Motorcycle love
- Thread starter BurnedOutGeek
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Right, you whippersnappers. Here at L'Equipe Rathole I just finished up a '68 Triumph 250 trail bike - this is what a proper motorbike looks like: Bultaco front end, Gold Star tank, B50MX seat, electronic ignition and lowered compression. Just right for an old bugger to explore gentle trails and dirt roads in the Blue Ridge. I have another, more road-oriented one in the works ;-) My first motorcycle was the BSA version of this, and I've come full circle back to where I started. It's been a good ride
I went to the one in Asheboro today and had a blast. Not sure of bike count but there were a bunch. The guy behind me was on a Honda trike and I didn’t care for some things he was doing but other than that the whole group I was with enjoyed it. This pic was around 11 when I got there, I believe there were 6 more rows by the time we left.
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Went camping last night in pishgah.
Were you in Blowing Rock Friday afternoon?
My wife and I were doing our annual BR weekend, and I saw a green KLR with a duffle on the back parked near the Six Pence Pub.
Just sold my Wing back last spring to help finance a new house and figured that after over 40 years of riding somewhat crash free ? It was time to hang up my spurs and call it quits. Then Indian had to come up the new FTR 1200 and even tho its not been released here in the USA,, its got me thinking again..
That FTR 1200 is hawt. Too much bike for me, tho. My inner child is too stupid to be trusted with that. I do like the Scout Bobber a whole bunch, though.
While the Bobber looks pretty cool,, the Scout just doesn't fit my 6 plus frame to well. Thinking on it, the FTR probably wont either ? Thinking back on all the bikes that Ive had and what I missed the most was my Honda ST-1300, that's what I need to concentrate on..
I'm only 5'7", so my '02 FXD is 'big' to me & the Scout would likely fit me like a glove.
I've only had 5 street bikes, but the only one I miss was my '94 Sportster. Legitimate 12 sec. quarter mile bike. Rode it all over southern Germany & to Sturgis & back the long way in '96. Perfect hooligan bike & so many memories of raising a little hell & many, many good times.
I've only had 5 street bikes, but the only one I miss was my '94 Sportster. Legitimate 12 sec. quarter mile bike. Rode it all over southern Germany & to Sturgis & back the long way in '96. Perfect hooligan bike & so many memories of raising a little hell & many, many good times.
You can pick up a nice ST for less than $5k. And mileage doesn't bother them. They will easily go 2-300k miles with no issues. I don't know why Honda quit bringing them here in '12? Of course they haven't been updated hardly at all since they came out in '03. Still one of the best long distance mounts ever made.
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Your dad needs to get on www.st-owners.com. More knowledge there about the Honda ST1100 and ST1300 than anywhere else. Lots of good guys there willing to help. Plus info on ST get togethers.
Could not find the better pictures of the bikes.
1997 1500 Classic and a 2001 Nomad. There is few pictures of the Classic that are in the link. Scarecrow did the pin striping.
1997 1500 Classic and a 2001 Nomad. There is few pictures of the Classic that are in the link. Scarecrow did the pin striping.
Im betting the Scout would fit you quite nicely and its a great bike.. Like you I miss my Sportster, Back in the late 70s I was an instructor at American Motor Cycle Institute in Daytona beach. I had a 1973 XLCH/ last year of the right hand shift/ I ported and polished the heads and intake manifold. Mikuni carb, PB+ cams and early 60 flat track pipes. Would go like stink in a straight line and would hold its own against the Honda 750 and Kaw 900, but couldn't turn or stop. Would I own that bike again, hell yeah. Would I use it as an everyday commute like I used to, hell no..
No I didnt get any further North than Mt. Mitchell. But, there were some 20 guys going to the mountains with KLR 650s this past weekend.
This old Shovelhead followed me home. Now I have 5. I have a motorcycle addiction problem.
That is effing badass, dude. I grew up on the back of a chopped 86" stroker (4.5x3.5) '75 FXE. Dual 29mm smoothbore Mikunis, Sifton 468S cam. Wicked fast. Old man said the only bike that ever made him sweat was his buddy Paul's 79" stroker '64 XLCH & that he couldn't pull away from him till he grabbed fourth gear.
I love the '91-'03 Evo Sportsters. Perfect solo bike for me, stone reliable, good handling & so easy to make them stupid fast. I got a chance to ride one of Cape Fear H-D's shop mules back in '97. I was fixin' to head to Bosnia & knew I'd be stashin' some serious loot & was pickin' their tuner's brain about what I should do to take my '94 to the next level. He says, "Take this for a spin" & tosses me the keys to a Sportster with an ugly purple paint job. 88" Axtell big bore, his (tuner/Dennis) heads, Andrews N6 cams, S&S Super G & Thunderheader. Holy jumpin' Geebus, but that bike was fast. Dyno'd 97hp/102tq & gently rolling on the throttle at 60mph in 4th gear would float the front tire a foot off the ground. Crappy 1/4 mile times, 'cos the motor was overwhelming the chassis & the first 3 owners sold it after looping it.
Woulda been a stupid fun engine in a lowered, stretched rigid frame or in a Buell. I got to thinking about having ridden the Sporty to Sturgis & ended up trading it in for brand new '99 FLTR. Bagger's long gone, but I still miss that Sportster.
I keep toying with the idea of buying an Evo Sportster to hardtail & build either a nasty little bobber or a restomod street tracker with it. 1250 big bore, get the heads loved on a little & some mild cams & it would be a lightweight little screamer.
I love the '91-'03 Evo Sportsters. Perfect solo bike for me, stone reliable, good handling & so easy to make them stupid fast. I got a chance to ride one of Cape Fear H-D's shop mules back in '97. I was fixin' to head to Bosnia & knew I'd be stashin' some serious loot & was pickin' their tuner's brain about what I should do to take my '94 to the next level. He says, "Take this for a spin" & tosses me the keys to a Sportster with an ugly purple paint job. 88" Axtell big bore, his (tuner/Dennis) heads, Andrews N6 cams, S&S Super G & Thunderheader. Holy jumpin' Geebus, but that bike was fast. Dyno'd 97hp/102tq & gently rolling on the throttle at 60mph in 4th gear would float the front tire a foot off the ground. Crappy 1/4 mile times, 'cos the motor was overwhelming the chassis & the first 3 owners sold it after looping it.
Woulda been a stupid fun engine in a lowered, stretched rigid frame or in a Buell. I got to thinking about having ridden the Sporty to Sturgis & ended up trading it in for brand new '99 FLTR. Bagger's long gone, but I still miss that Sportster.
I keep toying with the idea of buying an Evo Sportster to hardtail & build either a nasty little bobber or a restomod street tracker with it. 1250 big bore, get the heads loved on a little & some mild cams & it would be a lightweight little screamer.
This was my 2009 KLR 650. Rode it to the Romney, WV camp &ride the first year I went. 1100+ miles in 3 days was kinda brutal to my bum. Same trip the next year on my 1000 VStrom was much better!
New to me 2014 Ultra Limited.... the only pic I have on my laptop. lol
I have a few other bikes posted somewhere on the site too.
I have a few other bikes posted somewhere on the site too.
So the KLR seat sucks so I did lots of research and read many many reviews and decided on the seat concepts commuter seat. The main teason I wanted a new seat was the stock seat is a ball cruncher. It shoves your balls into your butt because of the slant forward. Tranny tuck. So i get this seat and install it. You get the foam and cover and you use your old seat pan. So anyway, it's raining so I havent ridden it yet but just sitting on it I'm too far forward and tranny tuck still appears to be present. Are people just in denial when they do reviews as if they don't want to believe they made a shitty choice? This seat looks great. Obviously no one that designed it ever sat on it or their legs are midget legs and they dont mind sitting on the tank.
You got rid of the Street Glide?
Man, I caught hell for buying a new '99 Road Glide at 28 y/o. I was like, WTF? Great stereo, a cigarette lighter & can tote a case & a half of cans on ice in each saddlebag. What's not to like?
I use to have a KLR but man, it was heavy off road. Friends wanted to ride more trails and then tracks... it had to go. Got pure dirt bikes and pure street bikes for a while but missed the dual sport. Wound up finding this... 2003 Honda 650 XRL.
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The 2006 Z1000 is what I traded in for the Harley. 
Actually as it turns out, my credit score is taking a hit because I don't buy anything on credit so may have to get something. Thinking of a tw200 for the more challenging offroad stuff.
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That's a neat looking bike. I'm curious about if it has enough power though. Not saying the 650 is a speed demon by no means but it has a little more power than the 250.... or 200. I'd love to ride one to see how it would ride. I'm sure that it would get better gas mileage though.
The KLR has plenty of power and would beat my 1200 sporty in the quarter. I've been reading on the TW and looks like offroad it is plenty capable. On road the opinions vary between 45mph cruise and 60mph. I think with a gearing change 55mph cruising is ok. I would just commute the back way to work every now and again. I want to be able to cruise from Charlotte to the mountains but that might be a stretch. No problem for the KLR of course. Cruise to South America on that thing.
I loved the KLR, I always had one for many years, My first street bike back in 88's was a KLR.
After riding a bike as my daily driver for over 30 years, I've only had 2 accidents on the street, both in the last 5 years. In the last 2 years, I have seen more and more people just plain not paying attention to the road. More and more people just not caring for others on the road, I've been pushed out of the way many times. Beginning of June this year, I had a bike totaled out from under me. I only had a few small scratches, could have been a lot worse. I'm going to 50 soon, and don't bounce back like I once did. So, I have stopped ridding.
After riding a bike as my daily driver for over 30 years, I've only had 2 accidents on the street, both in the last 5 years. In the last 2 years, I have seen more and more people just plain not paying attention to the road. More and more people just not caring for others on the road, I've been pushed out of the way many times. Beginning of June this year, I had a bike totaled out from under me. I only had a few small scratches, could have been a lot worse. I'm going to 50 soon, and don't bounce back like I once did. So, I have stopped ridding.
I THINK it was the FortNine channel on YT that did a 'review' of sorts of the TW200
I like them.
Ive considered them myself.
And they're quite cheap, but antiquated tech...er, lack thereof haha
- but that's not a totally terrible thing.
I like the new KLR, and the ones in Digital Camo look cool as heck. But theyre more than Id want to spend on a bike right now.
I can see myself getting a sporty in the next year or so.
I like them.
Ive considered them myself.
And they're quite cheap, but antiquated tech...er, lack thereof haha
- but that's not a totally terrible thing.
I like the new KLR, and the ones in Digital Camo look cool as heck. But theyre more than Id want to spend on a bike right now.
I can see myself getting a sporty in the next year or so.
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Got the TW200 two weeks ago. LOVE IT! Put a 45 tooth gear on it so 55 isn't an issue. The more cruises solid and smooth at 53mph. The seat is a little hard. I'm getting 80MPG. I guess I have a quiver of bikes now.
I pulled the trigger on another Honda ST-1300 back a couple of months ago.. Liked the new one I bought back in 06 then sold a few years later to dabble in other other bikes so much, I bought another one.. It suits me well.