I had a new baby delivered yesterday

Help Support Ruger Forum:

Now I'm too old to ride but I still have my first bike a 1967 BMW R69S, and yes I purchased it new back then. I keep it in my cousins garage back in Ohio. And it would take a bit of spit and polish to get it looking nice again, but I could get it running in an hour or so. In the last 10 years I have had 6 scooters. Started with a 125 Chinese junk and ended up with a Italian Aprilia 250 Sport City that I slightly modified. It would hit 95 mph on a straightaway, and accelerate faster than a Corvette up to 30 mph when the vett would fly past me. Sold it to a guy that came from Charlotte and rode it back, later just about destroyed the bike. Boy, I miss riding.
 
After a 40+ year break from Owning a motorcycle I re-entered the scene at 63. Thinking back over all the bikes I had, the fun factor was on the smaller bikes. My search ended when I found the Janus Motorcycle Company in Goshen, Indiana. Yes, made in the USA. I stopped into their shop, took a test ride, and a deal was made. I placed my order and awaited its build. Ten weeks later it was delivered to my door in NH. Loving this simple 250cc single cylinder bike. It'll take me anywhere I want to go.
j5yrYrPl.jpg
 
We have three HD's and an Indian setting in our garage. But since we retired to the mountains we don't get to ride much. PLus now we have four dogs and two cats with no one to watch them so long trips are out. Bummer getting old.
 
im still living the dream! I don't get to ride it much, short alaskan summers. flying for the lodge, and just enjoying my alaska summers on the lake has put this on the back burner. sadly! but it a one year bike, 1965 Pan Head, super low miles. here's the best part. Last year of the Pan Head, First Year of the Electrica Glide, and the ONLY year of the electric start Pan Head! this electrica guide, not a dual guide. Rare ant the word...about 97-98% original. big fun to go for a scoot!
 

Attachments

  • 20230729_202815.jpg
    20230729_202815.jpg
    381.6 KB · Views: 26
  • 20230729_202750.jpg
    20230729_202750.jpg
    285.6 KB · Views: 30
  • 20230729_202435.jpg
    20230729_202435.jpg
    307.7 KB · Views: 26
  • 20230729_202424.jpg
    20230729_202424.jpg
    359 KB · Views: 27
After a 40+ year break from Owning a motorcycle I re-entered the scene at 63. Thinking back over all the bikes I had, the fun factor was on the smaller bikes. My search ended when I found the Janus Motorcycle Company in Goshen, Indiana. Yes, made in the USA. I stopped into their shop, took a test ride, and a deal was made. I placed my order and awaited its build. Ten weeks later it was delivered to my door in NH. Loving this simple 250cc single cylinder bike. It'll take me anywhere I want to go.
j5yrYrPl.jpg
Good looking bikes, Chinese clone of a Honda engine, should run forever...
 
I havn't sold a motorcycle in 45 years. They're always worth more to me than they are to someone else. I decided my '09 full sized Harley Bagger had to go to make room. I didn't need it and a Street Glide, plus I hadn't ridden it in over 5 years. The '09 only weighs about 60 #'s more than the SG, but it feels like 150 #'s more up top.

I bought it in '11 from my friend of 50 years who passed away in Sept. I had a lot of nice memories on that bike. I took my 10 year old granddaughter for her first ride 6 days before we found out she had Lymphoma. She made it, but it was touch and go :cry: I took my middle daughter on a few rides, one to take her to Bald River Falls in TN where I met her Mom while camping with a friend, her Mom's brother. I took my sister on a 10 day trip to the Ozarks. I took it down to see my friend Hank Helo, aka gunslinger_hank on the Forum, in Rayne, LA. Rest in Peace, Hank.

From Hank's I went south and rode the Gulf of Mexi...America to Port Arthur, TX then up north to Lake Superior in the UP of MI. I ended up at the only RF Ohio meet ever held. I really wanted to see my friend Bob Campbell, and I believe it was the last time I would ever see him. Rest in Peace, Bob.

It sucks getting older, but it beats the alternative. A guy bought this bike sight unseen with just close up garage pics. The market is really soft on any cruiser style motorcycles, so I felt like I was giving it away, though I was okay with it. The driver showed up in a hightop van up to pick the bike up for the new owner. The dealer I bought the new bike from treated it like a trade in.

Off it went; I won't miss that top heavy thing. I always hated that color, anyway LOL



I'm pretty big into nostalgia. I grew up with British bikes ruling along with Harley Sportsters and Panheads. You can't get a more old school look nowadays than a Bonneville. Even Harley destroyed their Sportster.

For a very short time my garage looked less full, but they not only took my bagger away, they delivered a brand new 2025 Triumph T120 Bonneville with 3 miles on the odometer. It's a Limited Edition with every dealer getting just one, and that's worldwide. I certainly didn't buy it because it's a LE; it was the only way to get this color combo. I'll probably change the side covers to plain gloss black. All the pin striping on the tank and front fender is hand painted.







So, I sold a nearly 900# bike for a 525# bike. I think this new one will get some use, but not with 4" of snow on the ground LOL

I think I'll cruise out to see sfhogman. He has a Bonneville, too :)
Nice Bike ! I started working when I was 12. My SS statement goes back to when Ivwas 14. Bought my first new bike at The age of 16. Never looked back. I took third place at a Harley fest with it last summer 😆
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6208.png
    IMG_6208.png
    721.3 KB · Views: 26
  • IMG_5988.jpeg
    IMG_5988.jpeg
    285.3 KB · Views: 27
My Honda Shadow isn't the most expensive or coolest but it gets me out there and it's totally reliable and smooth. I have a 250 trail bike too that I ride to work in summer to save money. I love riding. I'm getting depressed with all the snow on the ground waiting for spring.
 
After having L3-4-5 fusion, riding is not comfortable. So my riding days are over. But there was a time....

In my younger days I liked the smaller bikes. Honde 305 was my first one. Once in the USAF, I bought a Yamaha 250 two-stroke dirt bike from my Det commander. One day I rode it waaaaaay back into the jungles on Mindanao until I came to a skull/crossbones sign with "Pagbantay" written below - translation: Warning. Fear for your safety. I turned around. Several years later I watched a National Geographic TV special documenting the discovery of a tribe of cannibal/headhunters - lost to civilization for 500 years - in the very area where I had seen the sign.

Once my oldest son got his DL we started riding bikes together. I bought him a Suzuki Bandit 1200 cc bike. He rode the Bandit and I rode my Road King on an "Iron Butt" run - the challenge was "Can you ride at least 1,000 miles within 24 hours? You must submit documentation - dated/timed sign-off by Fire Dept person at the start, turn-around and finish locations plus computer-printed gas receipts at all gas stops." In 24 hours my son and I rode 1,350 miles - Plano, TX to Brownsville, TX and back - submitted our paperwork and received "official Iron Butt Association member' certifications and coffee mugs. Cool.

A few years later, my oldest son, youngest son and I rode from Plano to the Four Corners area of SW Colorado/NW New Mexico/NE Arizona/SE Utah. My youngest son and I were on my new 2002 Honda Goldwing, and my eldest son was riding my 2001 Honda CBR1100XX (aka "Dos Equis" aka "Blackbird"). Using helmet-mounted intercoms and radios, our recurring conversations were, "Where do we want to eat?" "Where do we want to spend the night?" Our favorite ride was the 8,000-foot elevation "million-dollar highway" connecting Durango and Ouray, CO. Six days later we returned to Plano - after riding over 4,000 miles.

When my son enlisted in the Army and PCS'd to Germany, I shipped him his Aprilia Tuono (naked liter bike similar to a Ducati). That next Memorial Day he called us long distance - Hey Dad. I'm on a weekend ride from Germany and am calling you from the beach outside of Venice, Italy. Next Labor Day, he called again - this time from the Spanish Riviera.

My sons and I took frequent weekend bike trips to the Texas Hill Country south of Fredericksburg to ride the "Holy Trinity" aka "Three Twisted Sisters" - Ranch Roads 335, 336 and 337 - from Medina and heading west for 120 miles. Three twisty roads carved out of the sides of granite cliffs - visually similar to riding Mulholland Highway and the adjacent canyon roads in SoCal. Those were typically 1,000-mile jaunts.

I also used to ride/drive the Talimena Trail - 70 miles of very twisty, two-lane blacktop atop a ridge overlooking valleys, both left and right, 750 feet below. This road connects Talihina, OK and Mena, AK. I've ridden it on my Blackbird, my Road King and my C5 Vette. It is spectacular riding, particularly in the fall right after the leaves turn colors.
 
Last edited:
After a 40+ year break from Owning a motorcycle I re-entered the scene at 63. Thinking back over all the bikes I had, the fun factor was on the smaller bikes. My search ended when I found the Janus Motorcycle Company in Goshen, Indiana. Yes, made in the USA. I stopped into their shop, took a test ride, and a deal was made. I placed my order and awaited its build. Ten weeks later it was delivered to my door in NH. Loving this simple 250cc single cylinder bike. It'll take me anywhere I want to go.
j5yrYrPl.jpg
My story is similar. Learned a little on a Honda 360 about 45 years ago, hadn't ridden since until 2022. Since I'll have to work into my 70's, thought I'd take some retirement savings out of the market after Biden was "elected" and place it elsewhere. Figured I'd buy a quality 360ish bike that wouldn't lose much value in 10-15 years. Since I'm in the mountains, and over 200 lbs now, my motorcycle-expert brother-in-law suggested something bigger, an SV650 (he calls it the GOAT -Greatest of All Time). So that's what I got.
I ride it about once a week for 15-20 minutes. Maybe Cholo can join me one of these days…
 
Thank you.
Ned, Ride gave us a great vid on the subject. For visual of don'ts & more don'ts look at the pic of my old Triumph that the fork had been extended 8" but its steering head angle remained stock. A top heavy son of a gun.

Now have a look at this mess. A 1953 Harley that had it's fork extended 10" or 10 over for the slang, & rake job, more slang, but the steering neck angle was cut loose, angled & welded back up, therefore changing the rake & trail. To make it worse, the raker got the neck crooked. It would have handle pretty good on the hiway if not for that as it wanted to yaw to the right all the time. A major rebuild that winter corrected a lot of things including the neck & a lot of the of the old technology.
 

Latest posts

Top