-6. Looked like a Bonnie but with only one carb.

Have you ridden any of the new retro Triumph's?

A buddy has a 2012 T-120. It is a great bike. Very smooth and comfy.

Thanks for sharing Eddie.:smile2:
 
#16 ·
Initially I 'upgraded' the Thunderbird engine w/ higher comp pistons (8.5 to 1...?), Triumph racing cams on both inlet and exhaust, and the twin-carb head and magneto from the Bonneville (which was a POS for ME!). Then I decided to build the dragbike, but first as a 'showbike'. Here getting 12.5 to 1 compression pistons from Power Sphere, w/ a VERY RADICAL pair of Hanmon and Collins roller cams already installed.





Won a few trophies w/ it, and it was pretty fast!...





and ran a 12.7 second 'quarter-mile' at 112 mph in '65 on alcohol when THAT was considered pretty quick, and fast!



Then I built the WILD THING dragbike: oil and fuel in the frame, internally vented, 4" AVON slick (that was ALL you get back then!). Weighed about 200#, and you can see in that pic w/ me how little it was. "Canadian Motorcycling" had a feature article on it in Jan '67







But by then I had been accepted for pilot training in the RCAF, so I was in the process of selling it off, bit-by-bit (it went on to be a big part of a show-winning Triton, and here's a scan of the ONLY original pic I have of it.



Love the old Triumph's. I used to race a 65 TR-6. Looked like a Bonnie but with only one carb.

Have you ridden any of the new retro Triumph's?...Thanks for sharing Eddie.:smile2:
No I haven't, but a friend from "then" STILL has his '62 Triumph TR6.
 
#10 ·
Prior to 2006 I've only owned 3 bikes.

1977 Yamaha XS750 with full touring complement. No photos of the bike, but it was the silver one with all the touring options shown on both the silver and the red one plus crash bars and highway pegs, king/queen seat, and higher handlebars. Quite a bike for a 19 year old who would have been happy with a Kawasaki 175 enduro.

1985 Honda Shadow 700

1978 Honda 550 four Supersport.
 

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#11 · (Edited)
Starting in 2006 when I was no longer responsible for raising a family I went full blown into the addiction. When I allowed myself to own more than one bike at a time the floodgates opened. I have owned 21 bikes that I can remember since 2006 and have ridden over 300,000 miles.

2001 Suzuki DRZ400S bought used in 2006. Finally realized my want for an enduro / dual sport bike.

4 months later added the 2001 Kawasaki Voyager XII so my wife could ride with me and so I could start touring.

2007 rolled around and the 2004 Kawasaki Ninja 250 fell into my lap when a young man needed to sell so he could pay his step mom for the R6 she loaned him money to buy. Tuned it and detailed it, then rode it a couple thousand miles and made $500 on it. The little ninja started the bug for sport bike riding so I started looking around for something mid size. I was not a fan of the one large exhaust sweeping up on one side of the bike so I wanted dual or hidden exhaust. Looked at an FZ6 and then saw the Ninja 650 on the floor with the under the bike exhaust and knew I had to have it.

Found a great deal on a new '07 Kawasaki Ninja 650 about 3 hours from home so hopped in the truck to get it. It didn't take me long to try and turn the bike into a sport tourer after a couple trips with soft bags and wet belongings. The 3rd Ninja photo is a couple buds and I touring the BRP in the rain and fog. At least all my stuff stayed dry!
 

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#14 ·
My last 20 years+ Oddly, I couldn't find a photo of the 1987 Concours I had that I used for a couple Iron Butt rides. In these shots is a 1978 Honda XL250, 1979 Honda 750F, 1982 GPz750, 1984 KZ1100R, 1979 Suzuki GS1000S, 2004 HD Road King, 2008 KLR 650, 2011 Concours 1400, 2015 Versys 650LT.









 
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#15 ·
Here you go. This list starts in 1972 and runs to the present. I only own the Versys today.

1972 Honda Mini Trail 50 (Christmas present from Santa)
1974 Honda CL350 (purchased used from a private party "PP", in retrospect a terrible bike)
1972 Yamaha RD350 (purchased used from PP, it was a joyous love affair until it threw a rod three months into ownership)
1974 Honda CB550 (purchased used from PP)
1981 Suzuki 650EX (purchased used from dealer in Chapel Hill, NC, for its day, this was a great bike. Completely reliable despite a rough life)
1984 Honda 700S (purchased used from a PP, also a great bike for its day)
2001 Kawasaki ZR-7S (purchased used from a dealer in CT)
2016 Kawasaki Versys 650 (purchased used--only three months old--from NY dealer)

Hankster
 
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