1977, my dad brought home a 74 RD350.
I was 5 years old. Him and I went everywhere on that bike.
I sat on the gas tank between his legs and I'd pretend I was the one piloting that bike. So yeah, I was five years old when the bikes got in my blood.
What's your story?
My dad told me I asked to get ride on his bike one day (a Kawasaki H2). Too young/small to sit on the passenger seat. He used a bungie cord and I sat on the tank. I told him I wanted to go fast. Off we went. Lifting the front and blasting down the street. Once back he said I had a strange look on my face. Between shot at and missed and thrilled. He said I told him "Daddy, I wanted to go fast....But not that fast."
1) My brother had a Honda Trail 70. I thought it was awesome. Sadly, instead of selling it to me when he left home he brought it to Phoenix and sold it. This was back in '79.
2) I had a mini-bike with a brings and stratton 3HP engine. I can still hear the ringing of the centrifugal clutch.
3) My dad's midlife crisis was to buy a 1981 Suzuki GS650E. I later bought it from him and rode it from Connecticut to California.
4) Item 3) opened the door for me to get a 1981 Suzuki GN400, which I still have and ride.
It was snowmobiles before bikes for me (since before I can remember). That's where I learned I like to go fast and far. My first sled was an 89 Phazer. The first time I realized I could do the same thing on a bike was the family TW200. Okay, maybe it wasn't fast and I didn't go far but that's what planted the seed. It was never titled so I never got to take it on the road.
First ride was chopper my older brothers made. With a huge 10 hp wisconsin industrial motor my dad hab brought home from work. Had no clutch direct chain drive. Put it up on a block of wood start it. Gas it and push it off the block. Ride it to the other end of our 3/4 mile driveway. And kill the engine with the ground to the spark plug. Or get shocked trying and crash. Turn it around put it on a block we had at the other end of the driveway. And start again. Pants long sleeve shirt. Helmet what the hell was that. I was in first or second grade.
Wow can't believe I survived my childhood.
First motorcycle I ever owned myself. Was an 86 fj1200. Bought new in 86. Second one sold in Wisconsin. 14000 miles 2 1/2 months. Totaled it out when another guy crashed a cb1100, I think.
Crashed in front of me. Somewhere around 135 mph.
Second bike 87 fzr1000. Never looked back. Been hopping up. And crashing good bikes ever since.
Quote from: giantkiller on October 11, 2022, 10:51:47 PM
And crashing good bikes ever since.
Dan, have you broken more bikes than bones? Or would it be the other way around? Breaking a bone a second time counts, considering it healed.
The first ride on a bike would've been in the early 60's I was about 4 or 5 yrs old and the brother a year older. The old man had an old AJS at the time and he'd put me on the tank between his legs and the brother sat on the back, no helmets back then because they weren't a thing, still remember parts of that ride even now.
The first time I ever rode a bike on my own I was around 10yrs old, an uncle had an old 500cc army BSA that had broken girder forks sitting in a shed covered in hay, the old man asked if he could have it and was told yes so dragged it home welded the forks up and got it running.
He'd take it to a nearby park get it started and sit us on it and gives us a rundown on the throttle clutch and gears, first few goes weren't real good but after time we'd sit there with throttle wide open and drop the clutch leaving a big rooster tail of dirt and grass behind us, ended up eventually burning the clutch out and once the uncle found out it was running wanted it back.
It was about 1960, + or - a year or two. The teenager who lived behind us had a WWII harley. It had those squared off jeep tires on it, you know, the ones that were also used on jeeps in the war. It only had a solo tractor type saddle so I sat on the metal frame behind him. I have no idea how he made that thing work or turn but it was scary fast to a 10 yo kid.
Started with Taco 22 mini bikes for me. 40mph, no helmet, in shorts and t shirts, what could go wrong? ATGATT
(https://oldminibikes.com/forum/index.php?media/1969-taco-22.92728/full)
Quote from: FJmonkey on October 12, 2022, 12:16:14 AM
Quote from: giantkiller on October 11, 2022, 10:51:47 PM
And crashing good bikes ever since.
Dan, have you broken more bikes than bones? Or would it be the other way around? Breaking a bone a second time counts, considering it healed.
No. Usually fixed the bikes after crashing them. Making them faster more powerful. Only totaled 2 of them. (Also totaled 2atvs bought them back from insurance. Had frames straightened. Made them better, stronger, faster). I currently have broken 38 bones. Shooting for 40. I tend to fall short of my goals. So I should be Safe...oh yah I also have 47 pieces of metal in me. Shootin for 50.
Quote from: Pat Conlon on October 12, 2022, 10:08:39 AM
Started with Taco 22 mini bikes for me. 40mph, no helmet, in shorts and t shirts, what could go wrong? ATGATT
(https://oldminibikes.com/forum/index.php?media/1969-taco-22.92728/full)
I had a mini bike kinda like that. Suspension was a spring between the neck of the frame and the triple. Lived in Booneville Indiana. At the time. Could ride from house to the abandoned strip mines. Figured out how to override the governer. Blew up the stock motor in a short time..put a 5 horse motor in it. Lol.
My stepfather had a chopped Honda and rode with a motorcycle "club"
My first was a Honda CL100 stripped down as a wannabe dirt bike when I was 13. Followed by a CB450 Honda when I was 14 - back then in Alabama you could get a "motor driven cycle" license at 14 (only allowed up to 180cc's, but what's an extra 270 cc's amongst friends?!)
Then traded my first car for a new left over 1982 Yamaha 650 Seca when I was 17 (year was 1985). This bike also gave me my first dose of moditis!
Then came the FJ1200 "rolling electrical basket case" in 2000. And moditis has been nearly terminal ever since!
My first was a mini bike called a Fox with 4hp tecumseh that had a nice header on it around 1977. Young an stupid led to its
demise but still have the bones of it. My second ride was when I stole my asshole brother's 1979 honda 185 Twinstar. I remember
dumping the clutch in the gravel section that changed to pavement several times. I thought I was the man. My brother being 3 years
older was a total dick to me growing up. 3rd ride was when my brother and father swapped bikes and I was able to sneak out and
old honda 550 super sport or 500 super 4 on the side cover not sure of year. It had a big wind jammer on the front and at wide open
throttle it would jump from 100 to 110 mph on the speedo and sounded fantastic. Picked up my buddy to take him for a ride and
being so green I whipped out to pass a car and suddenly I was in a corner leaning with pal on the back and running out of road.
I went off the road as corner ended and hit fine gravel and the bars danced from lock to lock and I pushed on the bars hard as I
could while letting out a scream and she did not go down. I pulled over shaking and was very rattled. 4th was a 1986 Can-am 250
MX6. I still find it hard to respect motorcycle horse power and I have broken several bones, nothing like Giant Killer but I think we
both suffer from the same disease.
Correction -1980 Can-am 250
MX6. My fj is 86. I still have the MX6. Left side kick with rotery valve
carb is mounted down on left hand side bellow the cyl. Trying to keep
the facts straight. Talk about scary.