Bikes you must own at least once

Jimmy the Heater · Apr 26, 2013

What are the bikes that you must own at least once in your life? The ones that are so iconic or greater than the sum of their parts that everyone should try?

Not just limited to street bikes since there isn't a generic motorcycle area.

My incomplete list would be as follows.

Honda Z-50 or CRF50 Probably introduced more kids to riding than any other bike in history

Suzuki SV650-The definition of "Just Right" for a streetbike

Suzuki DR650-Just look at the traffic of that thread in Thumpers, most visits by far, and for a reason.

Kawasaki C10-Made forever, an icon of Sport touring

Kawasaki Ninja 250-Amazing that so few cc can do so much

Yamaha R1-Not the first supersport, but the first with liter bike power in a light package, and the 09 with the crossplane crank

KTM 950-990 ADV- First big trailie with real off road suspension

Alright ADV-tell me how messed up my list is and what I forgot

Unleaded · Apr 26, 2013

Honda CB350, because riding it - or watching someone ride by on it - is what started it all for a lot of riders.

Honda CR250 - the quintessential small-bore two stroke motocrosser. Not easy to ride well, wild top-end hit.

Honda CR500....so that you can prove to yourself two things: 1) the CR250 really is plenty fast, after all, and 2). There are better motorcycles to own if you prefer riding without casts on any of your limbs, which were caused by an unpredictable wall of shrieking, hateful power. .

Kawasaki Z1000 MK II. Just because it looks totally badass.

Harley Davidson Shovelhead. Any of them. They leak oil, lack power, and weren't produced during HD's finest hour. But when tuned reasonably well, nothing on earth sounds like one.

Ducati 916. Because its hilariously uncomfortable, sounds like angels sorting bolts into a glass jar, and changed the game for superbike styling single-handedly.

*edit* apologies to the OP, I read "must own" as "must ride". I probably won't own any of the above, but I've ridden them all at least once, and it's the list of bikes on which I crave another ride one day...

TINGLER · Apr 26, 2013

I agree with the DR650. I'm very glad to have owned one.

Harley Sportster Everyone should own one at least once.

Suzuki GSXR 1000. It's on my "to do" list.

Scooter. Classic Vespa.

Honkey Cat · Apr 26, 2013

Z-50 owned
Cb550 four have now
Sv650n have now
FZ1
C-14 just sold great bike
09 bmw 1200 GSA sold
Ktm 530 have now
Zrx1200 eddie lawson green replica had and want again

Tom-Nor · Apr 26, 2013

Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa. Even non riders know what it is, its the ledgend.
BMW R1200GS
H-D VROD
BMW S1000RR
Honda CBX1000
Yamaha V-Max Gen 1 and 2
Suzuki GSXR750
Yamaha MT-01
Triumph Speed Triple
Triumph Sprint ST1050
Triumph RocketIII
Norton Commando
Honda Goldwing any one.

doorman · Apr 26, 2013

I fully agree with the ninja 250.

kraven · Apr 26, 2013

Honda CR500....so that you can prove to yourself two things: 1) the CR250 really is plenty fast, after all, and 2). There are better motorcycles to own if you prefer riding without casts on any of your limbs, which were caused by an unpredictable wall of shrieking, hateful power. .
Click to expand...

This hopped up in my brain when I read the first post.

You will have to keep it chained up in a safe room. All your friends will think "I can ride the shit out of that!" but they can't. No one can, unless they've got balls of steels and are all out of bubblegum.

The only time you can safely own this bike is when you keep it locked up, and I mean with a log chain through the frame and both wheels with two locks on it.
The only time you release it is when you've had enough of one guy in your peer group who won't shaddap about how great he is on dirt and want to see him either ascend to glory or take a dirt nap.

The CR500 is nothing but a harm to yourself and your friends. Everyone should own one until they finally have had enough and sell it to the next poor sumbitch. It is death on a stick. Sweet brap ring-a-ding death on a stick.

WeazyBuddha · Apr 26, 2013

I'll probably want to add or change this up in five minutes but as of right now, with no beers in the belly I'm thinking...

 CBX
VFR
GS
KDX
KLR, DR, or XR/XL 650
Big KTM ADV bike W/21 front
ZRX1200
RT, FJR, C14, Blackbird or equivalent
Speed Triple
250 sport bike (Kawa or Honda)
WR or DRZ

Unleaded · Apr 26, 2013

kraven said: ↑

This hopped up in my brain when I read the first post.

You will have to keep it chained up in a safe room. All your friends will think "I can ride the shit out of that!" but they can't. No one can, unless they've got balls of steels and are all out of bubblegum.

The only time you can safely own this bike is when you keep it locked up, and I mean with a log chain through the frame and both wheels with two locks on it.
The only time you release it is when you've had enough of one guy in your peer group who won't shaddap about how great he is on dirt and want to see him either ascend to glory or take a dirt nap.

The CR500 is nothing but a harm to yourself and your friends. Everyone should own one until they finally have had enough and sell it to the next poor sumbitch. It is death on a stick. Sweet brap ring-a-ding death on a stick.
Click to expand...

This. All of this. It's a nasty, self-aware framework on which hangs nothing but hate and fear. Don't worry about the fuel mixture being correct because it runs from zero to afterlife solely on make-your-life-pass-before-your-eyes sauce.

Rick G · Apr 26, 2013

How about adding the Triumph Bonneville to the list? A classic 650 if you can wrench or new T100 if you can't. I can't so I own the T100. One of the most beautiful bikes ever made. Like the comments on the CB350, this bike is what started bike lust for a lot of old and young timers alike.

Rick G

Jimmy the Heater · Apr 26, 2013

I'm good with making it a must ride list....especially because of the CR500 comments Pure gold those!

And yes, Ducati 916, one of the most beautiful things ever created by man.

ADK · Apr 26, 2013

I raced a CR500 in 86/87 and had no such problems riding it.

Unleaded · Apr 26, 2013

ADK said: ↑

I raced a CR500 in 86/87 and had no such problems riding it.
Click to expand...

Wow! Major congrats on being the best two-stroke rider....uh....among the three people in this thread who commented on the bike.

Chisenhallw · Apr 26, 2013

Any of the GSXR series. Truly, from the 600 to the 'Busa, they are the devil's motorcycle, fueled by those who wish to sin. I have shuddering nightmares of longing for a 600.

Also, a large-displacement cruiser (1400 ought to do it) fitted with a jet kit. Everyone needs to experience escape velocity at least once.

All aspiring sportbikers need to be given a copy of The Song of the Sausage Creature, and then promptly be allowed the unrestricted use of a Ducati 996 for the afternoon.

Buzzbomber · Apr 26, 2013

Unleaded said:

Ducati 916. Because its hilariously uncomfortable, sounds like angels sorting bolts into a glass jar, and changed the game for superbike styling single-
Click to expand...

That is the most interesting bit of imagery I have read in a while...

southwade · Apr 26, 2013

Kawasaki Z1000 by Southwade, on Flickr

JerryH · Apr 26, 2013

No list would be complete without a Harley. Any Harley.

Guano11 · Apr 26, 2013

Having had the shit scared outta me on a CR500 (and I never even got past 2nd gear....), I'll put in a vote for the CT90.
You meet the nicest people on a Honda. Plus you can haul the deer you just bagged on that rack.

Non-V-Rod Harley. Nothing pulses quite like that
Any VFR with gear driven cams for the burbling & whirring at idle alone; the stone-axe reliability is just a bonus
A Ducati
And finally, most any small-displacement, Japanese, air-cooled single -- the indestructible dirtbike. Extra credit for plates and streetable tires.

8lives · Apr 26, 2013

Ninja250 for me too,oh ya and a .67 sporty with a long springer when I was a teenager.

Sport · Apr 26, 2013

I currently have a couple, an 06 Hayabusa LE and a 79 Honda CBX Super Sport. I would add a 69 or 70 Honda CB 750-4 and a Suzuki X6 Hustler.

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Bikes you must own at least once

Jimmy the Heater Dirt Farmer

Unleaded Unit Train

TINGLER Swamp lips

Honkey Cat Tailights Fade!

Tom-Nor Wannabe Adventurer

doorman Aimless

kraven GoPro Anti-Hero Supporter

WeazyBuddha Carbon-Based Humanoid

Unleaded Unit Train

Rick G Ranger Rick Supporter

Jimmy the Heater Dirt Farmer

ADK .

Unleaded Unit Train

Chisenhallw Avowed Pussbag

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JerryH Vintage scooter/motorcycle enthusiast Supporter

Guano11 Stop me if you've heard this one....

8lives WTF, in Cannabis we trust.

Sport Been here awhile