Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike?

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jock
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Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike?

Post by jock »

I'm sure we all have a first bike worthy of reflection but for us "oldies" we can reflect on a time before the "superbikes" era and all the Digital technology that we take for granted today. I fondly remember at the tender age of 16 getting a vespa 125 scooter for my daily trek to work. This to me was the business, with thrilling acceleration (well it felt like that back then) from it's 3 speed 2 stroke engine and dynamo powered lights ( yes, when you idled the lights went out.. I kid you not!)

Alas the law changed at that point when they introduced the 50cc moped law for 16 year olds restricting me to that category until 17 for anything bigger! I was gutted and lost my street cred and had to downgrade to a Honda P50 moped capable of just over 25mph on a good day! lol :)): OH well, at least it did over 150mpg and you could pedal it around too! lol This was the start of my exciting adventure into all things bikes!

With the advent of the new law the Japanese and europeans took advantage of this market and released "semi-bike-moped hybrids". The first being the Puch50 3speed semi monocoque chassis in bright yellow and to me it was a real bike! Every day I went to look at this bike in the showroom trying to save up the deposit when one day a new bike appeared just built out of the box; the Yamaha FS1-E. The excitement was too much to contain; this was even better and was a proper bike to all us 16 year olds! All my mates got one except me as I could not raise the £145 it was then to buy new.

Anyway, 2 years past and at 18 purchased a Lambretta SX200 ( worth a fortune now apparently!) This wasted all the fizzies and made me king again. lol ..until the Yamaha RD250 became thee bike to have. As the law resrticted one to 250cc on L plates this was the most popular market and everyone had either this or the Suzuki GT185's and 250's. The air was filled with the smell of 2 stroke oil and the screaming engines as we hurtled around the town centre in groups trying to impress all the chicks outside the regular disco club nights!

Anyway, I could go on but this topic is for all of us who have a memory to share of youthful innocence and the excitement that only comes from riding a bike! Suffice to say I fondly reflect on these tender years of long ago and the excitement that we had in our youth. Today I sit on my Suzuki GSXR1000, with all it's modern technology and blistering power unheard of years ago but wont forget my first Honda P50! :)

*Update 21st March;- other bikes owned, Honda CB125S, Yamaha YB100, Suzuki A100, Honda SS50, Lambretta SX200, Lambretta TV175, ; ridden; Suzuki GT250A, Honda CB250 dream, Yamaha RD250X, Triumph 650, Yamaha FS-1E ; later owned; Kawasaki ZZR600E , Kawasaki ZX6R F2, Kawasaki ZX6R G1, Honda CBR600FX, ;
present bike; Suzuki GSX-R1000 K6
"Yay for bike life!" Suzuki GSX-R1000 K6
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by Mervin »

well my first was a Kerry Capitano , 50cc 2 speed ped , closely followed by a secondhand yamaha SS50 (FS1E it was renamed as honda was using SS ) followed by 2x RD250,s
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by billinom8s »

I had a Honda MT5, dull but faster than a push bike - just.
Yamaha DT125LC, awesome bike.
RD350LC YPVS - oh yeah baby, big boys toys
GSX400 - only bought as some scrote stole my RD, sold ASAP.
RD350LC YPVS - tons of fun, worth a packet now
Honda VF500 - what was I thinking? Oh yeah, I need a bike. Sold ASAP.
Kawasaki ZXR750J1 (Hoover pipes) - lovely bike, bit firm but good fun
Yamaha YZFR1 4XV - does the job, completes my hairdresser image apparently.
Suzuki SV650 - Crash damaged, restored, ridden, sold.
Yamaha YZFR1 4XV - to replace the first one that hid under a truck.
Triumph Trophy 3 - Crash damaged, restored, ridden, sold.
Kawata Fever - bought to play on off road, never made it, still ongoing.
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by Dailaughing »

Suzuki ZR50XI. I thought it was great but I fell off it about six times including one right off. Then to GP100 with dropped bar and a micron. Maybe not as well designed a bike but at least I never fell off. Not worth as much now as the Vespa though! I always lusted after the X5 or (sheer joy) the X7 or of course the RDs but never made it and went four stroke to the GSX550 which was a bit suspect but I loved it. Got knocked off it repeatedly in London and elsewhere so gave up biking for a while.

Good times but I prefer modern clothing, helmets and, most of the time, bikes. All the thrills with more comfort for my aging body.
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MellowYellow
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by MellowYellow »

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=95110&p=242637&hili ... rt#p242637" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Have you noticed that anyone going slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster is a maniac ?
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by badgerKDD »

Suzuki ER50 not the X model! had a re bore and removed the head gasket, replaced the exhaust with a de-restricted version and removed anything that could be broken when used off road! It used to make 35 mph on a good run :)) :)) !

It took me everywhere, college, work fun runs to the beach and even used to spend all day off roading on Dartmoor! Yep being 16 in the 80's was good fun!
Cut me in half and I'v got Suzuki written right through me!
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by goatpants »

Same colour and everything.

http://classic-motorbikes.net/images/ga ... s1m-dx.jpg
Running on MT
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TLS-Moose
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by TLS-Moose »

A mean powerhouse of a machine for a first bike ...... :shock:

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Dailaughing
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by Dailaughing »

I used to laugh at you CG riders. Why ever would anyone want four stroke? The ignorance of youth!
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by menzies3032 »

Biking life started at 16 on a Suzuki TS50X
At 17 this moved to a Honda MTX125 very sensibly decided to pass my test just before my 18th birthday then a few months later sold my bike and moved on to cars.

Next bike did not arrive until I was 35 in 2010 and it's the bike I am still riding Suzuki GSXR 600 K1
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Breva750
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by Breva750 »

Being from Australia I had a farmers Ag bike for riding in the bush at the age of 10! First road bike was a GSX250. It was so terrible I stopped riding for 10 years.....
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jock
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by jock »

Dailaughing wrote:I used to laugh at you CG riders. Why ever would anyone want four stroke? The ignorance of youth!
Yes, I was split between the 4 strokes and the zippy 2 strokers. I nearly bought a Yamaha RD200DX but got the Honda CB125S. The choice was simple; I needed reliability and the Honda was burst proof while returning well over 100mpg. I heard too many stories of seized Yamaha strokers but had to admit they were "cool" and much faster for sure! :)
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jock
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by jock »

Breva750 wrote:Being from Australia I had a farmers Ag bike for riding in the bush at the age of 10! First road bike was a GSX250. It was so terrible I stopped riding for 10 years.....
I briefly rode a GSX250 and thought for the time it was overweight and underpowered compared to Suzuki's GT250A stroker. It was the turning point for all the companies with ever tightening legislation on the "dirty strokers" of the period and Suzuki were getting in on Honda's act!
"Yay for bike life!" Suzuki GSX-R1000 K6
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forestcat
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by forestcat »

AR50
RXS100
CB250
Childseat and 20years of 4 wheels
MT-07 - the smile has returned :D
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Re: Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike

Post by DoughBallz »

My first bike that I actually owned ( via paper ) was my Zx7r.
I had it for two years and it was the best bike ever, those two years and a 2 week trip to the Isle of Man taught me so much........ I will never for get him
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