Talk Morgan Forums Thread Like Summary - TMers motorcycles

Being of relatively recent membership here I have to say I searched a bit but didn't find a topic about "our motorcycles", so I decided to open this one. If I'm in the wrong please may the powers that be merge this with an existing thread, thank you.

I keep reading here that there's an high prevalence of motorcyclists among Morgan owners. I wouldn't know how true that might be within the whole of TM members, but it sure is true in my case.

I won't show pictures of bikes I owned in the past, but I'll show my two current ones:

1 - YAMAHA FJ 1200 '87

Bought this bike from a cousin in 1990, it was 3 years old and 3.000 kms made, busy guy, had no time to ride bikes (yeah, right) and decided to sell. I had a CBR 600F at the time, but my heart was firmly set on long voyages, so this was clearly my deal.

After a few more years and many kms of ownership, she wasn't worth the tyres she had fitted so I kept her. In 2012, for her 25th anniversary, I took her to the Autodromo do Estoril so she could breathe. That she did, here's a pic of that day:





2 - YAMAHA XJR 1300 '06

My current daily ride. I live in Lisbon and as any big city, it's insane to try to use a car to and back from work. It's been almost 30 years now that I gave up on tin tops to do my day-to-day living (after one year of being stupid) and I'm a city biker ever since. She does the job, lots of grunt at low revs (no need to keep changing gears) and if I need to get outside Lisbon she can also do the job wonderfully. Not to use at illegal speeds though, no wind protection. The wife likes it

Amazingly I just found out I don't have a picture in my computer with this one, so the bike pictured isn't mine, but it is exactly like mine.




So as you see I'm not a collector, just a keeper of my old bike, and a new one to do the daily tasks.

Ayone else to want share their beauties pics and story?

I also have a couple of much rarer Ducatis:

2008 Desmosedici RR #1467 of 1500 built and the last one in the world sold new to me by Ducati Glasgow in 2012, with 3 years warranty and servicing included. I fitted fibreglass bodywork to replace the standard carbon fibre items, changed the suspension to make it compliant enough for road use, enlarged the fuel tank as its standard range was 60 miles, and changed the wheels for BKS carbon to accept modern rubber (the standard rear was 16.5 inch to mimic the MotoGP bike and hence there is only one specially produced tyre that would fit).

This made it quite a usable bike and I have taken it to the TT, toured Scotland, Spain, France, Germany and Italy on it and had it on track at the Nurburgring, Mugello, Misano, Portimao, Jerez, Almeria, Magny Cours, Donnington and Silverstone.



In all I did 15,000 miles on the bike within the first three years so that the big 50-hour engine out service would be free.



It is now the highest mileage example in the world by some margin. It has lived under my stairs for a few years but is going in to be recommissioned later this month.



900SS Baines Imola #007 of just 38 built. This one also really needs an enlarged petrol tank as it too only has a 60 mile range at best. I have a spare tank in my loft but it is going to be quite a job as the battery and igniter coil packs will need to be relocated.

Here you go.




The Guzzi Le Mans MKIII & the Bonnie are at our home in the Kawartelaan, Den Haag & the Enfield Bullet at the company house in Nairobi.
Missing are 3 Hondas, a Ducati Monster (not mine but dt=riven regularly) & a BMW K75S

Back in the day I converted (over several years) this



into this.



A 950 Le Mans look alike with nickel plated frame and full fairing although shown with it removed.

Latest acquisition is this.



A Royal Enfield Guerilla 452 water cooled single.

My first "big bike" after passing my test was a Triumph Bonneville T140 upon which a very young myself and Mrs FT ventured to France as our first holiday together (see pics below - a very different France back then as well). Whilst in France the engine decided to eat itself and we hitch-hiked home, the bike arriving two weeks later courtesy of the AA. In the meantime someone had leant me a Japanese bike, a Suzuki GS1000, which was a revelation: fast, smooth, comfortable, vibration-free and oil tight. Well that was it; there was no going back. Went through a succession of bikes always seeking that mythical beast the "perfect bike". Strangely I think I might have found it now in my Royal Enfield 350 Classic. Or maybeI've learned to live with its imperfections!

A few that spring to mind were CZ175, VFR800, Commando, ST1100, GS1200 x 3, KTM990, and currently a Triumph Tiger 800.

Without a doubt the best everyday all rounder were the 1200GS which is why I had 3 of them or at least 2 of them the third being written off by Angharad Lewis. The worst bike by a long way was a Harley Sportster which was unreliable, uncomfortable and crude as allegedly are all Harleys.

My wife loved the ST1100 but disliked the GS because of the hunched up jockey like seating for pillions. Since I didnt really like having a pillion, I had 3 GS.

The current Triumph has the best engine of the lot - a silky smooth 800cc 3 cylinder