What if my first bike had been... ?

[motogoro]

Every once in a great while I wonder what turn my 2 wheeled life would have taken had I bought a Ducati or Guzzi instead of a Harley. 
What usually triggers this is a pic of a Darmah SD 900.
I bought my first helmet for my first trip to a helmet law state at the Ducati/Guzzi dealer up the street from where I lived.  The shop seemed so "foreign".
It took a decade and a half to come around to a Guzzi Cali.  And another half decade, or so, to really learn how to ride "properly" 
While I'll never have that Darmah, I do know a T, T3 or G5 are great "back in time" vehicles  Even a brand new V7 850 Special 
 

[Chuck in Indiana]

I had a Darmah..I think it must have been assembled with floor sweepings after they stopped building them. Sounded wonderful with Contis when it ran.. 

[John A]

I had a 1957 Triumph TR6. It was in a non running condition. Pretty well worn out. It was a learning experience.
I spent a lot of time in the basement with it but sold it before I got it running.

[faffi]

We were limited to 100cc and 7 hp and 50 mph when I started riding at the age of 16 in 1980. From the age of 18, one could ride unlimited bikes back then. You needed a license to ride either, and you had to make a new test to go to the bigger bikes at 18. Now, the training is a lot more extensive, and the limits are 16 (125cc / 15 hp), 18 (up to 48 hp) and 21 (if you have at least two years on a 48hp (or less) bike or 24 if you have no license from before. Or at least that was the regulations when I last checket.

What I lusted after, was the Guzzi 125 twin when I was 16, but it was not legal for me. Another lust was the Honda CB125T2, but also off limit. I do not believe I was mature enough back then to ride a 15 hp bike, just like I was not mature enough to ride a 50 hp bike at the age of 18. I totaled the bike, a CX500, after just 3 months. And if I had been a vehicle, I would have been written off as well, what with all the damage. Sadly, I learned nothing from that, and have continued through a number of heavy crashes and injuries. Put differently, if I could have bought one of the current 125cc sport bikes at the age of 16, there is a very real risk that I had not been here typing today, but instead resting 6 feet under.

If we talk big bikes, and look past the tiddlers, what if I could afford one of my big lusts, a CBX or a CB1100R? See above.

And what if I had started on a V7 700, a bike I dreamed about when I first saw and ad at the age of around 13? I would have absolutely hated it. My brother had (and still have) a 1971 V7, and I may not be riding today if that was the only choice of motorized two-wheelers. Apart from the looks, I found absolutely nothing to like.

[cliffrod]

the first motorcycle that I owned was a Hejaz Shriners bedazzled Honda CA160 Dream when I was maybe 14.  Static art, stuck engine, think we traded a bull calf (worth $5-$10 at stock yard) for it.  It was fun thinking about riding more than my bmx bike.  The 1977 Suzuki GT500 that quickly joined it ran shortly before I got it but had a wiring harness sufficiently destroyed that riding it never happened.  My parents didn’t want me on a bike (mom) or to have a bike running near the cows(dad)… so having dead bikes was a trade-off. 

fast forward past a few years of doing cars, I swung back to bikes.  after learning to ride on my mint 1965 Sebring 350 Ducati, the first tagged & legal road bike was my V7 Sport.  It was also my first serious build/rebuild.  It wasn’t an intentional plan or goal.  It was just what I found along the way and made the most sense to build.   It sure wasn’t cheap to build.  But I’m glad I did it and am lucky to still have it. 

The thing is, You can’t go back.  Don’t worry about it.  Keep moving forward while you still can. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

  Keep moving forward while you still can. 

Words to live by..

[guzzisteve]

+1 on moving forward. I started on a Cushman, then Bridgestone 90 I bought in a wood box. Restored it to be hit by a car in 70. Then a Sachs 125 Enduro, Got a Suz 750 Water Buffalo in 74 to go to Osark Music Fest in Sadalia, Mo, then a 71 Triumph Bonnie i toured on. Being sick of tuning all the time got a 850T so I could tune every 5K mi in 76. That was it, all Guzzi's since cept for a 350 Duc Desmo.

[Ncdan]

I cut my teeth on a 1965 Honda CL90 back in 1967 at the age of 14. Been moving forward ever since, at 71.
The little Honda was a good choice at the time.

[Turin]

I started out on a '75 T3 with a salvage title. It was my main transportation for 13 years. A car took us out in 2004. I replaced it with an 850T that I sportified.

[guzziart]

I cut my teeth on a 1965 Honda CL90 back in 1967 at the age of 14. Been moving forward ever since, at 71.
The little Honda was a good choice at the time.

Yeah, basket case 1965 Yammie YA6 in '69 when I was 16 here, great choice and tremendous learning experience for me....still moving forward.

[ScepticalScotty]

In 1985 I had a choice for my first ever road bike between a SRX250 brand new vs a second hand GSX250S that was less than 1/3 of the price. I really loved the look and feel of the SRX, but as a student with limited money I would have had to take a loan, and didn't want to do that. So I bought the GSX.....big mistake. It had a bent frame that made it wobble like mad in bends and completely destroyed my confidence by the time I realised it it wasn't me. I didn't get back on the road until 10 years later. 10 years of fun and adventures missed out on. 

[twowheeladdict]

If my first bike had been a Harley, or Ducati I'd probably be dead at a young age for different reasons.

I grew up riding neighbors mini bikes, then trail bikes, then dirt bikes because my parents (Mom) was afraid I would kill myself.

Right after high school I moved to Daytona Beach Florida and saved up for my first bike.  As I was saving I started looking in the classifieds for sale by owner.  It never even entered my mind to go to a motorcycle dealer. 

Test rode a Honda Dream that didn't handle very well.  Test rode a Kawasaki 175 enduro that I liked but would have probably got me arrested for riding it anywhere and everywhere like I did my bicycles.  As I kept saving money I kept looking at more expensive bikes.  Then one of my friends let me ride his GS750 because he was trying to convince me that anything less would be quickly outgrown. 

That is how I ended up with the four year old Yamaha XS750 with every touring option available for my first motorcycle.  It actually came to me instead of me finding it.  A cousin of a a friend made me an offer I couldn't refuse.  Having lockable luggage made it the perfect commuter bike and the  touring frame mounted faring made it a year round ride so I barely drove a car for years. 

Never took out a loan for a motorcycle until I was in my late 40s where my money was making more than the interest on loans.