First motorcycle

[beyeker]

A 1968 Suzuki X6 Hustler purchased new that year. Then a 1966 BSA 650 Lighting, 1972 Suzuki GT750, 1972 Norton 750, 1974 Honda 750, 1975 Norton 850, and the list goes on. 28 total.

[Keitho]

1974 Honda SS50 right off the showroom floor, my Dad co-signed the loan. I was 16 years old and needed to get to work, It wasn't fast by any means, but I used any means to make it go fast.

 

http://www.honda-dax.com/gallery/albuo39/aaa

 

Keith,

Edited November 9, 2008 by Keitho

[ddoggma]

First pops brought home a beatup minibike. It worked a couple weeks then died. Then he found a Honda 50cc mini dirt bike with a no clutch 2 speed tranny. Thats was a nice toy. Lasted a while too. Then he came across a HD 50cc 3speed moped kind of thing. It looked crazy, but it was a Harley! It was fun but was temperamental. My HD uncles swept off with that one day. I suspect a trade for parts was the deal. After that it was just riding my uncles Harleys around a parking lot or something. Later I got a Magna V30 and then a XL350 to run around the trails in Potter County PA. I beat em up pretty good then let them go for cheap. I also have had alot of kool bicycles in my day too. I have alot of miles in the saddle from the 12 speed road racer.

[mbrood]

http://bridgestone.skew.org/bs67catalog/images/small/bs_175dt.gif

1967 Bridgestone 175... new and surprisingly fast for a kid.

1971 Norton 750

1972 Kawasaki 500

1978 Yamaha xs-750

1974 Norton 850

1986 Yamaha VR

[dr_bar]

First off, I would like to thank Dragonslayer for his post. That was very enlightening and also very brave of you to post such comments. I know many a person that would ridicule you for such a statement, but there's too many reported incidences of near death experiences to just brush these comments off. I believe you've been blessed to have experienced this phenomenon. I can't imagine what you went through but as horriffic as it sounds you are a better person for it.

 

Now, I darn near made a similar exit from my first bike, but lucked out and made a last second movement that saved my bacon. My first bike was known by many as the widow maker, having not been married and being quite young and wanting to stay that way, I sold my bike after that near miss on a tight corner on one of BC's southern highways. The bike in question... 1971 Kawasaki H1, 500ccs of two stroke, nonstop muscle. In a straight line, there was nothing on the road at that time that could touch it, in the corners... damn, that thing just didn't do corners. Probably set in my bones the riding style I currently have. Never been agressive in a corner since that near miss...

[MAINEAC]

First registered street bike:

 

1969 BRIDGESTONE 350 GTR

http://www.bridgestonemotorcycle.com/images/BSGTR.jpg

 

Here's what one leading motorcycle magazine said when they tested the 350 GTR: "The engine/transmission unit is fantastic ... It is so good, in fact, that only a real technician can fully appreciate all the details." Another said this, "As big and as fast as any 500—and considerably faster than most." Six speeds, 40 HP, oil injection, dual rotary valves are only part of the story. Your Bridgestone dealer will show you a host of design innovations that make the 350 GTR unlike anything you've ever seen or ridden. See him today.

 

Here's what I remember... 6 speeds all down... I paid $250 in 74 and it was all I had... I did not have the money to register and insure it and sneaked rides whenever I could for a month or 2 until I registered it... It was pretty big for a 350..

[Jerry W]

Don't know if it counts as a motorcycle, but I started on a Cushman Eagle, I am thinking it was in 1958.

[ibents]

My first bike was this D M W ...Dawson's Motorcycles Wolverhampton....not quite sure of the year late 50's I think, I believe it was a 125cc two stroke Villers engine....you were not allowed anything over 250cc untill you passed your test.... The picture was taken back in England in 1966 when I was 16.

 

Once I passed my test I got a Triumph 21 which is exactly like the blue one below and it could move really well. When we came to Canada in 72, I got a Kaw 400...below..next bike was a 2000 Suzuki Marauder 800 and finally the Venture.

 

 

http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gifhttp://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif

[Ferrantelli]

My first bike a Honda CT70. Just like the photo.

This summer while upstate NY at a swap meat I saw one and had to take a picture of it.

And I almost forgot I just pick up a Yamaha XT225 Dual Sport on the 1st. Sure bring back memories... I could swear that they were bigger and more convertible back then.

[Condor]

Ariel Square Four. Didn't set any speed records, but damn it sounded purdy...

[footsie]

I bought a new 1973 CL350 from honda of albany for $795.00 brand new.

That don't sound real these days.

First big bike was 1971 cb750 Honda, bought it in 1978 for $500. Still have it.

Gregg

[MikeyJ]

A used 1963 Honda 90, followed one year later by a brand new 1971 Honda CB175. Next came a Honda CB400T in 1983. Out of biking for about 10 years and than purchased a Suzuki C50T Boulevard, than moved up to the Yamaha Royal Star Venture in 2008. It has been a really fun journey. I hope the ride continues for a really long time.

 

[jlh3rd]

1970 honda cl-100, red.....i thought i was king of the world......$200

[Venturous Randy]

About four months before I turned 14, my dad and I stopped at the local motorcycle dealer. I ended up leaving with a brand new Ducati 125 Bronco. Candy Apple Red. Several things came out of owning that bike.

It made me a lot better driver when I graduated to cars.

The price of a gallon of gas was about the same as a pack of cigarettes, I had more fun riding and never started smoking.

Girls liked to be taken for a ride on a motorcycle.

My bike was stolen and thrown off a bridge into a river and when I got it back I completely diassembeled it and cleaned everything and put it back together. Big job for a 15 year old. It ran great.

It had a part that got worn and it would jump out of gear. I fixed that and later used that same thinking to fix my Venture.

I learned that I loved to ride a motorcycle.

Thanks Dragonslayer for your great testimony.

Mine was like the one posted.

RandyA

[wasabe58]

My first ride (of many) was a small KZ400 that I bought in 1979 .... boy those were the days, I rode out with everything costing me about $1600 out the door for a brand new ride!!!

 

 

 

 

Artie

Spring Hill, FL.

[Pic]

My dad bought me a used 60 something Honda 90 when I turned 15 and I drove the crap out of it. The first bike I bought for myself was a 60 something Yamaha Twin Jet 100 from a neighbor down the street. Then I graduated to a 70 something Yamaha RD 350. After that I bought a brand new 1977 Harley Sprint 175, I was still in High School.

 

After High School I bought a 1977 Honda CB550K from a freind of my dads that had been wrecked and fixed it up. Then picked up a 1981 Yamaha 500 Enduro from a guy I worked with so I had street and dirt. After my first divorce in 86 was broke and had to sell both, missed them much more than my first wife.

 

After many years without bikes (had 4 wheelers for hunting) bought a new 2004 Yamaha VSTAR 1100 Silverado. Did not realize how much I had missed out all those years without one. Have now graduated to a 2007 Venture and love it.

 

As long as I am able to ride I will never be without again.

[Rottdoglover]

My very 1st 2 wheeled motorized vehicle (motor-cycle) was a 26" bike powered by a 2.5 Hp Briggs lawnmower engine. I was 10 and dad helped me figure how to put a small wheel on the motor and a hinge contraption so motor drove rear wheel by friction. Must of put a million miles on it. Since then I've had as many as 10 bikes at one time. There was a time when I had NO BIKE!!! Worst 3 months of my life. I beleive if it has 2 wheels and a motor, it's a motorcycle. The value is smiles per mile.

[LilBeaver]

I know this is an old thread but I thought it was pretty neat to read about everyone else's first bike.

 

Mine was a 1978 Suzuki GS750E with ~5,000 original miles on it. I got it from the original owner (my Aunt) about 10 years ago.

 

These pictures are after I had restored it.

 

Still have it, still ride it and still love it.

[Mariner Fan]

I know this is an old thread but I thought it was pretty neat to read about everyone else's first bike.

 

Mine was a 1978 Suzuki GS750E with ~5,000 original miles on it. I got it from the original owner (my Aunt) about 10 years ago.

 

These pictures are after I had restored it.

 

Still have it, still ride it and still love it.

 

Really nice! I had a 78 GS1000. Had alot of great memories on that bike!

[elag]

Learned on a Yamaha 125 enduro. Not sure of the year 1970 someting. Then a friends dad bought him a new Yamaha 400 Maxim. He never had his licence so I got to chauffeur him around for a couple of years. Plus lots of solo time on that bike. Drove bikes all the time a teenager but never actually owned one. Till now. In my 40's I have a midlife crisis and bought my current bike. A 1984 Yamaha Venture. Wish I'd bought it back in 84 when I first started driving. Much nicer then the Maxim or enduro.

[silverdeer0454]

Lilbeaver your right about an old thread, but it's great to revive them on occassion just to see the new folks (like me) be able to add our input. My first bike was a 1966 Honda CB 160. I paid $200 for it in 1969 and I bought it from my English teacher at Laughbon High School in DuPont Washington. I loved that bike! Got rid of the 50 pound mufflers that came with it and found you could use vacuum cleaner pipes as a slip on with a muffler clamp! I added knobby tires front and rear and a BIG sprocket to the rear. Top speed was about 50 mph but you could climb a tree with it. The bike never saw the road, it was a trail bike only. After moving back to Maine I sold it to some kid in town and got a Maico 501. The kid I sold the bike to crashed it about 6 months later and wrapped it around a tree. He ended up with a broken leg and the last time I checked (2007) parts of the bike were still at the crash site in the woods.

[Freebird]

First was a Honda S90. I was 14 years old and it was shared with my brother. I let him have it completely about 2 months later when I bought a Harley 250 Sprint.

[Guest HdHtr]

Still my 57 Norton Manx.

[Brake Pad]

1979 XL185 Honda 56,000

1975 Kawasaki KH 400 27,000

1979 CB750K 78,000

1980 Yamaha 250 street (Polar Bear run bike) 4300

1982 Honda CBX 21,000 (clocked at 143 MPH)

1984 Honda Goldwind Aspencade 237,000 + miles

2004 Yamah Roadstar 11,000

2007 Yamahe Venture 37,000

Next bike 2011 Honda Goldwing:cool10:

[OldBear]

66 Bridgestone 90 with "Rotary shift" (just keep pushing the shifter DOWN--N, 1,2,3,4,5,N,1.......

 

What a hoot, and the I upgraded to a 67 Yamaha 305 Cross Country ( a BIG motorcycle:thumbsup2:...