How old were you?

[baptist]

My dad always had Triumphs on the road, raced an AJS with a bucket fairing, at 11 or 12 had a go on a Honda Melody 50cc moped... crashed it badly, thought it was fun might have banged my head because I have enjoyed both cars and bikes ever since... never raced a bike, never had the guts to be honest, my racing was on four wheels, tarmac not dirt.

[BurningPlastic]

I must have been around 4 or 5 when I first rode solo, and did my first ton on the back of my Dad's bike when I was a couple of years older...

I got my first road going bike (Honda 125) when I was 16 and then have had various since...

[nerrrd]

At 17 taught myself to ride a trusty Suzuki GP125 as none of my friends were into bikes. It was shiny, and I could afford it. 28 years later still riding solo and the older I get, the more I love it. Now if only I could get the hang of those gear changes...

[jazfender]

About 13 when I got the bug, first proper bike at 16.

[ellipsis]

...40 years ago my mum said i couldn't buy a James with a 197 Villiers motor in it, as long as i lived under her roof...my older brother had done big damage a few years earlier when a dog had run in front of him and the subsequent avoidance caused him a whole lot of grief in hospital, etc, he rode a Francis Barnett, a 225 cc thing called a Dove ...i was 14 and got kicked out of school, got an apprenticeship, left home and bought a T250 Hustler, upswept black pipes...yeefuknhaaaa...survived this far and can only report that its only ever been heart-breaking. bone breaking fun...every fukn bit of it.......

[Grumph]

[QUOTE=Duke girl;1130102718]Interested to know how old you where when you got into Motorcycles and Motorcycle Riding/Racing.
I myself was born into Motorcycles thanks to my Grandfather who raced Solo Speedway and my Father who Road Raced.


God god, are you sure you're not a daughter I don't know about ?
My old man was an A grade at Monica Park in ChCh pre war and was involved in restarting racing post war too so i can't remember a time we weren't involved with bikes. Been a bumpy ride but still fun....
My brother was forbidden by Mum to ride at Cust but once she'd pissed off the racing world was mine to explore. Can't say I've never looked back as there's money to be made from nostalgia now.

[riffer]

Dad had bikes; his dad had bikes.

Not much choice really.

[dogsnbikes]

It was around 35 years ago when we did the transission between a dog tucker galding and some two wheeled contraption with wheel barrow wheels and what seemed to be a masport lawn mower engine,it was either full throttle or stop, dangerous as hell but a lot of fun.......guess you could call it a Dual purpose adventure bike.

Then on to a CT90 until a brought my first bike a SL100 and its onwards and upwards since

[Edbear]

It's sobering to read many posts and realise just how old you are!

I started riding my Mother's BSA Bantam 125 when I was 12. She and I are/were the only bikers in the family. Mum turns 80 next Feb, and while still a biker at heart, cannot ride now. She used to borrow my T500 Suzuki to go and visit her Mum and loved the power!

I got my first bike, a BSA B31 350 when I was 15 and got my full licence then using a friend's Honda C50. Now at 53 I have to quit riding, due to breaking my back in a car accident, of all things!

[Swoop]

Dad had old British oil-leaks which he rode*.
For some reason no words needed to be said and I had the licence at 15.
Posters on the bedroom walls of Giacomo in full race mode and speedway on Sat. nights.












*Note to self. Must get 35mm slides scanned from his photo collection.

[monkey99]

First rides for me was an XR250 all over the farm when I was 10 My older Cuz was riding XR500 and was a MX champ so I saw all sorts of (inspiring) mad stunts... so many days and many miles before I hit the road riding.. first Road bike was a NZD250 that I bought for $600 18 years ago.

Went mad after that and bought and NC21, NC24 and an NC30 until I gave up on all of them and bought my dream bike (at the time) RC30... had that for.. maybe 3 months but could not afford to service and keep it

Stopped riding for a woman to spend more time riding with a woman but then started this mad RVF restoration project..

Only the body work to go.. then I'd like either an SP1 or SP2.. or if I have to settle one of those new CB1000

Its in the blood... never driven cars more than 5 times in my life as far as I can remember

[Duke girl]

i was 15 (1975) and went and saw "on any sunday" went out and bought a ts185 suzuki

I remember my Dad taking me to see On any Sunday and how much l thoroughly enjoyed watching it.......Mmmmm they were the days.

[Duke girl]

[QUOTE=Grumph;1130102937]

Interested to know how old you where when you got into Motorcycles and Motorcycle Riding/Racing.
I myself was born into Motorcycles thanks to my Grandfather who raced Solo Speedway and my Father who Road Raced.


God god, are you sure you're not a daughter I don't know about ?
My old man was an A grade at Monica Park in ChCh pre war and was involved in restarting racing post war too so i can't remember a time we weren't involved with bikes. Been a bumpy ride but still fun....
My brother was forbidden by Mum to ride at Cust but once she'd pissed off the racing world was mine to explore. Can't say I've never looked back as there's money to be made from nostalgia now.

No l'm sure lm not a daughter that you don't know about as my Father was My World and not only did he get me into this wonderful life of Motorcycling but l also use to go Fishing with him, to the Football and play golf with him up until he passed away 21 yrs ago. I guess you could say l was the son he never had as l am 1 of 5 girls and the only 1 proud enough to say got into Motorcycling.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Started motorbike riding last year at 61, had never ridden a motorbike before then.
Have been riding for 16 months now, first 12 months were on my Learners and Restricted licenses.
I'm 62 now.

And having a ball!!!!

Fuck yeah!

thats fantastic. did you always want to, and never could, or never want to then suddenly the bulb went off? theres an interesting story there, please share it!

as for me, I had this sick fascination since I was 13-14. first bike bought with proceeds of first job age 14, with some money I borrowed from my Dad (when I got six subjects in School C next year he forgave the debt), since then its been all my own money though. I did have a six year stint with no bike (stupid university and being a broke-ass student) but pretty much continuously before and since then.

I can't imagine not having at least one now.

[007XX]

Both my parents had bikes, so pretty much grew up with them.

I got my moped licence at 14, but it was a while before I moved up the cc ladder and got my bike licence aged 26.

I can't imagine life without bikes, even though other choices in said life seem to try and convince me it shouldn't feature at the moment.