First memories of motorcycles

[martybabe]

Little lost lonely lad walks home from school looking at the cracks in the pavement, dreading the 15 minute trudge up the hill.

Big brothers mate screeches to a halt by my side on some big black gnarly British loud monster bike. Picture Lord flashheart from Blackadder here.... "Oi you, littlest Homo, jump up here ya limp dick, I'll make a man of ya, woof!"

"Ok mister" up on the back and off we go, a flurry of long blonde hair whipping my face, clutching on to the leather and chain demon rider, the burnt oil smell, the exhaust noise, the cold cold wind, people and houses just whiz by my eyes.

All of two minutes later atop the hill, " Enjoy that monkey minge boy? you know ya did! Now get the f#ck off me bike and get a life! Catch ya later rectum kid" Roars of in a cloud of smoke and ear shattering howl.

Now I ask ya, what chance did I have, I was about 6 or7, the most amazing thing that ever happened to this kid, hooked for life man.

P.s I left my satchel at the bottom of the hill so I had to walk it twice that day but what did I care, I had day dreams to create!

[puddytat]

Going to the street races at Onekawa near Napier as a nipper,the noise just blew my little 6 yr old brain,& can still remember the sidecar & haybales flying thru the air....only down side was the broken bottle in the long grass that I cut my foot badly on ,which meant I had to hobble round all summer while my mates went swimming etc

[DarkLord]

The very first memory for me probably would have been something like Arnie in Terminator 2, or Wal' in the Footrot Flats comics on his farmbike.

First memories of riding were riding a nifty 50 at 15 years old down a private road (gravel) and binning once every 10 minutes.

[Skunk]

My father rode trials in the sixties and seventies. I have a vague memory of watching him come out of a steep hillside forest and across a river.

Also one of my older brothers had an inline 4 Yamaha of about 750cc (don't know the model) in the late seventies. Was still riding various bikes (mainly Yamahas) into the mid eighties.

Then I meet a loverly girl (my now wife) and she taught me to ride in the mid nineties.

[Gubb]

My Dad had a 400cc Suzuki Sprotsbike (I have no idea what it was, I should ask him) and he used to take me on as a pillion around the neighborhood. The bike seemed HUGE then, maybe it's cause I was only 6 or 7.

Now both me and my Brother have bikes.

[fireball]

i remember being very young (and very tiny) sitting on the gas tank of the old CT125 with my little bro behind me aswell, as dad was mustering sheep off the top block on the farm. now when i look at the bike i wonder how did all 3 of us ever fit on there, and how the hell can that bike still be running.....

plus dad bought us a DS80 for xmas one year its all his fault!

[ViragoVixen]

Being picked up from primary school (I was 8) by my brother on his bike with the whole school watching. Put me on the front and let me control the throttle.

My 'cool' factor skyrocketed. Unfortunately in the 5 minutes it took to get home, the principle had already called mum and said that it was not a suitable way for a young girl to travel. That might of cemented it for me

[DougB]

I watched the Don R's during the second world war riding army Indian' bikes with convoys and other duties. They seemed to be having the greatest adventure and fun that it was possible to have. I was very young then but the memory persists.

I later found them to be real dogs to ride with hand change on the same side as the throttle etc.
The bike I learned to ride on, a 1936 Harley was just as bad.

I was thrilled to see a "brand new" Army Indian at the classic bike races a few years back. Someone had found two in their original packing cases up in the Islands somewhere. He even had the case there.

[Number One]

All my mums brothers had them. SHE HATED them (motorcycles that is)which of course ensured that they each took me out for rides whenever they could

One of the first memories of a bike I have is riding on my mad uncles trike...what a dog that was but fuck it was cool too!

Then I remember being on the back of my uncles bike in OZ...he looks just like Martybabe...(hence I have a soft spot for that man ). He had a BMW from memory - I just remember thinking it was similar to a lay z boy - which was actually good because everytime I rode pillion it was about 2 in themorning and we were blatting along OZ roads in the sticks on our way to the truck house. He drove interstate regularly.

[kerfufflez]

I watched the Don R's during the second world war riding army Indian' bikes with convoys and other duties. They seemed to be having the greatest adventure and fun that it was possible to have. I was very young then but the memory persists.

Please excuse my ignorance, but what are Don Rs?

[terbang]

An uncle of mine had some sort of a scooter (1964ish) and I remember being on the back of it around our front paddock. Very exciting..!

[Dave-]

my grandma had my dads old BSA scooter in her garage

if that counts?

I remmeber as a kid wishing I had a sports bike one night and waking up the next morning and seeing these shiney metal bits in the early light and some red that looked like the back end of a motorbike in my bedroom...turned out to be the step stool and a scarf...

[Pedrostt500]

I was about 3 or 4 yrs old and my uncle had a red suzuki powered Mountain goat, he would sit me on the petrol tank and my young cousin would sit on the carrier on the back, dad brought a mountain goat as his first farm bike not long after, that i learned to ride on when I was about 7yrs old.

[fire eyes]

it is safe to say that the passion started from the pitter patter of not so tiny feet! awesome guys!