how many here are bikers

[eUKenGB]

Ah, where to begin. I guess it was when my friend told me at the age of 14 that he and some other mates had a couple of BSA Bantams that they rode around a field and I thought that sounded like a lot of fun. So spending all my savings, I picked up an old Francis Barnet from the local garage, took it home and told my father. Who duly went nuts, but did in the end allow me to keep it and I've been obsessed with them ever since.

After university I worked for Honda UK (had a Kawasaki Z1 at the time), but then the lure of the CBX1000 was too great. Working in the Technical Training Centre, I was involved in the original model introduction and launch of that monumental machine. Did most of the introductory technical training on it too. Had a few of them since then and still have a CBX as one of my 'projects'.

I see many threads on here about driving through the Alps and Pyrenees etc, often the same roads and places I've ridden during my regular European tours. But I have little interest in taking any car there. So many other cars that frequent those wonderful roads, but when you're riding a bike they're just a mobile chicane that adds a bit more spice to the ride. However in a car, they can be a total road block, all the way over the pass that you've come 1,000 miles just to drive over at a fun speed. Just no contest in my books. In that situation, it's a bike every time for me.

I have tended to stick with Hondas as they have made some great bikes, I KNOW how Honda makes bikes and appreciate the quality of their engineering, so feel most at home riding or working ( and racing many years ago) on Hondas. Not exclusively though as I've had a Harley Davidson (soon to get another) and others (like Yamaha MT01 as I see elsewhere in this thread). In fact very unlikely to buy any new Honda now as they just don't seem to make anything that remotely interests me these days. I'm way past wanting a new FireBlade as that would be even more performance I could not possibly use. I'm arrogant enough to know that's not down to any lack of ability on my part. It's just the laws of physics. Unless a bike can bend light around that blind corner so I can see what's ahead, there's no possible way I could ride any faster. Not that I really want to these days if truth be told. I don't know whether that's simply age or that I've managed to convince myself to ride slower due to the  current obsession against speed our government and law enforcement seem to have. I don't want points on my license, I really don't want to lose my license and I absolutely and definitely 100% don't want to go to jail and that is where they can put you these days for riding at a speed I might have considered inconsequential some years ago.

Although I do still have some fast sports bikes to ride, I tend to concentrate on more interesting projects based on older bikes. All told, I have quite a few underway at the moment (see here, not all with actual photos), some of which I am aware might be termed 'long term projects'. Keep me busy though for the rest of my life.

As they say, keep it rubber side down.

[petecov]

I ride a 2012 Honda CRF450R.

[Francisco Franco]

That was my lot up to a month ago, just sold them for the Elise deposit

[C8RKH]

You must be really posh @Francisco Franco. I mean, you even put satellite TV in your Bird House!  What do they usually watch?  

Birds of a feather reruns?

One flew over the Cuckoo's nest?

Chicken Little?

Robins nest?

The Maltese Falcon or Iron Eagle on Sony Movies?

 

 

[Francisco Franco]

😂

it’s still not enough for them.... you know what birds are like!!!!

 

[Kimbers]

I must admit I am considering selling the Lotus Evora and buying a bike or 2 just for a bit of fun. I am not using the car enough to warrant the cost....Plus Wendy wants to buy a Holiday home in Cyprus so the money from the sale would go towards that.

If I do buy a bike it will be something like a Triumph Speed Triple. Love those naked street racers.

[Arun_D]

Speed Triples are fantastic things. Muscle-bound hot rod of the bike, but comfy and user-friendly at the same time. I'm considering running one as a bit of an all-rounder as my newest purchase is definitely reserved for high-days only

Edited July 8, 2020 by Bibs

[Francisco Franco]

Kimbers, none of my business, but personally I would prefer an under used Evora in the garage than  an under used holiday home 2000 miles away😂..... hopefully your good lady will go off the idea soon and the “toy” money can remain in the UK👍

[eUKenGB]

1 hour ago, Arun_D said:

Speed Triples are fantastic things. Muscle-bound hot rod of the bike, but comfy and user-friendly at the same time. I'm considering running one as a bit of an all-rounder as my newest purchase is definitely reserved for high-days only

Aha, another SP-2 owner:-

Although I don't ride it much now as it's too uncomfortable. I use my FireFighter instead:-

or maybe my nod to nostalgia (and great bike in fact) :-

The answer is "N + 1"

Now what's the question?

 

[Arun_D]

Lovely @eUKenGB. in truth, I find it very hard to make a call between whether I prefer my colour scheme or yours. An Akra is high on the list for me at some point, just need to find one. I've just scored a set of lightly used original front discs for mine this morning, so slowly getting to where I want to be with it.

Ah the ThruxtonR. I sat on one at Festival of Speed in 2016 and it spurred me on to getting my licence. 5 months later I had a test ride on one and loved it. In addition to a Speed Triple, I'm also considering something roughly Bonny shaped for my next N+1 purchase. I sold a 675 Daytona for my SP2, and would love to have another Triumph.

[eUKenGB]

My SP-2 is not entirely standard. First off, the exhaust is actually a Harris and not Akrapovic (who never made a high level system like that). I obtained it used with those stickers on and just thought they looked good, so left them on there. I knew Steve Harris a bit and he made some interesting observations about exhausts on that V twin. It was really hard to get more power than standard with just slip-ons. They found the complex conical link pipes were the only way, but a PIA to manufacture. Sadly the jigs to make those were stolen some years later so no chance of any more. 😭  The forks are special hybrids that I made to accept the radial front callipers and it also has 3 spoke FireBlade wheels.

When I first became obsessed with bikes, Triumph and Norton ruled and a Triton was THE bike. So I built a couple, trying to follow the image in my mind of what I wanted (but never managed) and what Triumph have now achieved with the Thruxton R. Needless to say, the old bikes were actually terrible (vibration like a pneumatic drill), but my Thruxton R now provides everything I actually wanted then - and WAY more. Nostalgia tinted with modern technology, although SO much heavier than my FireFighter. Mind you, that has a fair bit of Ti on it, but that cannot account for all the difference.

Still, both great bikes.

If anyone's interested, I also did a similar naked conversion to a VFR1200:-

 

Yes, that IS an Akrapovic (from a ZX-10R and which fit rather nicely).

Some links in the above to other photos of these bikes. Lots more projects, but not so complete. 🙂

[Kimbers]

16 hours ago, Francisco Franco said:

Kimbers, none of my business, but personally I would prefer an under used Evora in the garage than  an under used holiday home 2000 miles away😂..... hopefully your good lady will go off the idea soon and the “toy” money can remain in the UK👍

Its an investment mate. I have 2 pensions and my old one is shit so I am cashing it in when values go up, throwing in the Evora and a few quid more and getting somewhere where we can earn £600 a week high season. Much better income than the £100 a month my pension will be worth when I retire. We also go to Cyprus every year and it costs me £2500 to £4000 to rent a villa and car etc so will save us that as well. All part of my cunning plan to get the hell outta this country eventually.

[JackandCoke]

I've ridden a Yamaha MT-09 for the last four years, but now i have the Exige i'll probably get my fix from that, so I'll look at getting something for errands like an adventure style bike with panniers for shopping trips into the city, there's nothing worse than having a really good ride out and then carrying your gear around with you and sweating in textile trousers. 

[Kimbers]

On 11/07/2020 at 12:50, JackandCoke said:

I've ridden a Yamaha MT-09 for the last four years, but now i have the Exige i'll probably get my fix from that, so I'll look at getting something for errands like an adventure style bike with panniers for shopping trips into the city, there's nothing worse than having a really good ride out and then carrying your gear around with you and sweating in textile trousers. 

I had an MT-01 for 3 years. Old style. Best bike I have ever had.

I remember when younger me and all my mates going to Gt Yarmouth in a heatwave. We were all smart riders so most had full leather race suits on. I have the pictures somewhere of us all having not "thought it out" many of us wearing just boxer shorts or Cycling shorts (my preferred underwear in full leathers) with race boots on and nothing else. I must admit the girls got more looks than the blokes. One girl was just in a sports Bra and cycling shorts. Luckily found a friendly pub to leave all our gear in exchange for a shit load of soft drinks

[bahama61]

On 03/10/2013 at 20:58, flyingpip02 said:

Hi all

I have a   1989 VFR 400

                2005 Buell Firebolt 1200

                1959 ariel leader     

 

I ride the Buell as much as I can, Honda being striped cleaned and rebuilt

and the ariel  is unrestored and very original and lovely

condition.  

Had a 1200 firebolt, 05 as well, yellow, loved it. 

 

[jerzybondov]

Nice SP2s in this thread! Only just found it. 

I've got a couple of blades - one 2007 and one 2019 SP. Considering chopping the newer one in for an Aprilia RSV4. Can't wait for the weather to warm up and lockdowns to bugger off so I can get them back on the track!

 

[Neal H]

I’ve ordered a new Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS. Delivery hopefully early April. Can’t wait!

 

[Iain]

I've just added another to the fleet - very different to my usual interests - but beautifully done and full of character - Triumph Thruxton 1200R:

 

Iain

[910Esprit]

Great to see 'buy british' in action

[eUKenGB]

41 minutes ago, Iain said:

I've just added another to the fleet - very different to my usual interests - but beautifully done and full of character - Triumph Thruxton 1200R:

 

Iain

Good choice. Had mine for over 4 years now. Reminds me of when I first got into bikes and built a couple of Tritons. Only this is MUCH better.

[Neal H]

Love the Thruxton. If I was to run two bikes, the second would be a Thruxton  or Speed Twin.

[Arun_D]

Congrats @Neal H. I'm really looking to experiencing the latest Speedy, as I said previously in this thread, the last one was right up there as potential 2nd bike for me, especislly after seeing them being bolted together at the Hinckley plant. A real hooligan machine that's also comfy and feature-laden. Roll on April!

[jerzybondov]

I had a test ride on the Thruxton a couple of years ago. Loved the torque and the way it made you feel  Took a bit of effort to get it round the corners though! 

[eUKenGB]

17 hours ago, jerzybondov said:

I had a test ride on the Thruxton a couple of years ago. Loved the torque and the way it made you feel  Took a bit of effort to get it round the corners though! 

Well I don't know about the basic Thruxton, but the Thruxton R (as pictured above) is incredibly light handling and certainly does not require "a bit of effort to get it round the corners". It is admittedly not a lightweight bike, but that is completely at odds with how light it feels to actually ride.

18 hours ago, Neal H said:

Love the Thruxton. If I was to run two bikes, the second would be a Thruxton  or Speed Twin.

What! Only 2 bikes? 😀

[williamtherebel]

***My Favourite Biker Joke Of The Day****

A little girl was leaning into a lion's cage. Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the collar of her jacket and tries to pull her inside to slaughter her, all under the eyes of her screaming parents:

A biker jumps off his Harley, runs to the cage and hits the lion square on the nose with a powerful punch.

Whimpering from the pain, the lion jumps back, letting go of the girl, and the biker brings the girl to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly.

A BBC reporter, Laura Kuenssberg, had watched the whole event.

Laura, addressing the Harley rider says. "Sir, this was the most gallant and bravest thing I've seen a man do in my whole life.”

The Harley rider replies. "Why, it was nothing, really. The lion was behind bars. I just saw this little kid in danger, and acted as I felt right.”

Miss Kuenssberg. "Well, I'll make sure this won't go unnoticed. I'm a BBC journalist, you know and tomorrow's news will run this story. So, what do you do for a living, and what political affiliation do you have?”

The biker replies. "I'm a British Army veteran, a Conservative and I voted for Brexit.”

The journalist leaves.

The following morning the biker turns on BBC News to see if it indeed brings news of his actions.

BBC Headline: RIGHT WING UK VETERAN ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT AND STEALS HIS LUNCH.

And THAT pretty much sums up the BBC's approach to the news these days....

Copied.