Any audiophiles into motorcycles


As its just getting into motorcycle season here in the great lakes region, motorcycling is beginning to supplant audio as my primary preoccupation. I recall there being threads as to car ownership, don't recall a motorcycle thread. And so, lets hear from the audiophile motorcycle enthusiasts out there; tell everyone about bikes you own, or have owned, and lets hear some motorcycle tales.

As for myself, I started riding around 12 years of age, little Suzuki 50cc trail bike, purchased Sears Allstate (Puch) 250cc street bike at 15 so I'd be ready for street legal riding at 16. Over the next 25 years too many bikes to list, mostly 650cc bikes and larger, migrated to super sports over those years, I was doing a lot of sports touring in those years, strap a tent and sleeping bag on bike and go for up to three or four weeks, mostly around great lakes region. I did great lakes circle tour: southern Ohio and West Virginia was a yearly tour, up into Adirondacks, northern New York, Vermont was always nice. Ontario, Canada was also a pretty common destination as was upper peninsula of Michigan. These days I  find myself pretty much sticking to weekend rides with my nephew, a budding audiophile with his Aprilia RSV4. I've been riding my little pocket rocket KTM RC390 the past few years, fun bike but lacking the thrill of bigger bore bikes such that I've now purchased 2021 Ducati Supersport S in silk white, expecting delivery next Wednesday. So, at this point my ownership of bikes includes the KTM, Ducati, Suzuki DRZ400S and 1973 Yamaha TX500 I'm in process of making into cafe racer.

My passion for motorcycles (and cars, but that's a different story) has certainly impacted my audiophile life. I don't have as much disposable income for audio, and bikes replace audio as my primary preoccupation in summer, but having passion for both sure makes for a richer life!
sns
Took delivery of my 2021 Ducati Supersport S yesterday. Fit and finish way above KTM RC390, should be based on price differential. The one thing I didn't expect was the ease of turn in, feels as flickable as KTM, and far more stable in turns than KTM. Ducati much more confidence inspiring in turns (and I doubt electronic aids have even kicked in at this point). Fueling much more spot on than KTM, perhaps a bit of surging at steady state speeds, with KTM I found a tune an absolute necessity.  And then acceleration, while KTM was fun, Ducati is a rush, the way this thing is geared and power band made for street riding means you have near full torque at lower rpms. Seating position is totally spot on, probably 20% more sporty than a standard bike, on KTM I"m cramped up.

And then aesthetics, beautiful from any angle, real cohesive look with all Ducs, nothing looks out of place (exception of the rear fender, as with all bikes, looks like some added on appendage, and even here Ducati does a relatively good job). Rear fender will be gone today as New Rage Cycle fender eliminator here.

Anyway, at my age likely last bike I ever purchase, best enjoy while I'm able.
hshifi- I too, had a Suzuki Burgman but mine was the 650.  Insanely fast for a scooter, easy 100 mph!

My last real motorcycle was a Triumph Bonnevile, prior to that a Victory, prior to that probably my favorite ever was a Honda VTX 1800.

Bad left knee precludes riding anymore, another in the long list of things I can’t do anymore…
Used to ride, too 'fragile' of late to do so....

Blood thinners, thin skinned....Look at me too hard and I bruise.
What would seem a minor bump will crack my hide and Ieak like I've been stabbed, red hydraulic fluid leaking down the extremity....

Guys in the shop wondering what if this is the time I'll fall over, forcing them to mop up. *L*

Then I clot...always have done so, rather quickly.  Ergo, the thinners.
TAVR valves clotting is Bad Thing to have happen... *shrug*

Can't count the number of times I've 'field bandaged' self with duct tape, electrical tape, TP with a rubber band....even before the thinners.

Loved to ride, 600cc max.  Preferred lighter bikes, liked ones I could 'right' (max. weight 160, and quite awhile ago).  Nimble vs. sheer speed...

Been offered a scoot now 'n then.
Look like I've had my ass beat with a pipe if I do. :(
I was brought home from the hospital at 2 days old in the sidecar of an old WLA.
My father always had bikes. Vincents, Norton, BMW, etc etc
I got my first one, a Honda 50 Super Sport in 1970 and have never been without a bike since then.
Next was a '74 250 Suzuki Trail Bike.
Then an '79 Suzuki 850 Shaft Drive. Fantastic bike!
An '83 Suzuki 1100 Shaft Drive followed that.
I bought a Harley Davidson Road King in '98 which is my current main ride.
I inherited a '76 Suzuki Water Cooled 750 2 Stroke from my dad in 2014. It has less than 7000 kilometres on it so I don't ride it, just start it up occasionally.
Around '76 or so I bought an original Kawasaki 500 Mach3 with a seized engine and rear brake for $20! Dad and I pulled it down and it was going to be a retirement project that never happened. After dad died, I put it back together so that you could see it was complete and sold it on Ebay in 2015 for just under $6000!

I also have an '89 Heritage Softail that I bought in 2019 off a mate who owned it from new. It's on Historic rego as it is over 30 years old. This costs just $60 per year.
Thanks for the great post!