Bikes have changed my life....

[Two Smoker]

Hey everyone,

This is a bit of a rant about myself, but i thought i would show how bikes have changed my life, and that you could add you own personal "bikes have changed my life" 2 cents in too....

Well 12 months ago, i couldnt even ride a bike/hadnt ridden a bike. I was interested in them because my Dad rode and i knew KK rode bike and had a keen interest.....

So i wanted a bike and had for a while. I had a car to get me around and had thrashed it too its limits (and passed them sometimes too :( ) and was wanting a turbo (like VR-4 etc). Then working at the farm, my boss said that his son had a RG150 for sale, i didnt know of this bike and was sceptical of what it would be... Well i said i would have a look, and when i saw it i fell inlove with it and wanted to buy it... So i chucked over the $1900 and bought it.....

Milky and Posh Tourer then taught me how to ride it, i sat my basic handling and got my licence.... My L-plate didnt last long and spent a while blating around the waitakere's. I was hooked line and sinker, i couldnt stop riding. I rode everyday, learning things, and enjoying it. Then i finally joined KB in early Feb of 2004 after KK kept telling me about it...

Went to my first track day and had a blast, didnt get my knee down, but people were saying i was going quick.... I spent ages trying to get my knee down and finally did it in the middle of 2004 on lower domain drive.... I was now saving all my money and instantly spending it on the RG with engine rebuilds, tyres etc.....

I went on my first road ride with the famous MR and a few of his mates, they were impressed with me sort of keeping up, but i still wanted to do better and keep up...

This continued and KB was becoming a major part of my life, i was riding with heaps of new people, meeting great people everywhere... I then went on a ride with Firefight, who (i dont know what he was thinking) ride his R6 which was my first time riding a big bike...... MAN THE POWER, THE SPEED, THE WHEELIES.... i thoughy i was addicted before but now i know i am hooked for life...

I then decided to save up for a bigger bike... Started racing and had a blast, even though i was in clubmans getting my arse kicked because no one raced SS150 anymore... Got my times down to a 1:20.52 around Puke (which is about as fast as they can go) and wanted a bigger bike for racing...

XJ, told me about a ZXR400 which i bought and now race, having shitloads of fun.... I know have my K5 GSX-R600 (owning 3 bikes in total now) and am still pouring all my hard earned dollars into all three bikes.....

I am not going to the army until 2006, so now i can concentrate on learning more about riding bikes and racing....I wish to thank SpankMe for creating this site, and all of you guys that use it and that i have met through this site :niceone: you guys have changed my life for what i think is the better.

Man was that a Oscar speech or what....

So i have now been riding for just over 12 months, have my restricted licence, a road bike (gixxer 600), a race bike (ZXR400) and a 50/50 road/race bike (RG150), and a shit load of great friends all because of motorcycles... I am now in the 1:12's at Puke and am looking at 1:10s at the next meet, and 47's at taupo looking at 46 and 45's at the next meet.... I wont stop riding ever noe

Live you life to its fulliest and ride happy and safe :niceone:

Thanks for reading my rant, can i read your guys rants now???

[thehollowmen]

good lil rant, was an enjoying read.

feeling exactly the same way... today I was riding home from work in the dark in heavy rain and caught myself thinking "this is fun, this is challanging riding" and then I thought "hey shouldn't I be pissed off that it is raining?"

I haven't been riding long either and my cage gets very little use, pity I'm getting a new cage soon :gob:

Biking really does mellow you out a bit...
Good for the soul...

[Antallica]

Dude it's really impressive to see you've come this far. You've shown constant passion all the way in your 12 months. Me?, I'll continue to ride like a granny with the odd 'rush'.

w3rd!, see you 'round brother.

[jrandom]

That's way cool, Chris.

My own story is far more muted and uninteresting, but hey, I'll spew it forth anyway.

See, I always wanted a bike. When I was a kid I hid posters of FXDWGs in my bottom drawer (my mum wouldn't let me put them up on the walls, because bikes were, you know, for dodgy people).

Then I went mad going to uni, getting a job, got married, phew! No time or money for anything but a few cages as necessary transport.

Then, two years ago, I realised that I needed another vehicle to get to work every day. A couple of other guys at work rode, and commuted on their bikes. The old dream raised its head and waved at me.

So, being a sensible family man, I bought the most reliable, easy-to-ride learner's bike I could. It was so, so good. So good. Riding. Even on the wee 150.

Of course, I stuffed around with the licencing, so I don't have a full yet. But I'm very happy with my Zeal in the meantime. I don't plan on going the same way as Mr Smoker up there and buying a mad rocket, mostly because I don't trust my reflexes and judgement in general. Not in my usual state of permanent toddler-induced sleep deprivation.

I'll buy myself something big and lazy, next. Or maybe something a little smaller, and a little less lazy. We'll see.

Riding is, indeed, good for the soul. I'll never be without a bike.

[Madmax]

I have been on bikes all my life,
so buy now i have a few broken bones, ETC.
I have had a few bones removed (proximal roe?)
Its in your blood as near as i can tell,
A form of addiction as such,
but there is no methodone for this one
:drinknsin

[SuperDave]

Would never have thought that you have only been riding for 12 months, :blink: based on what I saw on that one group ride you're a natural :2thumbsup

I really felt ill the other day and unfortunately had to turn up at work, was really not looking forward to going to work in the terrible weather, but the moment I set off on the bike until I got off, I felt much better. The ride to and from work was the best part of the day, the rest of the day was shit. I love riding :yes:

[VasalineWarrior]

RG 150 aye? that was my first road bike as well. ive got a bit of a soft spot for those dirty 2 strokes. first bike i managed to crack the ton on. howzit that you manage to ride a gixer 600 on a restricted aye? not that i can talk-i got sick of gay 250's and bought a 400 on my restricted. i dont understand why some fag boyracer can go buy a souped up impreza on his restricted and hoon round on his risky while i have push a damn 250 about for another 18 months, even though ive been riding since i was 10. meh. go hard bro and stay away from from those four wheeled cages aye!

[Jase W]

Ive barely been riding for a month now so my story is just beginning. Basically Ive been wanting to get my bike licence and a bike ever since i got my car licence and a car back when i was 15 (Im 18 now). I finally got into when my dad got back into riding after about 15years. Im currently riding a honda gl145, which does the trick for me for the moment (even gets me to napier and back - although it gives me a sore arse). At the moment im saving my cash for when I get my full (early 2006) and then upgrading to something a bit more badass.

I love riding :D

[Motu]

I rode a bike once...35 yrs ago - now that were a silly thing to do eh?

[Jsn]

Heh, My stories just beginning as well. I finally got the Tzr a wof and reg the other day, even tho i've had my learners for 5 months!
I've only ridden it on two long rides so far but its w1ck3d! even faster than my friends turbo supra :)
But yeah riding is easily 5 or maybe even 10 times as much fun as driving.. I've definately got the bug now hehe.
(wow this makes a total of three times i've ridden a bike ever..)

[simo]

Rode me first bike in 1970 - farm bike on an airstrip with no fences, that bike got so crashed, and I'm sure it's the reason after 34 years, that I still own a bike, and haven't crashed that much, well now and then........only a broken collar bone in 1985, the open road just gets into your blood, enjoy it before the safety NAZI's ban motorcycles, and they will if the current trends in protecting you from yourself gather momentum...

[Da Bird]

So i have now been riding for just over 12 months, have my restricted licence, a road bike (gixxer 600), Great to see you guys enjoying biking so much and sounds like you are having a lot of fun but please dont complain if/when you get tickets for breaching your restricted licence....

[Motoracer]

Nice one Chris!

My bro got a GN125 cause he was always interested in bikes. I was a boy racer wanabe little shit back then at 13 yrs old. He taught me how to operate it (the basics). It was something new and I found it quite exciting.

Couple of years later, I bought my own bike, the mighty SRX250 bikini faired model when I was 15 yrs old. I thought that it was the shit back then (felt real cool too :cool2: ). I used to love going to school in it to show off even though school was just 5 mins away! Then some idiots started making fun of me cause the SRX was too "skinny" and shit.

Year later, I bought the GSXR250 at 16yrs old. Took that to school and that as well. I also went for my 1st ever road ride on it too. I scared the shit out of myself by just going at the speed limit (or below it) at that time. The dudes at school then thought that my GSXR was alright (specially for a 16 year old to own).

Then just a few months later, that same year, I bought the coolest bike ever!! My first ZXR400! It was an ex-race bike with full on race pipe, braided brake lines, fiberglass race fairings with even the race numbers and shit loads of other extra race gear on it! Everybody at school were gobsmacked (including some hot female teachers) when I got that thing. I didn't care about what went on during the day at School but the best bit was turning up with my loud as big phat race bike into the car park and leaving school by leaving all my boyracer mates behind at the lights. Fuck that used to be the meanest coolest feeling ever!!! The chix at school used to love sitting on my bike as well and most used to beg for a ride at the back. I have attached a pic of it below:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/gallery/albums/userpics/10284/F3%20race%20bike.jpg

Well, that is what really got me into bikes initially. The whole image thing, then the uniqueness. During my high school years, My bikes (ZXR mainly) gave me the confidence boost I needed to tackle most social issues that teens have to go through. It made me a cool/popular dude from someone who used to be one of the geeks. At this stage, I was still a wanabe little shit, drag racing people at the lights within the city.

Then later on, my brother took me to some road rides. I binned a few times almost writting off the bike. I learnt about how to fix them back up which was good as well. Then I met some more cool people through some of my biker mates. We then started going on road rides a lot. I started liking riding bikes for the first time (I mean real riding through the back/open roads, not just city riding/commuting). By then, I picked up another mint ZXR 400 (later to be the "Mella Yella" of Frosty). Then I did my first track day at Pukie on it and just fell in love with riding at the track. I knew that that's what I wanted to do.

I sold my 1st ZXR to a dude who saw the add in T&E. This gentelman's name was Logan. Yep, you guessed it. I had sold my bike to the one and only KK! (actually Chris, the fiber glass tail fairing that you have on your race bike right now that KK gave you is the same one that is on the pic above). I met Logan at the track again, he then told me about this cool site called Kiwibiker.

I joined the site and started going on the site quite often. I started to go on the Kiwibiker rides and started to know more and more Kiwibikers in real life as well. This changed my life dramatically as well. I have made friendships here that will last for a lifetime. Through this site ofcourse, I bought my GSXR600. Through this site ofcourse, I met Frosty, who encouraged me and basically got me into racing. Otherwise, I had only bought the GSXR cause it would have been a cool road bike to have. If it wasn't for bikes and Kiwibiker, I wouldn't have known F/F, who I consider to be my best mate. Basically through bikes and this site, I have been given the chance to meet shitloads of awesome people who I wouldn't have otherwise met/known. Racing (in any form of motorsports) was always a dream of mine and if it wasn't for Kiwibiker and motorbikes, it probably would have never become a reality.

Through motorbikes and mainly Kiwibiker to be exact, I have matured (I think lol) from a wanabe little shit to someone who has a purpose, who has real goals and real aims in life (about self improvement). Honestly, if it wasn't for bikes, i'd probably be at Queen St right now, driving a riced up car with a brain dead car hoe sitting next to me, doing continues laps wasting my life/time away.

I think bikes have been the best thing to ever happen to me. Also of course, Kiwibiker has played a big role in my life as well because of all the help I have gotten from everyone here.

So thank you to Spankme, all the other people responsible for the creation of this site and of course, thank you to all of you who are active members of Kiwibiker who help keep this wonderful website alive! Also, most of all, a big thank you goes out to my brother who first got me started on bikes. Cheers bro! :)

Fuck it's getting late. Goodnight/morning :sleep:

[Teflon]

Well i still havn't got my car license after 10yrs, so motorcycling is a major part of life for me.

What sealed this life style for me was my fathers gsxr1100.

[SPman]

(my mum wouldn't let me put them up on the walls, because bikes were, you know, for dodgy people). And she was right!


So i have now been riding for just over 12 months, have my restricted licence, a road bike (gixxer 600),..........sounds like you are having a lot of fun but please dont complain if/when you get tickets for breaching your restricted licence.... Those thoughts crossed my mind as well - just take it carefully, Chris.

[Kwaka-Kid]

[QUOTE=Motoracer]Nice one Chris!


http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/gallery/albums/userpics/10284/F3%20race%20bike.jpg

I sold my 1st ZXR to a dude who saw the add in T&E. This gentelman's name was Logan. Yep, you guessed it. I had sold my bike to the one and only KK! (actually Chris, the fiber glass tail fairing that you have on your race bike right now that KK gave you is the same one that is on the pic above). I met Logan at the track again, he then told me about this cool site called Kiwibiker.


And thats about where the new found biker scene came and smacked me in the head. Remember it so clearly, finally having this F3 type machine *thinking* i was the shit and not even realising how much faster you actually had to be!

From there i learnt slow and hard, When i met sudeep at the track again i believe it was when i crashed the stupid thing trying in my best efforts to keep up with him - sudeep mate now when i look back we must have only beeing doing like 1:30's! Well speak for myself as after 2 laps you already had the front straight on me and i was determined not to brake into jennian, but no the whole mind over matter when the rear became unstuck thing didnt work and i was standing her up and zooming along the grass.

Anyway that was a nice memory refresher, basically after that i ran into a VFR400 and the ZXR had to go, and this is where i said its time to stop pretending and give it a good go! $$$ later and umpteen VFR's/bits that have come/one gone and thats me.

Well i didnt have time for a long one so ill leave it at that, have a nice day all.

[MOTOXXX]

I must say that i have loved bikes since i was young and have my parents to thank for that. Ive always had a bike around me growing up. started off on dirt and when i got to 15 i finally got a fzr250. Rode it to school every day etc etc. Then got my tl and love that even more.
I dont realy have a long rant on how they have changed my life but sometimes i do wonder what i would be doing if i wasnt into motor cycles.
Id probably be driving an evo four like the rest of the sheep around nz.
One thing id have agree on is that all the people i have met off kb have all been top people, all of them!
well except for maybe martin (sparkybills) :moon:
im just kidding martin.

[Two Smoker]

Great to see you guys enjoying biking so much and sounds like you are having a lot of fun but please dont complain if/when you get tickets for breaching your restricted licence....Nup BC and SPman, if i get the ticket, i wont complain, i would accept the resposibility of the $400 for breaching the conditions of my Licence and the 50 (correct?) demerit points as well, actually im just waiting for my old man to give me a ticket lol... Ive found riding the GSX-R i have ridden the best ever in my life, extremely cautious (its like someone elses Ducati 998R) constantly looking and riding very defensively, so far it has been a good thing, the other thing i find is that i can be doing 50-100kmh (in respective speed limit zones) and still have a ball, because im riding my dream bike.... Also have started my application for the CBTA course, and still have the trusty RG150 to keep me legal :niceone:

Awesome stories from everyone :niceone: please keep them coming in :niceone:

[Sparky Bills]

My parents gave birth to a bike, And I was aftermarket extra! :eek:
road or dirt (mostly road) I love it all!! :headbang:

[guzzi_nz]

SPARKY BILLS
that the right talk :headbang:

i have live from 0-5 then got my first bike :mobile: and apart from a spell of 1 year :no: at 20 alway had a bike now 39 had a lot of shitter in that time but allways a bike

:headbang: MOTORCYCLING IS THE ONLY LIFE :headbang:

[Sparky Bills]

Im 20 now, and wouldnt even think of changing!!
I love them through and through!!
The fact I work in a bike shop doesnt help!

[manuboy]

I get the feeling there's some fulla's and fulla-esses here who've ridden lots more than me, but 'ere goes... First bike was one of them little plastic three wheelers with the peddles on the front wheel i had when i was 2 in Putararu(?). Plastic wheels are Awesome for drifting. Dad had an ol farm bike and i used to scream intil he chucked me on the back to get the cows.

Later on my mate got a pw50. We used to race it round the streets at Whangamata. Awesome little beast. We gave that thing all the shit we could. Then later he got an IT175 which was pretty scary to ride. Dabbled with some motocross (YZ80, YZ125)

At 15 i got an XL250 for travel to school in hamilton from Mystery Creek. Good choice of bike i thought. My first real on-road bin came when i missed a hidden cue in fielddays traffic in the rain. Slid into the opposite lane and under an on-coming vehicle. Phew.

Bought a FZR400 next. Awesome bike in it's day (1989). But i was too irresponsible. Always pushing beyond myself. Went off the road in them hills between Whangamata and Waihi being chased by some pissed fullas in a holden, trampolined off a deer fence just outside hammy, and finally had a learner pull out in front on the main road (te rapa straight?). That was it - took up cycling - awesome sport. Time to REALLY take in the scenery and become ultra fit. Awesome roads for riding round the back of Huntly.

This year, after too long slaving over an old bungalow, convinced the good women to let me have the SV. Farking lovin it. Still a little worried about how hard i push it. Can't seem to stop tho. Love trying to get corners right - don't mind the shitstains when i think i'm gonna get it all wrong.

Just biding my time really until i pay my $50 bucks and get onto ruapuna to find out how slow i really am (eh Kickaha....). Will get a bucket next year. i just wanna ride as fast as i can on the track and get faster...

[Coyote]

My stories simple. Dad became a born again rider, brought me and my brother a new CRF (still have it), started riding it for fun at the masterton MX track, wanted something more advanced, so we get an old KX (old ones have no powervalve), I have a stupid idea and decide to put road tyres on the KX, and start racing with the wellington buckets in the Junior Motard class, got my CBR only recently and just got my licence and are now planning to take the CBR to manfeild next year. All this to the dismay of my Mum and my family on her side cause my Uncle had a couple of accidents on his bike, which lead to his death (when he was 18, he had the handlebars of his road bike go straight through his leg, and had to replace his bone with a steel one. He also died 3 times and was revived each time, and this is what really scared mum)

I also inspired Madcat to get into motorcycles, and he showed me to this site

[Yokai]

Hmmm - How do I approach this one.

I've always wanted a motorbike. I grew up in the 70s and 80s and loved the sight of a nice classic looking bike. I read Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and thought how cool it would be to wander around a country on a bike thinking about stuff and doing that voyage of self discovery. That was 17-18 years ago.

My life hasn't been what I wanted and probably won't be. I started in counselling about a year ago and some things that came out were that I like to have goals achieved. One of them was learning to ride and owning a nice bike... Soooo.... I saved up and 3 months back bought myself a lovely little SRV 250.

When she's working she's what I ride to work. She makes my job slightly bearable, and reminds me that there are things that are achievable... The ride home at night is cool too.

I've met some great people here and use this as a way of getting more info about riding and tips etc... There are some awesome people out there - and my shouts go out to:

Devil, CK, Hitcher, JRandom, TwoSmoker, Paparazzi (thanks for waiting for me ;-) ) Kwakka-kid (Yeah - I know I haven't forgotten - the site's being built) XJFrosty (just for doing weird stuff with a bike!) and Aff-man...

There ya go - I'm still a learner, but I have a lot of years of longing to get through .... I'm gonna be a slow one, but hey!as soon as the clutch is fixed - we are off on a ride!

[Hitcher]

A motorcycle is the ultimate mid-life enhancement!

This time two years ago, after having longingly panted after bikes for all of my life to that point, I decided enough was enough and to do something about it.

Problem 1: Despite having hooned around on farm and trail bikes and on mates' road bikes in my "yoof", I didn't have a license...

Problem 2: I am a "fuller-headed" gent. Purchasing a helmet proved problematic, largely due to Wellington bike shops not giving a flying fuck, and impressing me greatly with their commitment to customer service. However Craig Sullivan at Sawyers was marvellous and eventually got me my first Shoei -- the world's best motorcycle helmet!

After making enquiries about learn-to-ride courses, I actually got one of these "thrown in" as part of a bike purchase deal with the now (thankfully) defunct Motorcycle City in Lower Hutt, from whom I purchased my Zeal.

I then told Mrs H that I had booked her in as well... [shortened version of our "evolution" as bikers follows...]

So after a couple of Saturday stints with Stephens Driving School in the Hutt River carpark in Lower Hutt, on the crappy bikes provided, we were able to get our L plates and go riding.

Plan A of sharing the Zeal was short-lived, as Mrs H's relative dimensions make such a cycle an inappropriate fit. It also had a flukey throttle and very potent brakes that made slow riding a bit of a trick for a new rider.

Plan B involved buying a mint nick 1967 Honda CB100 with 6,500 genuine miles on for Mrs H. What a bloody brilliant bike these are! But after two weeks Mrs H had "outgrown" this and we traded it in on a Kawawaki EL250 Eliminator.

We did about 16,500km on our 250s in the nine months we had them, in every imaginable riding condition except snow and pissed!

After nine months we did the CBTA course through Roadsafe here in Wellington (well, the course was actually in Upper Hutt) and within two weeks, Mrs H had bought her Marauder and I had the Zrex.

A life-changing experience? Absolutely. We should have done it years earlier.

We've made fantastic new friends and gone places we would never have gone in a c.a.r.

We are now passionate advocates for the two-wheeled lifestyle we have discovered and embraced wholeheartedly.

The best fun you can have with all your clothes on!!

[guzzi_nz]

:headbang: STARTS A START :headbang:

[MSTRS]

And she was right!

Those thoughts crossed my mind as well - just take it carefully, Chris.
Got my licence back in '73 on a TRiumph Tigress 250, been on & off bikes ever since (only 2 offs - nothing but wounded dignity really & bent forks). Each bike since then has generally been a bit bigger than the last, but no matter what size, they are all unforgiving when the sticky stuff happens. Further to that it was about 6 months ago that my dear wife (bless her cotton socks) talked me into *sic* buying the GSXR1100 now that the youngest is house trained. It had been about 12yrs since I'd been on a bike & yes it's true, you never really forget how to ride, just how it feels. AWESOME.To all those aging bikeless people out there who miss the thrill, just do it & if your dear one is supportive well you got it made

[Motu]

It was my mother what got me into bikes.When I left school at 16 and got a job she said ''you'll need a motorbike to go to work and nightschool'' She'd look in the paper and say ''hey,what about this one,a Puch scooter,let's go an have a look'' so we'd go in her Mini to check out a bike I couldn't even ride.But one day she found out my cousin was going to sell the Bantam he had used when he started his sailmaking apprenticship.He dropped it around and away I went - I've been into bikes ever since.My mother never gave me grief about all my bikes and parts,took me to bike shops to pick up parts,didn't bleat on about my new found friends who rode bikes - once after a bad accident they all came around home to see how I was...they asked her for newspapers to put down so they could walk on the carpet and sit on the couch...she thought they were good mates to be that concerned about me....and they were.Even at the end of her days she might ask...''whatever happened to the ***** you had,I've always wondered if whoever got it had as much fun from it as you did''

Thanks Mum,you put me on the right road.

[Hitcher]

Thanks Mum,you put me on the right road.
A big "ups" to Motu's mum. Sounds like a pretty special lady.

[vifferman]

A big "ups" to Motu's mum. Sounds like a pretty special lady.Yes indeed. :niceone:

Bikes have changed my life too. I didn't used to ride them, and now I do.
Same with my wife - she didn't ride them once, and now she's the vifferbabe.

[Hitcher]

Same with my wife - she didn't ride them once, and now she's the vifferbabe.
The vifferbabe should get her own ride...

[Blackbird]

I got my first bike about 40 years ago (yeah, yeah :killingme ) and I'd have to say that bike enthusiasts are undoubtedly the nicest and most tolerant bunch of people of people I've come across irrespective of their backgrounds (err...and ignoring the rants on this website, hehe.) I'm certain that there are far less plonkers per capita than other parts of society.

Merry Xmas and safe riding everyone. If you see a blue Blackbird around Coromandel between Xmas and New Year, it's likely to be me!

Geoff

[vifferman]

The vifferbabe should get her own ride...Tried that. I thought a VTR250 would be a nice lil bro to the FahrtSturm, but she said, "Nah. I'd rather just go on the back." (Or was that "... on my back."?)

But (BUT!) she did try a Raptor 650 for size: "This one fits me nicely!"

I asked he about her bike-riding past: apparently, she once rode a farmbike on her friend's boyfriend's farm, and it scared her a lot. So that was it - bikes are bad. :weep:

But I'm quite happy to have her just pillioning, as long as we're enjoying it and she doesn't change back from being vifferbabe (the strange, pod-person alien who's taken over my wife, and who loves techno-toys and being impulsive) and becomes the serious, responsible almost-boring person I used to be married to...

[vifferman]

I got my first bike about 40 years ago (yeah, yeah :killingme ) and I'd have to say that bike enthusiasts are undoubtedly the nicest and most tolerant bunch of people of people I've come across irrespective of their backgrounds (err...and ignoring the rants on this website, hehe.) I'm certain that there are far less plonkers per capita than other parts of society.Dunno'bout that - I'm sure there are just as many plonkers, but they tend to be those temporary squid-persons....
You're damned right about the "nicest people" bit though. One of the real pleasures this year has been meeting and making friends with total strangers while out on a ride with the vifferbabe.
Don't get that when travelling by car...

[vifferman]

I guess in short I'd have to say that riding a bike defines who and what I am, at least in a large measure.
I'm not sure if it's atypical for bike riders, but I am obsessed with bikes, and have been since I started riding them over 30 years ago. I think about bikes and bike-related things more than almost anything else. I'm a bit :o to admit that usually the last thing on my mind before I fall asleep at night is something to do with the VifFerraRi: does it need this done or that; what could I do to improve something about it, etc.

And yet, I very nearly gave up riding last year, and had considered doing so this year, until I realised that the way I was feeling about biking was the way I was feeling about everything, so chucking it in wouldn't help. In fact, riding a bike is one of the only things that makes life bearable at times. The best part of the day is usually the ride to work (yeah - I usually enjoy it more than the ride home, as the route works better in that direction). :ride:

I think I like being different to most of the rest of the population - there's something a bit special about being part of the elite few who choose to be a biker. While almost anyone could be a biker, not everyone can be one for the long term, and so those who do so share a very special bond, an inward knowledge of that kindred spirit.

I like just about everything about riding a bike: having to wear the (sometimes awkward) gear; riding in all sorts of weather; the risks associated with it; the maintenance of the machine; the extra care and concentration riding well demands; that there are always new things to learn about biking.
I love getting suited up, and the feeling of anticipation before every ride, even the short ones.
I love sitting at the traffic lights, with the bike making mechanical noises beneath me, waiting for the moment to snick it into gear. I love it too when it develops this strange lumpy idle: "Brup...brup...brup...brup!" like a V8 with a hot cam.:Punk:
I love it when I wake up, and it's a fine sunny day, but still crisp and cool, and I know it's perfect riding weather, and I'm going to ride.
I love riding down the road, and having some complete stranger wave to me.
I love it when little kids get excited when they see me and my bike out of the window of their car, or passing by them when they're walking down the road.
I love it when I'm riding on a cool clear day, and the sun is warm on my back.
I love it when I'm riding down the road in the summer, and the smell of the countryside is in my nostrils, and honeysuckle's sweetness makes me take a deep breath, and I ride though a pool of cool air in the shade of a stand of trees, or in a dip in an undulating road.
I love the almost spiritual feeling when you get a corner just right.
I love stopping for a break during a ride, and sipping a coffee while admiring my machine cooling down outside.
I love it when someone says, "Nice machine! Is it yours?"

I love being a biker. :)

[Marmoot]

For me my story began with my parents who encouraged me to have a bike. They say cars suck petrol too much and the shape is boring. My mom suggested me to have a sportbike because the colours are so nice so she eyed me a Fireblade. My dad gave me the dosh to buy by bike and, due to my parents unending support I ended up as a blade rider. I finished my basic handling course in due time and soon after I became a regular road rider skimming the corners of local Waikato twisties.
I also met a girl that was really into bikes. We talked a lot about bikes and how cool they are.
Then the inevitable came....I crashed big time. I was thinking of quiting before I endanger my life further, but my girlfriend told me not to. Bikes are cool, practical, and moreover they make me happy. She fully understands how I am into sportbikes and encouraged me to fix it and get back on it and quit being a whinger.
So yeah, I ended up fixing it and getting back on riding just because of a support of a beautiful lady beside me.

Oh....by the way, mum have asked me so many times not to smoke pot, but hey they are real nice especially after a good drinking session. And while i'm posting, I must tell you about the pink elephant I saw this morning in front of my house. Not to mention I heard about 10% tax cut, and that the government is thinking about increasing the speed limit, have u heard about that?

[MSTRS]

I think I like being different to most of the rest of the population - there's something a bit special about being part of the elite few who choose to be a biker. While almost anyone could be a biker, not everyone can be one for the long term, and so those who do so share a very special bond, an inward knowledge of that kindred spirit.
I love it when I wake up, and it's a fine sunny day, but still crisp and cool, and I know it's perfect riding weather, and I'm going to ride.
I love riding down the road, and having some complete stranger wave to me.
I love it when little kids get excited when they see me and my bike out of the window of their car, or passing by them when they're walking down the road.
I love it when I'm riding on a cool clear day, and the sun is warm on my back.
I love it when I'm riding down the road in the summer, and the smell of the countryside is in my nostrils, and honeysuckle's sweetness makes me take a deep breath, and I ride though a pool of cool air in the shade of a stand of trees, or in a dip in an undulating road.
I love the almost spiritual feeling when you get a corner just right.
I love stopping for a break during a ride, and sipping a coffee while admiring my machine cooling down outside.
I love it when someone says, "Nice machine! Is it yours?"

I love being a biker. :)
POETRY MAN - ever published?

[Storm]

Yeah man, thats profound

I started off at age 6 on a honda mini inail(q50) riding around on the farm. Progressed through XR 70,XR 80, XR 100, DT125, XL 185, XR 200 x 3 , scooter, GN250 then GSX250FL (current bike)
Bikes were pretty much all that kept me sane through my teenage years as I didnt get along to well with various things on the social side. Having a crap day at school wasnt so bad when I knew I could go home and have a thrash on my bike. I could fill hours tinkering and making my bike go that little bit faster or better , practising my riding skills daily , reading bike mags religiously had 6 years solids worth of ADB, and dreaming about flasher bikes. I gave away bikes for a while when I joined the army. This wasnt one of my best moves as I could really have done with a happy place to go to. So I got a scooter, just because I'd always wanted to have one, then once I felt a bit more comfortable on the roads, I got my GN which was an absolutly excellant bike for me to get to grips with being a big bad biker. However after a while, I outgrew it (after my spur of the moment 1000 k in weekend trip whereby discovered that I needed a bit more go), so thus hunted around for a while till I got my Across and have been a happy chappy since.
Dunno if I can be as profound as others here have been, I just know that alls not well with the world if I dont have a bike to ride. I've tried going without, and its just not for me.
By the way, I also got the "they're bloody dangerous, you're not getting one and thats the bloody end of it"(meaning road bikes) speech from my dad a few times as well. Probably the only time ignoring his advice worked for me.

[SPman]

Bikes have changed my life too. I didn't used to ride them, and now I do.
Same with my wife
What!!!...

[Skunk]

Bikes have changed my life too. I didn't used to ride them, and now I do. Same with my wife
I got my girl first and rode after that. :killingme

[2_SL0]

I guess in short I'd have to say that riding a bike defines who and what I am, at least in a large measure.
I'm not sure if it's atypical for bike riders, but I am obsessed with bikes, and have been since I started riding them over 30 years ago. I think about bikes and bike-related things more than almost anything else. I'm a bit :o to admit that usually the last thing on my mind before I fall asleep at night is something to do with the VifFerraRi: does it need this done or that; what could I do to improve something about it, etc.

And yet, I very nearly gave up riding last year, and had considered doing so this year, until I realised that the way I was feeling about biking was the way I was feeling about everything, so chucking it in wouldn't help. In fact, riding a bike is one of the only things that makes life bearable at times. The best part of the day is usually the ride to work (yeah - I usually enjoy it more than the ride home, as the route works better in that direction). :ride:

I think I like being different to most of the rest of the population - there's something a bit special about being part of the elite few who choose to be a biker. While almost anyone could be a biker, not everyone can be one for the long term, and so those who do so share a very special bond, an inward knowledge of that kindred spirit.

I like just about everything about riding a bike: having to wear the (sometimes awkward) gear; riding in all sorts of weather; the risks associated with it; the maintenance of the machine; the extra care and concentration riding well demands; that there are always new things to learn about biking.
I love getting suited up, and the feeling of anticipation before every ride, even the short ones.
I love sitting at the traffic lights, with the bike making mechanical noises beneath me, waiting for the moment to snick it into gear. I love it too when it develops this strange lumpy idle: "Brup...brup...brup...brup!" like a V8 with a hot cam.:Punk:
I love it when I wake up, and it's a fine sunny day, but still crisp and cool, and I know it's perfect riding weather, and I'm going to ride.
I love riding down the road, and having some complete stranger wave to me.
I love it when little kids get excited when they see me and my bike out of the window of their car, or passing by them when they're walking down the road.
I love it when I'm riding on a cool clear day, and the sun is warm on my back.
I love it when I'm riding down the road in the summer, and the smell of the countryside is in my nostrils, and honeysuckle's sweetness makes me take a deep breath, and I ride though a pool of cool air in the shade of a stand of trees, or in a dip in an undulating road.
I love the almost spiritual feeling when you get a corner just right.
I love stopping for a break during a ride, and sipping a coffee while admiring my machine cooling down outside.
I love it when someone says, "Nice machine! Is it yours?"

I love being a biker. :)

My god that almost brought a tear to my eye.

[Racey Rider]

Man was that a Oscar speech or what....

And just like at the Oscars,

We're all Standing,,,

Clapping,,,

Smile'n,,

and muttering under our breath,, Lousy judges! That should have been ME!

[Yamahamaman]

I guess in short I'd have to say that riding a bike defines who and what I am, at least in a large measure.
I'm not sure if it's atypical for bike riders, but I am obsessed with bikes, and have been since I started riding them over 30 years ago. I think about bikes and bike-related things more than almost anything else. I'm a bit :o to admit that usually the last thing on my mind before I fall asleep at night is something to do with the VifFerraRi: does it need this done or that; what could I do to improve something about it, etc.

And yet, I very nearly gave up riding last year, and had considered doing so this year, until I realised that the way I was feeling about biking was the way I was feeling about everything, so chucking it in wouldn't help. In fact, riding a bike is one of the only things that makes life bearable at times. The best part of the day is usually the ride to work (yeah - I usually enjoy it more than the ride home, as the route works better in that direction). :ride:

I think I like being different to most of the rest of the population - there's something a bit special about being part of the elite few who choose to be a biker. While almost anyone could be a biker, not everyone can be one for the long term, and so those who do so share a very special bond, an inward knowledge of that kindred spirit.

I like just about everything about riding a bike: having to wear the (sometimes awkward) gear; riding in all sorts of weather; the risks associated with it; the maintenance of the machine; the extra care and concentration riding well demands; that there are always new things to learn about biking.
I love getting suited up, and the feeling of anticipation before every ride, even the short ones.
I love sitting at the traffic lights, with the bike making mechanical noises beneath me, waiting for the moment to snick it into gear. I love it too when it develops this strange lumpy idle: "Brup...brup...brup...brup!" like a V8 with a hot cam.:Punk:
I love it when I wake up, and it's a fine sunny day, but still crisp and cool, and I know it's perfect riding weather, and I'm going to ride.
I love riding down the road, and having some complete stranger wave to me.
I love it when little kids get excited when they see me and my bike out of the window of their car, or passing by them when they're walking down the road.
I love it when I'm riding on a cool clear day, and the sun is warm on my back.
I love it when I'm riding down the road in the summer, and the smell of the countryside is in my nostrils, and honeysuckle's sweetness makes me take a deep breath, and I ride though a pool of cool air in the shade of a stand of trees, or in a dip in an undulating road.
I love the almost spiritual feeling when you get a corner just right.
I love stopping for a break during a ride, and sipping a coffee while admiring my machine cooling down outside.
I love it when someone says, "Nice machine! Is it yours?"

I love being a biker. :)
Good troll Ian :puke:

[jrandom]

Good troll Ian :puke:

Jeez, dude, someone hit you with the curmudgeon stick before you got out of bed this morning?

[avgas]

My ole' man is Peter, so if you know him you will allready know why i ride bikes.
Grew up with the ol' man having a 3TA in boxes, and at least 1 XS850 sitting in the shed. Also there was my first bike (TS185 82') that was sitting in the shed since i was about 3, which got fired back into life (after a 10 year semi-retirement), and he tried to teach me how to ride - this failied horribly on many occasions, i gave up an went to driving a 750 beach buggy i had for a few year. Then i started mountain biking on a national level, which lead to my curiousity of the 185, soon i taught myself how to start it, then how to ride it. Then i pulled it apart and never put it back together again :devil2: how motorcyclist is that.
Almost got a Aprilla RS250 as my first road bike, but then a devorce happend and i got jack. So i borrowed a friends RZ250, then bought my own RG150.
I know that if i didnt ride then i would be dead, i had problems with drugs and depression, and suicide was a option at the time.
However i got all cleaned up, and riding takes all my stress away (and doing an engineering degree is fuckn stressful).
When the RG blew up, and i was in a relationship wif the missus, i got the GB so we both could go on trips. You know a women loves you if she tours on the back of a bike with you, and when she rushes to hospital after an accident.
Motorcycling is the one thing in this world that separates you from the stress of life. Its just you, and the road.
It is spiritual, and for me a religeon :done:

[sAsLEX]

parents would let me have a bike
shipped out and joined the Navy, and after training had a go at some Woodhill riding on a clapped out XR250 that needs a stator still if anyone knows of one??
that was fun I thought then K14 was bringing in a cbr thingo from japan would I like one??

Well the CBR was fun and I had a ball on it and no bins and only a couple of tickets, but the scum have it now and I have jumped up to a 400 and its a ball!

[sels1]

I guess in short I'd have to say that riding a bike defines who and what I am, at least in a large measure..............

I love being a biker. :)

Yeah....sheer poetry. Well put.

My big brother and his mates had trail bikes and I learnt to ride on them. Saved up my $ from my after school job and bought a DT100 trail bike to ride college. This uped my social standing - from being invisible I was then only one of about 6 guys with bikes at school. We used to go trail riding at lunch times and hoon around new sub divisions etc. Lived on that bike until I started work and could afford a car (more seats/room/stereo etc - was living@home so car was like, private space) but still kept owning a bike (250 trail bikes mostly) until I sold up everything to go on O.E. After that came marriage, house, kids and 20 yrs go by and then the kids start going and, with a little more time+$ the old urges were awakened and I went out and bought an XT400. I live about 45min from the bike shop but it took me 3 hours to get home that day - took every side road and dirt track I could find. I was happy to ride to wk every day and do a bit of trail riding on the weekends. I was surfing the net one day and found KB. Reading other peoples stories has inspired me to take the next step - just bought an F650 and some proper riding gear so I can now get out on the open road and enjoy.
Thanks to the KBers I have meet who are so friendly and encouraging - looking forward to meeting more of you on the road.

[aff-man]

Hmmmmmmmm where to start. First and formost i still only have my learners for a car. The reason being that i feel very very uncomfortable behind the wheel of a rolling deathtrap.... But enough about cages i suppose i started on the mighty 4 wheel bikes that my mate had when i was little. As soon as i jumped on it was like a duck to water. But after moving to this country i hadn't done anything for a couple of years. I had known CK for a while and when he bought his first bike and i saw it i knew that it was for me. It took a couple of years but after 7th form i worked my ass off over summer to get enough cash for a bike. My mom wasn't really worried (except for telling CK that if i ever bought a bike she would ring his neck) untill i have the cold hard cash to do it. So after buying the local TE i headed out to the wap-waps and bought my first bike the one the only the mighty VT250FG Special Edition (yes the baby blue one). So then in parking lots Ck taught me to ride the beast (took all of 5 minutes) it was like nothing i've ever experienced and will never stop doing. Got the handelling cirtificate and learners, slapped on the L plate and away i went................. Crashing twice in the first two weeks of riding.......... it didn't rattle me in the least but i think my mom's nerves were running thin. I rode the beast hard and managed to blow up the engine, so had a crash course in bike mechanisms while relacing the engine. From there i bought CK's old zxr250 and learnt to ride that quite effectivley. From there i got my full and the current zxr400. I have poured hours and heaps of cash into bikes and don't regret 1 minute of it. Ck aso introduced me to this site and big ups to everyone who made it happen and continue to make it a great thing to be apart of. I have met some very cool people and the wealth of knowlege and experience is irreplacable.. Something i wrote in after a big ride and have on my door .....

As i crest the rise,just me and my bike, the sight amazes me yet again. The crystal blue sky, the smooth calm sea and a glimpse of the road as it winds in and out of the coves along the coast. In the hustle and bustle of today's society i experience a moment like no other. I am alive and at this moment life couldn't be better. GOD I LOVE MY BIKE

[erik]

There's some neat stories here :)

I haven't got much of a story yet.

I got my bike in february 2003, I found KB before buying my bike, and I think it probably helped my decision to get one. My younger brother got a bike a few months before me, so before I got my own bike, I had bought gear and practiced riding his zzr250 a bit.
I've mostly been using my bike to ride to and from AUT, the free parking is great, and the ride is usually fun.
I've been on a few rides, only had one coulda-been-serious-I-was-bloody-lucky accident (had another minor low speed low-side).
Met a few people and made a few friends.
In short, it's been good. :)
I can't wait to get my bike back together and go on a few more rides!

[Hitcher]

It is spiritual, and for me a religeon :done:
Careful, least Bob closes off another thread...

[Hitcher]

There ends my story so far.
What's next... nobody knows
And surely that's the magic of being a biker. The ride in search of what is around that next perfectly-carved corner!

[slob]

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/gallery/albums/userpics/10284/F3%20race%20bike.jpg

It's funny how one's former bikes keep popping up every now! This 'lil baby was my first sports bike which I later sold to MR, who sold it to KK to sold it to? Anyway, rewind a bit (say 1990?) - I was 15 and my dad had a 100cc Indian-built Honda (branded "Hero Honda"). I knew where he kept the keys so I slyly nicked them when he was away on a trip and ventured on my first ride (no license, no experience - hell I didn't really even know how to start the thing properly! All I knew was that you pull the clutch thingy before you change gears). I didn't get very far - only up to the first corner in fact. As I reached for the front brake, I inadvertently rolled on the throttle and accelerated into a wall! Fortunately, damage was minimal - thanks to the fact that a lot of roads in 3rd world countries like Nepal are still dirt roads. All I had to do was change an indicator lens. After that incident (which my Dad never found out - I had threatened to do something gruesome to MR if he ever snitched on me..), Dad finally came around to teaching me to ride and I basically commuted for a couple of years on his bike. While overseas (US, Aus, NZ), I didn't ride at all until I started uni in Auckland. Got a GN125 coz it was cheap, looked like an HD (I was into big, bad cruisers at the time) and was easy to ride. First ride was a bit scarey - had to do a 200km trip to Grahams Beach for the weekend. I'd never been in control of a vehicle on the motorway before so it was sort of a "crash" course in learning to ride again. Anyway, after uni I gave up riding for a bit, but after sampling MR's SRX250 - I got the bug again. Went out and bought the ZXR400 in the pic above and finally discovered what sport bikes were about! Since then it's been a steady diet of a different bike every 1.5 years or so - FZR600, KLX650, TL1000S, FZR400, XR600. After the TL, I stopped moving upwards towards bigger more powerful bikes and decided to mix it up a bit with lighter, nimbler bikes (FZR400) and "alternative" bikes (XR600 supermoto project - still in progress). Through the years my attachment to bikes has essentially taken on the form of an "obsessive addiction". I doodle bikes at work, read bike mags, dream of cool bike projects, check out bike gear sales, and check out 2nd hand bike prices all the time. Oh yeah, I occasionally go for a blat in the countryside and the odd track day too. For me, riding is an awesome form of meditation - you lose yourself completely when you're riding. All that matters are the forces of nature that you are trying to balance as you scythe through a bend and glide on to the next one. Honestly, the only thing that could top this is having my own acrobatic aeroplane (I wonder if those NZAF skyhawks are going for cheap these days..).

[Shade]

Some cool stories!

Mine goes like this -

My dads always been into motorbikes, he grew up with an rd350 (apparently it might have been some national champs one or something, but will have to check that out..) then when i was 6, Dad came home with a Honda VTF1000. I remember thinking it was the coolest bike I had ever seen.

I used to jump on the back and go for a ride with dad, every now and then I would pat him on the leg when my neck got too sore from holding the weight of the helmet up. He'd pull over and we'd rest, then off we'd go. I used to love it.

Mums dad got cancer and died, so dad sold the bike so she could travel over seas to go to the funeral.

From that moment on I knew I wanted to get a bike one day. I remember dreaming about that 'feeling' you get when tipping into a corner and gliding around it.

Finally , when I moved up to Auckland I saw a beautiful CBR250RR for sale at Mt Eden Motorcycles. Didnt have a licence or anything, had never ridden before, but I went in and bought it anyway. Dad came up from Hamilton and rode it back down, with me following in the car.

When we got back down there, I started practicing in a carpark. Got the hang of it quickly and after 30 mins practice and one small bin, (no damage), I set off by myself for Auckland. I had to leave quickly as I had work the next day, and a storm was coming and I was trying to beat it.

I remember pulling out of mum and dads house and setting off up the road. As i had never been over 20k's before on the bike, 50ks felt amazingly fast. When I hit the first set of 100k corners it poured down. I couldnt see anything. I remember tipping into the corner thinking what a great and wierd feeling. I ran it wide. Straight over the white line. I learnt quickly from that and had no other dramas on the way home.

2 Months later I met Kwaka Kid who introduced me to this site. We went on a ride together , I was thinking I was going to waste him and be way faster. Oh how wrong I was. We set off and I never saw him again from the first corner. He taught me tonnes and long story short, ive got a GSXR 600 K2 now, riding heaps and loving it. Been riding about 18 months and having a blast.

[guzzi_nz]

:mobile: Every one got some thing to say when it comes to there first ride
what a good pick for a thread :mobile:

[Juan]

Started on bikes from the age of ten-ish, Dad used to take me on the back of his DMW, loved it..
Grew up a mile from Ballacraine corner on the TT course, and as TT week is a school holiday spent most of my days at Ballacraine, this was in the sixties by the way, the era of Ago, Hailwood etc... my just explain my infatuation with MV's... still can remember the noise :)

Bought my first bike at 15... DT 125 Yamaha trail... we can ride on the road at 16 over here, left my house at midnight on my birthday :)

Never been without a bike since then (43 now)

It is without doubt in my blood...

In 1979 Mike Hailwood made a comeback to the TT.. wot a year :) I chased him along Douglas prom and got his picture....COOL

Have raced (1983) have toured, have done trackdays, watched the best in the world on various tracks, had the pleasure of seeing Joey, DJ on the roads..CLOSE and I mean reach out and touch CLOSE... Rossi and co at Donnington....wot a noise....

Lost afew good mate on bikes... My mate Tom (www.tomclucas.com) still I love riding tho...

Sometimes it's good to be a biker (http://www.iomonline.co.im/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1126&ArticleID=902790)

Things such as this above make me proud to be a Biker.....

Nothing like the rush of speed and "getting it right"...

Some good stories... keep em coming

Juan

[Two Smoker]

2 Months later I met Kwaka Kid who introduced me to this site. We went on a ride together , I was thinking I was going to waste him and be way faster. Oh how wrong I was. We set off and I never saw him again from the first corner. He taught me tonnes and long story short, ive got a GSXR 600 K2 now, riding heaps and loving it. Been riding about 18 months and having a blast.
LMAO, i havnt met many people that are quicking than KK...... awesome to see such great stories :niceone: keep them flowing :niceone:

Hey SpeedMedic, i was talking to Kiwistorm about his old TLR, i didnt realise it was yours!!!....

[Kwaka-Kid]

2 Months later I met Kwaka Kid who introduced me to this site.
whachu ben smokin recently billy bob?

Dude i met you before that when u first moved to aucks i turned up on that ZXR400 pictured above (only by then it had its nice blue fairings on it) and talked to you and kerran about getting a motorcycle and thought u was both just bluffing! told you about mt eden being about the closest to you etc and blah blah. sheesh! i remember riding hte GS1000 with kerran on the back and you on ur new bike, our first ride together, only thru the city, and i remember you asking how i went faster thru tight corners like 90degrees into a different street etc, you was having trouble turning the bike in the slow stuff, hehehe. Now look how far youve come! wicked eh boys! :)

[bear]

I just got the vibe and taught myself how to ride, bloody brilliant, got my full finally after pissing around for ages and moved onto a bigger bike after 7 years, bloody brilliant. Bikes are bloody brilliant!!!
No really good stories, happy that the missus is keen on sitting on the back, motorbikes are f-ing cool - until you fall off!

[Coyote]

My mum was getting annoyed with the money being put into the bikes, so my dad says 'so I brought some bikes in my mid life crisis, at least I didn't run off with a blonde bimbo'

[Bonez]

My mum was getting annoyed with the money being put into the bikes, so my dad says 'so I brought some bikes in my mid life crisis, at least I didn't run off with a blonde bimbo'
Must remember that one. No wait............ the wife is blonde...........bugger.
Next! (shit, I was hit on two weeks ago at a pub:eek: . The missus loves telling all her workmates-yes I told her :weep: What is it with 25-30ish chicks and grey haired blokes?)

[crashe]

Yeee gawds, now this is draining the brain power....

I saw "Easy Rider" and just loved that style of bike with those apehangers on them.

Ok. I had just rolled my A30 3 times.... and I needed transport to get to work... Yep this was back in 1975 and so I went out and brought my self (and I dont want you all to laugh)...cos hey it got me to and from work in Palmie Nrth. it was a Benelli 50cc automatic mini bike it was blue..... well I used to hoon all around Palmie on it... and Yep I went for my bike license on it.....
Now imagine this picture.... me on a mini bike and a traffic cop on his big bike.... going around the streets of Palmie... sure it looked a sight... but I passed first time... and I had my full bike license. :Police:

Now somewhere in my memory, I got to have a weego on a scooter back then.... the throttle is different to a bike.... well lets just say that there is no dent in the concrete wall. But I did have one sore knuckle on my little finger... which played up for years when it was gonna rain. I dont like riding scooters....

I sold that bike at some stage to raise a family.... and drove cars.

Well, 4 1/2 years ago..... I went for a few rides on the back of a bike.... wow it was great.... That was it.... I had to go out and buy a bike..... so now I own my baby my Yamaha Virago.... when I first brought her I got someone to ride it home from the shop for me.... Reason I hadnt ridden in years and I hadnt ridden a bike with gears. So that day I was given my first lesson.... and talk about kangaroo hopping.... and stalling... ok 5 minutes later I am going up the road and I had gotten into second gear.... we went to Span Farm... and around and around the block I rode....getting faster and faster..... even learnt to hill start.... took the bike home after one hour with FIRM instructions not to take it out by myself...

The next day my instructor arrived and we were going further afield.... so up the back roads to Massey and then over the Greenhieth bridge... to the North Shore to the Bike shops over there.... to buy a lock for the bike...
was doing so well, that coming back I went onto the motorway without my instructor telling me to.... when I got home.... I got told "Your on your own now you did well" .

Well since that day I havent looked back.... I ride whenever I can..... like 95% of the time... My car goes out once in a blue moon....

I just love riding... I'm not into speed, as I like to see what is happening around me....

so for all those that were with me on the ride to Wellsford and then to Parakai... thanks for waiting... and I would to say that you lot are a really neat bunch of people......

Have a safe and Happy xmas and a Happy New Years....
Lets all be safe out there.

[scumdog]

Back in 50's the old man never allowed me near bikes in Malaya when dad was ASP (Assistant Superintendant) in Malaya, he picked up too many bit of bodies wrapped around rubber/palm trees back in the 50's - never stopped me from being on a 50's Triumph in 1959 as shown on the pic. I have in my lounge. :cool2:

Fast forward to NZ in 1971 - no way are you getting a hot-rod or motor-bike boy, buy a sensible car (ergo a Morris 1100).
First Kiwi m/c event? - crashing a Philips 'Gadabout' in 1968!!

Now have all the hot-rods and m/c's I want - and if I want more I can get them too- stuff the old man!!

P.S., the old man has been in a few of my hot-rods BUT cannot get him onto a m/c!! still the old lady had her first m/c ride on a H.D. in 1996 at age of 72!

[Shade]

Ok hold up, thats my bad.

I met Logan before i got my bike, however I was still going to get one :)

But yeh, i remember logan telling me stories about how he just went to the track and was real close to getting knee down etc, lol.. Then i rmemeber you first getting it down and I was trying to learn all i could, haha.

"ok so like, how much do you hang off.... so like an average 50k corner, what speed would you do through it to knee down..... etc etc."

Those were the days

[avgas]

Careful, least Bob closes off another thread...

yeh well thats the sad thing about it, some people ride cos they can, and others ride cos life would be too different without it.
Either way its worth the ride. :stoogie: :headbang:

[scumdog]

yeh well thats the sad thing about it, some people ride cos they can, and others ride cos life would be too different without it.
Either way its worth the ride. :stoogie: :headbang:

The point is; we ALL enjoy riding for our own reasons. :calm: :spudwave:

[Jackrat]

The old man an all his family loved bikes,me mother didn't.
Turns out she didn't really like the old man much either. <_<
Me mother liked Hunting&fishing and came from a family that made their living from it.Had an uncle on my mothers side that was a pro' hunter in the south island,he also rode bikes(My hero for sure)
Anyway I got the best from both of them.
Been into Hunting,fishing an bikes for as long as I remember.
My old man(where ever the fuck he is)still don't like Hunting&Fishing(or my mother).My mother still doesn't like bikes much(or my old man).
When I ride, I'm in a place that's mine and mine alone.
It's about total independence,being in control,no input or interferance from others,traveling,going somewhere,doesn't matter where.
Being by myself on the road with my bike or on top of a mountain range with a rifle or bow in my hand are the two things that make life for me.Driving for a living or wetting a line fill the bit's in between.
Biking hasn't changed my life,it's just part of who an what I am.
It's VERY good.

[scroter]

cant remember how i got into it and its only about 4 or 5yrs ago. dont how the hell i could stop doing it either.

[NC]

Honestly, if it wasn't for bikes, i'd probably be at Queen St right now, driving a riced up car with a brain dead car hoe sitting next to me, doing continues laps wasting my life/time away.


That has to be the quote of the year :killingme

[Rainbow Wizard]

That's a wicked avatar you've got SP, did the guy survive?

[Drunken Monkey]

When I ride, I'm in a place that's mine and mine alone.
It's about total independence,being in control,no input or interferance from others,traveling,going somewhere,doesn't matter where.
...
Biking hasn't changed my life,it's just part of who an what I am.
It's VERY good.


'nuff said.

[Two Smoker]

That's a wicked avatar you've got SP, did the guy survive?
You can download it from here http://www.superbikemagazine.co.uk/content/videos.htm

this is the blurb next to the video:

This is terrible, but compulsive. 2.5mb mpeg without sound

[erik]

You can download it from here http://www.superbikemagazine.co.uk/content/videos.htm

this is the blurb next to the video:

This is terrible, but compulsive. 2.5mb mpeg without sound

A bit of searching found this:

http://www.r6messagenet.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-20894.html

"cu360r6
that TT rider ended up with only a broken arm. Amazing, isn't it.
"

It was on an internet forum, so it must be true... ;)

[Sutage]

Im the same, i love riding, just on my crappy 50 for the time being, may buy a gn250 tomorrow yay.

My parents will ask me to go up tot he local shop for something so i say sure, then they say 'oh its raining, wait 5 mins' i dont care, i just go because i love riding to the shop. cant wait to get my bike :Punk:

[Flyingpony]

Bikes have changed my life by allowing myself to be spotted riding somewhere when it wasn't me.

There are other bikes running around Chch of the same model/colour and the rider is wearing a similar coloured jacket and helmet combo.

Sometimes commuters see double because there's a very close copy riding the same roads as me to work.

[Ixion]

Well, my goodness, after the lyrical paeans below, mine is most prosaic. Forty odd years ago my two mates talked their olds into buying them motorbikes, respectively a BSA Bantam and a Silver Pidgeon scooter (now *stop* laughing, and I bet no-one else has even *seen* a Silver Pidgeon, let alone ridden one).

Now the thing was, they could now *go places*. And I hankered to do the same. Mum and Dad heartily disliked the idea (for all the obvious reasons) but finally relented (though they wouldn't buy it for me , I had to manage that myself, not easy), on the basis that if I was determined to be an idiot I'd just have to get it out of my system.

So i became the proud owner of (wait, for it, wait wait, the suspense ) a *BSA Bantam* . Oh man, all of 40mph whenever I could find a long enough hill. But, it took me faithfully (well, not really, they broke down about every 20 miles, but I soon became an expert at fixing them) all across the country . Literally because we didn't bother too much about whether there were roads there or not. This was the era of the very first, primeval trail bikers.

Albeit slowly, I could now roam at will throughout the country. :ride: :ride:

A little later, cam a Triumoh 500, which could roam a bit faster. And only broke down every 50 miles.

And then a Velocette :love: . Sob sob , :cry: :cry: I sold it. Young idiot that I was. I have so often wished my legs were flexible enough to kick myself for that idiocy.

But a succession of British iron (not quite scrap iron, though it would be pretty close by today's standards) followed, all of which took me places at reaonably rapid rates . And didn't break down too often , provided a constant supply of oil was ensured .I'm sure I must have been personally responsible for a major part of the depletion of the planet's oil reserves. Wherever I went I seemd to be accompanied by a puddle of oil. But, then so were all bikers of the era.

There were a few gaps, when buying a house, and getting married and such like intervened. But I always kept returned to that love , of *going places*.

To be honest ,I'm not so much into bikes as i am into biking. It's the riding, the epiphanic contact with the road and the wind , the procession of scenary, the experience of being an integral part of a complex system of man, earth, sky and steel, the nice balancing of conflicting forces, that matters to me. At such times, God is very close to us.

And the more varied the better. I could not be content to ride over the same bit of road again and again. I want new roads, unexplored paths. Gravel, seal, fast , slow, off road, on road, the more varied the better. "I wonder where *that* goes" is my catch phrase". And "Hm, haven't been there in years. Wonder if it's still the same "

My bikes are never given the love and attention that others bestow on their mounts. I don't really care what they look like. They are merely a means to an end, kept in good nick mechanically (in fact they rarely break down now !), but nothing to look at. They *get me places*. They don't have to be especially fast , I'm not a sports biker. To be honest (this is going to shock people, the young and impressionable had better stop reading now), I find sports bikes rather boring. All they seem good for is going over the same bits of roads at very high speeds.I like to go fast because then I get places quicker, that's all, but the speed itself is really quite irrelevant. Track days I could never get excited about. Just going round and round the same bit of road. Where's the fun in that ?

I find I can get as much enjoyment at 40kph , in the right circumstances, as at 200 kph. Biking is fun at any speed.

I guess they have shaped my life. At one time there was a suggestion that I should become an accountant (Parents !). I'm sure it was bikes that put paid to that notion. Phew, close escape!

And I've met a tremendous variety of wonderful (and a few not so wonderful) people over the years. There's a cameraderie amongst bikers like no other.

And the task of fixing the brutes has altered the direction of my life a bit too (away from accountancy for one thing! :2thumbsup )

[heavenly.talker]

Biking has certainly changed my life. I used to be a bike widow. My husband would be gone at least one day a weekend all day and some of the night riding. I didn't go with him that often (I actually do not like the sensation of being on the back of a bike all that much).

The guys at my work (who all ride) started hassling me about being in the middle ages and told me to get my own bike. They have all taught their wives to ride and were having a blast.

Not being one to let a good challenge/opportunity to go past...

I thought to myself...hey...why the h*ll not...what's more this is something we could do together. So I convinced him to let me start learning and then buy me a bike.

Since then he has had a major injury to his back that meant when he went back to work that he needed to take the car.

My bike has become my primary form of transport come rain, shine or even hail.

I Love it...can't rave about riding enough...it is my favourite form of stress relief, I love the challenge and the peace and I especially love riding with him all day, having quality time together but also having enough time to think and mull things over while getting my thrills.

It is simply grand...addicted...you bet. I hope that we will be riding into our nineties.

Bring on the holidays is all I can say...we're off to the South Island on our bikes.

The only glitch was the day he took my newest (yeah I now have a couple) bike for a ride and got knocked off. Luckily his back came out fine and he wasn't hurt...yes I did ask that first too...not so lucky was my new bike...bugger...the little toad that did the damage has still yet to pay and my now no so beautiful bike is still at the shop waiting to be fixed!!! grggghh!

I guess that he will have to buy me a new one now;-)

Take care all you die hards and fine weather dudettes and dudes and keep up the great writing :-)

[Hitcher]

Bikes are worse than an addiction. There is no known cure. Enjoy.

[heavenly.talker]

What a great post Ixion :-)

Not into sports bikes myself so totally relate to "It's the riding, the epiphanic contact with the road and the wind , the procession of scenary, the experience of being an integral part of a complex system of man, earth, sky and steel, the nice balancing of conflicting forces, that matters to me. At such times, God is very close to us."

You summed it up beautifully.

Many thanks
:not:

[Sniper]

Im with Mr Hitcher here. Its a fantastic addiction and as long as you stay safe, its a fun one too.

[heavenly.talker]

Funny things those addicitions...
some are vital to living...i.e. I'm addicted to breathing
while some are just vital to life ;-)

[SPman]

a Silver Pidgeon scooter (now *stop* laughing, and I bet no-one else has even *seen* a Silver Pidgeon, let alone ridden one).

me me me - the first two wheeled machine I ever rode was a Silver Pidgeon - its what got me on my 2 wheeled way.
So - who was this "mate", that bought the SP

[limbimtimwim]

Well, since this thread has revitalised, I think I'll post the hows and whys I got into motorcycles.

I am not from a motorcycling family, none of my friends had motorcycles, and as some have pointed out (including myself) motorcycles are not the done thing these days with the yoof.

Anyway, my experience started when my mother went to a charity auction when I was about 16 (So that's nearly 8 years ago.. wow). She won the auction for the learning of riding a motorcycle, and the use of the bike for the learner practical test.

So I rode around Onslow Col on a Suzuki TS185ER, and sat my test. I crashed the schools bike for long and stupid reasons, but I was there a month later after my wrist had healed and passed it then. I wasn't going to let that crash put me off, I was hooked.

Anyway, I purchased bike mags since then, I have a massive collection of Performance Bikes magazines :-) . In the interim, I got myself a great neo-classic japanese car (Don't argue with me, it was/is), so there was no bike. It was not until August 2003 that I got my bike, the only time since my test back when I was 16 that I had rode a bike.

In Feburary 2004 I got a tank bag and toured around most of NZ by myself, which was fantastic. I now know heaps of spots I wish to return to in the future.

I really like my VTR, I can just about keep up with most on a ride, and it (And I, since that is in fact the most important factor) go fast enough around corners to keep my heart pumping.

After watching the KB/KR trackday at Manfield a month ago, my interest in my VTR stirred stronger, no longer did I view it as a weekend tool (I only live 25 mins walk from work) for a buzz on a warm Sunday. Oh hell no. The devil on my shoulder was pointing at some bikes on the track and saying to me "if we tried, we could shit all over some of those guys". Nasty thought I know, but I won't deny having it. Probably not true too, but that's what the devil is for.

I've done the muffler thing (Fuck yeah is all I can say), I've got the carby pieces, and I've got some silly ideas about what next. I'm never selling it, it'll probably end it's life being smashed to bits against some barrier, but that's a death with honour. Being sold to someone else and eventually being broken for parts is no way to go.

The feelings of unison, control and simplicity and what make me itch on weekend to get on the bike and go for a spin, even if it is only around the bays or to say hi to a friend. A bike has a purity few things can match, wheels, engine, frame, suspension. It only does one thing for me; makes me smile. You can't see it in my helmet, but I'm grinning the entire time.

Everything else in my life loses it's shine after a while, loses it's excitement, but for some reason, I keep coming back to the bike.

I can thank Matt and Geoff Cuthell (Wherever they are) for that initial taste back when I was at school, and my mum for getting me into bikes.

[SlowHand]

I may as well put in my piece, otherwise I would have to wait a year or something till this thread comes back. Currently 20, got my licence 4weeks ago, had my bike for ohh 12days now, done a little over 1000kms, tried not to degrade my baby by commuting to tec, work is 10mins walk- not that I walk.

I've always been into cars, got my car licence on the 15th b-day, and drove and drove all I could, went through a boy-racer thing, but never had the money to get into it. Went through 5 cars in 9months, 1 small off in my first car, 1 lemon rx7, 2 cars I overheated due to lack of maintenance, and some bitch wrote my last car off after a month of owning it, I thought feck it, I'll get a bike, not having much luck with cars.
Ofcourse that wasnt the only thing, my uncle had a yellow bike when I was young, and I remember the first time I saw him leaning it hard round a corner, that was imprinted in young Albin's mind, and I'd secretly wanted one since. Went out and bought me R ingadin G 150, and I hope I never get off a bike.
If I ever lose interest, i want someone to kick my arse, strap me to a rocket, put wheels on it, and send me down anywhere till I start begging for a bike.

[heavenly.talker]

Mad...all delightfully and stupendously mad! hahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha haha!

[Macktheknife]

Mad...all delightfully and stupendously mad! hahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha haha!


You say that like its a BAD thing?~!
My wife and I have an understanding folks....
the bike was here first!
Fortunately she accepted me anyway and now loves them too.
Dunno what I did to get that lucky but there you are.
I want no hearse but an escort of motorcycles ridden by crusty grey haired old die-hard bikers.
Ride safe and forever

[heavenly.talker]

"I want no hearse but an escort of motorcycles ridden by crusty grey haired old die-hard bikers"


Can we have some crusty grey haired old die-hard bikers volunteers please...
That way I can pass the list on to his wife :bleh: