| Author | Message | ||
     Okc99 |
As some you read a few weeks ago, I am a former Bueller and now the proud and unabashed owner of a Vespa 250. In short, I definitely love the bike and can confirm my initial hunch that I would really appreciate the versatility and "jump on and ride" factor. However....(and you knew this was coming). I now find myself dreaming of a Ducati 1000 Sport or an old Tiger 955i. I'd like to hear from those who have a "stable" and how they "tend" to it. How big is too big and what are the lessons learned from long-time stable owners who've bought and sold many a bike. | ||
| Glenn |
All you need worry about is $$$$s  Just check out Jay Leno's garage! | ||
| Mikef5000 |
I loved my previous Buell stable, but I love my current stable as well: Yamaha WR250R  A killer solo bike. Great fun around town or as a commuter. I don't love riding it on the interstate, but it does it just fine if I have to. With it's current 50/50 tires, I can throw the thing around on pavement like a mad man. And then there's the whole ability to go off-pavement. Again, with my current 50/50 tires, I can ride in just about any terrain I can find in Ohio. If I were to swap to true knobbies, I'd lose some on pavement, but the bike would be virtually unstoppable. Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere  This beast of a bike will eat up anything I can throw at it; 2-up, loaded to the gills with camping gear, and it feels just a solid as if I were riding to work in the morning (brakes, engine, suspension, all work perfect with as much or little weight as I can throw on it), dirt, twisties, highway touring, it's all good. The 110/19 and 150/17 tire sizes allow for endless possibilities of street and dirt tire options. I'm running 95/5 street tires now, but will be swapping to something closer to a 70/30 tire in the future. The bike feels planted in about all conditions, and I have no issue throwing it into corners deep enough to drag pegs (which is also it's negative; not enough available lean angle). I like to think that these two bikes do so much, I'll be happy with them forever... But I thought that back when I had two Buells, so who knows. | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
Personally we have had as many as seven at one time. The best $30 we spent was on a battery tender. My key takeaway from working at a school with multiple locations and several bikes is there is no worse punishment for a bike than not riding it. | ||
| Nvr2old |
The Uly's suspension makes country roads a whole lot of fun.  And this guy keeps me smiling on the interstates.  I avoid 2 lane state roads, too many idiots trying to pass with underpowered vehicles. | ||
| Okc99 |
A couple of comments... Mike-I hate you for reminding me that I want a Super T too! Nrv-I'm usually anti-dresser, but no one could deny that that she-beast looks like a sweet ride. If you've guys have never seen the Top Gear episode of Jay Leno, you have to see it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0XtNGuijqc Now only if he collected bikes  | ||
| Djohnk |
I went out with two Super T's last weekend in a 800 Mile trip to the twisted sisters in the Texas hill country. They are impressive bikes, but it my Uly kept right up with them for the most part. The torque on the Uly is nice when negotiating all those hills and tight curves. Here's a pic me with the five bikes in our group: http://tinyurl.com/73ewdc9 | ||
| Uly_man |
"now the proud and unabashed owner of a Vespa 250. In short, I definitely love the bike and can confirm my initial hunch that I would really appreciate the versatility and "jump on and ride" factor." I do not know about anyone else but I find a Uly one of the most versatile bikes around and "jump on ride it" all the time. How does a Vespa 250 compare with a Uly, Duke 1000 sport or Tiger? As far as having a "stable" goes its just money. The more you have the more it costs. Unless they are given to you and someone else pays the bills. "If you've guys have never seen the Top Gear episode of Jay Leno, you have to see it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0XtNGuijqc Now only if he collected bikes" If my memory serves me right JL is a big bike fan (riding all his life) and has many bikes. | ||
| Hooper |
I miss my stable, except that the first two bikes were beginner bikes (V-Star 650 and Katana 600). Once I upgraded to the Buell and H-D, the old Japanese bikes were neglected and went to pot. They became a liability (though it was awesome to say I had four bikes at once). Once I got married, their value dropped even further, especially with no garage to keep them all in - I ended up basically giving them away. That said, I'm keeping the Uly and and the H-D. They're so different that I get a good dose of that old "first-ride" thrill every time I switch between them. So, I would recommend getting a variety of steeds that respond differently to different riding styles, different roads, different moods, different destinations. Personally, I would like to add some sort of interesting sporty bike (but not a traditional sport bike), like a Ducati Diavel or Buell 1125CR. If I REALLY had my way, I'd also add a couple sport-tourers in the BMW K-bike/Kawasaki Concours vein and a Super Tenere. In less-married times...   | ||
| Glenn |
Jay Leno definitely does have LOTS of interesting and expensive bikes. Check out his jet bike. http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/at-the-garage/motorc ycles/ | ||
| Tootal |
I remember the stable! I decided to downsize but for a while I had these. The dirt bikes aren't present. I bought the Uly soon after and sold "old blue" and the BMW went to a close friend. "Old blue" would pull wheelies which was great fun during parades! The beemer and cagiva would easily pull wheelies but you'd expect that!   | ||
| Okc99 |
Old Blue looks like a great tourer. I like that extra tall screen. I take it she was getting long in the hoof though and that's why you sold her. | ||
| Charlie_zulu |
 This is the majority of the stable. One thing I've learned is that tires are expensive and get good manuals for each bike.Trying to remember torque values for all those nutz and bolts .... you get what I mean. | ||
| Hooper |
God bless America! Which one to ride today... I'll take a KTM too! | ||
| Okc99 |
Shoot. I should have started a "Dream Stable" thread with a 4-steed (stead?) limit. | ||
| Tootal |
"Old Blue" was the Harley even though the BMW was older. I stripped the Harley and made a TT racer out of it but a friend refused to take any riding course thinking since he was a truck driver that motorcycles were easy. Well he pretty much sucked as a rider so I told him I'd sell the Harley for $6000.00 to him if he'd take a riding course. He still wouldn't do it but a mutual friend heard about the deal and threw cash at me so it went away. Still wish I'd never sold it. I had every bug fixed on that thing and I sell it. What an idiot!! I know it's just a Harley but at 100,000 miles I did a frame up restoration on it including building a whole new engine with dual plugged heads, new cases and crank from S&S. It did wheelies in first and second gear and still got 48 mpg! I became intimate with every damn nut and bolt on that bike. Kind of feel that way about the Uly now!  | ||
| Tiltcylinder |
Three is nice number... I've got five now. The XT for distance, the Blast for 'round town (I guess it's my 'scooter'), The KLR for dirty duties, The '71 Iron Head (just because I built if from scratch twenty years ago, and still enjoy it) and the single down tube, 80", '69 Iron head, hardtail "project" that never seems to get any work done on it... mostly annoys me by using up valuable shop space. The XT, KLR and '71 are the ones I can't live without... Too many choices is not optimum and I feel that I'm not riding them enough. Less bikes would mean more saddle time for the remaining ones. The chopper and Blast need new homes... but I still like them... or at least the idea of them. If I had unlimited (think Leno) room... I'd have dozens... Z50's Ct70's, Rd350/400's, CB750's, an '81 Katana, masses of two smoke dirtbikes, an old XT or TT500, early tubers and on and on... all the stuff I loved but couldn't keep, the ones I wanted but couldn't afford... even the ones I had hated/frustrated/elated relationships with, that still have a little corner of my soul. | ||
| Ronmold |
Lined them up today as I finally got the Buell out of storage. I forgot for a second what a unique ride the Ulysses is and the great roll-on torque (and how fast you hit rev limiter) after riding the screaming little Ninja around! 07 Ninja twofiddy - 06 SV650SF - 94 Vulcan 1500 - 06 Ulysses - 09 Specialized Crossroads Elite  | ||
| Rkc00 |
Since you guys are showing off yours. Heres mine:  96 S1 97 S1 06 VRSCR 09 XB12X 09 1125CR 09 1125R | ||
| Rkc00 |
Here is what the CR looks like now:  | ||
| Danair |
No stable is complete without a.... MoPed   | ||
| Mikef5000 |
He has a plane in his stable. I think we have a winner. | ||
| Buellerxt |
Whoa, I agree Mikef5000, some people have multiple bikes and some people have STABLES!!! Very nice, Danair, and very cool. Hey, I agree with you, ya' gotta' have a Moped to be complete if you have a substantial bike collection, which you do! | ||
| Danair |
Thanks! I'll try to get a pic of my buddy's hangar that I bought the Norton Commando from. Puts all of us combined to shame. 30 bikes at least. All 60's and 70's and mint. Maico's, Husky's, BSA's, Triumph's, Honda Dreams, a couple of H1's and H2's, a couple of CBX's...I mean it will bring a tear to your eye if you were riding in that era. Took me 8 years to wrestle that Commando from him. Only bike he ever sold, he just keeps buying. All feel free to shout out if in San Diego area for flight down the beach. | ||
| Charlie_zulu |
"I'll take a KTM too!"  got the sister out of the garage today. | ||
| Sidepipe79 |
Documentation is the key to a stable. I have three bikes currently. The Uly, an SV650 that has been bastardized and an R6 track bike. Trying to keep up on maintenance and part numbers on multiple bikes can be daunting. Especially when my Suzuki has a Buell front suspension ans Honda rear. I try to take one day a week to do bike stuff. | ||
| Okc99 |
That blue/orange KTM should be the official U of FL bike. Looks like Gator colors to me. | ||
| Tootal |
I'm loving this thread, great to see other brand interest. I could of taken a picture of my Triumph T 160 Trident but since it's spread all over the house maybe I'll wait till I put it all back together!  | ||
| Rdkingryder |
Bad picture, but I wasn't going to drag them out after I just put them all away.  Yea, I know, a mess. | ||
| Danair |
Damn fine MoPed, mister. | ||
| Rdkingryder |
It's for sale if your interested. | ||
| Danair |
Wife said I can only have one MoPed. Sorry |
