[bwdbrn1]

Golly, all this talk of motorcycles lately has gotten me to "remembering when" so to speak. Unfortunately, pictures of them all are scattered out amongst older computer hard drives, memory sticks and photo albums tucked away in drawers somewhere. But, here are the last bikes Judy and I have owned and ridden.

This little 1984 Honda Elite 125 was Judy's first bike. She found it at a yard sale and we had to work on it to get it to run. Turned out it had an electric choke that had to be replaced. It was neat with the retracting headlight, digital speedometer and water cooled single cylinder that was quiet as a church mouse. Darn thing topped out around 50 mph, which on those little 10" wheels was kind of interesting. But it was a hoot, and my first experience with a scooter that led to many more.

It was enough to get us both interested in scooting, and we both had a Honda Reflex when they were introduced to the U.S. market. The Reflex had a 250cc engine, and would cruise along all day at 65 mph. They rode nice, handled well, and we actually put a lot of touring miles on them.

Judy went from the Reflex to this 2003 Honda Silverwing. It had a 600cc fuel injected twin, and needless to say, it went a little faster than the Elite and Reflex.

I rode a Suzuki Burgman 650 then. I liked everything about that scooter except the seat, which was hard as a rock. It had a parallel twin, water cooled fuel injected engine with a trick electronically controlled CVT transmission that had three different settings, and radial tires. It was super nice, except for that seat, and it surprised a lot of cagers who thought it would never out run them. Mind you kids, I never raced, ahem, and wouldn't think of encouraging it.....

My last big bike was a 1998 Honda Pacific Coast. A water cooled 800cc V-twin with hydraulic lifters and shaft drive. It was practically maintenance free and fit me perfectly. Gosh I do miss that bike.

Now we're into mopeds. I ride a Puch Maxi Luxe, and Judy rides a Yamaha QT50. Don't think we'll be hitting the open road with them, but they are fun to ride.

 

[Austen]

You both have certainly shared and experienced a nice evolution of different models there. :ThumbUp:
I like the unmistakable 1980's styling of the Elite.

Do you picture you both ever trying a bagger or dresser down the road?

 

[bwdbrn1]

I've owned and ridden three different Gold Wings over the years. The first was a 1980 GL1100I, then an '87 GL1200I and finally the one I used to dream about after they were introduced, a 1996 GL1500SE. All told I've been fortunate enough to have traveled to 33 of our 50 states and the Provence of Ontario in Canada. Most of the trips were on the Gold Wings, but Judy and I have also taken trips on the Reflex scooters, the Suzuki Bergman, the Silver Wing and the Pacific Coast.

When the department sent me to motor officer school in Fort Wayne, IN, back in 1997, those conducting the school took us to the dealership that provided the bikes for the school. They were also a Honda dealer, and when we walked onto the dealer's show room, there it was. It was sort of like that scene when Clark Griswold saw the family Christmas tree out in the forest. Right in the middle of all other bikes on the show room was the pearl white GL1500SE of my dreams. I swear there was a beacon shinning down on it, and angels on high were singing to me. I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

I went home from that school and thought about that bike. A week later called them up to see if they still had it. I made a deal on the phone to trade one of my bikes, called my boss and asked for the next day off. I packed my daughter up on the back of the 1995 Honda Magna I had then and rode off to Fort Wayne. Between the time I first saw that GL and when I picked it up, the dealership had a gorgeous blue and gold pin stripping done on it, so it was even more beautiful than I had remembered it. My daughter and I rode back home on the GL1500SE the next day.

As much as I liked that bike, I came to name it "The Rainmaker". It never seemed to fail that every time I took it out on the road for a trip of any more than 50 mies from home, it rained. My daughter and I took a 10 day trip to New England on it once. It rained 7 of those 10 days, but we still had a good time.

You never know, but I think my days of riding and touring on big bikes are pretty much over. But if somebody came at me with great deal on another pristine Pacific Coast...

 

[43128]

favorite scooters for me are the honda helixs. to bad honda ceased production. favorite bikes are the older 80s model honda goldwings. so beautiful

 

[bwhitsonjr]

NICE collection Bruce! Thanks for sharing.... Kinda got me thinking of when I found a Roketa 250 and attempted to restore. Well..... months later and a broken bolt in the head I had to have the head repaired and after that I was still unsuccessful in finding out the reason whey it wouldn't run right. Needless to say it was an educational journey and I learned a lot!

 

[bwdbrn1]

favorite scooters for me are the honda helixs. to bad honda ceased production. favorite bikes are the older 80s model honda goldwings. so beautiful

I always like those too, and see them on CL every now and again. Honda stopped production, then brought them back for awhile before stopping again. There is, or was, a company making knock offs of them, but I never heard how good they were.

There was once an organized group based in Arkansas called Scoot Tours. It was founded by a couple who toured extensively on Honda Helix scooters. They had a monthly news letter and sponsored an annual event in Eureka Springs, AR called Sootercade for scooters only, though some motorcycles came along too. Judy and I attended it from Illinois one year and we had by no means traveled the furthest by scoot to get there. It was a really fun event and the scenery in that part of AR is spectacular.

NICE collection Bruce! Thanks for sharing.... Kinda got me thinking of when I found a Roketa 250 and attempted to restore. Well..... months later and a broken bolt in the head I had to have the head repaired and after that I was still unsuccessful in finding out the reason whey it wouldn't run right. Needless to say it was an educational journey and I learned a lot!

I worked one summer for a fellow who has operated an all makes motorcycle repair shop for years. Besides being fun and educational, it was frustrating at times for the very thing you experienced. A customer brought in his brand new scooter that he'd gotten via mail order from someplace. If I remember right, he rode around the block then let his brother take it for a spin. He came back pushing it as it had died on him. As it turned out, no amount of testing, fiddling, and replacing of parts under warranty would make it run again. I don't think it even had 5 miles on the odometer. I believe the guy just took a refund from who ever as opposed to accepting another scooter.

 

[tiretrx]

Some nice rides there, Bruce :ThumbUp: Sounds like you've had saddle time with a good number of bikes.

 

[[email protected]]

I'll play...FYI, I did not start riding until I was 33 (and came to work for Honda).

1986 Honda VT1100 Shadow

1993 Honda ST1100

1997 Honda ST1100-ABS

2000 Honda VFR

2002 Honda ST1300

2001 Kawasaki W650

(another) 2000 Honda VFR

 

[Austen]

Nice collection there, Robert!

 

[motorhead12]

:ditto: No kidding!:cool

 

[bwdbrn1]

I got the Puch and QT50 out for the first time today. The Puch started on the second kick and the QT50 on the third. Both ran like a charm and it sure was fun riding them again.

 

[[email protected]]

Nice collection there, Robert!

The VFR was my favorite.

It never failed to exceed my expectations. There was always a LOT more there than I ever had the talent to use. Often felt it was way out of my league. 800cc, fuel-injected V-4 engine is a work of perfection.

 

[bwdbrn1]

Not only was the VFR a mechanical work of perfection, they were always one of the most beautiful works of motorcycling art. I'd always wanted to have one myself.

 

[clamdigger]

Hey Robert do you still have the W650, I love all the "retro look" styles. Old school looks with modern safety/reliability. Its spring and like always I start "Jonsing" for a new ride: CB1100, Urban Enduro, Scrambler, or one of those made in India AJS replica's. Current ride 88 Concours w 208,000kms.

 

[[email protected]]

Hey Robert do you still have the W650, I love all the "retro look" styles. Old school looks with modern safety/reliability. Its spring and like always I start "Jonsing" for a new ride: CB1100, Urban Enduro, Scrambler, or one of those made in India AJS replica's. Current ride 88 Concours w 208,000kms.

No, sold the Kaw years ago. I agree, way kewl looking bike, but I missed the performance of the VFR, so got another one.