We all do it, think about the what if I had the dosh? What would the hanger look like?

So having been thinking about it for ages I thought I’d come up with my biker’s dozen, the top twelve bikes I’d be out looking for once when those six numbers came up.

As a young rocker roaming around SW London / NW Surrey in the early eighties there were places of pilgrimage. The Winning Post for the biker night, the Graveyard in Twickenham for spares, Motique in Chertsey for chop bits, and Jack Lilley in Shepperton to press your nose up against the window and lust after what was on show.

The Ducati 900 SS dressed in its slinky black and gold was simply sex on wheels.

They had the full faired tricolor Mike Hailwood replica, but it was the stripped down long leggedness of the pure street racer that had me in its thrall from the moment I saw it.

It looked sexy, it looked exotic, and I wanted it sooooooo badly.  

We all do it, think about the what if I had the dosh? What would the hanger look like?

So having been thinking about it for ages I thought I’d come up with my biker’s dozen, the top twelve bikes I’d be out looking for once when those six numbers came up.

Ok so number two on the hit parade list is probably going to be a contentious choice but I like Goldwings – naked and customised.

I’ve had one for about twenty years, 1100 with high bars, and to be honest it’s been my favourite bike. They have an image as podgy soft cruisers, but for their day they had a fair bit of grunt and the low slung weight means they’re more manoeuvrable than you might expect so you can often surprise people.

Fun to ride, comfortable, reliable as shit and a bit of a Q-bike for having some fun. What’s not to like?

And one when that dosh comes through day it’s going to get the full 50’s style bobber treatment…