Top 5 dream motorbikes

[Verrt]

Former dream bikes.
I thought these were really something else when they came out, now the just look cheesy and dated.

Suzuki B-King concept

I still kinda like some elements of this one. This is the concept version. The production model looked like a butt.

Honda Valkyrie Rune

Honda took the a Goldwing, stripped it back, added a bunch on, threw in some heritage with the Valkyrie moniker, doubled down on the viking in the name with Rune, and we got this fat beast.
Was super cool in 2004, now it looks kinda bloated and goofy.

 

[deorman]

RG finds a loophole in thr system to submit 10 bikes instead of five!

Lol. Boomers are the weeniest generation to ever exist. Their parents literally defeated a super villain and gave them the moon, like, the actual moon. They still whine incessantly about every aspect of life that's even moderately difficult, things like iphones and.. emotions.
Also.. who you think was handing out the participation trophies??

GenX is fine. Forgotten middle child that no one remembers.


Yeah, lamb PC warriors ruin everything, just like how they changed the name of the Honda Slavery Type R.



I remember thinking when this came out. Dodge, the car maker, tried real hard to make a motorbike, and still ended up giving it four wheels.


I don't really have a list of unobtainable dream bikes. Being unobtainable kind of ruins the dream for me.

But there is one I can think of
View attachment 152052

Get offa my lawn!

 

[RustyGold]

RG finds a loophole in thr system to submit 10 bikes instead of five!

Well...I could also list my top five bikes I've owned...or my top five favorite custom builds .

Lol. Boomers are the weeniest generation to ever exist...

Dude, know your audience...do you know what the average age on this site is?

I will point out a few things I'm thankful to the Boomers for...

Music...they didn't invent rock, but they pushed it forward. 60s and 70s rock is still the backbone of rock stations today...they also gave us disco, but I like to focus on the positive.

Cars... didn't invent Hot Rods, but the Muscle Car era was targetted right at them. No Boomers...no muscle cars.

Motorcycles...Boomers rode, it may not have been the golden age of motorcycling, but a super strong silver age at worst.

Bicycles... Muscle bikes, 10 speed boom...Gen X gets the BMX boom .

Plastic model kits...Created for Boomers, loved by GenXers.

Funny thing about the above four things...pushed forward by Boomers, further forward by GenXers... destroyed by Millennials and beyond.

Yeah, lamb PC warriors ruin everything, just like how they changed the name of the Honda Slavery Type R.

Oh come on... confederate does not equal slavery and I doubt anyone ever thought they were supporting slavery by buying a Confederate Motorcycle, or a General Lee BMX bike, or yee-hawing for slavery watching the Dukes in the '80s.

I remember thinking when this came out. Dodge, the car maker, tried real hard to make a motorbike, and still ended up giving it four wheels.

I don't really have a list of unobtainable dream bikes. Being unobtainable kind of ruins the dream for me.

But there is one I can think of
View attachment 152052

...and great choice it is. I called the JDH a superbike...the Brough Superior really was a superbike. Gorgeous.

 

[Verrt]

Well...I could also list my top five bikes I've owned...or my top five favorite custom builds .

Dude, know your audience...do you know what the average age on this site is?

Knowing my audience is my job. I'm here to relax!
Which I do by baiting my elders.
Because I'm a punk kid millennial brat... that's coming up fast on 40.

Funny thing about the above four things...pushed forward by Boomers, further forward by GenXers... destroyed by Millennials and beyond.

Tesla
Casey Stoner
The Black Keys
Single speed 700c coaster
Programmable robot model kits

I doubt anyone ever thought they were supporting slavery by buying a Confederate Motorcycle, or a General Lee BMX bike, or yee-hawing for slavery watching the Dukes in the '80s.

No, but it should have bloody well crossed their minds

 

[Verrt]

..the Brough Superior really was a superbike. Gorgeous.

Every single one guaranteed to do 100 miles an hour! If it couldn't you could take it back to the factory and they would fix it so it could or replace it.

Stopping on the other hand, well... YMMV

 

[RustyGold]

Tesla
Casey Stoner
The Black Keys
Single speed 700c coaster
Programmable robot model kits

I see a list of things created by Boomers and Gen Xers... what's your point?

 

[RustyGold]

Seems like this would be a great thread for @BDC to comment on, as he's in the biz. I'd like to see his picks considering his height.

I find it interesting to compare Cap's bikes with my want list, since we both have racing history (mine was very fairly brief due to Desert Shield/Storm). His bikes are all scalpels...mine are all sledgehammers . That's probably very telling of our general racing skills...he probably had some, I was just a brute. If you bobble or get pushed out of line on a less powerful bike, getting back in the pack can be a challenge. Bobble on a big bike and your probably back in the mix at the end of the next straight...I made a lot of mistakes .

View attachment 152081

I don't have pics available for any of the bikes I would put on my best owned list...and I only have two of the bikes that might make the list. One in the barn that is sealed like a tomb (CB900F), and the other covered in dust, dog hair, and bicycle boxes in the garage (the ZRX...but it probably wouldn't make the top five list). I can try and fake it, I spose...

1) 1978 Honda CBX1000. This was my first real street bike (though far from the first bike I rode on the street ). This is also the first bike I rode while drunk. Which is why this was also the first bike I wrecked ...to be 17 and invincible.

...mine didn't have the spoiler rear fender, it had a chrome fender like the '77 CBs. I thought it was stock at the time, but I've never seen another CBX with a chrome fender and have been told by Honda gurus that it never happened. Looked more like this at the back...

...the engine ended up in a one person sandrail at the coast. I used to have friends that would report back to me when they saw it at the dunes...but, that was last in the 2000s, as I no longer know anyone that goes and plays at the dunes anymore.

2) The bar bike. This one was hard to find a remotely representative pic of...some 70s hardtail frame (was told Paughco, but no identifying stampings) with Harley 45" WL flathead and every stupid throwaway part I could get my hands on. Twist throttle right hand, ignition advance left hand, floorboard clutch left foot, rear floorboard brake right foot...jockey shifter...kick start only.... . My riding buddies at the time all swore they hated it, but I remember a lot of grins and laughter...well, after the groans when I would ride into wherever we were meeting.

It was the bar bike because of a little game I'd play with it at the clubs/bars. At that time, motorcycle theft was of epidemic proportions in SoCal. Clubs would have Harley, or Harley and Ferrari, nights with designated parking areas with security guards to encourage people to come to the clubs without worrying about their bikes being stole. So I would park it anywhere, and never lock it. Often someone would comment about why no lock when I arrived or left...and especially if they were inebriated, I'd ask them if they wanted to ride it. If you can start it, you can take it for a ride. Many tried...none succeeded...it was like the rubik's cube of bikes .

... similar to this, no springer, buckhorn bars, bobbed full fender on the back, all primer grey with gloss black wheels...no front brake. But, same general vibe as this one...

3) 1982 Honda CB900F. This was built as my street racer in the old days. It has gotten me in so much trouble in the past that I was actually glad when a dog ate the wiring out of it. Stroked and poked to over 1000cc, has a CB1100 crank and 3.5mm overbore pistons. Bassani race exhaust makes it the absolute loudest bike at full tilt I've ever had...and there are several cops that can attest to that. It's a tall heavy bike but feels like it has unlimited power. It has CB1100F body work on it like this one (CB900F & CB1100F are the same except engine), but mine has powder coated red wheels and frame. It's been sitting in the barn for just over twenty years .

4) 1968 BSA Spitfire. Hated this bike at first...it had been shipped to the US by a Marine that had owned it while stationed in London. I think it had the worst owners in history, because it had the most horrid combination of metric, whitworth, and standard fasteners throughout the bike...most of them just crossthreaded in. So, everytime I worked on it I would have to pretty much tap, helicoil, insert, or plug-drill-tap every hole on the whole bike. I had a buddy that had an early '50s BSA A10 that I liked the look of, so over time I retroed everything until it went from a fairly beat Spitfire...

...to something very much like this (with clubman bars and bar-end mirrors)...

I've tried to add #5 three times now, and failed. Fingers crossed on attempt #4...

5) 1989 Harley Davidson Sportster XLH883 Hugger. Got it new at 18yo. The rear cylinder blew a head gasket @ 10k miles...as it was only a year old then, some shenanigans between the dealership, Harley, and myself resulted in a 1200 kit being installed with worked heads. I added cams, mikuni, and modified a Kerker 2into1 into a Supertrapp exhaust. In a fairly short amount of time it became my race bike (while still pulling street duty as well). Due to a hit & run and some other issues...a lot of the race parts came off and stock parts back on. It went from cruiser to hooligan and back to cruiser (still with the 'race' engine). I finally managed to blow up the engine at 120k miles... pretty exceptional for a Sportster, especially one rode as hard as mine. I had great plans for it's phoenix like rebirth...but, along with a bunch of other stuff, it got stole out of my barn several years ago.

Couldn't find a representative pic anywhere on the net. While looking for one I stumbled across some Sportster Roadster models, and the fenders on those are exactly like the set of fenders I cut up for my bike. I'm now convinced that someone at Harley was watching me back in 1990 and stole my idea

...similar seat as well, I had a Corbin Gunfighter.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Every generation except for the one that I am in is wrong for many reasons, primary being that they lack ME! People were too busy staring at their navels to realize perfection was attained. Then a whole flock of goofballs proceeded to ignore it.
Pants, music, hair, cars, sports, bikes we're better at everything than everyone. Sarcasm and ironing too.

 

[BDC]

BMW HP2 Megamoto
2020 Road King with stage 2.
Triumph Scrambler XE 1200
Rune
BMW R1600 GT

 

[Verrt]

I see a list of things created by Boomers and Gen Xers... what's your point?

List of great stuff in the categories you layed out, that is for, by, or are millennials.
Nothing is ruined, you're just old, cranky, and need to be burped. It's ok, it's not your fault, it's just how your generation is.

 

[RustyGold]

Maybe. I wonder sometimes if I'm just an old guy shaking my fist at the clouds.

Your list is weak, though...nothing on there originated with millennials.

 

[RustyGold]

BMW HP2 Megamoto
2020 Road King with stage 2.
Triumph Scrambler XE 1200
Rune
BMW R1600 GT

I had to look up both the BMWs...they were new to me. Cool stuff!

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Your list is weak, though...nothing on there originated with millennials.

From the guy who brought you:
"Music...they didn't invent rock, but they pushed it forward. 60s and 70s rock is still the backbone of rock stations today
(Aside: Radio? Yeah, fm is a great barometer for what is happening with music. That and record shops)
...they also gave us disco, but I like to focus on the positive. (If you can ignore the negative, everything we've done is awesome. Like the confederacy.)

Cars... didn't invent Hot Rods, but the Muscle Car era was targetted right at them. No Boomers...no muscle car. (also no minivan)

Motorcycles...Boomers rode, it may not have been the golden age of motorcycling, but a super strong silver age at worst"

Tldr: when boomers do something they didn't invent, they improve it. When gen x does something they didn't invent, it shouldn't be mentioned or recognized because they're unoriginal

 

[Verrt]

Maybe. I wonder sometimes if I'm just an old guy shaking my fist at the clouds.

Your list is weak, though...nothing on there originated with millennials.

I definitely am. Get me started on social media or video messaging, you'll see.

Your list was the same. Lee Iacocca was born in the 20s and Mick Jagger was born before 1945. The examples can go on.

I'm saying that music, cars, model kits, and whatever else was on the list weren't "ruined" by millennials and Gen Z. Those things have changed or moved on in the era of millennial, and if you wanted to waste a day you could list many cases that are arguably better.

I'm not saying that everyone under 41 is better or worse than everyone born previously. There are broad general traits common across each generation that are interesting to look at the social causes of, but the second you get a tiny bit granular it all breaks down.

 

[RustyGold]

Okay outrage/cancel mob (of two). Drop the Confederacy BS...I put forward one of my favorite motorcycles (the point of the thread), the Confederate Motorcycles Wraith...and made an incredibly short and precise comment that the business name was changed for PC reasons. No editorial exposition...that was it, no conjecture...that was the reason given by the owner. The end.

 

[RustyGold]

(Aside: Radio? Yeah, fm is a great barometer for what is happening with music. That and record shops)

Yeah...radio...internet or terrestrial. Whatever you want to use as the current barometer, it's the same...all rock outlets are essentially 'classic rock' because there is no current rock scene. You can mention a band/group/person as an exception here and there, but rock (as a current and relevant genre) is dead. It had a great run, I'm lamenting that it didn't have a greater run. Every decade or so there would be a regional explosion in rock to reinvigorate it, modernize it for the new kids. The last explosion was in Seattle thirty years ago...there are no regional music scenes...there is no wave of up and comers to retire the previous dudes. The previous bands just keep playing the same stuff to pad their retirement. Look at the biggest drawing concerts every year...they are mostly 30, 40, 50+ year old bands. I think it was 2017 or so that I thought, maybe I'm being too harsh... maybe I should dig deeper and listen to what's out there. I did a search for top 10 rock albums of the year. What did the list consist of? Five rereleases of Metallica albums...and one new Metallica album. There were only a couple who were not old bands, I think Imagine Dragons was one...and they are okay...pretty good.

(also no minivan)

Solid point . There are always going to be practical soccer mom rigs...station wagon to minivan to SUV. Problem now is, everything is becoming a soccer mom rig, 'crossover SUV'. Can't wait to see the next gen crossover corvette...seven passenger and everybody gets a cup holder .

Tldr: when boomers do something they didn't invent, they improve it. When gen x does something they didn't invent, it shouldn't be mentioned or recognized because they're unoriginal

W t F(ork)?

 

[RustyGold]

I'm saying that music, cars, model kits, and whatever else was on the list weren't "ruined" by millennials and Gen Z. Those things have changed or moved on in the era of millennial, and if you wanted to waste a day you could list many cases that are arguably better.

Much like the manual transmission, the things I'm passionate about are dying off. They are dying off because millennials dropped the torch. I carried the torch when it passed to me, and those that passed to me, carried it when it was passed to them. I'm invested in these things...as in, I have a barn full of project cars and motorcycles waiting for my golden years to enjoy...and the writing is on the wall that if I live long enough to play out my plan (first hurdle)...it may be legislated out from under me.

So...why can't I sling the occasional harmless barbs at the millennials that won't carry the torches? I didn't whine and complain when my generation was labelled the 'slacker generation' (if they only knew then what was coming )...why can't hipsters take any criticism?

 

[Verrt]

So...why can't I sling the occasional harmless barbs at the millennials that won't carry the torches?

You totally can, but you might get some harmless barbs slung back.

...why can't hipsters take any criticism?

Like crying "cancel mob" when two whole people make some pretty lightweight comments about the the name of a motorbike that at least a third of the US and most of the rest of the world would find incredibly distasteful?

 

[RustyGold]

I already did the tongue in cheek when I parantheseses'd, of two. No whining there.

They weren't barbs at me, however...it's not my company, not my confederacy. They were knee jerk assumptions by the mob of two.

 

[Captain Awesome]

My photos from a couple years ago at the gathering of the Britten's at Barber vintage festival