Most enjoyable motorcycle you've ridden, and why?

[ShiftQuick]

I was first introduced to riding on a ~1980 CM400E. This underpowered, overweight, carbureted, and air-cooled motorcycle provided that initial realization of freedom, liberation, thrill-on-two-wheels, etc… however you want to describe the feeling. That being said, it wasn’t my favorite motorcycle by far – although it did begin my passion for riding.

“Why would anyone ever need anything faster than this?” I remember thinking while riding WOT during a downhill-top-speed of roughly 78 mph/125 km. Downhill, a very big hill. Anyway, over the years I’ve owned a Yamaha YZF600, Honda F4I, Triumph Daytona 675R – ridden friend’s bikes or rented: Yamaha V-Star, CBR1000RR, and BMW R1200GS.

Given the motorcycles I’ve had the pleasure of riding; I’d have to say the bike I felt most comfortable on was the GS. It was simply effortless to control. The biggest issue I’ve had with sportbikes (still prefer them regardless of “comfortability”) is accurately tuning suspension for varied riding conditions. I’m really looking forward to the day electric or active suspension becomes standard.

So what has been your most enjoyable motorcycle to ride?
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'12 D675R / Jardine Half System
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[Albigularis]

Probably my ZX10R, that's out of a '95 RS125, ZXR400, Street Triple R, GSXR 1000 L3, R1200GS and a Z1000 '12.

It's been set up for what can only be described as track use, the suspension is firm as hell but feels great and the tyres are mega sticky and heat up in seconds. Suits my riding style so well. Plus it's warp-speed fast. That was what I disliked about the GS, it was dreadfully slow.
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Biking history so far-
Aprilia RS125 - Kawasaki ZXR400 - Triumph Street Triple R - Suzuki GSXR1000 L3 - BMW R1200GS - Kawasaki Z1000 - Kawasaki ZX10R C1H - Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Touring - Suzuki Hayabusa

[yen_powell]

Had a go on a Buell once that was pretty good and no one I know saw me (it's some sort of Harley innit). Made my whole body shake from side to side at tickover, smoothed out as soon as the clutch was all the way out. The thing flew!

A CCM600 Rotax thing, one of the first ones I ever saw, on an open pipe, (pulled like my FJ1200, but off road on a gravel track).

A Husky 500 2 stroke on a motocross track. Found out the brakes were shit at the first 180 degree corner. The owner said it was "a race bike and brakes would just slow me down which was missing the point".

A Kawasaki 1000 Eddie Lawson replica, my mate bought it and rode it carefully home, let the rest of us speed up and down the A13 on it the same day. He said he would give it a proper go the next day. It was stolen that night.
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[andyscooter]

Tl1000r

Same day I passed my test
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[ShiftQuick]

[delsol]

KTM 450 on both terrain and road wheels, a blast and a blur, thought I could do anything I wanted it to do.

Just to the point where it busted my leg, more precisely, where my stupidity an lack of skill busted my leg, live and learn, but I do miss it.

[chickenstrip]

Kawasaki 750 turbo was great for the rush when the boost kicked in, and a big step up from my learner CB100. I also enjoyed it a lot because of the things I got up to on it with mates, and it was all such a huge learning curve back then. Lots of good memories from those days.

RG500 was just mad, always big grin time. Totally impractical of course, but who cared?

My 4th Fazer thou did everything very well, especially after the mods that were done to it. Probably enjoyed it more than anything else, but largely because of being a bit more adventurous in my riding than I was as a youngster, exploring a lot more, that kind of thing. I think that's a large part of it. The bike itself is only a part of how much you enjoy riding (as long as it's not a proper dog of course).
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[struan80]

I haven't ridden many.

First big bike I had a try on was a Hornet, really liked that. 1999 R6 is great fun and best bike I've ridden to date, Took a while to get used to it but it's like a push bike with a jet engine.

May revise this later this week...R1

[Musketeer]

I haven't had many bikes, but my current CBR1000RR is an excellent road bike and the best bike I've had by a mile. It handles well, it's got enough power throughout the rev range so good for lazy road riding, brakes are excellent, I find it comfy. More storage space would be nice.

I'm a sensible rider, but when I went through 4 hours of footage from North Wales yesterday it occured to me that I overtake everything - cars, bikes and didn't get overtaken even once. You realise how fast you really go only when you look at the speedo.
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Current Bike: Yamaha XSR900 Previous bikes: Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja, Aprilia RS125 2-stroke

[arry]

Speed triple. Engine that made me laugh like a loony inside my lid (and made me buy a Sprint), wide bars and aggressive suspension setup made me feel like a hooligan.

If I could have a do-it-all bike and a fun bike, it'd be on the list.

[G]

Road bike - RS250 making 37.5hp (one powervalve stuck) - really have to use the power to make progress, but just fast enough when you do. Nice light handling and so on (though barely adequate suspension and those Brembos aren't amazing.)

Off road - KTM200 for the engine. Really makes you work for it, but a big kick as it gets past mid revs.

Off road - KTM144 08 XC for the handling - feels closer to a mountain bike. Engine slightly lacks the pep of the 200, though I swapped bikes with a KX450f rider and he said his bike was going on ebay that night so he could get a 144.

Actual road to ride - not asked, but riding my 690 with really badly balanced luggage up the St Bernanrd pass was still a great ride despite the bike.

[Shaft]

Honda CBX550, the one with inboard discs and crossover headers.

Brakes were nothing special, but it had a lovely smooth motor and it felt like a toy, really nicely balanced.

Like all Jap bikes of the time, they came out of the showroom with properly shit tyres and you could drift it round and out of every corner, like a speedway bike.

Not known for their reliability and those discs were a complete arse, but a hoot to ride.

And my mate's RD125LC.

Bought new, run in, then stripped and sent to Stan Stephens for a race tune.

Came back with three powerbands, each one lasting about 300 rpm and starting at 8000 - wouldn't pull away from a standing start below 5K.

Really hard work to keep it on the boil, but you couldn't help smiling, it was just mad.
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Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035

[Fizzer Thou]

The bike that gave me the most fun was my Honda 750.

It was fun while it lasted

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234539&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=history+honda+750
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Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[stevo as b4]

KMX200 with road tyres. 30bhp/100kg so a nice power to weight ratio for a small capacity bike.

Would cruise sat upright at part throttle at an indicated 75mph all day, and 85mph throttle pinned and tucked in. Seat lasted 50miles before arse ache became unbearable, but then it'd be gasping for a fill up by then at enthusiastic road speeds.

TZR250 2MA was nice, but I didn't really get on with the riding position after trail bikes.

Greatest bike and the most fun I've never ridden thus would have to be a TDR250. I've left it too late to scratch that itch now though!

[m3-paul]

I loved my RG500, utter insanity. Wish I still had it, every ride was an event.

That said my current 97 fireblade is a blast and my tzr250 is hilarious. I like the tzr much more than the fireblade as like the RG, every ride is an event but it is a little impractical. The blade is a big version of the tzr, just not such an event.

I will never sell the tzr250, absolutely love owning it.
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Yamaha TZR250 - love the smell of TTS!!!!
CBR900RR Fireblade - so much fun

[Polarbear]

YDS7 - My first Yamaha 2 stroke and fun with a capital F.

Recently my STR, just a wonderful combination of engine, chassis and grin factor.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[MarJay]

I have to say my TZR 250 2MA was pretty good fun, but for pure enjoyment with no distractions it's probably my Street Triple. I used to really enjoy my Buells but the current one needs a few bits doing to it, and the gearbox is clunkier than I remember. Once I've sorted the clutch, the primary chain tension and the exhaust it may well take the top spot.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[RhynoCZ]

CB-1,

it was small, in a good way, and rather light compared to the GPz and the ZXRP1.
The engine was very quick, even by ZXRP1 standards and could do 13,500 rpm on the clock, well there was no point in going past 10,000 - 11,000 rpm, but you could. Instead of shifting next gear on a curvy road, you just revved it a bit more. It was a blast, going from the 1st to 6th gear, shifting gears at the top of the rev range all day long, yet going only around 90 mph.

Great motorcycle, grinding the footpegs in every corner, full throttle when ever I could, braking late into corners etc. The magical moment when you reached the top speed of 120 mph after a rather long straight. You had to put some effort to be fast on it.

I tried to ride my ZXR like I used to the CB-1, but things got scary way too quickly.

Specs: https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/honda/honda_cb1%20400%2089.htm
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[Taught2BCauti...]

A 1954 Velocette LE200.

Same age as me, 3 speed gearbox with hand-operated gear lever, and a pull-lever to start the engine that takes it off the stand at the same time!

Maddest contraption I have ever seen on two wheels, but so so quiet and smooth.
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Honda Varadero XL125(V8)
www.TheFutureIsHere.eu

[woo]

GSXR 1000 K6

power everywhere and its small so can almost get both feet flat on the ground, handles like a dream
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[Mudshark]

Yamaha FS1E

16 yo, freedom and 50mph+ (downhill) =
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R1250RS
XT660X

[c-m]

ZXR750. It was my upgrade from a GPZ500 and was immensely better.

I moved on a ZX9R but thought the 750 was a better handling bike despite the weight. It was also much better on fuel and just seemed like more fun.

I had an Aprilia Falco but found it pretty boring and it couldn't even get to Surrey from Norwich on a full a tank of fuel.

[gorillaonabik...]

ZXR750 as well. More character than any other bike I've ridden.
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FZR400 (blown engine), ZXR750 (blown engine), ZX6R (accident), CBR600 which had engine issues after which I learned to change gear..., CBR900, CBR924 (stolen), CB600, CB1300 (everything blew up), BMW K1300GT (written off, hit from rear while stationary), Bandit 1250 for a couple of months, Triumph Sprint ST 1050 (nicked) and somewhere in there, I wrote off a Ducati 748 at Cadwell.

[Wednesday Biker]

RG Gamma 125 and RD 400

[.Chris.]

Another vote for the Kawasaki ZXR750, at least on the open road. In town, it was absolutely hellish. For town riding and exploring country back roads at a moderate pace, I'd choose my old Honda CD250U.
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Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F