The Wikiloops Motorcycle Thread

Most people who know me a little must have noticed that I am a petrolhead. Bike geek, gearhead, grease monkey, motorhead, pistonhead, gas monkey etc. Yep, that's me. Love my bikes, cars and anything mechanical.

So I guess it's time for the Wikiloops motorcycle thread.

Please only bikes here, and it would be nice to have a picture with a bit of information about the bike + a story.

I will start: This here is the second bike I ever had, it's a 1960 BSA M21. I bought it in around 1986 and sold it in 1993. It was pretty beat up, as you can see from the picture I used to "wheelie" the sidecar on any good opportunity, which put a lot of stress on the frame. It was pretty reliable, the BSA sidevalve engines were slow and low on power, but sturdy as anything.

I wish I still had the bike, 30 years after I sold it I still occasionally dream about it. The last dream was a few weeks ago, where I dreamt that my buddy found it for me and parked it outside my house :D

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TeeGee attached the following image:

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Edited by TeeGee on August 17, 2023 at 11:14 AM

What a brilliant stunt photo, congrats TeeGee! :W
Mine is a Honda NTV, see it here at my former employers' place:
[img]https://wolfgang.lonien.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/7e0_5254339-honda-ntv-1994-1024.jpg[/img]
Bought this one used in Bonn while I was living in Siegburg, over 20 years ago - but these are "unkaputtbar" as we say here In Germany, and with its shaft drive it's just "fuel her up & go".
Doesn't have TÜV and is waiting in the garage for me...

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This is my baby, love riding it. Its like sitting on a hand granade with the pin half pulled, you never know what is going to happen but I love it. Its a BSA 650 Lightning 1969 .Birmingham Small Heath, England.

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TeeGee attached the following image:

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Edited by TeeGee on September 9, 2023 at 8:40 PM

A friend at college had a C15, then a Lightning and finally a Rocket 3 that scared the poop out of me. I had a 175 Bantam in pieces that never got put back together and was a whisker away from buying a Triumph Thunderbird with a Zepplin side car. I wish I'd bought that but my mate thought it started too easy and had no compression.
My parents were pleased I didn't get into bikes, my Uncle lost his leg riding a Vincent (Black shadow?).

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Haha, what a thread! Unfortunately not much going on here. But you´re not alone Tee! My story is told quite fast: Started with a Suzuki LS 650 in the late 80´s. Late 1992 I bought the bike (BMW R 90 S) in the picture below. I own it since then. Been around western Europe with it a lot, mainly in the 90´s, many times in Norway and Sweden. It never let me down, exept once, when I lost ignition in the middle of a small norwegian tunnel that had no lighting (just a little dirt in the breaker contact though), and I was almost shitting in my panties. Other small problems I had are not worth mentioning and were easy to be solved. Yes of course, even a BMW needs some maintenance from time to time...
In the 90´s I also had a MZ ETZ 250 with sidecar. So I know about the fun you were showing us in the first picture. I used mine also in winter. Was big fun if there was snow, so you could glide around the bendings/ corners.
Today I´ll drive the R 90 a lot in the Harz region. My wife is from there and we (with the kids) spend our holidays there. So my wife and the kids go by car, while I have the opportunity to ride the old lady on nice roads outside this busy city named Berlin.

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Ongingo attached the following image:

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No longer riding as of 2016

Harley 1983 panhead
[img]https://i.imgur.com/LDzPHc8.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/8nx2S7I.jpg[/img]

2003 Honda Goldwing with subwoofer in trunk
[img]https://i.imgur.com/C7IgURL.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/FNAUWOO.jpg[/img]

This is my tank. Obama gave it to me. Its fully operational and I have a set of keys for it. Even drove it off the delivery truck.
I said "Hey Obama...give me a tank." He said "okay!"
Seriously I asked the government for a tank and they shipped me one. Im one of three registered owners on the paperwork and paid $0.00 for it. It currently resides in Joliet Illinois
[img]https://i.imgur.com/u05dlQ0.png[/img]

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Imho the panhead is the best looking engine made by HD.

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@Ongingo wow that BMW 900 S is a beautiful bike, probably one of the best classic bikes you can have.

@LW wtf?? This is so cool! I bet nobody blocks your driveway ;). What is it exactly?

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In the United States , anyone with who is an active officer in a government approved 501c Charity that benefits veterans, affiliated with a VFW (Veterans club), can apply for an obselete BUT WORKING tank for display purposes.

I was on the board of directors and we acquired one for that VFW location. I still have the keys but its sat there for what is now 15 years.

We have driven it and I dare say someone may or may not have acquired artillary shells for it.
Never shot it.

Its was a blast to drive. When it arrived on a HUGE flatbed truck, I drove down the ramp and did a few donuts with it in the field with the driver giving me lessons.

Its been so long I no longer remember the model. I live hundreds of miles away from it and havent seen it in 10 or so years.It is fully functional. It is basically property of that VFW but my name is on the registration so....
All I remember is it was retired after the first Persian Gulf war in 89-90 against Sadam Hussein

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@TeeGee Before I bought the R 90 I was struggling to decide what to buy. Friends of mine had BMW´s but also Matchless 500 or T.Bonville. I loved the look of the english bikes and still do. No matter if from the 60´s or 70´s, in comparison BMW´s look a bit dumpy compared with british bikes. Your beautiful BSA gives the proof! The decision for the BMW felt because it´s so easy to handle by all means and there were trunks available which was great for my travelling plans.

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You cant really see it but the spokes and the fins on the engine were diamond cut. That bike twinkled in the sunlight

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The BMW may not look as noce as a BSA, but it is WAAAAAAY more reliable, that's for sure :D

I got a BMW R 1200 GS in the garage, it's on the battery charger ready to go whenever I need it. But nothing gives me more smiles than the old Beezer. And anxieties :o:D

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Got to get this thread active again... in the 90ies I worked a motorcycle shop that used to import and export bikes to and from Japan, UK and Italy etc. That gave me the opportunity to own quite a few classic bikes. This was one of them, a 750 Honda Bol'Dor. Had it for a while until I got bored with it.

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TeeGee attached the following image: