Any other motorcycle enthusiasts here?

[datsunfreak]

I know a few of you ride. Just curious...

 

My current bike is a 2023 KTM Duke 390. Made a few cosmetic mods so far, but nothing drastic. Just wanted a reliable daily...

 

 

 

I mostly have owned vintage Hondas over the years, but got tired of feeling like I was spending more time wrenching than riding... 😋

[Duncan]

I used to love riding street bikes.  After laying them down a time or two, my girlfriend (now my wife of 36 years) told me she couldn't sleep until she heard me pull in at all hours of the morning.  I was in the music business, and played around town regularly, so I'd leave when got home and come home around 2:00-3:00 am usually driving in drunk traffic.

 

I never had any really fast bikes for street use, but I had big 4 stroke road type bikes.  I know there are bikes now that are insanely fast.  I can't even imagine what it's like to ride one of those land rockets..

 

 

 

 

[powderfinger]

I also used to ride. My last bike was a Suzuki V-Strom 1000. Haven't rode any in the last 4-5 years. I started noticing how many people are staring at their phones more than they look at the road and decided to stop riding. I can't believe there aren't more car accidents than we currently have in this country. It's amazing to me that some of these people are able to make it to work and back with their phone on the steering wheel scrolling through whatever social media site while driving. Drives me crazy.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I've got a handful of Bultacos, but my favorite bike was my 1970 Bonneville.

 

[datsunfreak]

On 6/24/2024 at 12:14 PM, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

I've got a handful of Bultacos

 

My dad had a Bultaco when I was a kid. Always kinda wanted one just for nostalgia's sake...

 

Or put some Bultaco badges on an old Honda dirt bike...  😋

 

I think his was a Matador? Looked similar to this one...

 

Edited Tuesday at 07:14 PM by datsunfreak

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

2 hours ago, datsunfreak said:

 

My dad had a Bultaco when I was a kid. Always kinda wanted one just for nostalgia's sake...

 

Or put some Bultaco badges on an old Honda dirt bike...  😋

 

I think his was a Matador? Looked similar to this one...

 

I can't imagine racing a Bultaco back in the day. No brakes, no suspension. Cool to look at though.

[MachineMan]

On 6/21/2024 at 11:42 AM, datsunfreak said:

I know a few of you ride. Just curious...

 

My current bike is a 2023 KTM Duke 390. Made a few cosmetic mods so far, but nothing drastic. Just wanted a reliable daily...

 

 

 

I mostly have owned vintage Hondas over the years, but got tired of feeling like I was spending more time wrenching than riding... 😋

Modern looking.

[Duncan]

I had a 250 Pursang.  Not much torque and kinda peaky, but it was fun and reliable..

 

 

[MachineMan]

2 hours ago, datsunfreak said:

 

My dad had a Bultaco when I was a kid. Always kinda wanted one just for nostalgia's sake...

 

Or put some Bultaco badges on an old Honda dirt bike...  😋

 

I think his was a Matador? Looked similar to this one...

 

 

It's "Beautiful!"

[MachineMan]

1 minute ago, Duncan said:

I had a 250 Pursang.  Not much torque and kinda peaky, but it was fun and reliable..

 

 

 

Who remembers "Steve's Bultaco" on Van Nuys Blvd.?

 

Or "Bruno's Corvette" on Ventura Blvd.?

 

I remember!

And the "Sherpa T",...... the Bultaco Trials bike.

 

 

Good times back in the day!

[Duncan]

This is exactly what I had.  Grabbed a photo from online somewhere.

 

 

It took me quite a bit to get used to shifting gears with the right foot.  Makes sense (I guess) for racing though..

Edited Tuesday at 10:09 PM by Duncan

[Duncan]

I also had one of these.  A Maico 501.  It was really sluggish handling due to the weight, and nearly impossible to start.  Buttloads of torque compared to the Bultaco.  

 

[datzenmike]

I had a 175 CZ Trials bike. Rear sprocket was the size of a dinner plate. You could jump off and climb beside it what you couldn't ride up. I think it was barely 10hp. Next was a '72? Yamaha MX100 more like 18 hp. The only electrics on it was a kill switch. Competition only. Had a 1/8 turn throttle so pretty much an ON / OFF switch. There was nuttin' till 9k, then look out. 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

1 hour ago, Duncan said:

This is exactly what I had.  Grabbed a photo from online somewhere.

 

 

It took me quite a bit to get used to shifting gears with the right foot.  Makes sense (I guess) for racing though..

I had a Montessa that was near identical to my Bultaco Alpina, well, sort of, and the brakes on it were so much better. I gave the bike to a friend and when I asked if I could have it back (to swap in the front brake) he had given it to someone else.

 

The twin leading shoe front brake on my Bonneville was freakin awesome. I really miss that bike. It would actually do wheelies! Ever  seen a vintage Bonneville ride a wheelie? Oh yeah, it had a 750 big bore kit in it with JE pistons and an aluminum cylinder. I eventually removed the bog bore kit and built a hotrod 650 for it, which still hauled ass. That bike would do 120mph, no problem.

[MachineMan]

My bike is in storage.

 

The only vehicle I ever bought new.

 

1975 Suzuki TS 250

 

Preston Petty tank and fenders, shouldered Akronts, Bassani pipe, Andre's bars, UNI levers,

the forks are off the MX version, (TM).

I have a TM engine complete up stairs.

Yes that's a custom made "Red Line" swing arm.

 

Tons of fun, up to all the accidents.

 

 

 

 

 

MM

Edited Wednesday at 12:06 AM by MachineMan
added "year"

[MachineMan]

1 hour ago, Duncan said:

I also had one of these.  A Maico 501.  It was really sluggish handling due to the weight, and nearly impossible to start.  Buttloads of torque compared to the Bultaco.  

 

 These "square barrel" units were used by friends of mine for Desert Racing

As were "AJS", and "Greeves".

[datsunfreak]

14 hours ago, MachineMan said:

Modern looking.

 

Indeed. 😁

 

First bike I've owned that was modern. Most have been 70s Hondas. The painfully easy starts of EFI was weird to get used to. Then tack on ABS, traction control, LED lighting, bluetooth connectivity...  😄

 

This is also the first single cylinder street bike I've ridden, and that was a bit of a learning curve as well. 

 

14 hours ago, Duncan said:

I had a 250 Pursang.  Not much torque and kinda peaky, but it was fun and reliable..

 

So, basically every 2 stroke ever? 😋

Edited Wednesday at 12:23 PM by datsunfreak

[Gluteus Maximus]

I love old motorcycles...my newest is an 84!

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Love the old Bimmers. I had an '07 R1200GS for about six months. I hated it. No soul at all. It felt like the front end was going to wash out all the time, the engine had zero emotion, and both brakes were actuated by a single lever. That was weird.

 

 

[Duncan]

8 hours ago, datsunfreak said:

 

Indeed. 😁

 

First bike I've owned that was modern. Most have been 70s Hondas. The painfully easy starts of EFI was weird to get used to. Then tack on ABS, traction control, LED lighting, bluetooth connectivity...  😄

 

This is also the first single cylinder street bike I've ridden, and that was a bit of a learning curve as well. 

 

 

So, basically every 2 stroke ever? 😋

 

The 501 Maico was a HUGE (for it's time) displacement 1 cylinder two stroke.  It was really high compression and pretty much the polar opposite of the Bultaco.  The Bultaco was a lot more fun to throw around, but you had to keep the revs up.  The Maico was a hill climber, and an all around brute..

 

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

6 minutes ago, Duncan said:

 

The 501 Maico was a HUGE (for it's time) displacement 1 cylinder two stroke.  It was really high compression and pretty much the polar opposite of the Bultaco.  The Bultaco was a lot more fun to throw around, but you had to keep the revs up.  The Maico was a hill climber, and an all around brute..

 

 

I remember they were a bitch to kick start.

 

My Bultaco Alpina is a 350cc 2 stroke with gobs of torque. When I was a kid, I could wheelie that thing in fourth gear all the way down the block. My two other Bultacos are 250cc and use they same gearbox as the 350.

[]2eDeYe]

Enthusiast here. For some reason I like Yamahas, probably due to my first enduro.

 

My brother and I used to ride this one as kids. I gave it away at one point and it came back to me. The engine is currently almost back together and waiting for me to get motivated again.

 

 

I have a couple of these 100s, my first enduro was a 175. Trying not to buy the one on marketplace that is the same year and color as my first one lol

 

 

And my 77 XS650 which I hope to get out some this summer. 
 

[]2eDeYe]

Went to get a pic from the ad and dammit the price is reaching my buy it now lol

 

[Duncan]

10 hours ago, ]2eDeYe said:

Enthusiast here. For some reason I like Yamahas, probably due to my first enduro.

 

My Stepdad had a Yamaha 360MX which was the dirt only version of the enduro.  I rode that thing a LOT due to the Maico being so damn tempermental.  It always started and was a nice bike. 

 

The last street bike I owned was a Yamaha 1100 Virago.  It was one of the early Harley knockoffs.  Very dependable and comfortable.  I do miss having a bike, but living here in So Cal with all the traffic is a big deterrent these days..

 

  

Edited Thursday at 12:59 PM by Duncan

[datsunfreak]

15 hours ago, ]2eDeYe said:

my 77 XS650 which I hope to get out some this summer. 
 

 

So much want...

 

Some day (if I get rich enough), I may just get one of these newer "retro" Triumphs (unless Honda or Yamaha start making them). I would like to have the vibe of a vintage bike, but a bit more dependable.

 

Edited Thursday at 05:56 PM by datsunfreak