Best Rider

[Scout63]

I seem to buy bikes based on the following important criteria:

1. How beautiful is it?
2. How does it sound?
3. How jealous will other riders be?

These factors are big drivers in choosing bikes. But in choosing what to actually ride, comfort, reliability, ease of starting, weight, power characteristics, BRAKES, and comfort are more important.

Right now the only two bikes that I seem to ride are the Vitpilen and Ducati 860.  Other than the Duc’s glorious sound, neither bike is a clear choice under the first three criteria.

How do you choose what to take out of the garage on any given day?

[n3303j]

They are all hammers.
Pick the one that best performs the task at hand.
(Task at hand is the hard part to define as it is both physical and emotional)

[AJ Huff]

I just alternate, 1, 2 ,3.

-AJ

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

My criteria are vastly different than yours, most important are:
1. how cheap is it?
2. how easy is it to work on/how likely is to need work on a regular basis?
3. did I already had one?

I do like nice looking bikes, so no Multistradas, KTMs or Vitpilens for me. 

I really don't care what other riders might think.

In choosing what to ride, we are more in line. Comfort and reliability are paramount, ease of operation is also key. I've gotten spoiled by the Convert and now all other bikes pale in comparison. 

[bigbikerrick]

I have to agree with Charlie, on this one...Cost, ease of operation, simplicity in maintenance, and comfort are paramount to me. I really dont care what other riders think, so these days, my Convert keeps coming out on top. Its pretty hard to beat overall !
Rick D.

[Huzo]

I seem to buy bikes based on the following important criteria:

1. How beautiful is it?
2. How does it sound?
3. How jealous will other riders be?

These factors are big drivers in choosing bikes. But in choosing what to actually ride, comfort, reliability, ease of starting, weight, power characteristics, BRAKES, and comfort are more important.

Right now the only two bikes that I seem to ride are the Vitpilen and Ducati 860.  Other than the Duc’s glorious sound, neither bike is a clear choice under the first three criteria.

How do you choose what to take out of the garage on any given day?

Hmmm….I can relate to that.
#1 MV Agusta F4
#2 Conti equipped Ducati Darmah
#3 MV Agusta F4
None of which I kept for more than 2 years…

The Vitpilen sounds like a tablet you’d take to treat bleeding heammoroids…

[Stretch]

How do you choose what to take out of the garage on any given day?

1. Which of the 7 are running.    This is an important one.......
2. Local or long distance?
3. Which is near the front of the garage and doesn't require moving 6 other machines......

What to buy?

What I've always wanted to try, affordability, availability, condition.

                                                       -Stretch

[Fredrik]

My criteria are vastly different than yours, most important are:
1. how cheap is it?
2. how easy is it to work on/how likely is to need work on a regular basis?
3. did I already had one?

I do like nice looking bikes, so no Multistradas, KTMs or Vitpilens for me. 

I really don't care what other riders might think.

In choosing what to ride, we are more in line. Comfort and reliability are paramount, ease of operation is also key. I've gotten spoiled by the Convert and now all other bikes pale in comparison. 

Abandoned the V7 for touring? 

[tazio]

#1 Must be beautiful in my eyes. (Rules out most ADV bikes, but includes most Harley's)
#2 Unique (Rules out most Harley's and most Japanese bikes)
#3 Reliable (exceptions made for much older bikes that I fancy)
#4 Pleasurable riding experience (If it doesn't bring a smile on my face each time, it's days are numbered...)
YMMV, so don't bother your moderators.

[larrys]

My Monster for OP's reasons 1,2, and 3. My Cal for the same reasons, and Mrs. larrys wants to go for a ride.
Larry

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Abandoned the V7 for touring? 

V7? I sold my '69 V700 to a gent in Philadelphia over a year ago. The '69 V750 Ambassador has been in "mothballs" since 2018 - it has 111,000 miles on it and needs a little attention. I hope to "recommission" it later this year, depending on how quickly I recover from the accident a month ago. So, not "abandoned" at all. The '71 Ambassador belonged to the late husband of my friend Pat and needs a total rebuild due to being rear-ended at the Michigan Guzzi Rally in '85.

 

[SIR REAL ED]

They are all hammers.
Pick the one that best performs the task at hand.
(Task at hand is the hard part to define as it is both physical and emotional)

Well said.

"The heart has reasons of which reason knows nothing!"

No point in caring what other riders think.  They're not riding my bike!

[LowRyter]

A picture is worth a 1000 words.



It also has the best exhaust note of any bike too.

[Perazzimx14]

The older I get the less I care about looks, sound or having GP like HP. Importance to me in no specific order

- Long travel suspension
- Big fuel range
- Good handling
- Good wind management
- All day comfort

I've been hooked on Adventure Bikes and even the times when I've had multiples in the garage at the saem time they were all set up a bit differently so whatever the days task was the bike best matched to that task was taken.

[Zenermaniac]

A picture is worth a 1000 words.



It also has the best exhaust note of any bike too.

Who makes that fairing?

[Zenermaniac]

It must be nice to have a choice. Unfortunately the dilemma is decided for me. I’m only allowed one bike at a time .

[Turin]

My criteria goes something like this:
1 - is it something that interests me? ( Extra points for an oddball or a hot rod).
2 - Do I find it attractive ? can I stare at it for hours ?
3 - how cheap is it ?
4 - How much of a pain in the keister is ownership going to be?
5 - Do I fit ? ( no Bimota DB1's in my future)

This explains why I like Guzzi's and early Hinckley triumphs, and why I don't seem to hold onto Ducati's for very long.

I'd still love to get my hands on a MZ1000S.

That Greenie V11 sport is gorgeous and would be my pick out of all of the V11 series.

[LowRyter]

Who makes that fairing?

 Guzzi.  Someone smashed the windshield on it at work a few years ago.  Just after I gave out the annual work appraisals.  The carbon was fine, just the windshield. 

Anyway, I nearly ordered a Givi windshield and during the order I discovered it was a Guzzi.  $100, that was 10+ years ago.  Think I got it from the guys in Houston at the time.  Not a chance now.  Perhaps Gustafasson would make one? 

[LowRyter]

The older I get the less I care about looks, sound or having GP like HP. Importance to me in no specific order

- Long travel suspension
- Big fuel range
- Good handling
- Good wind management
- All day comfort

I've been hooked on Adventure Bikes and even the times when I've had multiples in the garage at the saem time they were all set up a bit differently so whatever the days task was the bike best matched to that task was taken.

agree that all those things are key.  What've I've noticed, if it looks good, it probably rides good.  The Green bike rode just like it looked and I knew that before I rode it.   In fact it felt and handled like I thought it would.  I did get a little weave at 80+ around semi in traffic turbulence and it took some time to work it out.

[Huzo]

Just fantastic…

[jumpmaster]

My criteria are vastly different than yours, most important are:

In choosing what to ride, we are more in line. Comfort and reliability are paramount, ease of operation is also key. I've gotten spoiled by the Convert and now all other bikes pale in comparison. 

Oops!  I know you probably have a bad taste when you think about it right now - because of the accident - but you said in at least one prior commentary a few months ago that you were nominatng your "new to you" K75 as your default touring bike.     Having said that, my short test ride on your Convert convinced me that one of those would be a welcome addition to my small herd, if I could find room in my garage for it!

[SIR REAL ED]

For where I live and the roads I ride, it is tough to beat the Suzuki DR650.  Nothing fancy or flashy, just day to day competence and versatility.

A friend who was considering buying a motorcycle asked about motorcycle theft.  I replied: "Who would want to steal a DR650?  You can leave the keys in it wherever you park it!"

It will be my pick-up-the-keys-first bike probably until the day I give up riding.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Oops!  I know you probably have a bad taste when you think about it right now - because of the accident - but you said in at least one prior commentary a few months ago that you were nominatng your "new to you" K75 as your default touring bike.     Having said that, my short test ride on your Convert convinced me that one of those would be a welcome addition to my small herd, if I could find room in my garage for it!

Even though I enjoyed the K75 the short time I was able to ride it, in reality most of the time I was wishing I was on the Convert instead. The K75's smoothness and higher mpgs were about the only advantages. 

[cliffrod]

A friend who was considering buying a motorcycle asked about motorcycle theft.  I replied: "Who would want to steal a DR650?  You can leave the keys in it wherever you park it!"

This was my happy place when riding my V7 Sport when I was younger.  There was little to no interest or even knowledge about what it was, so I had few concerns about what may happen to it.  So I enjoyed it with a certain amount of abandon and impunity.  Pretty sure if I treated it the same way now, it would promptly end up in lots of pieces on eBay or fbmp…

At this point, I like what I have, have what I like and don’t have a burning urge to always get more bikes anymore.  I ride the bike that’s tagged.  V7 Sport, 1974 FLH or 1984 Sportster.  They’re each a unique experience and aesthetic.   My 1990 FLHTC was a really nice bike, but kind of blah- it didn’t make me as happy as rising my old FLH.  Thankfully I was able to repurchase my sportster, which I sold to pay for the FLHTC.

So the FLHTC turned into the CX100..  I’m hoping it will be more of a long-term positive impact when compared to my V7 Sport while still having less stolen motorcycle potential than something like a 850 LeMans or LeMans II.

[wirespokes]

I like Charlie's answer.

I'm not trying to impress anyone, but I do like pretty bikes - something aesthetically pleasing. Others might not agree, but who cares? I never would have bought the 87 LM1000 because it's such an ugly gosling, had it not been such a good deal. Despite its homeliness, I fell in love. Still don't care for the looks but do love that bike. Probably do a make-over one of these days...

Functional, simple, cheap to operate, good brakes and enough power for normal highway use. 650 to 1000cc is plenty. I've owned and ridden BMW R65s and quickly got over the macho thing that only wimps ride small displacement machines. Those smaller bikes are a lot of fun!

So, yeah, the right hammer for the job. Or what grabs me at the moment (a pick of three Guzzis - 84LM, 85LM/1000S, 87 LM 1000).

[Shorty]

 Very few motorcycles suit me anymore.  I'm down to 2 thumpers. If I'm in the backroad hills, and I'm riding alone, I take the little 350. No need to keep up with anyone. If I'm gonna do any highway riding, or ride with others, I take the 650. It goes as fast as I dare. 

[Tusayan]

I have everything from the most practical bike ever made IMO (early R100GS) to a bike that I own mainly because of its esthetics (Ducati 996 with ultra low miles).  They all have their place for me.  I do like a bike that splits the middle too - my LeMans is that but it’s largely been replaced by a Ducati ST that’s a quicker sport tourer and has factory bags.  Meanwhile my V85TT has become the great pretender in my garage: it pretends to be an R100GS but with its electric smog pump, dealer only service light, ABS, traction control and all the rest it’s just a corporate clone Aprilia with a Guzzi badge.  I think slowly it’s going to come apart in my garage and be reborn, the potential for what I want is there just not the realization.

The V11 Sport was for sure a good one, pre-Aprilia Guzzi’s last and best functioning bike but the plastic fuel tank has always held me back.

[tommy2cyl]

I own bikes that fit into the type of riding I want to do.  The V 85 is my big bike that handles touring, mild off road and day rides.  The DR 350 is
my dual sport and the Van Van is for taking along camping and going out for half hour rides to clear my head at the end of the day.  I have
always appreciated the aesthetic in cars and bikes, but it doesn't seem to be as important as it once was.  Same for sound: as I have aged I
take into consideration that not everyone wants to hear loud or "wicked" sounding motorcycle.  If it has decent intake sound like the V 85, that
is good enough for me.  As far as how jealous other riders will be, that has never entered into the equation.  I am assuming you might be tongue
in cheek on that point.   I want the bikes I own to offer different riding experiences.  Form follows function for me.  I will say that smaller displacement
motorcycles are more interesting to me at this point, 350 to 600 cc bikes.

[Huzo]

I think slowly it’s going to come apart in my garage and be reborn

How so ?

[Tusayan]

How so ?

I'd like to eliminate the CANBUS based electronics and use a custom tunable ECU.  No TBW, no catalyst, no SAS, no ABS, no TC, simple tank vent hose, different instruments and so on.  Basically strip the bike to nothing and rebuild into a very different bike that looks the same.