What is the WORST bike you ever owned ?

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

For me without a doubt it was my first motorcycle a Sears 106. My ol'man bought it for me when I was around 12 or 13. I spent more time working on it than riding. He told me if he caught me on the road with it , it would be gone....He caught me on the road with it    I never really missed that bike after he sold it my Grand-father had 20 or better horses and I just went back to ridin' them until my next motorcycle about a year or so later a Harley X 90.Picture below was taken from the internet mine was red.

[hubcapsc]

Valkyrie, without a doubt... 

I've never really owned a motorcycle that was awful. My YZ490 was jetted  such that you
had to ride it wide open to keep from fouling plugs... It was OK at the track, but I fouled a
bunch of plugs when I was riding in the woods... I'm not talking minor annoyance, I'm talking
over and over again chugging to a stop at the bottom of some mountain single track and
having to pull out the plug wrench... I read up on which jets controlled which throttle range,
and ended up changing out the main jet several times, conservatively at first, and what
finally did the trick was some radical change... I think I used a main jet from a 125 or something.

Plugs had good color after that, and I quit fouling when I went trail riding... I reckon if one
of the more aggressive riders took my bike to the track it would have burned up, but it
did it for me...

-Mike

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Valkyrie, without a doubt... 

I've never really owned a motorcycle that was awful. My YZ490 was jetted  such that you
had to ride it wide open to keep from fouling plugs... It was OK at the track, but I fouled a
bunch of plugs when I was riding in the woods... I'm not talking minor annoyance, I'm talking
over and over again chugging to a stop at the bottom of some mountain single track and
having to pull out the plug wrench... I read up on which jets controlled which throttle range,
and ended up changing out the main jet several times, conservatively at first, and what
finally did the trick was some radical change... I think I used a main jet from a 125 or something.

Plugs had good color after that, and I quit fouling when I went trail riding... I reckon if one
of the more aggressive riders took my bike to the track it would have burned up, but it
did it for me...

-Mike

That might have been the Sears 106 problem as well...My fingers stayed tender from changing out fouled plugs while it was still hot 

[solo1]

1935 Harley Davidson 45 ci side valve. It was my first motorcycle right after a Whizzer motorbike.

The shift gate on the tank had been taken off because the tranny was so loose that it couldn't be put in 1st gear in the confines of the gate.  I dropped the bike one time and when I lifted it the frame started moving before the engine, slight amount of flex there.  I lady's hair pin served to turn the ignition on. The bike had no front brake.   A Coleman type of plunger on the gas tank was used to supplement the oil pressure on the engine. The good news was that if anyone were following me too closely (a normal occurrence for this dog) I just pumped up the pressure and covered them with smoke from the burning of the 90 weight oil.
The eye opener was when my buddy went around me in a 1947 Chevy stovebolt when I was in second gear WOT.
I won't even talk about the suicide clutch. 
In all fairness, I was about the gazillion owner of this worn out HD, sorta like a pickup truck that should've been retired years ago.

After that all the motorcycles that I owned were great!  To sum it up, I started with the worse and ended up with the best!

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

1935 Harley Davidson 45 ci side valve. It was my first motorcycle right after a Whizzer motorbike.

The shift gate on the tank had been taken off because the tranny was so loose that it couldn't be put in 1st gear in the confines of the gate.  I dropped the bike one time and when I lifted it the frame started moving before the engine, slight amount of flex there.  I lady's hair pin served to turn the ignition on. The bike had no front brake.   A Coleman type of plunger on the gas tank was used to supplement the oil pressure on the engine. The good news was that if anyone were following me too closely (a normal occurrence for this dog) I just pumped up the pressure and covered them with smoke from the burning of the 90 weight oil.
The eye opener was when my buddy went around me in a 1947 Chevy stovebolt when I was in second gear WOT.
I won't even talk about the suicide clutch. 
In all fairness, I was about the gazillion owner of this worn out HD, sorta like a pickup truck that should've been retired years ago.

After that all the motorcycles that I owned were great!  To sum it up, I started with the worse and ended up with the best!

Great read Wayne 

[~ Timbrwolf]

........my fathers 89 Wing



. . ....it was given to me in pristine condition by my mom after he passed..


.. ....rode it for four year...never did care for it......but at least I was in the wind..

[Normandog]

I'm probably not qualified to reply here cause I've only owned 6 bikes and 3 of 'em are Valks. But, the worst was a CB900 custom. The bike handled so bad I thought I had forgot how to ride. Sold it after 1200 miles.

[Normandog]

 A Coleman type of plunger on the gas tank was used to supplement the oil pressure on the engine. The good news was that if anyone were following me too closely (a normal occurrence for this dog) I just pumped up the pressure and covered them with smoke from the burning of the 90 weight oil.

 

[Momz]

Every Triumph and Norton I ever owned (and I've had my share).
They were entertaining to ride when they weren't Broken or suffering some electrical problem.
But they did teach me the value of preventative maintainence.

[Rowdy]

   Old Kawasaki 1969 120 - it was my first restoration attempt in the 70's -  basket case, had to re-wire ect ect, never did run corectly finally traded it in for a newer Kawasaki 1974 125

[Wetrudgeon]

The two worst motorcycles we were ever around we did not own.  The first was the Sears 106 (ala Smokin Joe).  The thing was made by Zundapp or somebody and imported by the Sears folks.  A friend bought one used.  It ran occasionally.  There were a good many more neutrals in the tranny than gears.  Top speed of about 50 mph. 

A friend's BSA 441 Victor took the prize for unreliability.  We pushed the thing a great many more miles than we ever rode it.  Sure was fun on those (rare) occasions when it ran, though.

As a kid, we rode a 1965 Sears Allstate Crusaire scooter for a while.  Manufactured by Vespa, we think.  Topped out around 50mph.  Reliable, but impossible to be cool on it.  We were not very cool anyway...

We trudge on.   

[Big IV]

I've never had a bad bike.
CB 750 (1974)
XS1100 (1979-81)
Valk (1998)
I've been a lucky man.

[franco6]

the worst  no , all bikes are exiting, but the most problem, a montgomery-ward ,beneli 350 single, candy apple red .my first new bike.$1 per cc. 1970. i use to race the 250 and 350 harleys at red lights . italy just made too many bikes then
but  then there was the honda 50 engine that blew up on the way to school.

[Skinhead]

1977 H-D/AMF 1200 FX - Superglide.  What a POS.

[mikeb]

i think mine was a Bultaco they have the shifter and brakes on the opposite side then what i learned on i think i fliped the pos over every thime i rode it i had to build a point plate and point system for it. i got it given to me and gave it to the next sucker i know i never made it far from home with it . i was real lucky we had a gravel pit a cross the road so i rode dirt most of my teen age life. those were the days!

[..]

Honda CB400T.

This parrallel twin felt like it had a rubber hinge in the middle.

[F-106]

I owned all hondas so i never had a bad one.

[Challenger]

I bought a 90 Bridgestone when I was 16, It vibrated to the point I had to stop and pick up pieces that fell off every where I went (which wasn't far) You could almost see the front fender with head light on high beam, But at 16 it did make you mobile and any bike was cool. 42 years of riding and haven't owned a bad one since (all Hondas) (160, 350, 450, 650, 2-750s, 1100 & 2-1520s)

[asfltdncr]

Buell Ulysses-3 recalls,3 more trips to get electrical problem fixed,exhaust header bolts broke-traded it in on 07 Honda Interceptor.That was my one shot at an American made motorcycle.I know they still aren't making good cars.

[Jack]

For me without a doubt it was my first motorcycle a Sears 106. My ol'man bought it for me when I was around 12 or 13. I spent more time working on it than riding. He told me if he caught me on the road with it , it would be gone....He caught me on the road with it    I never really missed that bike after he sold it my Grand-father had 20 or better horses and I just went back to ridin' them until my next motorcycle about a year or so later a Harley X 90.Picture below was taken from the internet mine was red.

My first,also, was a Sears 106.  It wasn't all that bad for a first but parts were impossible to find and way over-priced when you could.  The timing gear went out on mine and that was that.  I went straight to Honda after that.
My worst bike was a Kawasaki 350 twin.  Oil injected, I had fouled plugs on a daily basis.  I kept it, maybe, 3 months.  Thankfully, I had a Honda 750 during the same time.

[Goody]

1974 Kawasaki KZ 400.  Worst bike Iv'e ever owned.  Sucker was so hard to start I used to push to the freeway ramp. If it didn't start rolling down the ramp I left it there walked back got my truck and went to work.  Unfortuantly it was always there when I returned.  Blew its transmission on the Baltimore Beltway and gave up on it.  Bought two 1970s Sporters and out of the two I got one running.  Both were AMF era.  Did ride/repair/rewire it four years.  Other than that all the Yamahas and Hondas I have owned were problem free.

[reddog]

owned many over the years but my first ride was a Doodle Bug scooter. A neighbor had it and was fond of selling me rides for two bits a time. I was star struck and eventually grounded for the summer after being caught swiping quarters from my Mom....First real bike was a 250cc piece of Euro junk which really tested my interest in riding or mostly walking and pushing. I had a couple of reasonable ones after returning from Vietnam then while in college and, of course, broke I bought a 250CC Ducati. That junker was a therat to life and limb and regularly would spit spokes resulting in some very exciting rides.

I got tired of repairing my /5 BMW and bought a '77 Goldwing and have been with Honda ever since....Still have an old wing and a bright and shiney 98 Valk tour. The best of both worlds!

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

My worst bike was probably a 750 Hondamatic I got on a trade. Good motor but the tranny turned it into a dog.
Next worst was a 90cc Honda “Dream” I bought for $150 or so when I was a teenager and tried to use off-road. It lost first gear back in the spill banks and while trying to ride it out “too” fast due to the gearing problem I launched it off an embankment and into a sulfur swamp. I sold it for $10 later in the week since the sulfur water seized the motor. I guess the main problem with that bike was me. 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I've enjoyed reading these " worst " stories thanks for sharing everyone 

[sheets]

1966 BSA 441 Victor . . .

A friend's BSA 441 Victor took the prize for unreliability.  We pushed the thing a great many more miles than we ever rode it.  Sure was fun on those (rare) occasions when it ran, though.

Something like this . . .





A buddy of mine is doing a modified restoration on this one.  About 90% original with some modern modifications.  Engineered some linkage to put the shift and brake on the modern day standard location.  Clutch on the left also.     

[PAVALKER]

I have liked all my bikes, even the worst one was good..... (like some other things   ).   But the worst one was an Old Schwinn with a Banana seat that my brother and I pulled out of the trash heap and got in working order.  The bad thing about it was when I first tried to pull a "wheelie" on it..... the front wheel came off and was rolling away, and I had to peddle my butt off to get the bike to come over backwards instead of come down on the front forks.  You can bet I made sure the axle nuts were tight from then on ....... 

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I have liked all my bikes, even the worst one was good..... (like some other things   ).   But the worst one was an Old Schwinn with a Banana seat that my brother and I pulled out of the trash heap and got in working order.  The bad thing about it was when I first tried to pull a "wheelie" on it..... the front wheel came off and was rolling away, and I had to peddle my butt off to get the bike to come over backwards instead of come down on the front forks.  You can bet I made sure the axle nuts were tight from then on ....... 

Ha! My son the “Duc Man” had the same thing happen cept it was in the dark and he didn’t know the front wheel had come off. He did a big face-plant when the forks hit the pavement and wound up with a gash in his chin and a little meat hangin’ out of it.

[Wetrudgeon]

Hey Sheets:
That is a great photo of the 441 Victor.  Funny to us that it looks so small in the photos.  It seemed huge back then.  Huge and heavy.  And unreliable.


We trudge on.

[Duffy]

1973 or 74 Harley Davidson Sportster.  

Ok, it wasn't all Harley's fault (I think that was in the AMF days) because I had a brother of a friend that was a so called Harley expert "work" on it...

Long story short, I kept a can of ether around to crank it and never really went too far from home.  

[chief120865]

All good, all Honda.
1970 CB 100 Super Sport
1977 XL 125
1978 CM 450
1983 CB 650SC Nighthawk
1983 CB 1000 Custom
1996 Shadow Ace 1100
1998 Shadow Ace Tourer
1998 Valkyrie Tourer
1999 Valkyrie Insterstate

I only have the IS and XL 125 now. My Dad still has the CB 100. wish I had them all back..

[R J]

I've had a LARGE # of bikes in my 60+ years of riding, but 1 SOB stands out in my memory.

1986 Honda Gold Wing SEi model.

Was their 2nd year of trying to build an FI bike.

FI = Fuel Injrction.

Once we figured out its problem, it was one of my better bikes.

Honda placed the fuel pump too close to the exhaust and it would boil the gas and vapor lock.     Did that to me once in Miami, FL on the big wide undivided highway, as I was trying to cross over to the other side, right square in the middle of 6 lanes, during rush hour.     Had a sheet load of horns honking.  had the trailer on the rear and my 11 year old daughter as a passenger. scared the leaving sheet out of her before a FHP came to our rescue.  Valarie and I were trying to push the big ole bike across to the side of the road. finally the Cop and 2 other drivers told her and I to get on the bike and they pushed us to the shoulder.......

If ya let it set for about 45 minutes, it would start.     This particular time was when I found out what was happening.     Guy from a Harley shop stopped to see if he could help.   Told him if he could find out why it was always vapor locking it would be a start.

He pointed to the fuel pump and said there is your problem.  TOO close to the exhaust.   He had worked for the Honda dealer and got fired for supposedly doing unauthorized work on a bike.

Bought Valarie a 5,000 shot water rifle, and when I told her to spray the pump, she went wild, my leg, her leg, the pump and etc.    We rode the bike home from there in heat and humidity that I didn’t like.

Tore the fuel line apart, revamped it to another location and  the bike was fine after that till I got rid of it.    Went to Yamaha’s till I got a 94 Harley and traded it straight across for the Valkyrie.     Ain’t never looked back since  then.   

[valkmc]

An early seventies Norton Commando, got it in a basket and put it togehter, I was lucky my sister had a Honda 400 SS and I rode it most of the time because THE Norton broke down every ride. It vibrated so much parts would fall off. I used all sorts of tricks to hold it together but it was a POS. One good thing came out of it, I was only 17 so my dad helped me work on it, we spent lots of hours in our garage trying to fabricate parts. I realized along the way he was smarter than I thought he was. Great memories.

[DIGGER]

For me without a doubt it was my first motorcycle a Sears 106. My ol'man bought it for me when I was around 12 or 13. I spent more time working on it than riding. He told me if he caught me on the road with it , it would be gone....He caught me on the road with it    I never really missed that bike after he sold it my Grand-father had 20 or better horses and I just went back to ridin' them until my next motorcycle about a year or so later a Harley X 90.Picture below was taken from the internet mine was red.

the Sears 106 was actually Italian made Gilera 106.  My dad worked for Sears and when in high school we had 2 of them.   This was back before the dirt bikes came out  if you wanted to ride the dirt trails you had to transform a street bike to dirt by buying knobby tires and upsweeping the exhaust for going through water.  Our old Gilra 106's withstood a lot of punishment and I only have fond memories riding them.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

For me without a doubt it was my first motorcycle a Sears 106. My ol'man bought it for me when I was around 12 or 13. I spent more time working on it than riding. He told me if he caught me on the road with it , it would be gone....He caught me on the road with it    I never really missed that bike after he sold it my Grand-father had 20 or better horses and I just went back to ridin' them until my next motorcycle about a year or so later a Harley X 90.Picture below was taken from the internet mine was red.

the Sears 106 was actually Italian made Gilera 106.  My dad worked for Sears and when in high school we had 2 of them.   This was back before the dirt bikes came out  if you wanted to ride the dirt trails you had to transform a street bike to dirt by buying knobby tires and upsweeping the exhaust for going through water.  Our old Gilra 106's withstood a lot of punishment and I only have fond memories riding them.

I looked around on the net and found a picture of a red one like I had....O'l man got mine either in a trade for his labor or car tradin' . Mine was pretty cool to look at ( in good shape ) but it would foul plugs like nothing I've seen since well maybe this old weed eater I had was worse but I took care of it with repeated blows up-side a big maple here in the yard  Top left in the picture is like the Sears 106 I had.

[Westernbiker]

Montgomery and Wards Riverside 125cc 2 stroke. I was 10 yrs old. Rode that thing every where. I believe it was made by Benelie for Wards.

[Mikey]

1978 Honda CB400Tii... Thing wouldn't run without the choke on at all times... went thru 2 sets of carbs, 1 teardown, and a couple cases of carb cleaner, oil, 3 sets of gaskets. Only owned it for 2 months, rode it a total of 200 miles, and it felt like riding a bicycle with less power.

[Mongo]

Here you go Joe

1967 Sears Puch Twingle 250cc runs good $800 or will trade for interesting items.  Call Jim at 574-896-3172

http://www.kerstingscycle.com/jim.html

[V98]

'92 Suzuki GSXR 750. The motor vibration through the bars was so bad that 20 minutes after I started riding, both my hands were completely numb. Only put 730 miles on it and sold it. Trying to operate a bike when you can't feel your hands is not a good thing  .

[FLAVALK]

I can say that I never owned a "bad" motorcycle. But then, I've only had Honda's, Yamaha's, and Kawasakies. Never cared to own anything else 

[RedValk]

NOT...that is was TERRIBLE.....but...the 'worst' bike i ever owned was the Yamaha XS750 triple. I bought it the first year it came out....one of the very first ones (was it 1975...or 1976...or 1977????). it ran....for a 750 at the time...like a DOG... especially when compared to Honda's 750-4 !!!  i never will forget one time i went up in the mountains of Southern Cal (i was stationed at Norton AFB, CA)....and two of my buddies were riding DOUBLE....with their wives on the back...of their Honda 750s. I was riding SOLO...on my 750 triple Yammie. Not only was i having problems keeping up with them in acceleration while going up the mountain...solo (they were pulling away from me riding double!)...but...finally, after TRYING to keep up with them, at one point it blew oil out the pressure relief valve it had on top of the crankcase. I went into a corner....and the rear end started slipping/fading bad. i wondered what in the world. finally, i smelled something burning. so i went to pull over. No rear brake (oil all over the rotor). after i got stopped, took a few seconds to figure out what was going on. My Honda riding buddies came back...looked at that Yamaha ...and just shook their heads in disbelief. they were ALWAYS eating my lunch when we ran hard and pushed each other.

That XS750 just didn't have what it took. that said, i do remember that was the first NEW bike i ever bought. and, i had received advice to "brake it in easy...take it very easy...etc". I have since become a FIRM believer in ....if you plan on riding it hard LATER...better break it in "hard". NOW, I DON'T MEAN ABUSE IT. But i mean, run it up in speed...vary speeds....don't ride a constant speed while breaking it in....BUT...DO RIDE IT FAST/HARD...if you're going to ride it FAST AND HARD the rest of it's life......

my next bike after the XS750 was an XS1100...first year they came out with that bike. i broke it in hard...and...IT RAN LIKE A SCREAMIN BAT OUT OF HECK!!!!!  As dissappointed as i was with my XS750 triple, i was THRILLED beyond belief with my XS1100 four cylinder "rocket". the bike was incredibly fast. and after breaking it in running high speed....it wanted....to run FAST!!!!!

owned quite a few Yamahas over the years, by the way........