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How long have you been riding? Whats best?

51 posts · Started by CEREC1 · 10 Jul 2011

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Post 1 by CEREC1,

#1
Well I guess if you are reading this thread you have at least an interest in V Twins. I've been riding virtually without a break since May 1973, 38 years.
Over that period I've owned virtually every type of street bike engine configuration, singles,IL4's (so many of em) Triples, V Twins, L Twins ,2 strokes and 4 strokes.
After all these years I've ended up with a garage of V Twins.(see bottom of this post) Is this a sign of maturity, senility , fashion or just the way Twins are at this moment in time?

What do you reckon

Post 2 by lobster,

#2
Been riding 25 years so far and like you had one or two bikes in that time and like you ended up with V-twins. The entirely scientific conclusion I draw from this is that they're the most fun. That's it, nothing else. Not faster, certainly not more reliable, not most manageable, just more fun. Nothing beats a V -twins power delivery, it's a hoot. So that's why I like 'em....

Post 3 by rocketchick,

#3
I've been riding for 14 years, and I always owned il4's. I've ridden many configurations, but the SD is my first twin and I love it.. Brings smiles, fun and a more focused riding style, a learning curve for me but I'm glad to learn on my SD.

Post 4 by DribbleDuke,

#4
I am not so sure that the RGV should be included a a v-twin or a twin at all. Its a two stroke and firing twice as much as a four stroke.
That said, I have come to the conclusion that the reason that twin power pulses have such a wonderful, visceral touch to the human condition is that they remind us of a heart beat. They take us back to a time in the womb, when All was safe and warm. When we play hard and our hearts start pumping to the point of feeling it throughout every cell in our body or when we raise our adrinalin and endorphin levels up to the point that we actually feel alive we come close to the substance with which a twin pulse combustioned motor feels.
Untill I had the SD I was at a loss as to why the Harley experiance was so popular. I believe that Harley riders need to feel coddled more than others and miss the womb experiance more than most and that is why there is such a powerful connection.
I have four bikes in the garage and all are twins and half are of the V configuration. I miss my Mommy, may she rest in peace. The way I ride the SD, sometimes I think it will not be too long before we meet again

Post 5 by MADDOG53,

#5
My favorite "V-Twin" ,,,,simple design,,,no water cooling to leak,,,Heron heads,,and a kick start ,,,,not to say the SD isn't a hoot to ride,,,,,,this got 70 mpg at 85 mph,,,,,,and handled like nothing else,,,,period,,,I actualy dragged the pegs everywhere,,,,,,
[imgImage][/img]
Then again lightweights ,,,, even a parallel twin that vibrated like a fook could be fun too,,,,and it was,,,,,,
[urlImage][/url]

Post 6 by TLS_Russ,

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Post 7 by boney95,

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Post 8 by boney95,

#8
But for me, I've only been riding street bikes for 3 years now. I'll never buy an IL4, just don't like any cookie cutter type jap bike, and anything like it. My first bike was a Buell XB12Ss (V-Twin), love it. I'll always buy V-Twin. I love torque too much.

Post 9 by TLS_Russ,

#9
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Post 10 by boney95,

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Post 11 by TLS_Russ,

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Post 12 by KTM666,

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Post 13 by KTM666,

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Post 14 by TLS_Russ,

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Post 15 by KTM666,

#15
I been tempted to do a serious track bike RS250 Aprilia frame and 350 YPVS motor bored and stroked to 535cc

http://www.stanstephens.com/ypvsbanshee.htm

It would be worth just to see the faces of the 'I must have the Latest fastest tack bike' ................

Post 16 by TLS_Russ,

#16
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Post 17 by KTM666,

#17
Yeah I saw an artical about it, in Performance Bike a couple of years ago looks fun

Post 18 by TLS_Russ,

#18
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Post 19 by KTM666,

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Post 20 by jambox,

#20
How many pipes!

Post 21 by TLS_Russ,

#21
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Post 22 by jambox,

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Post 23 by TLS_Russ,

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Post 24 by jambox,

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Post 26 by TLS_Russ,

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Post 27 by KTM666,

#27
It was when he rode it again in 2009.....still pretty cool...he said when he raced it, it was geared for 145mph in fifth at 10,000rpm he looked down once and saw 11,500rpm (that is 166.75mph)

Post 28 by TLS_Russ,

#28
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Post 29 by CEREC1,

#29
RD400
KR1s
RGV250
TZ250 'B' Wrathall Tuned (the only thing that makes me long to be 21 again,happy days !)
TL1000's 1997
RSV Mille


The bikes I remember best.

Post 30 by CEREC1,

#30
Ridden loads of different bikes including singles/triples/in line fours but the SD, although not the quickest bike by far certainly keeps me wanting more and more. Its the built in naughtyness KTM seem to have the DNA for I cant seem to think I would want any other bike, and you can use all of it unlike litre sports bikes..... yawn

Post 31 by KTM666,

#31
I loved reading this thread.Brought back so many memories.
At 55 I was very lucky growing up in southern Calif.I started on dirt bikes Hodaka ace 90 at 12. Then the fun starts 250 husky,400 CZ
Then the jap bikes took over.
I had them all 250 2 strokes Loved my Yz's raced them for years.
In the 80's I got into street bikes.Started with a 83 Honda Nighthawk 650.Great bike My first new street bike.Put the best tyres on and a kerker pipe and went blasting thru the canyons.

This was the golden age there was no such thing as a sport bike.I went to the GP's and saw the greats the king was amazing.Randy Mamola
crazy guy doing stopies before anyone knew what to call them.I got to see this young kid ride his Honda into history winning the 250 and the 500 title.You old guys will know who I am talking about.Man was he fast.
After that the sport bike war hit GPZ's VFR's I saw the first ones and had one thought I was Kenny on this bike.

Then here comes this thing called a gsxr wow it was light years ahead.Now you could have a real race bike.For us it was the real deal.
I did superbike school with Kieth Code and I was hooked. Tracks when ever I could Willow Springs and Laguna.
Thinks about it I was riding on the same race track as Kenny Roberts and the best in the world.
I did club racing for about five years.I was in the M/C business as well.Motorcycles were my life.I still raced mx too.

I had a couple of kids and had to make a choice.MX won.Got the kids bikes and we all had fun.

I gave up street riding just was not fun in L A I could not get the same rush I got from the track.
At 48 I got a Harley I lived in Az it was safer.Plus my back could not take a sportbike anymore
I started seeing the super moto's and dreamed of them.Wanted a duke since day one.
Just did not want to spend the 16K.
I was missing some thing The Harley was ok but it was not enough.
After a bad back for many years I got a surgery and now I was ok! no more pain.
Got a aprilia DD750 loved that bike.As we all know aprilia has a bad dealer network.
I sold it. Then out of nowwhere I got this deal on a 08 duke 200 miles with 15 months of warranty.
I had to have it 7900 bucks the bike of my dreams finally.

Full circle I have got all the go fast mods joined trackdayriders and plan to get back out on the track. This year.
Life is strange I never thought I would do this again.Now I can't wait.I still ride MX.
My duke is my bike of choice now.Hope I can see and meet some of you guys at the track.
Life is good at 55 I got new parts in my back. Good as new.

Post 32 by TLS_Russ,

#32
Seems to be a degree of passion for some of those little 2 stroke gems from days gone bye. You have to feel a little sorry for those youngsters out there who missed out on that golden era of powerbands and the sweet smell of 2 stroke fumes in the morning! ( those engines loved a crisp frosty morning even if the tyres didn't).

However progress has given us V Twins. Someone up there does love bikers!

Oh yeah, and I so wanted one of those Morini's in 1975. Never had the money at the time. Great to see one again.

Post 33 by CEREC1,

#33
Best Bike I ever owned by a long way was very much like this one here

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TZ-250-/260816073 ... 4356461148

awesome machine - first time I took it out at Aintree my face litrally ached from grinning so much

Post 34 by TLS_Russ,

#34
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Post 35 by TLS_Russ,

#35
My RD350LC formula 2 Stan stevens was knocking out 72bhp Minced all my mates GS1000

Post 36 by CEREC1,

#36
one of my mates was a proddy racer, he had a Kawasaki Z650 on the road, i could cream him on my overbored 270cc RD250E

Post 37 by TLS_Russ,

#37
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Post 38 by Willh,

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Post 39 by CEREC1,

#39
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Post 40 by boysie,

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Post 41 by KTM666,

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Post 42 by KTM666,

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Post 43 by zoddas,

#43
My brother had a TRX and I hated it as it felt like it was 9 feet long and understeered badly, but he loved it dearly and we all have our own opinions

Post 44 by scamb66,

#44
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Post 45 by bruce950sm,

#45
Entered in error

Post 46 by KTM666,

#46
Hi All,

This thread would make a good starting point for a psychology thesis on why old people people do crazy things ( and in their youth ... it must be genetic ).

The thing that stands out most here is that a lot of the elder ( and still not sensible ) SD owners have had a past filled with socially unacceptable but outrageously capable two strokes.
It really does say something about you lot. Why ? Well, in the day they had the biggest bang for the buck and were usually the underdog in a world of bigger capacity four strokes. They sounded nasty with some proper pipes and were smelly and oily. The general public didn't like them and most traditional bikers didn't like them either. So you were obviously antisocial misfits and probably a cheap to. I traded my Norton fastback that I'd owned and loved for 8 years for a new RG500 Gamma in 1985 and all my twin riding mates thought I'd gone mad ( wish I still had both now ).

So what's different today, not much by the stories in this thread. The SD still has distinctive styling that a lot of people don't get and underdog status among the latest rockets. It has a throttle response that's not quite a two stroke power band but is still pretty snappy and has genuine sporting abilities and is a whole lot of fun. Which is just what we were looking for back then.

KTM seem to build their bikes with a bit more attitude than most of the others. Which I guess, is why they appeal to you crazy lot ).

My life in motorcycles.
Honda CB450 ( 1974 ... tried to kill me that bike, not really a good learner bike )
Honda CB750 K1 ( not really a good learner bike either but went hard with a Yoshi 810 kit )
Ducati 860 GTL ( my first brand new bike, what a f#%king lemon )
Honda XL250 ( 350 barrels bored to 450 with proper road forks, wheels brakes and nickle plated frame ... very trick and before I'd ever heard the word motard )
Bultaco Sherpa 350 ( should have been my first bike )
Bultaco 370 Frontera ( tough as nails that one )
Honda 750 ( some people just don't learn )
Kawa z900 ( cheap and rough but fun to ride .... sounds like a few girls I knew back then )
Triumph T160 Trident ( no wonder they went broke )
Honda FT500 ( single cylinder roady ... sad bike )
Ducati Panter ( gutless piece of poo )
Ducati 900SS ( a proper L twin ... shame it shit itself )
Norton 750 Fastback ( I spent a lot of time and money on that bike )
Suzuki RG500 Gamma ( holy fook )
Suzuki DR650 ( oh well )
Suzuki RG500 Gamma ( not as good as the first one, used to jump out of second gear back into first ... cue one handed impromptu wheelies )
Yamaha TZ250 chassis with an RD400 engine road registered ( like a very fast pushie ... a bit crazy that one )
Suzuki RG500 Gamma ( I guess I just liked them )
KTM 640EGS ( hard work in the dirt ... for an old bloke )
Yamaha TRX850 ( drop the forks an inch through the trees', fix the front suspension, Brembo brakes, nice noise with carbon pipes ... if only it had 20 or 40 more horses )
KTM 640SM ( broke my femur that little f$#ker )
KTM 950SM ( the best high speed bronco ride you'll ever have )
KTM 990SD ( Oh, me poor old back etc... )
KTM 990SMT ( bit like Goldie locks and the porridge this one )

There were others that I'd bought for girl friends ( RD350's, RZ350's and KR250 ) or borrowed from mates for extended loans ( 450 Desmo single, BMW R90S and a Water Bottle ) that I should have kept too !!!

KTM better hurry up with the next generation of SD's cos a lot of us are starting to get on a bit you know ........

Post 47 by TLS_Russ,

#47
Right here we go

Puch vz50

Fantic Chopper

Suzuki GT380L

Norton 650SS

Yamaha RD350A

Yamaha RD400C Head Skimmed and Ported

Suzuki PE250

Suzuki GS750 - 850cc Yoshi big bore, Yoshi cams gas flowed, S & W valve springs, 4 into1 Various, Girling suspension, 2/4 seat

Yamaha RD350LC - Stan Stevens built from new formula 2 tuned motor with 32mm carbs, Allspeed pipes

Kawasaki GPZ1100B1 – Alpha Pipes, Filter & Seat

Yamaha RD350 YPVS Allspeed Pipes, Filters Ported, seat

Yamaha RD350 YPVS N Allspeed Pipes, Filters Ported, seat

Honda NSR250 MC21 with HRC black box and expansion cambers

Bandit 600 TTS Built 884cc big bore motor, gas flowed, Cams. Yoshi system

1993 Honda Fireblade- Dyno Jetted, tuned 130bhp (at back wheel)

Suzuki Bandit 1200 TTS 1247cc 12.5 compression big bore, Gas Flowed GSXR750 High Lift cams, Full EVO Akrapovic system (GSXR 750 forks re-valved Ohlins springs, Ohlins rear shock, 6 pot brakes , (142bhp rear wheel & 97ftlb)

Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade – HRC V/stacks and modified inlet, HRC suspension linkage Full Evo Akrapovic, Ohlins rear shock, PC111, mapped by JHS (156bhp rear wheel)

KTM950 SM - Xbike Tune, Akrapovic end Cans, Filter, Jetted and geared

Honda CBR600RR Gas flowed, Full Micron Serpent exhaust, Maxton front forks, Ohlins rear shock, quick shifter, PC111, stripped for the track with day time MOT (111bhp rear)

CBR1000RR8- Akrapovic half system

Superduke (05 model 2007) Work in progress Akrapovic ‘R’ Full system, PC111, DNA mk3, R rear shock,


I think I have missed some .........….I Had More RD’s I think ….love um




Peugeot Blaster 50cc - De-ristricted

Yamaha DT125X (Super Moto) With full DEP Expansion

KTM690SM – Full Akrapovic EVO System

KTM950SM - Xbike Tune, Akrapovic end Cans, Filter, Jetted and geared

Triumph Street Triple ‘R’ 675 – TuneECU mapped (Black & Gold)





.

Post 48 by KTM666,

#48
Aint we done all this before?

Post 49 by TLS_Russ,

#49
.....thats the great thing about getting older.....you can have your Favourite conversation .......over and over again

























.....thats the great thing about getting older.....you can have your Favourite conversation .......over and over again









.

Post 50 by Colonel_Klinck,

#50
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Post 51 by shadowman,

#51
Alzheimers is great cos I never get bore of the same old shit
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