Saying hello to the forum. Many original owner bikes here?

[marknorthwood]

Finally taken the plunge and posted. Been registered on this site and lurking for quite a long time.
Read many really interesting threads and gained huge amount of info.
Have had my 350 LC since new in 1984. Was my first bike I bought new from Flitwick Motorcycles for £1275. Had the choice of a new fangled PV or the "classic". It took a long summer of work as temporary staff in a factory doing a night shift to buy it. Was used for everything for many years- commuting, holidays, mad fun with friends.
Has been off the road for a while, but undergoing a gentle "refresh" with lots of Norbo's spares. Now wanting to see what's for sale in the classifieds and being a bit more sociable, so a few posts due from me.
Have many of you still got an original owner bike? Mark.

[arrow]

Welcome to the forum Mark.

[midlifecrisisrd]

Welcome in from your lurking corner

Not many of us still with our original bikes, most of us traded up away from 2 strokes into big fours.

Never had enough money back then so always traded in or sold bikes to fund family life

After passing my test I bought a 350 lc2 in 1988 and kept it a few years before selling it to buy furniture.

It is the only time in all my life I never owned a bike. That lasted a year before I bought a 750 turbo then a selection of big sports bikes

Turned 40 in 2009 and decided I was going to relive the rd experience so bought a really rough 350r

Few months later I found my original bike for sale as a hybrid rolling chassis so bought that and rebuilt it into a complete bike that has evolved a few times

So yes I technically own my original bike but really it was awol for 18 years and bare's no resemblance to how it was back in the day

Steve

[shaunthe2nd]

Welcome aboard.
I have a few RD's now but sadly not the original one i had in the early 80's, sadly it looks like it bit the dust shortly after i sold it according to DVLA records.

Enjoy the forum.

[rigga]

Can't even remember the reg of my original LC, so even if it was still in existence, I wouldn't know, the only two grainy Polaroid pictures I have are side on.

[dono]

Oct 15, 2017 18:00:39 GMT 1 rigga said:

Can't even remember the reg of my original LC, so even if it was still in existence, I wouldn't know, the only two grainy Polaroid pictures I have are side on.

Exactly the same, thought I was the only one! Any how I wouldn't want my original bike, it had rubbish tyres and even worse brakes. Of course it was amazing back then but now we have learned what makes bikes handle better, stop better and also go faster, hence me now having a 4lo ypvs rgv hybrid. Wouldn't have it any other way :-)
These are two of the three pics I have of the old girl

[Tobyjugs]

Welcome to the forum

[muzz350]

Welcome- I'm still a owner of my original one !

[steeley]

Welcome in . Non standard for me . I am looking for parts to make mine standard at some time . The usual stuff exhausts ,rear mudguard ,air box and get some decent plastics and maybe tank . Bike is matching numbers so I thought when I have got the stuff all together in about 10/15 years I will sell it . Oh, had this one for about 20 I think . Its never been standard .The engine was always highly tuned but I came to my senses and had the cylinders relined .so std bore and tune . Ah it runs like a swiss watch .

[marknorthwood]

Thanks all. I will post up some photos - when flikr lets me. Keeps failing to upload. I've had a couple of hybrids over the years, but the current bike is still almost standard. Even kept the old style registration document when they changed to new style. Mild Terry Beckett (RIP) tune and now a pair of SS Gibson Allspeed small cans waiting to go on. Had a pair of Lomas on at one point, but just love the compact dimensions of the Allspeeds, even if they are down a bit on power from the newest ones. A few more days of fettling over the winter and it should be out in 2018 for its 34th birthday.

[alistair64]

Not far off, but I've owned my RD350F1 since it was 10 months old (1986), so the second owner.
I swear it will be buried alongside me 

[rd350rob]

Oct 15, 2017 21:01:32 GMT 1 alistair64 said:

Not far off, but I've owned my RD350F1 since it was 10 months old (1986), so the second owner.
I swear it will be buried alongside me 

Same as me mate; I'm the second owner of my 31K.

Ditto the burial.......

[icarus001]

I was too young to buy a new one, I wasn't 17yrs old until 1990 and didn't pass my test until 1991.
I owned one briefly but back then they were cheap bikes to ride until you'd saved up to buy a new 250 race replica.

And prior to the last few years I was also in the unfortunate position of having to sell each bike I owned to part-fund the next one, so none were 'keepers'.
I've got an LC now, along with a few other bikes, and this time there are no plans to sell it, ever.

That one owner from new standard LC you've got is worth at least 5x what you paid for it in 1984, bet you never thought that would happen when you bought it.

[alistair64]

Yeah, it's strange to think back to what your mindset might have been 30 years ago regarding the value of the bikes now.
I probably would have thought they would just be old bikes which would have been long superceded by faster, better equivalents.
The fact that larger capacity two strokes were basically outlawed years ago has had a lot to do with the huge rise in values.
Back then no-one would have seen it coming.
Also, the simplicity, speed and thrills which they still offer have a lot to do with it.
Bikes have gone the same way as cars regarding the complexity and electronics.
You just don't see anyone tinkering by the side of the road, which is what our generation were brought up to do.
It will be interesting what values are like in another 30 years once we're all dead and buried.
They must start to level off at some point in time.

[marknorthwood]

"Yeah, it's strange to think back to what your mindset might have been 30 years ago regarding the value of the bikes now."
It is, but it seemed a lot of money then. Similar to houses- always seem expensive, but on average over the years they just get more and more unaffordable. Seems mad that a lot of the bigger sportsbikes are pushing £20k now. Incredibly capable, but I don't know whether I think of them as "fun" like the LCs. Done the Fireblade times and was always on edge for cops/cameras as the bikes never felt awake unless they were doing naughty speeds.
Had so many good times with old mates and various 2 strokes - KHs, RDs, Gammas etc, it really does colour your opinions. They are bikes that were quite repairable as a teenager. Seem to remember new pipes being sold by ? Padgetts in MCN for £15 during the proddy race years.
I wish I had bought up a load of LC spares then.
Can't think what "affordable" new bikes I would invest in today - don't know that any really have the same desirability.

[1966baz]

Welcome in mate. I can say that I'm the 1st owner of 3 of my bikes if you count the fact they've been built from scratch from random parts. Doesn't really count does it.

[reedpete]

Still have my first LC although I had it registered with a friend as the keeper for a few years....didn’t ever belong to him just needed to be off my asset radar ....
All is well now though except she’s been in a state of WIP resto for too long. Also got a few others to keep her company as it seems many of us do.

[daz]

Still the original owner of my 350R still have pdi sheet and reciept for it got it in 93