[danielp]

I'm sure this has been run through before, just wondered what everyone's favorite bike/memory was.
I started out with an old Harley trail bike, twist the grip to shift. Firat roadie was a SUzuki TJ Titan 500. Two stroke. Homely, not all that fast, but it was new, and I loved it.
Then I bought my first new Yamaha 650. Favorite. Looked like a Triumph, but didn't leak oil. Didn't handle quite as well either, but that was okay. I bought three more throught the years, and I am thinking of getting another to fix up. Then a 650 was a bigger bike, now they call it a learner, or woman's bike. (why a "womans bike" ? I don't know. I know a lot of ladies that ride some so called "macho" bikes, and have no trouble with them.) Anyway, I guess nostalgia makes me a Yamaha 650 fan. (but if you want to buy me a Goldwing, or Ultra Classic, i won't get upset with you.) Dan

[ringo912]

When I was 14 a guy my dad new gave me a 160 Honda dream. It didn't run but I worked on it and got it running. Dad got me a few cans of midnight blue spray paint and we painted it. I rode it around the back yard all summer. Wore a dirt track in the yard. I knew from that point on that I would be riding until I can't hold up a bike anymore. And when that happens, I'll get a trike.

[bdfin]

My first ride when I was a kid......a honda trail 55 step thru frame. My older brother had bought it to ride to school and then started buying muscle cars. I inherited it and made it my own. We had about 15 acres between my folks place and my grandparents had the adjacent property. Made my own dirt oval track that went into and out of both their driveways. Had dirt slung out from coming down the straight stretches into those flat corners and gearing that 3 speed auto trans down from 3rd to 2nd and gassin er up through the corner. I rode the living pee out of that thing, had the muffler pulled off, running a straight pipe, pretending I was racing other bikes. Back then riding with no helmet was the norm. My parents didn't care as long as I wasn't gettin into any other trouble. Had a couple burn marks on my legs from when I lost it a few times......Ah those were the days.

[maxpower_hd]

When I was a kid, maybe 10 or so, my neighbor had a Honda trail 70 we used to ride in the woods behind my house. Later we got ATVs and spent literally days on them in the woods. Those woods aren't even there anymore. We had so much fun back then on them, my brother and I are considering buyin a couple ATV's now. The women would just LOVE that. One more thing for us dumb guys to hurt ourselves with.

[Red Rider]

My fav - Ol' Red, my ride today. No doubt. Other bikes I've had just do not compare, and put me at risk by not be as sweet handling or tough. I do love my Kawasaki KLX125, but it just ain't the same as my street ride.

[Dino]

I fondly remember one of my first bikes, a Sears Puch. I called it a 'twingle' because it was a 2 stroke and had two cylinders and a common combustion chamber. The head covered both cylinders. The pistons came up and fired at the same time. Ran pretty well really. The carb was stuck on the side down on the crank case. Ah, the old days.

[danielp]

Originally Posted by Dino

I fondly remember one of my first bikes, a Sears Puch. I called it a 'twingle' because it was a 2 stroke and had two cylinders and a common combustion chamber. The head covered both cylinders. The pistons came up and fired at the same time. Ran pretty well really. The carb was stuck on the side down on the crank case. Ah, the old days.

A friend of mine rode a Sears two stroke. Can't remember specifics, but it was fun to ride. That was back when Yamaha had a 'bitchin'" 305. I think it was called The Bear, but I may be off. Honda had the "Dream"--still highly sought. Those small bikes were a blast. Who knew then we would be riding 2000cc bikes, which are neat, but don't deliver the happy fun the small scooters and such had. IMHO. Of course if I rode on one now with my 290 pound frame, someone would hook a chain on my neck and make me ride in circles like the trained Russian bear back in the Ed Sullivan days. oooops !! Did I date myself. Dan

[maxpower_hd]

I went riding with my buddy last night. His neighbor kid was riding around the yard on what looks like a brand new Honda Trail 50. Apparently they are making them, or something very much like them, again.

Wait till he gets a little older. My buddy lives on the edge of a golf course. If this kid is anywhere near the trouble we were, he'll be tearin across that course on an RM80 in NO TIME.

[kenfuzed]

This is going back before my official motorcycle riding days started. When I was 13 my friend and I got a minibike frame from a neighbor. We then "procured" an 8hp Tecumseh engine off some equipment (might have been a tiller) that belonged to my friend's dad. Man was his Dad pissed when he found out! I think that engine was bigger than the whole bike so it looked very frankenstein-ish. His neighbor cut the frame for us just so we could get that engine in, then welded a new backbone in from a bicycle. We didn't have a real clutch so we found this crazy drive/cog part at a lawnmower shop, which would engage the drive cog via cable. It had a side lever which you would move and it instantly engaged. Hard to describe, but it was kind of a combination of torque converter and clutch contraption. To make it go we would have to start the engine and throw the lever which would launch the bike into an instant burn out. If you didn't give it any throttle at the same time it would throw you off as it stalled. The throttle was a lever we made from a bicycle brake lever, and it's action went from idle to WOT with not much in between. I recall that the drive was a chain drive and we spent as much time piecing it back together as riding, since those burnouts would often snap the chain.

A neighbor clocked us one day at around 40 mph down a hill in his car, which is insanely fast considering we were only inches off the ground with no brakes. The only way to stop this thing was to release the throttle and let the engine slow you down. That and dragging your feet or driving up onto someone's lawn. No wonder the neighbors always hated us
Now that I think about it, WOW were we stupid kids! At the time it was the greatest fun but now that I'm adult there's no way you'd get me on that deathtrap.

Good times!

[ReeseSS]

My first bike! It was a 1970 Triumph 650, bought it in 1971. promptly put a hardtail on it, laced a Harley rear wheel to the triumph hub, 15" over, elk horn bars, the traditional chrome hex oil tank, loved that bike!

[chucktx]

nice resse, just wish the pic was bigger.......

[Peyts]

Sick ride, Resse! Too bad you don't have it anymore... that would be sweeeeeeeeeeeeet!

[drillsarge]

my first was an Enduro Speedway 100 back in 1973 but my favorite will be my first HD , my 77 Shovelhead, which I currently ride. Thought about tradin' up in 2-3 years but I think I'll keep it and let my son earn it when he turns 16.

[SK]

My first bike is my favorite. A '72 Suzuki TS250 2-stroke enduro that I rode the hell out of. I can remember being chased by a cop only to take off down a trail by the Sacramento River and lose him. Plus the trips up to Lake Tahoe taking some dirt trails through the Sierras to get there. Can't do that much more as they've closed over half of those trails over the years. I remember breaking into somebody's shed when I ran outa gas and putting a gallon of white gas in the tank with lots of extra 2-stroke oil to keep it from running too hot..smoked like hell, but got me to a gas station when I got outa the woods. Man..those were the days back in the 70's (along with the Thai weed on a stick ).

[ruffrider11]

I started with a Honda trail 50 at about 9 years old and rode the tires off it. Then moved up to anSL 70 then to a Honda SL125 These were early 70's models and mostly for trail riding. When in High School I had a learners permit and rode a Yamaha 100 enduro all through school Graduated and moved upto a Yamaha 250 enduro and Then got into street bikes 550 Honda and then a dressed up 750 Honda these were considered big bikes in the late 70's early 80's Then Marriage and kids money matters had me sell my machine Then in June 2007 I bought my first Harley a used 2000 FLSTF Fat Boy and LOVE IT
It brings back great memories just toolin around town or down the Highway. But I think my favorite would be the Yamaha 100 Even though I just had a permit in Ca you could ride alone untill sunset it gave me great freedom alot of my friends didnt have.

[ReeseSS]

Attempting to resize pic.....

[mwelych]

'76 FL Shovelhead. 1200 Vtwin with 18" ape hangers and banana seat... Incredibly sweet bike, but had it's share of problems... Still wish i had it!!!

[fxdxsteve]

my first bike was a 65 honda 305 superhawk ugliest thing you ever seen my favorite has to be my 73 Z1 900 kawasaki it had a lowering kit on the back a cobra seat off an old harley 45 6 bend pull backs 4into 2 turnouts it would pop a wheelie and smoke the back tire at the same time back then I only weighed 135 lbs a friend of mine in Idaho has it still I rode it again back in 04 still a screamer he restored it back to stock wish I had a pic of it now

[Texas Road Glide]

you guys have all the good stories.......mine sucks
while all my freinds had yz's rm's.....even a hodoka in the bunch. me being the only child, and no dad in the picture. my mom bless here heart tried very hard to get me a bike and she did. my first bike was a honda trail 90,swear it looked like a moped,tank under the seat, no clutch. top speed 50 mph
all the kids would kick my ass riding the dirt roads messing around on the homemade track. but when we got into the woods....i left them behind making my own trails.....
then a buddy of mine got cought up im a mess, and sold me his kawasaki kz900z1r, talk about a fast bike!!! and i was only 17 at the time, so that bike was really fun.....
then i bought a yamaha xt 500 dirt bike,that was tagged for the street,that was a fun bike as well.....
but one of my favorite bikes, came from my first wife. she bought the bike sight unseen.she really did not know what she was buying, she told the sales guy she wanted somthing fast and pretty,i think she paid 4700 out of the crate.
the bike was a kawasaki 86 kz 750 turbo, only 500 of them made
first 6 months i had it was nothing but problems,the turbo would kick in to late(and jerk your back out when it did)and then kick out to early.once i found a mechanic to fix the problem the bike was a pure blast in every sence.......
that bike was totaled in daytona by a little ole laddy driving an old plymouth fury, you know the ones, they look like a tank. well she hit me head on at 45mph and crushed the bike.i came to a hault in her backseat floor board with a winsheild wrapped around my shoulders.... yess that was a very ugly day!!! no more bikes for me.......
20 years later, my grandfather pass's away and leaves me his 86 tour glide,this thing is cherry.the family is fighting over who really should get it, one uncle told me he paid for that motor, and another uncle told me he paid for that fancy paint job, and i told them the will clearly states that i am to receive that bike, so get over it!!!!!
i still have the bike, and my second wife loves it!!!
i now have the whole family riding,my son rides a sportster that i bought,and sis rides with him, and mom rides with me.....
i may not be rich, but to me LIFE IS GOOD!!!


TRG

[drillsarge]

TRG, in the words of that little old band from Texas Thats Hot,Blue and Rightous nice story life is always good when we are surrounded by friends