What was it that got you into bikes?

**release_the_bees** · 30th January 2011, 14:26

My dad has always had bikes, and I had an Italjet dirt bike as a kid. However, the thing that got me into road bikes was the fact that I could get my learner license and be instantly independent. At the time, I lived thirty kilometres from my polytechnic and fifty kilometres from my work, and I got fed up of using the push-bike!

**mctshirt** · 30th January 2011, 15:50

Easy Rider poster

**James Deuce** · 30th January 2011, 16:31

I thought I'd get laid, but it didn't work and it works even less now.

**Corse1** · 30th January 2011, 17:05

I was taken by bikes as soon as I could understand what they were I think. Used to con my uncle into letting me ride his farm bikes from 10.

Saved up and bought my XL175 ready for 15 years old and my license. Didnt get my car license till I was 19.

lots of old family photos showed my old man on his BSA bikes with his leathers before he met mum.

He wouldn't even come out and look at the XL when I bought it. Bit hipocritical but oh well.

Today the passion is just as strong. get blamed for loving the bikes more than the wife

**mrchips** · 30th January 2011, 17:06

Terrorising my uncles hilly paddocks dodging cows, horses, sheep & other small farm animals on his 125cc 2 smoker with my bro.

Loved hitting power band mid cow patty & lighting her up ... chit those where some good times.

**sondela** · 30th January 2011, 20:05

My brother was the "good" child, and my mom said "never ever get on the back of a bike" so I didn't...

**cheshirecat** · 30th January 2011, 20:15

Upgrading from an NSU Quickley which i ran on parafin. Couldn't kick start the Panther (too light) but then the Japs came in and gave us electric starters, electrics not made by Miller or Lucas so I could ride at night and in the rain and get back.

**scumdog** · 30th January 2011, 20:32

Originally Posted by mctshirt

Easy Rider poster

Me too.

And the thought I might meet in the flesh some of the fuckwits that inhabit KB. (I couldn't believe people like that existed....)

**baptist** · 30th January 2011, 21:12

Dad had Triumphs, and raced an AJS when younger. Parents had a bad smash on a bike, when I was old enough and wanted a bike I was banned. Later in life economy made me look again, must be in the blood 'cos I now dislike driving a car and us my little bike for all travel not involving the family or dog

**sleemanj** · 30th January 2011, 21:21

A PW50 one Christmas when I was around 4 or 5.

**shrub** · 31st January 2011, 07:15

and his brand new 1971 Suzuki T500. I was 11 and he turned up on it one weekend - it was a shiny metalflake blue with chrome everywhere and when he started it, the sound and that smell sent me to heaven. He took me for a ride down the road and, this is the crazy bit, HE HIT THE TON!!!!! Yep, 100 mph. I had never been so fast on the ground and it blew me away that such machines existed. I got distracted by cars after that, but the seed was sown.

Then when I was 20 I had a hot date with this drop dead gorgeous chick, and my car broke down. I was in the Air Force at the time, and lending cars was pretty common, so I got out and started asking around. No dice, nobody had a spare car, then a mate said "I'm off for the weekend - can you ride a bike because if so you can borrow my RD200". This chick was hot, and I had ridden a mate's SL100 up and down his driveway, so the answer was "Yeah, no worries".

Long story short I rode across Auckland in the dark, picked the young lady up and had a great night. I got laid, got drunk and fell in love. With the bike. My mate was away for the weekend, so I rode his bike around all weekend and on the Sunday night I made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

The rest is history...

**ellipsis** · 31st January 2011, 07:38

...it was predetermined in my molecular make-up...but it took my mum telling me ...'you will never have one of those things while you live under this roof', when I was 14 that made me leave home at 15 so I could have one...thanks mum...

**Eyegasm** · 31st January 2011, 09:37

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Pretty much sums it up.

**Batcerb** · 31st January 2011, 09:43

In my much younger days, riding around the neighborhood on our bmxs.
One day a rather green sports bike pulled into our street, hoisting a very impressive wheely (to a 10 year old

) as he passed.

That too, and a phonecall from dad on my 15th birthday...

Dad: Right, your 15, time to get a licence - you want to drive a car or ride a bike?
Me: uhh ... im not sure?
Dad: I rode bikes at your age, so i think thats what you should do ... right, its settled, now go look for a bike