Best Bike I Ever Owned.

billo

billo

17 years on a ST
Joined
Nov 3, 2008
Messages
101
Location
san diego, ca
Bike
2025 NT1100
These photos are representative of just the new bikes I owned last century. Not my photos, same color bikes though. If you want photo credit, post up and claim.

1967 Honda trail 90.png
1967

1971 Yam 175 enduro.png

1971 175 enduro








1973 TX500.png

1973 TX500













1975 Honda xl250.png


1975 Honda xl250







1979 Yam sr500.png

1979 sr500 - mine had gold lettering and stripes







1995 kawi en500.png


1995 Kawa en500 - first bike after 15 year layoff after totaling the sr and the Datsun pickup I hit.








1998 Honda cb 750 nighthawk.png


1998 Honda 750 Nighthawk

And the winner is ....(drumroll please)












They were all the best bike I ever owned!
 
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Love the STs, and really regret trading in the Nighthawk 750 I had back from 1991. I recall it being $4000 new and the only option I bought was a center stand. I had a VF 500 Magna as my first bike- great to learn on, but a little underpowered and a little small, but I did put 15K miles on it before selling it for $95 less than I paid for it ($1095).
 
Have owned a bunch of bikes over the last 61 years

HARLEYS: 65 M50,59 XLCH, 49 56 & 57 Pans, 94 XLCH

HONDAS: 66 CB160, 67 CL77, 69 CB350, 73 CB350F, 66 CB450, 76 CB750, 85 VF1100S, 00 CB750, 06 ST1300, 13 CB1100, 14 CB1100 DLX, 14 CB500X, 21 NC750X DCT, 23 NC 750X DCT

SUZUKI: 74 GT750, 76 GT 750, 81 GS850G, 83 GS1100E

KAWASAKI: 77 KZ1000

YAMAHA: 73 RD350, 73 TX650, 79 XS650, 81 XS650, 04 FZ1, 01 FZ1, 06 Majesty 400, 08 Majesty 400, 2018 FJR 1300, 23 XMax 300

TRIUMPH 03 T100

BSA 69 750 Rocket 3

Really hard to pick out a "best" of the lot. I'd say the best one was the one I was riding at the time lol
 
the Ferret said:
Have owned a bunch of bikes over the last 61 years

HARLEYS: 65 M50,59 XLCH, 49 56 & 57 Pans, 94 XLCH

HONDAS: 66 CB160, 67 CL77, 69 CB350, 73 CB350F, 66 CB450, 76 CB750, 85 VF1100S, 00 CB750, 06 ST1300, 13 CB1100, 14 CB1100 DLX, 14 CB500X, 21 NC750X DCT, 23 NC 750X DCT

SUZUKI: 74 GT750, 76 GT 750, 81 GS850G, 83 GS1100E

KAWASAKI: 77 KZ1000

YAMAHA: 73 RD350, 73 TX650, 79 XS650, 81 XS650, 04 FZ1, 01 FZ1, 06 Majesty 400, 08 Majesty 400, 2018 FJR 1300, 23 XMax 300

TRIUMPH 03 T100

BSA 69 750 Rocket 3

Really hard to pick out a "best" of the lot. I'd say the best one was the one I was riding at the time lol
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Actually, I’m quite impressed with this list. I’ve only owned 5 bikes including the 3 I currently have (OK and the 1/2 ST1300 that’s in Colorado but I consider that my brother’s bike anyway). That’s for all the time I’ve been riding since 1987 or so.
 
I have owned 25 bikes over the last 42 years. The best bikes I have owned are the ones I have at this time period. The ones with the least amount of issues have been my 1992 ST1100 (10 years 80 thousand miles.) and my V-Stroms (2009, 13, 14, No repairs ever, total miles 100K +) all just normal Preventative Maintenance. Most favorite have been my 1982 V-45 Sabre, 1992 ST1100, and my 2014 FJR.
 
A childhood friend bought a used Yamaha CT1. We would load it into the trunk of his Mom's Chevy Impala and she would drive us to the trails. His front yard was on a steep incline and the day he brought the bike home, he tore up the lawn testing out the bike. lol
 
the Ferret said:
Really hard to pick out a "best" of the lot. I'd say the best one was the one I was riding at the time lol
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ChucksKLRST said:
I have owned 25 bikes over the last 42 years. The best bikes I have owned are the ones I have at this time period.
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These fine gentlemen are highly educated, very wise, and just by sheer coincidence, have stated just precisely how I feel about the matter.

While I haven't owned 25 'sickles, the ones I've owned have all been perfect for me at the time.

Now, that said, I tend to favor the ones that go fast, and quickly.

In no particular order, these would include the CBR 600F2, KTM950 Adventure -S (V-twin. Oh baby, oh baby!), the ST1300, and my King of Kwik Komfort, the inimitable CBR1100 XX.

I may not have had every bike I ever wanted, but I am one of the most fortunate men alive.
 
Well, it all started with a Keystone minibike that my dad put a new engine in, a 5 hp briggs and stratton with a centrifugal clutch. It looked mostly like this. They apparently made these from 1968 to 1971. We built it in about 1980.
1789675584790.png

1) Then my first real motorcycle I bought in 1990, a 1988 Honda NT650 Hawk. I only owned that for 4 days....I was distracted and crashed into a stopped car.

www.bike-urious.com

1988 Honda Hawk NT650

In the late 80s, Honda introduced one of the first modern production naked motorcycles. Though the Honda NT650 (also known as the Hawk) was not a commercial success, it went on to inspire more prev…
www.bike-urious.com

2) Then in 1991 I bought a brand new 1990 VFR750. I was lucky enough to own that one for three weeks. Someone turned left in front of me, and it was done.


3) I bought another 1990 VFR in 1992, a used one. I kept that for four years and managed to sell it without a crash.

4) In 2010 or 2011 I bought my 2003 ST1300A.

5) In 2024 I bought a 2016 VFR1200X. 2016VFR1200X.jpg

Like others I have enjoyed each one. My "current favourite" is the newest one.
 
the Ferret said:
Really hard to pick out a "best" of the lot. I'd say the best one was the one I was riding at the time lol
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Same here. I started on a 90cc two-stroke Suzuki of unknown lineage. Went to a Honda. Went back to two Suzukis, then another Honda. Then three BMWs. I knew nothing about which brand name was the "best". But I always traded for something better for my needs.

The current bike, the F900XR is my absolute favorite. If something happened to it, I'd go find another.

1789682005137.jpeg

Chris
 
Mikedo said:
2) Then in 1991 I bought a brand new 1990 VFR750. I was lucky enough to own that one for three weeks. Someone turned left in front of me, and it was done.


3) I bought another 1990 VFR in 1992, a used one. I kept that for four years and managed to sell it without a crash.
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I purchased my 1990 in 1990 before moving back to California and kept it for about 18 years. I sold it to a friend who was moving back to Paris and the bike made the trip across the pond with him and his wife. The bike was stolen shortly afterwards, used to rob a bank, then dumped into the Seine. I really miss the bike and have spent the past year or two trying to find a garage queen so I can subsequently uncrown her ;)
 
I've been lucky enough to own a few dozen bike in about 40 years and have kept most of them until I started downsizing a few years ago. Like my sons, I don't have a favorite, lol. But similar to as stated above, if I could choose one, it would be the one between my legs at any given moment.
 
My Guzzis absolutely with the exception of the one. And that can and does happen to every manufacturer. So glad I got over it and got back on another.
 
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