The rarest, most unusual bike you've ever OWNED

[Dallara]

Originally Posted by slartidbartfast

They were not especially rare at the time. ... but they were fragile, hence there are not many around now. Supposedly very nice when they run well. Fortunately Yamaha did not give up on the "big" parallel twin, hence we got the TDM850 and it's progeny, and now the Super Tenere.

They were actually pretty good bikes at the time. A bit heavy for a twin, but incredibly smooth thanks to the industry's first application of a counterbalancer system...

Of course, it would have helped that first year if Yamaha had thought to put an adjuster on the counterbalancer drive chain!

Yamaha correct the issue, but by then it was too late. Here's a snippet of information on 'em if you're interested:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_TX750

But if you thought the TX750 was a bit of a problem child you should have met its little brother, the TX500 twin...




It had a *FIVE* piece head (sort of in layers, top to bottom), and sprung more oil leaks than most British bikes!

They were pretty and sounded good, though! It died a quick and quiet death, too, just like the TX750.

Dallara




~

[frog]

Fzr 400 with a built rz350 engine. It was too much fun.

[O.C.F.RIDER]

While a ZX11 in and of itself isn't very rare or unusual, one like mine is........

[MotoMarkus]

Originally Posted by Lomax

These are not really on par with the other beautiful bikes here, but here goes.


1989 Honda Transalp just slightly modified. I still have this one.




Marc

I edited your post a bit.
That is a very nice Transalp, yes sir, very nice indeed

[PhilB]

Here's a shot of my weird old scooters, tucked away for the winter.

PhilB

[Valimagdon]

Originally Posted by PhilB

Here's a shot of my weird old scooters, tucked away for the winter.

PhilB

I see a GS, a Heinkel. and a Bella. Verry nice. I need to get a pic of my Rabbit up here.

EDIT: Oh, haha, I didn't even read your sig line. I guess that Bella is actually a Maicoletta?

[Cogswell]

I've had a lot fun bikes over the years, some rare, others not so much. Bought this one new and in a fit of weakness sold it to a fellow in Japan in the late 90's. Should have kept it !












Mike

[Donkey Hotey]

Originally Posted by Cogswell

Bought this one new and in a fit of weakness sold it to a fellow in Japan in the late 90's. Should have kept it !

Could you be a bit more specific as to what "a fit of weakness" means?

[Cogswell]

Originally Posted by Donkey Hotey

Could you be a bit more specific as to what "a fit of weakness" means?

Weakness or stupidity or self preservation ?
I rode that bike a lot, and rode it hard. Spun the crank in it after 20K miles.
It sat disassembled for a number of years as I had other bikes and interests. Once I decided to put it back together I went down the path of no return. Crank went to Falicon, Yoshimura was called for 1103 kit and Mt Everest cams. Stainless valves, new springs, porting, coils, etc etc etc.
Finally back together it was a "MONSTER" and I still had a heavy right wrist. Those two things don't go together too well on a flexi-frame bike with ancient brakes and suspension. After one particularly spirited ride up to Deal's gap and back I decided I was going to end up in the hospital (more likely) or jail (also very likely). So the decision was made to sell it and move on to other things.
I had made contact with a fellow in Japan that really wanted the bike, and he was willing to pay for it, and pay the shipping.




Mike

[Donkey Hotey]

Originally Posted by Cogswell

I decided I was going to end up in the hospital (more likely) or jail (also very likely).

Alright, we can accept that answer. I was afraid it was another one of those stories where the first (now ex) wife told you to sell it so you did. Too bad you couldn't have dug deeper for some self-control. What a shame to have bought it in the crate to just let it go later. It's not often that you get to establish history with something that special, right from the delivery crate.

I have one bike that nobody's hands have touched it since it left the factory (I uncrated it). It's been in pieces for twelve years for similar reasons (finally got all the parts...reassemble when the weather warms up). People just don't understand when they suggest that since I haven't ridden it in so long, I should sell it. I reply that it's not an option...that's a womb-to-tomb bike, it's mine, I'm not selling it....ever.

[1911fan]

Originally Posted by Cogswell

... I went down the path of no return. Crank went to Falicon, Yoshimura was called for 1103 kit and Mt Everest cams. Stainless valves, new springs, porting, coils, etc etc etc. Finally back together it was a "MONSTER" and I still had a heavy right wrist.

Mike

That's funny- my name is Mike, and in the late70's when your Eddie Lawson came out I was working at, and sponsored by, a Kawasaki dealer. I did a lot of the stuff you did, 1205cc kit, giant smoothbore Mikunis, high lift cams, ported and polished the head, Falicon did my crank, stainless steel Pro-Flow valves, shim-under buckets, etc etc etc..... Plus I had wider tires, ATK swingarm, and other handling goodies, and a Magura quarter-turn throttle adapted off my YZ400. Was my daily rider, I roadraced it, and put a wheelie bar on it and dragraced it. Averaged 10.2 to 10.5, on a track that had never had a good cleaning and had a 12 foot uphill rise into an average 20mph wind.
About that time, Cycle World (?) had a two part series on recreating the ELR, and after the Stage One article came out, several of my coworkers pointed out that I had done all that and more. When the Stage Two article came out, it was a close tie.
Never dyno'd it, but did get clocked at 151.2mph late one night. Damn thing was HUGE fun, and very dangerous. About the time I graduated from college and moved out of state, it swallowed a valve. I sold it to a friend.

I'm amazed I lived long enough to have health problems, lol.

[/thread hijack]


1911fan

[Dorzok]

After seeing some of the rarities here I'm almost embarrassed to comment that I owned a '92 TDM 850.

[Cogswell]

Originally Posted by Donkey Hotey

Alright, we can accept that answer. It's not often that you get to establish history with something that special, right from the delivery crate.

Crate pictures are actually when I packed it up to go back to Japan.

I was at the dealer when it was put together, also got to start it and have the first ride.

Mike

[Cogswell]

Originally Posted by 1911fan

That's funny- my name is Mike, and in the late70's when your Eddie Lawson came out I was working at, and sponsored by, a Kawasaki dealer. I did a lot of the stuff you did, 1205cc kit, giant smoothbore Mikunis, high lift cams, ported and polished the head, Falicon did my crank, stainless steel Pro-Flow valves, shim-under buckets, etc etc etc..... Plus I had wider tires, ATK swingarm, and other handling goodies, and a Magura quarter-turn throttle adapted off my YZ400. Was my daily rider, I roadraced it, and put a wheelie bar on it and dragraced it. Averaged 10.2 to 10.5, on a track that had never had a good cleaning and had a 12 foot uphill rise into an average 20mph wind.
About that time, Cycle World (?) had a two part series on recreating the ELR, and after the Stage One article came out, several of my coworkers pointed out that I had done all that and more. When the Stage Two article came out, it was a close tie.
Never dyno'd it, but did get clocked at 151.2mph late one night. Damn thing was HUGE fun, and very dangerous. About the time I graduated from college and moved out of state, it swallowed a valve. I sold it to a friend.

I'm amazed I lived long enough to have health problems, lol.

[/thread hijack]


1911fan

It's funny, used to be a man had to pour a ton of money into a liter bike to make it go fast. Today's 600's will pretty much run circles around it right out of the box....they also stop and handle well.

I had a 1977 GS750 prior to the ELR, did the yosh 850 kit with mild cam, valves etc. It was a lot more street able than the Kaw.

It's good to still be around to share stories.




Mike

[Roadracer_Al]

I just saw an ELR in the flesh this morning. I was stunned - it's literally been years since I saw one last. We traded stories about going fast on early '80s superbikes, you know, the one with the hinge in the middle that shows up at about 130...