What Got You Into The 2 Wheel Life?

I was hooked on my first ride , I was 7 (1962) the girl down the streets older sister had a new boyfriend with a Honda . He asked me if I wanted to go for a ride...I didn't bother asking Mom for permission ... only went a few miles but the thrill was there and has never left . ...I bought my first bike in 1970 and have ridden since

 

When I was at junior school my best mates dad was doing the British clubman’s championship road racing. I used to go with them in the back of the van, sat on the TZ or Trident or whatever he was on at the time. Got me hooked instantly. The smells and sounds the fun. All of it appealed.
At 16 I brought my brothers old SS50 off of him and have been riding ever since, frighteningly 42 years.

 

I was a keen cyclist when at school,45 road club in Wellingborough, and riding solo and with a mate all around Britain. A weeks camping trip to the Isle of Wight, a weekend to Bognor and back but when I started work twenty miles from home dad said " you'd better get a motorbike to get home in time for tea at a reasonable hour" He took me on his 175cc Bantam to an uncle who had an old bike in his shed, a 98cc Francis-Barnet 3 speed hand change, solid back end and girder forks in brush painted apple green! The ride home was a steep learning curve!! ,a couple months later I went into a local dealer for a second hand 125cc Bantam on a 12 month repayment plan after a £40 deposit.
Passed my test on the Bantam then progressed up the power scale through a 1953 BSA B31 to a Triumph T110, 1954 model.
Never been without a bike since, my second 1993 Trophy 900 passed its MOT a couple of weeks ago with 81,195 miles on, up from 69,079 last year. The first that I had from new was retired a couple of years ago at 131,000 miles approx ( three broken speedo cables all while in Europe at FIM events ) so actual mileage is a guess.

 

I got into bike's at ~18. I was away from home , I joined the Australian Army at 17+2 months , Dad told me before I joined "don't ask me to go guarantor" so Car's were out !
First bike a Honda CB 500 four cylinder , circa 1974 ? Was 7/8 years old and over 180,000 km on it ... !
Bought it for $900 of a work mate , picked it up after work on a pay week. Got off work early , went to mates address , checked it over , he "asked 'you know how to ride" my reply , fingers pointing clutch , brakes gear's and foot brake and NO ! So helmet on , money exchanged , and rode home "Barracks"! Through Friday Afternoon Peak hour in Brisbane !!
Loved it and survived !
Forward 16/18 months , updated to a Suzuki GSX 750 (chunky slab sided tank) circa 78/79 I rode 5,500+ km home Brisbane Qld/Geraldton WA ! In three and a half days ...
Mum not impressed , but my two younger brothers Very Much so ! Five weeks home and many pillion ride's apiece , two more converts.
We have all been bike riders for life.
I currently have a 2008 America , Pedro a ~2000 Harley Davidson Fatboy and Nick (youngest by 7yrs) a 1700 cc Victory 8 ball !

 

It was always a given as Dad always had them, even when he signed on to do his bit (as he would say)

 

I had one of those !
1941/2 BSA M20 500cc single, from 1996 until 2012. Best fun I ever had .

 

What happened to it, @capt??

 

I sold it to a 'Military Enthusiast'
It has been returned to full military dress. He has two Jeeps and a truck from WWII as well as uniforms , radio's, stoves and lanterns.
He regularly goes to historical society events with a few 'enthusiast' friend's , all dressed in era authentic replica uniforms , they setup camp and answer questions !

 

That's so cool, capt! So your bike went to a very good home and a lovely 2nd life. The historical society events sounds really interesting, too.

 

I had a step thru moped to get to school when i was 16, and when i left i had no idea what to do. Saw an advert in the local paper for messenger boy for the Post Office and ending up being a Telegram Boy for 4 years. Marriage and kids stopped the biking for quite a few years but always wanted another. Then i had a spell of bladder cancer and thought , it's now or could be never, so started out on a range of bikes from a Thundercat to the VFR i have now.

 

My dad was a Ton-up boy ! Late 50s early 60s ,I had to follow

 

Note the oil leak,Grandma banned him from parking near the house

 

It's why they're nicknamed "Royal OILFIELD"!!

 

He used to say when it stops leaking. It needs topping up

 

When I was young my parents, uncles, and their friends always frowned at motorcycles everyone will have a horror story and I have a dear friend who got killed when we were in college, we're talking early 1980s.
Fast forward to 2016 ... my brother got himself an electric moped, nice and easy to ride, very good for commuting to work, the electronics broke down and he could not get a spare part.
replaced it with a ktm 250, he came to pick me up and took me for a ride as a pillion, after almost getting out on a curve I got him the contact for a riding school and sent it to him. Thankfully he took the hint, and did a few courses. Over here anyone can get a license, no need to pass a class they only make you ride around the parking lot and that's it, plus a written test, also the license does not indicate the size of the motorcycle. Anyway back to my story, after my brother started to travel on the little 250 he got tired of being the last of the group and he purchased a vstrom 650, this was huge in comparison! He invited me on a short trip as a pillion, after this I decided to take a class on a rented motorcycle soon after this I purchased a Yamaha Mt03, I was 56 years old, I only had it for about 3 months before replacing with a vstrom 650 which quickly revealed all my deficiencies. I dropped that bike many many times, I had to replace a few parts but in the end, learned how to ride proficiently enough. At about that time Triumph announced the new Tiger 900, and I lusted over one for about a year, when I decided to go to the dealer they had one available! no waiting time. The cycling community has been created starting by the friends we met at the riding classes we as a group have been making progress and behaving safely, this has united the group and we often go out on mostly 1 day trips, sometimes multiple-day trips. Motorcycling to me is a relaxing and fun activity, it helped me survive the covid 19 times without going crazy and also solidifed a number of friendships.

 

No family connection to mo'bikes for me but in the early 80s when i walked to and from secondary school i used to pass a Moto Guzzi Le Mans (i think II) parked up and it always caught my eye.

I never saw it move or even heard it running but it got me thinking that as traffic was going to get worse in Edinburgh that a bike would be the way to get around. Took a taster lesson in, i think a church car park, that was organised by Two Wheels at the Scottish Motorbike show when it was at the Brunton Halls in Musselburgh.

Passed my test late 90s when i bought a house with a garage and had somewhere to keep the bike and have had them ever since and always will!

 

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