Motorbike and scooter owners.

[Levo-Lon]

One of my bikes is a cruiser...albeit one that cruises rather quickly.

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Very clean if that recent @Drago , beasties and very collectable now I think

 

[Drago]

Thanks. it's a Californian import so no rot. Not quite 15,000 miles in 29 years. it did have some minor battle scars butni took it off the road for 6 months and used the Fizzer while I got new parts or good used ones from ebay. It now has a Corbin seat, which is gloriously comfortable, albeit at enormous expense from the states.

It's a 10 second bike, and even with my lard muscular form aboard you can roll it on at any revs in any gear it reaches for the horizon, grabs it, scrunches it it up and throws it back over my shoulder, and even the fastest Audi or Bimmer quickly recedes in the mirrors. Hence my name for the bike - The Jumbo Jet.

 

[MarkF]

I rode a 1200 Sportster about 5 years ago and it was fricking horrible, it vibrated, it felt gutless, didn’t go around corners and didn’t stop. It just felt outdated and agricultural.

I suppose my 1962 Vespa feels the same compared to modern plastic scooters, but that ignores it's charm and why I like it.

I've always like Sporsters but would only buy a post 2007 model with rubber engine mounts and fuel injection. They are still the real deal to me in a way a Thai Triumph isn't. I might get one but am tempted too by the Royal Enfield Intercepter, I like pootling about sitting upright at 56.

 

[MarkF]

One of my bikes is a cruiser...albeit one that cruises rather quickly.

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Gorgeous bike, what on earth were Yamaha doing with the new one? Maybe took cues from the hideous and comical Ducati Diavel and ended up with something, unbelievably, uglier.

 

[Smudge]

One of my bikes is a cruiser...albeit one that cruises rather quickly.

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Always liked the V Max. It was a groundbreaking design from Yamaha, that was neither pure cruiser or muscle bike, but a brilliant combo of the two. The bike was so ahead of its time in the 80's, that it still looks good today. Yamaha really nailed it with this one.
The 1700 model that came out in the noughties, was crazily priced, first £16K then rapidly rose to well over £20K. I would have loved to test ride this later one, just to experience its mental power, but no chance getting a demo at the time.

 

[Gunk]

I like pootling about sitting upright at 56.

I’m the same age, but still a bit of a hooligan!

 

[MarkF]

I’m the same age, but still a bit of a hooligan!

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I don't even have any bike specific riding gear beyond a helmet. Lovely bike, I don't think that colour scheme was ever bettered.

 

[Gunk]

Always liked the V Max. It was a groundbreaking design from Yamaha, that was neither pure cruiser or muscle bike, but a brilliant combo of the two. The bike was so ahead of its time in the 80's, that it still looks good today. Yamaha really nailed it with this one.
The 1700 model that came out in the noughties, was crazily priced, first £16K then rapidly rose to well over £20K. I would have loved to test ride this later one, just to experience its mental power, but no chance getting a demo at the time.

I tested a BMW S1000RR a couple of years ago as I really fancied one, the bike was utterly sensational and really flattered the rider but I came away with the conclusion that a lightweight 200bhp motorcycle is just too much for the road, and V Max is the same really, it’s a bike for drag racing, a crazy metal overpowered white elephant. Nice though 👍

 

[Gunk]

I don't even have any specific bike riding gear beyond a helmet. Lovely bike, I don't think that colour scheme was ever bettered.

I don’t know, I prefer my current one.

 

[Smudge]

I tested a BMW S1000RR a couple of years ago as I really fancied one, the bike was utterly sensational and really flattered the rider but I came away with the conclusion that a lightweight 200bhp motorcycle is just too much for the road, and V Max is the same really, it’s a bike for drag racing, a crazy metal overpowered white elephant. Nice though 👍

Anything with that sort of mental power is way too much for the road, it just gives you bragging rights down the pub really.
But i could imagine you could ride the 1700 Max like a cruiser. But its all neither here nor there, i'd never pay that much for a bike, and just wanted to ride one for the experience.

 

[Smudge]

I did test ride the Triumph Rocket.... mad as a box of frogs.
But thats another bike i had no intention of buying and just wanted to try one.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I suppose my 1962 Vespa feels the same compared to modern plastic scooters, but that ignores it's charm and why I like it.

Horrible, horrible, horrible, OMG I have only ever ridden a real scooter once, must have been at the end of the 70's possibly very early 80's (but before 82 I know that). It was a 125 unusual engine size, my dad had bought it down south & brought it back home inside his caravan, he'd paid £25 for it as a non runner, it was something simple, I sold it to somebody I knew for £125 & promised to deliver it for them about 10 miles away. We didn't know how much 2 stroke was in the fuel, so we added some more, when I went up the dual carriageway you couldn't see anything behind me it was putting out that much smoke, it was like thick fog. But the ride was horrific for somebody who had only previously rode motorbikes, those 10 inch are they 10 inch wheels made it so wobbly it was an experience I have never desired to repeat.

 

[Drago]

Gorgeous bike, what on earth were Yamaha doing with the new one? Maybe took cues from the hideous and comical Ducati Diavel and ended up with something, unbelievably, uglier.

In the late 80's Yamaha identified a gap in the market for a commuter bike that would appeal to the likes of "Mad" Max Rockatansky, Hulk Hogan, the God Thor, Mike Tyson, mercenaries and hitmen. And thus the V-Max was born.

 

[MarkF]

Horrible, horrible, horrible, OMG I have only ever ridden a real scooter once, must have been at the end of the 70's possibly very early 80's (but before 82 I know that). It was a 125 unusual engine size, my dad had bought it down south & brought it back home inside his caravan, he'd paid £25 for it as a non runner, it was something simple, I sold it to somebody I knew for £125 & promised to deliver it for them about 10 miles away. We didn't know how much 2 stroke was in the fuel, so we added some more, when I went up the dual carriageway you couldn't see anything behind me it was putting out that much smoke, it was like thick fog. But the ride was horrific for somebody who had only previously rode motorbikes, those 10 inch are they 10 inch wheels made it so wobbly it was an experience I have never desired to repeat.

I love them, early 1960's Vespas just do it for me and just like with motorbikes, I like metal, front to back. Never ridden one with 10" wheels, mine has 12", tbh, I look at it a hell of a lot more than I ride it. I'd like to put in the dining room so I can just sit and gaze adoringly at it but MrsF has always resisted.

http://scooterlounge.com/vespa/buyers-guide/vespa-gl.shtml

 

[Gunk]

I like that 👍