| Author | Message | ||
     Sifo |
In '78 I bought my '76 GT750. Milled the head to raise the compression ratio, Kirker 3 into one tuned pipe, re-jetted carbs. It was brutal on chains and rear tires! | ||
| Reepicheep |
In 1978 I was still on a bicycle, but these were just starting to show up, and BOY did I want one.  At this time, in a small town Greenville Ohio, these things were allowed to be ridden by 14 year olds. They took off like wildfire. | ||
| Hughlysses |
I graduated from college in 1978, and was seriously considering buying a new vehicle. I had wanted a motorcycle for a long time, but my dad was pretty set against them. I went to the local Harley dealer shortly after I moved to Charleston, and they still had 3 leftover 1977 models of this in the showroom:  IIRC, they were asking a little over $3000 (each) for them. The XLCR was exactly what I thought a Sportster should look like, and I still think they're a good-looking motorcycle. Man, I thought long and hard about that potential purchase, but I managed to talk myself out of it. This was when a base Sportster was actually considered a fast motorcycle, and the dealer claimed the engines in the XLCRs were blueprinted at the factory which made them good for a few more horsepower. I honestly thought this was too much bike to start out on. Sadly, it was another ~23 years before I got the motorcycle bug again (and I bought one this time, followed a couple of years later by my first Buell), but I never forgot those XLCRs. | ||
| Two_seasons |
this  and this  42 hp and 82hp respectively Monster motocross, but stock suspension at speed was useless First Superbike...terrible frame flexing at speed in corners. Quit my job, payed rent 2 months in advance, and rode for 8,4XX miles in 6 weeks looking up old HS friends. Less than a year later, became a USN sub tender ET. Before these two, there was this and this...   I've been riding for 45 years now. Still enjoy the open two-lane roads! Been a great ride baby  | ||
| Tootal |
I see a lot of dirt bikes on here. Technically the BSA Victor was a scrambler/dirt bike. I did ride it in the dirt once in a while since somebody stole my 1972 LT2 Yamaha 100. I've always told folks to get a dirt bike to learn how to ride. That experience comes in handy when you lose traction on the street! I still have my 85 IT200 and 86 TY350 trials bike. Hugh, I'm with you on that XLCR. Still the best looking Harley they've made. That was all Willie G. (Message edited by tootal on February 19, 2017) | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
1978 Yamaha DT100. That was my first bike and first year riding anything with an engine. I paid for the bike with all of my savings from mowing grass, working hay fields, weeding gardens, etc. It left me flat broke so dad bought my helmet, a gas can and filled the can the first time. I've been broke ever since. At first it was just refilling that gas can. Then I got a real job and started upgrading to bigger, more expensive bikes. | ||
| Rick_a |
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| Zac4mac |
I had a 10-speed in 78, sold my Honda 350 in 76, headed for Navy boot-camp. Bought my first Harley in 79, a 1976 Bi-centennial Sportster. Unbelievably gaudy graphics.... fun bike tho, had her 20 years. Z | ||
| Ebutch |
Yes get a DirtBike too Learn 0n!!  | ||
| Dwardo |
1974 Norton Commando 850 Roadster | ||
| Tootal |
1974 Norton Commando 850 Roadster  I used to stop by the local dealer and drool on their Commando! | ||
| Strokizator |
I used to drool at the Norton magazine ads. | ||
| Gregtonn |
Honda CB400F G  | ||
| Hughlysses |
^ A guy I knew in college had one of those. Those are some of the coolest-looking headers ever fitted to a motorcycle. | ||
| Ebutch |
YA GIRLS & the BIKES  (Message edited by ebutch on February 19, 2017) | ||
| Dwardo |
The Commando was a great bike. I have one still. I haven't ridden it in about 4 years but then I'm not riding anything due to the fact that my vision has not improved too much. | ||
| Dwardo |
The Commando was a great bike. I have one still. I haven't ridden it in about 4 years but then I'm not riding anything due to the fact that my vision has not improved too much. | ||
| Aschem |
A 1976 KZ650 with mag wheels, pod filter, and Kerker 4 into 1 exhaust | ||
| Ourdee |
Monte, You were living my dream. I wanted one with a 1776 bicentennial paint theme. | ||
| 86129squids |
Wow. I once had a CB400F just like that, blue, in pretty nice condition. Fun bike but a bit small for me... one day I got a postcard that stated "Will buy your bike for cash!" So, called the guy and told him what I had, he said he'd be in my area at such and such dates. Met with him, sold him my 400F, then I asked- "So, you make your living by driving around the country buying used bikes?" "Yep", he said. "Do you need any help here in Tennessee?" So, I ended up becoming his buying agent for TN/VA/NC... great fun! Handled and rode ALL KINDS of metric bikes for him, until the markets changed and dried up quite a bit. Wonder what he's doing now... I think that CB400F I sold him ended up back in Japan. | ||
| Daddio |
I graduated high school in '78, and was riding a 1970 Honda SL350. Late '78, early '79, I bought a brand-new '79 KZ1000LTD; that summer I took off with a friend on the first of many coast-to-coast motorcycle trips. Motorcycles are still my favorite way to travel, I've ridden in all 50 states (but had to trailer to Hawaii  ) | ||
| Desert_uly |
1977 BMW R75/7.Purchased new for $3300,BMW advertising in the mid seventies really worked well on me. It still sits in a lonely corner of my garage awaiting some attention. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I love the looks of an old airhead, they look like they would be really satisfying to restore and ride. But I've never ridden one. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I was a bigwheel pilot in that year bracket. I got my first 20" bike the next year. | ||
| Britchri10 |
Yamaha RD 250E 2-Stroke.... | ||
| Tootal |
Ah yes, the RD Yamaha's! My dad had one after he gave me the BSA. It was the 350 and it was MEAN! | ||
| Ourdee |
I had the RD250 the year before and the RD350 the year after. The 125 Benelli panther in 78. I miss dropping 2 gears and winding out those 2 smokes. I weighed under 100 pounds back then. | ||
| Ourdee |
In 78 waving was done with a fist! | ||
| Britchri10 |
I picked up an RD350 LC in '79 or '80. Fast, fast bike for the time. It sounded great in tunnels... I miss 2-stroke motors. | ||
| 86129squids |
Those became the RZ350's in the States... had one that was bored 0.40 over, with pipes, Boyesen reeds, etc. DANG was that thing QUICK!!! I miss it to this day... sold it due to the bad black boxes of that year, didn't know.  |
