Hooniverse Asks: What Five Motorcycles Would You Collect?

Harley_team
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

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32 responses to “Hooniverse Asks: What Five Motorcycles Would You Collect?”

  1. PotbellyJoe★★★★★ Avatar
    PotbellyJoe★★★★★

    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.

  2. GTXcellent Avatar
    GTXcellent

    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

    1. Tiberiuswise Avatar

      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…

  3. Tiberiuswise Avatar

    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.

  4. Rick Radcliffe Avatar
    Rick Radcliffe

    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.

    1. Rick Radcliffe Avatar
      Rick Radcliffe

      NR 750

      1. fede Avatar
        fede

        oval pistons and 8 valves per cylinder for the win!

    2. Rick Radcliffe Avatar
      Rick Radcliffe

      Yoshimura Big Poppa

    3. Rick Radcliffe Avatar
      Rick Radcliffe

      1991 VFR 750

    4. Rick Radcliffe Avatar
      Rick Radcliffe

      RC30

    5. Rick Radcliffe Avatar
      Rick Radcliffe

      Desmosedici

  5. onrails Avatar
    onrails

    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

    1. Rover 1 Avatar
      Rover 1

      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

  6. mdharrell Avatar

    “…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.

        1. Guest Avatar
          Guest

          Well, I found a new hobby for when I’m rich.

  7. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
    SlowJoeCrow

    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.

  8. Jeepster Avatar
    Jeepster

    Just one more .. the last one to add to the collection. WWII R75 ( 1943-1945 )

    1. Jeepster Avatar
      Jeepster

      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.

  9. mr smee Avatar
    mr smee

    Keep my FJ1200 and add, Honda Blackbird, KTM Duke, Yamaha GT1000, Yamaha R1

  10. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    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!

  11. DMan Avatar
    DMan

    Honda CBX, mid 80’s Ducati SS, Honda RC30, Yamaha RZ500, Honda NS400R

  12. Clawbrant Avatar
    Clawbrant

    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

  13. srx6 Avatar
    srx6

    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.

  14. SawdustTX Avatar
    SawdustTX

    Aermacchi Harley Davidson 350 SS
    Aermacchi Harley Davidson X90
    Honda Z50
    Honda CT70
    1975 Honda XL125S

  15. sporty88 Avatar
    sporty88

    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.

  16. ptschett Avatar
    ptschett

    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

  17. Vairship Avatar
    Vairship

    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?

    1. ptschett Avatar
      ptschett

      I’d honestly forgotten about Buell.
      After refreshing my memory I like the Ulysses, but I’d rather have a Yamaha Super Tenere.