Your favorite motorcycles

[redbirds_imp]

I only have 288 miles on my 14 DLX but unless something catastrophic happens it will be #1 among my favorite bikes, moving ahead of the 77 Kawasaki KZ1000B, which will place above the 13 CB 1100 which will be number 3 on my list. In fourth will be the two FZ-1s. I think the Honda ST 1300 has come up on the list to place ahead of the GS850G Suzuki, followed by the GS1100E Suzuki. Number 8 would be the GT 750 Suzuki, I think my BSA Rocket 3 will make # 9 on my list, just because it was the fastest british bike available when it came out, it had an awesome sound, and it's 3 cylinder engine was unique at the time, as were it's exhaust. I think final placing on my personal top 10 would be... Uhhh...can't make up my mind between my 750 Nighthawk, my 305 Honda Scrambler, my 73 TX 650 Yamaha or my 2003 Triumph Bonneville. Will have to ponder that awhile. I did buy (3) 650 Yamahas over the years. The only bike I have bought 3 of, but the Bonnie was a much much better motorcycle.The 750 Nighthawk was a reliable as an anvil workhorse but needed more hp and better brakes (just like the Bonneville). The 305 Scrambler was my first big bike and opened up the world to me. I guess if one were to ask of those 4 bikes, which one would I like to walk out and see in my garage right now, it would be the 305 Scrambler, so the venerable Honda CL 77 takes the last spot in my personal top 10 favorite motorcycles that I have owned.

That new ride must be something special Ferret. Have to admit that the more I look at the '14 DLX the more I like it. I may have to get one but I'll keep the '13. It's a sweetheart.

[the Ferret]

redbirds.. for me the 14 DLX is the entire package! Great looks, terrific power, sharp handling, excellent ergos, comfort, good range, nice amenities, a slick shifting trans with overdrive, the awesome brakes with ABS topped off with typical Honda fit & finish ... For me it just could not have been a better choice. I am so happy with this motorcycle. I liked my 13..a lot..but this is IT for me.

[avsbezzy_imp]

redbirds.. for me the 14 DLX is the entire package! Great looks, terrific power, sharp handling, excellent ergos, comfort, good range, nice amenities, a slick shifting trans with overdrive, the awesome brakes with ABS topped off with typical Honda fit & finish ... For me it just could not have been a better choice. I am so happy with this motorcycle. I liked my 13..a lot..but this is IT for me.

100% agreed, 423 miles on mine, I predict a long relationship between us two. I love the simplicity and sophistication of it all. This is IT for me too.

[ride4now_imp]

I'm enjoying reading about all the miles you guys are racking up... and seeing the pictures. Alas, I haven't even crossed 100 yet. And the next few weekends look 'taken' so maybe in May. However, I 'think' I will end up ranking all my bikes like this...at least from what I know right now.

1. '14 Honda CB 1100 DLX
2. '04 Harley Superglide (but still very close to #1)
3. '70 Kawsasaki H1 500. (I wish I still had this bike)
4. '09 Kawasaki KLR650
5. '71 Yamaha CT175
6. '13 Honda CB1100
7. '77 Yamaha DT250
8. '75 Kawasaki KZ400
9. '03 Harley 883 Sportster

[tomas_imp]

Many of us have had multiple if not many motorcycles. It's only natural that some of those bikes would be your favorites.

As far as street bikes go, I have had 6 Harleys, 9 Hondas, 3 Suzukis, 1 Kawasaki, 7 Yamahas, 1 Triumph and 1 BSA ( plus a bunch of dirt bikes...mostly Yamahas)

There are several that stand out in my mind:

77 KZ 1000 B Kawasaki (probably my all time favorite, big, powerful, smooth, beautifully proportioned, ...and much like the CB 1100)
04 and 01 FZ-1 Yamahas (like the bike so much I bought 2 of them..awesome power, brakes and handling, big tank, 6 speed, great solo sport tourer with soft luggage and a tank bag)
81 GS 850 G Suzuki (nice mid size shafty, very comfortable and large fuel capacity)
83 GS 1100 E Suzuki ( brute of a motorcycle for its time)
76 GT 750 Suzuki ( really nice tourer with a Windjammer 3 Fairing, Bates trunk and Eclipse tank bag...and I loved that 2 stroke 3 cylinder burble at idle and wail while accelerating.)

These have been my all time favs. One thing that stands out to me, is they all my favs have inline motors and are mostly liter bikes. I've had singles, twins..both v's and parallel, triples, and fours both inlines and V's.... 2 strokes and 4 strokes, air cooled, and liquid cooled, automatics, 3 speeds 4 speeds,5 speeds, and 6 speeds, electric start and kick start, chain drive, belt drive and shaft drives, carbureted and fuel injected, and I just keep coming back to those big 4 stroke inline 4 liter bikes.

Honorable mentions:

06 Honda ST 1300 ( Simply awesome for long distance travel, but a pia around town where its weight and bulk become a liability)

2000 Honda 750 Nighthawk ( great very low maintenance all arounder with hydraulic valves. Easy to work on when you had to, no epa crap. On the downside it was small, and lacked power and brakes ... Things the CB 11 address)

Havent had the CB 11 long enough to see if it will make the list of all time favs but it certainly has the credentials to do so. Wish it held more gas, but thats a small matter, at 63, I can only ride so far these days anyway before I need to get off and straighten achy parts.

So, of all the bikes you've owned, which have been your favs? And why?

Like you also Ferret I've own many motorcycles in my 40+ years of riding. But my top three street bikes if I had to pick would be,

1} 2007 Ducati St4s, gray with orange rims.
2} 1985 V-max, purple
3} 1999 Cagiva Gran Canyon

I enjoyed these bikes a lot, wish I still had them.

[the Ferret]

Bringing this back up to go with the thread on disappointing bikes that recently made it to the front page. Both threads are fun reads and we have a lot of new members that can add to them.

I only have 288 miles on my 14 DLX but unless something catastrophic happens it will be #1 among my favorite bikes, moving ahead of the 77 Kawasaki KZ1000B, which will place above the 13 CB 1100 which will be number 3 on my list. In fourth will be the two FZ-1s. I think the Honda ST 1300 has come up on the list to place ahead of the GS850G Suzuki, followed by the GS1100E Suzuki. Number 8 would be the GT 750 Suzuki, I think my BSA Rocket 3 will make # 9 on my list, just because it was the fastest british bike available when it came out, it had an awesome sound, and it's 3 cylinder engine was unique at the time, as were it's exhaust. I think final placing on my personal top 10 would be... Uhhh...can't make up my mind between my 750 Nighthawk, my 305 Honda Scrambler, my 73 TX 650 Yamaha or my 2003 Triumph Bonneville. Will have to ponder that awhile. I did buy (3) 650 Yamahas over the years. The only bike I have bought 3 of, but the Bonnie was a much much better motorcycle.The 750 Nighthawk was a reliable as an anvil workhorse but needed more hp and better brakes (just like the Bonneville). The 305 Scrambler was my first big bike and opened up the world to me. I guess if one were to ask of those 4 bikes, which one would I like to walk out and see in my garage right now, it would be the 305 Scrambler, so the venerable Honda CL 77 takes the last spot in my personal top 10 favorite motorcycles that I have owned.

On a side note my 14 dlx which had less than 300 miles on it when I wrote the above post, now has over 18,000 miles on it and indeed tops my list. And my ST 1300 has really come up on the list to at least 4th. When I wrote this originally I had 34,000 miles on it and now it has 67,000 miles and we've spent a lot of time together since I retired incl a trip to Cali and back. I like the bike a lot and have considered buying another as backup. If I were 10 years younger I probably would, but at a soon to be 66, my next bike will be smaller and lighter. Thinking SV650 variant, or FZ09 variant or Versys 650????

Not getting rid of my CB1100 though. She's a keeper.

[4 Paws_imp]

Loved them all and puts lots of miles on most. Only two I miss are the ST1100 - rock solid dependable and go anywhere anytime; and my Triumph T100, underpowered good looking classic. Only regretted selling it after getting into sidecars and realizing the potential that Triumph had.

Learned to ride on a 68 CL350 I bought for $375 in 1971 when I moved to NC as a senior in high school. Wow! Total freedom - lived in the country near nothing and rode the tires off that beast. Farm roads, fire roads, trails and endless miles of countryside.

Bought bigger bikes as the years passed and kept riding. Never lost the love of motorcycling. Never ever felt the same about a car and don't miss any of them, can barely remember most but can reminisce for hours about the motorcycles and rides we took.

Back to Honda again for the rock solid no surprises engineering.

[gbpack89_imp]

Terrible picture I know but my favorite bike was my '74 CB550 Four. Had her when I was17 (2007) and it was the coolest bike ever in my opinion. Rode it everywhere! Even at 6'4 and 195lbs it was fast! Flat out and laying on the tank I could hit 125mph. I'm sure I looked silly on it but I didn't care it was fun

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

[paul kellam_imp]

3hp jc penneys minibike
honda trail 70
kawasaki KH400 triple
kawasaki 750 twin
honda cb750c
honda cb900c
honda cb900 c (had 2)
honda cb 1100
out of all of them the quickest was the KH 400 triple (2 stroke) wheelie machine

[redbirds_imp]

Terrible picture I know but my favorite bike was my '74 CB550 Four. Had her when I was17 (2007) and it was the coolest bike ever in my opinion. Rode it everywhere! Even at 6'4 and 195lbs it was fast! Flat out and laying on the tank I could hit 125mph. I'm sure I looked silly on it but I didn't care it was fun

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

First memory I have of Honda's down sized 4cyl's is this cover shot on Cycle of then 15 year old Bo Derek. She and the bike are a "Ten".
[url=http://forums.cycleworld.com/showthread.php?t=116180&page=407]http://forums.cycleworld.com/showthread....0&page=407