Gone But Not Forgotten
The Bikes I've Owned
81 Kawasaki 440LTD
84 Honda CX650E (white)
83 Honda CX650E (white)
84 Honda CX650E (Black)
84 Honda Goldwing (standard)
83 Suzuki 650 Tempter
81 Honda CB125
86 Honda 750 VFR Interceptor
86 BMW K100RT
00 Honda VFR 800
91 BMW K75 "T"
96 BMW R1100RS
00 Kawasaki KLR650 (highly modified)
07 Yamaha FZ6 (current bike)
08 Suzuki 650 V-Strom ABS (current bike)
I wonder what's next?
84 Honda CX650E (white)
83 Honda CX650E (white)
84 Honda CX650E (Black)
84 Honda Goldwing (standard)
83 Suzuki 650 Tempter
81 Honda CB125
86 Honda 750 VFR Interceptor
86 BMW K100RT
00 Honda VFR 800
91 BMW K75 "T"
96 BMW R1100RS
00 Kawasaki KLR650 (highly modified)
07 Yamaha FZ6 (current bike)
08 Suzuki 650 V-Strom ABS (current bike)
I wonder what's next?
Kawasaki 440LTD
This was my first motorcycle. I had just completed the Motorcycle Safety Course when I purchased this bike, had the seller drop it off at my house because I was too nervous to drive it. After driving around my neighborhood for awhile I told my wife that I had made a big mistake. The LTD seemed so much bigger than the 175cc Honda that I rode during the course. I persevered and my confidence grew. It wasn't long before I was looking for something else.
Honda CX650E
Four months after buying my first motorcycle I put a down payment on this 84 Honda CX650E. I was so excited about this bike. The CX is pobably as close Honda ever got to a BMW - sport touring comfortable, shaft drive, duel disc in front, single disc in the back, Com Stock Wheels, land lots of grunt. Not all that different from the BMW K75C.
This was the only brand new bike that I ever bought. There have been several nearly new bikes that I've owned but the CX to date remains the only brand new one.
The CX650E model served me very well. All in all I owned of them. I would put on 30,000 kilometers and sell it for a couple of hundred dollars more than I paid for its low mileage replacement. In total I owned three of them.
It's too bad that Honda discontinued the CX650E in 1984 for the Canadian market. It never was available in the US. The model was however available in Europe for several more years.
This was the only brand new bike that I ever bought. There have been several nearly new bikes that I've owned but the CX to date remains the only brand new one.
The CX650E model served me very well. All in all I owned of them. I would put on 30,000 kilometers and sell it for a couple of hundred dollars more than I paid for its low mileage replacement. In total I owned three of them.
It's too bad that Honda discontinued the CX650E in 1984 for the Canadian market. It never was available in the US. The model was however available in Europe for several more years.
Honda CB125
I bought this little 125cc so that I would have something to ride on suitable winter days. It was a real hoot to ride; just pin the throttle and let her rip. Wasn't fast but it felt fast.
Unfortunately I didn't keep the maintenance up on this bike and eventually gave it away. Wish I had kept it. Even with global warming we still have winter in Atlantic Canada.
Unfortunately I didn't keep the maintenance up on this bike and eventually gave it away. Wish I had kept it. Even with global warming we still have winter in Atlantic Canada.
84 Honda Goldwing Standard
I really wanted this bike. It was best on the major highways but a real hand full on the back roads. Well, I guess I got what I wanted but when I got it I didn't want it anymore. Enough said. Sold it within a year and bought the Suzuki Tempter.
Suzuki 650 Tempter
I bought this bike after I sold my Goldwing. Like the Goldwing I grew tired of the Tempter very quickly. Within a year it was replaced with my last CX65E. Defently not one of my favorite rides.
86 Honda VFR750 Interceptor
Wow! What an incredible bike. First class. Only problem was I wanted a BMW. Within a year I replaced the VFR with a BMW K100RT.
There's no doubt that if I could have afforded it at the time I would have kept the VFR as a second bike. Fortunately, as it would turn out there would be another VFR in my stable years later.
There's no doubt that if I could have afforded it at the time I would have kept the VFR as a second bike. Fortunately, as it would turn out there would be another VFR in my stable years later.
86 BMW K100RT
For years I had envisioned myself riding a BMW. In 1993 I sold VFR to buy this K100RT. Compared to the VFR the K Bike seemed a little rough around the edges. It took awhile for the BMW to grow on me but as the miles rolled on it certainly did.
I enjoyed the RT for 8 riding seasons. A very stately ride, lots of grunt, buzzy and hot.
Cost me a fortune in maintenance but did sell it for what I paid for it, so I really could not complain.
I enjoyed the RT for 8 riding seasons. A very stately ride, lots of grunt, buzzy and hot.
Cost me a fortune in maintenance but did sell it for what I paid for it, so I really could not complain.
2000 Honda VFR800
The VFR returned in 2001 with this beauty. A nearly perfect bike but just not quite comfortable enough for my liking. So I thought it best to buy a second bike for the comfort, a BMW K75 .
This combination didn't work out as I had hoped. In the power, braking, and handling departments the VFR was far superior to the K75; but in the comfort area the K75 could not be beat.
Often when I rode the VFR I really missed the comfort of the K75. Then when I rode the K75 I missed the power, brakes, and handling of the VFR. I was never totally satisfied with either bike.
This combination didn't work out as I had hoped. In the power, braking, and handling departments the VFR was far superior to the K75; but in the comfort area the K75 could not be beat.
Often when I rode the VFR I really missed the comfort of the K75. Then when I rode the K75 I missed the power, brakes, and handling of the VFR. I was never totally satisfied with either bike.
91 BMW K75 "T"
I think I would have been content with the K75 if I didn't own a VFR at the time.
The K75 is a very capable comfortable touring bike. Of all the bike I have owned and then sold the K75 is probably the only model that I may someday buy again.
It's too bad that BMW didn't continue to refine the K75 line. All they had to do was to give K75 about 100hp, modern brakes, and put it on a weight loss program.
Later I sold the VFR and bought a R1100RS. The R1100RS and K75 two bike combination didn't work out for me. The R1100RS had about 90% of what the VFR had to offer with about 80% of the K75's comfort. I just stopped riding the K75 so I sold it.
The K75 is a very capable comfortable touring bike. Of all the bike I have owned and then sold the K75 is probably the only model that I may someday buy again.
It's too bad that BMW didn't continue to refine the K75 line. All they had to do was to give K75 about 100hp, modern brakes, and put it on a weight loss program.
Later I sold the VFR and bought a R1100RS. The R1100RS and K75 two bike combination didn't work out for me. The R1100RS had about 90% of what the VFR had to offer with about 80% of the K75's comfort. I just stopped riding the K75 so I sold it.
96 BMW R1100RS
Sold the VFR800 to buy the RS. To my eye this is one of best looking BMW's ever.
I found the RS to be more comfortable than the VFR but definitely not as comfortable as the K75. I liked the RS's power delivery and bakes.
Thought I would keep this bike for the duration. It's classic BMW. But time marches on and things change and one's eye moves on to other things (other bikes that is). See my V-Strom and FZ6 pages
I found the RS to be more comfortable than the VFR but definitely not as comfortable as the K75. I liked the RS's power delivery and bakes.
Thought I would keep this bike for the duration. It's classic BMW. But time marches on and things change and one's eye moves on to other things (other bikes that is). See my V-Strom and FZ6 pages
2000 Kawasaki KLR650
This KLR has a story to it. When it started to burn oil I totally stripped the bike down to the frame and partially disassembled the engine. Anthony at ProTech Suspension installed the Big Bore 685 kit and ported and polished the heads.
The KLR has tons of character and was an absolute hoot to ride. One of those bikes I should have kept.
For the first year that I owned the KLR it was all I wanted to ride, that year the R1100RS only handled about 20% of my riding. During the second year of ownership I purchased a FZ6 and it got the lion's share of the riding and the KLR and BMW hardly got any use at all.
Decided that I only wanted two bikes in my garage. The FZ6 was definitely staying. I wanted something that was in between the KLR and the BMW. When an exceptional deal came up for a 650 V-Strom with ABS I decided to part with the KLR and the BMW - not sorry I made this move but I still think about the KLR and the R1100RS - boy it would be nice to be rich!
The KLR has tons of character and was an absolute hoot to ride. One of those bikes I should have kept.
For the first year that I owned the KLR it was all I wanted to ride, that year the R1100RS only handled about 20% of my riding. During the second year of ownership I purchased a FZ6 and it got the lion's share of the riding and the KLR and BMW hardly got any use at all.
Decided that I only wanted two bikes in my garage. The FZ6 was definitely staying. I wanted something that was in between the KLR and the BMW. When an exceptional deal came up for a 650 V-Strom with ABS I decided to part with the KLR and the BMW - not sorry I made this move but I still think about the KLR and the R1100RS - boy it would be nice to be rich!
