Bikes

Gazz

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Who here is, or even, was, into bikes? And I mean the mechanized kind. Motorcycles.
I started out on what we called mini bikes. My first at age 14 was a Honda SL70 that I worked a morning paper round to pay for. SL70s were the best mini bikes of the era and with a few neighbourhood friends we would ride at a local field where, somehow, we created a track for ourselves and had impromptu races. No hovering parents, no imposing safety, no rules, just fun. Lots of stacks and naive ambition. I can still remember the urgent desire for riding after school.
Moved on to club motocross. More stacks and regraded skills. As a kid you're able to land hard but still get up and briefly check yourself. The main thing was - is the bike okay?
Once I had a licence I moved up to road bikes and joined a road racing club based out of the old Surfers Paradise Raceway. A whole new speed experience graduating to a 750cc modified road bike from a 125 motocrosser. There was a corner at that track that was the fastest corner on any circuit in Australia; a real test of courage. Wore down foot pegs to where I was chamfering crankcase bolts - the absolute limit of the bike's cornering angle. Wore through boots at the outside toes down to my socks. I must have curled my toes in because my socks were worn but my toes were unscathed. Never won a single race but I didn't care because no one could out corner me.
Lots of road bikes. Lost my licence twice. As an old fart the last bike I had was a BMW R1200S. Not the sportiest machine but very friendly to ride with enough power and heated grips for those early winter morning rides.
I stopped riding when fear of consequences over-rode fun.
I now have a museum piece Honda RC30 as my only motorcycle legacy.

And the precious memories.
 
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Mot27cars

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That brings back so many memories!!!!
Go carts ... mini bikes.... dirt bikes.... road bikes.... dad had 3-1/2 acres and we made a big oval dirt track. Neighborhood kids brought all theirs over and racing all the time!
Dirt bikes were, Bonanza, Chaparel,Hodaka.
Still have the Hodaka Combat Wombat since 15yrs old. I’m 60. Lol. Then 350/4 Honda road bike long ago. Then about 10 years ago I picked up a 96 Royal Star that was bone stock and took it apart to customize. The idea was to make it look old.
All work done by me. It has been confusing to many people,,, they ask what Harley or Indian is that??? I’d tell them I don’t know but it’s a 96 Royal Star! Lol. One Old Harley dude said I never seen a Harley with 4 fishtails.... I said I haven’t either. Lol
Humbled..... this bike has won and placed in many bike shows.
 

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Tim M

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My first was a CT70 and delivered papers on it when Mom wasn't around. Here is what I have now+my High school classic a CL100.
 

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Belgiumbarry

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i had all kind of Jap bikes in the ' 70's ... later on also but not at that rate... Yamaha 750, Dominator etc... had a HD Fatboy a long time ....ending with a Guzzi 1200 . I once collected the same bikes as i had in '70s ... but sold them meanwhile. Just taking space and gathering dust.

de5 005.JPG
 

Mot27cars

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That brings back so many memories!!!!
Go carts ... mini bikes.... dirt bikes.... road bikes.... dad had 3-1/2 acres and we made a big oval dirt track. Neighborhood kids brought all theirs over and racing all the time!
Dirt bikes were, Bonanza, Chaparel,Hodaka.
Still have the Hodaka Combat Wombat since 15yrs old. I’m 60. Lol. Then 350/4 Honda road bike long ago. Then about 10 years ago I picked up a 96 Royal Star that was bone stock and took it apart to customize. The idea was to make it look old.
All work done by me. It has been confusing to many people,,, they ask what Harley or Indian is that??? I’d tell them I don’t know but it’s a 96 Royal Star! Lol. One Old Harley dude said I never seen a Harley with 4 fishtails.... I said I haven’t either. Lol
Humbled..... this bike has won and placed in many bike shows.

Oh also had a Honda cb750f Super Sport
 

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Mot27cars

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That brings back so many memories!!!!
Go carts ... mini bikes.... dirt bikes.... road bikes.... dad had 3-1/2 acres and we made a big oval dirt track. Neighborhood kids brought all theirs over and racing all the time!
Dirt bikes were, Bonanza, Chaparel,Hodaka.
Still have the Hodaka Combat Wombat since 15yrs old. I’m 60. Lol. Then 350/4 Honda road bike long ago. Then about 10 years ago I picked up a 96 Royal Star that was bone stock and took it apart to customize. The idea was to make it look old.
All work done by me. It has been confusing to many people,,, they ask what Harley or Indian is that??? I’d tell them I don’t know but it’s a 96 Royal Star! Lol. One Old Harley dude said I never seen a Harley with 4 fishtails.... I said I haven’t either. Lol
Humbled..... this bike has won and placed in many bike shows.
Couple more pics of the 96 Royal Star
 

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CSLeif

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Until a few years ago i always had at least one bike beside my cars.
Latest was this beautiful Honda CB92-63 pics found/restored.
Also liked this -68 R69S lot of option on that bike.
 

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Gransin

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Oh also had a Honda cb750f Super Sport

I had a 1980 Honda CB900F Super Sport which I restomodded to look a little bit like the period GP-racers, with Honda USD front shocks, Öhlins rear shocks, upgraded brakes, 17" wheels etc. etc.
 

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Gazz

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I had a 1980 Honda CB900F Super Sport which I restomodded to look a little bit like the period GP-racers, with Honda USD front shocks, Öhlins rear shocks, upgraded brakes, 17" wheels etc. etc.
Hey I had one like that, it was a Bol D'Or. Stripped it down for the track and braced the frame with welded in gussets and triangles all over the place trying to reduce some of the flex. Sound familiar?
I went the fastest I've ever been on a public road on that bike. Early morning just South of the Queensland border on a long straight stretch through the cane fields. No other traffic. Saw red line in top gear. What impresses at that speed is just how rapidly things in the distance become close. Did it once and never again.
Still a good looking bike.
 
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Gransin

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Hey I had one like that, it was a Bol D'Or. Stripped it down for the track and braced the frame with welded in gussets and triangles all over the place trying to reduce some of the flex. Sound familiar?
Still a good looking bike.

The flex sounds familiar, the guessets and triangles not so much :D
I didn't get to drive it at all before I started the project, and me being used to modern super bikes and various super motards, I couldn't imagine how soft the frame was on the CB900 and didn't do any reinforcements to the frame at all before paint.
But after all, the whole reason I went to a classic bike was because I hoped it would keep me from doing stupid things, as happens way too easily on a modern 1000cc or super motard - even with the soft frame, the slowing down with a classic bike wasn't a success, so I sold off all bikes and haven't regretted it, yet.
 

Strato102

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Here is my 76 Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans. Lafranconi exhaust and filterless velocity stacks. I am in my 60s. If I make it to 70, I am getting a Kawasaki 750 H2 with expansion chambers.
 

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gwittman

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When I moved to California in 69 I rode a friends dirt bikes a few times. He had a Bultaco and a couple Suzuki's. After a few times out I realized I was over riding my abilities and was going to kill myself. I stopped riding motorcycles after that with the exception of one ride on an Indian that belonged to my brother-in-law. I told him that if he ever wanted to let it go, to let me know because I would buy it. Unfortunately, an Australian made an offer he could not refuse and it was gone.
I do ride the self powered type and that gets me into enough trouble. I always had an extreme affinity to the very early motorcycles like the R2 shown above and earlier. I could easily get into riding one of those if I could afford one.
 
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