OK, I'm not going to try and compete with Eric's HOTD, but here's something different. Here are the bikes that I have owned throughout my life. Some of the photos are not of the actual bike I owned, but are the same model, color, year of what I had. (I do have photos of the actual ones somewhere....)

I "inherited" this bike from my brother, when I was about 12. It was a real piece of s**t -- it barely ran and finally just quit working. I wasn't knowledgable enough then to getting it running again, but I do remember tearing it apart trying to fix it. This is a 1967 Suzuki K11 (79cc two stroke).



Next was the beginning of my love affair with Kawasaki's. I got this when I was 16 and kept it until I was 32. It's a 1973 S1, two stroke triple. It was in storage for eight years while I was in the service. Parts eventually became unobtainable. This little bike screamed. I remember giving a Kaw 440LTD a run for the money.




After joining the Navy (I was 21), I found a 1976 KH500 (a later version of the H1), another triple. The shipmate told me that the shifter forks had bent and it was stuck in 2nd gear. He gave me a great price. I got it over to a friends and pulled off the side cover and out feel half of the shifter return spring. Fished out the other half and went to the local dealer - got lucky and they had it in stock. ... that's all that was needed!

Ended up putting expansion chambers on it the I got personally from drag racing legend Dale Walker. This bike could wheelie really easily.





OK, now time for what I always wanted -- A BRAND NEW BIKE! This 1986 ZL900A Eliminator was purchased new in 1987. They only made the 900 for two years. I sold bike two summers ago (had it for 18 years) on eBay for half of what I paid for it. Mods included Supertrapp pipes, K&N stage III kit and Dyna ignition. Took itto amatuer night at Baylands (dragstrip in CA) and ran in the high 10's. I rode this bike from coast to coast. I was torn about letting it go, but again parts hard to find and expensive and it became a bear to maintain and I wanted something smaller and more practical (for me). (This is one of my eBay photos.)




In 2001, I took an year long assignment in Singapore for my employer. They gave me a transportation allowance which allowed me to choose whatever I wanted. I had enough to lease a car, but if you've ever been to Singapore (the second most densely crowed place on earth), a car isn't very practical there. (Cars are status symbols since the cost about 3x as they do in the U.S.) A bike was more practical and more efficient. I got a BIG bike, a 2001 Suzuki DR400Z. Most the bikes there are 250cc or less, mostly two strokes. I never got off road on the DR, but it served me well. It was a bit tall for me and seemed to lumber around. (This is my bike at the base of Buhkit Timah (Tin Hill)- the highest point in Singapore).




Now I'm 44 and back to a little old Kaw 250 and loving it.

 

I did a thread like this last year, I wonder if its still in the archives?
Ok let me see now I am remembering all of the bikes, and with the help of Google I have been able to find every one. In order.

74 Hodaka Wombat


72 Honda MR 50


79 Suzuki RM 80


74 Honda CB 450 Took my test on this in 82


79 Yamaha 650 Special


74 Rickman 125


85 Yamaha 225 three wheeler


85 Suzuki LT 250R Quadracer


83 Yamaha 750 Special


80 Yamaha QT 50 (yea you guys have seen this one.)


06 Kawasaki KLX 250S and 06 Yamaha XT 225


Well that was a great trip down memory lane, and it only took an hour to find and organize........I have got to get a life.