How old were you?

[neels]

Started playing around on other people's trail bikes as a young teenager, which led to buying a TC100 at 16, which in turn led to a road bike.

Quarter of a century later I still don't know any better, and my dad still asks me why I want to muck around with motorbikes.

[HenryDorsetCase]

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

I still reckon Malcolm Smith is the most stylish rider I've ever seen....

[Banditbandit]

I was 18 when I got my first bike - a BSA Bantam. I had to rebuild it before I could ride it (God, they were so simple) ...

I'd wanted a bike for a long time - but I was also a hunter and I had a pack, rifle and dog when I was 15 - so I needed a car to get to and from the mountains ...

Unlike my biker peers (But I got to carry the alcohol around in my car ... and the odd friend whose bike had died ...)

[shrub]

I came to the faith late in life (well, 20). When I was a lad we were into our V8s, and as far as I was concerned if it wasn't made in Detroit it was not worth owning. When I was in the Air Force the tranny in my beloved Impala shat itself (might have been the burnout I was doing), and I had a date with this rather tasty young woman. I had a mate who was going away for the weekend and had a spare car, and so I asked if I could borrow it. Sadly it was buggered, but he had a bike and asked "can you ride a bike?" I had ridden a farm bike up and down a mates driveway, so the answer was yes.

It was a 1973 RD200 Yammy, and after work on a Friday I set off across Auck. By the time I got to my date's house I had almost got the hang of riding, so I threw her on the back and away we went.

Over the weekend I rode that thing everywhere and when my mate got back from his weekend I made him an offer. I sold my Impala and that was the end of cars for me, I have never owned another V8 and treat cars like frigges and washing machines.

[matdaymon]

Hmm I was about 7 or 8 and got given the chance to ride my cousins little suzuki 50cc around the farm. Even accidentally did a superman after revving it in gear and going over a small jump into an electric fence...
Wanted one ever since, then at 20 after yet another terrifying pillion experience with the old man (who started at 55 I think) I went and booked my BHS and finally got back into bikes.

Here is to many happy years on two wheels

[SWERVE]

My old man had a 49 triumph 3ta in the shed which i would be perched on even before i could walk. Its still in his shed and mine in his will...
First bike was a yamaha fsie at 16.
Series of 250/350 things till about 19.
Got into modding/racing cars for a few years.......... stupid boy.
Bought a cr500 mx at 25 (learnt the meaning of pain)
GSXR 1100 - R1 - Z900 - Duc 916 - YZF1000 - TL1000 - RSV1000....etc etc
Crewed/mechanic for lots of different bike people till i was 30ish (got to test a few..)
Back into it big style in mid thirties wanting to own the latest weapon.
Did a round the world for 2 1/2 yrs starting on foot... but ending up doing Oz on a Guzzi T3.
Came to NZ...... raced a bit..... got my eldest interested in racing at 12........ now work to provide him with all the best toys............ "can i use the bike..son"
Wouldnt change a thing.
Have met all my long term friends and best mates thru bikes.

[Zamiam]

About 12 and a kawasaki 100, Bought a new Yamaha DT100SD a couple of years later - use to do long trail rides just about every weekend. Then new Yamaha DT175F which I sold at 19 when I needed a car for the girls. Jump forward around 20 years bought the bike I should have had 20 years earlier, Kawasaki KDX220 and managed to convince myself that I was no longer young and that I didn't bounce so well. Two years ago bought the Harley and enjoy the slow sedate nature of the beast.

[PrincessBandit]

Started riding - did my BHS in 2006 - in the "older" age bracket. I have katman to thank for my interest in bikes. He tried teaching me to ride his first bike waaaaay back when he started out and he's lucky I didn't drop it.

[pete376403]

My dad was a speedway rider - pre WWII at Kilbirnie. No bike by the time I came along, but I always remember wanting to own one. When I was 14 I had a Royal Enfield 250, managed to keep it hidden in the shed for a week before mum found it, she made me take it back. When I started working at 17 I got a hybrid AJS 350/Velocette thing, then a 500 matchless G9. That was traded on the first new bike, a Kawasaki 350 F9. Various other trailies until speedway started up at Te Marua, bought my first J.A.P, then Jawas and a Weslake that took care of bikes for the next 16 years.


After that bought a CB750F1 for commuting, then the GS1100GK thats still in the shed, and finally the KLR.
That, with various big gaps, more or less covers the past 41 years. Time flies, eh?

[Duke girl]

Where did your grandfather ride the skids?

He raced in Australia and it was actually on grass. Had his own bike shop in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. My 1st love is Road Racing folowed by Speedway as l enjoy watching the World Speedway on TV. l'm hoping to 1 year soon go down Sth to the Burt Munroe. All those Motorcycle events, Awesome.