Age check in

I saw a topic in another forum titled "how many older people ride a VFR?" I think the better question is how many younger people ride a VFR? I wouldn't be surprised if the average age of a VFR owner is about 50. I've always considered a VFR owner to be a typical middle age Daredevil such as myself🤪

I'm 58 going on 16

54!

Funny you ask, I was just about to ask the same question when one of the threads went to gen X, gen Z and Millennials. 

58!

30 years on bikes with a 10 year break (2010-2020) Still have the itch to go from A to B as fast as possible with as many twisties in-between as possible! Attached is the definition of generations according to the internet.

Gen X'er here. I'll be 56 in April, started riding when I saw around 14-15 and got my motorcycle license at 16 and been pretty much riding ever since. Had a few moments when riding wasn't high on the priority list but that has typically been few and far between. Last few years I did a lot of track riding and really enjoyed the lack of other vehicle types on the road creating road hazards. Right now the 09 is my main vehicle for work and my 01 my play/track bike but I have on occasions taken the 09 on the track, does pretty well even in "touring" shape.

61, but I know there's older on here! Started riding at 27. Bikes in order are Kawasaki EX500, CBR600 and VFR750 4th gen. I owned a Suzuki DR350SE a couple of times (the same one) but currently without.

We moved out of the city 13 years ago to the Kootenays. I'm just a fair weather rider now but it's more smiles per mile.

BabyBoomer here...

Owned the 4th gen since 1997 till this day, with a gap of some 3 years.

The original redslut

[image: herfst2_zps8c5c12e1.thumb.jpg.2b803a7d91eac01bc5f55d7ab3cb23d2.jpg.e6fb8c53f3c447b583de61fdd01dd5f8.jpg]

1997-2016

Her demure sister

[image: 20210411_160651.thumb.jpg.00623298fbee93c8094ac1bfd909abf6.jpg]

Couldnot resist another CF highmount.... 🙂

[image: 20220206_184223.thumb.jpg.3aa7193a763aa4a0ecccebf7912762b4.jpg]

Coming up to 72 on March 1..... the lyric "someday I'll be 18 going on 55.."  Bwaaaahhaaa half you aren't even there yet, lol.

You don't stop riding because you get old . . . you get old because you stop riding!   :wink:

29 minutes ago, raYzerman

Coming up to 72 on March 1..... the lyric "someday I'll be 18 going on 55.."  Bwaaaahhaaa half you aren't even there yet, lol.

18 'til I die, that's the plan!

2 hours ago, Dutchy

Couldnot resist another CF highmount.... 🙂

Sweet! How about a sound clip of the bike?

I've been ridng since I 1st strapped a Briggs and Stratton lawn mower engine on a bicycle age 10. That was after I made a 3 wheel chopper that was half Schwinn Stingray with ape hangers and 2x4's with go kart wheels with L brackets for footpegs. I was a 9 year old easy rider🤪

Just picked up my first VFR 800 at 41 years. 

I must say I’m a very excited new owner! Makes the most amount of sense in my life right now.
Not a  full touring sled, and not an uncomfortable supersport. 
My last bikes were 09 R1 and an 02 RC51.

I’m ready to comfortably put the wife on the back and still have a sporty ride!

If that isn’t grown up I don’t know what I’ve got to do. Lol

Bought my 2nd VFR this summer, a 2015 Deluxe.  1st VFR was a 99, loved it enough to come back and buy one of these classics again.  I'm 68, started on a Cushman Hilander in 1967.  So this makes 55 years now, I'm still practicing.  Someday...I'm gonna get good.  👨‍🦳

Double nickel here, 55. Didn't start riding until early 30's though. Hoping to keep riding to my 70's at least, my '99 VFR will always be in the garage and get a regular workout.

32 and going on my 4th year with the 6TH Gen VFR! Been riding since I was 11, and will never stop! 

72... 4th VFR still wanting to ride. 

72 here also. Been riding since I was 14, with a 2 1/2 year break with a stint in the Army. Have never been without a bike since that break, usually

have at least 2, but down to just the Interceptor now...and the wife's Spyder. I bought the Interceptor when it was less than a year old in 2000, and

have had it every since. That gear drive song is just to intoxicating to ever let go.

I sold my '86 FJ1200 about 4 years ago after owning it from new. I worked in the Yamaha shop at the time, and put the thing together and took it

for a test ride. Bought it on the spot. One of the best bikes ever, and rode it coast to coast, and north to south.

19 hours ago, tomb393

I've been ridng since I 1st strapped a Briggs and Stratton lawn mower engine on a bicycle age 10. That was after I made a 3 wheel chopper that was half Schwinn Stingray with ape hangers and 2x4's with go kart wheels with L brackets for footpegs. I was a 9 year old easy rider🤪

Speaking of Briggs and Stratton...

[image: BS.thumb.jpeg.dc94eec53c9bdadf5d25b6e0c7dd5500.jpeg]

My latest do all bike the CB500X with a little extra. I'm 63 next month and after chasing a couple of young guns on 900 triples around Little Switzerland last fall, I decided this thing sounds like a lawn mower. But its an angry lawn mower at least!

2 hours ago, FJ12Ryder

'86 FJ1200

Lovely bike. I owned an '86, '90, '93. 

I still have my Superhawk which I've been all over the Midwest on.  I just bought an 85 Honda spree scooter for the 3 Redbirds trifecta

21 hours ago, Wald

Sweet! How about a sound clip of the bike?

one day, BOS will follow..

For now, the "Akra"will have to do

https://youtu.be/h5MXLetl7OM

And the VF with OEM pipes

And the SP2 for kicks....

(filmed behind glass..)

I'm a young 57, started riding in 1982 and bought my first V4 in 1984, a spanking new VF500F. I've been lucky enough to have ridden more or less continually since then. 

I bought my old 6th gen. at age 37, and sold it at age 51.  Most years I averaged 8-9k miles on it, though there were two seasons several years ago where I only averaged 1,500 per year.  Thankfully I got my mojo back a few years ago!

I loved my VFR, but my body started to protest during long days and trips, with my knees and neck aching due to the VFR's sporty ergonomics.  Lower foot pegs and bar risers would have helped, but after 14 wonderful years I was really just ready for something else.  (Not that I was ever bored with my VFR.)  My current bike's ergos are still somewhat sporty, but a bit relaxed compared to the VFR.

2 hours ago, Terry

I'm a young 57, started riding in 1982 and bought my first V4 in 1984, a spanking new VF500F. I've been lucky enough to have ridden more or less continually since then. 

[image: vfr700f3.jpg]

Ha, same timing here. Got my driver's license in August 82 and bought the first bike 4 weeks later. Have only a non digital  picture of the bike, it was a 79 Suzi GT250  7 in blue.

1 minute ago, tomb393

Did someone say two stroke Suzuki??

Nothing like the smell of two stroke on a cold misty morning! Almost like a legal drug!

9 hours ago, St. Stephen

Did someone say two stroke Suzuki??

15 years old, working the deep fat fryer at the KFC Hadley MA, got me the $800 to purchase my first new motorcycle! 

Put 46 miles on the odometer in the parking lot where my dad lived (photo) prior to passing my learner's permit test.

[image: IMG_5558.thumb.JPG.80c84c357f496f2d63ad104a68ab72f1.JPG]

Hey teacher - call on me - I know the answer . . . ! LOL   1972 TS250 . . .   Dang I wanted one of those - but couldn't afford it (and my father hated the idea).  Ended up with a TC90 instead.  Beat the tar out it - poor thing.  It's probably been recycled in to a KIA or something by now.   1972 was the peak year for the styling on those - IMO the tank paint scheme that year was the best they did.  Love those bikes! 

22 minutes ago, tomb393

 My 1st bike was a SuzukiTC 185 like this

[image: cm0616-243740_1@2x.jpg]

1970?

21 minutes ago, Wald

Nothing like the smell of two stroke on a cold misty morning! Almost like a legal drug!

Women want to smell like perfume . . . guys want to smell like 2 stroke exhaust!!  :laugh:

8 minutes ago, Cogswell

Women want to smell like perfume . . . guys want to smell like 2 stroke exhaust!!  :laugh:

Unfortunately or Fortunately, depending on the point of view, this is quite true!

I love the photo of @slo1 on the Suzuki, because it reminds me I don't need fancy hard luggage, cruise control, or pretty much anything else to tour on my naked bike.  Just strap your stuff down and go.  And check it once in a while to make sure everything is still there.  😉 

Wald, 2/8/2022 at 1:43 AM

Hey Dutchy,

Thanks, unfortunately,  the Akra video is labeled private and not available

Ah shoot, they updated their policy.... let me fix that...

4 hours ago, Cogswell

Hey teacher - call on me - I know the answer . . . ! LOL   1972 TS250 . . .   Dang I wanted one of those - but couldn't afford it (and my father hated the idea).  Ended up with a TC90 instead.  Beat the tar out it - poor thing.  It's probably been recycled in to a KIA or something by now.   1972 was the peak year for the styling on those - IMO the tank paint scheme that year was the best they did.  Love those bikes! 

Bingo! 1972 TS250.

I agree that it was a peak year for styling, but of course I doubt my objectivity due to many fond memories.

The smell of real two stroke exhaust (i.e., Castrol not leaf blower) can snap my head around fast enough to cause spinal damage! All those small bore dirt bikes when I was a kid (can you say Hodaka-powered mini-bike?), followed by road racing TZ250's and TZ750's, and the 500cc gp rockets, have imprinted that smell on my neurons. There's an RD350 in my town that I smell coming before I see it.

1 hour ago, Dutchy

Ah shoot, they updated their policy.... let me fix that...

Thanks! THIS IS REAL MUSIC!

This thread appears to have veered slightly off topic, but I wanted to say how inspiring it is to read that some of our lot are still riding into their 70s.  Good on ya!   :fing02:

Ciao,

JZH

9 hours ago, TimC

I love the photo of @slo1 on the Suzuki, because it reminds me I don't need fancy hard luggage, cruise control, or pretty much anything else to tour on my naked bike.  Just strap your stuff down and go.  And check it once in a while to make sure everything is still there.  😉 

Yep, just load and go..... 40 years later, better bike, better luggage, but same principal....

[image: 1068204649_Biketrip2016(131).thumb.JPG.d935e98e1be9d19f8947e1564cf8ff93.JPG]

4 hours ago, slo1

Yep, just load and go..... 40 years later, better bike, better luggage, but same principal....

30 yrs later...from this

[image: gs500_10.JPG.2430f50f2c98ed652de3f5628ae21aa5.JPG]

to this

[image: 1782453727_20220110_163458(Large).thumb.jpg.d13e7f3d6300a62ee0fa234b9aee97c8.jpg]

Keep riding!

Cogswell, 2/10/2022 at 6:18 AM

77

1970?

The GS500E(S) is a superb do anything you ask platform. 

I'll be 74 in May 2022. Feeling like I'm twenty years older. Arrg!

I'm 45 years old. Plan to ride as long as I can. 

First bike in 1999, a 91 CBR600F2.

[image: image.thumb.png.21e4f64144c4f27bef5c8966933152b4.png]

First VFR, a 2001 bought new in 2001:

[image: image.thumb.png.81950a5660247695485635be1eb8270c.png]

Current VFR, another 2001 set up like the first one:

[image: image.thumb.png.c2e71e99dfe4a423bfb1a0d690edd3e5.png]

Cheers,

Justin

1 hour ago, MaxSwell

I'll be 74 in May 2022. Feeling like I'm twenty years older. Arrg!

Hope you're keeping well MaxSwell. Ride more, that will keep you feeling twenty years younger!

All the best to you buddy. Safe riding.

Cheers. :fing02:

At this point I am 62 and hope I can throw a leg over a bike for a lot more years to come

The first bike I got was a 1970 Honda CT70. It got three years of mowing lawns and sucking up to dad before he surprised me with it during Christmas 1970. I can still hear mom and dad from my bedroom fighting to get it into the house and place it beside the christmas tree. I could not even sneak out to see that was going on since dad had used a rope to tie my door shut.

Anyway that was the start of a long love affair with bikes, today I have 10 or so including my 1975 CB400F vintage racer, 1989 CB400F CB1, etc, as well as a couple of VFR750's, a 1990 and 1991. some day would like to have a 1999 VFR800 with the corbin hard bags. We shall see

CB-1? Let's see it! I'm on #7, set up for...anything paved. A few changes since these pics, like moving that silly trunk forward!

[image: IMG_5107sm.thumb.jpg.f2e7b03b385a7e0cb3d0cfc7262f0826.jpg]

[image: 20210130_143032.thumb.jpg.821dc3939f50fd42cbd4a2f24c32e3ea.jpg]

home-made ingenuity with those brackets, so awesome!!  👍

One day when I am less lazy, they will be black. lol

27 minutes ago, bmart

One day when I am less lazy, they will be black. lol

Looks like you could use one of these, lol![image: SmartSelect_20220212-084337_Gallery.thumb.jpg.0f811ac3958e1995599b8f03e4333896.jpg]

1 hour ago, Wald

Looks like you could use one of these, lol![image: SmartSelect_20220212-084337_Gallery.thumb.jpg.0f811ac3958e1995599b8f03e4333896.jpg]

This reminds me of a coworker's favorite quote: "Ladies, if a man says he'll get it done he'll get it done. There's no need to remind him every 6 months about it."  

🤔48 been ridin around for a bit. Obviously not stopping. My priorities have been ... 'if ya ain't flying by the seat of yer pants don't do it...'

CB-1? Let's see it! I'm on #7

I wish I could show you a few pics of the CB1 and others but they are all asleep in the barn and it is -20 out

It has been a long winter here but you have given me the idea to get the herd out and take some pictures before they are gone someday

Not very many CB1's were ever sold here, not even sure they were sold for two model  years, mine is a 1989 serial# *****038

And then there were the Type IIs, which never came to the states. 

Gotta love em!

[image: 20210203_194002.thumb.jpg.1d8d54efb2c6b715b85e2df2f2d2a672.jpg]

Cheater! lol That's been modified. Like the frame. 

14 minutes ago, bmart

Cheater! lol That's been modified. Like the frame. 

I don't know if color changes can be considered "modifications".  😉

Bike is stock except for the adapted Yoshi slip-on, tucked taillight, shaped rear fender and shorter winker stays.

71 last year and still going strong 

I started on an old New Hudson with handchange riding around some waste ground/bombsite and bought my first bike on my 13th birthday, a 125cc D1 BSA Bantam

Had literally 100’s of different bikes almost exclusively European, gave that up when they became collectible and moved on 

The RC79 is my first viffer, absolutely love it, so f**king complicated though so bought the RC24 to actually wield a spanner on with confidence 

3 hours ago, Captain 80s

Gotta love em!

[image: 20210203_194002.thumb.jpg.1d8d54efb2c6b715b85e2df2f2d2a672.jpg]

as a 90's honda rider, i think you need to give that up because yer screename is 'captain 80's'. 
As such, I have moved a bike over so it'll fit in nicely here. See you this weekend. 

7 minutes ago, 3rdgenred

as a 90's honda rider, i think you need to give that up because yer screename is 'captain 80's'. 
As such, I have moved a bike over so it'll fit in nicely here. See you this weekend. 

I totally would...  but it's a 1989.

Lies! Lol

54 years old.  Second VFR.  First was totaled with lots (I don't remember how many) of miles and the second, a 2002 VFR, with just over 90k miles.  These things just keep going!

I'm turning 74... so I'm reminiscing the milestones during 57 years of
Riding and Racing...

1963... It all started with a set of mini bike plans from the back of
Popular Mechanics...

1964...

My first ride was on a step through Honda 55 in 1965 and I recall the
experience vividly... I got on the saddle and screwed open the
throttle and took off like a shot across the yard... my senses became
over whelmed with this new feel of acceleration... I froze on the
controls and fixated on the fence growing in my path... will it end
the madness??? no to my horror the front wheel just scales up the wire
without slowing down driven by the rear wheel digging in the dirt... I was
so impressed with the amount of force of 5 whole horse power that I did
the one thing I knew would stop it... I lifted the rear wheel off
ground... as the engine raced and with the back tire spinning madly I
finally remember to close the throttle... Mercy!!! this is not as easy
as it looks...

1965... First bike I purchased was a Honda C 200 a iron barrel push
rod 90... it lasted two weeks before I traded it in on a Honda S90 at
Bar-B Marina...

[image: 265319429_72248cf6bc_b.jpg]

1965...  First new bike was a Honda S-90... I'd wake up in the morning
and just ride... anywhere was good... across the Bay Bridge it didn't
matter... just racing at 60 mph was enough of a challenge out of
8HP... it helped to have a tail wind...

I'm being honest... when I'm on a bike and it don't feel right to
me... I stop thinking about riding and start thinking about a
solution... and thats been true since 1967 when I inadvertently spun a
donut in the dirt on my Honda S90... I thought there was something
wrong because it had never done that before... I stopped riding and
disassemble the whole bike looking for clues... only after the engine
was on the ground that it finally struck my mind that maybe sliding
was something to be played with... I assembled the whole mess back
together and so began my love affair for donuts and dirt...
[image: 2545714215_eebd92d46c.jpg]
[image: THcdxxj.jpg]

1966... Honda CL160... wow real power for two up riding and romance...
in fact Mary and I first kiss happened on a ride...
[image: 265294189_20a03b9194_o.jpg]
[image: 1Onr5CT.jpg]

1967... After we got married and moved to San Bernardino... Mary felt
daring enough to take pics of my CL160 as it jumped over her...
[image: 265294194_21292d953f_o.jpg]

First competition was a USAF sponsored gymnkana or skills test... I
was surprised to take 4 of the 5 trophies... I'm never 100% happy with
my riding skills...
[image: 265294197_fb45e59395_o.jpg]

I thought the Honda CL160 was a dirt bike... it was good on jumps but
poor on landings... taking 3 bounces to settled down...
[image: 1Onr5CT.jpg]

1969... Busy Little Shop #1 was the living room in our first
cottage... our Land Lady wasn't happy with bike parts inside her spot
less rental... so I used  the lamp shade over the frame trick to hide
the fact I was building a  motorcycle... never the less she swore I
was a member of the Hells Angel...
[image: 265294203_73ae525766_o.jpg]

1970... Kawasaki 350 BigHorn... I was asked to perform movie stunt
work for a Air Force Now film but after my wheelie crash the USAF
enlistment board denied my request for enlistment based on their
initial perception that I had "no personal concern for my safety"...
My film director had to set the record straight...
[image: 265294215_19e29b552f_o.jpg]
[image: 265294212_bd89ca04d7_o.jpg]
[image: a3pUdh3.jpg]

1972... CR 250 Husqvarna that I raced in the CRC SoCal Motocross...
[image: zULwkYX.jpeg]
[image: 265302568_e55c767451_o.jpg]

I loved the sandy beaches of Ensenada Mexico...
[image: 265319434_b476ea92a6_o.jpg]

Busy Little Shop #2 was in the spare bedroom of our Land Lady's second
rental... she never gave up the notion that I would move the bike
outside and  make room for kids inside... little did she understand
that some of us like  motorcycles better...
[image: 265302571_000494349d_o.jpg]

1976... WR250 Husqvarna... my version of a street legal dirt bike...
[image: 265302578_3897dfbbb0_o.jpg]
[image: 1zucqjc.jpg]
[image: 265309902_98ed35e879_o.jpg]

1978... My first time over 100mph was on Waldo's hand built Z1
complete with Ocelot fairings... I though you must be nuts to ride at
those speeds...
[image: 265340238_afc01735d8_o.jpg]

1979... While stationed in Japan I bought a CR250R Honda direct from a
Honda factory worker who must have pilfered some extra parts... I
recall that  the Japanese government turned me down 5 times for a
street legal license  plate... So I raced the CR in the black sands of
Fuji MX park...
[image: 265342455_b98d5b794f_o.jpg]
[image: 265342457_6d133d100b_o.jpg]

1980... Busy Little Shop #3 was inside our home in Japan... P5
Ushihama Heights Tokyo To...
[image: 265302580_4f26fc2e39_o.jpg]

1981... I'll never forget meeting Hirotoshi Honda #1 son of Soichiro
Honda
[image: gallery_3131_51_35791.jpg]

1980... Z400FX Kawasaki... Japanese 4 unique to the home market... I
painted the wheels School Bus yellow and installed a Honda fairing and
tail cowl... It was deemed the Circus Wheeled Kawasaki by the Honda
factory  workers at the Saitama Honda Plant they christened the frame
with a sticker  "Made by Honda Motors LTD"...
[image: 265309906_7de7e9b98e_o.jpg]
[image: 265309911_68cafa666f_o.jpg]

1981... While stationed in Wichita Kansas I ordered a new GPz550 from
East Side Honda... 3 days later I was off for a 1500 mile round trip
to New York and back... next summer I rode home to California and
back... I got  the 3 spoke magnesium Dymags direct from Harris
Performance while on a TDY  to England courtesy of the USAF...
[image: 265314032_ed2c82b432_o.jpg]

1986... XC400 Husqvarna... another Husky I made into a street legal
dirt bike... I mainly rode Little Sahara State Park... the Park
Rangers would check  for your steel whip antenna and orange flag at
the entrance... I didn't mind  the flag but steel whip antenna would
give my helmet a nasty whack every  time I stopped... it got so that
I'd jettisoned the antenna and then ride out of  sight from the
rangers patrolling in their dune buggies...

1984... 84 VF500F Interceptor... my first love affair with the V4
begins...
[image: 265309913_0840ff67e5_o.jpg]

1988... 86 VF500F Interceptor from Golden Gate Cycles... I engineered
this into famous Belt-0-Ceptor... I racked up 98,000 trouble free
miles...
[image: 265309914_1ba92a19cd_o.jpg]
[image: ce5BVi3.jpg]

[image: gallery_3131_51_14630.jpg]

1998... 94 RC45 found in Tijuana Mexico for 8K...
[image: 17257358129_ed08516cb1_o.jpg]
[image: 16821079034_c45d15939c_o.jpg]

Full circle... the yard where I first rode a motorcycle in 1965...
[image: 2545714215_eebd92d46c.jpg]

Same yard 43 years later on Mr.RC45...
[image: 2544425302_2536d4d300_o.jpg]

@BusyLittleShop

i was wondering/HOPING you'd be poppin in here!!! 

Lovely post. Great pics. You got to kiss a hot chick, ride with no hands, and have too little gear on! Great memories...

What a wonderful life!!  Thanks for all the pix and memories!  Are you still the wild dude in the pix??!!

Larry, you've got to tell me a little about the Air Force Now film.  Can you remember the title (number)?  I'd love to see if I can find it archived somewhere.   

BusyLittleShop, 2/15/2022 at 10:43 PM

I'm turning 74... so I'm reminiscing the milestones during 57 years of
Riding and Racing...

1963... It all started with a set of mini bike plans from the back of
Popular Mechanics...

1964...

My first ride was on a step through Honda 55 in 1965 and I recall the
experience vividly... I got on the saddle and screwed open the
throttle and took off like a shot across the yard... my senses became
over whelmed with this new feel of acceleration... I froze on the
controls and fixated on the fence growing in my path... will it end
the madness??? no to my horror the front wheel just scales up the wire
without slowing down driven by the rear wheel digging in the dirt... I was
so impressed with the amount of force of 5 whole horse power that I did
the one thing I knew would stop it... I lifted the rear wheel off
ground... as the engine raced and with the back tire spinning madly I
finally remember to close the throttle... Mercy!!! this is not as easy
as it looks...

1965... First bike I purchased was a Honda C 200 a iron barrel push
rod 90... it lasted two weeks before I traded it in on a Honda S90 at
Bar-B Marina...

[image: 265319429_72248cf6bc_b.jpg]

1965...  First new bike was a Honda S-90... I'd wake up in the morning
and just ride... anywhere was good... across the Bay Bridge it didn't
matter... just racing at 60 mph was enough of a challenge out of
8HP... it helped to have a tail wind...

I'm being honest... when I'm on a bike and it don't feel right to
me... I stop thinking about riding and start thinking about a
solution... and thats been true since 1967 when I inadvertently spun a
donut in the dirt on my Honda S90... I thought there was something
wrong because it had never done that before... I stopped riding and
disassemble the whole bike looking for clues... only after the engine
was on the ground that it finally struck my mind that maybe sliding
was something to be played with... I assembled the whole mess back
together and so began my love affair for donuts and dirt...
[image: 2545714215_eebd92d46c.jpg]
[image: THcdxxj.jpg]

1966... Honda CL160... wow real power for two up riding and romance...
in fact Mary and I first kiss happened on a ride...
[image: 265294189_20a03b9194_o.jpg]
[image: 1Onr5CT.jpg]

1967... After we got married and moved to San Bernardino... Mary felt
daring enough to take pics of my CL160 as it jumped over her...
[image: 265294194_21292d953f_o.jpg]

First competition was a USAF sponsored gymnkana or skills test... I
was surprised to take 4 of the 5 trophies... I'm never 100% happy with
my riding skills...
[image: 265294197_fb45e59395_o.jpg]

I thought the Honda CL160 was a dirt bike... it was good on jumps but
poor on landings... taking 3 bounces to settled down...
[image: 1Onr5CT.jpg]

1969... Busy Little Shop #1 was the living room in our first
cottage... our Land Lady wasn't happy with bike parts inside her spot
less rental... so I used  the lamp shade over the frame trick to hide
the fact I was building a  motorcycle... never the less she swore I
was a member of the Hells Angel...
[image: 265294203_73ae525766_o.jpg]

1970... Kawasaki 350 BigHorn... I was asked to perform movie stunt
work for a Air Force Now film but after my wheelie crash the USAF
enlistment board denied my request for enlistment based on their
initial perception that I had "no personal concern for my safety"...
My film director had to set the record straight...
[image: 265294215_19e29b552f_o.jpg]
[image: 265294212_bd89ca04d7_o.jpg]
[image: a3pUdh3.jpg]

1972... CR 250 Husqvarna that I raced in the CRC SoCal Motocross...
[image: zULwkYX.jpeg]
[image: 265302568_e55c767451_o.jpg]

I loved the sandy beaches of Ensenada Mexico...
[image: 265319434_b476ea92a6_o.jpg]

Busy Little Shop #2 was in the spare bedroom of our Land Lady's second
rental... she never gave up the notion that I would move the bike
outside and  make room for kids inside... little did she understand
that some of us like  motorcycles better...
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1976... WR250 Husqvarna... my version of a street legal dirt bike...
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1978... My first time over 100mph was on Waldo's hand built Z1
complete with Ocelot fairings... I though you must be nuts to ride at
those speeds...
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1979... While stationed in Japan I bought a CR250R Honda direct from a
Honda factory worker who must have pilfered some extra parts... I
recall that  the Japanese government turned me down 5 times for a
street legal license  plate... So I raced the CR in the black sands of
Fuji MX park...
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1980... Busy Little Shop #3 was inside our home in Japan... P5
Ushihama Heights Tokyo To...
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1981... I'll never forget meeting Hirotoshi Honda #1 son of Soichiro
Honda
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1980... Z400FX Kawasaki... Japanese 4 unique to the home market... I
painted the wheels School Bus yellow and installed a Honda fairing and
tail cowl... It was deemed the Circus Wheeled Kawasaki by the Honda
factory  workers at the Saitama Honda Plant they christened the frame
with a sticker  "Made by Honda Motors LTD"...
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1981... While stationed in Wichita Kansas I ordered a new GPz550 from
East Side Honda... 3 days later I was off for a 1500 mile round trip
to New York and back... next summer I rode home to California and
back... I got  the 3 spoke magnesium Dymags direct from Harris
Performance while on a TDY  to England courtesy of the USAF...
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1986... XC400 Husqvarna... another Husky I made into a street legal
dirt bike... I mainly rode Little Sahara State Park... the Park
Rangers would check  for your steel whip antenna and orange flag at
the entrance... I didn't mind  the flag but steel whip antenna would
give my helmet a nasty whack every  time I stopped... it got so that
I'd jettisoned the antenna and then ride out of  sight from the
rangers patrolling in their dune buggies...

1984... 84 VF500F Interceptor... my first love affair with the V4
begins...
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1988... 86 VF500F Interceptor from Golden Gate Cycles... I engineered
this into famous Belt-0-Ceptor... I racked up 98,000 trouble free
miles...
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1998... 94 RC45 found in Tijuana Mexico for 8K...
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Full circle... the yard where I first rode a motorcycle in 1965...
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Same yard 43 years later on Mr.RC45...
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Awesome bike life!

Thanks for sharing!

tbzep, 2/17/2022 at 9:22 AM

Larry, you've got to tell me a little about the Air Force Now film.  Can you remember the title (number)?  I'd love to see if I can find it archived somewhere.   

All Reeet tbzep!!! I'd love to see the film too... Thank you for
taking on the archive search... I've searched my files and did not
find any additional info like the title or the number... What I do
remember is that Caption Allison was the director and Les was the
technician who mounted a USAF gun camera to my Kawasaki... We shot in
September 71 72 on location at Little Mountain San Bernardino and
Riverside Off Road... The theme of the film was about two airman
(myself and a female rider) enjoying their off time... To beat the
heat we only shot in the morning and in the evening... In between we
kept cool in Caption Allison's pool...

Love those shots. Now we get cinema quality footage nearly for free in a teeny tiny box that a blind monkey could operate. What a change!

Not quite 74 yet (mid 60's) but still pursuing my 10+ year dream of circumnavigating Africa solo by bike.  Was on my way (twice!) but second time covid sent me home after a 2 month lock down in Morocco just on the Mauritania border.  Another Transalp, another day soonish and I'll be back.  Wrecked knees on an adventure bike? Pah! I'll manage just fine.

I'd love to hear about such a trip. I can get in a few days in a row, but anything longer seems cost prohibitive. 

Would have balanced better with an M60 on the other side...well, maybe not better, but more interesting! 

I follow ItchyBoots on her site and YouTube channel. Her travels are incredible, especially when viewed on the projector! Do you guys? 

1 hour ago, bmart

follow ItchyBoots on her site and YouTube channel. Her travels are incredible, especially when viewed on the projector! Do you guys? 

Yes, I  do too! The movie/pictures have incredible quality. I do not have projector but watch it on a high resolution screen. Yes, great YouTube channel. 

BusyLittleShop, 2/18/2022 at 11:09 PM

All Reeet tbzep!!! I'd love to see the film too... Thank you for
taking on the archive search... 

I haven't found it yet, but I'm working on it!  Check out this Air Force Now film at about 7:15 into the show!!!!

Umm, getting off of the throttle drives the bike to the outside? That sounds backward!

Really fun video! Thanks for sharing it. 

16 hours ago, bmart

Umm, getting off of the throttle drives the bike to the outside? That sounds backward!

Really fun video! Thanks for sharing it. 

In a nice lean, get on the throttle and drift the rear,  get off throttle and you push the front.  You also lose ground clearance when the forks compress. 

54 by now, but got my first VFR (1986 model) at 41 fullfilling a deep buried dream that came from me being 18 years old and looking at hometown Honda's shop window exposing the brand new 1986 VFR, white color and worth 44.000 French francs at the time.

Started bikes at 14: had the ugly but attaching Honda MB80, then a Yam RDX125 followed by a 350 RDLC 2nd gen. Stopped a few years then went back with a Shanyang 125 (when expat in Taiwan), a Kawa 500 KLX and between my 2 VFRs a BMW K1200R sport. My current 5th gen is the best bike I ever had. In some weird ways, I found back some 2 strokes (exciting) feelings on it. Never thought I could ride a yellow bike too and well...no plan to change 🙂

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Generation X, been riding since 1986 , had V4 Honda's before, NC24 x2, and NC30 x4, but this is my first VFR800[image: Screenshot_20210512-121631_Chrome.jpg.65d836b1afc32cf8789ddbeb50bd3265.jpg]

65. Bought the first Interceptor the Honda dealer in New Orleans got in in 1983, have a gen 8 now.

23 hours ago, 2002vfr800

65. Bought the first Interceptor the Honda dealer in New Orleans got in in 1983, have a gen 8 now.

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Gotta love the Mullet . . . ! 

slo1, 2/9/2022 at 6:16 AM

in my 60's, riding since the 70's.

Many bikes have come and gone, but the 4th gens have stayed around the longest.

Not my favorite "Touring" bike, but it's the one that speaks to my soul the most.

 It's been a good run, and with luck there will be many more miles ridden.

1980, with everything i owned...

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Looking at this photo, it seems as though younger-you and Don Grady from "My Three Sons" could have been brothers . . .

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slo1, 2/9/2022 at 6:16 AM

59 for a week.  Street riding since my early 20s. Minibikes (including the venerable CT70) and dirt bikes as a teen.  Found a photo of my 1982 Seca 650 from the mid-80s.

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Always a stickler for proper gear: Arai helmet (good), long-sleeved T-Shirt, thin leather driving gloves, Converse runners (not so much 😆).

Haven't been anywhere on the VFR for two years.  I'm hoping the plague will die out this summer so I can tour again.