Classic bikes - a worthwhile investment?

[Robotstar5]

Beats me:
61 Tiger Cub
72 CZ 360
BSA Bantam D7
61 AJS CSR650
52 AJS M18 Bitsa
59 Triumph 5TA Speedtwin
76 Triumph T140V
78 Honda CB550F2
78 BMW R100RS
69 Triumph T120
72 BMW R75/5
54 Matchless G3LS
56 Matchless G3LS
91 Trident 900
92 Trophy 900
00 BMW R1100SS
04 KTM 950 Adventure

Still have the ones in bold.

Got me thinking the early Hinkley triples are quite a good bet: Trident, Daytona and Speed Triple in particular.

I can't recall the year plates but here goes
Lambretta SX150 - never got to ride it on the road
Lambretta SX200 - I only had a moped licence so my dad "borrowed" it to commute on until I traded it in
Suzuki U50
Yamaha RD200B
Yamaha RD200B - not a misprint, I had 2 of them
Honda CB500T
Yamaha DT175
Honda CX500A
Honda XL185S
Honda CBX550
Honda CX500B
Yamaha XJ650
Yamaha XS850
Kawasaki AE50
Suzuki GS850G
Yamaha XJ900
Suzuki GSF650
Yamaha FZS600
Suzuki DL650 - current bike

 

[mangocrazy]

OK, here's mine in chronological order of purchase/ownership. Ones in bold I still have.

1964 Honda C200 90cc
1967 Honda CD175 twin
1966 Honda CB77 (305cc) twin
1980 Yamaha RD350LC (bought new)
1985 Yamaha RD350F YPVS
1989 Honda VFR750FK RC24 (bought new)
1989 Ducati 851 (bought new)
1991 Hejira 350cc YPVS 'kit bike/special'
1991 Ducati 888 SP3
1996 Honda VFR750FT RC36II (bought new)
1997 Suzuki TL1000S (bought new)
1988 Honda VFR750FJ RC24
2008 Aprilia Falco SL1000 (bought new)
2003 Aprilia Falco SL1000
2017 KTM Duke 690 R (bought new)

 

[dobbslc]

Hejira 350cc YPVS 'kit bike/special'

Ooo nice!
I had a Hejira 250 single race bike with a DT/YZ 250 air cooled engine fitted. The frame had radiator mounts so might have been originally for a RD/TZ lump.
I sold it and built a Cagiva Mito racer with a tuned CR250 engine. Scary fast...

 

[stuvy]

Katana ,, dare I mention them ,, now there was a strange thing.

I always loved them

 

[mangocrazy]

Ooo nice!
I had a Hejira 250 single race bike with a DT/YZ 250 air cooled engine fitted. The frame had radiator mounts so might have been originally for a RD/TZ lump.
I sold it and built a Cagiva Mito racer with a tuned CR250 engine. Scary fast...

It was a featherlight little thing. 130kg wet (weighed on Oulton Park weighbridge) and 60hp. Astralite wheels and carbon fibre seat (no subframe). I bitterly regret selling it.

 

[dobbslc]

That's lovely! I wish I kept my one, I only sold it for £400!

 

[Screwdriver]

Ooo nice!
I had a Hejira 250 single race bike with a DT/YZ 250 air cooled engine fitted. The frame had radiator mounts so might have been originally for a RD/TZ lump.
I sold it and built a Cagiva Mito racer with a tuned CR250 engine. Scary fast...

I decorated an old ratty 350YPVS with Mito bodywork and RGV 250 front/rear end.

Never finished it. In the back of the shed somewhere. Gonna probably wish I'd left it stock (but the stock YPVS was/is as ugly as sin).

 

[Screwdriver]

Also "ruined" a highly collectible late RS250 by slotting a Honda XR650R engine into it. decorated with Tyga fairings and accessories.

Went like a rocket, binned it on the first track day. That one is still in the front of the garage waiting attention...

 

[dobbslc]

I've seen the RS, very tasty!

 

[waddycall]

Another potential investment could be the zxr400. Always wanted one of those to.

 

[daleyd]

Another potential investment could be the zxr400. Always wanted one of those to.
View attachment 357261

Early 90’s was heaven for imported bikes - reverse cylinder TZR, Honda NSR 250, nc30/45, zxr400, gsxr400 - I could go on all day, I’d have any of them little rascals in a heartbeat

 

[dobbslc]

I'm a massive grey import fan, anyone remember the Grey Bike magazine? It lasted a few years then stopped

This little FZR400 certainly showed a few big bikes up round Silverstone on one trackday
I just had the thing flat out most of the way round, 15500 rpm redline, it gets another 500rpm on top of the standard bike as it an SP model

If anyone has a copy of this poster I'd love to buy it, the mice got this one

 

[Screwdriver]

Another potential investment could be the zxr400. Always wanted one of those to.
View attachment 357261

Yes, I'd go with that. JDM import, rare as hens teeth, mint original condition. Jewel of an engine.

Not my cuppatea but you could make some serious noise and thrash it without fear of earning the death penalty.

 

[Greeves246]

Well how about this?

2021 Kawasaki ZX25R Ninja CRAZY 250cc total screamer 4 cyl rev monster.47BHP? | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2021 Kawasaki ZX25R Ninja CRAZY 250cc total screamer 4 cyl rev monster.47BHP? at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

or about a dozen Japanese 250 two stroke twins plus several 400 four cyl strokers

Cars, Motorcycles & Vehicles | eBay

Buy and sell electronics, cars, fashion apparel, collectibles, sporting goods, digital cameras, baby items, coupons, and everything else on eBay, the world's online marketplace

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[dobbslc]

Holy sxxx! A 4 modern cylinder 250! When did they start making these again? I didn't know they were being made, a new era of jap motorcycle madness

 

[Rannsachair]

Beats me:
61 Tiger Cub
72 CZ 360
BSA Bantam D7
61 AJS CSR650
52 AJS M18 Bitsa
59 Triumph 5TA Speedtwin
76 Triumph T140V
78 Honda CB550F2
78 BMW R100RS
69 Triumph T120
72 BMW R75/5
54 Matchless G3LS
56 Matchless G3LS
91 Trident 900
92 Trophy 900
00 BMW R1100SS
04 KTM 950 Adventure

Still have the ones in bold.

Got me thinking the early Hinkley triples are quite a good bet: Trident, Daytona and Speed Triple in particular.

I missed one, also had a 1949 Ariel Red Hunter:

 

[minimutly]

I missed one, also had a 1949 Ariel Red Hunter:
View attachment 357314

My dad had one of them. Mother made him scrap it. I still have the Ariel workshop service manual

 

[stuvy]

Also "ruined" a highly collectible late RS250 by slotting a Honda XR650R engine into it. decorated with Tyga fairings and accessories.

Went like a rocket, binned it on the first track day. That one is still in the front of the garage waiting attention...

That does look cool

 

[stuvy]

Well how about this?

2021 Kawasaki ZX25R Ninja CRAZY 250cc total screamer 4 cyl rev monster.47BHP? | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2021 Kawasaki ZX25R Ninja CRAZY 250cc total screamer 4 cyl rev monster.47BHP? at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

or about a dozen Japanese 250 two stroke twins plus several 400 four cyl strokers

Cars, Motorcycles & Vehicles | eBay

Buy and sell electronics, cars, fashion apparel, collectibles, sporting goods, digital cameras, baby items, coupons, and everything else on eBay, the world's online marketplace

www.ebay.co.uk

Holy sxxx! A 4 modern cylinder 250! When did they start making these again? I didn't know they were being made, a new era of jap motorcycle madness

Did you see what it revs to?

Will have to try and get a test ride on one

 

[Greeves246]

Stuvy

Kawasaki ZX25R Specs and Review • Road Sumo

The Kawasaki ZX25R is the only in-line four-cylinder motorcycle model in its class. It features an all-new gasoline engine.

roadsumo.com

Quickshifter, traction control , ride modes. As it’s the only one in the country, you buy it and give me a go.