I had a Suzuki X5, a Kwacker GPz550D1 – the first one with the twin shocks which I wrote off and replaced with the chassis from the H1 – and then a GPZ900R and then I got to ride pretty much everything for free for a living. Last bike was a heavily tweaked ZXR750J,but I think that would be 1991-ish…
I still lust after a Ducati 900SS in a very theoretical way, mostly because of the epic BIKE features where they rode one of those, a Guzzi Le Mans and something else – what was it? – across Europe. I say theoretical because in reality, I would hate the thing and it would break down regularly and compulsively.
In reality the only bike from that era I’d genuinely buy, and it just about squeezes in I think, is a mint Honda RC30, which was just an unbelievable motorcycle. Or back in the real world of 21st Century roads, an NC30.
Catalans were mental in styling terms, but then Suzuki specialised in mental back then. Oh, and I always wondered who on earth rode Morinis, now I know, STWers in waiting. I suppose at least they weren’t Moto Guzzis… 😉