What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Possibly one more for the oldies........

I am thinking of Bikes that you lusted after for any reason, whether or not they were the "D#gs B#ll#cks" but couldn't get one when they were current models (No dosh / no licence / too young / too married! etc etc)......and you maybe still, now and again, think to yourself "if they made 'em again I would be sorely tempted to buy a new one".......

In my case it is a Kawasaki GPZ1000RX from circa 1986 - I was old enough to own one, but not the licence or the cash (for the insurance!).

http://images1.reviewcentre.com/sent-in/item104846.jpg

By modern standards will handle like a tea trolley and slow as a slug, but for me as something "just outta reach" it still has a lust appeal to me.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Yep, 'fraid so in this case!


For me and the wife it's any one of the big 4 cylinder 2-strokes: Suzi RG500, Yam RD500.

My wife's an ex 2-stroke hooligan and she converted me with her previous bike, a Yam TZR250. It was great fun to ride and would have been awesome with more power. Anyone who's not ridden a 2-stroke is still missing a chapter in their biking experience book: Vicious powerbands and no engine breaking - Wayhay/Aargh!!!.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Do yourself a favour, don't ever ride one, they were the worst big bike Kawasaki ever made. The 900R before and the ZX10 after were both far far better bikes.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

RG500, I will own one soon. I actually hark from an era just before the RG, but I still want one. My teenage lust was for a Z1000 Mk2, but I ended up with a GPZ1100 B2 at age 22, so that more than outdid my big-Zed lust

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk I :cool: (but ended up with the V50 :rolleyes:)

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

I had a girlfriend who owned a V50 Monza. What an awful pile of crap that was, but she refused to sell it. I believed for months that her bike wouldn't go more than 55mph, until I rode it. It was actually a lot faster than that, but at 55mph the vibes were so sweet she always had a huge grin on her face. Now I know why we always took motorways and trundled up the inside lane for hour after hour to rallies.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

I think you either love em or hate em! I loved mine but it wasnt all that comfortable tbh being an older bike (1979)

Mine was my first bike in 2002, hubby has had several Guzzi's, over the years - Le Mans mk I, mk II, mk4 and 5, Spada, G5, and he had the 1100 Sport injection when I got my V50 - mind you it was a bit worse for wear, I used to have to lean down and put my side stand down by hand because the lug had rusted off! but the sound from those twin exhausts was georgous (and they were standard!) :cool: I always had a permanant grin on my face too - at any speed! - I only got rid because I wanted something more modern and with more oomph :)

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Either:-

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/577/p80600417bq.jpg


or

http://motoprofi.com/bikephoto/2148/...250_1993_2.jpg

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

BSA A65 Lightning - I just love the look of classic bikes, but wouldn't want to have to maintain one.
Triumph Daytona Centennial - In a green that was so dark that it looked almost black.
Triumph Speed Four - though having ridden one since, I'm glad that I didn't. I bought an SV instead.
Falco - Though I changed my mind once I saw the 1050 Speed Triple, which I absolutely had to buy.
The original 1994 Speed Triple - I was penniless and only had a provisional license in 1994, so that was out of the question.

Funny how there's not a single Japanese bike in that list. I did rather like the Honda Blackbird, but never seriously considered buying one. I have owned three Japanese bikes, one of which was an SV, but British and Italian bikes interest me more.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Remember as if it was yesterday ...

1973 in the showroom of Kens Motorcycles on 'The Hill'

my first new bike purchase....

in the left corner was a Yamaha RD250 (£427 OTR)
in the right was a Norton 850 interstate (£480)


I could only get finance for £400


The RD won...

did I get the bike of my dreams?

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Hmmm, got various eras and excuses for never owning.

350YPVS - Reasonably attainable for me in it's era but I somehow never got round to it, and by the time finances allowed for buying one as a "treat second bike" rather than as a sole mode of transport age had instilled a sensible fear of two stroke reliability.

RG500 (good choice Lozzo!) - Actually got as far as owning an RG250, which was a complete dog and required new pistons every 10 miles and new barrels every 20. Somehow this didn't deter me and well, it was basically a road going MotoGP bike of it's day. They're still ace, sound unique.

ZZR1100 - No reason other than the fact that it was at the time the fastest production bike on the planet. And given my youthful mindset at the time, that made it cool.

Duc 916 - quite simply the most beautiful creation ever made before or since. Not just the most beautiful bike ever made, it's the most beautiful object ever made. Ever. I want one. I really, really want one :D

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Honda NR750 - at about £36.5k each but twas but a twinkle in mine eye at the time :). V4 with 36 valves and oval pistons..........

Here, here and Here!

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Quite probably the worst bike I have ever owned was a KR1, until I threw the abomination of an engine away and modfied it to take a Yamaha 350 Powervalve lump.

I'm spannering one of those this year for my racer mate Danny...

http://tbwcm.110mb.com/imbergracing/RGV250Project.htm

I have a feeling it's going to be doing a lot of blowing itself to bits.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

My first proper motorcycle was a brand new RD250E in 1979, quickly followed by an identical barely used RD400E 4 weeks later once I passed my test.

You got the bike of my dreams when I was at school.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Had a few, the later F1 and F2 are better than the early ones

I just lust after an RG500, even though I am a dyed in the wool RD man.

I've owned three of them, loved every one to bits

Came within > < of buying a beautiful 2 year old one in '98 but bought a new Firestorm instead. I don't regret it. Beautiful bikes, but flawed in so many ways until the 998 came along.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Gamma 500 - yeah, I forgot about them.

http://www.rg500gamma.com/rg500blue.jpg

Please someone discover they are the answer to Global Warming :smt109

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Hmm, given the amount of smoke my 250 kicked out I have a strong suspicion that the RG250 and RG500 may in fact have been the cause of global warming. Erm, sorry about that everybody. My bad.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Norton RS588
http://www.dkimages.com/discover/pre...5/25047134.JPG
Remember seeing these bad boys racing, straight line speed was phenominal :shaking:

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Still does it for me now :thumbsup::smt007:smt007:smt007 MK1 Moto Guzzi LeMans. I remember the first one I saw (and heard) I just stood aghast, what a machine.

http://www.percyadler.ca/Lorenzo.jpg


And if I could afford one I'd definately have one of these in my back yard.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload...grisowhite.jpg

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

I really really want an aprilia RS250.

Apparently 95% of the time they are shat but the remaining 5% makes up for it. I also like taking things to bits and basically burning money on rebuilds and top 2 stroke oil.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

With me it was a Moto Morini 350... they looked so lovely and apparently their handling was fantastic. They were pretty expensive for what they were and 20 years without bikes came along. Occasionally I think of getting one (about ?2.5k for a fully restored one) but can't really justify it...

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Oh yes,used to own a brand new rgv 250(black n silver)what a beast,would keep up with(and beat)just about everything on the twisties a fantastic bike much better than the kr1 imho.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Don't tell Im Indoors, but when they first issued them, I fancied an Xtra Raptor
http://www.motorbikestoday.com/revie...ptor_2_lge.jpg

when we went on the search for one we found one in Leeds but it was tooooooo spensive, but it was absolutley gorgeous,so we went to D&K and got his instead.(the normal boring VRaptor)......only thing is I don't really like his and I've never had the urge to ride it, If I found a reallllllllly nice one I'd be tempted to trade Suze for it..............but then again.......more likely Dave!!!!

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Honda RC30

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/photos...0Portrait7.jpg

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Oooh, good choice, I had the 400 NC30 and to this day I think it was quite possibly the all round best motorbike I've ever owned.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

The first bike I ever 'fancied' was the RS250, I still hope I can get one. :)

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Always wanted a cbx1000: Six HUGE cylinders on two SKINNY tyres! Crappy servicing costs, crap handling, and pre-VFR Honda reliability issues, but what an icon. Best of the Jap Big Stick era IMHO!

http://www.aohc.it/pentaxday/pday05/pd516.jpg

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Hey, I was there first. Boo, hoo, off to cry in the corner!

Interesting to see so many wanting 2-stokes (fnarr, fnarr). RC30's a good call though.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

250n honda superdream, too young, kawasaki gpz1000, top gun bike couldn't afford one. bugger life is so unfair.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Had the RD 500 LOTS OF FUN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But the reality was a bit more painful. If i ccould have any bike it would be the Laverda SFC 750. Exactly what a bike should be no frills fun.:p

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

There in't now't boring or ordinary about the v raptor. gives me the horn!!!!!!!!!!

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

i always wanted a foggy or bostrom replica.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

there is, its grey:smt019 :smt037
mind you I do like them M4s:cool:

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

I've just started crying...there's a story behind it that'll I'll share soon as I'm able

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

There's something about you I really really like...and it isn't just your burd either :D

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Eh? The original 750-4 was a paragon of reliability compared to the alternatives on the market. I sold my K2 750-4 with 68K miles on the clock. It had only basic maintenance (oil, tyres, chains) during my ownership. OK, so I replaced the shocks with Girlings and did the swinging arm bearings, balanced the carbs now and then. I still use the vacuum gauges today. It never let me down, except for the time the ignition switch packed up on the way to work. A quick re-wiring at the road side saw me in to work. ;-)

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Nah, if you want a Lav 750 you might as well get a proper one :D

You want this one you do:
http://www.mattandem.plus.com/images/zorstback.jpg

Ignore the fact that the water pump is keen on spraying coolant all over the back tyre, spitting you off in a hide side that'll give you a pretty close up view of the International Space Station, ignore the fact that I can't get any parts for it and it really needs some love and attention, you really really want this one :D

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Why not? As long as you have a regular rider too, it isn't a problem and with the right mind-set, is FUN. PS: RealClassic's a good site too.

Oh, and I'd have an A65 too.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

Ok.

It's 1989, I was 27, had a fantastic job and a drop dead gorgeous girlfriend, the only reliable Honda VF750F ever and a 3 year old BMW528i. I was earning a fortune selling leather interiors for classic Jaguars at the height of the classic restoration boom. For about 2 years I'd been saving a good portion of my earnings and spotted a new RC30 in our local Honda dealers, so I enquired about it - £10K and it was mine, which I could easily afford to buy cash. That weekend I went to see the student nurse girlfriend in London and told her that I was going to buy a new bike, another Honda 750. She thought it was a great idea, so off we went to Bob Kings to talk turkey. When we got there she took one look at the tailpiece and I could see her blood pressure rising "it's only got one seat". My immediate response was "Of course it's only got one seat, it's an RC30, it's a bloody race bike". After much huffing and puffing I buckled and we went looking at houses and wedding dresses instead.

I ended up buying a 1 bed house and paying for a wedding. What a big mistake that was.

Re: What Bikes did you hanker after, but never bought?
 

I have only been around for 18 years so far...so ive not really had time for my lusts to mature! However, for YEARS now (atleast 3) I have looked at gsxr750's and just thought...."if only"

Theres just something about the proportions of them and the rear seat section that goes to a point. I mean...just look at this LINK

Two words......F&@king stunning!