What was your first Motorcycle?

[Winchester67]

I was going thru my English Car and Bike phase in college and when I was 19 I purchased an orginal 650 Triumph Bonneville. The 80's were a great time to be in high school/college. It was before the internet, so good deals could be had on classic cars and bikes. I scheduled all my classes in the morning so I could ride around in the afternoons polishing my Steve McQueen impersonation. I had the '66 Mustang I mentioned in another thread, an MG convertible and the Triumph Bonneville. Talk about having the world by the tail!

[fldback]

LOL! My first motorcycle was a Hodaka Combat Wombat 125. I think I got it when I was in 7th grade. A friend of my dad's gave it to me saying the transmission was fried. I got my hands on an impact driver and pulled the cover off the tranny. It only took a moment to fix and I'm not the most mechanical guy in the world. That bike wouldn't go anywhere fast but it would climb just about everything I pointed it at!

[Winchester67]

16504

Years later I found it at a classic bike show in KC. It had been repainted and the orginal seat was gone, but I recognized her from 20 yards away. Notice the incorrect for year front fender. Forgot I had a picture on my computer!

[Craig R]

A Harley, but not what most bike guys would know about or have even heard of, it was an SX 350. Think Harley's dual purpose from the Aermacchi days. I've never cared for cookie cutter bikes and instead have flocked to the unusual. I've had a few Ossas, Pentons, an ATK and several very fast sportbikes, one which caused an arrestable ticket offense and brought out the helicopters.

A weird Suzuki RE5 rotary but I've had more fun on my Suzuki DR 650 (35,000 miles) than most others combined. If I tired of 2 wheels, I would bring out my Bandit Edition Trans-Am in all black of course, T tops and CB included. I actually thought my TA was fast until my 1991 Mustang LX ran a 13.40 in stock condition with just a timing bump.

[Al Lipscomb]

Yamaha 60cc 2 Stroke on/off bike at 14 years old.

Today a V-Star 1300

[Jack Rumbaugh]

Kawi 750 H3 Triple. Scary fast bike.

[A.J. Adams]

Buell XB12...I miss not having a bike anymore.

[reb777]

Brand new 1985 Honda Shadow. Got tired of it and traded for a 1985 Honda Interceptor. Slow by today's standards, but what a fun bike!

[coastalcop]

7th birthday. Honda 50 z. Too my knowledge it was still running 25 years later

[lilc]

1978 BMW R100/7. Airhead Beemers: they just keep running...

(And to me they just look and ride the way a motorcycle should.)

16505
16506

[Vigilant]

85 RZ350 Yamaha! Wow if I hadn't been a dumb teen, I would still have that one! Many dirt bikes in my younger years before that.

[JOE MACK]

1st was a Honda CB-450, then a Triumph Bonneville, a BSA Lightning, then four Harleys. I'll be getting a Road King bagger next year as it's on my bucket list. Too much package for a crotch rocket ya' know? :flapper:

[CaptBeach]

OK...lets see

#1 1971 Kawasaki 100 Dirt bike followed by... keep paying attention here you might see a pattern...

1974 Kawasaki 175 Enduro (new)
1975 Kawasaki 250
1972 Kawasaki H1 500 screaming ass fast owned a total of 3 of these
1973 Kawasaki H2 750 OMG Glad I made if out alive fast...Ralph Nader got them outlawed they were so fast owned 2 of these
1975 Kawasaki Z1B 900 owned 2 of these too
1978 Kawasaki 1000 LTD Red stolen in SoCal
1978 Kawasaki 1000 LTD Black
1978 Kawasaki Z1R 1000 Turbo (first production retail bike sold in the US, bought at Santa Ana Kawasaki just down the street from Kaw USA...I just happened to be in the showroom when Kawasaki USA delivered it (in a crate) to its "Premier Dealer" shook hands with Kawasaki USA President and Kawasaki Japan President gave me the keys, traded the LTD for it and some cash...was an active duty US Marine at the time. Pops Yoshimura found out I had it thru some mutual contacts and was a tuner at the time in SoCal for Suzuki and offered to "tune" it for me...told me to break it in hard, put 500 miles on it and bring it back...I did...came back several days later to see my motor completely in pieces with Pops welding my crank, adding boost to my wastegate, porting the heads and dynoing it...it was sick fast before...at about mile 400 I hit an honest 180 (buried speedo) out near Barstow California...nearly killed myself earlier that day by sitting up from behind the fairing at about 150, thought I was doing 100-110mph, nearly blew me off, later nearly hit a California Jack Rabbit (3 foot tall) at about a buck 40...after I got it back from Pops I could bury the speedo and then hit 5th gear...honest 200+ and then some mph bike...too fast...sold it to Yoshimuras shop for $2K more than retail and bought a...
1977 Left over Harley SuperGlide
1971 Harley Sporty XL
1977 Harley Sporty XLCH
1977 Harley XLCR 1000 Harleys Cafe Racer
1979 Harley Sporty XLCH
1971 Harley FLH (Honest to God Chicken Coop Harley) bought from a Vietnam Huey Pilot rode for 1700 miles and parked...had a nest and a laying hen on it when I saw it for the first time.
1980 Harley Sturgis
1994 Harley FLHTC Shriners Special bought from Truett Cathy CEO Chick Fila
1996 Harley Low Rider...

Bikeless for a while now...soon...very soon...

[s4141]

Stripped down 69 Harley 900 Ironhead.

[Dr. Brian Brzowski]

1976 Suzuki RM 125. That thing would pull the front wheel off the ground in any gear - handy for riding through the mud puddles after a summer rain in South Georgia: my favorite time to ride.

After a 30 year hiatus, back on a 2005 BMW GS and a KTM 450. Great riding here in Utah gang!

[CaptBeach]

I dont know if there is a bike today that can out accelerate a tricked out (shaved heads, expansion chambers, smooth bored carbed, reed valved, velocity stacked running 115 Octane AvGas and a little Nitro Methane) H2...they were just STUPID FAST...

[PERVADER1]

'91 Honda XR100
'04 Yamaha R6
'08 Suzuki DR650

[jcart]

1st bike, a Honda 90cc scambler. Learned to ride, outgrew it. Had other bikes till the kids and school expenses caught up with me.

[Winchester67]

Those two stroke Kawasaki's were man eater uppers; glad to see you boys made it out alive riding those things. Handled like it had a hinge in the middle...I rode one once, and that was probably once too often. I love those airhead BMW's...buddy rode a toaster tank slash seven in college and I used to borrow it a lot. Big fun. Cap't, with that list of bikes you can't stay off two wheels!

[foxmeadow]

Allstate moped from Sears, made by Puchs.
Then, Honda 250 Can't remeber the series.
'70 Honda 750. Too fast for my lack of good sense.
Honda XL175. Traded it to a kid for somework.

Don't care for them anymore..

[Echo_Four]

Suzuki DR80

[JPourciau]

A 1990 Kawasaki EX-500. Bought it off a buddy who was going to take it to the junkyard after it had been wrecked twice... Rebuilt it myself and learned to ride! Great learner bike and great transportation for SoCal...

[GHERKIN05]

'86 Honda Rebel I bought in 1989. That little scooter taught me many important lessons that have kept me safe over the years. I wish I still had it for my boy to learn about street riding on.

[Juju]

85 RZ350 Yamaha! Wow if I hadn't been a dumb teen, I would still have that one! Many dirt bikes in my younger years before that.

'85 RZ350 was my first at the ripe age of 17. At the time ('87), the only other bikes that could neck it out on the drag were 1000's, namely the Ninja 1000. Being the stupid teen, that bike had an early demise.

First dirt bike was a '95 Suzuki DR350. Four stroke dirt bike and a two stroke street bike--somethings don't have to make sense.

Broke enough bones on both to determine that I was just a Sh*tty rider. Retired from that scene.

[bae]

I started out with an old Honda Shadow 750, because I couldn't swing a Harley.

Then I went to a BMW K1100LT. I sold that about a dozen years ago, when I moved to a place where it simply was too much bike.

I have a hankering to get a Ural these days.

[Lucky1]

5 years ago I had another post mid life crises at 59 years young. I bought my first motorcycle ever. A 2002 BMW 1150 GS. Last year I put 9000 miles on it. It's a big dog for me but, I am handling it. The plan was to retire and travel on it. I skipped the BMW rally this year to hot for me. But I went to the 2 years previous rallies in Tn. and Or. Its cooled down a little up here in Mn. So maybe i can get some miles on.

[Winchester67]

Classic story about having to have the owner tell you how to ride the two strokes...have to rev them like you don't own it to make power. I ran an RC 350 LC for a while back in the day. I bought a Norton 850 Commando one time, and clicked the transmission all the way to the bottom like my Triumph. So I ease out the clutch and it kinda stutters and bucks a bit but as it gained speed it started to run better. So when I shifted into what I thought was second gear I realized the Norton had a reverse pattern! I had started from a dead stop in fourth gear! When I actually started in first, I realized the Norton was in fact a reasonable alternative to being shot out of a cannon. Should have kept that one...like 1,900 miles on it when I bought it in 1987, sitting in a garage since 1979 when the tags expired. Gave $800 for it because it was so nice. Ahhh, youth.

[Ryan G]

Honda mini trail bike, automatic transmission, 49/50 cc. Dad got it for me in the 5th grade.

[taurus_dude]

Honda mini trail bike, automatic transmission, 49/50 cc. Dad got it for me in the 5th grade.

My brothers and I had the same Honda mini trail, I think I was 9 when we got it. Boy did we keep the stopwatch on hand to make sure all three of us had equal riding time!

When I grew up (at 17 ha ha), I bought a Honda CB 750K. Not a good combo to have a powerful bike and a crazy kid who loves racing. Lucky to be alive, but I did crash once! Ran that thing into the ground then sold it. Haven't ridden a motorcycle since.

[FOG47]

A Harley, but not what most bike guys would know about or have even heard of, it was an SX 350. Think Harley's dual purpose from the Aermacchi days. I've never cared for cookie cutter bikes and instead have flocked to the unusual. I've had a few Ossas, Pentons, an ATK and several very fast sportbikes, one which caused an arrestable ticket offense and brought out the helicopters. A weird Suzuki RE5 rotary but I've had more fun on my Suzuki DR 650 (35,000 miles) than most others combined. If I tired of 2 wheels, I would bring out my Bandit Edition Trans-Am in all black of course, T tops and CB included. I actually thought my TA was fast until my 1991 Mustang LX ran a 13.40 in stock condition with just a timing bump.

I owned a new Harley SX350 back in the day. It was the hardest starting bike that I have ever owned.

[denko]

Yamaha XS650. I had never ridden a bike before(I did ride a Vespa 2 miles or so about 10years earlier),so as I was signing the pink slip I asked the guy how to shift it. He just about broke his leg getting down to DMV to get it out of his name.

Then, I moved up to a stroker sportster,that was fun.

[bmp_sbi]

1975 Honda Elsinore MR50.

[ericb]

Street: 86 Kawasaki Ninja 600R

Dirt: 85 Honda 200X three wheeler and 85 Yamaha YZ-490

23 years later and I am still going

[Jack Rumbaugh]

1998 Honda 1100XX (Blackbird)

The 2003 'bird will be my next bike. I love the riding position on this bike.

[Jack Rumbaugh]

My H3 was the scariest thing I have ever ridden. I was puttering down 436 in Orlando headed to the airport when a guy with one of them there new-fangled Ninjee 900R bikes wanted to race. He walked away from me for about 3 seconds and then I left him in a cloud of 2 stroke oil smoke. I never wore out the front tire because it was never on the dang pavement.:scared1:

[John Chambers]

First bike was a 1973 Honda CB 500. Paid $400 bucks for it in 1985 and the damn thing ran like a scalded dog, wish I still had it.

[ericb]

My H3 was the scariest thing I have ever ridden. I was puttering down 436 in Orlando headed to the airport when a guy with one of them there new-fangled Ninjee 900R bikes wanted to race. He walked away from me for about 3 seconds and then I left him in a cloud of 2 stroke oil smoke. I never wore out the front tire because it was never on the dang pavement.:scared1:

Sportbikes are not made for straight lines. It is almost blasphemous not to allow it access to twisties :thumbsup:. Now my 86 v-max on the other hand. That was a straight line monster.

[CaptnCornerBanger]

74 Suzuki TM 100........That was the start of 8 years of craziness ... Got it just before the RM's came out and had to learn to compete on inferior equipment.... boy things changed when I got my first RM...

[choirboy]

At 12 years old I bought a Honda 50cc (a 1965 I think) missing second gear for $25. I have not been without a bike since. My broken leg has cost me a summer and I'm missing it.

Choirboy

[Jack Rumbaugh]

Sportbikes are not made for straight lines. It is almost blasphemous not to allow it access to twisties :thumbsup:. Now my 86 v-max on the other hand. That was a straight line monster.

On the twisties, that thing handled like a wallowing hog. My Goldwing handled better.

[ReconScout]

Kawasaki ninja 500. First bike and still one of the favorites. Incredibly easy to ride, fast and nimble enough to still put a smile on my face no matter how good I got at riding and the quasi retro look grew on me. I would not hesitate to own another one, despite having owned several bigger and faster bikes since. My 1998 CBR 900RR was a bike designed around applying sheer terror to the rider. At the time i owned it, hardly anything was faster. Never felt raw, mechanical power like that before. Unfortunately, the fireblade tried to kill me after the front tire washed out on the apex of a fast turn sending me and the bike cartwheeling through a ditch at 55mph. The resulting 4 broken bones and a cracked hip was less painful than seeing the beast cough it's last mighty breath as the blood drained from it's cracked motor shrouded by the tangled steel that once sculpted it's mighty body.

[Blackbear]

First bike a moped...for those that know what a moped was...lol

[lightfighter]

Honda Xr 75. And even though he rode a Suzuki, my hero was Roger De Coster

[m18]

Yamaha Warrior, Midnight edition. 1700 v-twin R1 suspension.
That bike is the reason my foot hurts when I run or put too much pressure on it.
She sure was pretty...
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/33607_434037318963_686058963_5152768_4634682_n.jpg
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/34705_434118133963_686058963_5155078_4201071_n.jpg

[m18]

Waya Pucha................
Forgive me C, but my Spanish is rusty (nonexistent) and my google-fu isn't working tonight for some reason... I have no idea what you just said :blushing:

[JDoza]

1981 Kawasaki KZ 650 CSR.

[Red Jacket]

1st was a Norton 750 I bought when I was 15 . Riding a '01 HD Deuce these days . Love it :)

[Tracker]

1949 Indian Chief, my grandfathers.

Biggest POS Ive ever owned, a nightmare to ride, keep running and keep parts for.

But, I truly love her, warts and all. On an 02 FXSTB now, she aint got the Indian lines, but she starts:)

[TeamStone]

1978 Suzuki GS550E

[Dr. Brian Brzowski]

Austrian SWAT clearing Stelvio Pass on their KTM Supermotos.16579

[Fitpro]

I've witnessed two motorcycle fatalities and trust me, it takes all the cool points out of riding a bike. I've owned two bikes but sold the last one after seeing the first guy have his head twisted around fully looking backwards. I love adventure but there are far too many idiots on the road...both of these deaths involved other drivers. I have a long list of adventure fun but motorcycles are not on the list.

[PERVADER1]

I lived less than a mile from this certain squirrly patch of turns and a bridge, and there were routinely bad sport bike crashes through there every summer the whole time we lived there. At least 5-6 times I actually heard them happen. Once, immediately after one of the crashes, my buddy who was on his way to my house on his bicycle, saw the top of the guy's helmet floating in the river. Seconds later, he spotted the bike way off in the brush, along with the headless body. Needless to say, dude looked like a friggin' ghost when he got to my house.... Driving through those curves that fast, not only did the guy not make the curves, but he didn't make the curvy road sign either.

[Jack Rumbaugh]

I rolled up on a bad accident late one night where a sport bike bisected a car in two just behind the front door rear pillar. He hit the passenger side rear door and his helmet with melon was embedded in the roof. The bike and body were at least 100 feet out the other side of the car. The Trooper said he had to have been going in excess of 150 mph when he hit. The bike ran the light. No skid marks. The driver was fine but had no idea what had hit her.

Would I ride again? Hell, I got on my bike the next weekend for a long ride. When I get another bike, It won't be for commuting. It'll be for getting on some nice VA back roads and tooling along for a few hours.

[ballistic_ken]

First was a Yamaha DT400 (1976 if I recall correctly)

Many bikes have come and gone........

Now I have a '95 BMW R1100GS that I just did a 2 up 2 week 3500 mile tour, and a Suzuki DRZ400 for playing in the dirt.
Going to pick up the GF's first bike tomorrow.

[DutchV]

A 2000 Suzuki LS650 was first. Single cylinder, air cooled, it had 35hp, with a top speed of about 75mph. A good starter bike for country roads. I finally realized it was too slow and got rid of it. Merging was nearly impossible.

Now it's a 2003 SV650. Great handling, very reliable and the V-twin has lots of torque. Lack of speed is no longer an issue.

[lightfighter]

I've witnessed two motorcycle fatalities and trust me, it takes all the cool points out of riding a bike. I've owned two bikes but sold the last one after seeing the first guy have his head twisted around fully looking backwards. I love adventure but there are far too many idiots on the road...both of these deaths involved other drivers. I have a long list of adventure fun but motorcycles are not on the list.

I've been hit twice - People running lights etc. I had a friend who was brain damaged because of a wreck that happened on some windy mountain roads that were a part of our standard circuit. Sort of like the ride from Prescott out to the range where Gabe holds his classes.

I'd like another bike but I hear that phrase 'The third time's the charm' in the back of my head.

[Dave Sauer]

Honda 100 that I did my paper route on. My first real MC was a 1979 KZ1000, full Windjammer set up. It had 90k miles when I finally traded it for 5 cases of MRE's and $350. Now I have a 2000 Roadstar cruiser set up with bags and windshield. No accidents yet, knock on wood.

[Tripplethreat]

My first was a Zundap Super Sabre in 1959. Sounded like a herd of bees coming down the road.Rode it in a lot of woods scrambles,as well as on the street. Didn't need a driver's license at that time for one.I was 14. Miss the good old days.
Anybody remember those?
I've also had a Cushman Eagle with the centrifugal clutch,a Sears-Allstate motor scooter in grasshopper green,a Moto Guzzi,an Indian Tomahawk,a BSA,and a Harley CH Sportster.
The Sportster broke my riding habit.I lost my title as the King of Ponce De Leon when I crashed over the hoods of two cars and slid under a third at the intersection of Ponce De Leon and Highland Ave in Atlanta. Broken ankle.I was lucky.

[res308]

First one was an old Honda XL70. Then on to sportbikes. Then on to cruisers. Road Star 1700 right now.
http://bl153w.blu153.mail.live.com/att/GetAttachment.aspx?tnail=0&messageId=373c309d-2e34-11e0-8a5d-002264c17d40&Aux=44|0|8CD90581DFF4B60||0|0|0|0||&maxwidth=220&maxheight=160&size=Att

[Craig R]

Speaking of accidents I've been training people to ride for years. I've been riding for about 35 years myself and I can tell you the majority of the time it's the guy on the bike that did somethng wrong, could have been done better, or quicker. Example, my friend had someone turn left in front of him, typical accident. The car driver was blamed as usual. My friend was going 40 MPH through an intersection.:facepalm: In the eyes of the law, the car pulled in front of him. I blame my friend. He was too pigheaded to realize that it's his fault.

The car driver assumes that you should be going the 20 MPH through the intersection and thus has plenty of time to turn. My friend had never taken a motorcycle course, was not wearing a helmet, did not realize that the rear brake on a sportbike is a really inefficient way to stop. I helped teach an advanced motorcycle course one weekend and the class was all full dress Harleys. In order to be in the advanced class you had to have your license for more than a year and have rode at least 500 miles.

Three full dress Harleys hit the ground that weekend, most of the riders chose a full dresser as a first bike. Almost all dragged their feet until about 20 MPH when they felt safer. Nobody knew that their front brake is 60- 80 % more efficient in a stop than the rear. Two guys I spoke with said "I never touch the front brake" thinking that they will flip over a 700 pound Harley in an instant. The overwhelming majority of people on bikes are their own worst enemy.

Here's a disturbing fact about MC crashes from the Hurt report, which if you own a motorcycle you should read cover to cover. You can download the PDF for free. Almost half of all fatal motorcycle accidents show alcohol involvement.

Also from the Hurt report.....

The motorcycle rider involved in the accident is usually inconspicuous in traffic,

inexperienced, untrained, unlicensed, unprotected
and uninsured and does a poor job of avoiding the collision.

[Craig R]

Regardless of the speed limit at that intersection?
Seems a bit over generalized and a poor assumption on the part of the driver.

Should have clarified, inner city intersection, I'd be going less than 20 although speed limit was 20.
When you have 1 point of reference (headlight) coming at you it's harder to tell the speed of a vehicle.

Car drivers assume you are going the posted speed limit, my friend was going twice the limit.
Once you get past the mileage and time you've attained you've seen and (had) quite a bit that can go wrong.

[JDoza]

...Now I have a 2000 Roadstar cruiser set up with bags and windshield. No accidents yet, knock on wood...

Love my RoadStar...

[dgg9]

Yamaha XS650. I had never ridden a bike before

Same here! The Yamaha "vertical twin, Triumph copy" was a great bike to learn on. Here's mine, ca 1984, in the lower right (no, sadly, not the FJ1100 in the pic, which was the first legit sub-11-second bike you could buy; that was a roommate's). Oh, and in the background there are 3 removed small block Chevy timing chains, each one replaced that summer.

Replaced the next summer with a Honda CB900 Super Sport.

[Winchester67]

That Triumph "copy" Yamaha was not really a copy...it did not leak oil like my beloved Triumphs! I had a springer front end chopper that leaked so much in my garage I was tempted to apply for an EPA Superfund Grant to get it cleaned up....

Great first bike though. Light, agile and enough power to be interesting without being too much for a new rider.

[Coolhand77]

Learned to ride on a modified Honda TL250 trials bike, road dads Honda 400 road bike for a couple years going to college, and my current and first owned by me, is a Buell Blast with a 600cc kit, K&N intake filter and a "customized" Vance and Hines exhuast [customized because the bottom blew out and I was too cheap to buy a new one so I riveted it back together and added a steel "sharp shooter" shovel blade as a bash/skid plate because of rock damage]. Previous owner named it Thumper...might only be a single piston, but its nimble and doesn't have so much engine to get me in serious trouble...and gets better gas milage than my Jeep for the work commute.

[NedMan]

Honda CB750
then a Buell X1 Lightning
then a Harley-Davidson MT-500
now no bike

[HamburgO]

A Vespa something or other with a front motor assembly that you would lever down onto the wheel to go... Fun! I would drive that thing around town stoned out of my mind when I was 16/17... luckily, it didn't do much more than 30km/h. Finally got tired of rubbing my face against the pavement and gave up on two-wheelers forever! Much better on four...

[EDELWEISS]

Does this count?
http://operatorchan.org/v/arch/src/v44265_German%20WW2%20motorcycle%20BMW%20R75%20wit h%20sidecar%201.jpg

Just kidding this is it. I tried to convince myself that the faring made it a sport bike; but that never quite worked, I always regretted not getting what I really wanted.
http://www.morudzone.com/mm/images/1982_Seca_550.jpg
I wanted the VMAX; the damn thing scared me just to look at it and when the salesman said the ridge on the seat was to keep you from sliding off I decided to stick with the 550 SECA....WHAT A HUGE MISTAKE!
http://www.cruisercustomizing.com/mc/motorcycles/imageimport/Yamaha-V-Max-3.jpg
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/photogallerys/Yamaha-vmax-1.jpg

[Averageman]

My Dad welded up a mini bike for me around 1969,..I don't guess that counts but it was a lot of fun.
A Honda Elsinore 175 when I was 15 (?)
A Kawasaki 900 when I was 17, this was the first bike I broke 100 on, I remember trying to keep the front wheel on the pavement at 140 or so and smiling like an ape when I finally got it home.
I currently own a 70 Triumph Tiger that is a classic 60's chopper and a 69 Bonneville hat I brought up to 750 and bobbed every last ounce of weight off.
The daily rider is my Police trade in Harley Road King. Best bike I ever owned.

[blackballed]

1997 Honda Shadow 750
1997 Ducati Monster
2006 Kawasaki ZX-14

By the time I sold it, I wanted to blow the Ducati up. The Honda was a great first bike. The true "monster" was the ZX-14.

[medic292]

A 1990 Kawasaki Ninja 600 with a lot of modifications...Looking back at all the dumb stuff I used to do on that,I wonder sometimes how I'm still around

[ex-racer]

In 1989 I picked up a 1980 Honda Hawk CB400 at 16 years old. First real street legal bike.

[zxd9]

Before I could drive on the street I had a Rupp mini-bike and then a Yamaha 60. My first street bike in 1982 was a 1976 Honda CB500T. The bike was slower than malassas but it was a bike and I rode it a lot.

[Winchester67]

Medic292, you mentioned a Modified Ninja...in '87 I bought an '87 Ninja that had been "totaled" by the insurance company because of a driveway tip over...by the time they did the math for all the scratched plastic, it was a write off. I got it from the Insurance company on a $600 sealed bid. I had a friend that had a Ninja that had been down on the other side, so I bought his fairing, cut it in half and took off the turn signals. Good to go! Well, it was a little soft off the line so I changed the gearing...like you, looking back on it makes me shudder. The Lord really does look after infants and fools....

[baznmel]

78 Suzuki gs750. Chopped and bobbed, flat bars, solo seat. Set up as a cafe racer. A collision with a deer a couple years back got me modifying and I figured I'd take my paid for bike and make it something unique (for me) It's the closest I'm likely to get to the Ace Cafe on a Norton. DO THE TON!

[Winchester67]

I want to see a pic of that Suzuki 750! Cafe bikes have a strong draw for me.16775

[res308]

Love my RoadStar...
What year's your RoadStar and what kind of gas mileage are you getting? Mine's horrible at mid to upper 30's.

[bonehedz]

First bike, a Honda Trail 90, wish I still had it.
From there, in farly rapid succession:
Suzuki 380 GT,
Honda 350-4cylinder,
mighty Kawasaki 500 mach III (fastest bike in America in its day),
Truimph 900
Honda 750

currently putting around town in completely rebuilt Ural Scout, replete with wheel-driven sidecar. Still wish I had that Honda Trail 90...that was, without a doubt, the most useful bike I ever owned. Oh well...at least the Ural won't tip over on me with the sidecar...:yup:

[BigEd63]

I had one of those Honda 3 whell ATC's as my first true motorcycle. 200cc IIRC.

Was good for tooling around the woods and I never got froggy with it like some fools did.

Now regular motorcycles and AT motor bikes that was another matter.

Funniest thing I remember doing: For grins and giggles I got a hold of this tiny but zippey Rockford branded contraption that used a pull start motor with AT tires. Just imagine an albino ape riding a wheelie down a dirt road on a odd ball looking mini-bike.

[Brute1100]

Kawasaki eliminater 125... From that for a few years straight to a yamaha v star 1100 custom... Ride every day to and from work...

Live, Laugh, Love. If that doesn't work, Load, Aim and Fire. (repeat as necessary)

[Doug Little]

Don,

OMG. That Rupp was my first bike. My parents had to threaten me with death to get off it. I finally rode it so much the frame welds broke. Fond memories of my youth.

Doug

[Doug Little]

BTW...had several since the Rupp. A Bridgestone 2 cycle dirt bike, a Honda CBR 600 F2 that I was convinced I would kill myself on and then a 1993 Dyna Wide Glide. I had to sell the Dyna due to financial issues so I am without a bike for the first time since 1992. I think the next one will be a BMW RS of some sort.

[kabar]

Honda Trail 90 when I was around 12 or 13. A neighbor kid said he found it in a ditch so it was probably hotter than hot. I don't remember what I traded for it but it probably wasn't much as he couldn't get it started. I remember Dad bought me a battery for it and I think all I had to do was clean up the points with some emery cloth to get it going. Lots of fun for a year or two until the engine lost compression. I didn't get another bike until my mid 20's - a Honda Interceptor which turned out not to be a great choice for a first real street bike. Not reliable, stupid fast for someone learing to ride, plus poor handling characteristics at parking lot speeds.

[baznmel]

First Road Bike: 77 kawasaki kz200 thumper- never should have sold it.
First cool bike: 74 H1 5oo triple- two cycle built from two junkers, rode the dragons tail at deals gap with it. Should have sold it sooner.

[Winchester67]

A Frankenstein 500 triple on the Dragon's Tail and you lived to tell about it?!?!? And I thought I was lucky....you have me beat by a mile!

[jumpboot]

My first was a Honda Magna 700 but I only had it about 3 months. Great bike but then I spotted a beat to crap 1977 Harley Davidson FXS chained to a fence in a trailer park and I had to make it mine. That was in 1989, next month will be my 20th year of spinning wrenches in Harley dealerships.

[DC950]

1988 H-D 883 Sportster for $3995. Anyone remember the "Ride Free Guarantee" where you could trade the Sporty in a year later and get $3995 credit towards a big twin?

I still have the Sporty and did just about everything with it over the years from touring to racing. It's parked in the garage now, exactly as it was after it's last roadrace in 1998. Some year I'll put it back on the street. Here's a bad pic of a pic of us racing a Ducati 916. Passed him every lap just after this corner only to have him motor on by on the front straight.



Oh, and I'm surprised it took 7 pages till the Uncle Fred stories popped into what was otherwise a neat thread. I feel sorry for people who are afraid to live and are somehow compelled to make sure you know why they won't do what you love.

What I really want to know is how come no one stops driving cars after Uncle Fred gets himself killed in one?

[BigEd63]

I feel sorry for people who are afraid to live and are somehow compelled to make sure you know why they won't do what you love.

What I really want to know is how come no one stops driving cars after Uncle Fred gets himself killed in one?

I agree, I don't have a bike right now but, when I have the cash to deal, I want a KLR-650 so bad I dream about dirt and off roading on one.

Some people just want to hide in their cave(home) and let life and the world roll by while playing on the X-Box and watching the Idiot Box.

[gatorgrizz27]

Ducati Monster 600, my best friend bought a 900 the same weekend, and we completely rebuilt both of them. His wife got a bit tired of us being in the shop till 2 A.M. every night, but it started my addiction which is going stronger than ever!

17825

The bike I am currently building will put this one to shame if I ever make it through the project.

[bf00]

My first bike was a Honda XR80 when I was 13. I laid her down so many times I'm surprised I'm still alive today lol.

[SK2344]

My first bike was a used BSA 750 Rocket 3. With verbal instructions from my cousin, I taught myself how to ride and it was a love affair I will never forget.

[Triumph Rider]

Cushman red box-type scooter
Cushman Eagle scooter
Honda 350
Suzuki 450
2000 Moto Guzzi Jackal (1100)
2007 BMW RT (1200)
2003 BMW LT (1200)
2010 Triumph Thunderbird (1600)

[zxd9]

1976 Honda CB500T. Piece of junk.
1999 Honda Shadow 1100. Nice but needed a little more oomph.
2000 Honda VFR800. VERY NICE.

[Winchester67]

I too had a VFR800 that came to me in a complicated trade involving money and guns, and left me in an even more complicated deal involving the same players. I had to sell it because it was too relaxed...if you let it run where it was comfortable on the Interstate, it wanted to lope along about 90-105. No good can come of that, I had to get rid of it and get back to a Harley! I sure miss it though....

[tweek]

First bike was a Kawi Ex500
http://farm1.staticflickr.com/51/177277676_45fde36b22.jpg
Sold it a while ago. Don't miss it much but it was a great first bike.

The current stable:
2007 ZX6r - dedicated track bike
http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1118/4726543750_4993bd7670.jpg

2012 Ducati 848
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6052/6405629969_9467ded306.jpg

After dealing with a few other issues I'm now thinking I'd like something like a KTM or BMW adventure bike. Something that could carry a few essentials and let me go places I probably shouldnt go.

[Winchester67]

I always hate to keep talking on a post I started, but I can't help it. I have a soft spot for the BMW that started in college with a "toaster tank" BMW /7...I want an off road boxer, but am only 5'5' and DANG they are so tall. But I think you are on the right track. I really appreciate the idea of a long range, go anywhere bike that can carry everything you need along with you. Easy to maintain too. I hate to work on engines, but my father made sure I could. The BMW is logical and easy to work on.

[dcbo]

A Honda 50. Seat was straight as a board. I was sixteen when i got my MTC license. We picked up the Honda and put it in the trunk of my buddy's 1965 Falcon to haul it the thirty miles to the test location. I rode it home feeling like I was a big bad biker! Next bike.........A monster Honda Trail 90! I was one bad hombre then.

[chad newton]

Cr 250, 78 750 boniville triumph, 1200 sportster. That was all three and that will be the only ones. I had them all before I was 20 years old.

[chad newton]

I've been wanting one for a while. We will see, im waiting for a good deal.

[GAR62]

My first was a Harley Davidson Sportster

[GAR62]

I picked this 2012 Tornado up this evening. It is really nice to ride quality after 17 months on a Chinese bike!:yell:

nice.... I would love to have one of those to play around on..

[GAR62]

I picked this 2012 Tornado up this evening. It is really nice to ride quality after 17 months on a Chinese bike!:yell:

Who is that guy, waveing in the background ?

[Netpackrat]

Never had a motorcycle, but I did rebuild this ATC when I was in college:

20185

Here is the same machine a few years later:

20186

It looked cool as a 4 wheeler, but it was better as a three wheeler; I should have left well enough alone. I sold it for a huge loss and never really missed it, but I learned a lot in the process.

[Bigpoppy]

Honda Trail70 @ 13 years old.

[jerrod]

Kawasaki GPZ 750 !

[tedbo]

Hodaka Combat Wombat 125! I loved that bike! It could climb trees if I wanted it to with all the torque. I wish I still had it.

[116Echo]

Yamaha DT400 2-stroker, lots of miles and smiles on that bike :) I ride a Yamaha R6 now, the kids tell me at 52 I'm too old for it :)

[Brute1100]

Yamaha DT400 2-stroker, lots of miles and smiles on that bike :) I ride a Yamaha R6 now, the kids tell me at 52 I'm too old for it :)

That's just because they hate losing to "the old guy".... :)

[JeffC]

That's just because they hate losing to "the old guy".... :)

At 60, I love spanking the kid squids in the twisties with my 07 GS Adventure! They forget that it takes a horse and a rider. :biggrin:

-jeff

[Brute1100]

At 60, I love spanking the kid squids in the twisties with my 07 GS Adventure! They forget that it takes a horse and a rider. :biggrin:

-jeff

That it does... I like showing crotch rocket boys that an 1100 yamaha vstar can lean and cut, but it takes a rider to do it... I have left a lot of "faster" bikes in the twisties just for fun, now all out wife open they have me... But how often do you get to ride 100+ mph for any stretch, ill take my 0-60 screaming fast...

[back2basics]

the vmax will leave them in the dust in turns and straight line :)
I love supermotos myself as I can have fun under 100mph.

[Brute1100]

the vmax will leave them in the dust in turns and straight line :)
I love supermotos myself as I can have fun under 100mph.

Like the idea... Never gotten to spend any time on one to know... But I'm thinking is love it, I can't do the circus rockets because of too much weight on my hands .. so I'm thinking the supermotos hypermotards would be a wonderful compromise...

[back2basics]

Sooo much fun, like a dirtbike on the street. More upright position, really narrow and easy to make it do what you want ha ha. Also easy to steal unfortunately as I found out on my last one.