Your first bike.

[Jackrat]

What was it and how do you remember it?
Mine was a 90cc Yamaha.
The best thing about it was that it was a bike and it had brakes that worked,plus it was faster than my mates Suzuki 50.
I learnt how to ride on my dads BSA D7 and honda cub in our back yard.
The D7 looked like a motorbike but the lack of brakes had me in the hedge on a regular basis,The honda had good brakes but it wasn't really a motorbike.
My little Yamaha was a Y something and was the best thing since sliced bread.Brakes and a gas tank you didn't sit on.
Does it get any better than that?? :D

[Marknz]

Mine was a Suzuki ER185 bought from some place on Barry's Point Road (Cyclespot I think) in the late 80's. Good reliable little punter that I learnt to ride on and only dropped once at the wet round about on the north side of Mt Victoria.

Nothing startlingly good about it, but it was my first... and we all remember our first don't we fella's :yeah: . Oh yea, and the girls do too I'm sure :love:

[MacD]

First bike was a Honda MT125 trail bike in 1977. Being a two-stroke it had the usual short-sharp power-band that you'd expect, but it couldn't keep up with my mate's MT250 of course.

First thing I did was remove the large and very dangerous looking tail light assembly and replace it with something less likely to remove important parts of my anatomy! I still have the replacement tail-light sitting in the back room (never throw anything away....)

Drum brakes at both ends which I found out could lock both wheels! It was shod with dual-purpose tyres that didn't handle off-road or on-road very well! Due to a combination of my inexperience and the tyres I wound up lying under the bike in the middle of the intersection of Khyber Pass and Park Roads one day - just as well there wasn't as much traffic around in those days :eek5:

However it was great fun to learn on, but after about a year I moved on to a very cool bike, a Yamaha RD350... :cool:

[Hitcher]

Mine was (is-ish) a Yamaha FZX250 Zeal. But that's old news. (It's for sale to a good home -- follow the bike trader link in the home page banner)

Just got back home after taking it for a quick fang to Waikanae and back to meet its grandparents. Hah! 250s ROCK!! The Zrex is a great ride but there's nothing quite like ringing the neck of a 250 through Easter weekend tailback to restore your faith in whatever it was you thought you had lost faith in... Great sweet spot at 8,500rpm! Still buzzing!!

[Indiana_Jones]

My FXR150 :laugh:

-Indy

[moko]

Honda CB200,brilliant machine.Totally clueless when I first bought it,fell off it all the time,it was totally re-built twice.It suffered from ham-fisted servicing,normally zero servicing.I totally abused the thing in every way and it never missed a beat in 32000 miles and 2 years of flat-out destruction testing,think that`s about 65,000 k`s or so.Guy that bought it spent a weekend stripping it down to clean it and it came up like new and he had it for another 3 years before trading it in.They had a cable-operated front disc and a piece of plastic that ran the length of the top of the tank for some obscure reason.

[dangerous]

When I was 14 two weeks before I got my licence at 15 I brought my first, to my step fathers discust...... cos it had no kick starter, 'SO WHAT' it was a Yamaha G5 an 80cc two stroke....you know the sort, blue with crome sides with a rubber pad to rest ya knees on.
Any one know what year that would have been?

And I have never looked back and ridden continusly since for 21yrs :rockon:

[James Deuce]

'81 Kawasaki CSR250.

Cable operated front drum brake, but otherwise similar to a Suzuki GN 250 - except for 50% more horsepower. When I bought it the tank was dented, but I got that repaired. The chrome was rusty as, but soapy water and steel wool fixed that.

It had concrete tyres, was easy to service (actually did plugs, oil, and filters myself twice in 6 months.), and when I took it in to get the fork seals and rear wheel bearing replaced, one of the GN250s I'd beaten in a stop light derby turned out to be ridden at the time by the mechanic doing the service - got a 50% discount. :)

[FROSTY]

First bike was a honda c50 when i was 10 years old. Stripped down to bare frame,engine wheels and a seat.It was great fun riding round the back yard and was totally unkillable

[dangerous]

Honda CB200,brilliant machine.

Dude..... and dident they sound like the mutts nuts with :buggerd: pipes :whistle: My CB was a CB125 then a CB250T and then V2's from there on in with the odd V4 :D

[Kickaha]

Mine was a 1972 Suzuki GT550J and it knocked up quite a few km's running Cheviot to Christchurch,it was nice to ride for its age,at one stage between me and my friend we had three of them plus some Kawasaki triples as well..

I know 3 into 1 exhausts aren't the best for 2 strokes but it sounded so good!

Fell off it a couple of time due to my own stupidity,but without doing any major damage and ended up selling it in a pile of bits after I pulled it apart to tidy it up and then lost interest in it when I bought another bike.

[boris]

a Deltex rock hopper. No gears ,Victor engin,it wasn't mine i had older bros and it was theirs too i was about seven.My 1st bike with gears was a 1952 D1 BSA batam got it with paper round money at about 14 years old.It had been used as a pig farming bike, it had a huge rear sprocket.When it was made road legal I sat my licence on it.when i got a job (Mico/wakefield in wgtn) I got a Yamaha Rz250r brand new from greg brinks in paraparaumu.

[Al]

Started with a Condor 100cc "scrambler", then on the road with a Suzuki FS50..... After that, plenty!
:scooter:

[Lord Pac]

YZ1F 80 1973 blue- my first bike in the 80's. then a rd350 and then few more road/mx bikes after that :)

[Racey Rider]

First one I owned? Had riden lots of farm bikes before, but the first owned was a 1980? RM125. First of the water cooler's. Great for getting the cows in for milking in a hurry. The cows would think WHAT THE * IS THAT! and run all the way to the shed. When I wanted to sell it, some young chap from the city came out to buy it. Took it for a test ride putting around in a paddock flat. Came back and said "It goes pretty well". I had to say, " You haven't even got it into the powerband yet!" This is how you ride a RM! Followed by a demo by the most skillful rider he'ld ever seen in his life, my sure. :gob:
First road bike was a RZ250. Main memory was pulling out of a petrol station between Cambridge and Rotoroa in front of some hoones in a ute. Had enough room if they haddn't been speeding, but they were right on my back wheel, where they stayed, pushing me to go faster for ages. With a full tank of gas and a ageing RZ, I didn't have the power to get away from them till we court up with some other cars which slowed them down. :moon:

[MikeL]

Anyone heard of a Miyapet?
:no:
I think I had the only one in the country.

[6Chris6]

My first bike was a suzuki ts100er (in England).
Stripped down (as probably stolen) for the fields.
Got away from our :Police: brothers twice on that bike and caught once with a mere slap on the hand (was 14) BTW the only reason i got away is i'd always ride through apple orchards and knew them like the back of my hand :laugh:

[magnum]

mine was a 1980 honda xr200.i was 15 and paid $800 cash privately from my own savings,learnt to ride on back roads and firebreaks[and fall off occationaly].at the time it was a good little bike and never gave me any trouble.have since owned a xr250rb,gs650g,gsxr750h,rz350,xt600 and current zx6r.

[wkid_one]

My first bike of note was a Red Line Series 5. Went as fast as you could pedal the fucker - wicked over the table top to. My back up bike was a Mongoose - didn't like that as much - coz the Red Line had the 'cool factor'.

From there I went to shitty old bikes until the Mountain Bike phase kicked off. I had a Diamond Back, then on to GT RTS.

From there I went on to my Bandit 250.

[Cajun]

First bike not counting the countless scooters i have owned was an 89 kr-1s that me and a mate rebuild two wreaked bikes make one good bike, had that for about a year sold moved and didn't have anything until i stumbed across a zzr250 at a dirt cheap price, nz new, so brought it, had it for years, taught many a people to learn to ride on that bike

[Two Smoker]

My first bike of note was a Red Line Series 5. Went as fast as you could pedal the fucker - wicked over the table top to. My back up bike was a Mongoose - didn't like that as much - coz the Red Line had the 'cool factor'.

From there I went to shitty old bikes until the Mountain Bike phase kicked off. I had a Diamond Back, then on to GT RTS.

From there I went on to my Bandit 250.
Bahahahahahaha :laugh: :lol: , legend :niceone: shit i still remember my first bike:eek5: a Dirt Squirt BMX that was purple and black:eek5:

As for the first motorbike well its my current one in the avatar picture (note that is my racing fairing not my road one.....)

[shafty]

Mine was a Suzy GT125, complete with Ram Air Cooling and front disc brake - WOW!! Immac condition and only $650, it traverssed tha Kaimai's successfully in pursuit of uni parties and provided that first 'freedom' of 2 wheels admirably!! I recall lying on the tank in an attempt to hold 100 k/hr on the open road from Hamilton to Tauranga and a guy on a H2 Kawasaki 750 cruised alongside and lay on his tank in encoragement!! lol - til he blasted away in a cloud of smoke.............

[Motoracer]

My first set of 2 wheels with an engine. A Suzuki FZ50!

At the age of 14, saving up for it with a paper delivery job was so worth it! :love:

[claire]

My first bike was a K1 Suzuki GZ250. A red one at that - someone told me red is faster. NOT. I thought I wanted to do the Cruiser thing (sportsbikes looked downright scary) turns out I didn't!! Rode the GZ for about 4 months till I had had enough of everyone having to wait for me at the next stop and bought my Thundercat and haven't looked back.

I found out that sportsbikes aren't scary just some of the people riding them are!!!

[scumdog]

Phillips Gadabout - had to pedal like hell to get it going, hit hedges to stop it, 'nuff said!!!! :bleh:

[sAsLEX]

Had an XR250 for a year but needed a road bike so got my current CBR250RR

[Posh Tourer :P]

MZ ETZ 250.... tallish and not very powerful, 2 stroke 250 single.... but very easily fixed and almost indestructible. Electrics were a bit dodgy, but we sorted that out eventually.... Put a 400-18 on the rear, and managed to spin that up twice on wet roads (I wasnt trying to...) Got me to the coromandel and back in relative comfort too.... Good bike, but it was asking for a rebuild, so we swapped it for the CB125T

[Grumpy]

My first was a Suzuki TS185ER. Thought it was the bees knees when I first got it.
Wasn't until a mate and myself decided to take a ride from Auckland to Rotovegas one Easter, me on my TS and him on his DT175 Yamaha, that I got a yearning for something a little more road worthy, so along came a GS450S. :spudbooge

[slob]

The first bike I rode was an old 100cc Yamaha that my dad had in the corner of the garage. Moved on to Dad's indian-made "hero honda" CD100 (without his permission at first..) and had my first spill on that too (100m down the road from home).

First bike I owned was an '87 Suzuki GN125 in special metallic red paint. I used it for commuting to uni. Loved it and shined and polished it religiously. Still see it on the road every now and then.

[madandy]

Rode friends dirt bikes from age of 4 untill I got my license...SR250 was my first bike @ 15yrs.GS650 Katana was 2nd @ 19yrs...lost license! :brick:

[matthewt]

My first bike was a suzy GT185 with a stuffed motor. Dad rebuilt the motor at home and got it running quite nicely. Lost the screws holding the baffles in one of the mufflers so every now and then when I kick started it a baffle would fly out the back about 5 meters. Eventually the bike got stolen from the supermarket I was working at after school.

[DEATH_INC.]

Mine was a 1982 YZ125j....with the rad on the forks....bit dodgy handling but had the engine from hell......
First roadbike:Kawasaki ZX750turbo :eek: .....

[speedpro]

'74(?) RD350. 6V points ignition and you needed to take the air filter out if you were going over the Desert Rd or it got real painful. All I can say is thank god for modern electronics. Went like a cut cat(relatively) when everything was sweet.

[SPman]

Mine was a brand new yamaha YL1 - 100 cc Twin cyl. 2 stroke. Got it from Whites in Newmarket and rode it for a month, commuting to town from Browns Bay, before I went and got my (full) license! Faster than me mates 150 Suzuki's - got it up to 70mph! Also my first (unintentional) wheelie. Cost £98/10/-

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1572&stc=1

[Devil]

First Bike: Kawasaki ZR250 Balius, as of 3 days ago ;) Loving it :D

[Motu]

My first bike was a BSA Bantam D3,that was a 150cc swingarm model,top speed of 51mph with 3 gears.With this bike I learned that motorcycles are magical creatures,the rules of our mortal world don't apply to them - I learnt to repair bikes with spells and curses....I found that if the bike wouldn't start,doing something unrelated like adjusting the very loose chain would make it start.I found bikes were talking to me - ''check my oil dickhead,it's nearly empty and I'm not going to start till you top it up'' Taking notice of these things was important,I didn't know why walking around the bike 3 times anticlockwise would make it go,but if that's what it took,then that's what I did.

The Bantam did a trick that really showed me it was from another world - sometimes,for no reason it would run backwards,put it in gear and take off backward and slam into the wall! It would then run normaly again,leaving me wondering if we had passed through some portal into another world.

Bikes have never lost their magic for me - I sold my soul one dark night when my bike broke down,they hold a power over me,I must continue to ride until my debt is payed....hey,I don't mind.

[MacD]

First Bike: Kawasaki ZR250 Balius, as of 3 days ago ;) Loving it :D

Nice looking bike there DevilWTC :) , but you look somewhat familiar... :eek5:

[James Deuce]

The Bantam did a trick that really showed me it was from another world - sometimes,for no reason it would run backwards,put it in gear and take off backward and slam into the wall! It would then run normaly again,leaving me wondering if we had passed through some portal into another world.



Motu, I'm really sorry mate, but I laughed out loud when I read that.

[DeanOh]

Mine was a Yamaha SRX250. it was a good reliable bike, cept for the back sprocket wearing out every 500km's...then it got run over on the Nth Western Motorway by a lane changing biatch in a cage.
This is the bike I rode up to the cop shop to get my license on, brings back fond memories.

[SPman]

Nice looking bike there DevilWTC :) , but you look somewhat familiar... :eek5:
Hmmmm. just who have the yanks got in custody again???:confused2

[Devil]

Hmmmm. just who have the yanks got in custody again???:confused2
heh, I dont know vat you're talking about ;) I know nussink!

[Rocket]

how much did the bike csot you in the end Devil?

[vifferman]

First bike was a CB175 (1974?? Can't remember...)
Rode that thing everywhere, even using it as a trail bike (rode it most of the way up Mt Tarawera once). Wrote it off after about 18 months of thrashing, by T-boning a car. Oops...
Dunno that I could honestly say it was a great bike, like Moko reckoned its successor, the CB200 (essentially the same bike) was. I rode it again after it had been ressurected, and thought it was a pile of poop.
I replaced the CB175 with an MT250, part of a succession of Hondas of various sorts...

This is a real Memory Lane thread - I've ridden almost all of the older bikes mentioned here (and none of the more recent small bikes...)

[Motoracer]

how much did the bike csot you in the end Devil?

Wouldn't he have swiped it from the yanks? :whistle:

[Devil]

how much did the bike csot you in the end Devil?
Two camels and yo momma. :buggerd:
Hehe, nah, around $4k, including ORC. With a 33% discount on safety gear (for me and the lady).

[Rocket]

ORC? 4 grand! JEEBUS

[Holy Roller]

Finally managed to dig out an old photo.
1981 GSX 250 EZ
Brand Spankers :love:
Pack rack and mini fairing as extras brought it from Cycle Spot Barry's Point Rd for $3000
Top speed 140K :ride:

[Devil]

ORC? 4 grand! JEEBUS
ORC = On road costs, reg/wof etc. (imported bike, first NZ owner).
Only 20,000km's on the bike. Its in mint condition.
Doesnt bother me :) I wanted a mint tidy bike and I got one. Plus its got guts :D and I dont think I could get enough of the noise between 12,000rpm and 19,000rpm ;)

[Motu]

Motu, I'm really sorry mate, but I laughed out loud when I read that.

I wasn't laughing the first time it happened - I was parked under a building and took off backwards into the framing and I fell off,I was getting some funny looks from other riders parked there.It happened a few more times but everyone insisted it was impossible,so I continued to live in my own world where this sort of thing was normal.One day it happened at work and I was able to ride into the workshop backwards,they were puzzled,but had to believe me now.

The Bantam didn't have a lot af spark advance but had a nasty kickback anyway - if you got the kickstater back quick enough on a kickback it would spin over backwards and start - I don't know how fast it would go like that,not a skill I was keen to develope.

But on a sidenote - when my boss saw that he told me about when he was a lad....they all used to hang out at the Civic Theater and everyone backed their bike into the curb - but one guy used to ride in front first.When he left he would put his ex sidecar Harley into reverse and backout,then take off forwards...feet up the whole time - oh... the riders name - Bryce Subritzky.

Can it happen on a 4 stroke? well,almost.One time we were trying to start an old BSA single that wouldn't start after we stopped for gas.It would almost run,but kept spitting shoots of flame out the carb,we kicked,pushed it,but all we got were a few bangs and a lot of flames - so I pulled the cover off the pushrod chest and found the exhaust pushrod had dropped off...it was inlet and exhausting through the inlet!

[pete376403]

Once I was helping a guy rebuild a JAP speedway bike motor. They were pretty crude motors, cam was gear driven off the crank and the magneto was chain driven off the end of the cam. Mag lived on a platform behind the cylinder. The parts for the rebuild had been sent down from Palmerston North, including a few spare items. Using new mag chain and sprockets, the thing was carefully timed (7/8" BTDC using a rod down the plughole, and a cigarette paper between the points to feel when they were opening. We must have pushed that bastard down the road fifty times, all it would do is chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff-BANG-chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff-BANG. The timing was checked, and checked, and checked again. Still no joy. Carb was pulled apart and blown out. The tank was drained and refilled (mmmm-methanol). Finally, about two in the morning, someone said "I wonder if the sprockets are the same?" A quick check showed a 10 tooth on the cam and a 11 tooth on the mag. Dive into the parts box and found the matching 10 tooth sprocket. Timing done yet again, push off down the road and we were rewarded with the might bellow of a 500 running a straight pipe. It was good. Never took anyones word for it again that "these are the parts you need" without checking. :brick:

[White trash]

I wasn't laughing the first time it happened - I was parked under a building and took off backwards into the framing and I fell off,I was getting some funny looks from other riders parked there.It happened a few more times but everyone insisted it was impossible,so I continued to live in my own world where this sort of thing was normal.One day it happened at work and I was able to ride into the workshop backwards,they were puzzled,but had to believe me now.

The Bantam didn't have a lot af spark advance but had a nasty kickback anyway - if you got the kickstater back quick enough on a kickback it would spin over backwards and start - I don't know how fast it would go like that,not a skill I was keen to develope.

But on a sidenote - when my boss saw that he told me about when he was a lad....they all used to hang out at the Civic Theater and everyone backed their bike into the curb - but one guy used to ride in front first.When he left he would put his ex sidecar Harley into reverse and backout,then take off forwards...feet up the whole time - oh... the riders name - Bryce Subritzky.

Can it happen on a 4 stroke? well,almost.One time we were trying to start an old BSA single that wouldn't start after we stopped for gas.It would almost run,but kept spitting shoots of flame out the carb,we kicked,pushed it,but all we got were a few bangs and a lot of flames - so I pulled the cover off the pushrod chest and found the exhaust pushrod had dropped off...it was inlet and exhausting through the inlet!


Me Suzuki A50 used to be able to be clutch started backwards. Never had the balls to try and ride the thing but had a hell of a laugh at my cousins expense after we'd started it (backwards) for him without his realising it.

The look on his face was PRICELESS when this thing lurched backwards as he went to take off. :shifty:

[Big Dog]

The Bantam did a trick that really showed me it was from another world - sometimes,for no reason it would run backwards,put it in gear and take off backward and slam into the wall! It would then run normaly again,leaving me wondering if we had passed through some portal into another world.

The whole post seemed very familiar to my cb100. Until today I thought I was the only one! I used to park arse into the street so that I could Reverse out as soon as it reached operating temp it would stall. Kick start it again and it went forwards. If you were in a hurry you had to roll start it. If you kicked it over while it was still cold it would still be in reverse.

Still in three ways it was the greatest bike.
1 I never once thought it might get stolen.
2 If you were on a tight country road with opposing traffic or visiting mates you could just pick it up and step over the fence!
3 if it broke down all you needed to get it going again was a spanner, a flathead, a roll of insulation tape and a wire brush. And to save on buying a bike stand/ramp you could just pick it up and balance it on a fence strainer post!

It also sucked big time!
1 Any hope I had with women was quickly erased when they saw my transport.
2 It had no idiot lighs except a green light of indeterminate function that pulsed whenever the engine was running regardless of anything else you did. I would suspect a charge lamp if it had a battery or battery bay.
3 if you hit a big bup the side stand would come down and engage.
4 Drum slowers (brakes is to generous it engine braked faster)
5 A rusty tank meant cleaning the fuel filter after every ride.
6 A faulty fuel tap meant if you turned it while the engine was running it would spit the handle off and spew fuel everywhere.
7 no aircleaner, due to no-one making elements for them anymore which combined with the holes in the filter body meant it was really F#$%en fast (75kmph is fucken fast when you can acheive it at idle in 6th on a bike less than 100kgs and with less mechanical ability than a pushbike no brakes worth mentioning, not to mention a learner rider giving himself his first lesson, on a gravel road) with a tail wind and struggled to maintain a walking pace in a headwind.

:disapint: F*&^ knows why but I do hold a fond place for it in my heart. :disapint:

[shafty]

Mine was a brand new yamaha YL1 - 100 cc Twin cyl. 2 stroke. Got it from Whites in Newmarket and rode it for a month, commuting to town from Browns Bay, before I went and got my (full) license! Faster than me mates 150 Suzuki's - got it up to 70mph! Also my first (unintentional) wheelie. Cost £98/10/-

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1572&stc=1

Great story Mate - well done and great history!!

[shafty]

The whole post seemed very familiar to my cb100. Until today I thought I was the only one! I used to park arse into the street so that I could Reverse out as soon as it reached operating temp it would stall. Kick start it again and it went forwards. If you were in a hurry you had to roll start it. If you kicked it over while it was still cold it would still be in reverse.

Still in three ways it was the greatest bike.
1 I never once thought it might get stolen.
2 If you were on a tight country road with opposing traffic or visiting mates you could just pick it up and step over the fence!
3 if it broke down all you needed to get it going again was a spanner, a flathead, a roll of insulation tape and a wire brush. And to save on buying a bike stand/ramp you could just pick it up and balance it on a fence strainer post!

It also sucked big time!
1 Any hope I had with women was quickly erased when they saw my transport.
2 It had no idiot lighs except a green light of indeterminate function that pulsed whenever the engine was running regardless of anything else you did. I would suspect a charge lamp if it had a battery or battery bay.
3 if you hit a big bup the side stand would come down and engage.
4 Drum slowers (brakes is to generous it engine braked faster)
5 A rusty tank meant cleaning the fuel filter after every ride.
6 A faulty fuel tap meant if you turned it while the engine was running it would spit the handle off and spew fuel everywhere.
7 no aircleaner, due to no-one making elements for them anymore which combined with the holes in the filter body meant it was really F#$%en fast (75kmph is fucken fast when you can acheive it at idle in 6th on a bike less than 100kgs and with less mechanical ability than a pushbike no brakes worth mentioning, not to mention a learner rider giving himself his first lesson, on a gravel road) with a tail wind and struggled to maintain a walking pace in a headwind.

:disapint: F*&^ knows why but I do hold a fond place for it in my heart. :disapint:

Thanks for the laugh Big Dog; no chance the idiot light was linked to someone sitting on it ? lol - sorry mate; a great story;

[Big Dog]

Thanks for the laugh Big Dog; no chance the idiot light was linked to someone sitting on it ? lol - sorry mate; a great story;
At the time I felt sure it measured the remaining life force of the designer!

On reflection I think it more likely that it measured the life force of anyone dumb enough to own or try to ride it.


Or perhaps it told you whether the engine was running or not as it was the quietest idle I have ever heard and it had no battery so it only went when the bike did. Though I would have thought the god almighty vibrations in the crotch area might have given it away quicker. Whenever I stopped at intersections it was stand or risk blue balls.

Felt something like :ar15:

[krisby]

a 1988 TZR 125 with a YPVS. It was good for 100kmh at a push, but handled really well, it was expensive to maintain. Being only 19 and living in London, my mechanical knowledge did not go beyond fixing my pushbike, so I always had to pay out. Had the battery go flat on me coming home (alternator died) so I had no headlights and coming through Londons busy Strand, was a nightmare, and my brake lights weren't working either, so nearly had a few people up the back of me, finally made it home though, in one piece. Had the chain snap pulling away from lights too, fortunately, only damaged the sprockets, so not too expensive.

But I always wanted something with a FAT tyre, so moved from a 125 section to a bike with a 150, I thought it was fat until I started noticing 180 sections, then when the R1 came out with its massive 190 (that looked more than 1cm wider than a 180) I had to change up again, to a 160, finally moved on to a 180. Funny, how until the biking bug really bit that I was basing my choices partly on the width of the rear tyre.