Have you ever owned the bike (motor) of your dreams?

[Hornblower]

After 40 years of biking and owning over 30 m/cycles of every style/size/power I can honestly say that my 1997 BMW R1100GS with ABS and heated grips is the best bike I have owned and qualifies as the 'bike of my dreams'. I've had more modern and more powerful GS's but the old R1100 is definitely the best. Proper German engineering and reliability, comfort, speed (I'm not a tearaway anymore) and versatility make it the best IMHO.

 

[ozzygull]

Yes Kawasaki ZXR400 Loved that bike. Upside down forks, the air intake pipes. I put a yoshimura exhaust system and a Penske rear shock on it. Because it was only a 400 you could literally red line it anywhere. Used to take it on the tracks and give bigger bikes a run for there money, not because it was faster but because the power of it did not scare me. Sold it just after my daughter was born.

 

[-gully-]

Yep. Easily pleased with my CBR 600RR. Long journeys are a bit of a killer but love it to bits.

 

[Titanic]

I can honestly say, in all my 51 years, I have never dreamed of owning a motorbike... except, perhaps, a few envious thoughts about a Yamaha FS1E in my teens.

 

[The Sock of Poskett]

No, but then I've never dreamed of owning a motorbike, so I'm not disappointed

 

[Hornblower]

Yes Kawasaki ZXR400 Loved that bike. Upside down forks, the air intake pipes. I put a yoshimura exhaust system and a Penske rear shock on it. Because it was only a 400 you could literally red line it anywhere. Used to take it on the tracks and give bigger bikes a run for there money, not because it was faster but because the power of it did not scare me. Sold it just after my daughter was born.

That sounds fun, I'd quite like a small engined light sports bike in my garage alongside the Beemer.

 

[ozzygull]

It over 12 years ago since I sold it, but it was great. I think the motor bike market shot its self in the foot a little bit. The manufactures just kept bring out more and more powerful bikes that were far beyond the capabilities of most Sunday riders. The Bike magazines like Ride etc would go on about these the best fast bike, but the people who wrote in it were probably ex racers or ride for a living not your average rider. I loved the zxr400 because I could dominate it. I think anything else would have dominated me and would have been scary.

 

[StonehamPark]

I don't really have a Motorbike 'of my deams' at the moment.

I currently own a 2012 Ducati Hypermotard which is more than decent for now.

 

[LowerWesty]

Various bikes over the years. Started with a BSA B31 350, when I was 16, then a faired BSA Bantom, think it was a 150 twin plug. Then an NSU Quickly only 49cc but it did for a while, then there was 250 Talisman Twin and a 150 Lamberetta scooter.

Then it was cars for quite a while, but the hankering for a bike got the better of me so I bought a new Honda Super Dream, think the wife was surprised! I had that for a few years, it only came out in the sun and in the end spent most of its time in the warm in the the garage, so it got sold.

No more bikes for a few years, until my 60th, when I went mad and bought myself a Suzuki 600 GSR. I joined the Suzuky owners club, they had some great ride outs and meets, Ace Cafe, Beaulieu etc. I also supported Team Classic Suzki. When they were racing not too far away, I liked Brands best, being part of the team, getting your hands dirty, bacon butties in the caravan and the great feeling when we won.

But what I really hankered after was the bike of MY dreams, a Honda 800 VFR Vtec. Full of Honda over the top engineering, the memory of hitting 7k, when the second set of valves engaged and the sound and acceleration still brings a smile. I joined the VFR Owners club and had some great times, Box Hill on Suday mornings, ride outs to Camber and Hastings for fish and chips. We used to have upwards of 60 VFRs on the A272 some Sunday's.

Happy days, but in the end it made my back ache and I went back to a tin box, but it's quite a nice tin box, a new BMW Touring and the bonus is, I don't wet!

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Not yet, when I was a kid I had a Yam PW50 and then a PW80. I had a pretty horrendous crash and stopped riding. A couple of years ago I resumed and got my full license, started off on a Yamaha Fazer 600 which was a bit tired but still went like stink, it wasn't really my thing and I got the opportunity to swap for a Kawasaki Er6n, she's not quite as quick but looks (to me) a lot better and is 6 years newer, also the thumpy engine sounds superb singing through a Delkevic can.
My 'dream bike' isn't really that fancy and hopefully I'll get one either this year or next, and that bike is a Kawasaki ZX6R.

 

[Brighton Mod]

TV 200 Lambretta, assi expansion chamber, dell orto carb, mirrors, air horns, front and rear crash bars, aerial, foxes tail, candy stripes, front rack in union jack red, white and blue. Yes I have, those wre the days.

 

[somerset]

I started with my dream bike at the time..............



Then I arrived 30 odd years later with this very fast beast ( 175bhp)



PS: The Beemer is for sale if anybody is interested,.... PM me.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Yep, had one of these at college. Last desire to own such a vehicle.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I can honestly say, in all my 51 years, I have never dreamed of owning a motorbike... except, perhaps, a few envious thoughts about a Yamaha FS1E in my teens.

I've got an FS1E in my garage, it's my brother's bike that he bought ride Lands End to John o'Groats

Yep, had one of these at college. Last desire to own such a vehicle.

View attachment 62850

My brother had one if them as a kid.

 

[solly]

Now your talking ... I do love a bike .... current fleet
Ducati ST4
Ducati 900SD Darmah
Ducati 900SSD Darmah
Kawasaki KZ1000P police edition (CHiPs bike ridden USA coast ot coast in 2013 and shipped home) and often seen at the Amex
Kawasaki KZ1000P same as above (in USA ready for repeat Coast to Coast trip in 2016)
Kawasaki Z650 (project)
Suzuki AP50 (project)
No room for anymore ... or is ther

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Not yet, when I was a kid I had a Yam PW50 and then a PW80. I had a pretty horrendous crash and stopped riding. A couple of years ago I resumed and got my full license, started off on a Yamaha Fazer 600 which was a bit tired but still went like stink, it wasn't really my thing and I got the opportunity to swap for a Kawasaki Er6n, she's not quite as quick but looks (to me) a lot better and is 6 years newer, also the thumpy engine sounds superb singing through a Delkevic can.
My 'dream bike' isn't really that fancy and hopefully I'll get one either this year or next, and that bike is a Kawasaki ZX6R.

I don't know how you can move to a slower bike. For me I always want a faster and faster bike. Maybe it's an age thing but I think my enjoyment of more and more powerful motorbikes isn't going to end nicely..

I started with my dream bike at the time..............

View attachment 62848

Then I arrived 30 odd years later with this very fast beast ( 175bhp)

View attachment 62849

PS: The Beemer is for sale if anybody is interested,.... PM me.

175bhp? Holy crap... how fast can it go (in theory?)

 

[pasty]

Only ever had moped type things back when I was in the RAF in the 80's

First was one of these - Honda 50 step thru. Driving along the A15 from Sleaford to Lincoln one day, a huge juggernaut passed me on the other side of the road, and the backdraft from it simply blew me over into the ditch

 

[somerset]

I don't know how you can move to a slower bike. For me I always want a faster and faster bike. Maybe it's an age thing but I think my enjoyment of more and more powerful motorbikes isn't going to end nicely..


175bhp? Holy crap... how fast can it go (in theory?)

...approx 1mph for every horse. (....and before you ask,.... no,..... but 147 ish.)

 

[Diablo]

175bhp? Holy crap... how fast can it go (in theory?)[/QUOTE]

To put that in perspective Barry Sheenes works Suzuki was one of the earliest to have 100bhp.....Nowadays the big Ducatis,Aprilias,Yamahas etc..road bikes you can buy weigh less than 200kg and pump out 200+ Horsepower. In a road test on dry road the Ducati 1299S Panigale pulled wheelie when accelerating from 100mph and according to test rider accelerated strongly at 170mph

THE FACTS

Ducati 1299 Panigale S

Tested: 1,285cc four-stroke V-twin, six-speed transmission

Price/on sale: £20,795 (standard 1299 £16,695)/March

Power/torque: 205bhp @ 10,500rpm/106.7lb ft @ 8,750rpm

Top speed: 190mph (estimated)

Range: 120 miles @ 35mpg (estimated)

Verdict: Magnificent super-sports V-twin that combines stunning looks, phenomenal performance and agile handling with safety and ease of use

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I don't know how you can move to a slower bike. For me I always want a faster and faster bike. Maybe it's an age thing but I think my enjoyment of more and more powerful motorbikes isn't going to end nicely

In my defence, the Fazer was my first 'big bike'. I appreciated the speed but I felt like it was controlling me rather than me controlling the bike, I felt like an accident waiting to happen, also it was ugly as sin . The Kwak came along for an outrageous price so I took it, it's a lot nicer to ride for a a relatively inexperienced (on the road) rider and is quite forgiving. The difference in power is about 20bhp from Fazer to Er6n but the delivery is super smooth on the Kwak so I can use it more, but as I said originally I'm hoping to trade up to a ZX6R soonish. My Dad keeps badgering me to have a go on his k3 GSXR1000 because he knows how much I'll love it.