The One That Got Away

[Nachodaddy]

Speaking of "Other Bikes," I am reminded of my favorite bike I never had, but ALMOST did, a Vincent Black Shadow. I am sure some of you have had a bike you just missed getting, or had the chance to, but didn't. The Black Shadow came into my life, almost, in about 1971, when Scott Guthrie a friend who had a small bike repair shop in Tallahassee, put me in touch with his friend who had a Vincent Black Shadow and needed $300 quick. He rode the bike to my place and I really liked it. I had the money but we were expecting a baby any minute and that money would pay the hospital bill. Could have borrowed it, but needed a day to think about it, so I told him I'd get back to him tomorrow, but by then he found a way to get the cash and he kept his bike. Remember, in those days $300 was a month's pay for a lot of people. We were paying $65/month on a 1968 VW we had bought NEW for $1720 (it had an FM radio!). I thought about naming the kid Vincent, but she wasn't a boy, so I didn't even get that. So, what are some of your bikes that got away?

[GoldOxide_imp]

A [then] new 1985 Yamaha Maxim 750X.

I simply didn't have the extra stash.

[Gordo_imp]

The one that I had and had to let go was a 1975 CB750f in Sunburst metalflake orange. The economy got slow as well as work. We needed the money and it had to go. I look on the usual CL, ebay and the market place for one to come up. Ironicly my brother in law sent me Gas Monkey Garage, Richard Rawlings bought the Denny Kanninburg collection and is auctioning off the collection not far from the house on Sept 10 and 11 in Auburn In 25 min from the house. There was a 75 CB750 in the orange in the collection. I might just have to go to see it slip thru my fingers again

Titus 2:13
2013 HONDA CB1100

[LongRanger_imp]

Mine was an ‘82 R65LS just like this one. I had to have it. The BMW dealer allowed me to take one for a demo ride, which led to a traffic infraction and visit to the county judge. The bike’s MSRP was $3995, which I didn’t have, and as a 22-year old with meager wages, my bank laughed when I asked for a loan. So, no R65LS for me, but I still think they’re stunning.

[tod.branko_imp]

Funny enough, I think about "the one that got away" often, but I'm also probably not old enough to actually have the one that got away because in perspective I still have a good 30-50 years of riding ahead of me, and so far the only bike I ever regret selling was my Tiger 1050. If a decent one ever comes along in the market I'll beg steal and borrow to pick it up, that bike used to fit me like an A-starts XXL glove.

I do have a bucket list though which is somehow filled with a bunch of VFR Hondas (rc30, vfr750f, vfr1200F) there is a CB1300 on it, Yamaha MT-01, Kawi Zephyr 1100, Suzuki DRZ400, and a KTM SuperDuke GT.

Quite contemporary I have to notice, but then I just barely stepped over 40, so that's to be expected. Intersting fact also is that I've only ever had 3 motorcycle posters hanging on the walls in my room as I was a kid - Moto Guzzi California 850 with a ridiculous headlight setup (there were like 8 full size headlights, loved it), 1988 GSX-R 1000, and a Transalp 600

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

[Phadreus_imp]

In 1992 I found a 1990 Honda RC30 that was left over, didn't sell, at a Honda Dealer in Ohio. I lusted after this bike since I first saw it in a magazine in '89. I was working on a deal with the dealer and just could not get them to come down to a price I could afford at the time. I was still early in my career and the dealer wanted a price that was over three quarter my annual salary. I just couldn't swing it.

Nearly ten years later, I came across another one in pristine condition for sale that was nearly twice what I was going to pay in '92. Coincidentally, my annual salary had doubled, but the price of the bike was still out of reach. Ugh...

Still drooool all over every time I see a pic of that bike today.

[peterbaron]

Great looking bike...alway loved a round, double headlamp fairing set up =

[Houtman_imp]

I had a RC 30 in the late nineties , bought from a friend of mine in Scranton PA , great bikes ,sold when moving to NC and by that time I had bought a RC 51 Nicky Haydn Edition , also a great bike .

[peterbaron]

John, it looks to me that you had more bikes than girlfriends... is that right?

[GoldOxide_imp]