Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Other Bikes If the TBA/TA/SM didn't exist, which bike?

I would have considered a Softail Heritage. They look a lot like HD's I've had in the past once you strip off the innecessary junk like the windshield and designer pipes. I would have gotten as far as the price and that would have been the end of that.
I had been going out of my way when I had a chance to be in the area to go by a shop called British Motorbikes in North Hollywood. There is a really good chance I would have ended up with something from there, preferably a pre-unit 650 with a proper starter. If they'd had a rigid frame 650, so much the better.
What I probably would have ended up with would have been a basket case 650 or maybe a Panhead and built it myself.

North Hollywood? cool...i used to live there...on a little street near Doheny and Santa Monica intersection...darned if I can remember the name...been too long...but i recall that it joined Santa Monica and Sunset...wow...lots of memories...

The Yamaha RoadStar......Angelis

The TBA was purchased for my wife. But since then i've stolen it.

Of course, every now and then she reminds me that it is in fact hers.

There are so many bikes i want the list would take for ever to write.

The only 2 bikes I looked at were the BMW R1150R and the TBA. I considered the Honda Sabre but glad I didn't buy after riding my friends brand new one. It felt really antiquated. If I change bikes, I may seriously consider the Rocket III. The left side is still ugly but the blacked out engine looks better and new 2006 colors are cool.

S AND S ENGINE IN A SOFTAIL FRAME
i'd build it oh and it has to be black with a 250 rear end

PES,

I was looking at the R1150R but I was concerned about the leg room. Is it a good choice for the long legged?

Well, I've got just under a 30" inseam and when I sat on the R1150R my feet were not flat on the ground. I was standing on the balls of my feet, not quite tip-toe.

to the beginning I have begun to try a Harley, in that period I could only choose a sporster, but they would have chosen a springer or a night train.then a day I have inasmuch as on a review of the field and said "I it wishes the love of it"was from the first moment.the" coupe de foudre classic "if had not been therefore now probably would have one HD sposter.but this has not happened

I was looking for something to replace the 95 Trident I'd been riding the past few years. It was a great machine that had hp, tq, and a 6.5 gal tank. But after a few years even with risers, my back just couldn't handle the Trident for more than 20 minutes (now I know I should have kept it anyway). The standard Bonnie was looking good, but I was really considering going with a cruiser for the first time in my life. If the America had not come along, I'd probably either still be on the Trident, a standard Bonnie, or on one of the many very good Jap cruisers (probably a Kaw with the classic Indian look).

Hey Grumbler,

There's a guy in my office building who rides the sweetest looking black v-twin Japanese cruiser and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it is until I read your post and googled the bike. It's a Kawasaki 1500 Drifter. Very cool looking, though you're right, it's basically an Indian clone.

this is the problem of the japanese bikes are often all clonees of other bikes, americans or english.that is sure is good quality and tecnolgy,and often also not to much expensive.

I looked at a HD deuce first, then the Thunderbird. I probably would have gone with the Deuce if I couldn't get a red TBA. Luckily I found one up in Mass. so that was that!

If the TBA/TA/SM didn't exist, which bike? 'Round here it's a four letter word, FXDI.
Shh...

Dyna Wide glide...and be 12K lighter in the wallet than my TBAmade me...so now I'm 12K richer AND I don't blend into the Vtwin crowd! thank you Triumph!

Went in looking for a Legend, left with the America.

Without a doubt the BONNEVILLE !

I would have bought a T-100, which had ended up my second choice. If I could not own a Triumph, I would probably have a Moto Guzzi 1100 Breva

When I was In search of a bike I think I looked up every brand you can think of.But of all the ones I have seen my favorites were the 1200 sportster,honda VTX,the moto guzzi californa stone(black&orange),the kawasaki drifter,and the victory 8-ball(love blacked out engines).Now if money were no object the harley softail springer classic.My final maybe,if what I here is true category(about Indian motorcycles comming back)the Indian spirit.My first look at the speedmaster and america,just like many of you,it was love at first sight and I made up my mind that either bike was for me but was leaning on the speedmaster.So when anough $$$ was saved to put a decent down payment on one then I was going to the Triumph dealer.The motorcycle gods were evidently smiling down on me in the fall of 04.I went to a kawasaki dealer to have a peep at the 05 drifters and then is when I first saw my sade.It was a little earlier than I have planned but the offer was to good to turn down.She was a 2004 speedmaster,680 mi. came with wind sheild,saddle bags,the long TORs,sissy bar,and light bar and they were asking $5800 and to top it all went down to $5500.I told them I would think about it and after thinking YOU FOOL BUY IT!turned around at the parking lot at came out a happy owner of a Speedmaster.Like most of you I can't see my self on any other bike.Except an Indian and even then I am keeping my speedy!

I was adamant I was getting a Black Bonnie...till I saw my beloved. Within 10 minutes there was a deposit on.

So if the was no Americas...I'd have a Black Bonnie.

Mad,
Go get one - it's available with the white 'swoop' on the tank being the only "nonblack" area on the bike. That's about $100 to paint over. Go For it!

But, the frames are the same and that means you can swap tanks between the Bonneville and T100. Or, just slop some paint on it.

I couldn't really afford anything too great at the time, I was looking at a yamaha, but then I saw her. I think it was fate.

bonnie, tbird, dyna, vtx1300classic. saw the blue tba during Bike Week in '03 and was hooked. Had some trouble getting over the 790cc and the chain, but couldn't get the bike off my mind. Went all the way to Gainesville, FL to get a blue one, because after all, it is the fastest. Once I rode it, my concerns with the 790 and the chain disappeared. Soon after I heard about two now infamous websites (ba.com and newspeedie.com).

Yamaha Road Star

My OL had a yama davidson. Really poor design. You have to disassembly half the bike to change the rear tire, the other half to get at the intake system. The fake Harley Blockhead valve covers are cheap plastic junk.

The Rocket.

The new (Huge) HD shop nearby, which caused literally hundreds of riders to pass near my home each weekend, rekindled my interest in motorcycles. I couldn't get my '73 Triumph to run but my wife, after some talking, eventually said "you can get another one if you get rid of that thing in our garage that is taking up space."

My mouth dropped when i saw the Speedmaster, which I didn't know even existed...so i gave my '73 to my nephew (he got it running) and I bought an America (liked chrome better).

Today, I plan on the Rocket (blacked out) as my 2nd bike, dropped the first hint last night which quickly got a NO. Maybe a few years away. Especially after reading the cross-country ride article in the latest Torgue(?) mag.

Oh, never really considered a HD since I didn't want to be viewed as a middle-aged poser. I have since realized that is kinda dumb thinking...get what you want...don't worry about image.
I am VERY satisfied w/my Triumph.

Resurrecting this thread...

It's probably a good thing this bike didn't exist five years ago or I might not have bought the TBA...

http://www.webbikeworld.com/ducati-motorcycles/gt-1000/gt-1000.htm

It's also a good thing that this one is way overpriced....

http://www.harley-davidson.com/PR/MOT/20...section=gallery

Thanks a lot GB!

I think I clicked on the wrong toggle exiting that page and am afraid I just bought one. And I don't even know what FXDBI stands for?? Nice bike however, I wonder what color they will ship me.

JH

Stripped down? It weighs 2 pounds more than the standard Dyna! It does look cool, but for that much $ I'd want something with shiny bits and real paint.

I have the best of both worlds. I have my '02 TBA and I bought a Moto Guzzi California EV Touring. My next bike...might be one one of the Ducati retros. Why have just one bike when there are so many great rides out there?

A friend has a kawasaki drifter and rode it several times. A real smooth riding bike was my second choice. My third was a moto guzzi california stone. But you gotta love the America class and styling says it all.

Street bob

This forum startd out with talk about the blacked out look, thats why I brought up the streetbob. I'm a big fan of chrome myself. I meant stripping off the shiny stuff.