Do You Remember Your First Time?

[skybluestu]

As a 'beginner' about to pick up my first bike I hope I don't end up like this guy, surely it's quite rare?!

[skybluestu]

Oh dear, there's more! Might stick to my Nouvo!!!

One for Tony!

[transam]

eeeeeer yes, it was dark and no bike involved.

[skybluestu]

eeeeeer yes, it was dark and no bike involved.

Dark? So she wasn't a looker then?

[transam]

eeeeeer yes, it was dark and no bike involved.

Dark? So she wasn't a looker then?

eeeer, no. But it was great.

[wolf5370]

lol I thought he was going to stack into the back of the car!

My first bike was at 15 (my friend had already turned 16 and had bought a second hand bike and let me have a ride - wally!). His father had ridden bikes his whole life, soi taught him what to do. I wne on cold - instructions: That makes it go - brake (points to foot only) stops you - don't try and change gear.

It was the UK 1986 - the bike was a pre-restrictioon (i.e. before they brought in legislation to limit small bikes to 30mph) 1977 AP 50 (rebored to 80 - though neither of us knew this yet). I got on and he clicked it into gear for me. Off I shot (no helmet, jeans and T-shirt). First gear - I drive it about 300 yards no problem. Then I let go of the handle bars - I thought that it would just stop if I was no longer holding the throttle open. The issue was compounded by the fact there was no return on the throttle, so it was half open and staying that way. So bike continues, and I'm now riding it like a bull - it wingles and i'm basically using my thighs to stop it falling over or taking a turn (so I couldn't hit the brake without falling off) - still no hands as they were now employed like a high wire artists. OK, its working somehow - now I hit a hump back bridge - behind I hear shouting as he and my GF are racing down the road after me on foot - my bareback riding is useless when I hit the hill (with no throttle change) so it takes a sharp left aiming at the wall of the bridge (railway bridge). Just as its about to hit, instinst made me jump off and grab the handle bars - like a rodeo bull wrestler - and it stalls.

Mate turns up sweating like a pig in a dessert, GF is walking shaking her head, "That was great man - Can I have another go?"

F&@K Off! (I also almost crashed his first car too - Truimph Herald - no seat belts - emergency stop - "erm sorry Gary, how's your head mate?")

[transam]

lol I thought he was going to stack into the back of the car!

My first bike was at 15 (my friend had already turned 16 and had bought a second hand bike and let me have a ride - wally!). His father had ridden bikes his whole life, soi taught him what to do. I wne on cold - instructions: That makes it go - brake (points to foot only) stops you - don't try and change gear.

It was the UK 1986 - the bike was a pre-restrictioon (i.e. before they brought in legislation to limit small bikes to 30mph) 1977 AP 50 (rebored to 80 - though neither of us knew this yet). I got on and he clicked it into gear for me. Off I shot (no helmet, jeans and T-shirt). First gear - I drive it about 300 yards no problem. Then I let go of the handle bars - I thought that it would just stop if I was no longer holding the throttle open. The issue was compounded by the fact there was no return on the throttle, so it was half open and staying that way. So bike continues, and I'm now riding it like a bull - it wingles and i'm basically using my thighs to stop it falling over or taking a turn (so I couldn't hit the brake without falling off) - still no hands as they were now employed like a high wire artists. OK, its working somehow - now I hit a hump back bridge - behind I hear shouting as he and my GF are racing down the road after me on foot - my bareback riding is useless when I hit the hill (with no throttle change) so it takes a sharp left aiming at the wall of the bridge (railway bridge). Just as its about to hit, instinst made me jump off and grab the handle bars - like a rodeo bull wrestler - and it stalls.

Mate turns up sweating like a pig in a dessert, GF is walking shaking her head, "That was great man - Can I have another go?"

F&@K Off! (I also almost crashed his first car too - Truimph Herald - no seat belts - emergency stop - "erm sorry Gary, how's your head mate?")

Triumph Herald , did they have brakes or an anchor.

[wolf5370]

Sure felt like an anchor when he hit the brakes - vibrated so much the windows rattled and the bonnet strained at it straps (ltierally - straps!)

I bought that AP50 (80) from him 6 months later - found out it was an 80 when I blew a piston ring - the 50cc piston would fit inside the one that was installed - once got pulled by a bobby doing 55mph on it. Cop was gobsmacked it was a 50 - and even more impressed when I told him I had a gear to go - so impressed he talked about it for 15 miniutes (much to his buddies chargrin) and then let me go

Most I had out of it was 75mph on a wide A road with a slight downward slope (and I mean slight) - didn't trust it to stop motoring downhill. Had it right up until I was legal to drive a 125 (year later) and had to scrap her because no one would buy it - wish I still had it today!

Actually was fun at 16 - betaing most of the old 100cc tourers/commuters that slightly older kids had.

Edited January 26, 2011 by wolf5370

[transam]

Sure felt like an anchor when he hit the brakes - vibrated so much the windows rattled and the bonnet strained at it straps (ltierally - straps!)

I bought that AP50 (80) from him 6 months later - found out it was an 80 when I blew a piston ring - the 50cc piston would fit inside the one that was installed - once got pulled by a bobby doing 55mph on it. Cop was gobsmacked it was a 50 - and even more impressed when I told him I had a gear to go - so impressed he talked about it for 15 miniutes (much to his buddies chargrin) and then let me go

Most I had out of it was 75mph on a wide A road with a slight downward slope (and I mean slight) - didn't trust it to stop motoring downhill. Had it right up until I was legal to drive a 125 (year later) and had to scrap her because no one would buy it - wish I still had it today!

Actually was fun at 16 - betaing most of the old 100cc tourers/commuters that slightly older kids had.

Fond memories eh.

[wolf5370]

Yep - my first car was a Ford Escourt 1300 Mk 1 Mexico - but had many problems with it, so traded it in for a Rover SDI V8 (ex CID Cop Car - still had the siren in it - although disconnected - I reconnected it and bought a new bekll horn which had been removed) - now at 17 1/2 a V8 is real fun! especially when you could flip on the siren lol.

Once set fire to the back wheels in it - new brake shoes were not done properly, but that didn't stop me trying to make Mach 1 - real flames! didn't notice till I got home - got new tyres and brakes out of the garage that fitted them. Oh to be young again

Edited January 26, 2011 by wolf5370

[transam]

Yep - my first car was a Ford Escourt 1300 Mk 1 Mexico - but had many problems with it, so traded it in for a Rover SDI V8 (ex CID Cop Car - still had the siren in it - although disconnected - I reconnected it and bought a new bekll horn which had been removed) - now at 17 1/2 a V8 is real fun! especially when you could flip on the siren lol.

Once set fire to the back wheels in it - new brake shoes were not done properly, but that didn't stop me trying to make Mach 1 - real flames! didn't notice till I got home - got new tyres and brakes out of the garage that fitted them. Oh to be young again

Absolutely, AND, you were lucky to insure that at 17.

[wolf5370]

Yep - my first car was a Ford Escourt 1300 Mk 1 Mexico - but had many problems with it, so traded it in for a Rover SDI V8 (ex CID Cop Car - still had the siren in it - although disconnected - I reconnected it and bought a new bekll horn which had been removed) - now at 17 1/2 a V8 is real fun! especially when you could flip on the siren lol.

Once set fire to the back wheels in it - new brake shoes were not done properly, but that didn't stop me trying to make Mach 1 - real flames! didn't notice till I got home - got new tyres and brakes out of the garage that fitted them. Oh to be young again

Absolutely, AND, you were lucky to insure that at 17.

Daddy's insurance

[transam]

Yep - my first car was a Ford Escourt 1300 Mk 1 Mexico - but had many problems with it, so traded it in for a Rover SDI V8 (ex CID Cop Car - still had the siren in it - although disconnected - I reconnected it and bought a new bekll horn which had been removed) - now at 17 1/2 a V8 is real fun! especially when you could flip on the siren lol.

Once set fire to the back wheels in it - new brake shoes were not done properly, but that didn't stop me trying to make Mach 1 - real flames! didn't notice till I got home - got new tyres and brakes out of the garage that fitted them. Oh to be young again

Absolutely, AND, you were lucky to insure that at 17.

Daddy's insurance

Lucky you, but l was the same, way back in eeer, can't remember, had a Zephyr 6 that mum insured, cool.

[traveller33]

Oh yes, I remember very well. It was 1982, I was 16 and saved three years my money from working in holidays to buy my first bike.

It was a Honda MTX 80. For me absolutly beautiful bike. Looked like the big ones and I felt big too ofcourse....

I rode the hell out of this bike, tuned it a little bit later and drove like crazy.

Edited January 26, 2011 by traveller33

[traveller33]

I forget to mention, that it was also the time for long hairs and the first leather jacket.....

...Oh my God......how cool we have been........or just felt so....

[SteeleJoe]

11 years old.

Yamaha YZ80.

Changed my life (no exaggeration -- it had a profound and permanent effect on the person I was and who I would be from then on -- and not just in the sense that I would spend the next few decades being passionate about riding but it did major things for my self -esteem and other facets of my developing personality).

[traveller33]

Yes SteeleJoe, I think I can say, that it changed my life too.

[traveller33]

Yes SteeleJoe, I think I can say, that it changed my life too.

[wolf5370]

11 years old.

Yamaha YZ80.

Changed my life (no exaggeration -- it had a profound and permanent effect on the person I was and who I would be from then on -- and not just in the sense that I would spend the next few decades being passionate about riding but it did major things for my self -esteem and other facets of my developing personality).

My best friend had a tiny 50cc trials bought for him by his dad. He was just 6. They took it to a dirt track meet every second weekend for toddler bikers. He practically disappeared in quilted suit, boots and crash helmet. Looked so funny - and he could never stay upright more than about 10 minutes. They did it for about a year and then sold the bike. I was soooooooooooo jelous! I think THAT changed my life - I wanted a bike and got one as soon as I was old enough to ride - still prefer two wheels to a tin box any (non-snowing, non-raining) day!

PS: I like the motor behind the bike too!

Edited January 26, 2011 by wolf5370

[LoneRider]

I think the first real bike is always something special and changes something in the mind of the owner (and therefore in his life)

Normaly its the time, where a deep longlasting love beginns...................

[ScubaBuddha]

eeeeeer yes, it was dark and no bike involved.

Dark? So she wasn't a looker then?

Was when I brought her home, but by morning he wasn't.

Me on my first bike.

My favoritest bike I've had so far.

My next bike.

[wolf5370]

My first bike (actually its a stock photo - mine had a little work done on it - pedals replaced with studs, knee guards (like bat wings!), removed pedal drive, rebored to 80cc, removed baffle - until I got knicked - twice!) - Suki AP 50 (1977)

Favourite bike so far (Again a stock photo - mine was blue but no photos of her here) - Zuki Bandit 1200:

Dream bike? Dunno - kinda would like the Bandit back again (apart from last time I saw her she was spread out opver 100 yards of road - silly place to leave a double decker IMO!)

[thaicbr]

This was like my 1st bike adventure used offroad over the old railway.....

Then a Yamaha Fizzy,Kawasaki KE100, AR125. Suzuki GT250 X7 (Road race fairing with battery lights) .1/2 share in a Maico 490.

Then about this time i got sensible and got into cars.

[seedy]

Kawasaki 90. I was 14, just got my license. With this bike I learned how to ride, and equally important - how to crash !

[PoeDogg]

I was about 13, so it would have been around 1991.

My uncle had a 1974 Honda 125.

I popped the clutch, it popped a wheelie, left me standing behind, ran into the side of my uncles new Ford F-250, bounced off then ran into a tree before going down.

Truck and bike were ok, but I felt bad that it had happened and didn’t want to ride again.

Uncle would have none of that, put me back on the bike and I rode for the rest of the day.

Saved up my yard mowing money and bought a used Suzuki RM 175 about a year later.

Too bad it was a POS that never ran well.

Got a Yamaha 200 3-wheeler after that and had loads of fun on it.

Had to sell it a couple of years later when work forced me to move to the big city.

Will get another one if I ever go back to the States.

[thrilled]

my first time was a 1961 honda 50,49cc stepthru.I was 15.People shouldn't learn on something big.It should be small,ride it around the yard til ya know what your doing.

[BSJ]

I haven't crashed a bike for a long time....and it was usually off-road anyway. But the other week I came down Budda Hill to fast on the last turn and stepped out the rear a lot more than one should on a scooter. It gave me a little scare!

[PeaceBlondie]

This 1958 700.

[billd766]

My first was in 1963 at 19 and in the RAF having just got my licence back after being nicked for no licence, insurance or rear wing in a 1939 Standard 8. (I hit a prewar Jaguar which had a great big steel and chrome front bumper while I was trying to park). Not a mark on the Jaguar and my rear wing was ripped off.

I then bought a 1957 Lambretta LD 150 (stock photo) reg no UEL 64.

I could ride it all day at 50 mph but if I went flat out 55 ish mph it would over heat and just die on me. Wait 15 minutes for it to cool down and off I went again.

No battery so direct lighting and at tickover the lights were out. At a set of traffic lights a cop talked to me and told me he was nicking me again (same cop) until I revved the engine and the lights came on. He let me off with a warning.

Edited January 27, 2011 by billd766

[Sonkind]

First was a TZR 50 when 6 months before I could get a licence, never took it out of the yard and put up 700km's in riding a 70m route in our yard. Could do 100km/h down a mineshaft-like hill and with a Bossan exhaust it sounded like a thousand bees in heat .

Favourite I have owned Fazer 600, would have loved to bring it over to LOS

Over 100000 kms on bikes in my 12 year biking life and this is what I had my first crash on