What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Taipan »

Didnt Suzuki have a odd looking (at the time) rectangled headlight GSXsoemthing or another in te early 80s-ish, or is that the one you're all talking about?
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Yorick »

Taipan wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 10:42 am Didnt Suzuki have a odd looking (at the time) rectangled headlight GSXsoemthing or another in te early 80s-ish, or is that the one you're all talking about?
Yeah. A pal bought the 750 in 1982/3
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

Taipan wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 10:42 am Didnt Suzuki have a odd looking (at the time) rectangled headlight GSXsoemthing or another in te early 80s-ish, or is that the one you're all talking about?
GSX750ET and GSX1100ET, 750 was 1979 to 1983, 1100 was 1980 and 81, I had a 750, it was ugly, slow and heavy, but it handled nicely, the 1100 was very popular in unlimited production racing
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Yorick »

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 11:53 am
Taipan wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 10:42 am Didnt Suzuki have a odd looking (at the time) rectangled headlight GSXsoemthing or another in te early 80s-ish, or is that the one you're all talking about?
GSX750ET and GSX1100ET, 750 was 1979 to 1983, 1100 was 1980 and 81, I had a 750, it was ugly, slow and heavy, but it handled nicely, the 1100 was very popular in unlimited production racing
They were fun to race against on twisty circuits ;)
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

Yorick wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 12:08 pm
They were fun to race against on twisty circuits ;)
A proddie race 350LC must do about 130mph, a standard GSX1100ET does about 135mph, and they weren't many gains that could be made while keeping them looking standard.
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Yorick »

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 1:36 pm
Yorick wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 12:08 pm
They were fun to race against on twisty circuits ;)
A proddie race 350LC must do about 130mph, a standard GSX1100ET does about 135mph, and they weren't many gains that could be made while keeping them looking standard.
I remember one race at Elvington against a good lad on big Suzuki 1100.
Every lap I led out the hairpin and he trounced me on the straight.
So last lap I tried big time around the 3 bends at the hairpin to get a bigger lead onto straight so could maybe outbrake him at the end.
Binned it and felt a prat as he grinned as he passed :(

But looked up and third place was well behind. So jumped back on and got 2nd.

Glad I did coz that helped me get second in the 1300 championship :)
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Taipan »

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 11:53 am
Taipan wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 10:42 am Didnt Suzuki have a odd looking (at the time) rectangled headlight GSXsoemthing or another in te early 80s-ish, or is that the one you're all talking about?
GSX750ET and GSX1100ET, 750 was 1979 to 1983, 1100 was 1980 and 81, I had a 750, it was ugly, slow and heavy, but it handled nicely, the 1100 was very popular in unlimited production racing
Aye thats teh kiddie. Cheaper classic to own?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335020057307?

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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by A_morti »

Honda nc30 in red/white/blue was always on my list.
Doubt there will ever be one for sale on Malta again, and even if there was it'd be silly money for a bike which realistically you'd be scared to ride and all the time hoping not to need parts.
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by The Spin Doctor »

A_morti wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 3:33 pm Honda nc30 in red/white/blue was always on my list.
Doubt there will ever be one for sale on Malta again, and even if there was it'd be silly money for a bike which realistically you'd be scared to ride and all the time hoping not to need parts.
That would probably be the only bike I would have loved to have owned.
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Ian »

I nagged my wife for ages to let me buy an RG500 on the day she said yes I went round to the shop only to find Suzuki had stopped making them.

Or a purple H2C, I so wanted to buy one Fox's had in the window but it was tuned and I persuaded myself it was a bad idea. Idiot. Still want one but they're silly money now
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

Taipan wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 3:19 pm
Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 11:53 am
Taipan wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 10:42 am Didnt Suzuki have a odd looking (at the time) rectangled headlight GSXsoemthing or another in te early 80s-ish, or is that the one you're all talking about?
GSX750ET and GSX1100ET, 750 was 1979 to 1983, 1100 was 1980 and 81, I had a 750, it was ugly, slow and heavy, but it handled nicely, the 1100 was very popular in unlimited production racing
Aye thats teh kiddie. Cheaper classic to own?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335020057307?

Image
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Pirahna »

This is as good a place as any to post a pic of my mates garage I took a few weeks ago.

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The black 900ss was bought new by his dad, now in my mates name.

On the bench is a Guzzi MK1 Le Mans awaiting a new clutch. Bought by his dad in 1981 from the original owner, now in my mates name.

The red frame showing in my mates 900ss Hailwood. Bought by him around 1982 from the original owner.

The yellow bike is a 1976 (I think) SWM 280 trials bike. My mate is the original owner.

Behind that is 500 Pantah, bought this year.

The front wheel showing on the right is his dads Chinese AJS 125.
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Rockburner »

Pirahna wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 9:12 pm This is as good a place as any to post a pic of my mates garage I took a few weeks ago.

Image

The black 900ss was bought new by his dad, now in my mates name.

On the bench is a Guzzi MK1 Le Mans awaiting a new clutch. Bought by his dad in 1981 from the original owner, now in my mates name.

The red frame showing in my mates 900ss Hailwood. Bought by him around 1982 from the original owner.

The yellow bike is a 1976 (I think) SWM 280 trials bike. My mate is the original owner.

Behind that is 500 Pantah, bought this year.

The front wheel showing on the right is his dads Chinese AJS 125.
A 500 Pantah? Iirc they're quite rare because they were very delicate. The 600 had a much stronger engine.
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Pirahna »

Rockburner wrote: Thu Oct 05, 2023 8:40 am
A 500 Pantah? Iirc they're quite rare because they were very delicate. The 600 had a much stronger engine.
I think the reason he bought it was that "back in the day" a friend that used come out for a spin on a Sunday had one, this was before the 600 existed.
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

Pirahna wrote: Thu Oct 05, 2023 8:42 am
Rockburner wrote: Thu Oct 05, 2023 8:40 am
A 500 Pantah? Iirc they're quite rare because they were very delicate. The 600 had a much stronger engine.
I think the reason he bought it was that "back in the day" a friend that used come out for a spin on a Sunday had one, this was before the 600 existed.
It was the gearbox on early 500 Pantahs that was delicate, the later 500s are fine (for a 1970s Ducati)
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Re: What 'iconic' bike did you want but never buy ?

Post by Bigjawa »

A Fireblade, twice I've went to look at one, cash in hand but never actually did the deal. Ditto a GSXR1000, was going to buy one online, but went to the dealer for a sit and nearly had to be lifted off the thing.