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What do you call your bike? What do you call your bike?
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Photo by Hendi Kaf, in Cambodia

I haven't been everywhere...
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  #1  
Old 26 Jul 2010
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What do you call your bike?
Hey y'All,

I've noticed that various people on this site seem to have "pet names" for their beloved motorcycles...

So tell me this: whats the etiquette on giving your bike a name? Is it generally the done thing, or is it totally personal choice? Cool, or not really?

I've already caught myself talking to my bike a couple of times (don't ask!)...is this just the slippery slope towards giving it (her?) a name???

Jeanie Owner of as-yet-unnamed Suzuki Marauder...!!
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Old 26 Jul 2010
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Bully
Funny you should ask this for I have thought the same and does anyone think of their bike in the Masculine instead of Feminine?

Mine have been named 'BULLY' in sequencial order, ie, 'Bully' 'Bully II' and now on 'Bully III'. An ex girlfriend said I rode like a bully when in towns and cities, jostling for space etc. Probably not the best nor PC but it certainly suits my riding style.

I suppose it also comes down to whether you see you and the bike on any given adventure or the adventure on any given bike, for me it's the bike that allows me to do the adventure of choice, hence the name and the familiarisation with my 'Steed'!
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Old 26 Jul 2010
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You mean like "Boanerges" (Lawrence of Arabia's Broughs) or "Armageddon" (Ogri's Norvin)? I really couldn't bring myself to have something like that printed on the side of the tank, never mind something like "Sally" (because we "sally forth" together).

Most of the time it's just "the bike" unless something's gone wrong, in which case I'll make an exception and it can get very personal while I try to see which old "Anglo-Saxon" four letter names suits it best .
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Old 26 Jul 2010
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Of the 3 bikes I have so far owned I have named them all (my Wee Strom is called Gloria) not sure why I started naming them but they have all had feminine names,thought I was a bit odd till I discovered some of my friends named theirs too.
Cant see me having Gloria airbrushed across the tank though lol.
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Old 26 Jul 2010
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My three Yamahas, xt350, xt600 and tt600, were called Lucrecia, Lucre.

The R100GS PD, the Panzer

Ah! my old Nissan Patrol RD28 is called Patrolinho, he came from Portugal
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Old 26 Jul 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jeanied1 View Post
Hey y'All,

I've noticed that various people on this site seem to have "pet names" for their beloved motorcycles...
Hmmm, ...bike?
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Old 26 Jul 2010
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The DRZ..

I put a lot of thought into it..
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Did some trips.
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Old 26 Jul 2010
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The bumble bee... for obvious reasons.

Apparently ALL Italian cars and bikes need names or they break down a lot. I mean, less than they would if they didn't have names. You can change a name too if the first doesn't seem to be working -7 break downs in two years for a brand new Alfa saw a name change. Since then 'Valentino' has behaved.
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Old 27 Jul 2010
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It took me three years but I did name my 2007 BMW F650GS "Ellie". Since I'm very practical, she was named this way since she resembled an elephant with the snug fitting cover. Also, both my first and last names end with the letters L, E ...get it?

Not the most sentimental thing but it works for the kind a gal I am ;-)


...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com
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Old 27 Jul 2010
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I'm lucky enough to own about 17 motorbikes, my pension pot Classic Motorcycle Rental, only one has a name, the 1960 Dnepr K72 sidecar is called Boris, well it just had to be! He's famous too, but not unique, 2nd one down when you Google 'boris sidecar', the other one's a Dnepr/Ural too!
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Old 27 Jul 2010
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Some bikes attract names just like aircraft, tanks, guns etc. It's a long tradition. I just finished a book about First World War tank crews. One of the most famous ones was Fray Bentos, the crew obviously deciding they were like tinned meat. The other F squadron tanks had names like Frobisher and Formidable, named by officers who thought the crews would benfit from thinking they had something like a naval cruiser or battleship.

My Bonneville got christened "Maria" from the Blondie song ( "......moves like silk cooled by air...." and after a series of punctures ".....walking on imported air....."). The K100 project looks to be getting called Evil Edna from the 1980's cartoon Willo the Wisp. It currently sports 2 aerials and a dirty great square windscreen that looks like a telly and is not the nicest handling beast just now. None of this will be staying, but if I'm bored I can see a spot of "nose art" getting added. My wife has an aunt called Edna though....

The MZ's, XT, F650's, R-bikes, Enfield etc. never got further than "The Green one" (slight **** take on the Motorcycle Diaries film) etc.

Andy
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Old 27 Jul 2010
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'Muttley'

It's a KTM 950 with suspension from a 990, so a bit of a mongrel and definitely has a wicked streak.

It's a bloke, not a lady (you can just tell), so no girl names for this bike.

How sad
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Old 27 Jul 2010
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bemers name
XT500 1st Betty Boop, 2nd FIAT (Fixe It All the Time)
XLV750 Bigfoot
F650 TT39 Luna
R100GS 43L Scooter
R1200GSA Panzi
take care on tracks
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Old 27 Jul 2010
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Well this thread is certainly proving to be a fascinating insight into the motorcyclist's mind, I must say!

This whole naming-the-bike thing clearly needs more thought... I need to review my Suzuki Marauder's dominant characteristics and physical features and see what I can come up with...!!

Watch this space...

Jeanie
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  #15  
Old 27 Jul 2010
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Outlaws
As you have a 'Marauder' (def- outlaw/ mercenary) then maybe think of some famous Female Outlaws, here's a link to ponder over............

Old West Female Outlaws - free Suite101 course

Also......... Women outlaws Anne Bonne and Mary Reed were pirates in the 1700's. Anne had her own ship and Mary was a strong second in command. Using clever tactics and swing their swords, they had many adventures on the high seas.

"Aaarr-arr! Shiver me Timb.. ah... I mean Throttle!"
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