A friend of mine once told me that in his opinion one could easily fit five motorcycles in the space of one auto-sized parking spot, and hence five was the optimal number of motorcycles to own. Of course when you are Jay Leno and you have an unlimited supply of parking spots, that optimal number expands exponentially. I think he has somewhere around 250 to 300 bikes at present.
For the rest of us, five is probably enough and seeing as we’re talking about us and not Jay, what I’d like to know today is the list of bikes you’d like to acquire – or already have – to fill that space. What are the five motorcycles that you might collect?
Image: Classic American Iron
Hooniverse Asks: What Five Motorcycles Would You Collect?
By Robert Emslie
Sep 22, 2015
Kamil Kaluski 
Jeff Glucker
Middleweight cruiser – Triumph Speedmaster
http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201211/2013-triumph-speedmaster-2_600x0w.jpg
Supermoto – Husqvarna SM610S
http://www.motorstown.com/images/husqvarna-sm-610-s-04.jpg
Modern café-style – Norton Commando 961
http://www.nortonmotorcycles.com/assets/images/bike-page/commando-961-sf-bike-price.png
Sport bike – Ducati 916
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x7DFHhd-Ho0/URMuH3G7EXI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/9hbRaPxKmlM/s1600/1997+Ducati+916+SPS.jpg
Completely ludicrous, but could justify it as a pit bike – DiBlasi
http://cdn2.bigcommerce.com/server2200/b82bd/product_images/uploaded_images/z.r7es-stainless-bike-folded-and-unfolded.jpg
I’m absolutely not a guy who grew up around motorcycles, but I like them and the idea of them a lot. That being said, I think if I had 5 I would go for the following:
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/021611middle.jpg
1. Honda VFR800/Interceptor (98-01) – I just like the bike in general. I like the idea of a gear-driven valvetrain on a V4.
http://data.motor-talk.de/data/galleries/497155/163787/-gelbe-waren-rar.jpg
2. Ducati 748S – I had a co-worker who had one (when they were new) and I have wanted one ever since.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/BMW_R_51-3_motorcycle_1951_-_3.jpg
3. BMW R51/3 – Because.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/HONDA_DREAM-CB750FOUR.jpg
4. Honda CB750 – Because.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Yamaha_img_2227.jpg
5. Yamaha XS650 – No reasons other than I like them.
I’ve never been, and most likely never will be, a cycle guy. I have to plead ignorance as I know almost nothing about them.
So, for my 5 bikes – I’m going with 5 identical models of the first motorcycle I rode – a Kawasaki KV75 mini bike. It’ll look like a Shriner’s parade, or be a pretty fun race team.
http://www.mxrestoration.com/files/1976_KV75_A5_Kawasaki_07.jpg
There’s a lot to be said for this strategy. A stable of these innocuous fun-machines would be a good way to entertain a group while limiting the potential for injury. Trails in the woods, fire roads, frozen lake…
Assuming my ability was up to it I think I’d have the following.
Triumph Scrambler
http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201306/2013-tidak-berjudul-8_1600x0w.jpg
Honda CBX 1000
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/CBX_1000_arg.jpg
A naked Honda Goldwing
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f4/97/cc/f497cc90b049d4cf1f517c77a4fc9e4f.jpg
KTM RC8
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/KTM_1190_RC8.jpg
Triumph Speed Triple
http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201212/2013-triumph-speed-triple-18_600x0w.jpg
I have to qualify my answer depending on how rich I am in this scenario. The most realistic possibility for me affording this at all depends on lottery winnings (if I played).
Win low to medium six figures:
Keep my Wee Strom. Keep my DR-Z 400 and get street only wheels for it.
Acquire a big Bagger. Probably a Harley. Just as a goof.
Acquire 2 matching Yamaha XT250’s so friends can tag along in the woods or around town. Aside from a Suzuki DR200 the XT is about the least likely to be too much for a novice to handle. (assuming I can buy some cool friends.)
Win the big big money:
Trade the Wee for a Tiger 800. I like the upright riding position of the adventure class bikes and just can’t take the gixxer association of the Suzuki.
Trade the DR-Z for a big Husqvarna or KTM. I can afford the maintenance now.
Same bagger and XT’s.
This one is just too easy. I’m sorry I don’t have time to find pictures of everything but you should know what I am talking about.
1. NR 750
2. RC-30
3. VFR 750 (1990 – Red with white wheels and Two Brothers Racing left exit exhaust) I put 38,000 miles on my 1991 before it met the side of a Dodge truck.
4. Ducati Desmosedici – The only motorcycle I have ever ridden that I could not go full throttle on.
5. Yoshimura Big Papa GSXR 1100. The one I am looking for started life as a GSXR 750 (1991?) and then got an 1100 motor that I think was punched out to 1340. Has the oil cooler mounted under the solo tail section.
I could easily add another 20 to this list.
NR 750
oval pistons and 8 valves per cylinder for the win!
Yoshimura Big Poppa
1991 VFR 750
RC30
Desmosedici
I’ve been lucky enough to own two. The third is a someday, the others? Only if I hit the lottery.
Ducati 1098
BMW R1100S
Triumph Thruxton Cafe
Vincent Black Shadow
Britten V1000
Swap the Thruxton for a KTM Adventure and that’s my five as well.
John Britten was such a genius and is much missed here in NZ. That motorbike is STILL full of details that no-one else has used, if it had never existed beforeand turned up now it would still be the most radical bike in existence. And it’s differences made it better. bikeexif.com describes it as’ the greatest bike ever’
http://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/gallery/2015-ktm-1050-adventure-is-light-and-maneuverable-at-eicma-2014-live-photos_18.jpg
http://kickstart.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/britten-v1000.jpg
http://kickstart.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/britten-v1000-2.jpg
“…easily fit five motorcycles in the space of one auto-sized parking spot….”
Do NOT attempt this with trikes, whether of delta or tadpole configuration. I had to stop at two plus a riderless golf-bag-toting robot.
Oooh, in that case I want Morgan,
https://classicrecollections.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/dsc_7065_72.jpg
and a Honda Big Red.
http://www.3wheelerworld.com/oldsite/files/readersrigs/GaryBigRed.jpg
The Rover is also awesome.
But how about:
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm169/TeamFletcher/779914d9-d9cd-498d-9354-3d931be89e4a.jpg
http://sidecarracers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2371&sid=19c0ed0477d487463578ec566c7055bc
or http://sidecarracers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2363&sid=19c0ed0477d487463578ec566c7055bc
(click on the first two pictures and feel right at home)
Well, I found a new hobby for when I’m rich.
I’d be more interested in riding value than collector value so no Manx Norton or MV Agusta in the garage.
For real world fun and a few classics
BMW R1200RT
Triumph Street Triple or my old BMW R100S for sentimental reasons
Suzuki RG500 Gamma (street legal 500cc 2 stroke square 4)
Ural sidecar rig
Norton Commando Fastback
I’d actually like 2 or 3 more to have a dirt bike and a track day bike although the Street Triple would work for track duty.
Just one more .. the last one to add to the collection. WWII R75 ( 1943-1945 )
Or if the knuckleheads in Germany wedge a full blown S1000RR powertrain in a full blown GS Adventure ( and paint it BLACK !! ) …. and make the settings in two (2) settings only: street mode and death mode. operators beware.
Keep my FJ1200 and add, Honda Blackbird, KTM Duke, Yamaha GT1000, Yamaha R1
The three I have are:
Laverda RGA 1000 Jota
Suzuki DRZ400E
Kawasaki EX500
I would totally ditch the Wacky Kwaki, though, I only have that ’cause it was dropped in my lap. The dream team would add:
Honda CB-1 (I had one, want it back!) ’round towner
Honda Valkyrie (1996-2003 model) for the long rides
Yamaha WR250R (Smaller dual-sport ) take a buddy riding and make them ride the DRZ!
Honda CBX, mid 80’s Ducati SS, Honda RC30, Yamaha RZ500, Honda NS400R
A new Moto Guzzi V7 with quick detach soft bags for everyday riding
A Honda VFR800 with hard bags for touring
A Ducati GT750 with a tool bag for breaking down on the side of the road
A Triumph Street Triple for riding fast
An Indian Sport Scout for being ‘Merican
To collect means, to me, store as personal museum. Ride on rare days.
5 is tough. So many bikes, so little time. The list would change every day, every hour.
Would hunt down and consult Mr. Tanshanomi first if really doing this.
Nothing sold today.
Vincent Black Shadow
Honda S90
Yamaha SRV250
BMW gs800
Ducati 250 monza
I might delete the BMW as it would be a good daily driver. In that case, Marusho Lilac.
For modern riding the question has no relevance to normal people. We are all limited by time and terrain; one best of each of 5 riding styles is too many.
Aermacchi Harley Davidson 350 SS
Aermacchi Harley Davidson X90
Honda Z50
Honda CT70
1975 Honda XL125S
Too many great motorcycles to choose from, and I know that my choices will change from one day to the next, so here’s today’s list.
1. Vincent Black Shadow – gotta have at least one classic bike, and it may as well be one of the more iconic ones.
2. Drysdale V8 – limited-production Aussie road bike
3. BMW R100GS Paris Dakar, set up in full adventure touring trim (hard boxes, etc.) – simple, basic, hard to break, can be ridden anywhere in the civilized world and quite a few places that are not civilized. The perfect bike for the zombie apocalypse.
4. some small-to-medium sized standard for around town use – probably something like a Triumph Bonneville or a Kawasaki W800, maybe something slightly smaller.
5. Harley-Davidson Road King – I needed a H-D on the list.
ALL of them would get ridden.
I’d start with:
Kawasaki KLR650 for dirt road shenanigans (starting to miss mine)
Suzuki V-strom 1000 for the pavement (I’m considering a Wee-strom for my next bike)
Yamaha R1 for racking up points on my license
Honda Big Ruckus (technically a scooter, but 250cc = M license) for around town
Triumph Scrambler for nostalgia
Not a single vote for Buell (either Harley Davidson based, or Erik Buell Racing)? I have to admit I don’t know much about motorbikes, but I would have thought that being made in the US and looking like they’re fun to ride would have garnered them some points?
I’d honestly forgotten about Buell.
After refreshing my memory I like the Ulysses, but I’d rather have a Yamaha Super Tenere.