What was the best bike you ever owned?

[bigkelk9]

In my 50+ years of riding and building bikes I have realized a few things. Custom built bikes are the top of the class and you can be surprised by other makes. My favorite bike was my 1996 Pro-street I built with a 107 S$S motor and 6 speed Rev-tech trans. It was low and mean and lasted me over 212K miles. I had a big cam and a G-S&S carb with a crane ign. My buddy is still riding it.

I never thought I'd ever ride a Jap bike but then I found a 2005 Yamaha road Star. 102 CI and what a bike. In the 2 years I owned it I only had to change the oil. No problems, always started and was wicked fast. Looked like an old Knucklehead and never let me down. Ya, pulling up at the foxhead or Cabbage patch would bring disdain but I knew it was a great bike.

I sold it a few weeks ago and I'm sad I did. I now have my Harley 2008 Deluxe which is a good bike but not the custom or the RS. The dog a 2004 chopper was fun to ride when it started but then all types of crap happened. I couldn't depend on it to bring me home and that's not right. The constant worry made it not a good day and I sold it for a loss of $8k...

So in 50+ years I'd have to say the 2005 Yamaha was the most fun and dependable bike I've ever owned. The 2004 BD chopper was the most fun to ride and the 1996 custom was in between. I'd love to build an other Pro-street with a pan head S&S motor, 6 speed and a springer front end. If I can find a rolling BD softail bike I may just do that because the BD frames are beautiful.

So what was your favorite bike?

Thats funny.. the most dependable bike I ever had was a 2005 Yamaha v-star 100.. changed oil and tires.. put a little over 20k on her in about 4 years..

 

[bigkelk9]

My favorite cruiser was my 05 V star 1100, my favorite crotch rocket was my 98 CBR 900rr Fireblade, my favorite quad was my 06 Kawasaki KFX 400, my favorite dirt bike was my 94 ATK 360 and my favorite chopper is my K9.. dirt bike and quad in pics not mine, but mine were pretty close to identical..

 

[SB03chopper]

In my 50+ years of riding and building bikes I have realized a few things. Custom built bikes are the top of the class and you can be surprised by other makes. My favorite bike was my 1996 Pro-street I built with a 107 S$S motor and 6 speed Rev-tech trans. It was low and mean and lasted me over 212K miles. I had a big cam and a G-S&S carb with a crane ign. My buddy is still riding it.

I never thought I'd ever ride a Jap bike but then I found a 2005 Yamaha road Star. 102 CI and what a bike. In the 2 years I owned it I only had to change the oil. No problems, always started and was wicked fast. Looked like an old Knucklehead and never let me down. Ya, pulling up at the foxhead or Cabbage patch would bring disdain but I knew it was a great bike.

I sold it a few weeks ago and I'm sad I did. I now have my Harley 2008 Deluxe which is a good bike but not the custom or the RS. The dog a 2004 chopper was fun to ride when it started but then all types of crap happened. I couldn't depend on it to bring me home and that's not right. The constant worry made it not a good day and I sold it for a loss of $8k...

So in 50+ years I'd have to say the 2005 Yamaha was the most fun and dependable bike I've ever owned. The 2004 BD chopper was the most fun to ride and the 1996 custom was in between. I'd love to build an other Pro-street with a pan head S&S motor, 6 speed and a springer front end. If I can find a rolling BD softail bike I may just do that because the BD frames are beautiful.

So what was your favorite bike?

I am new to the site, and was reading over messages, and had to reply to this. I too have been riding over 50+years, and the best one I have ever rode "still owe" is my 2004 Honda VTX 1800R. If it had a 20 gallon tank I would never get off it except to get something to eat, or relieve myself. That is with stock seat too, bars pulled back 4in. riser. I do like my Big Dog, just a different type of ride.

 

[KnotSo]

My favorite is the Mastiff I have owned for over 11 years, never a fail, good for 1000 miles a day and again the next, and looks fantastik.

 

[awg]

All of them!

 

[SB03chopper]

 

[SB03chopper]

It is metallic black now changed it last year.

 

[Mr. Wright]

My first bike was a 76 Husquvarna

My first street bike was a 83 Yamaha 920 Verago

My next one was a 02 Yamaha 1100 v-star. I bought it new, and gave it to the wife to ride at around 58000 miles on it. Did the
dragon's Tail in 17 minutes on it too.

But there is only one that I call Mi Amor, my 03 chopper.

And she's been through a few color changes.

Hopefully this winter I can put a new engine in her.

 

[Matheny 514]

I've owned quite a few. My two favorite bikes are definitely my 05 Ridgeback (Obviously) and 2011 Yamaha Stryker. I love both of them. I could ride that Stryker forever it seems. It was very quick, light, plenty of power, and very comfortable. 28,000 miles with no issue, just tires and oil. I sold that Stryker about 2 years ago and I have regretted it ever since. The day will come when I get another Stryker to join my perfect Ridgeback.

 

[Twisted]

My last bike was a 2001 Softail that I stripped down and customized. Thought it was the nicest looking and best bike I'd ever own when I sold it. Then I found my 05 Chopper and fell in love, love riding her, fits me like a glove, and i could just star at her all day, so hands down its my chopper. I seriously considered selling it last year to buy something with storage as I was tired of not having anywhere to put anything unless I strapped my big sissy bar pack on and look like I'm going on a cross county trip but I just couldn't part with it. But I'm working on a solution to that problem but that's another story.

 

[NastyOgre]

+1 on the Yamaha club. My first bike was an 1100 classic that was perfect for just me. Did a couple of runs from Reno to Vegas with the wife and it became readily apparent that 2 up riding on it sucked. So I bobbed it out and rode it for awhile longer much to my wife's dismay (she loves to ride) and then sold it to a friend when I needed the cash. Super reliable and low maintenance. That'll probably be my favorite all around bike for a long time.

 

[kickstart]

I can only narrow it down to two. 39 Knuckle and 07 K9

 

[USMC03]

This post inspires lots of good memories...1st bike was in 89, fresh outta boot camp and too young and stupid to be afraid of California highway traffic on a 500 Shadow, lotsa beer and boobs on that bike. Rode with a dude named Bill all over Cali, he was on a 454 Kawasaki. Good times....had a 750 Kaw in between the shadow and my first 1800 VTX in 2002 if I remember right. Never thought much of the kawasaki. The VTX'S, I had 2 and still have one. They are fast and ultra reliable. I mean NEVER a problem all these years. Oil, gas, tires....oh, once I cooked an on/off switch on handlebar but that was my fault for putting on a "6 trillion watt" headlight lol. On that VTX I got boxed in by some semi's on the huge, high bridge in Saginaw MI on a rode trip to the U.P. I finished that trip and swore off expressways ever again. I won't go on one to this day. Now I have my Big Dog....I had 600 miles on it when it got hit....supposed to be done being fixed tommorow. I still was having a hard time turning corners...I'm gonna have to start from square one as I've been back on the VTX again these last 2 months. I guess short answer, the 500 Shadow as it was carefree times for me (read stupid, drunk and in my head invincible) but my K9 is by far the best looking, classiest, badass bitch I ever sat on....I love to park her in bar parking lots and point at her

 

[USMC03]

The VTX I still have.

 

[heybaylor]

1951 mustang, made almost 9 hp, right foot shift ,springs only forks,hardtail.
Rode that thing two years on a morning paper route.
when it was below 30 after sitting out (no garage) all night, I had to heat the sparkplug on Momma's stove to get it to start.

 

[njbiker20088]

I had a 94 1400 good bike then got 1999 1500 and still have it

dwinme to had 1400 and now i have 1500 and aih ,goldwing

 

[njbiker20088]

i have to say my best bike was and still is my goldwing 125798 miles and never let me down and still going my pal mark is riding in now from ct. to florida now.