What was your first motorbike? Do you still have it?

[Mike Smart]

My first bike was a
kawasaki KH 125 which i bought when i was 17 second hand & a bag of really.
Then at 18 i bought a
Yamaga DH 125 LC
i loved that bike and it got stolen 5 times and the 5th i didn’t get it back.
iv had loads of bikes since.
Suzuki Katana was probably the best Brand new bike but my all time favourite
was the Norton Commando
man that was class. Another bike i bought brand new in the early 90’s was an Enfield from India
that was a 600 with the power of a 250 lol.
The last bike i owned & sold 5 years ago was again bought new was the
Kawasaki ZX 900 R so basically a Ninja.
i’m 55 now so probably done with bikes unfortunately

 

[Twelvefret]

My wish is to have a Honda CB 350 as used in the movie, "The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo".

 

[HereticHermit]

My RD350 mods altered the power band quite dramatically.
The lower down power band wasn't there. It was shifted higher, but still had hugely more power down low than as standard. The damn thing just launched like a rocket but couldn't use full throttle in first 3 gears.
Winding up in 5th and hitting power band at indicated 90mph let the front wheel lift so nicely!
Not in a worrying way. It was a 'gentle' lift and easily controlled.
Then was time to hit 6th gear. Loved that wee bike.
Had Dunlop TT100 tyres on it too.
Ran like a cut cat and handled so sweetly. Hey...I do like the 'track slut' moniker. So true!
Missus says I'm 'too old' to have a bike now (geez, I'm only 74 so there's a few more miles left in me surely).
Anyway, safe riding guys.

Oh yes, power band. Don't get me start on that. Mine was tuned for early pick up so the exhaust pipe was really fat right after exhaust band and I had hard time keeping the wheel down on after traffic light turned green. But she was so easy to throw around weaving throught the traffic.
Wish you many years of happy riding ahead mate. Don't slow down!

.... Another bike i bought brand new in the early 90’s was an Enfield from India that was a 600 with the power of a 250 lol.
i’m 55 now so probably done with bikes unfortunately

I think that was a 500CC unless they launched a 600CC in UK. I bought one in 1991 and regretted getting one within 15 days. It was slow as molasses and a long travel push rod single cylinder design helped zero in performance. Engine breather cum lube tube meant to spray lube on chain was lubing my pant hem more than the chain. There was oil slick everywhere and atrocious gearbox was either slipping gears when put thin lube or gears stuck dry if used grease. I use to blend lube and grease in a mixer and achieve just the right consistency to work in gear box. Sold it off within 6 months and swore off 4 strokes forever.

 

[Mike Smart]

Oh yes, power band. Don't get me start on that. Mine was tuned for early pick up so the exhaust pipe was really fat right after exhaust band and I had hard time keeping the wheel down on after traffic light turned green. But she was so easy to throw around weaving throught the traffic.
Wish you many years of happy riding ahead mate. Don't slow down!

I think that was a 500CC unless they launched a 600CC in UK. I bought one in 1991 and regretted getting one within 15 days. It was slow as molasses and a long travel push rod single cylinder design helped zero in performance. Engine breather cum lube tube meant to spray lube on chain was lubing my pant hem more than the chain. There was oil slick everywhere and atrocious gearbox was either slipping gears when put thin lube or gears stuck dry if used grease. I use to blend lube and grease in a mixer and achieve just the right consistency to work in gear box. Sold it off within 6 months and swore off 4 strokes forever.

hahahah yes i think your right
i kept mine to years just because i liked the idea of having a Enfield
ah the good old days lol

 

[bagman]

rpted, suggest that you don't click on any of the links

Sorted

 

[hotmetal]

First "motorbike" I owned was a Vespa PK50 at 16.
First actual motorbike I rode was my sister's then boyfriend's Suzuki GT250. I was not licensed for more than a 125 so I had a go in some private garages. Opened the throttle like I would have on my 50... Carbs gurgled... I thought "hmm, so much for two-fiftIIIIIEEEEESSSSAAAARRRGH!" and just about managed to get the front wheel down in time to brake before I hit the wall at the end. That kind of converted me, since then I've had numerous bikes including Fazer 1000s and a Street Triple 675R. And so Gairdner doesn't feel lonely, I also had a 1972 Vespa 150 Super with various chrome bolt on goodies including both side panels and a toolbox from a GS160.

Talking of pushing bikes. The sad thing is of all the bikes I've had and all the miles I've done (guessing 200,000ish), it's my current Street 675R that has caused me to push it most, due to the crappy stator. I've pushed it 5 miles fully fuelled in the rain. Took me a couple of hours and my shoulders have never hurt so much!

 

[Cheesepiece]

First "motorbike" I owned was a Vespa PK50 at 16.
First actual motorbike I rode was my sister's then boyfriend's Suzuki GT250. I was not licensed for more than a 125 so I had a go in some private garages. Opened the throttle like I would have on my 50... Carbs gurgled... I thought "hmm, so much for two-fiftIIIIIEEEEESSSSAAAARRRGH!" and just about managed to get the front wheel down in time to brake before I hit the wall at the end. That kind of converted me, since then I've had numerous bikes including Fazer 1000s and a Street Triple 675R.

Similar story here. I got off my Honda XR125 in Wakefield at a carwash that my grand-uncle owned and ran, where I was employed at the time. There my cousin and friend, also employees there, were messing about on a couple of their pitbikes, before opening time - probably 150ccs and weighing about as much as an empty shoe box. Me, thinking I knew everything I need to know about bikes, opened the throttle wide and went headlong into a wall, bruising my ego, both hands and face.
Felt and looked like a right muppet. Our Craig was, quite rightly, only interested in the state of his pitbike. I spent the rest of the day working with a bright red face and felt obliged to buy the butties at dinner.

 

[hotmetal]

Yeah I was lucky, just managed to stop before the wall!

You'd have thought I'd learned my lesson but I did the same thing again a few years ago. I had my FZS1000 and my mate had an R1. He decided to sell it and said "you have to ride this before the guy comes to collect". I thought, well, OK, never ridden an R1 but the Fazer engine is based on it so it must be similar. Got on it, asked him if he was sure it wasn't a 400, as it was so small. Trickled off out of earshot of him before giving it the beans on the dual carriageway. Same silly error, throttle wide open, waiting for the torque which is a lot higher up than on the Fazer. If anyone remembers the old Star Trek credits where they go warp and the stars floating past become lines, that's the closest way to describe it. All of a sudden it went banshee. I hit 90+ in 1st, realised I'd hit the limiter, snicked it into 2nd, looked down, 130, looked up, roundabout! Those blue spot calipers are good for a non ABS bike! I scrubbed off 100mph and flung it round the roundabout (just), rode it straight back to him and gave it back. I said "it's a bit lively above 8k isn't it?" and he looked at me in horror and said he'd never got past 4!

 

[Vacumatic]

First "motorbike" I owned was a Vespa PK50 at 16.


Talking of pushing bikes. The sad thing is of all the bikes I've had and all the miles I've done (guessing 200,000ish), it's my current Street 675R that has caused me to push it most, due to the crappy stator. I've pushed it 5 miles fully fuelled in the rain. Took me a couple of hours and my shoulders have never hurt so much!

The only reason I have never owned a Harley was because of the message drummed in by

Harley Davidsons made of tin

Ride them out and push them in

I have memories of restoring a Sunbeam S8 and keep looking at buying another, this Porsche engined Sunbeam would suit very well

 

[hotmetal]

Love the Hardly-Dangerous rhyme! That's a new one on me! I have 2 mates who are HD riders. At least one of them would agree with you now!

Sunbeam. Nice! I knew a couple of old guys years ago called Sid and Bill. One had an S7, the other an S8. They were literally brothers in arms, comrades in WWII and one married the others sister after demob. These guys were legendary, they used to go to the Sunbeam meet or vets bike meets in France and Belgium. They outdrank us young uns once on a bike rally, we awoke to find them riding a penny farthing round the field at 6am!!

 

[Xring3]

1965 55cc Yamaha. Probably had more fun on this than any other bike I’ve owned. If I wasn’t young and dumb at the time I’d still have it.

 

[Northam Saint]

Not a biker, but love looking at them.

 

[Smiffy]

View attachment 1360651965 55cc Yamaha. Probably had more fun on this than any other bike I’ve owned. If I wasn’t young and dumb at the time I’d still have it.

I cannot get over the size of that rear sprocket!

 

[hotmetal]

First PTW was a Vespa PK50. Long gone! If scooters don't count then my first proper bike was a GPz500S. Also long gone.

 

[HardLight]

I learned to ride on my Brother In-Laws 1986 Honda XL600. Quite intimidating and fearing for my life if I dumped it. Shortly after, I bought my first bike, 1975 Honda XL350.

Luxury Liner anchor heavy. I tossed a knobby on the rear and trail rode it. The seat lock was busted so standing up over rough terrain was rewarded by the seat flipping up and hitting me in the 6. I sold it to a collector of sorts after a few years.

Rode a friends Kawasaki KX80, angry little machines. Thus began a love affair with 2-strokes that would last decades. Only one dirt bike left, garage queen status.