Author Topic: What was your first bike?  (Read 15954 times)

Offline Turin

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 5146
    • crap and stuff
  • Location: Chandler, Arizona
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #60 on: September 08, 2017, 12:28:33 AM »
1975 Moto Guzzi 850 T-3. I bought it right after high school for the princely sum  $800.00 ( on lay away ) :azn:
1997 Daytona RS
1991 Rennsport California III
1991 LeMans 1000
1987 LeMans SE Dave's Cycle Racer
1984 LeMans III
1985 Sidlow Guzzi
1974 850-T Sport
1969 A-series Ambassador
1996 Triumph Daytona 1200
1996 Triumph Daytona 900
1982 Alfa Romeo GTV6 Balocco SE 3.0

Offline Shorty

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 3519
  • "I'd rather lube a chain than crab a frame."
  • Location: Oklahoma
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #61 on: September 08, 2017, 12:40:42 AM »
I bought a Suzuki TC 120 from a dealer in Bradenton, FLA. It grenaded literally 2 blocks from the dealership. Similiar to this one: 


I took it back and whined and bitched til he felt sorry for me and gave me a yamaha 175cc Enduro, like this one:
I then rode it across the old Sunshine Skyway Bridge home to ST Pete on knobby tires. Never forget a thing like that.  :grin: I dig Yamaha trail bikes. Next bike after that was a 69 Bonneville. So, it seems some things remain the same. I guess it's been about 45 years now. Here's my little brother about to put a big dent in one of my Yammie MXers:  :grin:



online safety pics
2017 Suzuki DR650
2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350

Offline nyITguy

  • New Egg
  • *
  • Posts: 97
  • Location: Brewster, NY
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #62 on: September 08, 2017, 01:17:17 AM »
I beat the hell out of a Yamaha 175 enduro like that for a couple years. Rode that thing way harder than it was intended to be used, and it survived.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline mojoe

  • New Egg
  • *
  • Posts: 47
  • Location: UK Essex
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #63 on: September 08, 2017, 03:42:20 AM »
Honda CG125 don't know what they called them in US, cheap cheerful and way underpowered but got me hooked.
2005 Breva 1100-GRP end Can

Wildguzzi.com

Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #63 on: September 08, 2017, 03:42:20 AM »

Offline Texas Turnip

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 2639
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #64 on: September 08, 2017, 05:34:32 AM »
That was before my day.   You mean you'd come out of a restaurant or bar, and someone was sitting on your bike fooling with it?

I think the ones who thought that was OK behavior have been taken out of the gene pool now, because I've not had that happen to me ....

Lannis

The last time I found someone on my bike was in Sturgis. I had a custom Ezberg seat on the Ambo and found a dude sitting on it. At fairs, carnivals and other places it would not be uncommon to find a kid or grownup on your bike. Feel sorry for the cat that would sit on my bike in these days.

Tex

Offline 93spada

  • Hatchling
  • **
  • *
  • Posts: 186
  • Location: Schenectady NY
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #65 on: September 08, 2017, 06:11:08 AM »
My first road bike was a 1965? Bultaco Murcurio 175.
It was the perfect starter bike.
For the time and me......That bike was fast.
Only went down once.  Showing off at a stoplight in the city in the rain.
From a start, spun the back tire and did a 180 in the middle of the intersection.
Probably a very valuable lesson....

Paul


PJM

Offline dcardo021

  • Gosling
  • ***
  • Posts: 217
    • moto guzzi
  • Location: US
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #66 on: September 08, 2017, 06:20:38 AM »
My first bike was a silver 1977 Suzuki GT 550 introduced me to crappy electrics and a lust for ridding. Always made me feel like a bad ass when I kick started it!

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk


Offline willowstreetguzziguy

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 1187
  • Location: Lancaster, PA
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #67 on: September 08, 2017, 08:14:25 AM »
A 1971, a 1967 Honda 65cc. We took out the back seat of my dad's Dodge sedan and sat it crossways to bring it home! Good bike to learn on with 4-speed. Shifted into 4th at 35 mph. Had it up to 55mph going down a long hill!

Fast forward 30 years... my nephew decides to buy a first bike because his friends are. Gets a Honda 750 crotch rocket and doesn't even get it out of the garage before losing control of it and crashing it into the wall. Sad to say he doesn't have much interest in riding!
« Last Edit: September 08, 2017, 09:34:48 AM by willowstreetguzziguy »
2008 Guzzi 1200 Sport 
1993 BMW K75S Pearl White (sold)
"Going somewhere isn't why you ride, riding is why you go!"    Moto Guzzi... because the only person I have to impress is me.

Offline Lannis

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • Posts: 26507
  • Location: Central Virginia
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #68 on: September 08, 2017, 08:20:54 AM »
The last time I found someone on my bike was in Sturgis. I had a custom Ezberg seat on the Ambo and found a dude sitting on it. At fairs, carnivals and other places it would not be uncommon to find a kid or grownup on your bike. Feel sorry for the cat that would sit on my bike in these days.

Tex

I remember EZ Berg seats, some of the first "custom" seats on the market, pretty funky looking.    And a gritty old guy making them, too ...  Never owned one though ...

Lannis
"Hard pounding, this, gentlemen; let's see who pounds the longest".

Offline SmokinJoe

  • New Egg
  • *
  • Posts: 45
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #69 on: September 08, 2017, 10:47:11 AM »
A brand new 1968 125 Rapido Harley Davidson made by Aermacci. Small, comfortable seat

, reliable, and very easy to maintain. Would be happy to putt around town on a new one today. It was so good it gave me a false sense of what to expect from other bikes of the time. I rode it to work, school, &  traveled around north GA on it till the need for speed got me looking for a bigger bike.

Offline craigclu

  • Hatchling
  • **
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 180
  • Location: NW Wisconsin
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #70 on: September 08, 2017, 11:05:15 AM »
Blue Yamaha Twin Jet 100 as a 14 year old.  A cycle racer friend of my dad did some mods on it and I was beating S90 Hondas in a big way.  I'd wind the snot out of it, then shift into top gear and disappear on them.... When officially licensed at 16, I traded up for a Yamaha 180.  In my young mind, I now had a touring model and embarked on a 1000 mile trek from Wisconsin to North Dakota and back.  Had a pair of tornados pass north and south of me just east of Fargo, adding to the teen adventure.



He who is without oil shall cast out the first rod...”-Detonations 5:72.

Offline Triple Jim

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 5930
    • Lakeland Services Company
  • Location: North Central North Carolina
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #71 on: September 08, 2017, 11:13:42 AM »
1975 Moto Guzzi 850 T-3. I bought it right after high school for the princely sum  $800.00 ( on lay away ) :azn:

I can't remember anyone saying he bought a big twin Guzzi as a kid buying his first motorcycle before.  In what year did you buy it?
When the Brussels sprout fails to venture from its lair, it is time to roll a beaver up a grassy slope.

Offline Guzzi Gal

  • MOTO GUZZI~Because your heart is in the bike, and the bike is in your heart. ~Huzo~
  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
    • Sonoran Sunriders, YouTube
  • Location: Phoenix, AZ.
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #72 on: September 08, 2017, 11:53:29 AM »
Late '83/early '84 I was taught to ride by my first boyfriend.  He took me out to a rarely used airport, and on the runway showed me the basics.  All I remember about the bike is that it looked similar to the pic below, with about the same size engine.  I tried to buy it from him for $300, but my dad wouldn't hear of it.  He'd almost lost his best friend in a motorcycle accident as a teen, and thought they were a deathtrap.  Later, I would borrow my Aunt's early 60's Lambretta scooter, on the sly, for tooling around town.

After my boyfriend moved away, I kept in touch with his two best moto buddies, and you could find me two up most days, with one or the other.  However, I never forgot how much I enjoyed riding solo on that airstrip. 

My husband purchased a pair of Honda Metropolitans, for our 30th anniversary, this last June.  I think I made his head spin with how fast I embraced the motorcycling world.  Since then, we've taken the MSF BRC, gotten our licenses, and purchased "big kid" motorcycles.  His is a Honda CTX700D, and mine a V7 III Anniversario.



 
:bow: Thanks for enabling my MG obsession! :bow:
"Anni" '17 Moto Guzzi V7 III Anniversario #220/1000,
"Velvet" '16 Honda CTX 700,
"Brigitte", AKA "Gigi" '13 Vespa GTS 300ie,
"Grey Wind" '12 Vespa GTS 300 Super,  
The twin '16 Honda Metropolitans
"Miri" and Mori"

Offline motormike131

  • New Egg
  • *
  • Posts: 24
    • wildguzzi
  • Location: Mpls Mn
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #73 on: September 08, 2017, 12:38:18 PM »
   As with most I had a learn'n curve with Bonanza min bike, mopeds and a Vespa before I got my first motorcycle.
   A 69' Cl 350 Honda.. a " BIG " bike.. two of everything.. 2 pistons, 2 carbs, 2 brakes. It introduced me to many adventures. The first one was the dreaded parking lot cable. I took off just caught 2nd then.. the steel snake... first the headlight got it..followed by the gauges ..over the bars and into my chest.. the bike continued forward the cable slid up to my lower jaw .. for a moment all I saw was blue sky before gravity took over... as I returned to earth I saw something amber also flutter down. The bike was now do'n the 20000 RPM's..  I rolled over and killed the bike.. my throat was hurting.. reached up with my hand.. pulled it away..Blood !.. visions of sput'n veins entered my mind. (just a bad case of cable rash) Then I hear hysterical laugher... seems I had witnesses.
    Everything that use to stick out on the ride side of the Honda.. didn't anymore.. levers, brakes, turn signals.. the source of the fluttering amber.   
1929 Motobecane, 70' Xs650, 75' Xs650 Police, 50' Alycon (fire) 51' & 52' Terrot (police) 52' Peugeot (M/police), 65 Tri 650, 68' Cb450P (police).70' 450 Ducati, 75' Condor, 71' Ambassador, 62' Cushman, 82' Cx500P trike (police) 06 Helix, 10' Enfield w/sidecar, 42' Harley flattie, 1 wife

Offline grinmaul

  • New Egg
  • *
  • Posts: 45
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #74 on: September 08, 2017, 01:22:33 PM »
First bike i was 12, 1978 Honda cr80, rode it until the rims fell apart. first street bike i was 16, 1980 Yamaha RD400DS, the reason i lust after street 2-strokes to this day, am 50 now.

Offline nyITguy

  • New Egg
  • *
  • Posts: 97
  • Location: Brewster, NY
What was your first bike?
« Reply #75 on: September 08, 2017, 08:18:03 PM »
First bike i was 12, 1978 Honda cr80, rode it until the rims fell apart. first street bike i was 16, 1980 Yamaha RD400DS, the reason i lust after street 2-strokes to this day, am 50 now.

Yep, when you get that two-stroke fever early on, it never really leaves. Love to hear that engine whine, smell the burning oil...

The RD400 was a nice bike. Loved my KH400, but it really took a back seat to the Yamaha.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
« Last Edit: September 08, 2017, 08:20:46 PM by nyITguy »

Offline jas67

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 5439
  • Location: Palmyra, PA
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #76 on: September 08, 2017, 09:11:35 PM »
When officially licensed at 16, I traded up for a Yamaha 180.  In my young mind, I now had a touring model and embarked on a 1000 mile trek from Wisconsin to North Dakota and back.  Had a pair of tornados pass north and south of me just east of Fargo, adding to the teen adventure.

Wow -- that's an epic adventure!    Lifetime memories!
2017 V7III Special
1977 Le Mans
1974 Eldorado
2017 Triumph Thruxton R
2013 Ducati Monster 796, 2013 848 Evo Corse SE, 1974 750GT, 1970 Mk3d 450 Desmo, 1966 Monza 250
1975 Moto Morini 3 1/2
2007 Vespa GTS250
2016 BMW R1200RS, 80 R100S, 76 R90S ,73 R75/5
76 Honda CB400F, 67 305 Super Hawk, 68 CL175

Offline et18

  • Hatchling
  • **
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 157
  • Location: Lebanon, Ohio
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #77 on: September 08, 2017, 09:43:50 PM »
First machine with an engine and two wheels:  RUPP minibike when I was seven. 

First bike with a clutch & shifter:  1980 Yamaha MX100, 2 stroke play bike.  Only brand new bike I've ever owned, bought it at an auction of a local dealer going out of business.

First road bike:  1982 Yamaha Virago 920.  Picked up my student loan check on Thursday, cashed it on Friday and bought the first bike I saw on Saturday.  I still had that bike 7 yrs later when I paid off the student loan.
2014 California Touring
1994 BMW R1100RS
2001 BMW R1200C

Offline Lannis

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • Posts: 26507
  • Location: Central Virginia
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #78 on: September 09, 2017, 07:54:21 AM »
First machine with an engine and two wheels:  RUPP minibike when I was seven. 

First bike with a clutch & shifter:  1980 Yamaha MX100, 2 stroke play bike.  Only brand new bike I've ever owned, bought it at an auction of a local dealer going out of business.

First road bike:  1982 Yamaha Virago 920.  Picked up my student loan check on Thursday, cashed it on Friday and bought the first bike I saw on Saturday.  I still had that bike 7 yrs later when I paid off the student loan.

First bike (actually the first three) were homemade trailbikes made from plans and conversion kits in Popular Science magazine.   Start with a Schwinn bicycle frame and modify it for 8” wheels and a 3 HP Briggs, then a wooden one made out of 2x2 oak ….

First bike with a proper transmission and lights was a Rockford “Chibi”, la -



And my first real road bike was one very similar to the Yamaha 180 twin mentioned a bit ago, a 1971 Yamaha CS-3 200cc electric start twin ….



Didn’t know, back in those days, that this wasn’t a “Touring Bike”!

Lannis
"Hard pounding, this, gentlemen; let's see who pounds the longest".

Offline jas67

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 5439
  • Location: Palmyra, PA
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #79 on: September 09, 2017, 09:21:57 AM »
My first powered two wheeler was a briggs-powered mini bike, can't remember the brand.   I was about 11 or 12.

It looked sort of like this one, but, more beat.


The centrifugal clutch was worn out, so it would barely get going on it's own, and I didn't really didn't think about obtaining a replacement clutch.  Instead, I trade it for a non-running Yamaha DT100.


I got it running, and would push it about a 1/2 miles to a nearby field to ride it.   My parents made me sell it when I got caught riding it on the street.    :sad:

My parents were very anti-motorcycle, so, I got interested in 60's muscle cars instead.

Fast-forward to 2011, at the age of 43, I got my first street bike. a 2009 V7 Classic, and the hook was set:
P9223112 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
P9223118 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
2017 V7III Special
1977 Le Mans
1974 Eldorado
2017 Triumph Thruxton R
2013 Ducati Monster 796, 2013 848 Evo Corse SE, 1974 750GT, 1970 Mk3d 450 Desmo, 1966 Monza 250
1975 Moto Morini 3 1/2
2007 Vespa GTS250
2016 BMW R1200RS, 80 R100S, 76 R90S ,73 R75/5
76 Honda CB400F, 67 305 Super Hawk, 68 CL175

Offline et18

  • Hatchling
  • **
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 157
  • Location: Lebanon, Ohio
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #80 on: September 09, 2017, 10:30:26 AM »

Fast-forward to 2011, at the age of 43, I got my first street bike. a 2009 V7 Classic, and the hook was set:
P9223118 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr

If this were my bike I'd have this picture blown up to the largest size the resolution allows, have it framed and put somewhere I could see it on every winter day.  Great picture of a beautiful bike.
2014 California Touring
1994 BMW R1100RS
2001 BMW R1200C

Offline yogidozer

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 2920
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #81 on: September 17, 2017, 02:00:49 PM »
Hell, how could I have forgotten about the first bike I actually owned, at 17 or so! A Kawasaki KH400, two stoke. It was stolen one night from in front of my house, I was heartbroken.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I bought the exact same bike, 77, paid 8-900? still have that. planned on resurrecting it some day

Offline Muzz

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 7055
  • On the backside of the planet.
  • Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #82 on: September 17, 2017, 04:02:53 PM »
A 1948 Matchless 350. Rigid end. By the time I sold it in the mid 80' it had had at least 3 frames and about 3-4 motors, but still ran the same gearbox! I wish I could say the same for my Guzzi :rolleyes: . It was a bit like granddads old axe :grin:. Lost count of the miles, probably around 200,000 miles. At times it was a love-hate relationship. Range of the final iteration was 600-700 miles on a tank of gas. BIG tank, over 7 imp gallons.
Muzz. Cristchurch, New Zealand
03 Breva

Life is just a bowl of Allbran
Ya wake up in the morning and it's there

Offline nyITguy

  • New Egg
  • *
  • Posts: 97
  • Location: Brewster, NY
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #83 on: September 17, 2017, 05:19:58 PM »
I bought the exact same bike, 77, paid 8-900? still have that. planned on resurrecting it some day

Mine was a '76 I believe, bought in '78. Forget what it cost but it was less than yours, I only know because I'm sure I didn't have that much money.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline yogidozer

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 2920
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #84 on: September 17, 2017, 05:34:13 PM »
Mine was a '76 I believe, bought in '78. Forget what it cost but it was less than yours, I only know because I'm sure I didn't have that much money.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
might have been less, it was showroom, but a left over. long time ago, but a great bike!

Offline Sheepdog

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 5575
  • 2007 Moto Guzzi California Vintage
  • Location: Waldheim, Louisiana. USA
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #85 on: September 17, 2017, 06:52:30 PM »
My first was a '68 Honda CL-70 Scrambler. I had gotten a ride on someone's Motobecane Mobylette the summer before and was hooked. By Christmas, I had gotten a laborer's book (at 14!) and worked refinery shutdowns during Christmas break to buy it. That bike changed my world. Shown below with my friend, Bert aboard in Cura�ao...

« Last Edit: September 17, 2017, 06:59:27 PM by Sheepdog »
"Change is inevitable. Growth is optional." John C. Maxwell

Offline JoeKirby

  • New Egg
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 74
  • Location: SE Ohio
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #86 on: September 17, 2017, 07:04:44 PM »
First real bike was a 1978 Triumph Bonneville, TI40.  Purchased it on 12/3/83 and just sold it 30 mins. ago on 9/17/2017.  Hopefully, it is going to a good home and will get the attention she needs.  Since then have had Honda's, Triumph Sprint, Kawasaki and a Triumph Thruxton.  The Thruxton (1st gen) was my favorite until my V7.
My favorite rides:
1978 Triumph Bonneville
2005 Triumph Thruxton
2007 Triumph Sprint ST
2010 Moto Guzzi V7
2017 Moto Guzzi V9
Beechcraft BE24R

Offline guzzimatic

  • Gosling
  • ***
  • Posts: 227
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #87 on: September 18, 2017, 10:51:03 AM »
First bike after I moved out,parents were anti- motorcycle,was a 1972 Honda XL 250 Motosport! Street legal for a while then stripped all the unnecessary crap and tried to keep up with friends on RM 250 Suzuki's...put a Poweroll 298 big bore kit,was close to fast,absolutely unbreakable! Now I needed a street bike and Norton dropped the price on Commando's 800.00$ so I bought my 1974 850 for 1895.00$ !!! Still have both...
big Jim Walker bikes:'08 Norge,02'DR650,'84LeMans III,,'78 honda cb750k,'78 BMW R100S,'77 Ducati 860GT ES,'77honda XR75, '76 GUZZI convert,'75 850T cafe[project],'75 RD350 yamaha,'74 NORTON commando,'72 750 Norton flattrack replica,'72 250 Rickman-Montesa,'72 XL250 Honda Mosport[first bike

Offline AL NH

  • New Egg
  • *
  • Posts: 31
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #88 on: September 18, 2017, 11:35:14 AM »
1963 Honda Benly 150, new $525. Road it for a year, traded it in for $425 on a New t100sc 500 Triumph.
Still have the t100sc.

Offline Park Ridge Phil

  • Gaggle Mentor
  • ****
  • Posts: 739
  • Location: Chicago area
Re: What was your first bike?
« Reply #89 on: September 19, 2017, 10:15:04 AM »
Brand new 72 450 Honda.


 

20 Ounce Stainless Steel Double Insulated Tumbler
Buy a quality tumbler and support the forum at the same time!
Better than a YETI! BPA and Lead free.
Advertise Here