I had to laugh when I read Bobby's posts, he went from a Ducati 350 to a Kawasaki 440 and preferred the Kawasaki, I had the choice of a Ducati 450 Silver Shotgun or a Yamaha TX500 (much like Bobby's 440, and equally worthless now) and after test riding the Ducati, chose the Yamaha.
I saw a similar Ducati go for $20K recently, and decided that there really is "one born every minute............"
I found that cold. I had never even considered riding a bike. A fellow I knew knocked up his girlfriend and needed money quick. So, for $100 bucks I had a bike. I paid another $25.00 to some Inusrance company so could get plates. I ran around with the little bastard on all kind of trails trepassing on public and private lands. Pieces fell off or were knocked off daily. The speedo and headlight combo came off in an early crash, so I have no idea how fast the thing could go.
I left for active duty and the Gov't focused on teaching me another skill. The little Duc sat until I returned. The motor was seized, so I rebuilt it and rode it around some more with no turnsignals, horn or mirrors(I was trained to glance behind me anyway).
The Military gave me a license that included motor scooters, so NY issued me a Drivers license with an MC endoresement when I got out. Out in Nevada the fighter Jocks had their bikes and I borrowed one now and then. Damn they were quick bikes. Almost all of them were CB750s.
I drifted around a bit, and then traveled around a lot for my job so I never rode it much and the Old Man needed room in his garage, it disapeared one day. The old man was never big on explaining.
I got married a the tender age of 30 and bought a house. A few blocks from my Hosue a KZ440 sat with a for sale sign. I offered the guy $100 and we settled on $120 if it would start. I rode it home at 20 mph which was as fast as it would go with the choke on. The Wife threw a fit, but she got over it in a year or so.
I sorted out the carbs rode that thing around all over the place including commuting to work. I had a horn, mirrors, turn signals and I pinned the speedo at 80mph.
Then a guy offered me a bike he had for 19 years and only rode for 2 years. I went to his place and there it was. I pushed down on the kicker and it moved so the motor wasn't seized. $150.00 and I flat bedded bike home.
This will be my last bike. It is all I need. Total purchase price of all the bikes I have owned. $370.