Young Grass Hopper

[Indiana_Jones]

After seeing Gareth's thread about your 1st ride, I was wondering, who taught you how to use it? For me it was my old man.

-Indy

[Riff Raff]

An ex boyfriend taught me. He came home one day and told me he'd decided I should learn how to ride, and he'd seen the perfect bike for me at an auction and bid on it. Then he put his hand out for the cash!! :gob: I hadn't even thought about learning to ride a bike - but I've never looked back. :banana:

[Jackrat]

I did,an I've got the scars to prove it :o ;)

[StoneChucker]

My first ride on a bike was the basic skills test. I knew the theory of operation, where the controls were and it's relatively easy to ride (that is to make the bike move in a fashion that makes the testing officer pass you), so I passed. Second ride, home over the takas from masterton the day after the basic skills test. I really don't think riding is that hard (again, that is riding safely at the legal speed between two points). The difficulty comes in trying to ride with a higher degree of skill, and if you leave that to experience gained over time, it's not that hard either. Of course, time would be many years...

My belief is that 90% of riders get bored VERY quickly with the type of riding you do right after getting your basic skills test, and try to push the envellope too quickly which is where you get into trouble, me included.

What was my very first lesson I learned by trial and error? DON'T ride with shoes that have shoe laces, they get stuck on the gear and brake lever. Luckily I didn't fall off, but I came close once!

[JohnBoy]

my first ride was back in 1999 where my mate lent me his CB125t to have a go on to learn for my handling skills test. but with our great organisational skills combined this didn't happen until the evening before the test and then it was only for a few min's.
but hey, still passed! :2thumbsup

[Motu]

Riding a Puch moped wasn't much different than riding a push bike,just faster...oh,so much faster!

[Antallica]

My mate got an FXR, had a go and the year after I got myself one.

[R6_kid]

i bought a 1976 vespa super 150. Rode it (illegally) round the block in first gear for bout 10mins :Punk:

then dad came home, standing at the end of the drive way with an angry face, not because i had been riding it, but coz i hadnt been changing gears :o

it was a fluke that i got it into first and didnt understand what exactly the clutch was for....

after a short lesson i was away laughing.... 90kmh no sweat

[MOTOXXX]

first ride was on a 4 wheeler when i was about 4 and moved up to a ds80.
dad tought me to ride and have probly been on bikes younger but dont remember.

[SPORK]

Rode on a CRF150 last year, loved it! Then got my skillz (hahah! I wish) up on the good ol' AG200.

Next stop, 250 Road Bike!

[Velox]

Yep - my old man taught me too. Had to hassle him for ages though until he finally got around to it. I learnt by putting around the end of the road and up in the hills on a old Ag100.

[mini_me]

my sisters boyfriend bought a zxr250 when i was about 15 and i knew thats wat i wanted so this year (3 years later) i bought me a zxr2fiddy and taught myself how to ride on it

[Wenier]

Did basic skills then the rest was up to me. Have done pretty well i think. Of course goin out for rides and followin others always gives ya more ideas on how to tidy your own style in some places.

[Two Smoker]

Did basic skills then the rest was up to me. Have done pretty well i think. Of course goin out for rides and followin others always gives ya more ideas on how to tidy your own style in some places.Milky and Posh Tourer taught me how to ride, then my old man, then KK, then MR.... then heaps of people.... i got heaps of learning to do :(

[ching_ching]

First time was at the Basic Skills Test held at the Kilwell Sports carpark in Rottenrua in 2001. Supposed to be about 3 of us that arvo and I was the first to turn up. Was pissing down cats and dogs and rode an old CB125 with untold strips of electrical tape, scratches galore and bits hanging off it. Went up and down the carpark for ages in the pissing rain getting used to the bike and I loved it. The instructor was getting a bit toey but f&*k him I've already paid my money and yep I was milking it while waiting for the other 2 people.
Failed my first time too but the next session, got the ticket which isn't too surprising considering I was ratshit at riding a bicycle when I was younger as well... (I've got shaight sense of balance). Makes you wonder why I've got a motorbike... like handing a gun to a monkey I say. :spudwhat:

[Blakamin]

Learnt myself on my brothers xt(?)250 in '79... he'd just bought it brand new...(he's 10 years older than me) and when he wasnt home I'd ride it (been on the back of bikes since I was about 6)
did he beat the shit outta me when he found out!
2 weeks later my eldest brother rode it round a mx track, jumped over the corner and into a tree... totalled! :bye:
at that age, i was also speed skating (woohoo) and doin handstands on my skinny blue plastic skateboard with red wheels! (anyone in their 30's should remember those) :doh:

[bungbung]

I had a go on a mates xr200 during a party. I was 14 or 15. I knew the basic mechanics of the gears and clutch and what have you from driving cars.

[vifferman]

Taught? TAUGHT?!?!

I just got on and rode. You'd think that after such an auspicious start, I'd be a great rider. Perhaps I peaked on the first day...:blink:

Mind you, I did learn on the first couple of rides (dirt bikes off road), to be careful when parking across a hill to lean into the hill. :Oops: :doh:

[Fryin Finn]

The first time I rode a bike was on a friends Yamaha 50 step thru'. I had no lessons but managed to ride up the street and back again. On the way back I couldn't understand why downshifting (from top gear) didn't slow the bike then I discovered I had the clutch in - let it out in 1st gear at 60kph - the bike did a zillion revs but slowed alright. Ist lesson learned.
2nd lesson a few years later on my first bike (Yamaha 360 - my Avatar) - dont use kickstarter with bell bottomed jeans - get tangled up and fall over with bike on top. Very funny - had an audience.
Didn't learn lesson 1 very well - I was riding my brothers Honda SS50 in the wet - it had a unique gearbox keep changing up and you hit neutral from 4th then up again into 1st. Well I went into neutral told myself not to change up but being thick I did - instant spit off. :shutup:

[bungbung]

I forgot about the guy who used to hire yammie pw50's to ride around a grass track on the Hutt riverbank near Stokes valley.

I had a go on one when I was 7. It was pretty cool even though I was a bit on the big side for it. My mate ended up with some interesting cylinder head finning burn marks on his leg when he lay down for a bit underneath one.

[F5 Dave]

My sister’s boyfriend (now husband) taught me on her XL185 (I was 15). He later unceremoniously dumped us both off it which was my first crash. Dad never found out about that.

Or that my sister had a bike for that matter. I wonder when I should pop that one out? :whistle: At my wedding maybe?

[Batcerb]

Had to teach myself... Not much fun to start off with thats for sure