Credit where credit is due (Who/what got you in to bikes?)

[Fryin Finn]

In 1967 a friend took me for a ride on a scooter - but that didn't get me into bikes
In 1970 I had a ride on a friends Yamaha 50 step through - but that didn't get me into bikes.
In 1972 my father bought a bike back from Japan - a Honda SS50 - and even though I got a provisional license - that didn't get me into bikes.
Later in 1972 I had a ride on my brothers mates trail bike - a Yamaha 175 CT3 - and that got me hooked.
I saved furiously for six months and bought my first bike - a Yamaha 360 RT3 - that really got me into bikes.

[Beemer]

My brother had bikes when I was a kid and I used to beg him to take me for a ride. He caught on pretty quickly and would get me to polish the bike in return for a ride around the block!

When I was a teenager I went out with a few guys who owned bikes and two female friends at school had 125s but my mother refused to let me have a bike so I gave up on the idea.

Fast forward to my late 30s - I was writing and taking photos for Kiwi Rider and was a non-riding member of the Vic Club when Mike Esdaile (then editor of KR) rang to ask me to test ride a used bike. I had to confess I didn't have a licence - and I didn't actually ride - but a few days later there was an ad in the paper for free introductory motorcycle lessons.

I learned to ride, bought a bike and then felt totally out of my depth. That's when Alan Kirk offered to give me some lessons. He then put me onto Andrew and Lynne Templeton, who introduced me to WIMA. The girls there were great - Loopy, Sally, Cathy, Vicki, Deirdre - and many others whose names escape me. Another one who helped out while I was gaining my confidence was Brendan Keogh.

While at the first WIMA rally I met my husband-to-be and as a rider he also inspired me to improve my skills. I may have been a late starter but being involved in motorcycling has changed my life for the better.

Before bikes - broke, unemployed, bored, living at home - after bikes - still broke, self-employed, there are five bikes in the shed, I own a home and I have a husband and I'm not bored any more!

[ManDownUnder]

My uncle on his farm... my cousin and I were welcome to ride the bike all day if we wanted to (an old Yamaha Grasshopper 100cc)... brilliant little thing too - climbed like a goat!

Not too fast - and not too dangerous but hell it was fun.

One thing lead to another (as it tends to do in this life) and voila - here I am a few years later on a steed of my very own.

Ironically I prefer road riding to dirt but anything on two wheels is good.

[vifferman]

It was the '70s, BikesWereBig, and I had several friends with bikes. One of them came from a biking family: his dad raced bikes in the '50s, and all three boys had bikes. I spent many hours on the back of my friend's BSA 250 Star, which they'd bought for $50: all it needed to get it roadworthy was the forks straightened, and the soot cleaned out of the zorst (along with all the baffles - so I could hear it approaching from a mile away!)

I can't recall the first bike I rode in 1974 - it was either a Yamaha 90 trailbike, or a Kawasaki F7. Either way, I just got on and rode, and that was that: I was hooked. My first bike was a two-year-old CB175, which belonged to a workmate of my father. She'd been cleaned up on it by an old lady who'd driven straight through a stop sign, breaking her leg in 6 places. She was in a cast for 6 months: first one up to her chest, then a full-leg one, then she had calipers, then walked with a stick, then just a limp. My parents helped finance me (once my Dad, who'd owned a Douglas when he was younger, talked Mum around). I got a job after school for about 80 cents/hour (later $1 - woohoo!) at a furniture shop, delivering furniture and that sort of thing, to pay off the bike.

The CB175 had been fully rebuilt, so it was like new. When I'd finished with it, it was FUKT. But the guy who bought the wreck rebuilt it, using CD175 () parts.
Once I'd got the money side of things sorted (courtesy of Paul East, lawyer, before he became a politician), and recovered from my bruises, abrasions and traveling on the bus for months, I bought an MT250 Elsinore.
Sold that when I was at uni, when I ran out of money. Etc etc blah blah...

Interestingly (or not), despite there being up to 6 bikes (including a Manx Norton, a TZ250, and what was the fastest production RD350 in NZ at the time) in their garge, none of the biking family that introduced me to bikes still ride.

[Macktheknife]

My Dad used to ride in the UK and told us kids amazing stories of his adventures with mates. Then my older brothers got into bikes in their teens, I couldn't wait to get on one, so my brothers decided to let me have a go round the back yard. Almost disastrous ending, but the bug was planted. Only got better from there.

[Unit:Me]

My daughters father bought a bike after a long time off them, and Id never had anything to do with them. Was a brand new Laverda SFC1000 in 1985. He was such a scary bastard though I decided I needed my own ride from a safety point of view. First bike, Norton 850 Commando, never looked back

[onearmedbandit]

My brothers and their mates all rode bikes. I looked up to them, it was natural that I'd end up on a bike. Now I'm the only one I know from those days that still rides. Oh my eldest brother is now a HD freak.

[discotex]

This is where you have the chance to praise the ones/what got you in to bikes.
Who was it that made the difference and got you on the right track?
What was that deciding moment when you knew where you belonged?
And was it mum and dad who paid for it all???

I'd ridden mates Honda stepthroughs and Vespas in my teens but never thought of owning my own bike until a mate at work took me for a spin on the back of his CBR. Having never been on a sport bike I had no idea how fast they really were and it blew me away. Made any of the jap cars I've been in feel slow - and some were bloody quick.

The deciding moment was riding up mountain rd carving up the twisty bits and getting in the flow. I don't push it hard but when you get the turns linked and smooth it's like carving on a snowboard or skis.

The other thing I love is that riding pulls you into the moment. There's no time for daydreaming about trouble at work or worrying about paying the bills or whatever. It's just you and reality, right here, right now.

[swbarnett]

My father rode Thriumphs in his youth and, when I started University in '83 I needed my own transport. Took to it like a duck to water and only stopped when I went to live in Europe. Got back on about a year ago cause I just started to miss the bike.

[janno]

My husband got a motorcycle after a seven year break - I'd met him when he didn't have a bike.

I then encouraged him to get a decent one, so we got a comfy BMW R1150RS. (Which he then bust - hooray for full insurance!)

I then got REALLY frustrated going pillion, as he was deciding where we parked . . . yes, really!!

Actually, I knew women have ridden bikes since they were invented, but somehow hadn't clicked that I could too. Husband got me a virago 250 and I got hooked. Ditched the virago though, not a cruiser person at all.

Now in Brisbane, I'm surrounded by women who ride big bore sports bikes, do long distance touring, track days, racing etc. Very inspiring and encouraging. Women riding hard out on large capacity bikes aint a rare sight over here by any means - yay for that!

[Stirts]

My Dad mostly......

Way WAY back.....riding pillion on a "Chook Chaser" burnt my leg on the exhaust going round our house...."faster Dad faster, go faster!"

Later he got a Fat Boy......feel the roar!!.........then a Soft Tail......Fark me feel the POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! like a V8 really
.......GRRRRRRROOWWWLLLLLLLLL.....he gave his life to his bike (but now....I kinda understand what he was on about)

A Flat-mate "Chopper Reid"/Ruffery" you INSANE fucker....surprised you still alive the stunts pulled!! 260kph+ with pillion, & pullin wheelies on Pare Rd ?????......u silly farker!!....but your zest for life....unfarkenmatchable!

Had the opp to ride pillion to the Paeroa Road Races this year.......and decided.....fark this is what I want, but I want me own bike!!

[quallman1234]

2006 - Road my Ex ex ex gf's bike TF125
2007 - Managed to buy a DT175
2007 - Got the Vic Scholarship
2007 - Started doing trial riding, VMCC and Bucket racing.

All in all my ex got me interested :P.
However ive always been interested and my dad used to ride trial bikes, i wanted a road bike but he insisted on a dirt bike dont regret it now alot more confident on the road than i would ever be if i didnt ride on the dirt.

[crshbndct]

watching kevin schwantz win at hockenheim in 1993.

and my dad.

[007XX]

Both my Dad and my Mum...Mum started it, cos she was the kind of woman to go scuba diving, sky diving, biking...you get the drift. A 5 foot nothing thrill seeker...I take a lot after her, only taller

They both had bikes and used to be part of a club overseas where they were touring around and doing accrobatic shows in schools and town centres...As I was the smallest (about 5 years old then), I was always the "monkey" on everyone's shoulders.

When my parents split, I went to live with my dad, and his bike was our only vehicle, so we went everywhere on it....

He actually reminded me last year of this one time when we even went to get our Christmas Tree on the bike!!!...

So yeah, my folks rock...

[more_fasterer]

While on holiday in sydney when I was 16 my uncle offered me the opportunity to cruise around town for a day on the back of his Thunderarse. I jumped at the opportunity... weather was mint, riding over the ANZAC bridge gave this immense feeling of being so much closer to your environment than any cage (soft or tin-top) could provide. Parking up at Bondi felt great. What sealed the deal was a 911 Turbo trying to line us up at a set of traffic lights going into the eastern tunnel. Almost falling off the back while the front wheel lifted and the Porker disappeared behind us was a unique experience!

About a year later one of my close mates bought an FXR150. Perfect bike to learn on, I spent almost as much time on that as he did. License followed shortly after...


Since then I've successfully managed to get my cousin into bikes (his is the RGV pictured with my NC30 in my gallery) as well as my girlfriend. Pay it forward is the term, I believe... kinda like being a missionary for all things with 2 wheels & an engine