how many here are bikers

[theelanman]

got my provisional at 16...test at 17....had a dt125 then got a cbr400...then got a car.....not been on a bike since

its also fallen off my driving licence.......apparently I should have done something years ago when I got my photo card....

ah well.......don't miss it.......I have Lotus instead.......

[910Esprit]

If anyone has a 750 Commando project with the TLS front brake, can they drop me a line.....     

[giorgio67]

Had four Ducati, one was the mytic 916 SPS Single seater, awesome. Now that I'm old..I've bought a quite KTM DUKE 690.

[march]

Started late and my first bike was a Honda VFR750 - lovely bike

Currently have a 94 Fireblade with a Dream Machine paint job and various improvements, I have had it from almost new, already sold it once and bought it back  as I missed it so much. It now lives next to my Lotus. Unfortunately I have come to the conclusion I will never ride it again (too many idiots on the road and far too many pot holes) so will probably be reluctantly looking to sell it some time this year 

[johnpwalsh]

OK, so does my old Noddy bike class me ass a biker. I bout her 3 years ago as a mild resto project, stripped it down and due to issues with cars, not all Lotus, never got chance to get back to her. Velocette LE MK1 1949.

Library picalmost identical to my LE. This one has the kick start and foot gear change as it's a MK2. Where mine has a hand start and hand operated gear change by a lever from the gearbox. Reg no. JON 135.

 

 

[Barrykearley]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1638912549721640/permalink/1688152441464317/

 

[JayEmm]

I got my bike licence before my car licence, and a bike long before a car. I haven't owned a bike for many years. Haven't ridden one in a while. When I do ride, tends to be a decent trip.

The only bike I really have is my Grandfather's old Triton, which I must recommission sometime.

[saggitarius]

Got my bike license when I was 20 and had a couple of seasons on an old Suzuki GT380 stroker. Sold it when family life took a firm hold.  But have had thoughts of jumping in there again, only now I kind of like classics on two wheels as well as four.  The 1979 Esprit project got company in the garage a couple of years ago by a red blooded Italian - a Guzzi LeMans 1000 from 1985 with an unusual fairing.  Bought it in the Netherlands, flew down there and got in the saddle of an MC for the first time in over 30 years.  Had a gorgeous ride the 1000 kms back home on the European motorway network, and the old lady didn't miss a beat the whole trip

Have also bought myself a commuter in the shape of a Yamaha TT600, about half the weight of the Guzzi and better suited to heavy city traffic, and no road toll.

[Jacques]

Nice Guzzi!

Anyway, I would like to suggest an addition to this thread, namely an exhaust clip thing. If I am not out in the Esprit tomorrow, I will try to record the beautifull silenced and very discreete music coming out of the two organpipes on my Laverda.

What say you good people?

Jacques.

[Steve V8]

I've ridden motorbikes since I was 16, have always had one, and as long as I can hold one up, always will. I'm getting a bit old at 49 for sports and muscle bikes, so got a Harley fatbob now, which shares it's very small garage and ramp with the Esprit. 

[Jacques]

Nice liftintegration

Cheers,

Jacques.

[swindon_alan]

I've put my mad old Beast up for sale.

1981 Honda CB900F FB model with 985cc upgrade. Goes like stink!

It's on eBay until tomorrow (Thursday) night if anyone is interested.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122093666111

 

[Royal]

Got my licence last month and bought a new Triumph Rocket 3. I heard they have stopped producing them, so glad I bought when I did.

Can't really call myself a biker. More a trainee biker. 

 

[pete]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/37743564

a well done to cal crutchlow for winning the australian gp

[LOTUSMAN33]

Well done to Cal, been a long time coming for such a spirited rider. ??????

Dave  

[pete]

highlights of the race are on at 8.00 on itv4 tonight if anyone interested

[LOTUSMAN33]

Thanks Pete, enjoyed the viewing. ?

[Esprit Aviation]

+1

My son and I started a custom bike shop www.espritmotorcycles.com

instagram #espritmotorcycles

We generally do Cafe-Sport style with BMW airheads and K bikes along with some Hondas and a Royal Enfield bobber. We sell custom rear sets / pegs, etc that we machine on an 1944 South Bend lathe

Edited March 27, 2017 by Esprit Aviation

[Grahaml]

Just browsing and wondered why I hadn't contributed before!!  Bikes on the road and then raced them.

Like some others I had bikes before cars - I'll try and remember them;

Suzuki T250 Hustler

Yamaha RD350 (that got stolen from outside my work)

Suzuki T500 (I "tuned" that and immediately put a hole in a piston!)

Suzuki GT750 (kettle)

Kawasaki Z650 custom (did a trip to South of France on that one)

Suzuki GS1000 

Then after years of watching and wanting to race I decided I would and raced the GS1000 in production races - while also using it as my day-to-day transport.

It got stolen from outside my work (different work from last theft) - it even still had my racing number plates on it!

Bought another GS1000 and continued road and race.  (I also did a trip to South of France on that one - in between races)

I then tested a Yamaha LC350 - wow- I liked that and px'd the Suzuki for a Yamaha LC350.  By then I was in a car and the bike was kept just for racing

.  I picked up sponsorship from Carrick Motors (now no more) of Edinburgh who were Yamaha main dealers - and raced all through the 1980's.  The LC classes were booming with big grids - heats and finals.

I raced against Niall McKenzie (never managed to beat him - but  did once get a fastest lap against him).

Then over the following years I raced

Yamaha LC350

Yamaha LC250

Yamah YPVS 350 (powervalve)

Yamaha RD500LC V4

Yamaha TZ350

Yamaha TZR250 

Yamaha FZR600

Then marrage and children (and age) kicked in

I usually raced 2 bikes at each meeting (LC250 and 350) and at one point 3 bikes - thanks to very good sponsorship from carrick motors.

I don't think I would ride on the roads now though....

 

Oh - just rembered - I was a hypocrit when my son wanted a MX bike as a kid - and steered him onto Karts instead (that was good - and expensive fun) and he was quite successful at National Championship level.  

He's grown up now and just bought himself a Honda 250 2/s MX bike and tells me he is now goin to sell it to buy a newer one (4S) now that he is getting on the pace!!

 

[2GOOD]

My first post & I might as well start here, this is my current bike & possibly my last, I've owned it for the last four years, love it, but at 53 years of age I'm beginning to have to admit defeat when wrapping by body around it!

After an AP50 at 16 i was lucky enough to have a 250LC in 1981 on L plates although I passed my test within a month of turning 17 & hadn't even run the thing in! Apart from one or two summers I've had bikes ever since. Several were the latest thing at the time & are now if only I'd held on to thems...

...including an early Fireblade, one of the first 916's & a 98 R1. Had a GSXR1000 & a couple of ZXR's, tried a Speed Triple in mid forties but missed the Ducati sports bike too much.

 

[pete]

Looks like the end of an era,the last v twin from Ducati,the next generation will have a v4 developed from their moto gp bike

[Daniel]

I decided to give my Buell a little cosmetic upgrade to change it from the previous dreary black.

Quite happy with the results:

[Loquacious Lew]

I have a '12 Multistrada S and an '05 BMW Boxer Cup.   The Multi is all the touring ride I'll ever need and the Evora is all the sports car I require so for the first time in decades I'm not looking for anything.  I'm thinking about letting the BMW go though.

 

 

[silverfrost]

Sadly never got round to getting my bike license, did try many years ago but the test centre was doing a massive batch of police riders in a large block booking,  Which is also why i may of lived to the age i am know also 

Every now and again some bikes just pull at my heart,  The suzuki Kantana from the 80s is still a bike i would love to own,  not sure if it was the pop up headlight that drew me to it, or fond memories of growing up with street hawk that the bike kind of resembled. 

However every now and again i will have a quick flick through ebay, mainly at the custom classic alloy cafe racers which are a work of art, but the work of art is also reflected in the price.  But looking the other day i have found a bike that has pulled my heart the most, it is a lovely looking thing, I have no idea what it would ride like, if it is worth the price, or how much the parts are.   It just looks amazing,  just under 7k from the Netherlands.   I would put this thing in my front room just to look at lol.   This is the bike that would make me finally get my license. 

 

[2GOOD]

On 10/07/2017 at 22:01, pete said:

Looks like the end of an era,the last v twin from Ducati,the next generation will have a v4 developed from their moto gp bike

I think that that is the best looking Panigale yet, despite my earlier statement with regards to my 848, if they bring out a 959 in the next couple of years with paintwork & exhaust system something like that I might just crumble!