What Got You Into The 2 Wheel Life?

I probably don't qualify under the 'later in life' rule as I started riding when I was 16 (a dismal Honda SS50 but it was all I could afford) however, my riding career stalled after about 3 years when I got my first car. That may have been it were it not for a simple request my Mum about 5 year later. She had a Honda Cub for nipping about. I went to visit her one day in the depths of Cornwall and she asked if I'd take it to the nearest garage, about 6 miles away along a country road, to check the tyre pressures. Ever the dutiful son, I hopped on and rode away. By the time I got back I'd decided I'd like another bike. I bought a 125, passed my test about 6 months later, and traded it in for a Suzuki VX800, and never looked back.

 

As cliche' as it sounds… rebellion. My parents were about as anti-motorcycle as they come. It was to the point that they'd verbally disparage riders as lower class, nefarious people every chance they got… "dirty bikers." That, and they'd emphasize in graphic detail the how horrifically mangled and shredded one was likely to get riding around on one. Naturally that drew my interest. Ironically enough I could watch all the Evil Knievel telecasts of his insane jumps though, and watch "CHiPs." I wasn't allowed any toy motorcycles either so I'd occasionally go hungry and save my lunch money so I could buy little Matchbox or Corgi toy motorcycles and carefully hide them away when I wasn't off somewhere in a sand heap or dirt pit taking them through their paces(Although I'd sometimes gank a can of franks and beans from the pantry when the coast was clear and pack it into my bookbag). Left home at 18 and joined the military. After all my initial training, about 10 months, I made it to my unit, a rather selective one that paid extra, and started saving for a bike. The rest is history.

 

The Honda CB 750 got me into motorbikes. I was 9 years old and on holiday with mum and dad in a caravan on Thornwick Bay near Bridlington. One night as we were making our way back to the van there it was, one of the first CB 750’s to be imported and I was gobsmacked. I just stood there open mouthed looking at this beautiful machine. I was so mesmerised that mum and dad walked on and for a moment I was alone and lost in this big caravan site. Every day after that I would make it my mission to walk that way back to the van just so I could see the bike again.

In my teens I always knew someone who had a field bike, mostly a stripped down Honda 90, but I’d ride anything with anyone.

When I started work I had to get the bus for a while but then borrowed £50 from my mum ( and paid her back) to put down a deposit on a Suzuki AP50 which started my two wheel career.

 

When I was about fourteen, the dad of two mates of mine (twins) bought them an old Honda 50. We used to take turns riding it up and down the country lanes, no license, no tax, no insurance. Now and then a cop car would turn up, I think a neighbour must have complained. But we were lucky, we never got caught. That sowed the seed. When I was sixteen I wanted a bike. My Dad said NO. My Mum had passed away three years before. When me and my Dad travelled over to Yorkshire we used to pass through Holmfirth where there was a small mototbike shop and it had a red Yamaha 125 2 stroke in the window. I used to drool over that bike every time we passed. Anyway, about three months after my sixteenth birthday my Dad relented and I bought a different red Yamaha 125 from a shop in Oldham. Within the week I was with the twins and said to one of them, "get on the back". He got on, I set off, did a massive wheelie, shot across the lane and hit a stone wall. Bent the forks. Ouch.
Lesson learned.

 

Remember I had some “Britain’s” toy motorcycles when I was a kid. Quality. Survived many high speed prangs into the skirting boards. Used to cut the “centre stand” off them for more speed and lean angle. Across the carpet. Or on “Roadmaker.”
Obsessed from an early age. 1st bike at 20 though.

 

I passed my bike test in 2002 when I was 39 years old, so definitely late to biking!

As a youngster I was never into bikes, I was a huge car enthusiast and took my first driving lesson on my 17th birthday. By the time I reached my mid thirties I had a successful career, was earning good money and was fortunate enough to have a fairly large disposal income.

In 2002 I did two things - I bought my first brand new sports car (Lotus Elise) and decided to do my bike test and buy a bike (Yamaha FZS600). Getting the bike licence was a revelation - one of those ‘oh-my-god why didn’t I do this 20 years ago’ moments!

Over the next 18 years I owned a succession of Lotus sports cars and always a motorbike. Today (at 58) I’m semi-retired and no longer own a Lotus, but still have a bike. The latest being the Triumph Speed Triple 1200RS that I bought last year. And I love it every bit as much as I did the day I passed my test

 

Oh yeah, and then there's that. I got my driver's license learner permit at 15, which meant I could drive during daylight hours as long as there was an "adult" in the car(had to be 18 yrs or older… ). They asked me at the DMV if I wanted a motorcycle endorsement on my license. I said "yes." They gave me one, on the spot, right then and there. That's it. No tests.

First car was a '73 Super Beetle. Needless to say I acquired a lot of 18 yr old carless friends starting at 15. First proper motorcycle was a Sportster at 20. These days there's pretty comprehensive testing for motorcycle endorsements.

Sorry about your mom, bro'. That's a tough one at such a young age.

 

After moving back from French colonies, we ended up in Le Mans. And as a kid, seeing a week end a year motorcycles everywhere (for the 24h race) was the real trigger. Went to the race every year, and passed my license as soon as the law permitted.

 

My first experience of biking abroad was a trip to Le Mans for the motorcycle endurance race. So many bikes and a completely brilliant time had by all.

 

Where was that old bike shop in Holmfirth. Andy?

 

My grandad, dad and uncle had bikes, so there was always bikes around. Eventually my dad got a combination (650 bsa) and me and my sister went all over in that side car. Camping trips and all. No surprise that I was hooked and as a teenager before getting out in the roads me and a couple of mates rode around the fields on a 125 bsa. Never looked back from those heady days in the sunshine

 

My grandad, dad and uncle had bikes, so there was always bikes around. Eventually my dad got a combination (650 bsa) and me and my sister went all over in that side car. Camping trips and all. No surprise that I was hooked and as a teenager before getting out on the roads me and a couple of mates rode around the fields on a 125 bsa. Never looked back from those heady days in the sunshine

 

August bank holiday trip to Skegness as pillion on a GS850, first time on a motorcycle. All I can remember of the trip there was filtering though stationary traffic, taking out wing mirrors with my knees. But on the way back is this image of wide Lincolnshire vistas, sunshine, open roads, and sitting there all relaxed with my hand on my knees thinking 'I want more of this'

 

I was around age 5 when one of my uncle's took me for a ride on his Indian Scout. I loved it then and still do.

 

My Grandad was a development engineer for AJS and also a test rider for them too. I learnt recently that he also did trials riding although don't believe he did any since I was born (can't recall it anyway). He always had a bike or bikes on the go and also one with a sidecar that my nana wore her bonnet tied tightly under her chin in, so as not to mess up her perm!! I decided that I'd like to ride a bike pretty early on in my childhood.

But I didn't get around to it until last year in my (early -ish....) 40s. Mum and Dad suggested I get a bike to get to college on when I was old enough, but I saved up and bought my first car which was ultimately best as college was a long slog away. Then I moved away to uni, then joined the Army, envied all my friends with bikes but never did anything about getting a license myself - I was always waiting for the "right time" and busy doing other things.

Oddly enough, the catalyst last year was my stepdaughter saying that she was getting a 125 to start riding and it actually for some reason sparked something in me (a sort of envy I suppose, but not the destructive sort - more the realisation that I could too!). I pretty much booked my theory test and CBT that week with a big wait for the CBT because of Covid delays, then booked my big bike course when there was availability - again a big wait. In between my CBT and big bike lessons I rode everywhere on my 125, getting a fair amount of mileage in in a short space of time because I discovered that I LOVED it. I only passed my Mod 2 on 19th Jan and am beyond being in love with my Street Triple, I get excited about riding it and cannot wait for the weather to improve so I can ride it all the time.

And what did my parents say when I announced I was going to get a bike license? Mum just accepted it as inevitable and Dad said "It's about time!" and remains very enthusiastic about it .

The photograph is of my Grandad on one of his bikes, way before I was born!

 

Looks like there is a theme developing here, starting with granddad’s. You know what they say “granddad’s are dad’s without rules”

 

Funnily enough he wouldn't have approved I don't think - he believed that women should not be educated beyond the age of 12 and should very much not do their own thing; he was a good man and we had a nice relationship but he was an older father for the times when my Dad was born and pretty much a whole generation older than my other grandfather (who was an amazing man and in contrast believed that anything that I wanted in life should be open to me as a female.)

 

Just goes to show on what a difference a few years and education can make to attitudes