Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Meltdowns. Gun Control. Lots of dour, serious stuff in the news. It gets depressing after a while, so here's a fun thread that'll help bring thoughts of springtime, wind in your face and bugs in your teeth. Here are my Top Ten favorite current production motorcycles!
1. Harley Davidson Electra Glide. Sentimental favorite gets the #1 spot - since I own an FLHT already, I'd love to get one of the new ones with fuel injection and the larger engine (mine's the 88 ci Twin Cam, they're up to 96 ci now IIRC).
2. Ducati Superbike 1198 SP. Because if you're going to go insane fast, risking life and limb for the ultimate adrenaline rush, what better to do it on than a sexy piece of Italian motorcycle?
3. Honda ST1300. A Sport/Touring bike bridges the gap between "lumbering behemoth that holds a lot of gear" and "quick and nimble but leave everything but your cell phone home".
4. Yamaha VMAX. I have loved the VMAX since it's introduction in 1985 What a concept - an all-out bruiser of a bike that doesn't kill your back if you ride it for more than 20 minutes.
5. Harley Davidson Softail Rocker C. Something about the styling of this bike just calls to me. It's a factory custom chopper - with a hideaway passenger seat. Way too cool!
6. Victory Vision 8-Ball. Damn, but that is one sexy art-deco styled bike. It's nice to have another American motorcycle company to chose from, and this is something that the boys in orange and black don't have any even remotely close to.
7. Honda CBR1000RR. Because you need something that'll humble a Ferrari that isn't made in Italy... I would most likely lose my license and/or a good chunk of skin with this bike. But boy, I would do it fast...
8. Kawasaki KLR650. Someday I'd like to see about getting TheBoy his own bike, something along the lines of a Honda 50 or so. The Kawasaki gets me on the trail with him - and I can take it to work, too.
9. Harley Davidson Sportster XR1200X (in black). One of the offerings from Buell would have made this list, easy, if they were still in business. That said, the XR1200X is just pure awesome - it's a Harley that you can actually whip through the twisties without scraping chrome.
10. Honda Goldwing. Nothing, but nothing, eats up the miles like a Hondabago. Nothing. The Goldwing has been the premiere touring motorcycle for nearly 40 years, and with good reason.
(Note: all picture links are to the manufacturer's websites)
So what are your favorite two-wheeled scoots?
That is all.
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22 comments:
I've been keeping my eyes open for a Honda VTX1800N. It should be able to carry my super-sized self and any gear/passengers, or combination thereof, down the highway just fine. Plus be able to pull a trio of flags in a parade ...
http://powersports.honda.com/2008/vtx1800n.aspx
My new ride is the VTX 1800 T and Johnny Reb you'll love it.
I do miss my Suzuki GSXR1100 1996
Now THAT was a great bike, superfast and amazing handling... glad I made it thru long enough to sell it :)
So, you ever wanted to get a Hondabago and tow one one of the pop-up camper trailers they make for it on a road trip.
Relaxing on my Triumph Bonnie America. Nothing to compare to the stuff on your list, but it's how I met my fiancee so it was worth it.
If I get a different bike it'll most likely be a Suzuki Boulevard.
Oldest Incubus has a Harley Nightster. Wouldn't have been my choice, but he's a short guy and wiry. It'd been a loooong time since I'd owned or ridden a Sporty, but they've come a long way since.
If I were in the market, the Suzuki Boulevards are mighty smooth.
Ah...the open road on two wheels at warp 9. What could be better? My personal favorite from my somewhat limited experience was the 2002 Buell M2 Cyclone that I had but had to sell. I'd buy it back in a heartbeat. I'm still pissed that they shut down production. Others on the list of "gotta have it when I can afford it" are:
*Yamaha Vmax
*HD Road King (my concession to a bagger)
*HD V-Rod Muscle
*HD XR1200X
*BMW K 1300 S
*Honda CBR1000R (about as close as you can get to the Buell in current production)
*Yamaha Midnight Warrior
Sigh....
Well, I was riding in the bullet-nose side car of a 1940 Harley before I was a week old, so I'm sure my grandfather would rise up from the grave to slap me down if I didn't include Harley at the top of the list :)
However, there's one motorcycle, that I've never even seen in person, only in pictures and videos, that I would love to get my hands on. The 1952 Vincent Black Lightning. It was a sleek, mean race bike from England, and even has the most awesome song written about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7bXBOfgvJ4&feature=related
The writer/singer/guitarist is Richard Thompson, he was born in London, but his father's a Scotsman, so we'll forgive him :)
Enjoy the tune if you haven't heard it yet, and join me in lusting after this fine 'motorbike' :)
Casey
I own a Boulevard C50 (804cc) and I can tell you, its a hell of a bike. Rode the Dragons Tail 2 years ago on it. I did my own full dresser treatmant on it, and even with the extra weight, she carved up those curves real easy.
Dragon.... speaking of Deals Gap..
you guys gotta see this:
Goldwing cruising Deals Gap rather handily
amazing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nrMQ3QwyPo
mmm...i love Triumphs...and i don't know anything ABOUT Vincents, but i love the look...and i'm really liking Honda's entry into the "custom" bike market.
if my legs were about 3 inches longer i'd actually be able to buy and ride a whole bunch of different bikes, but since i'm a short little thing (an unstable one, at that...) i'd have to stick to something short. my Ninja would have been perfect had it been a functioning bike.
Honda Valkyrie.
Too many, and mostly old and or odd.
I still love my '96 Yamaha XV1100 Virago of course, and it's as reliable as they get.
Still, if I ever replace it, sure would love one of those Yamaha Stratoliners. My wife says when we get old and she no longer wats to ride her own bike I can have one.
Every torquewhore wants a V-max, and I'm no exception there, but I bet nobody else has a Harley Sprint SS 350 on their list?
How about a Suzuki GT 750?
A Ural with the sidecar.
A HDT 1030M2 (though I wouldnt kick a M1 out of the garage)
Maybe a Ronkon for giggles.
I've probably owned over 60 bikes so far, with a high of 13 at one time.
My favorites:
Honda TL-125 trials bike
1977 Yamaha RD-400
1979 Suzuki GS-1000 (turbocharged)
1986 Suzuki GSXR-1100
1986 Honda Transalp
1995 Ducati Monster
2001 Kawasaki KLR-650
and my current ride:
2005 Suzuki DRZ-400SM
Yrs...
RollsCanardly
1979 Suzuki GS-1000 (turbocharged)
My first bike was a GS-450T. Even though it was the bottom of the GS line, it was very forgiving of my newb mistakes.
I'm not likely to ever have the space or money to actually collect old bikes, but if I do a GS-1000 is first on the list.
That Vincent is probably second. (grin)
You'd do better with the boy on the trail with a KLX400 than the Iron Pig KLR - unless you want the boy to be all laughs! (It only looks like a trail bike.)
I'm with Mopar on the Ural, which is goofy/eclectic, and while probably unreliable, is simple enough to get fixed (or fix it yourself). Very russian.
And I must confess a tug of the heartstrings for the Indian bikes of yore, although a restored one these days would run you no$ebleed money. But you'd turn heads on it.
I've got a soft spot for the Honda Magna.
You have permission to shoot me if I attempt to buy a Sportster from the AMF days.
On the Hondabago, once you put reverse on a bike, it becomes a car.
Pissed ... The 'T' model is probably more in line with what i need and a lot easier to find a hitch for, or some way to attach flag pole mount to it.
WS and I both love his Electraglide Standard. He's had it on long trips, and thru the Dragon's Tail. I've been with him on lots of day rides (200-350 miles) and jsut love that thing.
I have really liked my Suzuki Boulevard C50 (as have others here I see). It has treated me well from the beginnig when I re-entering riding (after a 10 year layoff).
Loved the husbands old Wide Glide that he had for 12 years or so. He took it on many a trip including a 10 day, 3,800 mile trip to/around Sturgis.
Have a friend that just loves his Valkyrie. It's a real head turner and that 6 cylinder engine can really get you cranking along. He's ridden it everywher, the trip to Sturgis, thru the Dragon's Tail and Niagra Falls. He has something like 80k miles on it and it just keeps humming along.
Know a guy that has and old '48 Indian. He has put lots of money and elbow grease into restoring it. Loves that thing, but is really only good for shorter rides. However, it is a real head turner!
My buddy Evan refers to his Goldwing as "My Lane-Splitting Sofa".
Most of my Scoots have been of the variety, where the guy came running out of a shed screaming "It's Alive, It's ALIVE!"
With the exception of a 1985 Yamaha Virago. The word Virago means "Noisy, quarrelsome woman." After I cleaned out 5 years of neglect from the fill cap to the valves, she was the sweetest ride I ever knew.
I loaned her to a friend who had to leave town due to a situation involving an unplanned pregnancy, and a Judge's Daughter.
He says to this day, he owes me his life.
I'll settle for the bike and him comping me for the restoration costs
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