Bike you wanted but never bought...

[blu guzz]

My worst case of moto lust was my junior year of college in 1979. A local Triumph dealer and I use the term dealer to mean one of those tiny places with 2 or 3 bikes, had a 75 Truimph 750 new on the floor.  It was black and gold and I wanted it like I had never wanted anything before.  I was visualizing myself pulling into some far away town on it and all of the trips I was going to take.  I went so far as to ask about financing, but of course, as a relatively poor student with only part time work, no sensible money lender would touch me.  As I have looked back over the years, I realize that things turned out right as they should have.  I really could not have pulled it off and we now know that the reliability of those years was such that I probably would have ended up pushing it as much as riding it. When I was finally able to afford a motorcycle, my path was much different, but that can wait for the "first motorcycle" thread to come back around.

[MarcoSolo]

My worst case of moto lust was my junior year of college in 1979. A local Triumph dealer and I use the term dealer to mean one of those tiny places with 2 or 3 bikes, had a 75 Truimph 750 new on the floor.  It was black and gold and I wanted it like I had never wanted anything before.  I was visualizing myself pulling into some far away town on it and all of the trips I was going to take.  I went so far as to ask about financing, but of course, as a relatively poor student with only part time work, no sensible money lender would touch me.  As I have looked back over the years, I realize that things turned out right as they should have.  I really could not have pulled it off and we now know that the reliability of those years was such that I probably would have ended up pushing it as much as riding it. When I was finally able to afford a motorcycle, my path was much different, but that can wait for the "first motorcycle" thread to come back around.

Similar thing - I was a starving student, GI bill, worked in the registrar's office and painted houses for time and materials on breaks. It was a big deal to get a Burger King specialty sandwich when my VA check hit. A cycle magazine had a contest for the first Suzuki Katana 1000, must have been '82 when they came out.  I had owned a GS750 with the Twin Swirl Combustion Chambers - oooh - that I'd turned into a cafe racer - rarely saw cafe racers back then - and I had been racing RD400s back when I had more money and I wanted that Katana sooooo bad.  I sent in the entry from the magazine, bought a brick of 3x5 cards and laboriously filled out a stack of them.  They didn't make it easy - lots of stuff you had to print exactly on the card for it to be accepted.  When I calculated postage I ended up tossing about half of them.  No joy.

On the reliability of that era of Triumph 750s, I was friends with a Brit construction worker in Saudi Arabia who bought a late '70s model and rode it from England to Saudi Arabia.  Only problem was a broken clutch cable.  He rigged something up and let me ride it through downtown Jiddah, following on a 550-4 Honda.  With the funky clutch cable repair, I accidentally popped the biggest wheelie I've ever done coming off of a traffic light, barely hanging on.  He didn't know I had no idea of what I was doing and thought it was awesome.  He got in trouble with the company he worked for and was restricted to their compound after work hours but Jeremy was, uh, unique.  He built a ramp and tried to jump his Triumph over the fence one night, crashed the bike and broke both of his wrists. We gave him hell with both arms in casts. Wild times.

[MerleLowe]

1991 - graduated high school.  Was looking at street bikes.  Really liked the 250 Nighthawks that came out that year.  Having started in the dirt the 750 looked like a semi truck to me.  Price was out of reach as well.  Ended up not getting anything for a few years and ended up with a 1980 CB400T.  Closely related to the Nighthawk. 

Still look for them.  Might still get one.

After a year or so of the CB400 I was looking hard at the Bandit 600.  Would have been revelatory.

After that, I regret not being able to have one of everything.

[redrider90]

The 750GT is really a nice bike, really a gentleman’s motorcycle in its smoothness and power spread, but with the handling of a race bike. 

That reminds of when I moved to Georgia in 1977. I had to take a test for MC endorsement. So the officer took me out to the spot they had set up just for bikes. After I took the test he said to me he had never seen someone run through the course with such ease. I said that wasn't me that made it so easy it was the Ducati was a very special handling motorcycle.
On the flip side in 1991 the first bike I drove since buying the Ducati in 1973 was a Guzzi Lemans V with the big valve engine. I threw my legs over it and took off looking for the first curve I could find. The Ducati you just flicked it through the curve and it went where told it to go. I got into that curve and the big beautiful Lemans V beast with those stock bars were going straight while I was thinking this curve is going left. It all came back to me in a moment that the Guzzi needed some much stronger counter steering than I was not used to using. I pushed hard on the bars and then said Oh Ya here we go. 
I went home with a tamer Mille GT but wondered for a long time afterwards should I have taken the Lemans home. 

[Huzo]

Maybe not so much now, but pre Moto Guzzi as a younger guy.
I really should have gotten an early Honda CBX as they were plentiful and affordable. I always wanted to build something like a Moto Martin CBX with a real front end like something from a Ducati with the Brembos and all the top spec stuff or a CB 1100 R.
When I think of all the money I spent trading/ back trading, selling at a loss etc…
It would have been a wonderful way to use some creativity and end up with a real world bike.
Back then you could have kept the CBX rego and just changed the frame, the cops would not have known and the ones that did wouldn’t have cared.
Either that or a Mc Intosh Suzuki GSX1100 Bathurst replica.

The only bike I would sell my V85 to make room for would be a Greenie V11 or one exactly like Dave Swanston’s.

[Alfetta]

Montesa VB250

https://ibb.co/ZR1Wsgfv

[Denis]

XR1000 -  I wanted the gray one as soon as they came out.
1946 Indian Chief - I have other Indians but haven't gotten around to getting a skirted one.
1000S - Couldn't afford one when they were new and missed a couple of changes when they could be had for $7000 just a couple of years later.

[Matteo]

Original V7 Sport.

[sdcr]

I think I was about 14 or 15, and walking through a nearby neighborhood. Came around a corner, and there was a beautiful motorbike parked at the curb. It was a stunning black Norton 80 Commando, with the gold lettering. I was in moto lust.

[Guzzidad]

   1977 Harley XLCR

[redrider90]

1000S - Couldn't afford one when they were new and missed a couple of changes when they could be had for $7000 just a couple of years later.

I absolutely love the 1000S. I took one for a test ride at Midway Cycles in Lillington NC. An hour later I climbed off it and I could barely move. The ergos killed my 6'5" frame. It squeezed me up like a sardine in a can. I still think of it as one of the best Guzzis ever.

[nc43bsa]

I absolutely love the 1000S. I took one for a test ride at Midway Cycles in Lillington NC. An hour later I climbed off it and I could barely move. The ergos killed my 6'5" frame. It squeezed me up like a sardine in a can. I still think of it as one of the best Guzzis ever.

I agree.

I uncrated one at Midway and test rode it.  After about 30 minutes I had had enough.

Pretty bike, though.

[TN Mark]

I’ve admired many bikes over the years. One by one I ended up with the most meaningful bikes to me. Moto Guzzi Convert, G5, V11 Bassa (x2), V10 Centauro, Griso 1200 8v, Honda Valkyrie Interstate (x2) etc.

Until a year ago it was a Moto Guzzi Eldorado 1400. Now I have a gorgeous one and my motorcycle yearnings have stopped.

The highly modified Guzzi and my highly modified Victory Hard-Ball have scratched every motorcycle itch I’ve ever had.

It’s good to be content.

[Denis]

I agree.

I uncrated one at Midway and test rode it.  After about 30 minutes I had had enough.

Pretty bike, though.

I'm 5'11" and it fit me just right. In fact when Eric at Midway asked if I wanted to take the demo out, I was gone for two hours. He was pissed, lol!

[redrider90]

I'm 5'11" and it fit me just right. In fact when Eric at Midway asked if I wanted to take the demo out, I was gone for two hours. He was pissed, lol!

Although Fran Contaldi was technically not part of Midway he made it easy to find the 'bike you wanted and bought it' ... a bit of a twist on this thread. He threw the keys at me to test drive the Lemans V, 1000S, Mille GT (which I bought) and the famous Dr. John's Daytona. Although when I took out the Daytona he came along with me hence I might do something stupid with it He was selling bikes through Midway dirt cheap in 91. Hence I believe the law suit by the dealers.

[bronzestar1]

Laverda 750 Formula S, Yamaha TRX 850.  I don't think either bike was available in the States, otherwise I probably would've gotten one (or both!). 

[SIR REAL ED]

Laverda 750 Formula S, Yamaha TRX 850.  I don't think either bike was available in the States, otherwise I probably would've gotten one (or both!).

I could list a dozen or more, but the TRX 850 was one I lusted after.  I have only seen one advertised for sale in the US about 15 years ago.

[Scott Carpenter]

An unusual choice, but in 1993-2000 I lived in a great place for trailbike riding, and thought often about buying a DT175 or DT200 to just ride the trail roads. No single track stuff, just legally cruise the huge areas of trails near me.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Laverda 750 Formula S, Yamaha TRX 850.  I don't think either bike was available in the States, otherwise I probably would've gotten one (or both!).

I believe the Laverda was available in the US, I remember seeing one at a small dealership in Georgetown, PA "Beall & Nairn Cycles", back around 2003.

[DoubleGuzzi]

Laverda 750 Formula S

My missus had one for about 20 years, sold about 4-5 years ago..



Shown here in dual seat configuration, though it spent most of the time in single seat mode (no rear pegs, no grab rail and cowl replacing the sparse pillion pad).
Totally uncompromising in terms of ergos, lovely standard equipment and fast. Of course, I was the one who had to look after it etc.

[bronzestar1]

My missus had one for about 20 years, sold about 4-5 years ago..



Shown here in dual seat configuration, though it spent most of the time in single seat mode (no rear pegs, no grab rail and cowl replacing the sparse pillion pad).
Totally uncompromising in terms of ergos, lovely standard equipment and fast. Of course, I was the one who had to look after it etc.

This is the Laverda that I wanted:




And a picture of a Yamaha TRX 850 for good measure:

[DoubleGuzzi]

This is the Laverda that I wanted:

That's an earlier model year of essentially the same bike, though the year 2000 model had a strengthened crank end, plus some minor changes and a performance boost.This particular bike had highly unusual carbon Kevlar silencers, rather than 'just' carbon fibre. Additionally there was a parts pamphlet that offered various upgrades/alternatives, such as WP forks & shock.
I had added the double-bubble screen (kept original too), which was de rigueur at the time and helped stop flies, bees etc. get scooped up under the helmet chin guard.

When we test rode the bike, it had full race silencers and matching ECU. Mein Gott it was (too) LOUD. Literally made people jump out of their seat. (A poor labourer sitting having lunch nearly had a heart attack with the over-run pop.) Easy wheelies in 3rd gear - don't ask how I know. We asked the dealer to switch to standard silencers, which was an option. The dealer also had a nice blue/silver one but missus wanted the orange/silver (traditional Laverda colour).

[Just FYI. End of geek mode.  ]
 

[bronzestar1]

Also wanted one of these:




But this is as close as I got:

[SIR REAL ED]

Also wanted one of these:




But this is as close as I got:

You got the better bike by far!!

[Tom]

1975 BMW R90/6.  Didn't have the funds a couple of years later, I finally got my '80 Reconstruct that I built on the road.  I didn't like it for touring and a friend had a left DPS El Dorado that I traded for.