Can you recall how it was when you started riding?

[90s]

I'd been riding Dad's 50cc Yamaha Salient around the block for a while to get the hang of it before taking my test (in French, which as I really don't speak French very well, I was amazed to pass) in Belgium in '88.

The only thing I really remember from the very first days riding was getting to the front of a traffic queue at a cross-roads junction where both roads had three lanes. I can't remember what I did wrong (to slow; wrong position or following the wrong filter light) but having what seemed like hundreds of cars honking me seriously freaked me out. I remember thinking "you better understand the road perfectly or you will get yourself killed pretty fast out here ..."

I suppose I realised pretty early on that having technical control of a bike is the given not the end result of riding - understanding the road and being safe is what it is really about (are you reading skidmark?). That and then having fun when you can.
(that little scooter was small but took a 24-bottle crate of stella perfectly on the floor pan ... )

[Pwalo]

1975. Suzuki T125. My Dad thought I needed my own transport, and he was a keen biker himself.

[RentaTriumph]

1973 Suzuki Stinger 125cc. Those days I was acrazy young prick everywhere I rode was in jandals and T-shirt even in Winter sometimes.

[Bren]

First time for me on a bike was in a paddock on I think it was a honda90...the ones with the oversized wheels....That was when I was just a lad....on Ghost Bullets bike...or was it his old mans?


My first real ride was going from Templeton down to Colombo st a day after I got my learners....and this old fogey stepped out in front of me....I took him out, and he took me and my bike out

[cold comfort]

A mate gave me his 400cc Suzi comp dirt bike to use after he broke his leg doing a Crusty Demon impersonation. Excellent fun, what with no helmet laws in those days. They wouldn't let me do my full test with it so had to borrow a scooter for the day. They did have SOME rules then you know!

[Terminated]

In the carpark at Mill Point Road in Perth, next to the Swann river.

After a few minutes tootling on the mighty virago I grabbed a mightly handful of brakes and ended up on the ground. My husband was watching over me and had just turned away to look at something on the river.

At least that's what I thought, until he told me later he was laughing so hard he couldn't look anymore . . .

But oh the feeling of changing gears for the first time!

And getting up to 35km per hour!!

Little did I know it was the dreadful beginning of a serious and expensive addiction . . .

My favourite city back home in Aussie.

I reckon the loop out to Kal down to Esperance and back around up to Perth would be a great ride.

Heads Up and Enjoy

[Usarka]

With an instructor - he stopped at red light and i flew passed him

[JMemonic]

I spent a bit of time racing around in the paddocks one which the suburb of Westlake stands now (for those who know ChCh) on various bikes A50's, PE175 XL250's that my mates and I cobbled together from parts including a trike made from dexion shelving, and an A50 motor.

Moved to Blenheim and bought my Uncles Suzuki T90 off him which he would not let me collect till I had my learners (fair enough but it felt like torture back then) , rode that thing from Blenheim to Christchurch in a horrendous storm I think by the time I got here I had spent about 10 hours on the bike took me 12 hours but I had a couple of stops along the way, the southerly was that strong at points of it I could have walked faster.

[Ghost_Bullet]

My first ride was paddock racing about on a honda ct90 When about 10yrs old. sHIT THAT THING WAS FUN. I had so many 's on that one. Then also if I was lucky Dads work bike a Suzuki 125 farm bike. I learnt not to rely on front brake there, first time was in the snow, want to stop, thought I was using the clutch... front brake that was cool.

Yeah linuxrunner, that was the machine... but hey!!! no fat tyres on there!!!!

[yungatart]

......like it was only yesterday!
Unbelievably tiring and mentally draining was how it was for me.
I had to consciously do everything, nothing was automatic.
I used to come home and have a nana nap!

[Xaria]

I remember it as though it was last week... Hang on it was last week.

Had a Honda 90 when I was a kid and a nifty at uni and after seeing all the fun my partner has on his bike, I have followed him back to two wheels.

[Sidewinder]

on sat on a bike and crashed

[scracha]

Then never touched a bike again until 2006.

That's cos the adverts aren't as enticing in Scotland due to the telly being in black and white eh Jim

[mbazza]

Very secondhand BSA Bantam, same colour as the museum one below. Quick lesson at the bike shop, which didn't include the need to close the choke once warm.
Stalled on Stuart St, Dunners. Steep! Managed to get it to fireup and found out how to do a wheel stand!
Couldn't start it again and freewheeld it down onto the flat and parked the !..*# thing up in an old ladies back yard because I was scared of it.
Rang Mum, she came and picked me up in the Prefect! Gutted!
Next morning, Sat. I got the bus back in to reclaim the bike. Met the old ladies son, a biker!
Saved!
A quick lesson, rode behind him around a few hills and with some words of advice I've never looked back!
Own a fuel injection system now, so don't leave the choke open any more.
Thanks for the memories thread! Cheers.

[Headbanger]

I started on dirt bikes at 7, raced them in my early teens, had a couple honda XR's that were road legal at about 15 to 17.

My first road bike was a Harley Davidson 883 Sportster at about 18, I rode her like a dirt bike, Back wheel hanging out around corners, full throttle every where, over piles of dirt, down dirt tracks, Into the odd ditch, though a fence or two.

Blew the gearbox 3 times, The clutch was always knackered no matter how many times I had her rebuilt. At one stage it had no front guard, bent bars, a missing footpeg, pipes held on with wire, carb glued together with gunk, And I would jump on it and ride from Wanganui to Auckland without bothering to so much as check the oil.

Cost me thousands.

Worth every penny.

Some of the greatest years of my life to be truthful.