Not sure if there's a thread on this but sometimes it's interesting to post the 'vehicles I've owned' etc (You'll probably get the theme for mine!) Started on a red off-road bike which my brother owned, I don't recall the make nor model but it was a 2 stroke 50cc. It wasn't road legal and we learnt to ride on our own over at the local fen lands. Kawasaki AR50 Had this bike at 16 until I passed my driving test at 17. This is obviously a stock imagine but mine was a 1994 'L' plate, in the UK this bike was restricted to 30mph and I used to use it for a 18 mile round trip to work 3 days a week. Honda CG125 This was my re-introduction to biking after passing my CBT in 2007, I was using this for a 65 mile round trip to work 5 days a week. I later found out it had a Chinese copy engine in it, had a few faults along the way like bending the pushrod. Did about 5k on it before selling it on. Suzuki GSF600 N My first 'big bike' after passing my test in February 2008 bought in September, I was the 19th owner, the clocks had been changed so the mileage was a little sketchy (clocks read around 5k) before online MOT history came around which revealed that in 2006 it was close to 32k before the clock swap/reset. I guess we could assume it's real mileage was around 40k. This lasted me nearly exactly 3 years, in August 2011 it went up for sale with about 20k on the clock to make room for a faired bike, it was a lot of fun but I was hankering for something a bit more sporty looking with a screen. Honda CBR600FS July 2011, a deal was done with my wife to sell the Ford Racing Puma and Bandit and replace with a more sensible family car and a more interesting bike. Reluctantly given the circumstances at the time the deed was done. 31k on the clock but in cracking condition it seemed like a good buy. This turned out to be the case, the FS did me proud and had 51,868 miles on it when the gearbox decided it wanted to break, not letting me get past 2nd gear. Deciding it wasn't economical to repair and fancying something bigger it was time to move on (Plus my bro had moved from an R6 to an R1 ages ago). Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade This bike is incredible, had 11,800 miles when I picked it up in February, already done more miles to date on it than it covered between 2012-2017! It's never had an advisory on the MOT so hopefully it'll last as well if not better than the outgoing FS.
Happy to join in I started on the obligatory FS1E Then as a learner I had a GT250 which was a lot of fun. Back then learners could ride up to 250 Then I passed my test and got my first multi, the GT380 Suzuki. JMO 833P. I even remember the reg no. But what a lot of junk. The middle pot always kept seizing Then my first four stroke, the Honda 500/4. Loved it Then the Suzuki GS550. It was OK but guzzled fuel Then along came the CB750/4 which was a bit of a revelation but lost some of its star status to te Z1 Kawasaki. I loved my 750 Then my all time favourite, my CB900 F2B It was reliable, super comfy, plenty quick and was my first bike to have a proper fairing. I loved it. I did over 140,000 miles on it but some toerag did a U turn on me and wrote it off. I still got the same money for it as I had paid for it when it was 12 months old - £1400 With the write off money, I brought my very first new bike, the CBX750. Nice bike and a better buy than the VF750 that was launched at the same time but new cost me what I had been paid for the 900. It helped having a friend who was a Honda dealer though I then went back to big bore and got the 1100EFG Suzuki. I always liked the look of these, but the ground clearance was awful although the fairing worked well and it was quite comfortable. I kept it a year and then brought one of the first Honda CBR1000FK's which was a revelation and I went onto own 3 more and did over 100,000 on all of them The I needed to get the sports bike itch out of the system, so along came the GSXR1100WP. I loved the bike especially the power and you had to respect it. At 140K it was stolen, so I went back to my first Blackbird and have remained with the Bird ever since So a quick potted history I have had a few others, but they were my main ones
I have had an interesting collection of Police bikes as well as we used to get personal issue I started on the 850 Commando Interpol - Loved it Then got the Beemer R75/7 - Brakes were awful Then we went to the R80RT Then I had a K100RT Norton Interpol with the rotary engin was fun but unreliable I finished with the Pan as I was one of those involved in its development as a Police bike
Well I have had 3 Blackbirds and done over 100.000 miles on each of them. The only criticism is the standard shock is shot fairly quickly whiich is why I always go straight for an Ohlins which lasts forever and can be rebuilt. If you are short in the arm department it can be a bit of a stretch to the bars, but at 6'5" I don't have that problem, and I prefer the normally aspirated carb engine to the injected motor, but I am nit picking. For quite a heavy old bike, it is balistic in a straight line as you would expect, but surprising nimbl through the bends. I have never had any problems keeping up with Blades, R1's and the like through the twisties, but I can do it in comfort It is a genuine high mileage mile muncher. When I had my holiday home in the Black Forest, I would do 600 + miles in a day, have my tea when I got there and then go for a play on the lovely German roads. The only bike I imagine that comes close now is the ZZR 11, 12 or 1400 and whilst I have ridden all 3, I have no idea what they are like to live with. I would have another Bird in a heartbeat, It may be old now, but it can still more than hold its own and as the saying goes its not what you ride but how you ride it
As TC said, totally agree. I've had two Blackbirds the second one I had for 14 years. I would also have another in a heartbeat if I could justify having two bikes. I think Honda made a mistake when it was discontinued,
Happy to add my collection, will try and dig some photo's out later. First bike - 2006 Yamaha R6 Never really loved this bike, found it awkward and skitty on the road, only kept it for a year. Second - 2003 Honda VTR1000-SP2 Now I loved this bike, and in hindsight wish I had not sold it. 1989 Suzuki DR600 A friend of mine owned this, funnily enough swapped it for a DVD player and £100, had some good fun on it, but didnt keep it for long. Third - 2006 Honda CBR1000RR Black special Once again, really liked this one, spent alot of money on it. Fourth - 2009 Yamaha R1 (big bang) Had this one for quite a while. Fifth - 2015 Yamaha R1 This was a great bike, but didnt feel raw, ended up having to take it down a tooth front sprocket to get it feeling exciting!. Sold it after 6 months. 6th and current - 2012 Honda CBR1000RR Not long had this one (a week) so still undecided, but have enjoyed it so far! So yea, all in all, had a few different bikes, some more special than others. Thankfully I can honestly say I enjoyed them all - and I think that is the most important thing. Pete
I Had an aprilia rs50 1997 as my learner at 16, then had 10 years off road bikes up until my mate let me have a blast on his zx7r which led me to do my test and buy a srad gsxr600, which i spent a fortune on and swapped for a ktm smc625 beast of a super moto and great fun to ride but no buzz of a sports bike. Went from going everywhere fast to going everywhere on the back wheel, loved it for all of 6 months then swaps again for a 51 plate r6 which was awesome and very good for gaining confidence on. But then my mate who's garage i was using decided he needed the space so that had to go. Then 18 months later after having the garden changed to get a bike up it and a shed built to store a bike I finally got round to buying my blade and I absolutely love it! Got no plans at all for ever getting rid of it, getting more in love with it each time it goes out
I bought this pissed on ebay, wasnt really considering getting a bike till i got an email saying id won it! Turned out to be a bag of shite, had to strip it fully, engine in bits new piston etc. Got all the fairings stripped and painted, wheels powder coated, chain/sprockets, new lines, basically full nut and bolt restoration! When i passed my test i quickly forgot the time and effort that went into the aprilia amd px'd it at a stupid price so that i could buy my first big bike. Bored over winter and found thr current bike.
