What is your 'grail bike, and have you ever owned it?

[crofty1984]

Gunk said:

Although I love 1990’s Japanese sports bike, I’ve always wanted an early 1970’s US Spec T120 Bonnie, I think it’s as close to perfection as a motorcycle should be. There is not a bad angle, it’s just stunning. They probably ride like ste, but that’s not the point.

Edited by Gunk on Monday 15th January 23:11

They ride pretty well, just not that fast. I'm selling mine this year to get something a bit more suited to tramping up the motorway. I've still got a pair of BSAs to blast round the countryside

[RemaL]

Grail bike. I don't think i have one but have my dream bike at the moment

[Prof Prolapse]

"Because nerd".

Never owned it, realistically never will as by all accounts it is a bit st.

H2R is a good shout too.

[Dog Star]

2008 vintage black/black/black R1. Best looking of the bunch.

I bought a zero miles, unregistered brand spanking new one in 2011. Had it stolen. I'd have kept it forever. There are plenty for sale and were at the time, but they're old now, and almost every one has been ruined by the R&G tail tidy/anodised st/crash bungs/double bubble crowd

Replaced with an MV Agusta F4, which is nice but it's not an R1, and then with a new R1 last year, which is a technical marvel, but it's not as pretty.

[julian64]

This was always the bike I wanted but never got around to.

[Fleegle]

julian64 said:

This was always the bike I wanted but never got around to.

Same here (along with about a dozen others)

[Google [bot]]

Matt Hew said:

My ultimate want

98% agree. But not with the small headlamps and ForceV4 decal.

As a teen I had the original brochure on my wall, and at the pub I used to collect glasses in a regular had one.

[scunnylad]

Too many I would love to name just one

[dibblecorse]

Rat_Fink_67 said:

For me it's the Desmosedici. Too stiff for the road, too uncompromising, too hot, not that fast nowadays either, but my God I'd love one!!

I'm with you mate .....

And Matt Hew, my mate has one of the few surviving road legal F1's in the UK, ridden it a few times, its ridiculous, in a good way .....

[brrapp]

Wacky Racer said:

Gunk said:

Although I love 1990’s Japanese sports bike, I’ve always wanted an early 1970’s US Spec T120 Bonnie, I think it’s as close to perfection as a motorcycle should be. There is not a bad angle, it’s just stunning. They probably ride like ste, but that’s not the point.

Edited by Gunk on Monday 15th January 23:11

Yes, absolutely stunning.

I had a 1969 USA export 650cc TR6 in maroon in 1972, but the previous original owner took the original upswept pipes off and replaced them with short megaphones....fool. (Sold it for £365)

That was my holy grail when I was a kid until 1984 when I could afford one (well not quite, mine was a '77 Tiger 750 converted to twin carbs and Bonneville spec). Kept it about 6 months, it was st, leaky, unreliable, outrun by the Jap stuff , and outhandled by the Italian stuff. The Z900 which replaced it was a far superior bike.
My new holy grail is an original XT500 (white with red frame and gold wheels) I had one briefly in the early eighties and of all the bikes I've ridden this is the one I should have kept hold of.

[counterofbeans]

These were mine:-

[Birky_41]

Prof Prolapse said:

"Because nerd".

Never owned it, realistically never will as by all accounts it is a bit st.

H2R is a good shout too.

I quite like this too. I find the brand a bit quirky

Never been a kwak man but the H2R I think is Jap porn. Doesnt do much in the pics but seeing one for real its actually quite nice

[Prof Prolapse]

Birky_41 said:

I quite like this too. I find the brand a bit quirky

Never been a kwak man but the H2R I think is Jap porn. Doesnt do much in the pics but seeing one for real its actually quite nice

MTB, NeelyP and I were at the NEC a few years back when it was just released and they had an H2R on the dyno giving it some.

I'm not much of an audiophile but, Jesus Christ, the sound was absolutely incredible.

[Birky_41]

Bob_Defly said:

Triggered by the Benelli in the how many bikes thread...

My 'grail bike is the MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800 RR. Just love it, still not sure if I will ever own one due to the variable nature of MV's bank account, but we'll see.

Plus I'd have to get rid of the FZ-09 as it's a very similar bike...

Post a pic too.

Thats the all new 2018 Euro 4 version. I think I prefer it but it didnt jump out at me like the 2015 Euro 3 version. I remember laying up in hospital contemplating what to do when I was fixed and scrolling fb then see pics of this late '14 and just thought 'I have to get this'

Kept it for 18 months. Did 10,000 miles, 3 track days and Iom TT including Ramsey Sprint. Had a few issues but on the whole was a good bike

[Gunk]

Bob_Defly said:

Gunk said:

Although I love 1990’s Japanese sports bike, I’ve always wanted an early 1970’s US Spec T120 Bonnie, I think it’s as close to perfection as a motorcycle should be. There is not a bad angle, it’s just stunning. They probably ride like ste, but that’s not the point.

Edited by Gunk on Monday 15th January 23:11

Isn't that like the one they restored on the motorcycle show? Why US spec, what makes it better/different?

Very similar to Henry Coles bike, US export models had a peanut tank and higher handlebars

[Pat H]

brrapp said:

Gunk said:

Although I love 1990’s Japanese sports bike, I’ve always wanted an early 1970’s US Spec T120 Bonnie, I think it’s as close to perfection as a motorcycle should be. There is not a bad angle, it’s just stunning. They probably ride like ste, but that’s not the point.

That was my holy grail when I was a kid until 1984 when I could afford one (well not quite, mine was a '77 Tiger 750 converted to twin carbs and Bonneville spec). Kept it about 6 months, it was st, leaky, unreliable, outrun by the Jap stuff , and outhandled by the Italian stuff. The Z900 which replaced it was a far superior bike.

I'm not sure you can compare the worst Bonnie (T140V) with the best (T120R).

For what it's worth, I owned a T140V for ten years and a T140D for about five years. In fairness to them, whilst they were desperately underpowered for a 750, they were tough as old boots and took loads of abuse.

Neither of mine ever suffered a serious mechanical failure, despite using the T140V for sprinting and hillclimbing. I also thought they handled superbly.

They both suffered from hopeless clutches, which either slipped to buggery or dragged like mad, depending on how tight you screwed down the springs.

I would love a US spec T120, but a wonky late 1970s T140V is a pretty poor substitute. Prices for either are a bit eye watering, considering what you can buy for a fraction of the price.

[Bob_Defly]

Birky_41 said:

Bob_Defly said:

Triggered by the Benelli in the how many bikes thread...

My 'grail bike is the MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800 RR. Just love it, still not sure if I will ever own one due to the variable nature of MV's bank account, but we'll see.

Plus I'd have to get rid of the FZ-09 as it's a very similar bike...

Post a pic too.

Thats the all new 2018 Euro 4 version. I think I prefer it but it didnt jump out at me like the 2015 Euro 3 version. I remember laying up in hospital contemplating what to do when I was fixed and scrolling fb then see pics of this late '14 and just thought 'I have to get this'

Kept it for 18 months. Did 10,000 miles, 3 track days and Iom TT including Ramsey Sprint. Had a few issues but on the whole was a good bike

So nice! How much of a pain in the arse was it to keep the wheels clean?

I think the latest one got an amazing review by 44T, makes me want it even more...

[telecat]

Probably the only thing that would have persuaded me to get a Motorcycle licence.

[podman]

Some great selections, hard to choose between many..

Lusted after an RD500 since I was 16 and despite it being a PITA over the last couple of years, im glad I own it.



I now really,really want a big bored , hybrid LC...Like this..I think they look stunning, im hoping I may get a chance at buying one later this year..

[RizzoTheRat]

caelite said:

Every logical bone in my body says they are stupid, unreliable, slow, inefficient. But I do love them to bits. Never owned one, dream would be to buy one in Russia and ride it back, would need to be a '06 onwards model when they started fitting good components, Brembo disks, Ducati ignition, Japanese electronics.

Good call but for me it would have to be a Gear Up rather than just the bike, sadly the left hand car conversion for the UK market are apparently not as good as they're chain drive rather than a proper axle.

The one I always listed after in my youth was the Cagiva Elefant



Was tempted to buy a 750 a few years back I knew I'd always be thinking it wasn't a 900 in Lucky Strike colours, and didn't think I was ready to open myself up to that big a world of electrical gremlins