What started you off....???

[7omly]

At the tender age of sixteen I was car mad but like most teenagers I was impatient. I wasn't going to wait two years to get behind the wheel of a car. A mates Dad had Vespa PX200E for sale so I bought it with money lent off a family member. I couldn't ride it until seventeen (longest wait of my life). Once I had experienced two wheels I couldn't give a stuff about cars. I've had all sorts over the years and I'd do it all over again. I'm a true petrolhead and like cars but these days I get no joy from driving the car. The bike however I always enjoy. 

[hotmetal]

I was a mod when I was a teenager so I got a Vespa 50 cos it was cooler (and slower) than a honda C50 and faster than a bicycle. Cost me £300. Then got a Vespa 150 Super "it's a 125 officer" at 17. That got me round London and to all the seaside rallies. Watford to Yarmouth in 4.5 hours in the rain you'd have thought that would put me off! By this stage there was always going to be a bike in my life but I didn't take the full test until I needed something bigger to get to college. Me & a mate rented out a couple of shady dirt bikes in Spain and went ripping up the side of the mountains  (the shop wouldn't hire us lids cos 'only a 50' this was the Spain of old). Got a gpz500 after that which was crap so when the boys were off to tour Europe I pxed it for my trusty FZR foxeye which I put about 60,000 miles on until a twunt in a Saab wrote it off for me. That's when I got my first gen 1. Piled on the miles on that one as well so I bought my current one 'to last forever'. I've put another 25,000 on it but it doesn't get the use it once did.

[pilgo]

Joined Royal mail in 1981 as a 16 year old, delivering telegrams on a puch 50cc moped
kick start, 3 gears on a hand change shifter and knee cappers !!  ( why did I refuse to ever take a photo of me on it ?  To embarrased I guess )
bought a suzuki TS 125 to get around on, then a brand new Suzuki DR125. Then a fella joined work who rode a 500 cc bike and it was being left behind on post work rides by him that gee'd me up to pass my test.
best decision I ever made

[esetest]

For my first job , as an apprentice electrician about 20 miles away from where we lived as public transport was a no go . A Honda MB50 , looked better than it went . Next bike a Honda CM200 , looked better than it went , then a Kawasaki Z200  , went better than it looked ,got a car at 19 so I had somewhere to shag my girlfriend , then at 23 got a Kawasaki GT550, great bike , then at 25 my first daughter was born , so had a break while they were growing up . Then in 2007 decided to get back into biking and got a Suzuki GS500F , had it for 3 1/2 years , then bought the FZS1000 and I have just got the Moto Guzzi V7 Racer as a second bike , both bikes look and go fantastic .

[hotmetal]

got a car at 19 so I had somewhere to shag my girlfriend , then at 23 got a Kawasaki GT550, great bike , then at 25 my first daughter was born ,

Was she conceived in the top box LOL!

[taylor]

I went to a local fair.          and Kenny Roberts had a mini motorcycle show on    , my gran bought me a maluguti 50, I was only seven, that was 40 years ago,  she paid 500. pound for it, that was a lot of money then, I also once took 5 of my mates. on my bike to Cardiff, on the main roads. all at the same. lol.

[nick crisp]

I went to a local fair.          and Kenny Roberts had a mini motorcycle show on    , my gran bought me a maluguti 50, I was only seven, that was 40 years ago,  she paid 500. pound for it, that was a lot of money then, I also once took 5 of my mates. on my bike to Cardiff, on the main roads. all at the same. lol.

That's a lot of money now  :lol

[mr self destruct]

Had a Honda SH50 then a Kawasaki KH100 at 16/17 but only for commuting as I couldn't afford a car, no real interest.

Fast forward 23 years, when they built a production block on our car park at work and we all had a mile long walk every morning.
The motorbike park was still on site and the company run a scheme where you get £200 a year for non-work based training courses (guitar, sewing, and most importantly CBTs!), so it was a no-brainer.
Bought a 125 Virago, got the biking bug and did a direct access.

The plan was to work through a series of 5/600cc bikes to see which I liked the most, Bandits, Hornets, SV's, GS's etc. but it kind of fucked up when I bought the best one first. 

[darrsi]

Some sort of 50cc scooter when i was 17


Then some other 100cc thingy


RD125LC


Aprilia Taureg 125

Kawasaki KMX125

Kawasaki GPZ305

Honda NTV600

:faz  600




Thought it was more than that, but i do tend to keep my bikes for a long time, i think i had the Honda for 10 years, and the Fazer for about 7 years now!

[hotmetal]

My Gpzzzzz was the bike I had for the shortest time, followed by the zx6. The gpz was downright dodgy, zx6 was fine but I never fell in love with it. Fzr I had for many years, and I kept both my Thous for ages. I've had this one 7 years.

[darrsi]

Some sort of 50cc scooter when i was 17


Then some other 100cc thingy


RD125LC


[size=1em]Aprilia Taureg 125[/size]

[size=1em]Kawasaki KMX125[/size]

[size=1em]Kawasaki GPZ305[/size]

[size=1em]Honda NTV600[/size]

:faz  600




Thought it was more than that, but i do tend to keep my bikes for a long time, i think i had the Honda for 10 years, and the Fazer for about 7 years now!

Haha, wrong thread, i was wondering where my post went.  :rollin

[bandit]

.

[bolanjames]

Used to go to work as pillion on a 1976 kh250 triple. Loved it. Couldnt wait to get my own bike. First one i could afford? Suzuki gp100. I can here the laughter from here. lol.

[Ian-man]

I used to watch chips on the telly as a kid. Also used to cycle constantly so adding an engine was the next step.

[snakeyprince83]

My dad used to race motorbikes when i was a kid, so i always like them but i didnt really get in to them properly until a year ago! i bought myself a little 125 scooter to get to work, quickly figured out i loved riding but i hated scooters so i bought a fazer, the rest is history, well and truly hooked.

[Paul]

I saw a new Suzuki GT750 parked outside school in the summer of 1973.
So I got a Saturday job, sold my air rifle, bicycle and Bolton Wanderers memorabilia and bought a tired old Honda 50.


Oddly enough it was very reliable, which couldn't be said for its successor.... a CZ125..... or its successor a Ducati 160..... or its successor a BSA A7 (which was the singularly most unreliable vehicle I've ever had the displeasure of owning)...... but its successor, a Kawasaki S3 400 was a good bike.

[sinto607276]

Just came across this thread and funny enough talking to my dad earlier about the bank situation and other stuff got talking about what got me into motorbikes.

I was about 12 or 13 and we as a family were in sunny magaluf,  when I disappeared away from the parents as you do, duly went to one of those moped hire places and managed to wangle a deal with the guy for an afternoons hire

There's me jumping around on this moped with no helmet, no protection, no insurance probably?  And no foccin idea no doubt :eek but it was an absolute blast and still remember it well, especially as I approached a zebra crossing and had to stop to let people across and you've probably already guessed, my parents were in the crowd crossing and they were in total disbelief it was me, but I just smiled, waited in them crossing and carried on with a big massive cheesy grin, priceless :lol

[Steve]

The majority of my dad's side of the family all own bikes. As soon as I could touch the rear footrests I would go touring with him, mainly on his mint Suzuki GSXR1100, but sometimes on one of his RD350's. As soon as I could take the test my parents bought me a single cylinder 2006 YBR125. I was very lucky to have such parents; aside from the initial expenses, my dad was very patient in pointing out the finer points of biking, mainly about observations and lane discipline. I'm can happily say I can't remember the last day that I wasn't riding at least one of my bikes   

[fazersharp]

I was riding pushbikes / trike's almost before I could walk my granddad had some sort of 1000cc velocet/vincent  I have a photo of my mum at age 20 on the back of it. My now 93 year old uncle used to go to IOM tt in his teens -- so I just think its in my genes. My Bro rides too

[freeware]

Always wanted one but never committed to until 3 years ago at age of 36 I said to myself: it's time! Done direct access.  Bought FZS600 as first bike from a friend.