The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2

General Category => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: marcmax on March 21, 2010, 06:56:29 PM

Title: Do you name your bike?
Post by: marcmax on March 21, 2010, 06:56:29 PM
Just curious if you all name your bikes and if so how did you come up with the names? Any details you want to share, is it a gender specific name, related to family, friend, color, country of origin, etc? Inquiring minds want to know.  ;D
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Bengt_Phorqs on March 22, 2010, 08:31:55 AM
Nope, never have.  They aren't like dogs.  The current dog is a really stupid basset hound named Bubba, but he came with Mrs. Phorqs who inherited....  Too long a story.  

I did have a three legged dog one time I named Tripod.  And then there was the dog I had without any legs.  Didn't name him, but he never would come when I called him anyhow.  Kind of like a bike.   [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif]
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: TXRider60 on March 22, 2010, 01:59:00 PM
"Most always".  Usually female names (don't ask) like Helga (BMW) or Sushi (Honda)... And the current yellow R65, Kleine Gelke Kuh "KG", for short).
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Bob_Roller on March 22, 2010, 02:05:12 PM
Don't have a name for my '81, just refer to it as 'the dinosaur', due to it's age, I've had it since January, 1981 .
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Dizerens5 on March 22, 2010, 02:06:27 PM
We used to call our bike "the grid". Comes from a kids' song we had at school (around 1953), one verse went like this:
Hey my darling, look at your Uncle Mike
He's in the country, riding a motor bike
First he does a backfire, then he does a skid
Now he's in the hospital, thinking about his grid!
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Lucky_Lou on March 22, 2010, 02:12:44 PM
Having spent 9 months breathing life into the bike i felt obliged to name this child of mine...Gertie certain Germanic overtones an elegant ride and eye catching bodywork, temperamental,definitely female.
First time ive been inclined to stick a name on a vehicle but didnt feel right just referring to "the bike".
Lou
now if this one was mine it would definitely be ....."The Beast" as spotted at the big rally
Ps that cylinder sticking out of the back is a small jet engine!!!!
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Yikes on March 22, 2010, 04:50:18 PM
Is that Mick Fleetwood in that Beast?
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: marcmax on March 22, 2010, 05:55:21 PM
I tend to name mine with feminine names but only after I have gotten to know them. My K75s is Gretchen because it reminds me of a friend I made while stationed in Germany, fun to be around, not too demanding and as reliable as the day is long. My R65 hasn't earned a name yet but I am getting more fond of it every time I take it out.
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Lucky_Lou on March 22, 2010, 06:06:42 PM
Quote
Is that Mick Fleetwood in that Beast?
Doubt it no sign of a chauffeur.
Lou
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: NC Steve on March 22, 2010, 09:40:07 PM
Personally, I do not, but I've inherited a named bike from a member here who has ridden (and addressed) her for many, many miles.

I don't want to cause problems with the bike, and I'm afraid "she" may have become accustomed to "her" name?
What should I do??  :-/    :-?
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: nhmaf on March 22, 2010, 10:42:31 PM
I haven't always named my bikes, but my R65 (Tillie the Teutonic Twin) and my Kawasaki Concours (Connie) tend to lend themselves to names.  I tend to use female names for motorbikes - if you don't treat them carefully and with respect you may end up in a world of hurt, which can happen with human females too ! ;D

Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: trolle on March 23, 2010, 05:34:43 AM
The WH8LA2, figure it out for yourself  ;)

greetings from a grey, partly sunny and warm north (8C ~ 46F)
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: SCJJR65 on March 23, 2010, 07:53:32 AM
My first R65, a 1981 model, was named Bruno.  Britta was my second R65, who now resides in NC Steve's shack with some Italian bike named Jackie.  My current bike, a '99 R1200C Classic, has a gender-neutral name, Blackjack.   ;)
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: scottyintex on March 23, 2010, 09:11:55 AM
I usually name my machines........ when sitting there they are just simply chunks of cold steel. However when you fire them up...They come to life..they throb with life.... They become a living entity. They have no soul..but they live.  I call my R65 Mariah........comes from a line in a old song.....”they call the wind Mariah.”
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Ed Miller on March 23, 2010, 11:39:10 AM
"I call my R65 Mariah........comes from a line in a old song.....”they call the wind Mariah.” "  

I guess I should call mine Tess.   :(

I usually call the R65 the Black Freighter, from a different song.  I think Bertolt Brecht wrote it.  

"Dinosaur", Bob?  My '81 R65 is my modern bike!  
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Bob_Roller on March 23, 2010, 12:02:58 PM
Ed, I didn't give it that name, a co-worker would mention that when I brought the R65 to work, that I rode 'the dinosaur' in today, instead of my oilhead .

So, that's how that got started .
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Darwin_R65 on March 24, 2010, 07:44:37 AM
My R65 was named "Norma" from the Previous Owner. Apparently something they saw in the manual that made sense to them.

The Valiant I have is named Virgil the Valiant.
It was named by a man who drove Boris the Morris. (A Morris Minor)
And later found out the Valiant was designed by Virgil Exner. So it has stuck.

My wife I call honey, dear, possum, anything that keeps me out of trouble.

John
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Barry on March 24, 2010, 03:38:11 PM
I've had some long term relationships with cars and bikes but never named one.

Now if they were to break down or not start one morning I might think of something.
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: ambrose78 on March 24, 2010, 09:11:03 PM
My r65 was named by my girlfriend  - "DAS Fräulein". Which apparently is german for girl but slang for "little woman" or "mistress".  Basically she got a little jealous about the amount of time I was spending working on the bike in the garage. It could be wrong but the name stuck.

Quote
The Valiant  
Hey Darwin -  Is that the R or and S series?

I've always loved Valiants. My first car was a orangey brown '74 VJ, followed by a '79 CM and then a Bright Hemi Orange 67 VC with a 245 HEMI in it which really used to move.
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Clutch on March 28, 2010, 08:44:26 PM
I kept getting kind-hearted jabs from a good friend about the R65 being small so I figured I had to give my bike a "manly" name. I couldn't get very creative, so I ended up calling it "Turk"... because of it's color. I think it's officially called "azure blue", but kind of looks turquoise.
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: suecanada on March 31, 2010, 08:12:30 PM
Oh yes! Little Red Baron...great flying ace and now as well I have Winnie or Winston when I am angry, the British Triumph Bonneville named for.....?????? Guess!
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: proctorls on April 02, 2010, 10:08:26 PM
Well, I have jokingly mentioned my Teutonic Mistress a time or two, but generally, no, I don't refer to my LS by name.

My wife has often referred to it as "That God Damned Motorcycle", but I don't think that quite qualifies as a name.  My daughters may refer to it as "Dad's Motorcycle", but that doesn't have much zip.

When my Grandson starts referring to it as "Grandpa's Motorcycle," then maybe it will be properly annointed.

Enjoy the ride

Steve in VT
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Aristotle on April 03, 2010, 09:35:17 PM
yes. I have a name for my beemer too. Her name is Emeline. It's kind of a nice name that I've always liked. Hell, one time I even slept with her in the back of my truck while it  ( she ) was tied down.
It was a wonderful sleep, nonetheless ;D

She was born in 1986 and I adopted Emeline in 1987. She's been my one and only bike that I've ever known.

In all honesty, I've come close to selling her but I never did wind up doing that. I've just had too many good times with Emeline.
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Darwin_R65 on April 06, 2010, 06:04:49 AM
Pete, it's an S series as in SV1

John
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Melena on April 06, 2010, 09:42:21 PM
Okay.  I'll tell too.   ;)

She started out as being "Little Bee"  - Little Bike, Little BMW, and she just Buzzes all around.  (No, she's not buzzy, except a little at around 4500 - 5000 RPM)

That really hasn't sounded right.  Then I figured it out was really "Li'l Bee".  She's becoming just "Bee".   Now I have to find a little bee decal for her.

There is an article in the latest Rider Magazine at the end of the magazine where they always have an article about a vintage bike.   A guy in Germany made a motorcycle in 1948 (good year, that!   ;) )  and the name for it is the German word for Bee.    I'll have to look that up and see how it's pronounced.
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Patrick_Krivacka on April 08, 2010, 09:37:24 AM
I just named mine this morning. Frank. as in frankenbeemer.
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Melena on April 08, 2010, 01:04:48 PM
I found the name for that bike in Germany - Imme.   It is a word for bee.  
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: suecanada on April 08, 2010, 02:38:21 PM
Imme....hmmmm...I'm me!!!!  Yup, it's Melena being her or as she will say "riding a motorcycle??..I am just being me!!" It is who I am!

Boy, what a convoluted brain wave that was!!! Puff, puff!
Title: Re: Do you name your bike?
Post by: Ed Miller on April 09, 2010, 01:56:57 PM
"Boy, what a convoluted brain wave that was!!! Puff, puff!"

Sometimes it's fun to follow along on another's stream of conciousness!