Old bikes... which are your faves?

[mustang28027]

Anyone see the  Feb edition of Cycle World and see the article " 25 Years Ago"? The top story was about the 1983 Suzuki GS1100S. Man! That bike just  looks awesome! Am I wierd or do these 80's model bikes just do something for you, too? This is when the powerbikes were just coming into style, like the V-65 Magna, the Honda Hurricane in 1987,Yamaha FJ1100, etc...I see that Honda built a retro CB1100 for the Tokyo MC show but will not be building it for production in the US...Man,  I am Jonesing for that GS1100S! If you had a bike to rebuild as a collector/rider which would you choose?

[st2sam]

  One of my favorites! 1984 Honda 1000cc Intercepter......

[Real Bad Attitude]

It was my first street bike, and brand new 1975 Sportster. Just loved that bike.

[mustang28027]

ST2Sam, there is a Interceptor 500 for sale on craigslist here in Charlotte... $500.00!

[homebrew]

Early 80's GPz's are way cool.
I have also been a long time fan of the 82 CB900F and 83 CB1100F supersports as well.

My 82 CB900F - shouldn't have sold it.

[Orson]

I owned the first year Suzuki GS...a 1978 750.

very nice bike...nice power...nice handling....except it had points instead of electronic ignition. Those made for some moments parked at the side of the road. Electronic ignition is so much nicer  

I also had the first year FJ in 1984. All the stories about the FJ being the primo sport tourer of the late 80s / early 90s are true. A tank bag and some soft luggage and you were set to go. That was a great bike  

[Guzzipat]

I owned the first year Suzuki GS...a 1978 750.

very nice bike...nice power...nice handling....except it had points instead of electronic ignition. Those made for some moments parked at the side of the road. Electronic ignition is so much nicer  

I also had the first year FJ in 1984. All the stories about the FJ being the primo sport tourer of the late 80s / early 90s are true. A tank bag and some soft luggage and you were set to go. That was a great bike  

I thought the XJ 900 was better, I prefer shaft drive and the FJ1200 was a gas guzzler.

[windsorgreen1]

1983 Honda CB1100F or 1982 Honda CB900F

[Wockman]

I still love the old VFRs !

[OmegaSix]

Honda QA50!!!!!    

I learned to ride on it!   Two speed transmission, and a centrifugal clutch!!!!

[Lon]

Kawasaki 903cc Z1 - the bike for which the term superbike was invented. Back then, it didn't mean racer, rather, it meant frightening to ride.  Very historic bike.  Never ridden one. I'm afraid of them.

(Ref: here and in the ZX6E Haynes manual...)

Early 80s GPzs are also nice, as is that VF500 Interceptor.  

[radman]

The one I'm restoring now is pretty cool-

[SuperHans]

H-D WLA


BSA Goldstar


Norton Commando

[JonS]

This is a no brainer. I owned for 15 years. 1981 CB900F



Of the bikes I don't have a personal interest in, this is the one:

1982 GPZ1100

 Or one like this 1965 Triumph Bonneville.

[Jes_VFR]

I still love the old VFRs !

+1

[bomber]

80s bikes always looked like they were transitioning from older bikes (Bonnies, Rockets, and Sporties) into something else, but hadn't quite figured it out yet, to me

Like most, I lust after those bikes that were the best while I was learning to ride -- again, Bonnie, Rockets, Nortons, Gold Stars, all picuted here by others . . . . . .

and dream grage should include a Vincent Twin, of course, and one fo these -- the Crocker

[dlrides]

You guys are making me feel old and out of touch !  

In my opinion, just my opinion now, all bikes started to look the same after 1976.

My favorites :

Euro) pre-74 Moto-Guzzi, pre-76 BMW(especially /5) pre-76 Ducati

British) pre-73 Triumph, pre-75 Norton, pre-73 BSA

Japanese) pre-74 Honda, Kawasaki H2, sorted other pre-74's

American) pre-war HD WLA's  

Sportbikes) No REAL sportbikes were/are factory built ! True sportbikes were built in a garage, before factories ever thought about building racebikes for the public. So cafe' racer style built machines were the only true sportbikes for the public. A monkey can ride a factory built repli-racer fairly well, just point and shoot.

Read my sig line. IMHO, so no flames !

[DavidLSI]

Ride along with me on my 1983 GS1100E

I love the sound


a little faster



The rear


Man I still love the big headlight  (This me pre-STN)


This my first step into the riding world....


Currently being brought back from a crash....

SeeYa
DavidLSI

[sagerat]

1982 Honda CB750F Supersport...was my first bike.

Those military Harleys rock.  

Royal Enfield Bullet, like my Ural, you can have a "new" old bike.  

[bubba zanetti]

Kawasaki 903cc Z1 - the bike for which the term superbike was invented. Back then, it didn't mean racer, rather, it meant frightening to ride.  Very historic bike.  Never ridden one. I'm afraid of them.

I owned a 74 Z1 and later a 77 KZ1000.

The Z1 was indeed frightening especially after you dumped a Yoshimura kit, RJS pipe, K&N's, Mikuni 29 smooth bores, electronic ignition etc. What you had then was a bike of about 100 hp where the motor totally overwhelmed the frame. Accelerating through S curves was indeed frightening as you got that weird wallow and flex as you shifted side to side. Exciting, but frightening to be sure. But when you are young ... ya call that fun.  

Dr. Zorko, on this board, and I had some wild times on those Z1's and even rode them to LA, Idaho and all over. His bike had a Kerker pipe on the right, mine an RJS on the left and if we rode side by side you would hear this really distinctive resonance. Sounded awesome and mothers would cover their children's ears ... hooligans !  

Sigh ... that was a long time ago. But we is still ridin together after all these years... just a bit more quietly.  

[RexRider]

Always been a big fan of the 1983-86 Suzuki GS550E/ES.  Owned two of them, and wish I still had one...

[bubba zanetti]

This is a no brainer. I owned for 15 years. 1981 CB900F

Sweet bike  

[Bjorn Toulouse]

'81 Yamaha SR500.....I've got a '79 as well, but it ain't near as pretty.

[Orson]

I might add, as nice as the GS and the FJ were...it wasn't until I bought a 78 Ducati Darmah that I found out what a real motorcycle was.

I don't mean that out of disrespect for the GS & FJ. Both were excellent bikes. Faster and more reliable than the Ducati, but both fell short when it came time to delivering signals to your neurons  

Those of you that haven't tried a v-twin yet, owe yourselves that favor before kicking the bucket

or before an RC45 guy tries to convince you otherwise  

remember...I'm only here to help  

[Orson]

'81 Yamaha SR500.....I've got a '79 as well, but it ain't near as pretty.

I want one  

[bizarro]

I'm kind of attached to this one:

[bubba zanetti]

I'm kind of attached to this one:

You need to ride that baby up here so I can hear it purr.

[Gar]

Ariel Red Hunter or Triumph Speed Twin
1968 Triumph T-120 (not exactly stock resto though)
an old 70's Husky or early Penton
1986 GSXR 750 special edition (or was that 87?)
Any non-cruiser Guzzi
916
maybe an air-cooled BMW from the 70's or 80's

[Flyer]

This one kindled a kid's wanderlust, and represented the freedom I couldn't have at the time.
I could have taken me to Woodstock. Maybe even back...

[motorcyclemac]

I had a 1975 Kz900z1.  What a monster.  Yes it was spooky fast....at the time.  I would guess perhaps it was something like maybe 75-80 horse max.  I don't know for sure but power production was weak by today's standards.  They had crappy brakes and a frame from noodles.  It has looks that are timeless and wonderful.  They sound awesome.  That bike started my love affair with Kawasaki.  Up to that point I was a real Honda fan.

I developed quite a lust for the GS Suzuki.  I still have two of them in my storage building.  A 1979 GS550E...and a 1982 GS650GT...painted in bright orange with cafe bars and bar end mirrors.

Cheers
Mac.

[McRider]

1968 Triumph Bonneville

[Kootenanny]

RZ500.  I wanted one so bad, back in the day, I could taste it.  V-four 2-stroke, waaay too much power for the chassis...

Nowadays, though, my tastes have changed.  UJMs don't really do it for me (except, maybe, an SR500).  I'd love an old Guzzi V7 Sport to play with, or maybe an early 70s Ducati 750 Sport.  Or, there was this old Moto Morini I saw once at a bike show, a tiny thing with a looong tank and clip-ons barely a hands width apart...looked uncomfortable as hell, but what a beauty!

[Headmanbrewing]

That's why I bought mine...




<------

[pcrdude]

A picture of a bike just like my last one (mine was destroyed).

[denydog]

I can't bring myself to sell this one, even though once I started riding the BMW, I can see it does have some limitations.   I like a lot of other bikes from that era as well, including the Honda CB900/1100's and GPZ's.

I had the GS out for a spin yesterday.

[atadaskew]

BMW R100Rs with smoke paint job
Honda Rc30
Honda NSR400
Suzuki Katana (the original one)
Suzuki Rg500 Gamma 2-stroke
Ducati Mike Hailwood

[traveler]

I'd love to have back my old CB750K0, that was a beautiful bike.

[bomber]

I kick myself every time I remember I sold my cafed SR -- what a fun bike!

[alphabet man]

gone but not forgotten

[Aero]

I'm kind of attached to this one:

Great bike!  I bought a new 850 T3 way back in '77 and it took me and my first wife all over Europe for a few years until I fell in love with a Laverda Jota. The purchase was inevitable - as was the divorce! ...

[Guzzipat]

I might add, as nice as the GS and the FJ were...it wasn't until I bought a 78 Ducati Darmah that I found out what a real motorcycle was.

I don't mean that out of disrespect for the GS & FJ. Both were excellent bikes. Faster and more reliable than the Ducati, but both fell short when it came time to delivering signals to your neurons  

Those of you that haven't tried a v-twin yet, owe yourselves that favor before kicking the bucket

or before an RC45 guy tries to convince you otherwise  

remember...I'm only here to help  

90 degree V-Twins are sweet, Italian V-Twins are where it is at.

[YamadogR1]

1984 Kawasaki Ninja 900(the original Ninja)

[EricD10563]

Purchase new and still a blast to ride, 1985 V65 Sabre. Photo was taken a few weeks ago before a ride.

[mustang28027]

Awesome bike Eric!   Where is the oil mod?

[JonS]

A lot of cool bikes!
 This one pulls at my heart, though. I've been assimilated.

[Canuck]

Any Vincent 1000 V-Twin
1968-70 Triumph Bonneville
Similar era Triumph Daytona (500cc)
1968-70 Royal Enfield Interceptor (Series 2)
1973 BWM 900 Boxer

[CLAY]

My other love- the Yamaha XS650.  This is my Tracker:


  I'm currently restoring an 82- she might become a cafe racer at some point...

[Orson]

90 degree V-Twins are sweet, Italian V-Twins are where it is at.

not just V-twins, but parallel twins are pretty sweet to.

again, they don't have the horsepower or reliability of bigger machines, but what they do have, seems to make up for any deficit.

on a twisty road, any horsepower advantage is diminished and other things come to the forefront...such as a lusty soundtrack   along with a respectable amount of torque.  

[EricD10563]

Awesome bike Eric!   Where is the oil mod?

Thanks, I have been thinking about doing the mod.

[sagerat]

Once again, omigawd is that a beautiful bike.  

[CLAY]

Purchase new and still a blast to ride, 1985 V65 Sabre. Photo was taken a few weeks ago before a ride.

  My bro-in-law has the V-65 Magna.  I bet that Sabre scoots too, huh?  Great looking machine!

[mustang28027]

I rode a mini rally a while  back and the guy I rode with( he was riding a brand new st1300)  had a sabre. He said had something like 200k miles on it and had highway pegs mounted.  Said he got the st1300 for really long rides, but the sabre was more comfy than the st.  I have always admired the V-65 but never pulled the trigger to get one. Wish Honda would go back to producing them. The other question  that begs to be answered is this: How does a NY cop get to live in Hawaii???

[vulcanbill]

Does this count as old?

[mustang28027]

Heck yes, Vulcan!  I have a  Super  as well!  Looks good!

[chiltech500]

I hate people with money  

[Lawn Dart]

If I could have only one...

[Playinthestreet]

Wish I had this one back, 1968 Firebird Scrambler, unrestored original

[DDFZ1]

The older bikes were heavy.  Chains needed more attention.  Spoked wheels mean tubes and flats happened right now!
One thing I miss is the flat seat.  You could move around, even sit in the back with a cruise lock.  
And of course, we are all much younger!  My 74 Z900 had the hardest seat.  I think of a telephone pole when I remember that seat.

[Karmak]

I owned a 74 Z1 and later a 77 KZ1000.

The Z1 was indeed frightening especially after you dumped a Yoshimura kit, RJS pipe, K&N's, Mikuni 29 smooth bores, electronic ignition etc. What you had then was a bike of about 100 hp where the motor totally overwhelmed the frame. Accelerating through S curves was indeed frightening as you got that weird wallow and flex as you shifted side to side. Exciting, but frightening to be sure. But when you are young ... ya call that fun.  

Dr. Zorko, on this board, and I had some wild times on those Z1's and even rode them to LA, Idaho and all over. His bike had a Kerker pipe on the right, mine an RJS on the left and if we rode side by side you would hear this really distinctive resonance. Sounded awesome and mothers would cover their children's ears ... hooligans !  

Sigh ... that was a long time ago. But we is still ridin together after all these years... just a bit more quietly.  

I owned a KZ bored out to 1166-cut/raked with a 750 (longer) swingarm that I had re-worked to become a triple swing arm to reduce flex ,a cam so humongus I had to grind out the buckets, 29mm smooth bores, ported/polished, electric shift-I had a turbo on it first, but they were primitive then and unreliable, so I changed to nitrous.  That thing flat-out hauled!  I have no idea of what HP it was running but when you hit the nitrous nothing could touch it and not many bikes even without the nitrous.  I used to run stroked Harleys, but the Z1s were able to beat most of them right out of the box.  Ah-those were the days!!!

I also nabbed one of the first FJ1200s back then ('86) and currently still have an '87.  The FJ still looks contemporary and can still embarrass a lot of current machines-the FJ is a machine that seems ageless.

[Boxerdawg]

One of my faves is my first:  Tohatsu twin 50 Runpet
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/boxerdawg/tohatsu_runpet_.jpg

[DavidLSI]

One of my faves is my first:  Tohatsu twin 50 Runpet
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/boxerdawg/tohatsu_runpet_.jpg

Very nice

[Jes_VFR]

this is the bike that, made me love sportbikes



but even then my real attraction was to these two bikes



and

[EricD10563]

The other question  that begs to be answered is this: How does a NY cop get to live in Hawaii???

By being very frugal with money  .

[baldheadeddork]

An airhead GS




And I really regret not trading my EX500 for one of these when a dealer offered me a straight-up swap on a leftover...that engine can still be the foundation for an amazing project bike.

[ninjadad66]

That would be the first bike I ever saw which was a Honda Rebel 250  I think it was 1976 or something like that

[ol Rocket]

While it never took the biking world by storm, I fondly remember my first new bike.  The two-stroke induction honk when you shifted down and flew past a line of cars was intoxicating.  Cornering...was adequate.  1074 Suzuki GT550:

[Aero]

not just V-twins, but parallel twins are pretty sweet to.

again, they don't have the horsepower or reliability of bigger machines, but what they do have, seems to make up for any deficit.
on a twisty road, any horsepower advantage is diminished and other things come to the forefront...such as a lusty soundtrack   along with a respectable amount of torque.  

True. Before I bought my T3 I had a Laverda 1974 750 SF2 which started a love affair with Italian motorcycles which goes on to this day. Rock solid engineering, handling which was a revelation after the Japanese bikes I had been riding previously, surprisingly smooth for a big parallel twin, and looks to die for. One of the best looking bikes built anywhere in the '70s IMHO.

[Against The Wind]

[HexHead]

Royal Enfield Bullet, like my Ural, you can have a "new" old bike.  

Or just get a late model Concours. The bike where time stood still.  

[bandit1250]

I still miss this bike - 1983 GS1100ES.  Remember first ride home from the dealer, 25F, freezing cold 50 mile ride - could not stop laughing in my helmet at the massive torque.

[mustang28027]

You're killing me Bandit!

[EnthusiastII]

I bought a new KZ900 in 1976 so I'm pretty partial to those. I had a Kerker exhaust and DynaIII ignition. Then, as much as liked the KZ, I traded it in on the new 1978 GS1000. I did the same mods to the GS. It was bit stronger than the KZ and it handled way way way better.

[Geoff]

BMW R100RS

[bmwone]

.... My 74 Z900 had the hardest seat.  I think of a telephone pole when I remember that seat.

My 1977 Laverda Jota pictured here (I bought it new and still have it) has a seat I called "The Vinyl Crucifix". Did it matter? Does it matter? Not a bit ...... I will never sell this bike.

[Fourstring]

Or just get a late model Concours. The bike where time stood still.  

Yep.  

A '91, so not "old".  But man, it's mine and I love it.

[Bryan]

Any of this two will suffice.



I have the Concours, I want a KLR.

 I have done quite a few improvements to the Concours., its going up for sale, I will either trade it for another bike or sell it and buy another bike, KLR that is already well equipped hopefully.
 So I will still have an older design bike that gets the job done no problem at all.

[GoneRacin]

1978 Z1R. Great bike back in the day. I still have one , Just needs restored. Cant seem to let it go.

[Playinthestreet]

One of my faves is my first:  Tohatsu twin 50 Runpet
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/boxerdawg/tohatsu_runpet_.jpg

Sweet......  A friend of mine restored 3 Tohatsus over the past 15 yrs of which one was a Runpet.

[kitkat]

[Uncle Leo]

OLD faves, of the one's I owned....





Rode the DT-1 into the ground and traded for the scrambler.

[Hardware]

I owned a 74 Z1 and later a 77 KZ1000.

The Z1 was indeed frightening especially after you dumped a Yoshimura kit, RJS pipe, K&N's, Mikuni 29 smooth bores, electronic ignition etc. What you had then was a bike of about 100 hp where the motor totally overwhelmed the frame. Accelerating through S curves was indeed frightening as you got that weird wallow and flex as you shifted side to side. Exciting, but frightening to be sure. But when you are young ... ya call that fun.  

Dr. Zorko, on this board, and I had some wild times on those Z1's and even rode them to LA, Idaho and all over. His bike had a Kerker pipe on the right, mine an RJS on the left and if we rode side by side you would hear this really distinctive resonance. Sounded awesome and mothers would cover their children's ears ... hooligans !  

Sigh ... that was a long time ago. But we is still ridin together after all these years... just a bit more quietly.  

I had an '83 KZ100J that looked similar to the GPZ pictured in someone's post on the first page.



That bike friggin' hauled and sounded like nothing else I've heard...in a good way.

[Wilbur]

gone but not forgotten

That's exactly what my '85 looked like. On that side. On the other side ... um ... not so much. I sold it in '87 to finish school and when I bought my '06 ST1300 damned if it didn't feel just like that FJ. Or at least what I remembered it to be like anyway.

[stevent]

I had an '83 GPZ 750 that I bought new. I wish I still had that one, it was simple, reliable as a brick and a ball to ride, that's the bike I learned to ride fast on. Tons of fun...I traded it for an '85 K100RS which was also a ball. Come to think of it, I wish I still had it too....

[dezXrider]

Some of my favs allready covered like the CL350, but nothing was like the 2 strokes, and the H2 with Chambers and K&Ns was lots of bang for the buck, I had too much fun in the mid 70s in SoCal on the fast tripple.

[bizarro]

That is freaking hot.....

[chornbe]

Old Bonnies.

[scratch]

I liked just about all bikes back in the 80's but the Italians really tripped my switches. It began with a black and gold Darmah just like this one:



A small local dealer had one of these new on the floor and it didn't sell for 3 or 4 years. Could have had it back around '84 for @ $3000.00, but didn't have that kind of money.  

Other objects of lust were the little Morini 3-1/2:



- and the Laverda SF750, which is one of the best-sounding bikes ever made, IMHO:



Great thread idea!  

[samuidave]

My current FJ1100.  Hard to let it go as I fight to 'upgrade'....loosely used of course.

[gamountains]

1975 RD350. Nothing smells better then 2 stroke oil burning.

[mustang28027]

Dang! Those 90 degree V twins look GOOD!  Might have to start looking....

[stk0308]

My father's business partner in the old shop was a nut for Vincents back in the late 70's and early 80's(when they were still fairly inexpensive, and plentiful).  So much so that he raced an Egli framed Vincent, and dad ran a Norvin in The Battle of the Twins class.  Those bikes made a strong impression on me as a child.  This same partner had a gen-u-wine first production run Mike Hailwood replica.  He rode it to Florida for Bike Week in 1984.  I also have a secret wish that mom really has left her restored 1976 R90S to me in the will.  It may be heresy, but Silver Smoke, not Daytona Orange, will always be R90S colors to me.

[Orson]

It may be heresy, but Silver Smoke, not Daytona Orange, will always be R90S colors to me.

I dunno why it's heresy.

I always thought the silver smoke looked classy while the orange just looked...orange  

[lanispet]

Purchase new and still a blast to ride, 1985 V65 Sabre. Photo was taken a few weeks ago before a ride.

i was wondering when a Sabre would show up! Looks just like mine... except yours looks like it just rolled out of the dealership, where mine looks like it was just rolled out of a lake  

For some reason, i really like the CHP-style Moto Guzzi Eldorados... just a ready-for-everything road warrior.

After that, i'm all about the 1930's-era bikes... maybe some day i'll have one...

[bubba zanetti]

I dunno why it's heresy.

I always thought the silver smoke looked classy while the orange just looked...orange  

Well, I'll tell ya. If you look at those orange BMW's long enough they almost begin to look red.



My old RS that everyone saw as orange ... cept me of course.   Canyon Red dagnabbit !!!  

[Orson]

My old RS that everyone saw as orange ... cept me of course.   Canyon Red dagnabbit !!!  

Damn you Zanetti  

you owned all the bikes I lusted for  

[mica]

1979 Honda CBX, gotta love the 6 cylinders. What a beast.

[stk0308]

I dunno why it's heresy.

I always thought the silver smoke looked classy while the orange just looked...orange  

I've been informed by one of "The Faithful" that Daytona Orange is the ONLY color for an R90S due to the Daytona superbikes were that color    I've been a heritic on many things, this will just be one more  

[Wockman]

Awesome CBX,! I remember the first tile I saw a CBX as a kid, I thought the guy was riding a pipe organ up ther street.    I'd hate to do a valve check on that thing...

Also I gotta comment on the old V65Sabre,  I had a '82 V45 in black, I bought it when I lived in Alaska.  I rode that thing for years.  I miss that bike.  That is one of the cleanest ones I've seen.  I'm jealous.


Not mine but I had one just like it.

[mustang28027]

Only thing I didnt like on the old  Sabre's were the wheels... yuck!

[Shhted]

Matchless G15CS


Norton 850 Commando


HD '48 Panhead

[bmwone]

I'm partial to these two, wish I still had them, but you know how that goes ..... some say I own too many now ..... naaaaaaahhh!

[bubba zanetti]

Damn you Zanetti  

you owned all the bikes I lusted for  

You have good taste ! ... one more then just to rub it in ...

69 Ducati 350 Mklll ... this is not it as mine was burgundy in colour. Sweet looking bike but hell to keep running.

[notarex]

Here's my current stable:










Gone, but not forgotten-

[Orson]

I liked just about all bikes back in the 80's but the Italians really tripped my switches. It began with a black and gold Darmah just like this one:



A small local dealer had one of these new on the floor and it didn't sell for 3 or 4 years. Could have had it back around '84 for @ $3000.00, but didn't have that kind of money.  

I have one of these back home in a dilapidated, non-running state  

It was my first v twin. To say it wuz an eye opener would be an understatement.  

The guy that sold it too me in 1980 also had a  '78 900 SS for sale, but I thought it wuz too much bike for me. I still kick myself for not buying it  

[dezXrider]

I still miss my Honda 500/4, it had a Yoshimura 605 kit, ported, Barnett, Koni's, Tracy Body Jardeens, etc, it ran next to 900 Kaws in the quarter and pulled them top end on any day. Power band started at 9K rpm and went off the dial, pops Yoshimura new his shizt, it was 100% reliable, the chromolly rings used a little oil on decel but friction was low, it loved to rev like a banshee and wheelie. Sorry no good pics from the 70s. Pics were before suspension mods.

[flylooper]

My first bike. An '83 CB650SC with Trapper 4-1 exhaust. Great bike.

[Steve Smith]

"Of the bikes I don't have a personal interest in, this is the one:
1982 GPZ1100"

  Actually, that's a 1981 model, I owned a brend new one. Worst Kawasaki I ever owned. Very poor build quality and even worse reliability. Buzzy and slow.All show & no go.

[Steve Smith]

I owned plenty of brand new bikes back in the 70s & 80s. Here's a short list of the ones I wish I still owned.
1) 1979 Kaw KZ1300
2) 1980 Honda CBX
3) 1982 Kaw KZ1300
4) 1983 Kaw GPz1100
5) 1984 Kaw GPz 750 Turbo
6) 1986 Yamaha FJ1200

[Yamadog]

I'm generally not nostalgic about anything, old motorcycles, cars, music and the like, because what we have now are so much improved that I "can't go home again". i do sometimes think about my old 1983 VF750F. But I bet if I still owned it, it would be gathering dust in the garage because my FZ1 is just so much better in every way.

[photomd]

I love old bikes: stained alloy, the smell, feel. Ummmm  

However my favorites have more to do with the experience than simply the bike.

Here's my '79 KZ750. It was cheap. That's it. It didn't run when I got it. I painted it, cleaned the carbs, went through the suspension and rode it for 9 years and 30,000+ miles.



My other bikes aren't anything special. The oilhead was bought because it's practical. Through that practicallity, love grew. It's got Ohlins, electric cruise and is a big ole couch that goes through the curves as fast as I'm comfortable.

Then airhead was bought as a project and is now my winter daily rider. It's had the suspension redone, carbs rebuilt, updated charging system, heated grips and she's running strong at 106,000 miles.



Now thanks to farmer fred and Friz/Biz/Nourroog, I've got one of these.



The goal is to make a cafe racer. So far it's been fun to work on and it was a blast to ride.

Y'all have got a lot of cool bikes.  

[Playinthestreet]

Thought I'd throw this in for Fritz/Gil, et. al...  Sold it to a young man in Seattle about 5yrs ago..

[sagerat]

Wow.  That is one gorgeous beautiful bike.  I've always been impressed with the looks of Guzzis; Dr. Gil's is especially magnificent.

[Nouroog]

Thought I'd throw this in for Fritz/Gil, et. al...  Sold it to a young man in Seattle about 5yrs ago..

HOT!!!!!!

BTW, is that a stock Guzzi headlight cowl/screen? I want to add one to the 850 for better long-distance comfort.

[ToadRide]

My first Triumph.

[gchidest]

That is the coolest bike.  I want one!!

[Commando850]

Couple of pix of my restored old bike...I just love that sound...lots of fun.  

[rajflyboy]

This is a no brainer. I owned for 15 years. 1981 CB900F



Of the bikes I don't have a personal interest in, this is the one:

1982 GPZ1100

 Or one like this 1965 Triumph Bonneville.

Wow

I'd kill to have that Honda!  Very Beautiful machine!  

[Playinthestreet]

This was one of the more "miserable" creatures I've owned (1967 XLCH) but I'd take it back.  Took over the 8 remaining payments of $41 ea.

[schoon]

This is the bike that gave me the feeling of being at one with. Last pics before selling, dark day for me.

[Karmak]

I had an '83 KZ100J that looked similar to the GPZ pictured in someone's post on the first page.



That bike friggin' hauled and sounded like nothing else I've heard...in a good way.

My riding buddy had a GPZ that really hauled, but could not beat my '86 FJ.  He'd make a bit of ground up at high RPMs, but I'd have him by too much to make up due to low and mid range punch.  Oh, I also still ride my '87 FJ!

[Gaolee]

Ok, I have been drooling for five pages.  Fritz's Moto Guzzi doesn't lose anything by being very familiar.  It pretty much convinced me I would have a Moto Guzzi one day.  And I already have a Commando which will someday be a bike again.  All these other bikes just make it very clear that owning three isn't enough.  More bikes makes a more complete person.

In no particular order:

A Norvin with an alloy tank- utterly unobtainable but the bike of my ultimate dreams.  Probably best that way because it would undoubtedly be a disappointment.  Nah...

A 1950 TR5.  The last Triumph with a factory chrome tank, and one of the most sensuous exhaust pipes ever.

A 1973 or 1974 TR5T.  The last Triumph with a factory alloy tank.  Ally gets me every time.  Make mine one with yellow trim, not red.

An RD250.  Brrringgggdingdingding.  Only a bit more civilized.  A 2 smoke standard with all the joys and drawbacks of a steel loop frame.  Except it weighed about three pounds, dripping wet.  Drum brakes- who needs disks when you are stopping a feather anyway?

And a few more newer bikes but they don't belong in this thread.  The thing is to be independently filthy rich.  Then you can have lots of bikes AND the time to actually play with them.

[alphabet man]

My current FJ1100.  Hard to let it go as I fight to 'upgrade'....loosely used of course.

 Don't do it, keep it and wait until you can have 2 bikes,   chin fairing in A1 condition those are hard to come by  

[ol Rocket]

My first Triumph.

Is that an early Aerostich?

[Playinthestreet]

Is that an early Aerostich?

   The prototype

[Leanintree]

There's so many, but a few that always topped my list of "gotta love 'em"

Z1 (Rootbeer paint and 4 pipes)


VFR750 ('94~)


NR750 (how cool were the oval pistons and iridium windshield?)


CB1100F


Among others...
Leanintree

[EricD10563]

I still have my old Sabre but wish I had this too. My 1976 CB750F SuperSport RC Headers, Street Stroker Shocks, Goldwing Aluminium Rim up front, CC Fork Brace, Dyna and more. I loved the sound sound of the single cam motor. Wasn't till 2000 that I gave this away with 60k on the motor and second gear shot.



You can sort of see that both bikes have the same lines.

[Nouroog]

Which lines would those be?

[bubba zanetti]

There's so many, but a few that always topped my list of "gotta love 'em"


CB1100F


Among others...
Leanintree

  Love that bike !!!

[EricD10563]

The 1100F would be one of my favorites. I was working for a Honda dealer when they came out and would drool over them.

[texasaggie81]

I will always get a warm fuzzy thinking of my old Yamaha XS650



Had one like this one, and it was great to ride, even long distances, not incredibly quick, but deliberate all around, and absolutely bulletproof

It was my second bike, after a Honda CM400T, and man was I glad to step up to a real bike.  Still just a parallel twin, but one of the nicer old ones.

Maybe it's not so great, and someone should have sold me a KZ or VFR cheap so I'd have known what a real bike was, but I liked this one, cuz:

This is my bike. There are many like it but this one is mine. My bike is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my bike is useless. Without my bike I am useless. I must ride my bike true. I must ride faster than my friends, who are trying to smoke me. I must outlean him before he outleans me. I will. Before God I swear this creed: my bike and myself are carvers of the canyon, we are the masters of all curves, we are the tourers of all states. So be it, until there is no oil left, but peace. Amen.

IIRC it was bubbazanetti that did this first, so I don't take credit for the idea