How long

[footsie]

Just curious

 

How long have you been riding and how young did you start.

I was given a mini bike at the tender age of 7, been riding 2 wheels ever since, bought my first bike, a honda CL 350 brand new at 13, had a cb 750 four at 17( still have it).

Goldwing by age 24. and multitude of others. First RSV at 49.

 

Gregg:fiddle:

[Squidley]

About 14 years old I got my 1st "Real" bike which was a Kawasaki KX 125. Had minibikes since about 11, then my 1st street bike was a Kawi 750 triple 2 cycle '75 I think it was. Lost count of how many bikes I have had since.

[footsie]

did you get completely settled in yet.

 

gregg

[Monsta]

Whoa cool! MY first street legal bike was CL 350! That was only 24 years ago. Only owned 6 since.

[Freebird]

I also had a CL 350 but it was my third bike. First was a Honda S 90 and second was a Harley 250 Sprint.

 

I think I was 14 when I got the Honda 90. Probably 15 when I got the sprint and later the same year the CL 350.

Edited November 11, 2009 by Freebird

[Brake Pad]

1979 Honda XL 185 (17)

Yamaha 250 street

Harley 250 sprint

Kawasaki KH 400

Honda CB750 K

Honda CBX 1982

Honda Goldwing Aspencade

Yamaha Roadstar

Yamaha Venture (47)

[cb1313]

Honda 305 scrambler at age 16 (1967), BMW 650, Honda Goldwing Interstate while serving in (Air Force) in England. Honda Pacific Coast, Bmw RT1150, Yamaha Stratoliner and now my 2005 Venture. I wish I had purchased the Venture instead of the Stratoliner a few ago.

 

Cb

[Hummingbird]

at 14 I a Whizzer then went to a Cushman scooter after that was army then family and dirt bikes. Didn't get bake on the street until 1979 with a Kawasaki, then too many to remember leading up to the best one

[eagleeye]

Also started with a homemade minibike at around 11 and my first real bike, a brand new 1965 Triumph Bonneville.

Many since then.

 

Steve

[Evan]

Unlike many members, I didn't start early with dirt or mini bikes. However, I was riding my bicycle 22 miles a day every day of the summer before I turned 16 in order to hang out at a riding stable (I was definiiey "horse crazy"). So, bought my first bike at age 15 in 1962 and rode it close to home until the day I turned 16. Though my passion for horses has subsided and it has been many years since I owned them, I have never been without at least one motorcycle since then.

[Renne]

Started riding a Harley 125 Hummer in 1950, I was 7yrs old. My first bike at age 14 was in 1957, a modified Harley 165. It had risers and a trip speedo from a 74 and a Pucket two plug head with a coil also from the 74. It had a "p" pad and the front fender was raised up under the lower triple tree for mud running. It was RED! I was in heaven! Dad was in the Harley biz (Toledo) till "59" and we went British/Honda, I had to sell my beloved 165 but, ya hoo...a Triumph 200cc Cub. From then till now I lost count but some fond memories include a BSA Gold Star, Tri.Tiger, an Ariel Square 4, a Pirelli, Various Honda's and Harley's, a Road Star and my RSV which for the last 3 days here in central Mn I've had a chance to ride before the dreaded S**W

 

Renne

[CdnDave77]

I started with a 1977 Honda XL75 (used) at the age of 9... living on a farm in Southern Ontario meant you either had a mini-bike or a pony.

 

I went to a rather unmarked Suzuki 125 motocross, then had a Yamaha 250 Exciter for my first street-legal bike. Then to my 1983 750 Maxim, which I had for 19 years (just sold it last summer), and now the 83 Venture.

[Condor]

My first bike was an Aerial Square Four. Bought it used when I was 17, so I guess I've been riding for more than 50 years. Owned Hondas, Beemers, and of course Ventures.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk06mU9muGE]YouTube- my 1957 ariel square four[/ame]

[SilvrT]

I guess I been here too long as I'm feeling a sense of "Déjà vu "

 

Anyhoo ... when I was around 8, my cousin who had a big old Harley (I think it was about a 1952 model) that had the big ole springs at the back of the seat...took me for a ride. He hit a bump real hard and I went sailing straight up in the air .... I've been hooked on motorcycles ever since.

 

When I was 12 my buddies and I would sneak out at night and go joyriding on their dad's and other guys mopeds. I didn't think much about bikes after that until I was around 20 and a buddie had a BSA Lightening which he let me "try out" ... well, I just had to become a biker but I never got a bike until 3 years later when I bought my 1969 Yamaha 125 twin street bike brand new. Aside from the odd 2 or 3 year "break" between bikes, I been riding ever since.

[bikenut]

I started to ride when I was 12 on a mini bike. My first bike was a 124cc Vespa scooter and rode that for 3 years. Have had bikes ever since I was 12. Now ride 14-18000 miles per year enjoying our country. Hope to maybe see some of you on the road.

bikenut:moped:

[steve crossley]

got my 1st bike in 64 a red honda 90 street bike traded it in in 66 for a yamaha yl1 twinjet 100 then an yamaha bonanza 180 then an250 big bear scrambler then an r3 350 twin then an r5c 350 twin an tx 750 an xs 750 triple an xv 920 r an xs 1100 and an 86 vr that has 141.000 miles its been a great run and when i see the new vmax i start to drool all over . perhaps if i win the loto ! oh did i just have a pipe dream?

[Bubber]

Back in the 50's we had a home made mini bike and I do mean home made. frame was made of water pipe and that my dad welded up. Engine was a horizontal Briggs and Stratton. I spent more time working on it than riding it.

 

In my teens I had a BSA, it wasn't made for the road so it didn't have lights or tail lights. So I hooked up a battery powered tail light. I can honestly say that that bike was the biggest piece of crap I ever saw. It never ran right and was always trying to self destruct.

Bought a Harley Super Glide for Christmas back in 1973 had it three years and sold it for more money than I paid for it. Those were the days.

 

Then I bought a 77 Goldwing. back when they were pretty stripped down. Smoothest bike I have ever been on. Never put many miles on it because of kids and life and work. Shame on me I missed out on a lot. I sold it to the guy that moved me from MA. to Minnesota. A few years later I bought a couple of damaged VStar 1000s and a nice VTX1300. Fixed the 1100s and traded the 1100 and the VTX in on my Venture. Then sold the other 1100 to my brother in law and been burying mony in the Venture making it mine.

 

OH ya back in the day 1968 or so I bought a Harley Knuckle head in a basket. I lugged that thing all over creation and then on day my wife said to me "How are you going to kick that thing over with your bad knees" Don't ya just hate it when ya hear something like that and yo know she was 100% right. Pi$$ed me off. I had that thing for over 35 years and I just now figured it out that I would never be able to ride it.

So Ifound a kid (35) that wanted it and I told him don't even come to look at it if he wasn't going to pay my asking price. He showed and of cource he tryied to dicker me down. I nicely asked him to leave and I told him that there would be a line out side my door tomarrow for the Knuckle. He came back and coughed up all the money in cash. Counted out each bill as he dug it out of his pockets and laid it in my hand.

I made him promise that once he finished it he would bring it by so I could ride just once. He was looking to put it back to it's original stock. so I felt pretty good selling it to him and knew he would take good care of it.

 

SO that is my story and I am sticking to it.

 

Bubber

[dingy]

Started riding go-carts when I was 5. Dad, brother and I each had one eventually. We had a 1/4 mile dirt track in back end of 3 acre country home. Picture is of one we had which was rather crude, hand throttle, small engine.

 

My Dad was a pro dirt track rider in 40 & 50's. Sponsored by Triumph. He raced at tracks in eastern US including Daytona Beach. Some pictures in on my profile page.

 

I started mini bikes at about 10 years old. Made By Rupp.

 

First street bike was Honda 350. Then several Honda 750's after that.

 

http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af193/gdingy101/1stgocart_1-1959.jpg

[LilBeaver]

I have been driving myself for only ~10 years. I have been a passenger on a bike for longer than I can remember (I have the pictures to prove it - note that the older picture is NOT my first ride)

 

Here are a few pictures... 2 are a few years apart

 

My first bike was that 78 GS750E pictured. I acquired it from the original owner under the condition that I do not sell it to anyone but back to the original owner. It was my late uncle's and my Aunt sold her bike instead of his. He bought it new in the fall of 1977 (she bought a honda 750-four (I'm pretty sure it was a 750-four, new at the same time). He put about 5k miles on it than contracted a terminal illness that did not allow him to ride anymore. I acquired it, restored it (the little restoration needed) and have put 10k miles on it (most occurred in the first 2 years of ownership). Lots of dates and good memories involve this bike .

The 82 GL1100 Pictured was purchased by my Grandfather in 1983. My grandfather had some medical problems and can barely walk, needless to say he cannot drive anymore. The bike sat in his garage for a few years and upon me putting a significant number of miles on my 750 he offered me the opportunity to ride the GL110 provided 1) I got it running again (carb clean and some top-end work - all from sitting and getting gummed up), 2) I don't sell it, 3) I treat it well. I started riding that bike when it had ~43k miles on it. Just a few short years ago, now it is pushing 60k and still running strong.

 

I have had a few other bikes, but these 2 will always have a special place for me.

 

Now, if you have made it here, you probably know more than you ever cared to know about my riding history...

 

Here is a related thread that some may find interesting too

 

[ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=29320]First motorcycle - VentureRider.Org[/ame]

[Tombo]

I started riding with a 1970 RD350 and continued riding Yamaha's moving up to a TX500 in 1975 and then a 1980 XS850SG and in 2007 an RSV..then in 2008 I picked up a used 2003 Harley Ultra Classic. I will be trading in the Harley in January for a 2010 Ultra Limited.

[Squidley]

did you get completely settled in yet.

 

gregg

 

 

Hey Gregg,

Were not into a place of our own yet, still with Gunboat (Thank God for good friends) but I am going in for an interview with ABB on the 23rd of this month. If I get this job I will be repairing and refurbishing Azopod propulsion systems for the ship industry. I'm not getting my hopes up as if nothing else I am putting my face and name in front of some powerful allies. We'll get something going...then look out! gonna be a hell of a party

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming

[Tarl]

I was about 12 when I started riding a 1961 90cc Honda street bike ( Dad bought it) on dirt trails. My first real street bike was a 1970 (if I remember correctly) Kawasaki 350 2 stroker. I'm now 51 and my 83 Venture Royale is the 14th bike I have owned.

[Yamaman]

1974 Suzuki TS-185 at age 17. Rode that bike all over Cedar Falls / Waterloo, Iowa throughout HS and college. Took it with me to Houston in 1982 but almost never rode it. Finally gave it away around 1996 to a friend who was going to bring in back to life, but I think he junked it.

 

1981 Yamaha Midnight Maxim 650 bought in 2002. Age 44. I still have it.

 

2001 RSV bought in December 2007. Age 50.

[YYZ]

I was a late bloomer or mid-lifer depending how you want to look at it. I got a 98 Shadow ACE last year at the ripe old age of 43. This August I traded it in on a 99 RoyalStar. In total I have about 9000 miles under my belt but I'm learning.

[67mini67]

I too was a late bloomer. Lots of miles on a bicycle. 15000 miles on a 10 speed in 5 years. I didn't ride my first bike untill college (a 350 of unkown make) and rode about 250 miles total in 4 years. After that I rode an 800 for about 20 miles in the early 80's. In 2007 I rode my first dirt bike around a friends acreage for a day. That was it, I bought a V-Star 650 in 2008 and in May of 2009 bought the RSV. I have logged about 4000+ miles on the RSV and love it. By the way, I am 49. Very late bloomer.