Author Topic: Multiple Bike Syndrome (Read 8896 times)

jas67 · « **Reply #30 on:** March 07, 2018, 10:02:30 AM »

Quote from: Antietam Classic Cycle on March 07, 2018, 09:21:53 AM

Month or year? MD is $51 for two years on "Historic" vehicles, another reason why all but one of my fleet are "vintage".

Ooops, meant YEAR.

jas67 · « **Reply #31 on:** March 07, 2018, 10:10:52 AM »

So, I guess I *could* cut down some.

If I had to cull the heard to five, it would be:
BMW R1200RS -- daily all-weather rider and sport riding
Ducati Monster 796 -- sport riding
V7 Special -- alternative daily rider, classic looking "relaxed-ride" cruiser
Yamaha WR250R -- adventure and off-road bike.
'74 Eldorado 850 -- vintage

I'm finding my skill set isn't up to snuff for true single track, and that the WR250R gets used more for graded gravel roads. I'm thinking that with the Ninja 400 replacing the Ninja 300, a Versys X 400 is going to be next, and would be a great ADV bike for me. Though, I'll be watching for the V85 Adventure bike too. I've been wish that BMW had a modern fuel-injected shaft drive 800cc sub 500# ADV bike along the lines of the R80G/S or R100GS. The V85 would fit the bill!

I really like my old /5 airhead, a '73 R75/5, so, don't want to give that up, besides, you can't have just one vintage bike. That brings it up to six.
And, well, the W650 I bought from Kev's friend last fall is a sweet bike, don't want to give that up, so, that's seven.
The V7 Racer/Record will never bring anywhere near the money I have in it, and I do enjoy riding it, so, that's eight.
And I've still got an R100S project to finish that I'll likely want to keep......

OK, you all see where this is going.

elvisboy77 · « **Reply #32 on:** March 07, 2018, 10:25:59 AM »

Quote from: JJ on March 06, 2018, 01:40:23 PM

Does anyone recall years ago that article by the famous moto-journo Peter Egan / Cycle World which he proclaimed that four (4) bikes is the perfect and manageable number of motorcycles to own and ride?

I found the blurb...here it is:

I haven't asked Spurgeon what he thinks is the right number, but he'd probably say "four," because his hero Peter Egan once wrote a column to that effect:

1. one for traveling
2. one for sport riding
3. one for off-road
4. one vintage

So there you have it!! I have 2 of the above (traveling and sport riding) :1:

OK so all I need is the new 850 and I am all set. Thanks for straightening this out for me LOL

Socalrob · « **Reply #33 on:** March 07, 2018, 10:37:52 AM »

Pretty happy with three bikes. More than that I find it a pain to keep them all going.

Regarding insurance, I have a $5 million liability rider through my small business. That kicks in when the regular auto liability insurance ends. Pretty sure you could negotiate the lower limit the $5 million kicks in (for a bigger cost of course), to something possibly manageable like $30k and self insure that way.

Wildguzzi.com · « **Reply #33 on:** March 07, 2018, 10:37:52 AM »

Sheepdog · « **Reply #34 on:** March 07, 2018, 10:50:09 AM »

I have a nice bunch of bikes, but for now only two are in regular use. I still tour with my '07 Vintage, but the BMW R1200RS is the main traveler. It's more stable at the higher speeds one finds out West, has great luggage, and has several more years of roadside assistance. The '71 Triumph TR6R is in restoration now, but will be my dirt road bike and Vintage ride. All but one of the rest are either promised to others, or soon to be sold. I do have an old Yamaha XS 650 that is a low-priority project of undetermined design. After I got to six bikes, the insurance actually went down when I added a seventh.

redhawk47 · « **Reply #35 on:** March 07, 2018, 10:52:39 AM »

Quote from: JJ on March 07, 2018, 08:24:14 AM

I have the big two-up travel bike, and the sort of sport bike...so now I have been considering a small displacement bike like one of these perhaps, just to putt around Vortex-Land:

* Yamaha TW200
* Kawasaki Versys 300
* Suzuki Van-Van 200

Check out the offerings from cscmotorcycles.com. Much less $$ and just as reliable. I have a RX3 and a TT250

Dan

Matteo · « **Reply #36 on:** March 07, 2018, 12:02:13 PM »

Sheepdog · « **Reply #37 on:** March 07, 2018, 12:45:31 PM »

Quote from: redhawk47 on March 07, 2018, 10:52:39 AM

Check out the offerings from cscmotorcycles.com. Much less $$ and just as reliable. I have a RX3 and a TT250

Dan

I see that the TT250 is carbureted. How does it run?

LBC Tenni · « **Reply #38 on:** March 07, 2018, 01:13:19 PM »

A handy reference:

Motormike · « **Reply #39 on:** March 07, 2018, 01:53:33 PM »

There's some funny stuff popping up here! I showed this one to my wife, she just rolled her eyes:

ITSec · « **Reply #40 on:** March 07, 2018, 06:53:55 PM »

Quote from: kingoffleece on March 07, 2018, 08:10:31 AM

N+1=X. PERFECT!

N+1=X, X=N(newvalue), repeat.

There, fixed it for you!

The correct number of motorcycles to own is one (more)!

Turin · « **Reply #41 on:** March 07, 2018, 07:57:51 PM »

those were great, especially the chart.

omega1 · « **Reply #42 on:** March 08, 2018, 12:34:01 AM »

Quote from: JJ on March 06, 2018, 01:40:23 PM

Does anyone recall years ago that article by the famous moto-journo Peter Egan / Cycle World which he proclaimed that four (4) bikes is the perfect and manageable number of motorcycles to own and ride?

I found the blurb...here it is:

I haven't asked Spurgeon what he thinks is the right number, but he'd probably say "four," because his hero Peter Egan once wrote a column to that effect:

1. one for traveling
2. one for sport riding
3. one for off-road
4. one vintage

So there you have it!! I have 2 of the above (traveling and sport riding) :1:

I fully agree with your list.

Mine are:
1. Cali 1400 touring
2. Monster 1200r
3. R1200GS
4. Le Mans 3 and....

5. an understanding wife.

Tom H · « **Reply #43 on:** March 08, 2018, 01:08:04 AM »

Since this thread went a bit off on to costs of ownership.

Some replied as to why agreed/full coverage over liability or self insured.

Cali as mentioned can be self insured with proof to the state. Otherwise it's a insurance co.

Why I did agreed valued on my bikes before owning the Harley. Minimum liability was about $250 for the herd, agreed was about $350 per year. I had been seeing a few too many looks from people that had the look of, while he's away I'll snag that bike. So for the small difference, I did agreed to ease the pain of a loss.

The Harley was the $500+ for the same coverage. If I changed to liability only, it was only about $150 or 200 per year. Don't remember the exact number.

If I changed them all to Ca. minimum liability, it would feel to me as dirt cheap. Maybe a 2-3 hundred a year.

I'm just getting a bit peeved at the registration cost. Insurance used to be the high cost. Now it's registration that has me thinking about no-op'ing one or two bikes. I miss the days of $20 per bike!!!

Tom

th_01 · « **Reply #44 on:** March 08, 2018, 06:40:32 AM »

You know you have it once you get to a point where if one goes out one (hopefully only one, comes in. Then one day you go to ride a different one and discover two others buried in the back. BTW I don't count ones that don't run.

PJPR01 · « **Reply #45 on:** March 08, 2018, 09:33:12 AM »

Quote from: LBC Tenni on March 07, 2018, 01:13:19 PM

A handy reference:

Excellent...worthy of printing out!! I'm in danger of adding bike 3 to the garage...this thread has not helped me one bit in saying NO!

drdwb · « **Reply #46 on:** March 08, 2018, 09:38:30 AM »

Quote from: JJ on March 06, 2018, 01:40:23 PM

I found the blurb...here it is:

I haven't asked Spurgeon what he thinks is the right number, but he'd probably say "four," because his hero Peter Egan once wrote a column to that effect:

1. one for traveling
2. one for sport riding
3. one for off-road
4. one vintage

So there you have it!! I have 2 of the above (traveling and sport riding) :1:

Well than the question is if your wife also rides does she get 4, obviously Yes is the correct answer if she wants them. My wife and I have 3 each and one additional one with a side car, my nick name is bike boy, as in oh bike boy can you adjust my brakes,check my tires,change my fluids. Sometimes the maintenance gets to be a bit much. But we always have one ready for rides.

Darren Williams · « **Reply #47 on:** March 08, 2018, 07:35:38 PM »

So I have my 4 (FJR, R1200GS, WR250X and a Thruxton), but the wife isn't keeping up her end! She's only got a CB500X and an FJ09.

Tomorrow is her birthday, I wonder if she would like a new Griso? Or maybe a new broom. Decisions, decisions...

Denis · « **Reply #48 on:** March 08, 2018, 08:09:12 PM »

1940 Indian 640-B
1941 Indian 841 (project)
1971 Ducati 450 RT (project)
1974 Eldorado
1985 LeMans
1987 SPII
1991 California

I can easily think of 3-4 more I would actively go out of my way to get if I had the money. But the larger issue is I have no garage and the basement is full!

MedicAndy · « **Reply #49 on:** March 08, 2018, 08:33:42 PM »

Quote from: twowings on March 06, 2018, 07:48:51 PM

If the optimum number is 4, then it's time for a WG Intervention with MedicAndy!!

Right on my friend, and please hurry, since there is a good chance that bike #10 will be added to the stable by the end of this week.......

guzzisteve · « **Reply #50 on:** March 08, 2018, 09:37:51 PM »

And when does it become an obsession or insanity? I have had 10 w/7 running and now 7 w/3 plated & ins going constantly. My brother has over 50 which I think is on the insane side.

dee g · « **Reply #51 on:** March 08, 2018, 10:22:54 PM »

Quote from: Lannis on March 07, 2018, 08:36:37 AM

In most states I'm aware of, it's illegal to drive a vehicle on the roads that has no liability insurance......
Lannis

Not required to insurance motorcycles in WA state. Unless you're making payments on it and the finance company requires it. But if you ride outside the state, then yes, you would. Of all the bikes we own, less than 1/3 of them are insured at any given time. I keep four on my policy and I think Pete has three or four on his. We have a very understanding insurance agent and when we want to take an uninsured bike out of state, he adds that one, and takes one off.

Calculon · « **Reply #52 on:** March 08, 2018, 11:07:17 PM »

Due to a lack of funds and garage space, I haven't been afflicted yet. I do have a mild case of I always want to upgrade syndrome, which is a chronic disease.

earemike · « **Reply #53 on:** March 09, 2018, 03:32:57 AM »

I have too many however “historic” rego means I get 4 for 1 plus anything more than 35 years old gets a great insurance premium.

‘72 who knows when this piece of art will be finished
‘75 waiting for shocks, hope the rear seal hasn’t gone, bit of a rat
‘76 incoming - the worked motor will probably make it my fastest guzzi
‘77 needs gearbox seals & probably rear main (why not)
‘78 running on one & leaky tank
‘82 has the full stucchi treatment - Pete hates it so I cry myself to sleep every night - still got crusty brake hoses etc
‘03 waiting for the new cartridges to be finished.

Think the ‘72 & ‘76 are keepers & no reason not to keep the ‘75 , the ‘78 is so I don’t ruin the others.

twowings · « **Reply #54 on:** March 09, 2018, 11:51:46 AM »

Quote from: MedicAndy on March 08, 2018, 08:33:42 PM

Right on my friend, and please hurry, since there is a good chance that bike #10 will be added to the stable by the end of this week.......

You KNOW you're in deep when you need a DRONE to get all your bikes in one pic!!

canuck750 · « **Reply #55 on:** March 09, 2018, 11:58:31 AM »

Every other month I think of selling some of my bikes to get down to four vintage machines and then I waver and justify why its OK to have more bikes than I can ride in a season. On top of the insurance and registration fees there is the space needed to store them and keep them fresh.

I find most all motorcycles to be works of art, especially the ones from Italy that interest me. Regardless of the desire to keep them all I know that I need to get down to a manageable number and keep one of each marque I own. For the Moto Guzzi's I think I will need to hang on to two.

Its hard to decide what to sell off and I know from past experience it can be very hard to find the buyers willing to pay for these aging machines.

Guzzistajohn · « **Reply #56 on:** March 10, 2018, 06:45:42 AM »

My problem is not the fact that I keep getting more, I just don't sell any <shrug>

I have a 76 Sherpa I bought new. (for vintage trials)
A 71 Sherpa (because it looks so cool)
'80 CX 100 (it's like part of the family and runs GREAT!)
'83 LeMans III (for camping/rallies and Arkansas corner carving)
'06 Tiger (for longer trips)
'10 KTM XCF (for the woods) and because it's SO much fun!

JFCHARRUA · « **Reply #57 on:** March 10, 2018, 07:59:53 AM »

Unfortunately it's a syndrome that it's Global here in Uruguay we have it too,and very contagious , (my father infected me with this syndrome), right now I have a:
Moto guzzi 1972 V7 special.
Ariel red Hunter 500cc 1948.
Ariel red Hunter 350cc 1948 .
Matchless g80 500cc 1951.
And a little 150cc Vespa 1960.
Sorry any grammatical error English is not my mother language.