I've been riding most of my adult life. It started when my cousin that lived on a farm got a dirt bike.
I had a KZ650 that I really liked and did my first 3 color paint job on it - I actually painted it 3 times because I didn't like how the first 3 colors looked together. I put a turbo on it and blew the engine up in short order. I replaced it with a GPz750 that I liked almost as much. It was sure great to have electronic ignition instead of having to dry off the points if I rode in the rain very far. And it wheelied better than the KZ. I got really good at synching carbs on them. I rode those bikes up and down the midwest; WI, FL, TX and pretty much everywhere between. I even picked up a hitchhiker once, just to see if he'd get on (he DID).
I went thru quite a few bikes after that, rather quickly too. I'd list them but I don't remember them all. I had a young family then so couldn't afford what I really wanted (Honda Sabre V65).
I was in the Air Force at that time, and they had me take the M/C safety class every couple years. A bit boring after the 3rd time, so I started helping the really new riders.
I caught a deal on '74 Triumph Trident that someone couldn't get running. It only has kick start and someone took the chokes off two of the carbs. I rebuilt the engine (with my father) while shopping for the carb parts. The part that splits the choke cable to the three carbs was impossible to find - but that was before the internet. The bike still doesn't have it. I've still got the bike, but it hasn't run in many years.
After my divorce and most of the kids were thru school, I got a Yamaha Seca 750. Then I got a Triumph Sprint 955 (I was thrilled that they made another 3 cyl engine!). It was my first bike that I could wheelie just by twisting the throttle (in most gears) - a fun challenge. I took a refresher safety course on it. The instructor said I had to use more than one finger on the front brake. I think he felt he had to give me 'some' instruction. I used two and locked up the wheel. He said I could go back to one finger. I really liked the sprint (esp. the engine) but I found I was riding illegally just to have 'fun'. Like 145 mph...
So I traded it in on a BMW K1200RS - my first bike with hard saddlebags. It is made for the highway (the AutoBahn actually). It'll go all day, and it wants to go 85mph (or faster). I rode it over 700 miles in one day, just to see if I could do it (I knew the bike could). But I'm kinda a small guy, which makes it a big bike for me. Getting in and out of parking spots could be challenging. I actually dropped it on the Tail of the Dragon the first year I had it.
So I got a Ninja 650 - it should be called a KZ650. I really like it and can ride it all day, virtually non-stop. I have a few different soft bags for it. I have 40K miles on it. I was out all day last sunday with some buddies and did 375 miles - almost no highway. A lot of spirited riding; I wore out my rear brakes.
I guess I should confess that I'm a youngin on this site at 59. I semi-retired (got a part time job) when I got laid off a few months ago.
But women (my age) don't want to ride on a Ninja (I'm single), and I missed the hard saddlebags. so I've also got a VStar 950. It's great for commuting, running errands and going to fairs, festivals and similar things. And giving rides, as long as they're not to far. It just isn't comfortable for hours at a time.
I'm kinda shopping for a new bike - I'd luv to find one that does everything for me, as I expect it will be my last bike. I've got a computer file of the places and events I'd like to ride to; starting with the Air Force museum in Dayton then really big fireworks somewhere, back to the Ozarks and Smokies...
