New Zealand Motorcyclist

[T.W.R]

Been around bikes since before I can remember, was given my first bike just before my 10th B/day raced it & others for a few seasons. Got my road licence at 15, went through the stages from small jappers to litre + multis on to Italian muscle bikes then back to big bore jappers. Had a few minor bins then one major one 11yrs ago, spent a few years away then got back into trail bikes then back onto the road.
Used to be as reckless & stupid as any prior to the major bin, but definately more controlled & disciplined now. Do all my own work on my bikes.

[diggydog]

Been riding on and off, for 35 yrs aways love riding and have had a few scraps when i was younger, nothing serious just my pride.
I ride when ever i can especially sunny days.

[oldguy]

Started riding early 72, as we live close to school would go home for lunch, new my dad would be at work, so I would sneak the little yamaha 50 out of the garage he was looking after for an uncle, and ride it a round the house till it was time to go back to school.
when he did let me have ago, he was quite suprised how well i could ride, heheh
told him must be in the blood.
I ride both on and off road bikes, tort my kids to ride and now my gran kids.
I do basic servicing eg. oil, filters, chains, etc
I would say medium/fast riding

[Back Fire]

been riding for 2.5 years, got my full a few months ago now ... got into biking because my family is obsessed... I can't drive, no car learners, and no intention to get one... My bikes are my only transport, and I would't have it any other way

[ZeroIndex]

Started riding end of Feb 2006, ride a CT100 for a living (delivering mail), and when I have time, ride my Kinetic GF170.. plan to upgrade as soon as money is available.. most of the time, i would consider my riding style to be 'disciplined', but Mr. Average Joe would probably not consider riding on footpaths, etc 'disciplined' at all.. done in the region of 10,000km since March

[Lazy7]

honestly

bought the bike because i like the look primarily. riding around auckland scares me - the only reason i do it is cause its cool and cause it saves me about 4 mins over the car to get to work.

Its cold, uncomfortable and in auckland traffic dangerous, but i do it cause it looks good.


the only difference between this and summer is that in summer i might get out and do some actual riding. but i am not very good and prefer to pull up infront of a cafe after 10mins of cruising for a "rest"

[bell]

I got my full last week, almost a year to the day after first throwing a leg over my first motorcycle. I smile now when I think of how wobbly I must have looked as I rode away from the people I bought that bike from....they emailed me to check if I got home ok! I treated myself to an '04 Z750 and that will be getting a lot more use when the days warm up. The ovewhelming feeling that I get when I ride most days is "Why didn't I do this 10 years ago?!". Looking forward to becoming a distinguished older rider and coaxing the missus onto a bike one day soon too. I believe that having been a cyclist for the past 20 years has helped a huge amount in terms of gaining the 'defensive driving/ridiing' attitudes that will keep me alive on my bike. Cheers, bell

[Kendog]

Both of us have been riding for about 5 years, but I gave up for a few years then got back into it again about a year ago, then got a little obsessed when I saw my dream bike (well that I could afford) and decided that I needed one of those. Hubby test rode one and decided he needed one too, so now have two bikes the same and love the riding!!
Personally have no idea why I got into bikes, probably have something to do with many hours of being a pillion on ex-boyfriends' bikes.
Mrs KD.

[Hitcher]

I'm not sure how much this poll is going to tell anybody. For one thing it's trying to find out too much. For example some people service bikes themselves and get mechanics to do work. "Primary" form of transportation is also a bit ambiguous. For example each year recently I have averaged over 30,000km on a motorcycle, but I don't ride it to work, I only ride for "pleasure". Does that make it my "primary" form of transportation?

[SwanTiger]

I created this poll to aid a personal project, the responses I have already received will answer most if not all the questions I wanted answered.

My definition of primary transportation is simple, tell yourself "I need to go and get milk" first thought would be "the bike". Any environmental factors, such as rain, snow, etc. which might make you choose "car" are irrelevant to the question. "Primary" means your first choice in other words.

I hope that clarifies things for you Hitcher.

Cheers.

I'm not sure how much this poll is going to tell anybody. For one thing it's trying to find out too much. For example some people service bikes themselves and get mechanics to do work. "Primary" form of transportation is also a bit ambiguous. For example each year recently I have averaged over 30,000km on a motorcycle, but I don't ride it to work, I only ride for "pleasure". Does that make it my "primary" form of transportation?

[slowpoke]

I squirted around on various chook chasers as a young'un but never got around to legalising myself until later (much!) in life. I like to get my hands, face and various other body parts dirty by performing as much maintenance as possible myself.
As per my drug intake my riding is strictly recreational in nature.
Work commitments (I spend six months of the year offshore) mean I don't get to spend nearly as much time on the bike as I'd like. This also impinges on my aspirations of becoming more involved in track based activities, by limiting the days I am available to participate and by limiting the amount of skill I am able to exercise at said events.
I'd describe my riding style as a "judicious application of force".

[inlinefour]

Could not honestly say how many bikes Ive owned, far too many probably (and I tend to forget the bad ones i.e. kawasakis ).
Use a bike as much as i can, used to ride to work all the time, until some tard stole my bike...
Have rebuilt bikes in the past, but the new bike that I brought last year will probably never get much done to it by me, hence working to the shedule. Although regular maintiance also gets done the same way with the older bikes.
Family had bikes, was given a bike as a 8 year old and it all took off from there really...

Have crapped off at high speed once, skidded to a stop and walked away thanks to good leathers. Had a cage do a u-turn in frount of me, with no leathers, which resulted in me not getting back onto a bike for 6 years. Riding style mainly relates to the current mood Im in, nothing else. Some days Im a right nana and some days Im just "having fun".
My old bikes I keep a logbook on whats been done and the costs involved. The new bike has its own book that came with it.

[ZorsT]

I've been riding for about 11 months, Have been in two accidents (both only me to blame) Dad used to have bikes, but sold them 15 years before i was born. My riding isn't conservative, but it (usually) isn't dangerous either. I very rarely pay people to do anything to my bike. I travel >1000km a month.

[The_Dover]

As per my drug intake my riding is strictly recreational in nature.

Don't they test you offshore?

[Her_C4]

I ride for pleasure. Always wanted a motorbike but other priorities got in the way... The last straw was being pillion for various riders that did not appear to have the same concern for my safety (and theirs!) that I did.

Decided a couple of years to create 'my list' (yes I have one too ) and buying a bike and learning to ride again were at the top (as a teenager I was allowed to ride my brothers bikes out the back of Harewood airport as a bribe... )

Getting my licence (and then my bike!) was one of my better decisions. Even when I can't get out for a while - the moment I throw my leg over and start him up - I have smile like a cheshire cat.