(Nominations) Greatest Motorcycle Ever Contest

  • Thread starter C-ZETA
  • 45 comments
  • 12,749 views
TwistedNav
Love the Cub nomination, by the way. If the greatest bike is the one that's given freedom to the most people, then the Cub is undoubtedly the hands-down winner!
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Agreed. I'm a big fan of really down-to-earth bikes and cars, so the Cub appeals massively. The resilience of it, I love that there are probably still millions of the very first models bombing about in Asia, undergoing basic maintanance and being thrashed but still surviving, and it's great how they still sell them today, even with different specifications. And that people are even prepared to make cool custom versions like this one:

honda_littlecub_800.jpg


UnoMOTO
I've come in and out of this thread trying to come up with something but I just seem to have issues with nominating something that I've never ridden. How can I say its the greatest if I don't know. My R1 is the greatest bike that I've ever ridden but I doubt it's the best motorcycle ever.
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Educated guesses are required, as they are with any of the voting threads on this forum. Vote based on what you've read, what you've seen, how significant you think something is... etc. The only bike I've ever ridden is a Suzuki RV125, but I have no problem voting for three Hondas that I think are very significant in the history of the motorcycle.
 
Well, even without the final two nominations I'd say you've pretty much covered my bike wishlist, I'll take all of them, please...

...and an aircraft hangar to keep them in

...and a huge inheritance so I don't have to work anymore

...a multi-configuration track to ride them on

...a helipad to fly-in friends to share the fun...

hmm, it's not going to happen, is it? Cheered up my Thursday morning thinking about it, though :) 👍

Sweet custom cub, by the way - I'd want asbestos inner thighs before riding it though!
 
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Yup... it really needs a heat shield like the old Honda SS50 used to have. I'm also unsure as to whether it's academic anyway as the pic might be photoshopped (the lack of a bracket holding the pipe anywhere along it's length is a bit of a giveaway).
 
From the museum at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, AL:

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The sign at the bike:

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And while I'm posting, I'd like to add this as a nomination: the Suzuki GSX-1100S Katana. I've never seen one of these except this one at the museum (and a race-modded one at an AHRMA event,) but I've always wanted one. 100 hp from an air-cooled motor, in 1981!

katana.jpg
 
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Duke of Pendle
Glad you said ONE of the first. Benelli did it earlier with the 750sei 👍
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And Honda did it back in the 60s with a 250cc Grand Prix bike. Best engine sound of anything, ever, possibly tieing with the Rolls Royce Merlin. But the Honda wins because you don't get the glorious gearchange sound with a Merlin:

 
You need my bike, Suzuki TL1000S!! Was voted by numerous to have the best engine of any bike. I guess it was the best bike that could of been! hehe
 
Thanks C-ZETA 👍

pics of my nominations :

1946 Harley FL knucklehead
motoKSLK5B21A1GE.jpg


1960 Harley FLH panhead
1960%20Dual%20Glide.jpg



Royal Enfield Bullet 500
Classic.jpg
 
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homeforsummer
And Honda did it back in the 60s with a 250cc Grand Prix bike. Best engine sound of anything, ever, possibly tieing with the Rolls Royce Merlin. But the Honda wins because you don't get the glorious gearchange sound with a Merlin:

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:lol: This is turning into a game of top trumps.

So...........the next card I shall play is this one;

http://www.ozebook.com/mcnews/mgV8/MotoGuzziV8.htm

I know we've departed from the production motorcycle theme, but what the hell - it's fun anyway 👍

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Moto-Guzzi-motorcycles/V8.wav
 
Heh. I'll see your M-G V8 and raise you a Morbidelli and home-built Kawasaki:

(And these weren't race bikes.)

DSC03001a.jpg


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The Morbidelli was produced, and sold very low numbers, probably because it originally looked like this (ew-w-w-w!):

morbidelliv84.jpg


It's an 800cc 4-valve DOHC V-8. Pretty cool!

The Kawasaki was built by grafting a second set of cylinders onto an 800cc four, and then a couple special intake and exhaust pieces, a bit of frame modificiation. The guy has a better shop than most of us. . . .


Sorry to get all completely off-topic, but this is fun!
 

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