Topic: The question: How many motorcycles do you really need?

[mark]

Need = 0 ..... only a few months of decent riding weather anyway.

Want = maybe 2 or 3 ..... I'm not greedy.

Have = most of 6 ..... oops.

Motorcycles will accumulate until the space to place them is exceeded.

I've heard that can happen.

I'll watch carefully for the signs.






maybe on craigslist too.

 

[Frankenkit]

I like redneck motorcycle collecting.
Works: 1
'parts bikes' 1 or 2
'project': mow the lawn and keep finding more.

[mark]

must still be short quite a few then..........

haven't had to park anything on the lawn yet.

 

[lrutt]

Need?? 2.

Have?? 14.

Want?? At least another 4 or 5 more to have the minimum I'd like.

[Tretnine]

Need?? 2.

Have?? 14.

Want?? At least another 4 or 5 more to have the minimum I'd like.

I looked at your bikes and saw the side car. I want a bike with a side car, I don't know how many bikes I want, but I want one with a side car.

[cb750fbomb]

I can think of at least 6, but can think of more than that

[bucky katt]

ok, i gave my smartassed answer,now after thinking about this question, heres my answer. 5 bikes for me. 1 stock cb750, 1 cafe racer cb750, 1 cb750 chopper, 1 long distance friendly motorcycle (bmw r1200 st) and 1 "donor cycle" which is what i call the motorcycles with enough horsepower to change the weather, for that one i'd have to stay with bmw, their k1300r (173 hp at the wheel i according to BMW Motorrad)

[Really?]

My magic number would have to be three.

One for crusin' with the wife on back.
One for her on short rides.
One for me on short rides.

Now to find that short ride one for me.  Got the other two already.

[grumburg]

Currently 6 - 5 up and running great. 2 550s for daily commuting, S90 for bopping around, 2 Suzuki 250 2 strokes for show, and a Vespa for............... 

[333]

3.  That's what my wife said I could have.

[Tretnine]

3.  That's what my wife said I could have.

HAHA, I love it. My wife is the one who encouraged me to ask the question. I wonder how many she'd actually let me have...

[Shenanigans]

You need a modern sport bike for acceleration, top end, stopping power and handling. Say a speed triple or track bike.

You need one classic restoration to pay homage to the factory and motorcycles roots. Say a CBX, Z1, Bonnie, KO750, H1 or a black bomber.

You need something for long distance riding, if your a wimp that is...

You need one custom bike. A cafe racer or chop or something like that, that YOU built. That you put your time, sweat and blood into. That you know inside and out and has no part which you have not touched.

You need one bike that your afraid to ride. Would most likely have a turbo and would handle and break poorly.

You need one tiny fun bike to ride to the corner store. You should be able to lift it by yourself and it should be able to conquer curbs, medians, small fields, golf courses, large fields, alleys, small sets of stairs. A Dairy Queen lobby (but it wasn't your fault, really) A trail 90 or cb125 perhaps.

And you need one "open" slot for whatever bike you have a whim for at the moment. A side car rig? A hardtail sportster? a old CBR with a huge rear sprocket? A scrambler? A Busa' you sell with out ever getting past 3rd gear. A bike with no kick stand but that really doesnt bother you if it falls over as its a pile anyways but somehow ends up being more reliable with all the abuse than any other of your bikes and it probably has more than one repair involving duck tape and an old soda can.


My guess would be 7.

[Trevor from Warragul]

I have 4 - 1971 Kawasaki H1A, 1972 Honda CB350/4, 1976 Morini 3 1/2 & 1978 Honda CBX.

I'd still like an Aermacchi 350 Sprint, Suzuki GT750, Honda 350 twin (to turn into a racer), Suzuki X7, Norton 850 Commando and a 1964 Triumph Bonneville.

That makes 10.

Trevor

[GoatBaSS]

I feel like I make lists for these things... but the correct answer is always one more.

True!

I have always wanted to have a single, twin, triple, got the four, and after the CBX heads here a six. Would settle for a Benelli at that point.

[Tretnine]

You need a modern sport bike for acceleration, top end, stopping power and handling. Say a speed triple or track bike.

You need one classic restoration to pay homage to the factory and motorcycles roots. Say a CBX, Z1, Bonnie, KO750, H1 or a black bomber.

You need something for long distance riding, if your wimp that is...

You need one custom bike. A cafe racer or chop or something like that, that YOU built. That you put your time, sweat and blood into. That you know inside and out and has no part which you have not touched.

You need one bike that your afraid to ride. Would most likely have a turbo and would handle and break poorly.

You need one tiny fun bike to ride to the corner store. You should be able to lift it by yourself and it should be able to conquer curbs, medians, small fields, golf courses, large fields, alleys, small sets of stairs. A Dairy Queen lobby (but it wasn't your fault, really) A trail 90 or cb125 perhaps.

And you need one "open" slot for whatever bike you have a whim for at the moment. A side car rig? A hardtail sportster? a old CBR with a huge rear sprocket? A scrambler? A Busa' you sell with out ever getting past 3rd gear. A bike with no kick stand but that really doesnt bother you if it falls over as its a pile anyone but somehow ends up being more reliable with all the abuse than any other of your bikes and it probably has more than one repair involving duck tape and an old soda can.


My guess would be 7.

Phenomenal. I love this.

[74cb750]

I have 2 runners (cb550 cb750), 5 projects
and 50+ parts bikes....still buying junk ones so
I haven't reached the Too Many stage yet. 

[mystic_1]

You need a modern sport bike for acceleration, top end, stopping power and handling. Say a speed triple or track bike.

You need one classic restoration to pay homage to the factory and motorcycles roots. Say a CBX, Z1, Bonnie, KO750, H1 or a black bomber.

You need something for long distance riding, if your wimp that is...

You need one custom bike. A cafe racer or chop or something like that, that YOU built. That you put your time, sweat and blood into. That you know inside and out and has no part which you have not touched.

You need one bike that your afraid to ride. Would most likely have a turbo and would handle and break poorly.

You need one tiny fun bike to ride to the corner store. You should be able to lift it by yourself and it should be able to conquer curbs, medians, small fields, golf courses, large fields, alleys, small sets of stairs. A Dairy Queen lobby (but it wasn't your fault, really) A trail 90 or cb125 perhaps.

And you need one "open" slot for whatever bike you have a whim for at the moment. A side car rig? A hardtail sportster? a old CBR with a huge rear sprocket? A scrambler? A Busa' you sell with out ever getting past 3rd gear. A bike with no kick stand but that really doesnt bother you if it falls over as its a pile anyone but somehow ends up being more reliable with all the abuse than any other of your bikes and it probably has more than one repair involving duck tape and an old soda can.


My guess would be 7.

+1   


mystic_1

[bill440cars]

I have 2 runners (cb550 cb750), 5 projects
and 50+ parts bikes....still buying junk ones so
I haven't reached the Too Many stage yet. 

           I think you and I are running on the same page, with this one.


 #1      Let's see, I've got the CBX for comfort, a bit of speed and to kinda "rattle folks when they see all those pipes!

 #2      Then, I've got the GPZ1100 for kicking up my heels now and then AND rattling as few cages with it's 120hp.

 #3      Then, I've picked up that 80' CB650C to have as a "Daily Rider" (after I do a bit of "Personalizing" of it).

 #4       The 80' CB750K (presently) with sidecar, that will end up being a "Cafe/Custom Style.

 #5      The 77' CB750A (that I hope to put the sidecar on)

 #6      The 73' CZ175 (that I almost forgot about) for short runs around town AND as a Symbol of one of the brands that my Granddad and my Dad used to sell and service.

 The actual"Projects" : The Super Hawk, Jawa250, CB550K Cafe, the 400F, etc.

 Then there are about 35 or so Parts Bikes (I prefer to call them "Projects", even though my wife used to call them JUNK! )

   Ha!, I used to tell her that, at least it was motorcycles, think what it would be like  if I had that many cars or pickups. Just for the record, it didn't make any difference because SHE'D say, it COULD be STAMPS (or something similar ) Yep, that's my Wife's logic, I just couldn't win. But, I felt that I WON for quite some time, because I was able to get her to MARRY me!

                                                                                         
             

[masonryman]

I haven't read the whole thread yet but I have been asked that question about about more than just bikes and it come back to the same response; how many pairs of shoes do you need?

[coldright]

Ideally, 3.  The one I have now - my '74 750k, a BMW for long distance touring, and one other I have yet to decide on, prolly some antiquated British sex machine. 

 

[Frankenkit]

The more I think about it, the more 'two' sounds like my perfect number.  My 650 ongoing, forever, never-really-finished project... and then something new, comfortable, and reliable.  I don't actually like most of the bikes on the market right now (but the Honda Hornet 600 was a little beaut, wasn't it?)  but maybe people will get their collective acts together.  I *do* like Honda's 700 tourer, fresh from across the pond.  It looks like a new incarnation of the Pacific Coast, except sexy. That in silver, if I could get it w/o the big front fairing...

http://powersports.honda.com/2010/nt700v.aspx

[Really?]

Those big ole fairings will become your friend when you see that big bug splatter on the windshield instead of your face, Ms. Kit. 

[Frankenkit]

Oh, I love my big windshield, but I think that bike would look hot with full front-end nudity and a clear windshield that just covers head 'n shoulders...

[Raul CB750K1]

I haven't read the whole thread yet but I have been asked that question about about more than just bikes and it come back to the same response; how many pairs of shoes do you need?

Exactly. When I was younger and lived with my parents, I just had one pair of shoes -for the special occasions, as I always wore sport shoes-, and had only one bottle of cologne. Had to use them until they ran out, then it was time for a change.

When I got better off and made myself a living, I realized it was pointless to have just what you needed at a given moment. I mean, if a pair of shoes last one year, three pair of shoes lasts three years, because you wear one pair of shoes 1/3 of the total shoe-wearing time. So I bought different shoes, different colors and different styles, and wore them depending on the ocassion or mood. And the same goes with cologne, you use one or the other depending on the occassion. And it doesn't mean you spend more, you spend just the same, but need more money up-front.


The same goes with bikes. I have six bikes right now. I don't ride some of them much, even two are in the middle of a rebuild. But, why do I have to sell my bike in order to have another one? I can have them now and later get rid of the ones that doesn't provide so much excitment, be it riding or ownership. And ride each one depending on the occasion or mood, like you do with shoes or cologne, or like your wife do with purses, shoes, dresses, earrings etc. Sure, a bike occupies much more space than a pair of shoes, but they aren't parked at home, so what's the problem with it?

[Blasbo]

how many pairs of shoes do you need?

I'll have to remember that. Does that mean I can have as many bikes as she has pairs of shoes?