What's the point

[popkat]

In having so many bikes ?. my wife says I should get rid of them all and have just one bike. She has a point I suppose
I currently have
1985 XJ600 with only 13000 miles, needs restoring, might never get done
1986 XJ600 showing only 11000 miles, needs restoring, might never get done... Lots of parts for both, nos and 2nd hand.
1987 VFR750 runs and works but chassis parts tired so needs a few hundred spending to make it good again (I have someone wanting to buy this but I like it)
2017 MT10SP this gets ridden the most (at the moment) had it year and a half and it has 4500 miles so I don't do loads.
Yamaha FZ1 Fazer, 2008 and mint condition, I bought it as an all weather bike but it's sooo clean I haven't ridden it, not even registered it to me yet, don't know what to do with it but I do really like these bikes
VFR race bike which I am racing this year
XJ600 race bike which I am racing this year.
Katana owned since 18 years old, been off the road for years, might never get done but don't care I will never part with it.

VTR1000 Firestorm.. I ride this very little, do the Devonstorm then a few local roads, does maybe 3-400 miles a year, struggling with the point of keeping this one.

I added it all up and if I did well I could net about £19k for everything (except Katana and race bikes) I could then clear some debt then have about £11k to spend on whatever I want.
Trouble is I've had a lot of bikes, well over 100 and I still don't know what I want I think if i followed her advice It would just be a case of starting all over again and in a few years I'll have loads of bikes and won't know what to do
I'm not rich, I've just built up a collection over time, bought on credit card and had a little windfall at one point.

I keep thinking of a VFR800, one of the first (last of the gear drive cams), It would do the all weather and would work in place of the FZ1, VTR and VFR750 so 3 would become 1. but not sure

What would you guys do ??? looking for wisdom and guidance as I know it's here in abundance



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[Duffy1964]

Keep them all and get a dirt bike to add to the collection


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[VTRsquid]

Sounds like you could thin out some of the stuff you've got two of at least.. maybe one of the xj's and the fazer if it was me and really had to.
I wish i could amass cars and bikes like that, over here we get stung with $700 annual rego, per vehicle, about $70 of which is the actual registration and the rest is traffic tax as if you can ride them all at the same time.

[cheekykev]

I know what you're up against, I'm having a similar dilemma, not got any where near the same amount as you, I've got 4,
A 2001 FireStorm
Another 2001 FireStorm with high bar mod.
A 2003 VTR SP2 genuine Colin Edwards replica.
A 1994 R80 BMW Cafe racer built by myself.
Same as you I'm not rich by no means, I just managed to come across them over time and then put a lot of time and effort into looking after them.
Keep thinking I should get rid of some and just have the one or two, or even keep one and buy one new one, but to be honest there's nothing new out there that floats my boat, I've had a test ride on quite a few bikes over the last 18 months, and don't get me wrong they were very good, but they just didn't hit the spot, plus to add to the confusion the thought of selling any of them hurts.

[MacV2]

8 Storms...Only one currently OTR... But hey everythings got a price...

But then I havent got a wife & kids to fund...

Or a car so one will always be my daily runner...

[AMCQ46]

the only good rational if you have multiple bikes is to make sure that you avoid multiples of the same type of bike. if you manage to have different types of bikes, then they each have a purpose in your life and you can find a way to use them all.

my stable is:

VTR 1000 with flat bars - that is my only option for anything I need a big road bike for including tours and trackdays. and it get used every couple of weeks
KH125 retro racer - that is my option for feeling like you are 16 again .... for short trips and going to work on a nice day. it will get used every week in the summer
GasGas 200 Enduro - ideal for fast off road ... not getting any use right now, but it might
GasGas 2509 Trials bike - ideal for Trials competition and just playing in the woods near my house to have a laugh. I am only riding it every 3 weeks for now
160cc Pitbike supermoto - this is for competition in formal race series and that fills the "heat of competition" gap that track days don't touch. .... not been out for 6 months as life got in the way, but will be trying to get out a few times in the summer.
Ducati bevel drive 250 project bike - something to have on the workbench to fiddle with. but it belongs to my mate, so the fact that it is very close in purpose to my KH125 is not in breach of my original rules..

the only down side is you need different riding gear for each of these types of bikes, so you now have to convince your wife that you need 5 different helmets, 4 different boot, 3 different leather jackets [ok 1 is a full race suit]
But I point out how many shoes and handbags she has and we agree it is all OK.

[popkat]

Off road is not for me Duffy, tried it a couple of times and I was rubbish, stick to tarmac

The trouble with selling any is when I can see them I don't want to let them go, Most are in my workshop so I see them everyday, I think about it and think I can't sell.. I rode the Firestorm into work today so I could give it a little check over, not been ridden since about September last year, now I've seen it I like it It's only 3 miles to work so not a proper ride. I might tax it today then see if i have time for a ride over the weekend.

And that brings up road tax, what is it now, over £90 a year where do they make it up from, If I had them all on the road at the same time I'd be broke.. I like the idea some countries have where you tax your plate, you can only ride one at a time anyway.



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[VTRDark]

Something else to consider is what will keep it's value as petrol is driven out and electric takes over. I don't know how much longer we have with petrol but it's only going to get harder and harder and more and more costs for using petrol whether with fuel prices and / or eco-taxes and owning petrol bikes and cars will become less appealing.

[tony.mon]

Something else to consider is what will keep it's value as petrol is driven out and electric takes over. I don't know how much longer we have with petrol but it's only going to get harder and harder and more and more costs for using petrol whether with fuel prices and / or eco-taxes and owning petrol bikes and cars will become less appealing.

Ride-on lawn mower, then.
No road tax, runs on any grade fuel, and, if you get a Lamborghini one, the keyring looks great on the bar down the pub.

[sirch345]

What's the point?

A very good question

The point has to be, we all have a passion and love for motorcycles and motorcycling, otherwise we wouldn't bother with bikes.
Whether we need one bike, ten bikes or twenty is another question. I suppose it boils down to what we can afford, what fits in with our life styles and what makes us happy.
Most of us have families and don't live on our own, so sometimes you have to make compromises.

Only my view,

Chris.

[haynesjones66]

i got to the point where i just had too many, some restos which would never get done. so i had a clearout. it's very liberating and i have my little collection still, but now i'm at the stage where, if i fancy something else, i get it. if i get bored with it then i sell it for something else. keep the mt10 and katana and the race bikes. if you miss any of them, buy another.

[popkat]

The MT10 will stay for now. The VFR road bike I should really sell, a chap wanted it in the winter and we agreed £800, I ended up pulling out then a few weeks later offered it again, this time he'd spent the money. He came back last week wanting to buy it again, but now I think it's worth more a friend says I can't ask more off him, that it would be wrong, but I think why not, it's an old bike and they go up in value, the main reason it's up though is the time of year, I might say I've been offered £1k but as he's wanted it for a while he can give me £900.. Am I being a greedy b4stard

If I sold the VFR then I could put one of my XJ's on the road as a winter bike, it needs restoring anyway so can't harm it much, I think with a fair bit of work (time) I could get it through the mot for about £150. The would utilize one bike.

The FZ1 Fazer is a tough one, I've not used this one but like them a lot, move it on or use it, similar in riding position to the MT, I think one wouldn't get used but which one ??.

Firestorm will be staying until after Devon Storm at least as I've just taxed it for 6 months



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[AMCQ46]

I think you are right to ask for more for the VFR, and your "story" of another offer is a good way to get it. ....... so get it sold

the FZ1 is your problem, its worth good money and you will never use it as long as you have the MT10 .... they are too similar, you don't need both, and I doubt the FZ will ever become a classic .... so just do it.

the Storm, I think it also needs to be sold, you don't ride it enough and that's not going to change.

the rest you should keep

do you add another bike ......... why? what do you need that the MT10 cant do?

[freeridenick]

The VFR road bike I should really sell, a chap wanted it in the winter and we agreed £800, I ended up pulling out then a few weeks later offered it again, this time he'd spent the money. He came back last week wanting to buy it again, but now I think it's worth more a friend says I can't ask more off him, that it would be wrong, but I think why not, it's an old bike and they go up in value, the main reason it's up though is the time of year, I might say I've been offered £1k but as he's wanted it for a while he can give me £900.. Am I being a greedy b4stard

I'm half tempted with a VFR for the CRMC championship. I'd have considered it for that money as they're pricey in decent nick, just to rip apart for racing. You should be able to ask more in my opinion.

I keep thinking of a VFR800, one of the first (last of the gear drive cams), It would do the all weather and would work in place of the FZ1, VTR and VFR750 so 3 would become 1. but not sure
.

I've been think of one of these for my road trip later in the year. Cheap as chips, often come with useful accessories and top build quality from what I understand. It's that or an original Fazer 600 if I don't finish the road Firestorm in time.

[fabiostar]

There is no point, thats why we do it. do women need 38 pairs of shoes for two feet? no..

but i know what you mean, iv never known what iv wanted bike wise since 1981 iv had god knows how many and everyones been THE one, that keeper, which iv then sold 6 months later..

the big kat is YOUR one so thats a keeper. just thin them out a little and get the kat sorted and keep the storm, i mean whats a storm worth now for the amount of fun you get outa them?