If you could have any three production motorcycles, with any budget, what would you pick?
I’ll go first:
- Yamaha R1 (Sport riding and trackdays, also crossplane sound)
- Triumph Tiger 900 GT (touring and adventure riding with an actually manageable seat height)
- Honda Grom (for just hooning around for when I want a small light bike)
I still think the mid 2000s GSX-R 750 is the ultimate street “sport bike” so…
- GSX-R 750
- Yamaha FJR
- Honda CRF 450x / Yamaha WR450
Nothing exotic mainly because working on them/getting parts/maintenance all overpriced :). If all maintenance is included mine could change.
What makes the GSX-R 750 the ultimate sport bike in your mind?
Well back when I was riding a LOT and even racing (wera) it was the literal same chassis, and weight of it’s little brother (GSX-R 600) but with 145hp. So a menace :)
I’m still a fairly inexperienced rider, I’ve put 1800 miles into my first and only motorcycle: A Suzuki GZ250 with a whopping 20hp. I test rode a 80hp Triumph Trident 660 and did some 2nd gear pulls at not even full throttle and it was the craziest acceleration I’ve ever felt, more so than the (admittedly smallish) rollercoasters I’ve ridden and the C7 Corvette that I got to floor it in. Even the Harley I test rode felt fast. I can’t even imagine what 145hp is supposed to feel like.
I only ever owned 600cc sport bikes. I started on a 1997 Honda CBR 600 F3, and put 17k miles on it the first year I owned it!! Started doing track days with it also. I did ride a number of same/larger cc ones just never owned (GSX-R 750, GSX-R 1000, Ducati 748R, various Honda 600s, Kawasaki 636)
Bought a brand new 2004 GSX-R 600, and laid it down before making my first payment on it. (Sigh). I hit some gravel while going around a corner that had been washed out of a driveway. Insurance totaled it, so I bought it back and turned it into a full track bike, and bought a 2005 GSX-R 600. I got my race license with Wera and raced the 2004 for a couple seasons. Super expensive, especially if you crash :). So after that ran it’s course I ended up trading my track bike with someone for a Honda CRF 450R dirt bike, and got into riding off-road. That bike was silly fast but it was not very good for riding in the woods. It was made for motocross not trails. Eventually I bought a new 2011 KTM 450 XCW which was a fantastic woods riding bike and sold the CRF.
I had the GSX-R and KTM for a while but had stopped riding regularly in the street, mostly just to work which was a bit of a pain on a sport bike. After a few years I sold the GSX-R.
That lasted for a year or so before I bought a 2006 Honda ST-1300 in 2013. Had 20k on it. I still have it and it has right at 50k on it now. I even got my “iron butt” with this bike. Road from NY, to Michigan, down to Indiana (1077 miles) in about 17h straight. Glad I did it, got all the official paperwork but would never do it again!!!
I sold my KTM just this year to a buddy I used to ride with for his son, so I’m back to just one bike (ST-1300).
That’s my riding history :)
And you would be surprised what you can get used to speed/power wise !
I can’t even imagine what 145hp is supposed to feel like.
Feels like heaven. Upgraded from a Ninja 650 to a GSXR 750 last year. Over double the hp. Can stay in 2nd gear on the FREEWAY.
I’ve heard of bikes that will exceed every US freeway speed limit in first. That’s crazy. For comparison, here are the redline speeds in each gear on my GZ250:
- 25mph
- 39mph
- 53mph
- 66mph
- 85mph
That’s right, I must be in top gear to keep up with traffic on my GZ250.
But your GSX-R can pull so much harder in any gear.
It feels like you can teleport from point A to B before you know you left A.
Tron Light Cycle. Kaneda"s bike in Akira. Imperial Speeder Bike.
Kaneda’s bike is the Honda NM4 Vultus. Think there’s an electric version now too. It’s on my wishlist as well.
Accessible toy - Tenere 700 Extreme Edition Daily fun - a boxer twin naked/cafe BMW K1600GT - sell the car and tavel far
I’m 6’6" so I don’t typically get to pick the bike, the bike picks me but …
- My current Indian Chieftain Limited
- A KTM Super Duke
- A BMW R1250GS
Good bike variety there still. Only thing really missing is something for track days but I’d imagine a Super Duke would do well with some fairings
I love my ‘23 Indian Chief, good bikes indeed.
Never looked much at the Indian Motorcycles due to my low budget and their high prices, and my inexperience contrasts with their non beginner friendly lineup. What makes the Chief a great bike?
Lots of power, good ergonomics, engines that last and last. I’m no fanboy, they’re not perfect bikes and they are expensive, but I can say that I love every second I’m on mine.
My wife rides a Scout.
The Thunderstroke engines go and go. The bikes are comfortable and easy to ride, and look great.
I’m in the opposite direction but same problem. Wanted a ZX6R settled for a GSXR 750. Not a bad compromise.
My wife is 5’1" her Scout has reduced-reach everything.
Lol gotta get creative on some of those mods I imagine.
I feel like it’d be something like:
- KTM Adv 790
- Zero DSR
- Cake Osa+
Something for offroad motocamp trips. Something electric for daily comute and runabout. And an electric grocery getter - which tbh should probs be an ebike so I could ride on bike paths etc, but I’ll keep my answer more moto related.
I say a class 1-3 E-Bike is not a motorcycle, but something like a Surron is a motorcycle.
Yeah, I’d be getting a lower class ebike coz in Australia basically an ebike has to be 250w or less and pedal assist or it falls into a grey/illegal area. I can’t be arsed with running an illegal bike - even if I might never get caught/questioned.
I’d like two bikes: a zero srf, and my fuel-injection converted Suzuki GS1000.
Cafe bike which I can also camp with, eMoto for zipping around the city. Plus space to work on projects in general.
- BMW S1000RR m sport for the track
- Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 factory for fun tours
- ENERGICA EGO+ RS to save the planet ;-) seriously though I would like an electric bike for a quick run around. I’ve spent very little time looking at them though
Can I just have all of them? Every time I see a weird motorcycle I just want it. So I guess I would skip the crotch rockets and HDs, but just normal ones. Currently -KLR650 -XT225 -1969 Yamaha L5T
Arch because why not Some sort of electric cruiser An electric sport bike for zoom zoom
What’s Arch?
Arch Motorcycle is a motorcycle company that Keanu Reeves confounded in 2011.
They aren’t exactly my style but they are all made from ground up. I don’t believe this is a mass production motorcycle, in a sense. I mean that each one is built and inspected by the team. Handcrafted if you will.
Fun fact: Arch Motorcycles were used as the base for models in Cyberpunk under the Arch brand.
Never heard of this company, wow! Those are huge engines! I want to know how much power these make if they are trying to “push the limits” of motorcycling.
Late to the discussion but here’s mine:
- GSXR 750 (current)
- Indian Scout Bobber
- Honda NM4
The Honda NM4 is allegedly the concept bike for the Akira anime. I want to be Kaneda.
A Suzuki RE5 A r1150 just for chilling My k100rt but in better running condition.
Fully insured and on fire due to ‘the neighbors kids.’ I could use a payday. /S
I recently sold two bikes, one that was weird and uncomfortable (but fun) and one that was fun but needed work almost every time I rode it. I bought one new bike that just works and it’s been a blast.
Having multiple bikes is only fun for me if I have enough time to ride and maintain them all.
I already have 2 of them, the Multistada V4S and Street Triple Moto2. For the 3rd, I’d better go with a track bike, and I’ve had my eye on the ZX-4RR in 40th Anniversary livery. Be fun to use it to hopefully compete for the podium at my local racetrack in the 500 class.
Those are some really nice bikes! No cruisers/off-road/touring/ADV bikes though?
Thanks! I hate cruisers, and the Multistada is an ADV bike.
Only three?? Awwww maaan
