Multiple Bikes? What rides When?

[OldBull]

I live in one of the best spots in the country for rides - Pacific NW - Have 3 scoots and my only dilemma is which one comes out of its stall today.

 

During the week when traffics down and the roads are dry the 86' Eliminator ZL900 comes out alot and it's to the mountain roads for some sssspppppeeedd handling rides.

 

Day trip to Seattle - 2 hour drive - or to the ocean beaches 1 hour ride with no rider many times it's the 82' Maxim XJ110J - more room to carry stuff and lots of POWER to keep up / set the pace with buds on crotch rockets.

 

When it's Momma and mwah out rolls the 83' VR for comfort, speed and handling for two up, especially on longer hauls - like those improv trips to BEST rib joint in the NW in Spokane, WA - 10 hour round trip.

 

Come on out for a ride and a BBQ anytime.

 

Bull

[rod]

I say every biker needs 6 bikes:

a) touring bike for trips with the wife/so

b) Beater run around town/errands

c) show bike fancy low miles

d) old bike (1st gen) for nostalgia

e) full dirt bike for the desert

f) dual sport for hunting camping

Now all I need is the funds. Rod

[PBJ]

Well when its just me , or my brother and son are out for a ride its definitely my 84 Honda V65 Sabre. Big, Fast , and comfortable for an hour or so of high speed ridin until a D.Q copmes along. Not twists sport bike but she loves long sweepers.

 

More than ever now on long trips its the 85 Venture Royale. Last year i was still getting to know the old girl but she definitely likes to riden fast and loves riding two up.

 

Long distances with Lots of gear. Its My 79 Yamaha XS11 Special with my Velorex700 sidecar. I allows my honey to snuggle in for an afternoon nap. Its also the bike of choice on those iffy rainy days.

[Who Dey]

I have a 2007 Suzuki M109R and a 2008 Royal Star Venture. The 109 is a Beast and a real head turner and i love it. I bought the Venture due to my wife having back problems and i love it too. I was one of those guys that thought i would no way ever own a bagger and now i couldn't live without one i don't think after riding the Venture.

 

I usually take the 109 when i'm by myself and for short trips around town. It definitely gets tons of attention, it's fast, powerful, and alot of fun and people just go nuts over it. I get so many comments on the bike that it's unreal. It has been lowered 2.75" and just looks Bad Azz.

 

As much as i love that bike though i still find myself wanting to ride the Venture because of it's comfort, storage, and stereo etc. If i could only have one bike i'm afraid the 109 would have to go, but it would kill me to do so because i love it. The Venture is just a great all around bike and Yamaha's reliability is second to none in my opinion.

[5bikes]

'84 Venture for 2 up and lazy riding alone, easy on the back and butt. Just did 2nd gear fix and ready for many more miles, 20k now. 47 mpg.

'91 Suzuki GSX1100 shaft, 102k miles, sport tourer, fast, reliable, smooth, unique, semi-comfortable. 49 mpg.

'92 Suzuki GSX1100, 34k miles, very fast and replacement for '91 if it ever wears out? 45 mpg.

'98 Virago 1100 , Cruiser, lots of chrome, great handling, torquey, not nearly as good on highway or as comfortable as 3 above, fun in town. 50+mpg. Wife drives this one too.

'00 Suzuki DRZ400S, dual sport, for the hundreds of square miles of open desert, dirt roads, and mountains. 24k miles and never let me down. My parts picker upper too. 70-85 mpg!

Got it all covered and ride all bikes year around. Rarely rains here (10"/yr.) but the winds, watch out!

[Who Dey]

Wow 5 bikes! I have trouble riding two lol.

[GeorgeS]

Most of the time, its the Venture.

 

On those days, that I'm feeling Lucky !! I take the "" Death Machine ""

[Studhauler]

86 Venture gets most of my seat time

http://thumb6.webshots.net/t/63/563/1/55/67/2421155670041495206dlYxXk_th.jpg

 

85 VMax for when I feel the need for speed.

http://thumb6.webshots.net/t/66/566/7/33/27/2581733270041495206iMUaRO_th.jpg

 

80 KZ 1000, it is a memorial to my younger brother whom I inherited it from. From a picture, I had a mural of him and his bike, painted on the back fender of his bike. The art work was done in Sturgis. The picture was taken in Sturgis of him standing next to his bike. This bike only gets ridden a few times per year. It is mint condition and all original. He would get compliments on it driving it down the main drag of Sturgis.

(dang, no digital picture, I will have to get one.)

 

On my dream sheet is

 

KLR 650

 

A customized road glide

 

“I say every biker needs 6 bikes:

a) touring bike for trips with the wife/so

b) Beater run around town/errands

c) show bike fancy low miles

d) old bike (1st gen) for nostalgia

e) full dirt bike for the desert

f) dual sport for hunting camping

Now all I need is the funds. Rod”

 

I will do it with 4 bikes. The Venture is the touting and beater bike. KZ is the show bike and nostalgia, KLR will be the off road bike. My ATV is my hunting rig.

 

Almost forgot. Somehow I ended up this this bike. It runs to good to sell. I am going to teach my girl friend how to ride next summer.

http://thumb6.webshots.net/t/63/563/8/77/3/2407877030041495206UXTgYc_th.jpg

 

Cody

[cowpuc]

Well lets see if I can help you out with your indecision… 1st and foremost is to remain organized with your decision making, here is how I do mine,, notice how I work from bottom to top (not that this has ANYTHING to do with actual value of said machine in my mind)..

• I have a 1969 Honda Z50A in the color of Blue.. I learned to ride wheelies on one of these as a kid so I save this priceless little scoot to show of on in parades and the like..
  
• I have a 1967 Rupp Roadster in all its trim, original headlight and mirrors, adorable stock little pipe. I use mainly to tease my neighbor Larry with cause he always wanted one and cant find one hahaha
  
• I have a 1968 Heathkit Booney Bike,,,,, you don’t even know what that is do you?? Heathkit built the coolest little 2 speed jackshaft back then that you can even imagine.. They connected a 5 horse MTR to a real wide back wheel using this little “tranny” and it PERFORMED like no other Minibike.. So I kept one..
  
• I have an real gorgeous Honda Trail 70 in the K1 model that I keep for my wife and girls to ride around the yard on.. I only mention this because they only ride about once a year which means I have to spend riding time on it just to keep it running.. This ones the automatic.
  
• I have another Trail 70 that is the H model. If you don’t know the H means it has the 4 speed manual (hand clutch) and that makes it more fun for people like me who aren’t lazy and really enjoy the control a clutch gives you on a mini.
  
• I have a 1966 Honda Trail 90 that is “grand fathered” here in Mi as a moped.. You see,, we still are not a free state where you can ride with out a helmet UNLESS you are riding a moped soooooo I ride this little beauty when I feel the urge to taste real freedom!
  
• I have a 1970 Suzuki 185 in the TC model.. Any bike conisour knows this means high low tranny AND this scoot also has the original starter/generator that is totally functional! I ride with a motorcycle gang I am part of that consists of a 78 year man, 2 58 year olds and myself..
  
• I have 1969 Bultaco 250 Pursang Professional Hill Climber that I have kept because, well, because you cannot find another one and they don’t make them anymore..
  
• I have a 1973 Honda CR250M Elsinore that I have kept. I raced Harescrambles and MX on one of these jewels back in the day… WOW the change from racing a 68 Yamaha 250 that I had modified to the hilt to riding that 1st year Elsi was UNBELIEVABLE so I have one now just for fun..
  
• I have 2001 Yamaha TTR 225 that I keep because it was labled as the pig of pigs and dog of dogs by all dirt riders everywhere.. I take it out on the trails on occasion when I want to show the youngens that even a total underdog can be real fast if handled properly..
  
• I have 1984 Honda XL 250R that I keep because of its frame design. Honda didn’t realize what they were doing with this little beauty – they actually created one of the most hard soil hill bikes in stock form
  
• I have 1967 Honda 305 Super Hawk, I have kept it because it’s the rare one with the lipped seat right behind the gas tank.. It still has its original mirrors and OHHHHH that special vertical odometer and both dials under the same glass..
  
• I have two Honda SL350 Motosports, both K1s that I keep because I grew up trail riding Motosports and they deserve to be called my friends..
  
• I have a 1985 Honda XR 350 that I use as my “gonna be gone exploring in the deer woods for a couple days honey” bike cause I like to get out of the woods when I say I am going to be out of the woods.
  
• I have a 2001 Kawasaki KX500 because until you have ridden a true 72 horse (on the dyno) two stroke trailbike you haven’t lived.. I have street legaled this sleeping beauty and have thousands of cross country trail miles on her. I also still to do an occasional wheelie and this bike is my elevator..
  
• I remember drawing pictures of Choppers back in my early elementary school days and have come full circle in my life and have spent the last 8 years building old schoolers.. I built a 69 Santee framed Honda 750 with a California springer a few years ago that has stayed with me.. It is the “Santee Soft Ride” which is really rare – everyone built hardtails back when we were kids.. It’s a really fun bike and I have crossed the country a few times on it..
  
• My main stay for REAL long cross country highway rides has been the Yam Venture of which I have 2.. One is my 1st one that I bought back in 85 out of an estate sale – A true blonde 84 Royale, it lost second gear at 55k while out west with one of kids on the back, I short shifted it thru MANY more huge trips and retired it as a parts bike at 192k. The 83 I am currently riding will be my mainstay until either I give or it gives.. We are already good friends and have made the west coast 2 times together, Sturgis twice, Florida once and Lake Placid last year…
  
• I have 1968 Harely Shovelhead that I keep to work on,, someday I hope to finish it just not today.. A real cowpuc always keeps a bike to work on you know..
  

My typers are getting tired so I will stop there.. Nice to see there are others in the world who enjoy this sport as much as I do!!!

Its more than a life,, its an adventure!!!

‘Puc

[Guest Swifty]

I say every biker needs 6 bikes:

a) touring bike for trips with the wife/so

b) Beater run around town/errands

c) show bike fancy low miles

d) old bike (1st gen) for nostalgia

e) full dirt bike for the desert

f) dual sport for hunting camping

Now all I need is the funds. Rod

Yup, I agree; for me its like this:

a) 86VR...touring trips with the ....whoever

b) 86VR...beater run around town/errands

c) 86VR...show bike fancy (high) miles

d) 86VR...old bike for nostalgia

e) 86VR...full dirt bike for getting to "desserts"

f) 86VR dual sport for hunting camping

Now all I need is a valve adjusting tool. Dave

[FJR Rider]

RSV gets most of the time because Cathy and I ride two up most of the time.

- It's the "get out of the house, let's take a ride" bike;

- it's the "I had a bad day at work, let's go for a ride" bike;

- it's the "let's hook up the camper and take off for the weekend" bike;

- it's the "let's run down and see the grandkids this afternoon" bike;

- it's the "you want to go over to your mother's in Michigan? We'll take the bike" bike;

- it's the "it's vacation time, we'll be gone for a week plus camping and site-seeing" bike;

- it's the "let's do the Boys & Girls Club Charity Ride this weekend" bike;

- it's the "it's Friday night, time for the A&W Show & Shine" bike;

- etc.

 

But the FJR gets its time as well.

- It's the "I'm going by myself for a ride" bike;

- it's the "I wanna go play" bike;

- it's the "back and forth to work" bike;

- it's the "if you're not going, I'm riding the FJR" bike;

- it's the "you're already there, I'll be there shortly" bike; -

- it's the "Hey Ed, you wanna do an Iron Butt this year? You do? Great, I'm riding the FJR" bike;

- it's the "Cathy is out of town this weekend. I'll ride over, down, up...to your place Friday after work" bike;

- etc.

 

Curt