Kittyhawk's Blog

*scratches head* - thinking of a topic to write about.

Ok so bikes will be a good way to start this off ...how I got into bikes.

Prior to the dream of owning a bike the ride on mower was the way to go. After I realised what the turtle and rabbit symbols ment on the mower it was time to try it out. Grew up on a farm so riding this 4 wheel beast at max speed was still a real snail pace. And managed to crash it into the grapevine.

My brother and I made the worlds best dirt jump (spent a good half day shoveling dirt etc) then it was time to try it out. We started up the ride on mower and I jumped on and went top speed aiming for it. Well it really didnt work. The jump was too steep and the mower went straight into it not up and over. Dirt flew everywhere.

At the time the reverse wasnt really an option so I held full power on at the time creating more of a dust storm. Well, we did ruin our jump and as for the mower, we dug it out and it was fine.

After this dad decided it was time to get us a real bike so he said, but ended up buying a go kart. It had a fibreglass shell and a pullstart engine at the back. We thought we were made. However, we spent more time trying to start it than drive it. The fibreglass frame only sat on top of the kart so if you went over a bump it landed on the front tires. As a result you couldnt turn the wheel which ment you crashed. I recall one time this happend to my brother, and he bounced off the 4wd tire then crashed into the side of the house. It brought alot of laughs. But the lawnmower was faster.

After we out grew the kart... we were greeted with an old Honda XR250 1985 and also a Suzuki LT125. The honda weighed a tonne and I couldnt touch the ground. Because our house had alot of stairs I'd park the bike next to them and use them to get off and on the bike. There were times when I forgot this and the bike fell over on me.

I tried wheelstands only once on the XR.. First was on a gentle hill, I opened the throttle up to as much as it would go and held it there then dropped the clutch real fast, bike jumped out from under me and landed in the trees. I had to confess and get my parents to help me get the bike down.

As for the suzuki? well being a 4 wheeler with no suspension bouncing around on this was alot of fun. My brother and I made jumps, and getting air was always a must with this bike. There was no grass left around the house in summer it was dirt because of all the riding we did.

My cousin too was into moto x and had a Honda XR250. Seeing this bike was a dream. Flying off the back of his bike while he was showing off doing jumps was a reality. I loved it .. seeing that pull up on the back of the ute the day he got it was awesome.

I have grown up with bikes, and they will always be a part of my life. I never thought I'd end up on road bikes, never thought I'd live in a city. The only reason why I got into road biking was because I left the farm and missed riding.