Remember your 1st new motorcycle ?

[kballowe]

I was 13 years old and this must have been the age on minibikes and such because Honda 70's were everywhere, some 90's  a couple of those QA-50's.  And a host of others.

After some amount of persuasion, my Father gave me permission to buy a brand new Honda SL-100.  I had my own $$$ from mowing lawns, baling hay, etc.

My first ROAD bike was a well worn CB160, but this SL100 was my first.  I had this exact bike.

[Tom]

'68 Suzuki Titan 500.  First big 2 stroke.  Others in the motorcycle industry predicted doom for a large 2 stroke.

[Lannis]

Yamaha CS-3 VIN #CS3105649, never will forget it.  200cc electric start 2-stroke twin.  Would run 70 MPH laying on the tank in calm weather.  Climbing onto it from a homemade trail bike, it felt HUGE and powerful, and I remember my first unlicensed 15 mile ride on it.

Today, even though I'm roughly the same height, arm and leg span etc as I was then, when I straddle one at MidOhio or somewhere, it's astonishing how incredibly tiny it feels, like a small bicycle.   

Lannis

[Johncolleary]

1974 RD 350 and same year 1074 KX125.   

[nick949]

Never had a new motorbike. Never will.

Nick

[JJ]

Age 17...1971 Yamaha RT1-B 360cc big bore, two-stroke Enduro...MSRP of about $995, as I recall...

Put $200 down, and my Dad cosigned a loan for the balance.  I washed dishes for 2 years back then at a local restaurant on weekends to pay it off...but it was worth it!

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

At the tender age of 10, my father bought my brother and I a like-new new Honda Z50 Mini-Trail, with the understanding that we make the payments with our paper route, lawn mowing, snow shoveling, etc. money.

It wasn't until 1986 that I bought my first new motorcycle - a red Le Mans 1000, from Snavely Services in Gaithersburg. That was followed in '88 by a leftover '86 Moto Morini 350 K2 from Fred Heistand Motors in Manheim, PA, and in '92 by a leftover '89 Mille GT also from Snavely's. Nothing but used since.

[Shorty]

First NEW motorcycle was an early 90s 883 Hugger. I bravely rode it 600 miles before selling it back to the dealer. 

[twowheeladdict]

My first new bike was a leftover 1985 Honda Shadow 700.  I loved that bike and said I would keep it for 20 years.  I got totaled while sitting still one year later.
My next new bike wasn't until I bought the 2007 Ninja 650 and the only reason I bought it new was because I was the top bidder on a used one on ebay and the dealer sold it out from under me without posting on eBay that it was also advertised locally, so he made me a screaming deal on a new one.
I lean towards buying used bikes because of all the crazy dealer fees (pure profit) that many dealers charge.

[Wildroamer]

My first new bike was my '06 Sv650. I loved that bike!

[Kiwi_Roy]

Thats easy
My V7 Special just 18 month ago


My first motorized transport was a BSA Winged Wheel about 1960, this consisted of a 35cc two stroke fitted into the rear wheel.
These were sold as a kitset to add to your bike. After pedaling everywhere I was in heaven, I could now travel everywhere at 30 MPH.
The unit was almost new well made and ran very well apart from whiskering up the plug on a regular basis.
Mine was a 2 speed version it had a real gearbox c/w dry clutch, it would take on a reasonable hill in 2nd and unstoppable in first.

The next bike was a 600cc side valve single Ariel VB, quite a leap in capacity.

[Lannis]

Age 17...1971 Yamaha RT1-B 360cc big bore, two-stroke Enduro...MSRP of about $995, as I recall...

Put $200 down, and my Dad cosigned a loan for the balance.  I washed dishes for 2 years back then at a local restaurant on weekends to pay it off...but it was worth it!

When I was into Yamahas and also into stripped-down basic simplicity around that time, I dreamed of getting hold of a new one of those, putting street tires and bars on it, lowering the front suspension, and making a really basic streetfighter out of it.

I never did it.   Probably a good thing, because I'd probably have been severely disappointed.   I had a brand new 1973 CT-3 175 just like that, but I don't think it scaled up very well to a 360 .... !

Lannis

[Gliderjohn]

Been a regular rider since 1979. I have only owned three bikes and the only new one of the three was my 2011 Norge.
GliderJohn

[Guzzistajohn]

 Bultaco Sherpa T 350 only bike with it's own emogee

[80CX100]

     I've always bought used, but in 1979, I bought 2 new bikes that year; in hindsight from the same dealer, who's lack of mechanical prowess prompted my purchases,lol.

     I'd just had a tune up done on my Kawi KZ900, something wasn't right with the valve adjustment and it clattered all the way on a trip to Toronto; I never had confidence in the bike after that. Traded the Kawi in on a new left over '78 Yamaha XS1100, fully dressed and lots of smooth powerful torque 

      The same shop was having trouble tracing an electrical short in the coils on my Yamaha RD400, I picked it up and took it for a spirited test ride on the old Richmond Rd, had it wound out pretty good just snicking it into top gear 6th? hard on the throttle when I burn a hole in a piston, thankfully I was on the clutch quick, got stopped with no drama; the bike was still under some type of warranty, and I got a partial credit trading it in on a brand new 1978 Yamaha IT400.

       The IT400 was a relatively rare bike in Canada, it took a long time to get delivered to me, finally got it in January.

       I loved that bike, I later lowered the gearing down to a 13 T front sprocket but that first winter with the stock 15T sprocket, I raced that bike with fresh knobbies up and down all the back dirt roads I could find, 75-80 mph it wasn't even working hard. I had to fatten up the jetting quite a bit for the freezing cold temps, I was always afraid of seizing it, but that bike was a solid beast, it never complained.

       With a 5.10 Metzler knobbie and a 13T ft sprocket, that thing could climb walls. 

      I've always bought used, the thing I remember about the new IT400 was the smell of it breaking in,,, between the crappy flat black exhaust paint and the synthetic 2 stroke oil I was using, very unique odour,,, that was the only time I ever experienced the new bike smell as it burned the new shine off. 

      Kelly

[Canuck750]

I have only bought a new bike twice; 1984 CanAm 200 enduro and more recently a 2015 KLR 650. I like used bikes, preferably in pieces and not running as cheap as possible 😁

[cookiemech]

First new one was a 1979 Bonneville, bought as a new leftover in 1981. What a piece of junk (in hindsight)! I'm sure that today, with my current mechanical knowledge and the Internet, I could have corrected its many faults. I recall kicking it 40 times one chilly, rainy day after work before it started. But I did put nearly 11K miles on it in six months, before (wisely) trading it on a 1981 Bonneville (wish I had kept that one). The 1981 was beautiful and rare, and a much better machine.





Not mine, but identical in every way.

[m13]

Mine a 1973 Eldorado. looks like november 72 still has dealer tag

[Chuck in Indiana]

[old head]

1978 Honda 400.  Rode it for 2 years and sold it for more than I paid for it when it was new.
the only issue was failed ignition module that I remember and weeping head gasket,  Once replaced under warranty, it was always damp, not a lot, but always damp.

[sdcr]

My first new motorcycle, was a 1978 black Yamaha SR500. Bought it as a leftover, as dealers couldn’t give them away, and the price fit my $118. Weekly salary. I think it was $1300. OTD. Fun machine, and taught me how to start a warm big single.




download instagram pictures online

[larrys]

First and only new bike was my 1983 SP 1000. Saw that red and white beauty on the cover of Rider magazine and had to have it. Kept it for 19 years and 70K miles.
Larry

[steven c]

 You never forget your first. 75 Suzuki GT380 I bought as a leftover in 76, for I think $1100 and they threw in a metallic  blue Buco helmet which was just horrible, it lifted at highway speeds which was 55 back then and choked you. I bought it because it was cheaper then a CB400 which I really wanted or the RD350.Plus I worked across the street from New England Cycle Sales in West Harford CT, who where also a Guzzi dealer . My parents where not happy.It got lousy mpg around 35, ground everything in the corners but was so smooth running.I put 10k on it in year just riding around CT,gave my car to my sister for the summer since I never drove it. I sold it a year later and bought an XS650 not so smooth running but got great mpg. I kind of would like to own one again just to see how good our bad it really was.

[timonbik]

Rode my Honda CB 175 to Hamilton to look at a HD 350 Aermacchi.  While at the dealership they had left over Suzuki 750 Water Buffalo's for $1000.  I was young and such a big bike seem unreal.  On the way home stopped in at another dealer and bought a new 1973 Kawasaki S1 250 for almost the same money as that Suzuki.  If I had only known,

[Aaron D.]

V7 Sport. Traded my Metralla, which is the bike I felt I got rid of too soon.

So I just bought another one.

[guzzisteve]

Bought a Bridgestone 90 in a box & restored it summer of 70, got hit head on and trashed me & bike. Insurance $ got me a new Sachs 125 Enduro, just like this one========

https://www.bike-urious.com/restored-1969-sachs-k-125gs-boondocker/

[RinkRat II]

      1974 Kawasaki KX 125. Don Weeks Kawasaki, Phoenix AZ. Free Jersey, MS Kidney belt and Glove promotion. $1100.00 out the door, easy monthly payments

                     



        Paul B

[Joliet Jim]

78 Bonneville
New from Midwest Triumph in Chicago

[LongRanger]

Turned 18 and bought a new ‘78 CB750F2 SuperSport and a Bell Star 120 helmet. Left the Honda dealer and rode directly to the DMV, passed the written exam, went outside and demonstrated my ability to accelerate, swerve, and brake under the watchful eye of the examiner, and that was that.

[MAC]

'93 Suzuki GSX1100G