The age you started biking and why...

[Chill]

Was just having a little think (an unusual occurence),
and I though to myself.. I wonder if it's unusual that I was on trademe one day, aged 18, 2005, had never really though about bikes before, but saw one on there and though 'shit, I want one of those'.

Bought a GN a week later.

Never looked back.

So I'm interested: When did you getting in motorcycling, and why?

[Hitcher]

45. Because the voices told me to.

[mstriumph]

7
'cause it was THERE .... [and unattended ........:whistle:]

[Dave-]

19 because it was cheap, cool and fun.

[Ghost_Bullet]

When I was 10, cause the old man had a ct 90. then later when the car craped out in 95/6 bought a cm200t, and fell in love with the road... it started there all over again.......

[200BUSA]

First ride as a 7year old,first bike at 10 and always had a bike since i was 13,Had 80 bikes over the years and turning 45 soon.Its in the blood i love bikes.The freedom of getting out riding and seeing the sights.

[Renegade]

age 10, cos the old ladies boyfriend had two, and i wanted a ride on the back

[onearmedbandit]

Religously read roadbike magazines from a young age, but realising that I was too young to ride a road bike (about 7) I hounded my big brothers to let me ride their dirtbikes. My actual first ride was on my brothers Honda C90, bunking school one day and rocking it in gear back and forth on the centre stand, waiting for the enivitable to happen (hop off the stand), and when it did I spent the rest of the day riding the bike around our house. That convinced my brothers to get me my own bike.

[Delphinus]

Brother convinced me to go for a ride on his FXR150 (He took dads GS550E) when I was 20. Thought hey how bad can it be... We just kept going and going and didn't come back home till 2 hours later. The grin on my face didn't disappear for days, and 3 weeks later I bought a zxr250... and promptly blew it up 2 months later :D

[discotex]

Rode scooters and stuff at high school but one thing led to another and I never got my own bike. Always checked them out whenever I saw any though. Watched the odd race on telly etc.

Then at 28 a mate at work took me out on the back of his CBR at lunch time. 2 months later I had my L plate and first bike :)

[Taz]

started at 12. first road bike at 15. Cause it's in my blood even tho none of my family rode bikes. I was without a bike once and that was the worst 3 months of my life.

[miSTa]

...So I'm interested: When did you getting in motorcycling, and why?
Aged 17 (many moons ago now) because it was a cheap way of getting around between the dairy farm(s) I worked on and town. Now its so much more, it became a way of life.

[Conquiztador]

And never looked back.

[Taz]

And never looked back. Is that because you had mirrors?

[banditrider]

Played around on some farm bikes as a young fella until the old man found a TS185 in the paper - seized but only $120. I was about thirteen and that was a lot of money for me but the bike was running in no time and I was hooked.

First road bike at about 17 - again the old man was the bad influence and located the mighty 250.

We're both still hooked....

[Grub]

16, I was the junior at an Ad Agency and we had a bike to courier artwork and copy around ... they even paid me as well! :scooter: First bike I paid for was a Yammy DT360 ... ferk the compression on those could sting the calf muscle :(

[offrd]

12, Mates YZ80 unknown to the olds:whistle:, Until i got hooked up in a fence and dinner forked my arm:argh:, hard to hide from that when you got to have a general ansethetic to get it put back in place.......:Oops:
1st road bike at 15, licence at 16 after getting pulled up cruising on the footpath with no helmet......

Bikes on and off ever since.....

[EJK]

18

Because cars are too expensive

[Steam]

28

Because cars are too expensive

[EJK]

28

Because cars are too expensive

DAMN RIGHT!!!!!! I want to give you green rep but I've gave you one already about 30 seconds ago on other thread....

[Daffyd]

Vicky moped at school, then 37 year gap to a small bike.
First serious bike at 64.

[rwh]

35, for the hell of it.

Richard

[kevfromcoro]

16, I was the junior at an Ad Agency and we had a bike to courier artwork and copy around ... they even paid me as well! :scooter: First bike I paid for was a Yammy DT360 ... ferk the compression on those could sting the calf muscle :(

Had one of those in my younger days.DT 360..went like fuck.
think i still got the bruises on my leg where the thing would backfire when starting.handelled like a pig.its a wonder we are still here..
later moved on to IT Yams...soft suspension.. wot a joy to ride

[Chill]

Played around on some farm bikes as a young fella until the old man found a TS185 in the paper - seized but only $120. I was about thirteen and that was a lot of money for me but the bike was running in no time and I was hooked.

First road bike at about 17 - again the old man was the bad influence and located the mighty 250.

We're both still hooked....

That's interesting, i got in huge shit with the parents for getting my bike. the old lady works in a hospital.. unfortuantely she sees too many of us bikers

[erik]

22 (4 years ago).

My brother got a bike, I was thinking about getting one, I found kiwibiker, then the next year was starting uni and a bike would be a good way to get into the city (free parking) so that was my excuse.
Weird thing is before I was 22 or so I never really thought about motorcycles. I liked cycling as a kid, then got into r/c airplanes, but never thought about bikes. Now motorcycling is a fairly central part of my life.

[Grub]

Had one of those in my younger days.DT 360..went like fuck, handeled like a pig.its a wonder we are still here..
later moved on to IT Yams...soft suspension.. wot a joy to ride

I didn't know what bad handling was so I used to get both feet touching going around Latimer Square, Chch on the way to work ... right, left, left, right ... sweet :)

[Conquiztador]

Is that because you had mirrors?

No. It would have had more to do with the realisation that when on a bike I had found what I was longing for, the freedom, the danger, the rebellion. But mostly it was that suddenly the girls who had never noticed me started writing me small notes at school...I will never forget Regina with the big bazookas who...hmmm, maybe for another thread...

[McJim]

First motorbike 14 years old - 50cc 2 stroke. Then nothing until 35 years old. Got the bike to beat the Auckland motorway traffic and got addicted.

[banditrider]

That's interesting, i got in huge shit with the parents for getting my bike. the old lady works in a hospital.. unfortuantely she sees too many of us bikers

Interestingly my old man got snapped riding his first bike without a helmet (ok back then) and his old man was none to pleased. Guess I was a bit luckier...

[PrincessBandit]

1 year ago. Cos I always wanted to but was too sensible back when I was younger ha ha.

[madandy]

6, 'cause my folks friends had a pw50 or somethingorather for their kids & I hogged it. Got my first road bike at 17 cause they made my blood race more than cars & funds were low, of course (SR250). Now 31 & still scared to trust myself on a litre bike :innocent:

[mowgli]

played around on dirt bikes as a teenager. Twenty years later floated the idea and wife said yes!!! A week later I had a licence and a Hyo GT250R. That was four weeks, 1200km and a heap of fun ago.

Best thing to happen to me since meeting my wife and having two beautiful daughters.

[Sharry]

19, that must have been when I woke up. I just 'had' to. I had a Suzi 175 and six months later in July I had 6 pairs of wet jeans and no way to dry them so hopped on my bike (with the 7th dry pair on) and rode to K' Rd to buy leggings. I rode out with a HondaCB400F (and leggings).

[FJRider]

Age 16 (just) Kawasaki 100 (5 speed with hi/lo ratio) cost $300 and cost $2 to fill the tank (mid 70's)

[DougB]

I learnt to ride on a farm on a 1934 Harley (Never ridden a Harley since) I was 14, this was in 1946. First bike was a 1950 AJS 500cc single, single seat. (The dual seat came with the 1952 model)

I needed the transport at weekends to go from Auckland,
where I had an apprenticship, to my home in Paihia. Cars then were primitive, dear and uncomfortable. This was just before the VW beetle and Morris Minor came on the market. Bikes were more reliable and cheaper and heaps more fun.

[FJRider]

I learnt to ride on a farm on a 1934 Harley (Never ridden a Harley since) I was 14, this was in 1946. First bike was a 1950 AJS 500cc single, single seat. (The dual seat came with the 1952 model)


Wish you still had both ???

[disenfranchised]

29, cause I'd always wanted to and *had to* get it done before I turned 30.
Turned out it was fun and saved heaps of $$$ in petrol...so I haven't looked back

[Chickadee]

Aged 30, always wanted to and figured - sod it - life's too short to regret.

Love it, never regretted fufilling a childhood dream....

And the kids love the bikes too, guess the bike bugs contagious

[awayatc]

83, sick of walking, and my cane snapped in two...

[zxcvbnm]

I was 7-8 years old and my oldest sister brought a CT90* home from the post office. She lost interest and it became mine.

It was a pile of crap and was traded in on something worse a few years later (ER100)

(*She was sacked for stealing money)

[klyong82]

15. Best thing that ever happened to me I reckon...

[TOTO]

22 yo. 4 weeks ago :)

[toebug]

Started riding dirt bikes early 80's owned by friends. First road bike 1990 GSXR250 bought in 91 which I wrote off within 6 months. Next was a RZ350 2 smoker, it was my only transport for 3 years. Held my learner licence for 15 years before getting my restricted then full. Now I have 3 bikes, 2 road 1 dirt and I have admitted my addiction! The cure? Ride, ride and ride some more.....

[Owl]

I always loved bikes but was a late starter at about 25. I spent time riding mates CB750K, GSXR750 and YZ490 (dirt) and decided I had to buy a bike. First bike was an 88 FZR750 I bought in 93-94. :2thumbsup

[DEATH_INC.]

Got my first at 16 ish '82 YZ125j . Rode a bit from around 13 (my cousins KL250, and an old yammie 100 of some sort...). My cousins and their mates who I hung out with all had trailies, and I'm doomed to ride by genetics, my dad, uncles, grandfather, cousins and even my aunty has/had bikes....

[Nasty]

33 cos i always wanted to but outta respect to the parents after my sisters accident (when she was 18) didn't.

I got an fxr150 and got grub back into riding .... was one of the best things we done lately!!

[oldrider]

We used to ride a war surplus army Indian around the paddocks and back roads.

My age group had to get the bigger kids to start it because it was too big for us to kick.

We used hang around the occasional bikes that were parked at the pub, drooling over them. (these were very old bikes by today's standard)

Two older boys, who had left school, were bought motorbikes by their father for all the work they had done on their farm while they were at school.

They were both brand new Triumphs!

The older boy got a 650 Thunderbird and the younger boy got a 500 Tiger 100.(or speed twin, I can't quite remember now)

That was the day I was smitten by the sheer beauty and sleek design of the "modern", magnificent motorcycle!

I had to have one.

My first was a bit short of the splendor of those two Triumphs, it was a James 50cc two stroke with a hand change gearbox.

I was fourteen and proud as if it was one of those Triumphs, I was on my way and have ridden motorbikes ever since.

I got my car licence the day I turned 15 and my bike licence a few days after.

That was 54 yrs ago.

In February this year I bought my first brand new Triumph, a Tiger 955i and it is just as exciting as those two new ones were way back then.

I will be seventy years old next year, so I guess my passion for motorcycles will have begun and will end with Triumph.

It has been a rocky path for both of us but we have made it in the end, well done Triumph, it's been good to know you. :yes: Cheers John.

[Monsterbishi]

I was 15yrs old when I got my licence and first bike, because my cousin took me for a ride as pillion the christmas prior, amd couldn't get over the freedom that came with being on two wheels.

[avrflr]

I got my first bike when I was 4. Before that I just wasted my life.

[riffer]

Dad always had bikes, and I was on the back at 7 or 8. Pestered, pestered, pestered Dad to get me one. But Mum always said no.

I started riding at 12 (29 years ago) on Dad's Vespa scooter doing deliveries for his customers around Welly.

[vixter]

19 got my first bike an rgv 250 never looked back!!! bloody awesome bike but bloody expensive to insure in the uk..

[Oakie]

A month short of my 19th birthday. I thought a motorbike would be better than my push bike solely as I wouldn't have to peddle any more. Then a guy I worked with offered me his Kawasaki G5 (100cc) and the rest is history.

[bikerboy011]

17. always loved bikes and i prefered them over cars.

[terbang]

Age 14 because my mother wouldnt let me ride any earlier. That was in 1974 and I rode all over my old mans 1000 acre farm on his Yammie AG100. Killed the poor thing, much to dads angst, but a good way to learn. Survived a 750 (H2 Kawa) at 15-16, but maybe that was just luck.

[huck farley]

That was 54 yrs ago.

In February this year I bought my first brand new Triumph, a Tiger 955i and it is just as exciting as those two new ones were way back then.

I will be seventy years old next year, so I guess my passion for motorcycles will have begun and will end with Triumph.

It has been a rocky path for both of us but we have made it in the end, well done Triumph, it's been good to know you. :yes: Cheers John.

I can relate to your story John. I first bought my first MC when I was 13 rode it around the paddocks and fields with a bunch of other guys. All honing our skills for the big day when we could sit a licence.

I bought a bike as that's all I could afford. Used it right through my apprenticeship. I to started on Triumphs first was a 1948 speed twin 500cc with sprung hub that didn't work. I would like to add in the days I learned to ride there were no Jap bikes around. Mainly British, I to will spend the rest of my riding days on a Triumph as unlike most bikes they have character, a soul, and over a hundred years of British engineering and tradition. Long live the Trumpets. Oh yes the new Hinckley Triumphs as they are called don't leak oil like the old Trumpets. But hey that's what give them part of there character!!

[sAsLEX]

when I left home as I wasn't allowed one under mums law.

[vifferman]

Fifteen. It was the '70s and everyone rode bikes.
Actually, it was because a couple of my friends rode bikes. Once I got involved, I was hooked.

[T.W.R]

Been around bikes all my life, the old man had bikes (road bikes, race bikes, & for work) when I was a baby. Started riding bikes by myself at around 6yrs, dad brought me a YZ80 just short of my 10th birthday & raced that for a few seasons then once I got to 15 it was no looking back the road beckons :ride:

[99TLS]

dad rode a bike and when my neighbour got a shitty scooter i was 10 we used to cruise to the local yacht club and take turns on it then got my first bike at 13 a it175 for $150 in 1983 havent looked back since then prefer bike to car and have owned 20+ bikes since then :Punk: also did a couple seasons as sidecar swinger at speedway

[Winter]

20, because I wasn't getting laid often enough.

[Conquiztador]

Oh yes the new Hinckley Triumphs as they are called don't leak oil like the old Trumpets. But hey that's what give them part of there character!!

Triumphs do not leak! They mark their territory!!

[Subike]

road a belt drive harley when he was 17, I have a very old pic of him and his 5 brothers, all on harleys, outside the Marshlands Hall in christchurch, dated Sept 1938! They looked awsome then, and still do today.
My Uncle Vic, had a mean as facial scar, from a crash on a Matchless 500.
My Grandaddy use to ride a B S A Batam, I got on the back of it at 5.
My eldest brother had several Vespa's, he was the founding member of the CHCH Vespa club, met his wife there, still married,
My elder brother had several Suzukis, very easy to hot wire after school.
Even one of my sisters had a vespa, cant remember which one
In 1986, I rode my 1100 sportster home to my parents place, Dad came out, sat on it, started it, and much to mums and my amazement rode off, with no helmet........the grin was worth the worry, he was 66 years old.
I guess I had no option, but to become a steel cowboy. It was in my Genes

[WelshWizard]

First ride was when I was about 12 was on my Mums James Autocycle,(only half a bike I suppose) after that every bike I saw I was looking at, then when I was 17 came across this Royal Enfield 700cc Constellation for £3 had it for about 9 months great fun no license never stopped , then the old man found out about, and sold it , and used the money to put down on an Austin A30, wondered what it was doing on the drive at home, he never said a word, till after I had been round to my mates house to get the RE out and found it was gone., Old man made me get a license to learn to drive the A30, never did, but borrowed my mates D7 Bantam and took my test, passed, been riding ever since, still have the first BSA I ever purchased, still a great bike, and if she ever starts marking territory its because she needs a darn good service as she is normally No Nappy required!!

[H00dz]

Early Teens ......Uncle had a little bike....a suzuki something....He used it for work but when he left...... we sort of inherited it...the rest they say is HIStory LOL

[oscarnz]

35 - got bike only 7 days ago

always liked bikes, decided I needed to do something for myself instead of everyone else. Got my learners a couple of months ago. Now have bike and am addicted.

Kids think I have gone mad

[Storm]

5 1/2 - Dad brought home a Z50, and that was it, I was hooked for life

[HenryDorsetCase]

I was 14 I think, and one of my mates got an RV90 to go to school on, and he let me ride it in the local shingle pit. Of course I fell off it, (luckily* bike not damaged) and I have been a fan ever since.

I then had to get an after school job so I could save up and buy my very own TS125, a couple of weeks before my 15th birthday.

about a week after my birthday, I got my motorbike licence, and here we go nearly 30 years later........

the cop who took me for my motorbike licence told me I was "an accident looking for a place to happen", before he wrote out the bit of paper. It still amazes me: "HOW DID HE KNOW????" Strangely I still have the scar on my knee!






*for me!

[Supermoto Junkie]

I was 3 when Dad got me a Yamaha PW50 with Trainer wheels, he was really into bikes,

Now 26 years later we still ride together alot and i'm looking at getting my 3 year old a bike.

[HRT]

Workmate made me buy a 110cc pitbike, me having never been on a motorbike before. Mucked around with that for a bit then another mate gave me a GPX250 to have a squirt on. a week after that first ride I had licence in hand and a CBR250 in the garage :) And just over a year after that a full licence in hand and a CBR600 in the garage :drool:

[sparky10]

At 15 legally (b4 14 other) with a 1975 50cc Suzuki on a learners then passed test (at the time only practical required) got a 1977 Suzuki GT185:laugh: (faster than hondas cb 250 superbike, then). Got car and passed test at 17.5 years old,:clap: sold bikes,:angry2: stayed on 4 wheels,:devil2: had kids, mortgage, etc. roads safer in a car, etc.:angry2: Then came to NZ, kids grown up, roads less congested:2thumbsup:wari: so as of this Feb.07 i got the biking bug (along with daughter) now on a gn250 until i pass full test.:drool:

[The Pastor]

I started on a 50cc honda dirt bike, must of been 6 or 7 i guess.

[PrincessBandit]

oh, and on a more serious note, I like to think of it as my late dad's legacy to me. He was never a rider himself but it was posthumously through him that we were able to buy Rosie. I always think of him when I'm out on two wheels now. Hope he'd be proud of me.

[Edbear]

I learnt to ride on a farm on a 1934 Harley (Never ridden a Harley since) I was 14, this was in 1946. First bike was a 1950 AJS 500cc single, single seat. (The dual seat came with the 1952 model)

I needed the transport at weekends to go from Auckland,
where I had an apprenticship, to my home in Paihia. Cars then were primitive, dear and uncomfortable. This was just before the VW beetle and Morris Minor came on the market. Bikes were more reliable and cheaper and heaps more fun.


You're just a few months younger than my Mum! She got me into bikes as she had a BSA Bantam 125 and I lusted after it ever since I remember first seeing it! Started riding it around the section at 12 years old. I used to go with her on it, had to put a cushion on the rear rack.




... Survived a 750 (H2 Kawa) at 15-16, but maybe that was just luck.


I believe that was the only way anyone survived the H2...




My Grandaddy use to ride a B S A Batam, I got on the back of it at 5.


Much the same, but it was my Mum had the Bantam.

Started riding it at 12, bought a '51 BSA B31 350 at 15, then the T500 Suzuki at 17. Got my licence as soon after turning 15 as I could, borrowed a friend's, (girl I worked with and she went for her licence same time.), Honda 50 step-through to get it. The local Cop gave us our full licences straight away, nice guy he was, too! That was back in '73.

[sinned]

I got my bike licence at 15 and a second hand Francis Barnett 200. Friends I rode with had a Vespa and Honda 50 step thru.

I couldn't afford anything better while at school and back then the Triumph Speed Twin was the ultimate bike. A boy at Karamu High had one - we were well outclassed on our little bikes and scooters.

My transport needs changed and I returned to motorcycles twice in the intervening years. Motorcycling is now a passion rather than a means of transport. 40+ years after my first bike I now own a Triumph and she is a beauty.

[EZAS]

First bike at 7 years old :) single cylinder 50cc :)

[nudemetalz]

Mine was when I first turned 12....(errr...25 years ago...)
My parents bought me a motocross helmet and boots.
I said "cool riding gear, I can go on the back of the Katana with Dad"
He said "oh, and there's one more thing, come out the back", there was my Honda CR-80 motocross bike !!!

Have never looked back.

[rphenix]

not counting riding dads 4 wheeler when i was even younger I started at the age of 9 on a honda XR100 :)

[Draco]

I was the tender young age of 30! Had ridden on the back of them all my life and loved them. Dad wouldn't let me ride cauz I was a girl, (ex)husband wouldn't let me ride cauz I was a girl, so got divorced and thought f*@k the lot of ya i'm gettin a bike. Walked in to a bike shop and looked around for the smallest looking bike (not knowing a damn thing about bikes), slapped $2,000 on the counter and said "I'll have that 1 thanx!" Then came the tricky part of figuring out how the hell to ride it home doh! Dropped it at the petrol station trying to kick start it off the stand, but haven't looked back since, am thoroughly addicted now! And plan to own many many more of them before i'm too old to swing a leg over. (And then I intend to make someone build me a trike I can park me wheelchair next to and just slide on over) :banana:

[R1madness]

First ride with me at the throttle was a Vespa 110 in 1975. Hell. the grass was slippery hehehehe.
Why because my neighbour had one and he was cool. (i was 6)

[the mouse]

First beasty was built up from mail order with after school monies a Tru Test mini bike at age 12. Had a new tchumsi (spelling?) motor and went real good.
A ride on the back of a greasy, oily and smelly old 650 BSA a mate of my brothers owned about a year later, gave me the biker bug. A Honda elsinore trail bike and then two CB 175 Hondas got me to 18, when i got my first decent road bike, a mint Triumph Daytona 500. Shitte that was a while ago, always been two tyred since.

[Kittyhawk]

Can't be bothered typing, read my blog its all in there. :devil2:

[swbarnett]

First year of University, age 17. My father had ridden in his youth and suggested it as good cheap transport that you could actually park at Auckland Uni (even back in 1983 the parking was at a premium in the city). Picked up a second hand CB125T from Bill Russell on Mt. Eden Rd. (where House of Knives is now) and never looked back.

[Hawkeye]

First rode at 17 on a 'nifty fifty' back in the UK. That was 34 years ago. Finally got around to getting a bike at the tender age of 48. (2 years ago) It was a little CBX250 which I paid $100 plus $250 to get it road legal. Spent many a happy hour trying to keep up with the group rides over the Taka's. At 49 I progressed to the current bike after getting my full. And the rest is history....

[trump-lady]

At 29. Went to Daytona bike week, thought hmmmm always wanted one, better get one before I think about having kids. Had one in a week...... Im kinda like that however this has stuck and kids have gone out the door and so did the father to be...now Im just old single and ride......... and loving it.

[trump-lady]

I was the tender young age of 30! Had ridden on the back of them all my life and loved them. Dad wouldn't let me ride cauz I was a girl, (ex)husband wouldn't let me ride cauz I was a girl, so got divorced and thought f*@k the lot of ya i'm gettin a bike. Walked in to a bike shop and looked around for the smallest looking bike (not knowing a damn thing about bikes), slapped $2,000 on the counter and said "I'll have that 1 thanx!" Then came the tricky part of figuring out how the hell to ride it home doh! Dropped it at the petrol station trying to kick start it off the stand, but haven't looked back since, am thoroughly addicted now! And plan to own many many more of them before i'm too old to swing a leg over. (And then I intend to make someone build me a trike I can park me wheelchair next to and just slide on over) :banana:


and u do it so well :)
and race.....
Awesome

[Chad]

First started when I was bout 19 cos my dad had bit of a cricis and bought an XL250, a XT500, a CB100 and a Yamaha 350 road bike of some sort. And cos heap of my friens all rode aswell.
Didn't get own bike till now (23) though.

[Jantar]

17, as the cheapest way of getting to and from Uni. One year later I was hooked.

[stify]

I started road riding at 34-always wanted to get my own bike but other things and people got in the way,4 yrs later am well hooked on the lifestyle, I'm going to start racing later this year:2thumbsup, and going to do a spot of touring and visit the South Island and maybe hit a rally or two in the future, have met some cool people along the way and have no doubt I will come across a lot more.

[The Lone Rider]

8yrs old or something - Honda C90, uncles farm.

[fireball]

apart from being on the back of the quad and mustering on the back of the old CT125 from the age of 5 with the old man i started riding myself at the age of 8 on the quad (couldnt reach the gears and sit on the seat)
then onto my first bike the mighty DS80 at age 12 was hooked and havent stopped riding since....

...and wont even drive a car they are piles of crap.

[rocketman1]

Aged 12, my dads Puch 50cc. then my brothers Jawa 150, 1st bike I bought was a 50cc Zundapp, how many KBs have heard of one of those, it was going good till some mates!! pissed in the petrol tank after a party cos they thought the alcohol would give it some go , never went again.

[Mr Triple]

When I was about 8... Got three older brothers that had bikes so just follow I guess. They made this little mini bike up with a Briggs&Stratten motor what fun if you could keep it going. When I was 15 I got my first road bike and been riding ever since. I'm 41 now and still ride neally every day. :cool:

[Beemer]

45. Because the voices told me to.

Gosh, and there I was thinking you were only 21! :gob:

I started at 36 - because Mike Esdaile (then editor of Kiwi Rider) gave me a hard time when he discovered I had been doing some work for them for three years and didn't even ride bikes! He made me feel so guilty I went out, learned to ride, got my licence, bought the RG150 and the rest is history! Picked up a husband at a WIMA rally along the way, so it's been pretty good so far! Even picked up a new bike on our honeymoon in 2005 so there's no hope for me now.

[sp3ed]

31... because I had spare money and had split from the missus. I thought that I had got enough driving experience and got over the "must drive like a twat" feeling that afflicts young drivers.

Started slowly with an SV 650 as my first bike. (you can do that in the UK if you do the right test), then a 600 sports bike and now a speed triple. I had all my memorable scary moments on the SV at relatively modest speeds (ie under 80mph)

[ThumperNut]

Started at 16 or so with a Jawa 50 - the ugliest scooter you could find last century. I had to have two spark plugs for it - one for starting and warming up in the morning, and another for actually riding somewhere.

Just to put the record straight Chad, the "Yamaha 350" was a Yamaha XS650, subsequently replaced by the SR500. Also, it wasn't a crisis but a collectibles investment program! ;)


First started when I was bout 19 cos my dad had bit of a crisis and bought an XL250, a XT500, a CB100 and a Yamaha 350 road bike of some sort. And cos heap of my friends all rode as well.
Didn't get own bike till now (23) though.

[Trouser]

At 15.

My stepfather went to the auctions and came back and told me I had to pick up something the next day.

Went to the auction house and there he was with my helmet standing next to a blue 1982 gsx250. I was expecting a shitty old car.

Christ, that was a steep learning curve riding that out of the building. I had never ridden a bike with gears before as I had a worked Honda Beat scooter.

[McJim]

At 14 rode a Puch 50cc across newly dug potato fields in Ayrshire....lasted 2 weeks and didn't get back on a bike until I was 35.

[HTFU]

At 14 rode a Puch 50cc across newly dug potato fields in Ayrshire....lasted 2 weeks and didn't get back on a bike until I was 35.

Was that because you got your ass kicked so hard you couldn't sit down for a decade :soon:.

I was pretty similar to Sir McJim. Rode pushies most of my life and didn't get a bike until I was 29.

[Mental Trousers]

21. Was at Uni and parking was so much better for bikes. Always wanted 1 so it was a fantastic excuse.

[Bonez]

18, needed transport, had what was at the time a huge backpay, bought a CJ250, rode it around the block a few times then 3 weeks later rode from Blenheim, ferried across Cook Straight, then on to Auckland via Masterton/Hawkes Bay/Taupo.

[jcupit69]

learned to ride my mums w650 at 14 and never looked back. Had to have a 50cc for a year and onwards and upwards eva since.

On an aprilia rs 250 atm and i will keep it forever even when i get a bigger bike.

Would rather die on a bike than live without one but dont plan on doing either any time soon :niceone:

[steveb64]

14. I had smashed my knee into a bus stop sign pole while on a pushbike the year before - and after that, any amount of walking/running caused my knee to swell up to a balloon like resemblance. As we were living on a 1500 acre stock farm, a minibike (Honda QA-50) was a good first foot in the door. A couple of years later, when I'd totally outgrown the 50cc minibike, mum got the choice of me on a MX bike, or a hang glider. ...a 2nd hand YZ125A (twin shock) arrived home a few weeks later - NOT paid for by mum...

[Jiminy]

32 after riding as a pillion a couple of times with my ex-girlfriend. It had been in my mind for a few months, though, just wanted the fun of week-end riding.

Had a learner license when I was 18, but not enough money for the bike. Had a few moped before, starting with a legendary Motobecane 40T :)

[Pwalo]

16. Because I needed my own transport for school. Bikes were cheaper than cars, and my Dad was a rider.

Vespa, T125, CB125, TS125, TS185, XL175, DT175, RD400, FT400, GS500 x 2, SV650S (well those are the ones I owned). Funny how the last 33 years have just flown by.

[headlesschicken]

First was a chinese pit bike at 16:lol: Last year when I was 17 dad got me into the idea of buying a dirtbike, so i did:whistle: crf230...
Had always wanted a licence, esp because of working on a dairy farm, sat and passed easy. Took my bike for a test ride an hour later and was HOOKED. I think it was the most exhilarating thing I've ever done. :wari:

[CookMySock]

scooter at 12 coz it was cool, big at scooter 13 coz we found it under a hedge, dirt bike at 14 coz my mate had one, everything else at 15 coz my dad worked for a contracting company, big dirt bike at 17 coz my little brother had an XR500 and my mate (my gf's brother) had an XR250, road bike 19 coz my mate had one, aaaand a long break and at 42 years a SoHung GT650R coz I have lost a lot of weight and sorted my depression out, and I have a life again.

So my mate is still my mate, and I'm still hooked up with his sister after 20 something years, and now we return full circle. It's been tough, but it's feeling good now.

Steve

[RidingHard]

21. Had 12 cars by that age and decided to get into biking :msn-wink:

[-df-]

road: 18 when I got my first bike
off road: shit...to long ago...I remember it was a rm50, must have been around 7...first go I went straight off a cliff...ahh, the good old days.

On and off since then.

[surfer]

Late 20's.

Had a small car that I parked outside my house on road. Some arseholes on way back from pub picked it up and moved it into middle of road. It was towed away by police during the night as a hazard. I went looking for it in the morning as I thought it was stolen and was told by police that they had it and why. They sent me to towing company who wanted me to pay for towing it round the corner to their yard. I had a huge row with them which got a bit nasty. They wouldn't give it back and stuck it on top of a tow truck. Then I had a row with the police who threatened a 'cooling off' in the cells.

I was so mad, I told them to get fucked, left the car and bought a bike on the way home.

[90s]

15 - legal age to take test for small bikes where I grew up. Had a few scooters & mopeds, some dirt bikes etc. (you needed to know the road code for bikes front to back to pass - something scooters should do here not just on car licences ... )

Why?
1st wanted transport.
2nd its was damn cool.
3rd you could give people lifts and this was very social. There was no driving to 18, but you could carry a pillion at 15 with no crazy 10pm rules as in NZ now.

[Shaz]

My first ride ever on a bike lol, thought i'd take my brothers brand new 250 prolink for a spin :bash: lol went strait into dads car.... :Oops: would've helped if i could touch the ground as well :shit: lol!!!
>>>>>> :bash: <<<<<< my brother and I hahaha he eventually taught me how to ride :third:

Got my own BLADE now lol all growed up :scooter:

[enigma51]

I was 4 when i got my first bike before that i use to sit on the tank and steer (on the farm though)

[Al]

3 yrs old on a "monkey-bike", never been without a bike since then... (all of 41yrs this year!)

Al

[Gman71]

a few months ago aged 36. early on-set midlife crisis. catching up on the stuff i didn't do cos I had kids young. it's gonna be a good one! :woohoo:

[Lucy]

Growing up there was always an old Scooter in the yard. Mum and Dad used to have it as their transport when they only had two kids...by the time I came along it was a shrub, but every few years someone would get it going (Puch) and we'd have a go at riding it. Then in Auckland I got a 50cc scooter for cheap transport when my van died, then we moved out to the coast and 50cc couldnt handle the distance to town. Always meant to get a licence so could get a bigger scooter, but never got around to it until I turned 40 and the doctor prescribed 'doing something fun'. Did my basic handling test and decided 'screw scooters - I'm getting a bike'. Lack of money meant getting a GN though harr harr.

[karla]

I must be the oldest newcomer here, I started riding bikes at 43. My father had always forbid me going on motorbikes ... I was allowed to drink, do drugs, date and drive ("c'mon chick, you can go faster than that!"), but not ride.

Came to me in one of those quiet moments, after he died, that now was the time to learn. I had an idea that if I didn't start now it wouldn't be long before I'd be too old ... although I see here there are bikers still riding at 70+ so just maybe I'll be around for a while. :)

[Chad]

Started at 16 or so with a Jawa 50 - the ugliest scooter you could find last century. I had to have two spark plugs for it - one for starting and warming up in the morning, and another for actually riding somewhere.

Just to put the record straight Chad, the "Yamaha 350" was a Yamaha XS650, subsequently replaced by the SR500. Also, it wasn't a crisis but a collectibles investment program! ;)

Ahh, true. Not sure why I thought it was a 350. Was a nice bike though. Weathers not lookin super for weekend up to auckland. Think it'll hold for Sat evening when riding to taupo, but raining pretty much everywhere on Sunday I think :no:

[Skyryder]

Sixteen.

Skyryder

[Livvy]

Interested in bikes all my life but my nervous wreck of a mother meant I could never mention them... Though my next door neighbour would sometimes take me pillion around the farm road up near our house (helmetless, naturally!) and I loved it.

Bought my motorbike last year, aged 16, but as I was in a relationship with a guy who already had his licence and we were living with each other and went everywhere together I never bothered to get my licence. Learnt to ride, but didn't get the licence. Dumped the guy in January, at about the same time the bike decided to die, so now I'm waiting for the Ninja to be fixed so I can finally get my licence on her. <_<

[BigG]

15 years old when I got my first ride ( on a bike ) BSA 250 Sports Star, that should tell you how long I bin riding.

[FROSTY]

from before I was born basicly- mum and dad diddn't own a car so mum was on the bike . then dad put a sidecar on his bike to carry us.
Dads a bit of a tinkerer so there were always lawnmower powered two wheelers around.
Then when I was 7 or 8 a drunk left his C50 honda burried in the hedge out front of our place. I waited a couple of weeks -- it was MINE.
I ripped all the scooter stuff around it and ripped around our place and the local wasteland on the darn thing
No seat no fairings no fenders -eventually no brakes and totally bald tyres. Darn that little bike was fun

[PhilBilly]

My mate was a lacky at welly motorcycles and brought home a CBR 250. We painted it up after hours of sanding then he said you are learning to ride it. After getting the hang of it ive always got to have one. Im addicted. Got learners at 18. Nothing like hooning down the back roads leaving all that stress from work (and the missus hehe shhhh) and enjoy the open air.

[bikemike]

16. My dad caught me passing tourist coaches on the descent from work on my push bike, wearing shorts and t-shirt no helmet, doing over 50mph...

He figured that a moped meant I had to wear a helmet and couldn't do more than 30mph. He was right - Damn, his Puch Maxi would whip my Yamaha DT50.:sick:

[sosman]

I was into bmx freestyle\jumps etc in 1990,friend says we should get some motorbikes & go to woodhill,cause we can't bmx all our lives,so i did & they didnt
:rolleyes:

[Nagash]

I started legally road riding at 15.. had gotten my bike about year before hand and was well keen to get my license as soon as possible. I've always loved motorcycles since I was real young, no clue why.. and to top it off i've always loved cruisers too!

My first bike was a suzuki FX125C which i've still got in the garage which doesn't get much use, but it was a great learning bike. It took a fair few hard knocks but that's what it's there for innit?

[scott411]

age 2 and a half, Dad owned a bike shop, 4 wheelers were not evented so he built training wheels for a JR50, then put a picture in the paper with me riding it so he could sell some more,

near 30 years later, and we still go riding together,

didn;t get my road liceince until i was 20, and my full when i was 27

[Pex Adams]

It was all Dafe's fault - he moved in when his Mum kicked him out of home because he bought a KR1.

I was jealous. BASTARRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDD!!!

He's cost me thousands of $$$$ since:weep::weep::weep:

[ceebie13]

My parents bought me a Honda 50 in 1967. Since then i've never lost the bug.
Lost my balance a few times , but definitely not the bug :-)

[Spyke]

I started liking bikes when dad was talking about his glory days riding around on his cb900 bol de or (mums another story she hates it). got onto this site and got a bucket racer kind regards to the cudbys, raced that WOOO!!!!!, Now i'm hooked and want a road bike and a dirt bike. can't wait for the countless years of comradeship and spending all my money on my bikes, and helping out all my mates on theres.

andrew

[gummibear]

A little voice in the in the back of my head told me to, when I turned 15 but my dad said get your car licence. The voice went away, but came back because my parents are too nervy to take me driving. After I turned 16, it was my goal to get a job and money, and buy my own bike before I turn 17. I'm getting my bike (fxr150) in 2 weeks!

[Insanity_rules]

My first word was motorcycle! First dirtbike at 8, first roadbike at 15. Always loved anything with a motor and two wheels.

[BUNGY]

16. Got a Kr150. Not sure what made me get one in the first place but I always liked bikes.

[release_the_bees]

When I was 18 years old my parents moved way out into the middle of nowhere (50KM from Rotorua and 35KM from Tauranga). At the time I only had my learners car license, and needed the instant independence that my motorcycle license would give me. So, a few weeks later, I sat my class 6 learners test. The rest is history... I still have my car learners though <_<

[DUCATI*HARD]

:yes:i was BORN TO RIDE
now i LIVE TO RIDE,and the rest is history,,,RIDE ON!!!