R1madness's Blog

When i was a young lad of 5 we moved from the sticks, actually it was less than the sticks because all the trees had been felled, to the booming metroplis of Dunedin. This is where i saw my first motorbike. I was walking to school and saw it parked in the teachers carpark. I was in in awe of this fantastic looking bike. Silver with a red stripe on the tank. A brand new SL125. I stood there for about 1/2 an hour just facinated by this bike. Then a teacher saw me. Busted for being late on my 1st day of school. But i was hooked. For the next 10 years i longed for a bike of my own. Rode my uncles farm bike when ever i could i learned how to ride (and crash). My 15th birthday came and off to the MOT (remember them? black and white cars) to sit my learners. 25 questions and off i went (no handling cert then). Brought my first bike, suzuki AC50M and the riding began for real. I was never around, its amaising how far you can get on a 50cc bike.
Then i got a job and could afford to trade up. Off to the local bike shop to find a fast bike. Setteled on a CB400/4. What a great bike (for its day) shame i ended up parking it into the side of a uturning car. Several months off work and i am ready to go riding again. Enter a GS450s. A good little bike but i soon got bored with it. Traded it on a CB650LC which i did about 80000km on in a couple o years before someone stole it. Bastards.
From there it has been a choise of cruise or blast, Sometimes i choose 1 sometimes the other but its all riding so all good.
I have owned more bikes than i care to count (it makes me feel old). Sometimes i have owned several at once but i have never been without 1 since i was 15.
I have only owned 3 cars in my life. A V8 ute for taking my race bikes around, a holden commadore wagon (when i had little kids), and my Transit Van (which actually belongs to the shop so it doesn't really count).
For me biking is not a hobby its a lifestyle. choice.