Show your motorcycles!!
- Thread starter hogwylde
- Start date
Art Doc
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
My 1979 FXE. Only 80 inches which was big when I bought it brand new in July of '79 (35 years together this summer), but very small by today's standards. Chain drive, four speed, kick starter (which always draws attention as in "What's that thing hanging on the side of the tranny?)
The 19" front rim was replaced with a 21" unit, drag pipes added, and short classic "sissy bar" all installed when it was still new. A few years ago I had it repainted in the original jet black and had the motor rebuilt and upgraded with an Andrews cam, some porting and polishing of the heads and an S&S carburetor. I figure it went from 60 HP to maybe 80 with the modifications. Still slow compared to the new bikes with 100+ CID motors, but fast enough to scare me.
Unfortunately, as a couple other guys said, time and physical failings make it hard to ride for any distance. I doubt I could do 100 miles in a day without being crippled up in my back and hips. I guess I keep it because it's the last vestige of my youth. The energy, strength, health are all gone. Many of my friends are gone. The bike remains.
The 19" front rim was replaced with a 21" unit, drag pipes added, and short classic "sissy bar" all installed when it was still new. A few years ago I had it repainted in the original jet black and had the motor rebuilt and upgraded with an Andrews cam, some porting and polishing of the heads and an S&S carburetor. I figure it went from 60 HP to maybe 80 with the modifications. Still slow compared to the new bikes with 100+ CID motors, but fast enough to scare me.
Unfortunately, as a couple other guys said, time and physical failings make it hard to ride for any distance. I doubt I could do 100 miles in a day without being crippled up in my back and hips. I guess I keep it because it's the last vestige of my youth. The energy, strength, health are all gone. Many of my friends are gone. The bike remains.
My Great Grandfather on his 1919 Indian Twin that he bought it in 1923. I have the original title for the bike ( No, I don't know what became of the motorcycle) He carried his carpenters tools in the sidecar. Attached is a scan of the original and a cleaned up copy.
Attachments
Beauetienne
Member
2009 Suzuki C50
photobiker
Member
I've been sitting on the sidelines because you guys have some nice bikes. Here is my ride, 1997 Honda Spirit 1100 with my wonderful bride trying to hide. This was our Maine trip in I think 2005. This was a 2 week trip. This ride has 115,323 miles on it and unfortunately I haven't ridden it much in the last 3 years. We have been everywhere there is to go within in a 3 day ride of home. When you start recognizing the roads going left and right and up and down it's time to find new roads.
I started with a 1972 Honda 350 and put about 20,000 miles on it. Move up to a 1975 Honda 750 and traded it with 52,000 miles on it. Next was a 1979 Honda Limited Addition, see a theme here. Don't remember the miles when I sold it. Somewhere around 35,000. At the time I lived in Virgina Beach and I thought it just wasn't safe to ride so I sold it. Bought my present ride new off the floor, actually it was still in the crate, in 1997. It's not a big bike but it just fits me.
I started with a 1972 Honda 350 and put about 20,000 miles on it. Move up to a 1975 Honda 750 and traded it with 52,000 miles on it. Next was a 1979 Honda Limited Addition, see a theme here. Don't remember the miles when I sold it. Somewhere around 35,000. At the time I lived in Virgina Beach and I thought it just wasn't safe to ride so I sold it. Bought my present ride new off the floor, actually it was still in the crate, in 1997. It's not a big bike but it just fits me.
CW Spook
US Veteran
I've put up pics of this before, but here it is again....my 2011 Ural Gear Up, 2wd Russian sidecar rig. Me driving, my 42-yr old son in the monkey seat...
CBus660R
Member
Here's my latest, a '13 KTM 450XC-W
It has studded tires on right now, might have to get out and take a beauty shot of it posed in a snowbank tomorrow (we've got about 8" since 7:30 this evening).
I still have an '07 KTM 250SX also, only have an action pic,
Here's an action shot on my '05 KTM 300EXC I sold 3 years ago,
It has studded tires on right now, might have to get out and take a beauty shot of it posed in a snowbank tomorrow (we've got about 8" since 7:30 this evening).
I still have an '07 KTM 250SX also, only have an action pic,
Here's an action shot on my '05 KTM 300EXC I sold 3 years ago,
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CBus660R
Member
As promised, the '13 in a snowbank,
and,
Close up of the tires,
and,
Close up of the tires,
CBus660R
Member
And a few more action shots 
dcxplant
Member
Boy do I miss dirt bikes! But at my age falling has real consequences!!
I took my 2012 BMW R1200GS on a dirt road this summer and promptly fell off, breaking my ankle and costing me 7 weeks of work….
Serves me right to think that at pushing 50 and not having ridden on dirt since high school, that I could pull off riding on a gravel road on a 100hp, 500 pound motorcycle with non-knobby tires!
I took my 2012 BMW R1200GS on a dirt road this summer and promptly fell off, breaking my ankle and costing me 7 weeks of work….
Serves me right to think that at pushing 50 and not having ridden on dirt since high school, that I could pull off riding on a gravel road on a 100hp, 500 pound motorcycle with non-knobby tires!
Jaysq
US Veteran
Nice bikes guys!
Here's mine......OK, so it still has the training wheels
Here's mine......OK, so it still has the training wheels
CBus660R
Member
Age is irrelevant, your mistake was taking the GS off pavement without a set of TKC80s
I'm 38 and hardly an old guy among my group. We have a couple silver haired devils well into their 60's in my club who still venture into the woods on Kawi KDX200s with us. They don't ride the same pace as us, but they have a ball.
ridewv
Member
Age is irrelevant, your mistake was taking the GS off pavement without a set of TKC80s
I'll disagree with that. A GS works fine on dry dirt or gravel roads with street tires, Tourances, etc. Wet dirt (mud) or wet grass can be a different story. Heck there were Harley's and Indians riding all across the US back when there was practically nothing BUT dirt roads.
dcxplant
Member
Age is irrelevant, your mistake was taking the GS off pavement without a set of TKC80s
Good point! I'm thinking of either trying Heidenau's and and practice a bit or switch to street tires and keep the GS on pavement.
I suck in the dirt, that's the main issue
The age thing counts when hitting the ground though
it hurts, and stuff breaks. I jumped my dirt bike as a kid and got pile-driven into the ground on a regular basis wearing a Bell open face helmet, jeans, sneakers, and hardware store gloves.Not a scratch or broken bone.
At 47 I tipped over in deep gravel at about 5mph and broke my ankle while wearing Sidi heavy motorcycle boots!
I pass the young sport bike squids all the time, big bags on and all, (you should see their faces when that happens) and can make that big GS sing in the twisties, but admittedly I don't know what I'm doing in the dirt anymore.
Try the kenda Big Blocks (784?). TKCs work, but don't last on a big GS. The Heidenaus are simply overpriced and overrated.
Yep, I can relate...
I told a buddy the other day, "I used to bounce, now I *crunch*!"
Like the old bluesman said, "The older I get, the better I was!"
And just to keep the photos going- me at the HD 100th (10-1/2 years ago, already?)
Fully loaded, camping gear on the left, personal on the right, leaving Milwaukee:
Event was ok, the ride was great! Portland OR to Milwaukee WI, stopping along the way to see family in WA, ID, and MT. I really need to get things road ready again. Don't know how far I could get, but I'd still like to see if I could.
I told a buddy the other day, "I used to bounce, now I *crunch*!"
Like the old bluesman said, "The older I get, the better I was!"
And just to keep the photos going- me at the HD 100th (10-1/2 years ago, already?)
Fully loaded, camping gear on the left, personal on the right, leaving Milwaukee:
Event was ok, the ride was great! Portland OR to Milwaukee WI, stopping along the way to see family in WA, ID, and MT. I really need to get things road ready again. Don't know how far I could get, but I'd still like to see if I could.
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JJEH
Member
2012 Harley Iron 883 me and my girlfriends first bike.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I like that very much.
dcxplant
Member
What are those things like on the street?
I ride two-up on pavement a lot.
Great photos everyone! I'm going to have to set up one of those photo accounts. -edit- It worked!
One for slow street, nice and shiny; and one for fast street and in the dirt (good dirt roads). As you can tell I have a 'thing' for mountains.
Here we go: My 2003 100th Anniversary Deuce over Silicon Valley on the Santa Cruz Mountains.
2012 R1200GS on Montana Mountain west of Globe, AZ
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Hack
Member
1993 FLHS. Last year of production for the ElectraGlide Sport. In 1994 The MoCo introduced the Road King.
I bought this bike brand new in April 1993 (ordered it in September 1992). It is my first, and probably last Harley-Davidson. I will never sell it. When I'm gone, my heirs can figure out what to do with it.
Don't think I'll go this route though:
http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/...on-harley.html
