I love bikes !

I've been riding forever.

My 6 seconds of hooliganism :

I've owned a few bikes over the years ... let's take a ride down memory lane !

75 Suzuki RM 125 I was 13 years old when I got my first bike and I'm surprised I didn't give up - trying to learn on this evil contraption ! A brutal powerband only 1000 rpm's wide at the very top.... and no one to show me how to ride. I survived ... and sold it after about four months. 78 Suzuki PE 175 We moved back to Canada so I was off the road for a couple of more years. This bike was beat ! Just about everything that could go wrong or wear out, did. The silencer broke off, the shifter spline wore smooth, the top of the carb would pop off while riding and the seat actually broke. Then the frame broke (just in front of the side cover) so I sold it to someone who bought it without a test ride. (I still feel guilty.) I found out later that this was the only 78 imported into Canada, and had been a demo bike, shipped from dealer to dealer. No wonder it was a basket case ! 75 Honda CB 400 F A jewel of an engine - it sounded great ! This is another web photo as my photo is too dark. Mine was repainted a darker red and had a Shoei "cafe racer" fairing. 80 Suzuki GS1100E Out of highschool and working, time for a loan ! Tons of power and torque, but unfortunately it suffered from the electrical gremlins that plagued the GS series. The previous owner had installed a fork brace, flatter bars and aftermarket shocks. A smooth and comfortable bike, I miss this one. 80 Honda CBX Oh why did I ever sell it ?!! If I could only turn back the clock... I wanted a bike with more torque than my FZ600 and really lucked out when I found this one listed for $3500. I offered $2700 and he accepted ! This bike would go for at least 6K now. I used to dream of CBX's when they first came out and now I owned one ! This example was mint. Unfortunately the stock exhaust had been replaced, but the Wolfe 6 into 2's looked and sounded great. Ah, the sound of a 6 at 8000 rpm......! The flexy frame and weak brakes just didn't matter. 92 Honda CBR900RR Fireblade I traded my RZ350 in on this after seeing so many new riders on litre bikes. I had to have one too ! Note the 16 in front wheel .. I installed a Corbin seat that really only decreased my legroom ! Fast and light - it was a constant target for vandals and thieves in my apartment's underground parking lot. 83 Kawasaki KZ750 I only paid $1000 for this one. I really liked the Eddie Lawson styling, (it's really only the paint !) and comfortable ergo's. But the bike felt like a diesel after the CBR900RR ! It had leaky fork seals that leaked again after I had them replaced. I bought it with a rusty black header, but found some GPz pipes in the paper for $100. They fit by relocating the passenger pegs. I sold it just as it began to fall apart ! 86 Yamaha YZ250 This bike was in a lot better shape than the CR250. But the piston seized after about 3 rides ! I removed the head and it appeared that the piston melted away along the edge and the rings gave way. Maybe it was running too lean ? Anyway... I rebuilt it myself and it's been running great for 10 years now. (I still have this one.) 00 Kawasaki KLR 650 A classic bike in its 20 years of production. I set mine up as a commuter, ( still have the YZ for the dirt ) as you can tell by the top box and reflective tape ! In this role it really worked well. Sitting up high with lots of suspension travel is just the ticket for dealing with urban decay. The single made power right off idle - good for point and shoot style of riding. It was also a good in the twisties, the tighter the better - with the wide handlebars and endless ground clearance I can see why super motards are getting so popular ! In the end it was the lack of power and uncomfortable highway cruising that made me trade it in.

76 Suzuki GT 250 Living in the U.S. for a year allowed me to get my motocycle license at 14. A really smooth shifting transmission was this bike's strong point. Mine was exactly like this one. 81 Honda CR 125 Here I am at 16 with a much better bike ! This one was only a year old when I bought it. This was the first year for water cooled CR's, but the engine was still red. Check out those plastic Scott boots ! I competed in a couple of novice class races ... but finished near the back. 76 Honda MT250 (Not mine pictured) I only had this one for a month or two. It was the end result of a three way trade involving my CB400F and a Camaro. I was the loser of that deal. --- I'd rather not reminisce about it !! 86 Yamaha FZ600 Here I am waiting for the ferry to Saltspring Is. This was my first new bike (courtesy of a loan from my grandmother ! ) I really noticed the lack of power compared to my GS1100E. Yamaha used their older 2-valve per cylinder engine in this one. (It's not an FZR.) On the other hand the brakes and handling were excellent. I put a lot of km's on this bike as it was my only vehicle at the time. It also had the most uncomfortable seat ever !! 90 Yamaha RZ 350 Two-stroke heaven ! Another new bike purchase. This was the last year for the RZ's in Canada. Cheap insurance, lots of power, smooth motor, light, excellent handling, easy to wheelie....I could go on and on. I even did some touring with this one as the riding position was fairly mellow. 79 Yamaha DT250 A bike that I didn't have to worry about ! The CBR was just too nice for apartment life, but this bike was great, as no one would look twice at it. It was comfy around town and was fun in the dirt. This is yet another photo of someone else's bike - though mine was exactly the same, except it had the stock black seat. 84 Honda CR250 A return to dirt bikes ! A few friends also had dirt bikes, and for a couple of years we'd go almost weekly. Lots of fun, but injuries were always a distinct possibilty ! This bike was pretty beat and was almost impossible to start. I was lucky to sell it. 83 Honda NS250F A grey market V-twin two stroke. Bought from a shop in Vancouver that specialized in importing Japanese home market bikes. This was a gem of a bike. The v-twin was smooth and surprisingly torquey for a 250. It had some quirky features - like a "speed" warning light on the dash that would light up after 90 km/h. There was also an amber parking light inside the headlight. That looked good at dusk ! The crank had a lot of flywheel and it would start with a half a kick. 02 Kawasaki ZRX1200R A bike that did everything - tour, sport, commute - and looked great while doing it ! Posers buy cruisers or sportbikes, real riders ride a Rex !! Alas .. it had to go to make room for the Wing, a sad day indeed.

04 Honda GL 1800 Goldwing

It's fast and smooth, big and black, it's the ultimate !!
I love my "Blackwing" !! Stereo, cruise, heat, reverse,
ABS, a turbine smooth six cylinder motor, shaft drive, fast, tons of power,
taut suspension, alluminum frame, single sided swingarm and all day comfort.
However, it doesn't wheelie that well !!

See ya !!