My best was a 1992 Electra Glide Sport, bought new and rode home in the snow( before I moved from Mn to Florida)
What is the best bike you have owned?
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Jack Klarich
41 - 60 of 81 Posts
This is a very tricky as well as subjective question ;
Like many elders my first running Motocycle was a 1960 Honda Cub, the venerable step - through C100, 50CC's, semiautomatic clutch, dead slow but incredibly forgiving od teenage newbie foolishness, ignorance and out right stupidity .
It took me close to ten years to be as happy on the following bikes .
Close to 60 years riding now, I recently purchased a nasty running (sort of) and riding parts bike I'm returning to daily rider status and once fettled I expect to sell off all my other old Motos except my "end" bike, a 125C.C. Tiddler thay I hope is light enough to keep me riding until the end .
Once or twice in a lifetime if you're lucky, you'll know in a block or three that this one is the best, maybe the first time you've ridden this model, may be like meeting an old friend .
The first image in post # 31 is fantastic and how I viewed my self in the future on my '65 PanHead in 1973 .
Like many elders my first running Motocycle was a 1960 Honda Cub, the venerable step - through C100, 50CC's, semiautomatic clutch, dead slow but incredibly forgiving od teenage newbie foolishness, ignorance and out right stupidity .
It took me close to ten years to be as happy on the following bikes .
Close to 60 years riding now, I recently purchased a nasty running (sort of) and riding parts bike I'm returning to daily rider status and once fettled I expect to sell off all my other old Motos except my "end" bike, a 125C.C. Tiddler thay I hope is light enough to keep me riding until the end .
Once or twice in a lifetime if you're lucky, you'll know in a block or three that this one is the best, maybe the first time you've ridden this model, may be like meeting an old friend .
The first image in post # 31 is fantastic and how I viewed my self in the future on my '65 PanHead in 1973 .
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I bought my SV1000 new in 007 I think. And I still have it, and have no intention of selling it.
The suspension is quite similar to the GSXR bikes. I wanted a V twin as I had never owned one, except the SV650 I had prior. The engine is not as smooth as the smaller 650, or the four cylinder bikes. But I do not have to buzz it as much. Unlike some others, I do not have to mess with anything, to get it to handle well, stop fast enough, and go fast enough. I did raise the bars a couple of inches to make it more comfortable to ride, for this aging body.
And unlike many of the Ducati riders I meet, their slightly more power, better handling bikes, do them no good. They usually have the money, but not the riding skills, and my bike gives me less grief.
The suspension is quite similar to the GSXR bikes. I wanted a V twin as I had never owned one, except the SV650 I had prior. The engine is not as smooth as the smaller 650, or the four cylinder bikes. But I do not have to buzz it as much. Unlike some others, I do not have to mess with anything, to get it to handle well, stop fast enough, and go fast enough. I did raise the bars a couple of inches to make it more comfortable to ride, for this aging body.
And unlike many of the Ducati riders I meet, their slightly more power, better handling bikes, do them no good. They usually have the money, but not the riding skills, and my bike gives me less grief.
Well said Uncle ;
My son is a competitive racer and so bought a nearly new Ducati twin, I was worried he'd kill him self but in fact he didn't like the amount of work it takes to ride a bike like that . it now sits gathering dust, the cam belts are old so he doesn't want to see it and have some darnfool try to run / ride it first and destroy the engine then blame him .
Very few riders have the skills to fully utilize their Motocycles abilities .
My son is a competitive racer and so bought a nearly new Ducati twin, I was worried he'd kill him self but in fact he didn't like the amount of work it takes to ride a bike like that . it now sits gathering dust, the cam belts are old so he doesn't want to see it and have some darnfool try to run / ride it first and destroy the engine then blame him .
Very few riders have the skills to fully utilize their Motocycles abilities .
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69 Posts
Honda VTX 1300R was my best all around for touring and camping be it on interstates, twisties, some rough unpaved roads, 1000+ mile days, 145,000 miles, 49 states and all provinces/territories with roads. I made it comfortable. My Yamaha Royal Star Venture was a fantastic touring motorcycle.
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206 Posts
4 Scenic Drives in the San Francisco Bay Area
Mount Diablo, Panoramic Highway, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, and the Pacific Coast Highway make beautiful scenic day trips.
www.theepochtimes.com
This article explains the reason, I owned a motorcycle, in the San Francisco Bay Area....
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206 Posts
My immediate thought was my 2016 Goldwing, which overall was an amazing motorcycle. But it did also was too big, too heavy and maybe too featured to be a motorcycle. It truly was a 2 wheeled Buick. But when I think about what bike was the most enoyable to me, what bike brings back the best memories, it might be the first real motorcycle that I ever owned, which was a 1986 Honda Shadow 700 (yes, 700 not 750). Before that I had scooters, which were great but were not "real" motorcycles. And while every bike since then was more powerful, and had better performance, that original Honda cruiser was what made me a motorcyclist for life.
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59 Posts
I am in Sonoma County. let me know if you want to meet up and ride sometime......
Man the ZX14R is SO tempting... I gotta keep telling myself I don't want to ride one though... My FJR1300 is plenty fast enough to get me in trouble, and I dont want to find out how slow it is compared to a properly fast bike... 😂
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7,374 Posts
ZX-14R is amazing bike! Superbe handing for its size and heft. One of my friends still tracks his at Thunderhill. Especially on larger TH East track where it csn hit 160mph on front straight!!! 
”Perfect” one bike doesn’t work for me since I do so many different types of riding:
Offroading & trails - Plentiful territory in AZ desert. So I’m looking for “best” bike for this type of terrain. Lighter the better, so CR125R.
Tight tracks - such as AMP, Laguna Seca, Streets Willow, Sears Point Sonoma or Thunderhill West favours nimble handling bikes, so again, smaller & lighter is faster. NSR250 does it perfectly. At 280-lbs with 4-ltr petrol, I can outbrake and corner faster than everyone else. On Ninja 250 I can hang at bottom of A-group, on NSR, I’m in midst of it duking it out.
Bigger Tracks - like Chuckie, Buttonwillow, Willow Springs and Thunderhill East favours something with more power. CBR600RR does it for me with mid-350lbs weight. Can’t take the litrebikes on straight, however I can give them fits under braking & cornering. If I pass them going into technical sections, I can build enough lead to stay away.
Commuting - Did it for 25-yrs in Silicon Valley, worse traffic in U.S. outside of NYC. Small light & nimble to squeeze between stuck commuters is pre-gen ‘88-06 Ninja 250! Had about 5 of these in various generations. Can go entire week on single tank of petrol.
Mountain Twisties - depending upon group I’m with, Ninja 250/400 or VF500 is “best” with perfect combination of power, weight and handling.
Touring - ST1300 is perfect for week-long tours. Easy to carry passengers in comfort and lots of baggage space. Can even attach trailer if needed. For single-day trip, VFR is better, higher manueverability is less tiring on long single-day trips, even 2-up.
”Perfect” one bike doesn’t work for me since I do so many different types of riding:
Offroading & trails - Plentiful territory in AZ desert. So I’m looking for “best” bike for this type of terrain. Lighter the better, so CR125R.
Tight tracks - such as AMP, Laguna Seca, Streets Willow, Sears Point Sonoma or Thunderhill West favours nimble handling bikes, so again, smaller & lighter is faster. NSR250 does it perfectly. At 280-lbs with 4-ltr petrol, I can outbrake and corner faster than everyone else. On Ninja 250 I can hang at bottom of A-group, on NSR, I’m in midst of it duking it out.
Bigger Tracks - like Chuckie, Buttonwillow, Willow Springs and Thunderhill East favours something with more power. CBR600RR does it for me with mid-350lbs weight. Can’t take the litrebikes on straight, however I can give them fits under braking & cornering. If I pass them going into technical sections, I can build enough lead to stay away.
Commuting - Did it for 25-yrs in Silicon Valley, worse traffic in U.S. outside of NYC. Small light & nimble to squeeze between stuck commuters is pre-gen ‘88-06 Ninja 250! Had about 5 of these in various generations. Can go entire week on single tank of petrol.
Mountain Twisties - depending upon group I’m with, Ninja 250/400 or VF500 is “best” with perfect combination of power, weight and handling.
Touring - ST1300 is perfect for week-long tours. Easy to carry passengers in comfort and lots of baggage space. Can even attach trailer if needed. For single-day trip, VFR is better, higher manueverability is less tiring on long single-day trips, even 2-up.
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206 Posts
I know Sears Point....... worked for Bondurant Racing school there. Never rode Willow Springs, but crewed on a few racing bikes there.....ZX-14R is amazing bike! Superbe handing for its size and heft. One of my friends still tracks his at Thunderhill. Especially on larger TH East track where it csn hit 160mph on front straight!!!
”Perfect” one bike doesn’t work for me since I do so many different types of riding:
Offroading & trails - Plentiful territory in AZ desert. So I’m looking for “best” bike for this type of terrain. Lighter the better, so CR125R.
Tight tracks - such as AMP, Laguna Seca, Streets Willow, Sears Point Sonoma or Thunderhill West favours nimble handling bikes, so again, smaller & lighter is faster. NSR250 does it perfectly. At 280-lbs with 4-ltr petrol, I can outbrake and corner faster than everyone else. On Ninja 250 I can hang at bottom of A-group, on NSR, I’m in midst of it duking it out.
Bigger Tracks - like Chuckie, Buttonwillow, Willow Springs and Thunderhill East favours something with more power. CBR600RR does it for me with mid-350lbs weight. Can’t take the litrebikes on straight, however I can give them fits under braking & cornering. If I pass them going into technical sections, I can build enough lead to stay away.
Commuting - Did it for 25-yrs in Silicon Valley, worse traffic in U.S. outside of NYC. Small light & nimble to squeeze between stuck commuters is pre-gen ‘88-06 Ninja 250! Had about 5 of these in various generations. Can go entire week on single tank of petrol.
Mountain Twisties - depending upon group I’m with, Ninja 250/400 or VF500 is “best” with perfect combination of power, weight and handling.
Touring - ST1300 is perfect for week-long tours. Easy to carry passengers in comfort and lots of baggage space. Can even attach trailer if needed. For single-day trip, VFR is better, higher manueverability is less tiring on long single-day trips, even 2-up.
( This was my Willow Springs bike..... Road on it... but didn't race there.... ( Crewed for the bike builder, Jordan Engineering )...
This FZ, had a FULL DEMON-POWERED race engine in it... It was a monster... Then Curt put in a 'streetable' stroker motor in it for me )
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FZ(F ZED in Canada not F Zee)A dream bike of mine back in the day. Can't find them ever around here even at bike nights.
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206 Posts
" ZED" wasn't used in the advertisements.... Ha Ha.....
But I get it... I was born in Canada ( Victoria, BC )...... My Dad was an RCMP.....
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"Best" depends on your requirements and that changes over time.
As for the most exciting aka the best at the time, it will always be my 1986 Suzuki RG500 Gamma, a square-four two-stroke that put out 95 HP back then and weighed 340 pounds. A first in a street bike with a cartridge transmission, four flat-slide carbs and if you know them, an extremely well thought out motorcycle. The best of the "repli-racers" during that time.
Since about 1990, long range and comfort without having too much Tupperware on my motorcycle. Therefore my BMW GSes.
As for the most exciting aka the best at the time, it will always be my 1986 Suzuki RG500 Gamma, a square-four two-stroke that put out 95 HP back then and weighed 340 pounds. A first in a street bike with a cartridge transmission, four flat-slide carbs and if you know them, an extremely well thought out motorcycle. The best of the "repli-racers" during that time.
Since about 1990, long range and comfort without having too much Tupperware on my motorcycle. Therefore my BMW GSes.
I am extremely pleased to announce the raggedy old 1971 BMW R75/5I bought in February is now turn key up and running and I'm enjoying riding it .
It's still a piece of junk and looks/sounds like one too with the half@$$ed home made 'cafe' pipes and mufflers, it sounds like a 1960's Triumph and this causes me to ride like an idiot, old Beemers can be ridden very quickly but .
It's still a piece of junk and looks/sounds like one too with the half@$$ed home made 'cafe' pipes and mufflers, it sounds like a 1960's Triumph and this causes me to ride like an idiot, old Beemers can be ridden very quickly but .
When I was ten years old my parents bought me a Flying Eagle bicycle (bear with me on this, I’m not joking with you). I loved that bike and rode it everywhere. it had the skinny “English Racer” tires on it but was a single speed with a coaster brake. I saved my money and bought a Cadet speedometer for it and after one year had put 995 miles on it, but the cable broke and I never got it fixed. That was a lot of pedaling and I dreamed of owning a bike with a motor that would make life like a Beach Boys song.
Two years after getting my driver’s license that dream came true when I purchased my first motorcycle, a Honda CB160. I will never forget when I got on the bike to drive it home. I had driven a friend’s Honda 90 before but this was MINE! I got on that machine, turned the key, put it in neutral and touched the starter button and it fired right up. Pulled in the clutch with a very excited left hand, left toe down to put her in first and gradually let out the clutch. Didn’t even choke it down! It started MOVING! Wow, oh wow, oh wow! It was magical. It was just like the dreams I had had when I was a kid riding that Flying Eagle, but this was REAL!
The excitement was off the charts. Up one into second, up again into third, and finally, “fourth gear, FASTER, ITS ALRIGHT!” Down the hill, hoping to catch the light red so I could run through those cogs again! That bike was small and nimble enough where I could drive it anywhere. Laying down, going downhill, on the highway I once got it up to 70 mph. Rode it on the interstate to see a girl (of course, why else?). Tractor trailers going past me nearly sucking me into their side then blowing me back to the outside as the air currents played havoc with me. Drove it to the beach (about 150 miles) with a guy on the back looking for girls and that 160 was a huge chick magnet. They loved going for a ride and an offer of such was enough to get an introduction.
I had to sell that beloved 160 when I bought my first car because I couldn’t afford both (thanks a lot insurance companies). I teared up when it left my house, but I knew there would be more to come. And there were, each successive one getting bigger and bigger. Then came family, kids, home mortgage payments, college tuition for the kids, and so on with no motorcycles.
BUT, fast forward to today and I found a CB160, identical to my first one, with low miles but lots of rust. It runs great and I’m gradually restoring it as I am able find the parts. Cranking it up and going through those gears brings back nearly the same feeling of excitement as it did when I was 18. I loved that first bike and immediately made a connection with this one. Now, if I can just find a Flying Eagle before this old man cashes in his chips the “cycle” of life will be complete!
Two years after getting my driver’s license that dream came true when I purchased my first motorcycle, a Honda CB160. I will never forget when I got on the bike to drive it home. I had driven a friend’s Honda 90 before but this was MINE! I got on that machine, turned the key, put it in neutral and touched the starter button and it fired right up. Pulled in the clutch with a very excited left hand, left toe down to put her in first and gradually let out the clutch. Didn’t even choke it down! It started MOVING! Wow, oh wow, oh wow! It was magical. It was just like the dreams I had had when I was a kid riding that Flying Eagle, but this was REAL!
The excitement was off the charts. Up one into second, up again into third, and finally, “fourth gear, FASTER, ITS ALRIGHT!” Down the hill, hoping to catch the light red so I could run through those cogs again! That bike was small and nimble enough where I could drive it anywhere. Laying down, going downhill, on the highway I once got it up to 70 mph. Rode it on the interstate to see a girl (of course, why else?). Tractor trailers going past me nearly sucking me into their side then blowing me back to the outside as the air currents played havoc with me. Drove it to the beach (about 150 miles) with a guy on the back looking for girls and that 160 was a huge chick magnet. They loved going for a ride and an offer of such was enough to get an introduction.
I had to sell that beloved 160 when I bought my first car because I couldn’t afford both (thanks a lot insurance companies). I teared up when it left my house, but I knew there would be more to come. And there were, each successive one getting bigger and bigger. Then came family, kids, home mortgage payments, college tuition for the kids, and so on with no motorcycles.
BUT, fast forward to today and I found a CB160, identical to my first one, with low miles but lots of rust. It runs great and I’m gradually restoring it as I am able find the parts. Cranking it up and going through those gears brings back nearly the same feeling of excitement as it did when I was 18. I loved that first bike and immediately made a connection with this one. Now, if I can just find a Flying Eagle before this old man cashes in his chips the “cycle” of life will be complete!
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5,669 Posts
Post of the week, so far, IMHO.
Bill ;
I am so happy to read your missive here .
I too had the same feeling when I went back as an adult and found one of the bikes I'd had way back when, resurrected it and felt that same joy decades later .
This is what I'm doing with my new (to me) '71 BMW 750 and yes, the hour test ride I took last week was simply <magical> in spite of it being a rusty and dented old junker .
I well remember those CB160's, they were considered "mini Super Hawks" and were a very affordable way to get astride and really good reliable FUN Motorbike .
I am so happy to read your missive here .
I too had the same feeling when I went back as an adult and found one of the bikes I'd had way back when, resurrected it and felt that same joy decades later .
This is what I'm doing with my new (to me) '71 BMW 750 and yes, the hour test ride I took last week was simply <magical> in spite of it being a rusty and dented old junker .
I well remember those CB160's, they were considered "mini Super Hawks" and were a very affordable way to get astride and really good reliable FUN Motorbike
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