How did you get into bikes

bikesnbones · Post by **bikesnbones** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:24 am

Just curious to hear your stories.
For me it was back in 1981, after a pillion ride on a mates Honda CB250RS.
Up till that point I'd never even given bikes a second look.
I was 18,
I just thought WOW, this is for me.
I was going to buy a moped, but the old man in the bike shop persuaded me to buy a "proper" motorbike.
I got a Kawasaki KC100, little 2 stroke single, which I shortly afterwards ran into the back of a parked Volvo.
I was not a natural.
I've ridden ever since, without a break.
I owe a lot ot that wise old Man at the bike shop, who guided me in the right direction,
The shop itself is still there, and owned by the same family.
Last Summer I was back up that way, I took a photo of it with my bike parked outside.
Happy memories.

image hosting photobucket

eyore · Post by **eyore** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:43 am

In common with most youngsters in the mid 1970s a car was well out of financial reach so two wheels was the only option. It was rare for a girl in those days to progress beyond stepthrough Honda 50s, although there were a fewof us serious enthusiastic women who bought big bikes. I couldent drive a car till I was 28 having started on bikes at 17.
My bikes were
Honda CB 100
BSA 250
Ducati 250
Triumph 500 Daytona
Honda CB750 K1
BMW R1000S
BMW R1000RS
Ducati 860GTS
Ducati 900SS
Off bikes for 15 years.
Kawasaki z650
Suzuki Bandit600
Kawasaki ZZR600
Triumph Sprint ST 1050
BMW R1200GS
CBR 1000RR
BMW R 1200S and Ducati 998S both of which I still have and will see me out.

f90x · Post by **f90x** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:49 am

My father rode. I was always bike and car mad. I was absolutely obsessed as a kid. I knew all the makes and models of bikes 'and' cars. In the 70's one was able to determine what was coming up the road just from the sound of exhaust, so my mates and I would regularly bet each other what it was. My dad would let me zip up and down our (dead end) road on his bikes as a nipper and at the age of 14 I had a 16 year old friend round the corner who would hide a set of keys in his garden so that I could sneak in and take his FS1E out for rides in the evening. I used to hoon all over south bucks on that thing and no-one was the wiser. I got my own Fizzy at 16 in 1981. I bought a beautiful white and red 'coffin tank' RD250 when I was 17 and ran it on 'L' plates but failed my test. (Or rather I was failed but I did nothing wrong. The tester made up a reason to fail me. This was in the days when rhumors were abound about 'only certain numbers of passes allowed per month) I subsequently purchased a Kawaski AR80 (great little tool) crashed it quite hard at 18 into the front of a lorry. (single track lane through the middle of fields as far as the eye could see and an unmarked unnnoticable hump backed bridge over the top of which drove a lorry just as I arrived. I had time to think 'SHIT!!!' and that was it. I hit it head on at about 50. It was 1982, the first year of fibreglass cabs and one of the first on the road. I sunk into it instead of bouncing off and that is the only reason I'm here today. Still knocked me out though. For the record, until I had the accident, I had no intention of getting a car but to alleviate my mothers nerves I moved into cars for some years and finally got back into bikes properly in 1997 with a 1989 Babyblade CBR400RR (what a fantastic tool) then a 98 CBR600FW (last of the steel frames, had it 7 years) then an '02 954 Fireblade (wonderful wonderful wonderful but ultimately I couldn't trust myself and after one particularly fast dual with an R1 I sold it) Then the R1100S (thought this would be the forever bike but I'm not that tall and with a recurring touch of sciatica it was proving a bit big and heavy so after 7 years that too had to go) Now I'm on the r1200S and although it's not instant love like the 11S it's growing on me. I'm on my second year and about to take it on a 3k trip around France so I guess this shall decided whether I keep it for another year or not) I don't plan to ever be without a bike again and fully intend to ride until it is physically impossible for me to get on one.

eyore · Post by **eyore** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:57 am

I know what you mean f90x about not trusting myself on a Fireblade, I felt it was impossible to ride sensibly and you just don't feel the speed, every time you look at the speedo you get a shock.

f90x · Post by **f90x** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:00 am

eyore wrote:I know what you mean f90x about not trusting myself on a Fireblade, I felt it was impossible to ride sensibly and you just don't feel the speed, every time you look at the speedo you get a shock.

Those 'blade engines are like a little puppy, it just wants to go and is pulling at the leash 'all' the time. i did love it though and I think it's as beautiful as the 916. Mine was the stunning white and blue.

bikesnbones · Post by **bikesnbones** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:23 am

f90x wrote:but ultimately I couldn't trust myself and after one particularly fast dual with an R1 I sold it).

Been there.
1996, ZZR1100.
I cringe now when I remember what I was like with that thing.
It all ended when I had one of those fast duals on the motorway with a Subaru Impreza Turbo.
That is one fast car, and whilst I was the victor, it was a hell of a lot closer than I was expecting it to be.
That was the day I realised I couldn't be trused with properly fast bikes, and I sold it soon after.

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 10:43 am

Playing 'Top Trumps' back in 1975 (I was 10 yrs old).

Bikerhoss · Post by **Bikerhoss** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:19 pm

Bit like you f90x, Dad was a rider (I mind a god awful pic of him in Mod gear next to his scooter at about 17 years old

). He didn't have a car licence until I was a teenager, and I spent my very early years in a Robin Reliant van 'cause he could drive it on a bike licence, Apparently I was picked up from the hospital after I was born in it! He used to take us to MotoX events and I suppose the noise, smell and spectacle got me hooked.

I got an XL185 Honda when I was about 14 that I used to hoon up and down the old railway line near us, much to the annoyance of the local bobby

and I mind taking it along the country roads a few times, Bit naughty I realise without a proper licence and what not, but the exuberance of youth and all that

Got legal with a TS125 until I left school, then a 1.6L Cortina took over at 17 years old 'cause you could get girls in it

I had a bit of a gap then, apart from riding off-road, until I was early twenties, earning a half decent wage & bought myself a CB900F Supersport with Lemans fairing and double headlights, moved from that to a 1989 gold & black GPZ900, which I feckin' loved and wish I'd never ever sold

Had an XT500, KH100, GS1200SS, ZX7R, K1200R (great, but like the Blade, too tempting to nip on with) & before the R1100S and joining in here, a Buell XB12 which had the best handling of any bike I've ever had, and to be honest if it hadn't kept breaking, I'd probably still have, Don't regret owner the Boxer though

The Teutonic Tangerine · Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:28 pm

I have posted this before, 1960 Sherbourne on the way home from holiday in Devon (but make no aapologies) it's the earliest picture of me with a bike (AJS650 OHV twin - dad used to sit me on the petrol tank to ride the quarter mile home from granny's house, he sold it when I was about 5 and bought his first car so) I guess that's when the bug bit.

I am the small lad looking away from the camera I would have been about two and half at the time.

Two mopeds when 16 / 17 (Phillips Panda and then a Puch) then a Honda CB200, CB360-G5, CB250-G5, CB550-F1 then a break of 15 years while the kids grew up, BMWR80RT, Yamaha Diversion 900, R1100S and now on my Second R1200ST.

f90x · Post by **f90x** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:29 pm

Gromit wrote:Playing 'Top Trumps' back in 1975 (I was 10 yrs old).

likewise

The Teutonic Tangerine · Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:33 pm

f90x wrote:
Gromit wrote:Playing 'Top Trumps' back in 1975 (I was 10 yrs old).
likewise

In 1975 I was 17 and had just got my CB200. I was the dog's squashty bits with my Belstaff Jacket and Trousers and Belstaff Touring Boots (Complete with kickstart plate). In 1976 I took it all the way from Essex to Wales and back and that did not put me off riding.

f90x · Post by **f90x** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:47 pm

The Teutonic Tangerine wrote:
f90x wrote:
Gromit wrote:Playing 'Top Trumps' back in 1975 (I was 10 yrs old).
likewise
In 1975 I was 17 and had just got my CB200. I was the dog's squashty bits with my Belstaff Jacket and Trousers and Belstaff Touring Boots (Complete with kickstart plate). In 1976 I took it all the way from Essex to Wales and back and that did not put me off riding.

i always quite liked the CB200. I don't know if it was because it was green or because of that weird bit of squashy black vinyl on the tank...

leasky · Post by **leasky** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:50 pm

My father had an old Cossack and one of my first memories was sitting on the tank as we rode around outside the house in Shetland on the thing.

Got a scrambler when I was 10 and the seed was set.

Shetland is a great place for scramblers as the are no trees to whack into

slparry · Post by **slparry** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:53 pm

I was fated to get into bikes I guess.

My uncle always had bikes, so from a young age I was exposed to them. Factor in that my step dad was a senior Honda motorcycle technician too (perhaps that explains my dislike of Honda's

) .

Uncle Les used to pick me up from school on his R69

which was way cooler than what my classmates parents were picking them up with

My bikes ...

well my moped was a disaster .... a Honda P50

my first "real" bike was a Honda CB125S
also had a Honda S90 for a while too
First real "hoolie" bike was my first RD250B
then an RD350B
then an RD400C
and a KE175B for weekend off road playing

Next was a Z650B

Then my all time fave the Z1-R, I so regret selling that

GPz750A2

RD250LC
RD350LC
GPz750 Turbo
Z650F3
XS400
TS250ERN
SP370
Z1000A4
KLR600B

GPZ1000RX
GTR1000
K100RS 8v

RD250LC
K100RS 8v

GSXR1100K

K100RS 8v

K100RS 8v
R100RS
K100RS 8v

F650 Funduro

R1150GS

DRz400

GN400

ZX12R

K1200GT

R80RS

R1100S BCR

F650 Funduro

some of these, especially the smaller bikes, have been run concurrently with the bigger bike ownership as commuters/winter bikes etc. I'm sure I've missed some

oh and my errant daughters

The Teutonic Tangerine · Wed Jul 31, 2013 11:27 am

f90x wrote:
The Teutonic Tangerine wrote:
f90x wrote: likewise
In 1975 I was 17 and had just got my CB200. I was the dog's squashty bits with my Belstaff Jacket and Trousers and Belstaff Touring Boots (Complete with kickstart plate). In 1976 I took it all the way from Essex to Wales and back and that did not put me off riding.
i always quite liked the CB200. I don't know if it was because it was green or because of that weird bit of squashy black vinyl on the tank...

Green - poo. Mine was red and black and did not have the cable operated disc it had a proper twin leading shoe drum brake which actually worked in the wet.