Your first Motorcycle???

T

Tima hijacked by yahoo

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I had dirt bikes, 3 wheelers and mopeds when I was young. My first real street bike was a 1984 Honda Magna 750. It was slow and heavy but I learned the ways of the road with that bike.
 
The 1st bike I road was in 1969. It was a mini bike with a 4 hp B&S. I am #5 of 8 kids, so we took turns.
In 71 Dad brought home a old HD 65cc with a 3 speed shifter on the bars. The older kids got a 125 Moto Betta, I was on it in about 74.

In 78, with my oun $$ from working at the Ducati, Guzzi shop sweeping all year. I bought a 73 Yamaha 175 Endero. What a POS! I hated it. It cot on fire and burnd to the ground. Thats the shits for a 15 year old to take. My oldest bro felt bad for me and sold me his 1965 Ducati 250 for cheap when he joined the Navy. So my love story started.
 
This is exactly like my first motorcycle right down to the blue color. Honda CB160. 16.5 HP, $700 brand new. I put 5600 miles on it in the summer of 1967. The following year I traded up to its big brother, the mighty Honda 305 Superhawk (28.5 HP) There followed a progression of several more bikes, 1970 kawasaki H1 , 1973 Norton Commando Interstate(still have), 1970 BSA 441 Shooting Star (still have in a box), 1985 BMW K100 (Still have). 1978 Triumph 750, 1998 Honda VTR1000, 1996 Ducati 900CR(still have) , 2001 Honda RC51, 2007 Ducati 1098S Tricolore (still have).
 
Showing my age here.
I was 14 carrying newspapers to pay for my new 1962 Black Ducati "125c" Bronco. Gutted the muffler (then got a megaphone), chromed the fenders, pegs, brake arm and kickstand. Even had ape hangars on it for a lil while with the everyone 's got them titty griops....rothfl. It would do 65 mph only if one had at least a mile long high mountain to come off of. Sold it and bought a little used 4 speed "250" Ducati Scrambler the same year (loved that bike).

Ducati from day one!
 
Grew up in a family that was terrified of motorcycles, my Grandmother handed down a beater car to get to university but on condition that I never rode a motorcycle. Once out in the workforce a buddy got a 70's kawi 200 that I tried. I loved it and the next week he hooked me up with a deal for an 84 Yamaha Maxim. Loved that bike, rode it unlicensed for a few years then got a Honda Sabre that I hated so much I gave up motorcycling. In 01 I had a really good year and loved the look of the half faired SS that I took a gamble and bought one. Every day since I've been hooked. Here's a picture of me about a year after I got the Yamaha.
 
That's one fine head of hair you got/had there Raptuous (he says jealously).

Can't help myself here - "I can't believe it's not butter!!"
 
It's funny that most the "first bikes" were made before I was born

Mine was an '02 Honda F4i. Was so excited to get a bike that I actually bought it from a car dealership for about $3k more than I should have. Still have it. It's the wife's bike now. Nothing else really special about it.
 
I had ridden my dad's Yamaha Radian a fair bit after I was able to drive, but the first bike I could actually claim as mine was a 2005 Kawasaki ZX-6R.



She was a lot of fun, but she left me about a week ago in order to allow me to buy the 1198 that I'm waiting to take delivery of.
 
It amazing how by looking at first bikes here one can see how the world has changed in thoughts and what is availeable to new riders.

In 1961 a 5hp bike was pretty much King in the neighberhood for the 14 to 18 year olds w/o a real job.

Looking through my eyes its just unbelieavble most folks first bikes now days has at least 70 to 100 hp. Younger riders (not picking on them) have no idea the pain, the struggle or the long time longing for just 2 more hp on the old bikes by buying pistons, carbs, cams, etc., and working more hours than actual riding time for that quest.

Take my word for it from a old fart....in the motorcycle world and what any manufacture makes these days and is availeable is a blessing not to be taken lightly.

This very well could be the muscle car or Golden age for bikes....it may never come around again....enjoy it to the fullest as I did in the sixties on the muscle car scene. At that time about the most hp on a bike was probably around 50.... Either Harley, Triumph, BSA, Norton or the first 4 cyl Honda in '69. Glad to say I was at Daytona that year and watch Dick Mann make that first win on it. Owners of all the other brands were stunned...it was a new beginning to where w are today.
 
My first bike was a '99 GSXR 600. Rode a few dirt bikes before, and a R6, but as some have said, not as cool as some of the older bikes.

InfiniteKingdome - I have to agree, over half the bikes mentioned were before I was even thought of.
 
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