My all time favorite bike

[Lee Davis]

My first motorcycle was a brand new 1970 BSA Victor 441, and I suppose that was my all time favorite... Well, except for the 1979 Yamaha Sr250 "Exciter" that I bought for year round commuting when I was in the hills of Virginia. Wow, I sure loved that bike. I have had Harley Softails, 2 BMW R1150Rts, a Sportster, a number of Ariel Red Hunters and 2 Velocettes, oh, and a '51 AJS. Had a Vstar 1150, and quite a few loopframes. Dang, I loved them all. I have no criticism of any bike I have ever owned... well until I got the new '17 V9 Roamer and the new '16 Stelvio NTX . My complaint is, why didn't they come along earlier? I read of people griping about the bikes they have had and just shake my head. For me, it is all about the fun of riding. But the Moto Guzzis are pretty special, I have to say. I like being different. I like to have people come up and ask "what is that?" Two weeks ago I rode my Stelvio to my Daughters wedding. The caretaker of the place where the wedding was being held had a 1939 Ford 1/2 ton (in the background of the picture), and I struck up a conversation with him. He saw I was a rider and asked me what it was. When I answered, he had a somewhat confused look on his face. He then walked me over to the garage, and inside was a BMW... I looked at it and said "is it a '73?", to which he said yes. That pleased me, for I felt knowledgeable (I didn't mention that I used to own one). That was certainly my all time favorite, well, except for all the others.   Lee Davis

[Scud]

At risk of being trite - my favorite is the one I'm riding at the moment.

But my Scura is my all time favorite motorcycle. I love the flat black, the big-block Guzzi motor, the Ohlins, I could go on... it just fits me perfectly.

Next favorite, my Husqvarna TE450 (and before that a TE510). Race-ready dirt bike with a license plate. the mount for many great adventures.

I king of miss my 1981 BMW R100CS sometimes, but if it was parked next to any V11 I don't think I would actually ride it.

I miss my KTM 950 Adventure sometimes too - it's so fun to turn off the pavement and keep going with a truly competent dirt bike. Perhaps a Stevio, or Africa Twin, or Hooligan's Husqvarna 701is in my future.

Honestly, sometimes my favorite bike is my next bike... (the one I don't have yet) 

[fotoguzzi]

my all time fav was a Buell Uly. even more character than a Guzzi.. 2nd place V11 Lemans.

[flip]

Kind of a toss up between my Breva 1100 and my Aprilia Shiver. They are both good all around street bikes but they excel at different things. The Breva is a mile eater that handles pretty good on a twisty road. The Shiver is a great twisty road bike but is okay out on the highway(especially with upgraded suspension). With hard luggage added, either makes a decent light weight sport-touring mount.

[Shorty]

No all time favorite bike for me. I have owned most all the bikes I've wanted, 'cept for the unobtainable Crocker, Vincent, or vintage Ducati SS. My mind wanders off to the enduros of my youth, Bonnevilles, V7 Sport, Lemans, Eldos, SR 500, Bevel Ducatis, Airheads, XT Yamahas, choppers, scooters, UJMs, K bikes, sidecar rigs. I have lost count. What remains is memories of sensations; the cool night wind on my face, silvery moon,  the grip of female thighs behind me, the lovely moving mountain vistas and hot asphalt under my wheels. I remember the smell of surf, hashish, burgers frying, cow patties, night blooming jasmine, some dead critter in the weeds.  Desert heat. Pine forest. Ozone before the storm. Tumble weeds and turtle migration. Birds guarding road kill. The jagged energy of a few diet pills on a night beer/blues run. I have a couple bikes I like more than the others, but, a bike is a means to an end. Ain't too particular who built it.

[beetle]

[Zoom Zoom]

It is amazing what a couple little changes will do to the look of a bike. Nice looking bike you have there Beetle!

Glad you're enjoying the Guzzi's Lee!

John Henry

[Jake]

Had Asian, German & Italian - gotta say my T is top of the list.  But, I put a lot of good miles on that Yamaha 750 triple :)

[Chuck in Indiana]

What remains is memories of sensations;

Good one, Shorty.. 

I'm with Scud, though.. the Scura rocks. Just the right combination of comfort and handling along with "I'm a machine.. are you ready, boy?"

[JJ]

Had Asian, German & Italian - gotta say my T is top of the list.  But, I put a lot of good miles on that Yamaha 750 triple :)

Same for me...33-34 bikes of all makes and models in the last 50 years...including a '77 Yamaha XS750 Special and '80 850 Midnight Special...would be tough to pick an "All Time Favorite"...so I will just go with my current Guzzi...a 1998 Centauro GT :1:...which brings a lot of smiles every time I ride it!

[webmost]

Honda CT90. Hands down, head and shoulders, the best damn bike design for its purpose, ever. Had features we still would crave to have on most any bike. Like the simple red button you pulled out at altitude to engage another air jet. Like the little jerry jug strapped to the side. Like the centrifugal oil cleaner. Like the stock foam air filter huge for the bike's displacement. Could go on, but anyone who had one knows what I mean. Like the cast iron cylinder matched to an aluminum piston, so the hotter it got the looser your rings = un-seizable. Like the rack that you could lash the moose you just killed on, put her in first, and climb back over a steep mountain trail at a steady mile and a half an hour, & that rack came complete with welded pegs underneath to hold your lashings. Like 100mpg on the road, 50 trail. Like a transfer case which switched at the pull of a lever from road to trail gears. ... okay I'll stop now. Nope, can't stop... heel toe on a trail bike, lift the lever and the handlebars disengage so you hang the thing on the back of your van, ... help, I can't stop. You could not kill Soichiro's cub engine with a sledge hammer.

No doubt about it. CT90.

[SmithSwede]

 "I'm a machine.. are you ready, boy?"
[/quote]


 

[boatdetective]

"the bike you have right now" has a certain truth to it.  Right now, I have a BMW R1200R. It's been absolutely great- a really tremendous all rounder. At the risk of raising hackles here, it beats my Breva 1200S in every category.

There were things that I really enjoyed in virtually every bike I've owned...yet there was always a reason I sold them. 

[Arizona Wayne]

I've had mostly Yamahas and Guzzis over 55+ years, but my 2 favorite bikes are my `81 CX100 & `91 VX800 Suzuki.   Still have them both.   The VX is operational again and the CX could be with some TLC, but I have so many other bikes, maxi-scooters don't know if that will ever happen.  My `04 750 Breva is a great ride too but just needs a clutch fix to get it back on the road.  Every time I ride 1 of my 8 rigs I still have am reminded why I bought it in the first place and that's why I still have them. 

[twowings]

 

[Lee Davis]

"No doubt about it. CT90."

I have to agree! I never had one, but saw them when they were new. I was a backpacker and so the thought of a bike that could do trails had a lot of appeal for me. When we were in the Gila Wilderness one time, a Game and Fish fellow was hiking out and we stopped to talk. On his pack frame he had two front wheels to Honda Trail 90's. (Motorized vehicles were illegal in wilderness areas, and still are). I wonder if the bikes might still be there, 45 years on?

[Psychopasta]

Wow! Honda CT90! I wants one...





- Pasta

[zedXmick]

My current and all time favorite ride. (So far)  From riding to and doing the whole BRP,including the Deals Gap area in the same trip. Riding it to Road America and doing a track day and riding it back home. This machine can do it all.....the big v4 is just intoxicating.

[Kev m]

I might be all grass is greener, but I'll continue to say my favorite was the 1996 EFI RK that I bought new, put 65k miles on in just over 2 years, and had in 30 states:



For years my second favorite was my Jackal, which I worked on constantly, partially because I had to and partially because I wanted to. In the end it frustrated me too much but I loved it:



When I heard about the V7 Stone a year before I could buy one, I realized that Guzzi was addressing most of my style issues from the Jackal (or copying me 😉) and I immediately figured I needed to order one. It's probably my second favorite right now.




Recently I had an opportunity to see if my love for my old RK was well placed. And in a lot of ways it's a "better" bike than I remember in my 96. But I wonder if the years haven't taught me that "better" is a moving target and I still am not sure that better is "better." But I'm enjoying the heck out of it and getting ready for my first road trip on it, so more to come. Maybe it will work it's way up the list.... I'm sure it will take at least the 3rd spot.



Honorable mention goes to the Breva 1100, the R70/7, the R65, the XL1200Lr, a couple of 883's, the Buell S3T, the R1100RSa, the Yamaha 650 Special, the Suzuki GS500, the Honda Ascot VT500...a Dyna, an R65, and a whole bunch of long term press bikes...

[cruzziguzzi]

Mine was & is my 1982 1000 Katana. What it was for me new and continues to be to this day is irreplaceable. Nothing has even come close to knocking it off of its throne in my heart.



Todd.

[roadscum]

Each new bike is my very favorite........ until the next new bike follows me home. Ain't no such thing as a bad new bike. 

The next favorite  will likely be a V7 III Special. 

Paul

[Phil/TX]

Most on this thread have owned many bikes, I am in that category. Currently have 5 in the garage. Over the years have had lots of brands, one that sticks out is a quota, too big for me, too slow, one my friends said I would have for ever, because no one wants a Quota!!!! Put an add up, sold it in two days .
I guess that means the best bike for some is the next bike, and for others it's the last one.

[bigbikerrick]

I am very surprised no oe here has mentioned a loop framed Guzzi ! I would have to say my 73 Eldo is my favorite bike. Its not the fastest, best handling,or best at anything, but it has character, and class like no other bike, IMHO. 
Rick.

[SmithSwede]

Kev seems to have a "thing" for white bikes.   I know lots of people don't get white bikes.  Guess they think they look like cop bikes.   Personally, I think they can be elegantly beautiful. 

[Kev m]

Kev seems to have a "thing" for white bikes.   I know lots of people don't get white bikes.  Guess they think they look like cop bikes.   Personally, I think they can be elegantly beautiful.

Ha ha yeah, I think it happened by accident. I don't generally want black or red bikes and other colors are hit and miss. White became the easy default.

[pete roper]

No question.

[flip]

Mine was & is my 1982 1000 Katana. What it was for me new and continues to be to this day is irreplaceable. Nothing has even come close to knocking it off of its throne in my heart.



Todd.

Very cool bike! I had a 1982 GS1100E and a 1982 550 Katana back then. I looked for but couldn't score the 1000 Katana or the XN85 Turbo. I was a big Suzuki fan until I rode a Moto Guzzi and an Aprilia.

[Skyguyz]

Mine is my 1974 Norton Commando 850. So raw, so basic. You have to be in touch with the machine to travel right. You don't ride it, you "Experience" it.





*Current stable:

[vintage53]

upload free
For me , they are my current bikes.   I may add a V7 III Special, down the road.  But for now these are all I need. 

[rdbandkab]

Our 02 aprilia Futura.
Single side swingarm, undertail exhaust, 50mpg, beautiful paint, great suspension (so far, better than anything I've owned since), and.....wait for it!!!!!  The most comfortable driver/pillion seat in the business...
We currently have 65,000 miles on ours.