What was your first bike?

[af0h]

1986 Kawasaki 454-ltd. Only 7,000 miles on it when I bought it in 1990. Sold my Honda Fourtrax 125 4-wheeler to get it.

The 4-wheeler - while a blast - lost a lot of value when I got my driver's license.

 

[CSM746]

1967 Bultaco Matador 250 a bundle of off road riding with this machine as well. Bought it new when I was 16. Excellent memories followed by BSA 441 Victor and Husqvarna 450 Desert Classic...never stopped riding even a police career as a motor officer now riding BMW

 

[Silk]

My first bike was a BSA Bantam Major...D3....150cc.

 

[Bub]

2002 Suzuki bandit 1200. Maybe not the best learner bike, but it sure was fun.

 

[EagleFTE]

Originally Posted By: bigdreama
No, not the first dirt bike that you rode for 5 minutes when you were 12 years old. I mean the first bike that you owned and rode on the street.

Mine was a 1974 Suzuki TS-185 that I bought in 1978 for $450. I paid for it with the money I had saved from mowing lawns and I rode it for about 5000 miles until it was stolen from my high school parking lot.

I had a Bird mini bike when I was about 10 years old and rode a lot if Honda trail 70s and such but my first motorcycle that I bought, rode legally on the street, and had the title to was a 1974 Suzuki TC-185. That was the one with the 2x5 tranny. Paid about $425 for it used when I was 16 and rode it to school and work (weather permitting) as well as playing in the dirt on a regular basis.

 

[XS650]

1966 Suzuki X-6, bought used less than a year old in 1967.

 

[BigCahuna]

My first bike was a 1969 Norton Commando Roadster. With the boat tail section. It was a 750 and used to haul the mail even with my big butt on it. I semi chopped it as was the style at the time 8inch over forks, removed the boat tail and rattle canned it black.That was in 1973.,,

 

[RonH]

I had a 1976 DT175 Yamaha when I turned 16 back in 1976, then 2 months later Yamaha had closeout on leftover 1975 DT250 and DT400. I think the DT400 was bought for $900 in Dec of 76. I rode that motorcycle 14,000 miles in a little over a year and had zero problems. So much for 2 strokes being no good! Made the mistake wanting to go 4 stroke and got a 77 XT500 Yamaha--JUNK---

 

[Robenstein]

My first bike was when I was 6 or 7. My dad had a Honda Mini Trail 50 he bought when he was a service manager at the local dealership that I learned to ride on.

Other than that I bought a used Yamaha Zuma when I was 14

 

[Ausfahrt]

Originally Posted By: RonH
I had a 1976 DT175 Yamaha when I turned 16 back in 1976, then 2 months later Yamaha had closeout on leftover 1975 DT250 and DT400. I think the DT400 was bought for $900 in Dec of 76. I rode that motorcycle 14,000 miles in a little over a year and had zero problems. So much for 2 strokes being no good! Made the mistake wanting to go 4 stroke and got a 77 XT500 Yamaha--JUNK---

I love it when the old memory banks kick in and the human element meshes with the old "iron".

Keep 'em coming!

 

[Fat Man]

When I was 11 my dad traded for a 72 Hodaka 125 Combat / Wombat and I learned how to ride and wrench on it. My next bike was a 76 Suzuki TM125 that I traded for when I was 13, I rode it for 2 years until it was worn completely out. My friends all had dirt bikes and we rode almost every day, it's a miracle that I survived all of the testosterone fueled stunts we attempted! I bought a 79 Yamaha XS-750 Special and 73 Plymouth Road Runner in a package deal when I turned 16 in 1983. I put 22,000 miles on the Yamaha that summer before I blew it up. My next Bike was a 82 Suzuki GS-1100 purchased in 1986. I loved the GS and put over 30,000 miles on it in the 2 years I owned it. My next bike was a 86 GS-1150 ES, my favorite bike of all time. Some of my best memories are of the three years riding and Bracket Racing the 1150 ES. I traded the 1150 for a 87 Suzuki GS-700 with only 900miles on it in 1992. By 1994 I had two young children and finances / safety concerns caused to take a 15 year sabbatical. This past summer I bought a 08 Yamaha FZ-600, it's great to have a bike again. The little 600 is almost as fast as the GS-1150 and is an awesome all around bike. I plan on buying a large bore sport tourer in the near future. I will keep the 600 for my daily commute.

 

[Johnny]

Originally Posted By: CSM746
1967 Bultaco Matador 250 a bundle of off road riding with this machine as well. Bought it new when I was 16. Excellent memories followed by BSA 441 Victor and Husqvarna 450 Desert Classic...never stopped riding even a police career as a motor officer now riding BMW


Four of my all time favorite bikes: Bultaco, BSA 441 Victor, Husky, and BMW.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
My first motorized mode of transportation was a 1958 Cushman scooter.


Not sure of the year, but I put many a miles on a Cushman scooter when I was growing up. Two speed tranny that shifted with a lever on the left side. It had a clutch pedal on the left, a brake pedal on the right and the throttle was the traditional right hand twist. The kick starter sat behind your right thigh. Front and rear wheel fenders with coil springs and it was a bright red. You turned the headlight on by pushing on a lever that tightened the generator belt. Too bad we got rid of it.
My first motorcycle was a '71 Honda 450. It never left me set.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Mine was a Yamaha 180 cc, I think about 1968 vintage that I bought used from my uncle in about 1974 for $200. I drove it all over the place with my girlfriend (now my wife). Good times! Sold it to my best friend for $200 and then he drove it for a few years before dismantling it to see what made it tick. It would do about 84 mph flat out with me lying flat on the seat.

 

[TLAR640]

When I was 14 I got a 1981 Yamaha XT250 that I put 14,000 miles on in 2.5 years. Traded it for an 1983 XL600R.

 

[beanoil]

First bike? That goes back a ways, but was a 3hp Tecumseh in a steel frame mini-bike. 50 dollars. Engine finally seized after about 3 years. Then an AMF Harley X-90. 4 speeds and a clutch! You didn't ask, but thirteen more bikes came after that Harley, and I still have 2 today.

 

[mjoekingz28]

In January 04 I bought a 1997 YZF600r with 10k miles off ebay from a guy in Memphis. My friend took me from Delta State in Cleveland to get the bike and I followed him all the way back to Jackson. I rode that bike past 34k after the speedo cable fell off and I sold it and bought a new 05 in November of that year of the same model bike.

But my first streetbike experience was when I was 12 riding my Dad's Honda around the backyard in circles until I finally dropped it and burnt my jaw on the muffler when I tried to pick it up. My facial hair still looks like a hurricane in that area.


Nice topic, ahhh the memories

 

[Norm Olt]

Yamaha R5 (predecessor to the RD350) 2-stroke: I recall giving about $300 for it in 1972. Didn't have a front fender. Ran like a champ!

Wish I still had it. Drum brake and all...

Cheers!

 

[SteveSRT8]

I had one, too. It had a full race flat track motor in it and you had to shoot ether in one carb while you drove for the first minute or two.

But it would outrun a 900 Kawasaki in a straight line to 100!

I also carried a pouch full of tools, parts, and plugs.

 

[02zx9r]

1992 Kawasaki EX-500