Relections on a by gone era..or what was your first bike?
Posted: Mar 15th, '15, 01:51
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
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
