Your best biking memory?

[Conquiztador]

When you think back at all the riding/bike stuff you have done, what stands out as your favorite occasion or memory?

For me it is 82 when I spent a couple of months travelling Europe with my then 750 Bonnie. I was in Italy when Italy won the soccer World Cup. Maan did the Italians go crazy!! The police painted their cars in the Italian flag's colours and went driving around the city with everyone else drinking wine.

Those days you were allowed to ride in Italy without a helmet. And say what you will re saefty, that was nice. But forget to try and sort out the hair afterwards...

Got together with a group of German riders, (Germany lost in the soccer final against Italy and they did not take that to well...) we stayed in this little town on the Italian riviera. Used to travel up a mountain (took about 1/2 hour) where there was a bar at the top. We sit outside at a large stone table having some drinks and cracking nuts on the stone table in the warm evenings. Then ride down the winding road and go to town. Get home at 5am. Sleep, get up, have something to eat, ride to the beach and then do the same thing again.

There was something special with that. Could also have to do with that there was this little Italian girl that used to pillon with me...

[HDTboy]

Racing with Texmo and Dylan Telfer, the race we had was so close, and we swapped places so many times that it was just awesome.
One corner at Manfeild is extremely long. I was following Texmo through it accelerating the whole way, with knees firmly planted, and I had time to think to myself "Shit that looks cool. Hey, I bet I look that cool too" It's all about the look

[jimbo600]

Traveling around the Basque region of Spain then through the Pyrenees to Andorra back through France to Biarittz then back into Spain to get the ferry back to Pommy. All on a GSXR750 WP

[Marknz]

Two things spring to mind for me.

1. My very first motorcycle trip to Phillip Island to watch the MotoGP in 2001. I was on L plates, had the VTR250 stocked up with Ventura rack and bag and tankbag and tent and sleeping bag and off I went. Joined up with a Wayne Gardner led ride from Woolongong to the Island over two days and riding across the San Remo bridge onto the island with a few thousand other riders and their bikes was something special. And to top it off, the race weekend was f'n brilliant.

2. Phillip Island again. This time for my first race meeting on the track in mid 2002. Arriving there on the first morning with the bike in the van, getting access to the circuit, unloading everything in the pit garage and then jumping the wall to stand in the middle of the circuit, looking down over the hump on Gardner Straight to the Southern Ocean. I was there at the mecca and I was gonna do it. 2 hours later I was flat knacker in top gear go through turn one... un-f'n-believable feeling.:rockon:

[Goblin]

Racing with Texmo and Dylan Telfer, the race we had was so close, and we swapped places so many times that it was just awesome.
It's all about the lookI remember that race! I even have some photos of Texmo taking the chequered flag but they're a bit dark.

My best moment was taking the chequered flag, twice, at Taupo old track :first: :first: Then there was riding the MV SENNA on the full track! No speed limit!! Also riding Dennis' RMZ450 at the Suzuki trackday. :yes:
A few road rides stand out...like the Awakino meat feast ride, the Whangamomona ride and a few Coro loops have had me smiling for ages.

[blacksheep]

spending three weeks touring europe,visiting the mediteranean camping where we ended up that day,living on bread and cheese and the petrol pump vino all on an fz750.halcian days!

[Zapf]

One of my best rides, riding by myself on a CB900 Hornet just setup by Shaun in Napier back to Auckland via SH3 at night (leaving Napier around 6pm) last Sept. With blowing wind and pouring rain. It sounds like bad conditions to ride in but I was very very much enjoying the whole ride.

[janno]

The day my mentor had to actually wake up and chase me up our twisty practice road, instead of dozing and looking at the scenery while I doddered around the corners.

That was the day I found out why everyone loves corners, and what getting the line right through a set of fast corners feels like. In a nano second, the worst part of the ride became the best!

Was like changing from a boy to a man . . . except, I'm, uh, ya know, a woman.

[Crasherfromwayback]

The first time I rode a bike. It was a Suzuki RV125 at Riversdale beach, I was ten and I'd spent most of the day revving the nuts of the poor thing in first gear.
I had no one to show me how to do the bizz, as my father didn't ride.

I eventually worked out how to hook another gear....I fucking nearly wet myself once I'd sussed that out.....the rest as they say...is history.:Punk:

[deanohit]

I eventually worked out how to hook another gear....I fucking nearly wet myself once I'd sussed that out.....the rest as they say...is history.:Punk:

Nice one man.:Punk: Mine was when I got back on my bike for the first time after a 4 month break.The ride started out slow as I got back into it,but with little traffic on the road it was no time at all before I was having fun through the bends again.Was so much fun I went back the way I'd came and did it all again.:scooter:

[T.W.R]

Probably the best memory I'll keep for a long time would be the last ride I had pillion with my father on his Norton chasing my aunt around the backroads of Nth Canterbury :yes:

[babyblade250rr]

In my short career of motorcycle riding, The best time for me was when i rode me cbr250rr out of the shop mannnnnn was that a thrill!!

[Steam]

The first block I rode around, scary and thrilling! Just a year ago actually.

[Mr. Peanut]

The first time I got on my scooter, 125cc of fury! Wet mud, sliding all over the place. Awesome fun.

Then the time I wound out first gear on the NSR, and learned all about powerbands. That was the first time I laughed manically.

[MotoGirl]

The sessions before I wrote off my VTR at the old Taupo track.
I'd never been so quick in my entire life and (now I appreciate living) I doubt I'll ever go that fast again.

[digsaw]

Winning my first NZ Championship and beating a 4 times World Champion to the finish line :yes: :gob:

[orangeback]

touring UK on ZZR1100 and ending up at the 2000 Isle Man TT, and all the piss i drank and the bull shit i talked :innocent:

[Conquiztador]

Every one here puts a smile on my lips. To think that we are allowed to get a little glimpse of one of your happiest moments in life!! And that the whole thread is filled with them!!

As this thread was instigated by me I take the liberty to add one more:

I was at the NI Solo champs in Stratford. I managed to squeeze in to the top 16 in the time trials but came off just after the finish line. Ripped up my knee and ended up at the first aid. The knee had a big hole and there was heaps of dirt in it. The doc wanted to give me an injection so I would not feel anything in the knee. But as I wanted to race and I was scared that I would loose the feeling in my leg I told him to fix it up w/o any injection. He looked at me a fraction stunned. But started the job. When he started to stich it up we heard a "dunk" and when we looked we did se the nurse on the floor. It got to much for her and she had fainted.

I raced the meeting.10th was as good as I could do as the knee had started to stiffen up but to even race after that was an achievement I will always be proud of.

[swbarnett]

1. The accidents I've nearly had but didn't. Nothing like the feeling of "shit that was close but I nailed the escape!".

2. Riding to New Plymouth from Auckland on my CB750F2 Integra in a torrential down-pour. This is what I like to call "communing with nature".

[zooter]

Struggling to hold 95kmh on a vespa into a headwind between Five Rivers and Kingston, getting passed by traffic and then blowing by the lot of them between Kingston and Queenstown.

[Holy Roller]

My three ansd a half weeks around the South Island for a bit of time out during the middle of winter. Being able to take in the Brass Monkey at the same time. Riding from Winton to Queenstown in some of the heavest rain I've been in then riding from the Brass to Ranfurly on solid ice then over the pig route in a snow storm and getting through. Up to picton where a total stranger took me in and gave me a meal before I had to catch the ferry. Wellington to Waiouru in the very early hours of the morning only to get caught by another snow storm on the desert road.
Oturahua to Rotorua in less than 24 hours ... :first:

[Hawkeye]

Drilling an exhaust stud out of the block last night and watching it come out clean. More of a relief than a greatest biking memory.:sweatdrop :yes:

[gijoe1313]

My first ride down to Wellywood and meeting up with the KB crew down there. Simpy mind-blowing and the ride meet just left me in awe. All those bikes parked around the square and the humourous incidents getting there (cows, mysterious turn-offs and lovely riding country).

Riding back up to Dorkland and having to thaw out at Waiouru, teeth chattering and riding out of the bad weather into the greatest, sunniest and cloud-free day ever.

Still hanging out to ride back down Wellyway again ASAP!

[Oakie]

Not the best (because I can't think of one) but certainly the most vivid. Skidding my Z400 crossed up towards a cliff on the Portobello Road on the peninsula in Dunedin ... watching the edge come closer ... and finally stopping about a metre from the fence at the edge. When it stopped I dropped the sidestand, stepped off, left the bike running and just walked away to think about the stupidity of riding fast over narrow coastal roads you've never seen before. Fortunately I had my camera with me and managed to snap a photo of the bike at the end of the skidmark sitting just before the fence. I still have the photo somewhere.

(I'd crested the brow of a small rise at speed only to find that the road took a sharp left just over the crest.)

[Tim 39]

My best is definately beating Dom Jones when we were both on RG150's. It was, to this day the best race I've ever had! We passed eachother countless times per lap and I ended up winning it. It was probably just because he wasnt used to the bike etc, but it made me feel good all the same

[Monsterbishi]

Best bike memory by far, is my first bike memory, of my Cousin taking me for a ride on a old 400cc Kwaka, many, many moons ago...

[nudemetalz]

There's three that stand out for me in my motorcycling history.

The first is going on the back of my father's 1100 Katana wire-wheeler and him taking me at over 200km/h at night down the Takanini straight on the Akl Motorway (back in 1982)

The second is travelling around the South Island with my wife on our ZX-10 and VTR-250 last year. That has to be my best trip ever.

The third is simple............ Pete (Crashfromwayback) handing me the keys to my just purchased Moto Guzzi V11 Sport on the 9th of December last year. :love:

[Crasherfromwayback]

The third is simple............ Pete (Crashfromwayback) handing me the keys to my just purchased Moto Guzzi V11 Sport on the 9th of December last year. :love:

Yeah mate......and that's why I love my job. The buzz you get, still to this day, gives me a buzz!

[Joni]

Mine is the first time I was one a bike... I was about 6, going pillion on my uncles Kwaka - what a feeling, I remember it like it was yesterday... I was hooked from that day on :yes: As we wizzed around, I knew I would ride on my own one day....

In fact, my uncle and his racing is what got me into bikes and my love of racing... so I think I owe him lots.

[lb99]

(I'd crested the brow of a small rise at speed only to find that the road took a sharp left just over the crest.)

was that on the top road?
Thats my old stomping ground, that is.

I had my first ever road crash on that road, round a right hander too fast, and plowing into the bank at 80+, hairy ride home with mostly everything missing from the left side of the bike

[Lissa]

Mine would be the first time I rode up the Rimutakas, and seeing how easy it really was. I was amazed at how quiet and still it was except for the sound of the engine and the occasional falling rock or stone. And also scraping my boot a few times on the GN.

[Oakie]

was that on the top road?
Thats my old stomping ground, that is.

No idea. It was over 25 years ago. I remember leaving the last few houses then opening it out a bit. Can remember going up a rise, cresting the top, seeing the Pacific Ocean and at the same time noticing the road rapidly disappearing from in front of me.

[motoGP]

My first ever time riding. Inappropriate clothing flapping all over the place, wind whistling around the borrowed open face helmet. Good times.

Knee down for the first time, is also pretty high up there too.

[McJim]

For me it's most times I go out on the bike.

Most memorable has to be on a 50cc 2 stroke moped on the Ayrshire coast (Scotland) just after the potato harvest riding the moped like a dirt bike with the arse sliding left and right and chucking up mud - that was in 1982 I think.

I like riding the bike...a lot.

[Zapf]

My first ride down to Wellywood and meeting up with the KB crew down there. Simpy mind-blowing and the ride meet just left me in awe. All those bikes parked around the square and the humourous incidents getting there (cows, mysterious turn-offs and lovely riding country).

Riding back up to Dorkland and having to thaw out at Waiouru, teeth chattering and riding out of the bad weather into the greatest, sunniest and cloud-free day ever.

Still hanging out to ride back down Wellyway again ASAP!

don't forget the great Colapop encounter :P

[imdying]

Best moment... chasing OABs old GSXR750 up past Murchison on my ZX6R :yes:

[Coxy]

Seeing 155MPH and still accelerating in 5th gear on my 00' Gixxer 750 on the A303 in Wiltshire UK in the Summer of 2004. I had the road to myself and was grinning from ear to ear all the way down it.:Punk: