Friday throwback. What were your old bikes?

[Mr Moofo]

Bought on a whim just before I moved back to CH. Lovely engine and great suspension - it sort of made the GS redundant. Fantastic alpine pass bike.
But it did look like it had been made by a kid out of Lego and folded cardboard

[Mr Moofo]

The bike that I forgave all it's bad habits because it was so much fun to ride - and confused other riders.
I nearly bought it back about 2 years ago - but I remembered owning a Buell was challenging when you could get spare parts ...
There must be bits of Buell littering the A roads of Europe

[Mr Moofo]

Beautiful bike to look at, horrible to ride up the Grimsel Pass, even worse to ride down

Only comfortable above 80 mph

[Mr Moofo]

I went out to buy spark plugs for Buell - and came back with this ...

[Count Steer]

Saved the best 'til last eh?

[Mr Moofo]

Other than the KTM, I wish I hadn't sold any of them. However, the KTM eclipsed the GS as a "pass hound" bike once the wifey gave on pillion duties - due to a bad neck

[Count Steer]

Other than the KTM, I wish I hadn't sold any of them. However, the KTM eclipsed the GS as a "pass hound" bike once the wifey gave on pillion duties - due to a bad neck

The Ducati pic looks remarkably like Derbyshire rather than Switzerland. Hard to get the scale of those rocks though. Probably a bit higher than Stanage Edge.

[DefTrap]

....

[mangocrazy]

I the only one who started in the pre-Japan era?

You young whippersnappers don't know the meaning of true shite.

I started in the 'early Japan' era (1966) when Brit bikes were still a viable option for most riders, but I took a look at the outdated designs, woeful reliability, absence of any choice in the learner market and (of course) the fact that all Brit bikes leaked copious amounts of oil and decided 'no thanks'. Another factor in my decision was the fact that Jap bikes used metric fasteners, which were easy and simple to understand. Brit bikes used stuff like BSW (Whitworth) where spanner size bears no relation to the fastener head size.

There was also an air of 'paying your dues' to join the Brit bike club, like serving an apprenticeship and if you so much as looked at a Japanese bike you were regarded as the worst kind of traitor.

Fuck that, I thought.

I did actually go and have a look at a Norton Dominator 600, but thankfully passed on it and bought a CB77 instead.

I have never, ever regretted my decision.

[Yorick]

Racing
350LC.
250 LC x 2
350 YPVS.

1975 Puch 50
1976 GT185.
1977 GT250
1977 RD250
1978 GT750

1987 CB900
1991 CBR600.

All next ones bought new.

1995 RF900
1998 ZX6R
1998 ZX9R
2001 GSXR1000K1
2003 GSXR1000 K3
2005 GSXR1000 K5
2008 GSXR1000 K7
2010 GSXR1000 K9
2013 GSXR1000 L3
2018 Beta X-Trainer.
2019 GSXR1000 L9
2019 Husky 300i

[Bustaspoke]

Beautiful bike to look at, horrible to ride up the Grimsel Pass, even worse to ride down

Only comfortable above 80 mph

I used to ride a mate's 916 every few weeks,my experience riding it on the country lanes of Lancashire was the same as yours...

[Cousin Jack]

I couldn't even summon up the enthusiasm to mention the POS that was my BSA A7. (The Panther was though). Never been much of a one for photos and there hasn't been anything that would be of interest anyway - although I've covered most BMW engine configurations + another make of V-twin.

I am content that at least one other person on here has experienced the 'joy' of owning one of BSA's finest. Never ridden a Panther, but legend has it that they were good.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I the only one who started in the pre-Japan era?

You young whippersnappers don't know the meaning of true shite.

I am rapidly finding out! By far and away the objectively worst bike I've encountered. Also the most grin inducing. My mates Chinese 125 was objectively better.

Druids old VFR was a great bike, although my overriding memory of it was the time the exhaust fell off after going over a hump back bridge. I didn't even leave the ground!

[asmethurst99]

Beautiful bike to look at, horrible to ride up the Grimsel Pass, even worse to ride down

Only comfortable above 80 mph

I used to ride a mate's 916 every few weeks,my experience riding it on the country lanes of Lancashire was the same as yours...

It was never going to happen but you’ve both finally put me off buying one .

[Skub]

I the only one who started in the pre-Japan era?

You young whippersnappers don't know the meaning of true shite.

I started riding in 1972 and while there were still a few new Brit bikes around,we all lusted after Jap bikes.

I was going to say I've never even ridden a British bike,but then I remembered a school friend had an NSU Quickly we used to take turns on. Even then I thought it was well misnamed!

[Druid]

I the only one who started in the pre-Japan era?

You young whippersnappers don't know the meaning of true shite.

I started riding in 1972 and while there were still a few new Brit bikes around,we all lusted after Jap bikes.

I was going to say I've never even ridden a British bike,but then I remembered a school friend had an NSU Quickly we used to take turns on. Even then I thought it was well misnamed!

NSU were German

[ChrisW]

NSU Quickly we used to take turns on. Even then I thought it was well misnamed!

MZ Quickly any better?

[Skub]

I the only one who started in the pre-Japan era?

You young whippersnappers don't know the meaning of true shite.

I started riding in 1972 and while there were still a few new Brit bikes around,we all lusted after Jap bikes.

I was going to say I've never even ridden a British bike,but then I remembered a school friend had an NSU Quickly we used to take turns on. Even then I thought it was well misnamed!

NSU were German

Out nerded.

[Rockburner]

I started riding in 1972 and while there were still a few new Brit bikes around,we all lusted after Jap bikes.

I was going to say I've never even ridden a British bike,but then I remembered a school friend had an NSU Quickly we used to take turns on. Even then I thought it was well misnamed!

NSU were German

Out nerded.

We had a Quickly, it was up on the wall for most of my childhood (in the garage).

At 16 i looked into getting it running, but quickly discovered that they had a chrome lined barrel, and virtually every barrel on the 2nd market was knackered just like ours!

[Horse]

NSU Quickly we used to take turns on. Even then I thought it was well misnamed!

MZ Quickly any better?

How about 'CZ', any chance of those being British?