The Bike You Wish You Kept

[Moparnut72]

This had probably been done before, but things change or new bikes added. I read this a lot here in various threads
Mine, not a long list:

1958 R50/2  Just a fun bike to ride, did nothing special.
2006 883 Sportster Custom, the exhaust sound was one of the bestin all motorcycledom.
2017 Audace, I could look at it all day, gorgeous. I just couldn't ride it anymore, too heavy and awkward for my old body.
Honorable mention, 1976 BMW R90/6, not a great bike but a lot of memorable miles on it, a lot like my V7lll so I don't need it.
What are yours?
kk

[inditx]

Triumph Rocket III (torquey enough to pull tree stumps out but would burn your thighs with the heat)
Triumph Trophy 1200 SE (Mile muincher and best wind protection of any bike right outta da box)
Zundapp 125 (2 stroke maniac)
Yamaha trail 80 (first bike)
inditx

[Oca Grassa]

I don’t really have one. I kept all the ones I knew I’d regret selling. 😬 Only one I sorta wish I still had was my 1989 ZX-7. Only because it was the 1st year for it…..but it would look cool next to my GSXR-750 from the same era. It’s more of a “it would be cool to still have” than a real regret selling on. Every time I go out to my garage and see my 996 parked next to my Mille R…….its the same feeling,….only cooler

[JJ]

* 1971 Yamaha RT1-B 360 Enduro - My first *NEW* bike at age 17...

* 1978 Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans - My first Guzzi purchased brand new back in the day...

* 1983 BMW R80RT - my first new Beemer and for a while, my only transportation at the time...

* 1975 Laverda SF2 750 twin - Robust Italian stallion...

* 1970 Triumph T100C Trophy - A cool little ride for a back road romp on a Sunday afternoon...

 

[inditx]

I don’t really have one. I kept all the ones I knew I’d regret selling. 😬 Only one I sorta wish I still had was my 1989 ZX-7. Only because it was the 1st year for it…..but it would look cool next to my GSXR-750 from the same era. It’s more of a “it would be cool to still have” than a real regret selling on. Every time I go out to my garage and see my 996 parked next to my Mille R…….its the same feeling,….only cooler

Yeah I coulda added the Mille but it seemed 4 was enough besides, I couldn't ride it for long anymore.
inditx

[DoubleGuzzi]

My Triumph 900 Trident without a doubt: if I could've just mothballed it for 10 months until I came back from 'murica.  By now I would've racked up a considerable mileage and likely sourced a shorter shock - tall & top heavy bike for a roadster.
Ohh, to be rich like Oca Grassa. 

[Ncdan]

My 04 EV Hydro😩

[Swedemoto]

'75 H2C - thrills a minute
'68 YR2 - J&R pipes. Was to be a future project.
Miss having a two-stroke

[Kev m]

For 20 years I pined away for the first year EFI 1996 EVO Road King I sold shortly after my first was born.

I tried to replicate it with my Jackal and it came close but never fully replaced it.

Then I bought a 2016 FLHP and I came to realize that HAD I found an EVO RK to actually replace the 96 I likely wouldn't have been happy. Riding the new one showed me how the old one would have had insufficient power, brakes, etc., even though I would have enjoyed the size of the bike.

The only problem the new one had was that it was bigger still and I didn't want/need all that size. But as a bike it went better, stopped better, and was overall more capable. But again I didn't want or need that big a bike. So I sold it. But at least it cured me from worrying anymore about the one that got away.

Now I've got a pair of V7's that, although they can't match the highway comfort of the RK, are about perfect for me in every other way. So much so that I might buy a third in the next year or two.

And for now I have no intention of getting rid of either, especially the Stone which now holds the record for the single bike that I've owned the longest at it will be 13 years come December (technically the Duc is Jenn's or it would be the longest at 14 this summer).

But if the Stone ever falls short of my needs/wants, then I'll move on and not look back.

[faffi]

I do not regret selling any of my bikes, because I sold them for a reason - or seveeal - but I miss the engine in my VN800A and in my VS1400 and the absolute stability of my CB1100F.

[cliffrod]

The only one I really wish I still had was my 1970 Ducati 450 Mark 3D.  It was a local unicorn around Knoxville into the mid 90’s that no one could buy.  I lucked into it (missing tank, seat, toolboxes, etc) and a 1971 Ducati 450 Jupiter (missing engine) for $200 and a free BMW R27 that I owned for 2-3 days. When I was going to get them, I only knew they were “a couple of Ducati singles”.   A mechanic at the old West Knoxville Yamaha BMW dealership had owned the Desmo for years and would not consider selling it.  Many tried as it lingered in the back of that shop.  Apparently when he changed jobs, he sold it to one of the salesmen at the same dealership just to be done with it.  The salesman was just trading bikes and had no specificinterest in it.

As the missing original bodywork & pieces was found over the following weeks and provided to me to complete the Desmo, the original owners manual was also included.  My name is Arthur C Button II.  The Ducati was special ordered and purchased new by Arthur C Boughton Jr.  upon immigrating to the USA, that owner’s grandfather changed spelling of family name from Buton to Boughton to “be more American”.  He still lived near Nashville, so I called him. 

When we talked, he said he traded an early 60’s BSA Goldstar 500 single in when purchasing the Desmo.  He was disappointed that the Desmo never performed as well as the Goldstar.  He said he didn’t think the mechanics knew how to properly tune it for him.

Anyways, I very reluctantly sold the Desmo and another Jupiter to Hans Mellburg in CA in 2007 to help fund my studio.  The next year, legendary Ducati privateer Frank Scuria was riding it in the 2008 CA Moto Giro when he had a near fatal accident. He made a full recovery and Hans said the bike would be rebuilt.  Apparently the engine was not seriously damaged. 

Before-




After-




One of the many articles online about the wreck-
https://www.ducativintageclub.com/frankscurria.htm

Not many times you get a chance to incidentally own such a unique bike with a veritable same-name connection.  But, after a lot of life, I still have my old V7 Sport and my studio.  Even better, Frank wasn’t killed on my old bike.  so I can’t really complain.

[guzziart]

'68 cb350, '72 cb450, '80 FXS, & '85 cb650...would have liked to have kept these out of all that come and gone, nothing special except to me.

[Vecchio Lupo]

In 1996, I traded a 1989 California III and $1500 for a true 100pt restoration of a V7 Sport. it was perfect....I got a divorce in 1999 and had to sell it. It went to Connecticut I think. I got $6500 for it and in New Orleans that was a lot of money. I handed it to my lawyer.  Whoever has a black V7 sport with a 750S3 seat....your welcome.

[Madtownguzzi]

1960 Cushman Trailster with a buddy seat. 2 speed transmission!

[Littlefield]

2010 K1300S. Got wrecked before its time. Insurance totaled it but it could have been fixed.

[tazio]

1982 Yamaha TDM850..NEARLY did it ALL. Plus looked great and was comfortable to boot !

[sdcr]

Having owned and ridden more than 45 motorcycles, it’s a tie. Both my 1983 850 Le Mans and the 1986 Yamaha SRX6
are missed the most

[Oca Grassa]

Ohh, to be rich like Oca Grassa. 

🤔

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

🤔


🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂
Rich?
😂😂😂😂😂😂

🤔

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

You think I’m rich?
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

I just don’t ever get rid of a bike is all. Normally don’t buy them new. There have been few exceptions, but cash only and only when I feel like what I’m looking at is worth the spend.


My 3 Ducatis AND my Norge, bought over the course of 8 years might break $10K. Maybe. It’s all about priorities in life. Do you want to have a majestic bathroom or a sweet bike? You can probably guess the answer. Do I wanna drop $10K on land scaping or get a sweet bike? You can probably guess that one too.

Rich? 🤔

🤣🤣🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

Hardly. Working stiff like most. Working on a 2nd retirement so can actually have time to enjoy the bikes I’ve collected, and the money to insure & put gas in them.

[Tkelly]

Red Honda cb400f,technically my wife’s first bike.

[Guzzidad]

   67 Norton P-11. Most fun I ever had on a bike.
   

[bronzestar1]

Frame #2...if for no other reason, I should've kept it:




160 hp, and THE most comfortable OEM seat I've ever sat on:




Rolling art:

[DoubleGuzzi]

Rich? 🤔
.. the money to insure & put gas in them.

Purchasing used/nearly new certainly helps initial cost.
Put in context; the cost/value of your stable would cover the cost of what we paid (20 years ago) for our current titchy (right-sized?) house!

@bronzestar1
Some folks are never happy! 
(Back in the day,anyone of them would put a smile on my miserable face.)

[SIR REAL ED]

I miss youth more than any of the bikes I owned in my youth.......

 

[Oca Grassa]

Put in context; the cost/value of your stable would cover the cost of what we paid (20 years ago) for our current titchy (right-sized?) house!

Put in context? 20 years ago that wouldnt even have made an acceptable down payment on a house here. Maybe a condo…maybe. San Francisco Bay Area housing prices, even at the outer most edge of it where I live were spiraling up through the ceiling 20 years ago.

My house went for $45K new in 1976. I bought it at $255K in 2001. In 2005 general appraisal was $425K. The bottom fell out of that market in 2007….but that’s not really the point of this thread.

@bronzestar1 that ‘95 Sport is really sweet looking….wanted a ‘97i for a long time now. Just really can’t justify parting with the kind of cash being asked when one comes up for sale tho.

[Shorty]

I always miss the 70s El Dorados.  I can still ride a smallish machine with a heel toe shifter. I wouldn't mind having a few of the others back to resell at today's current values. 

[DoubleGuzzi]

Rich?

I struggle to squeeze 4 bikes in my garage, so getting 8 in means your garage has likely more square footage than my house. I dare say if I had that kinda space, then I'd fill it with old but cheap bikes, such as my Z250B blast-from-the-past. ;)

[twowings]

[someguy]

ALL of them. I bought each one for specific reasons and that made each what I wanted.
I tend to hang onto bikes for a while. So in 50 years of riding I've only had 15-20. Something like that. Each special in different ways.

Some examples:
Lemans III street legal and stock looking but serious engine trans and suspension work etc. Sold this bike to take a honeymoon to Italy. Had personal tour of the MG factory in Mandelo.
1985 r80rs In Mexico was dragging pegs in the rain on that bike. One of those "existential" moments when man and machine become one.
1997 Honda XRV750 "Africa Twin" grey market bike (Had VFR750 vin plate swap)
1987 Honda Hurricane 1000. One of the best all around road bikes I have had
2005 KLR 110 bored to 150 upside down race forks, converted to single rear shock, disc brakes, 4 speed, 12" road wheels and prepped to race on go-kart tracks. Most fun I have ever had (maybe?)
1999 Ducati ST4 with lots of mods including magnesium rims
2006 KTM LC4 625SMC Factory supermoto with an extra set of dirt wheels

[sdcr]

…….@bronzestar1 that ‘95 Sport is really sweet looking….wanted a ‘97i for a long time now. Just really can’t justify parting with the kind of cash being asked when one comes up for sale tho.

[/b]

Although they look somewhat similar, I think that red Guzzi is a Daytona…

[DoubleGuzzi]

Although they look somewhat similar, I think that red Guzzi is a Daytona…

That'll be why it has "Sport 1100" on the tailpiece.