What started your love/passion for bikes? Tell us your story!

[captf]

While this may or may not have been asked before, there's probably been newer members joining since then [like me!]...

So, basically, what got down that road to a love or passion for bikes and biking?

[and does anyone else get confused when your get odd people that that refer to bikes as those things without engines? (: ]

My [long] story:

For me, it's actually been a slow thing.

Back in my mid 20s, I was living in the south coast of England [bournemouth], and I had some money. But for some foolish reason, I decided to put that money into the other choice of things to spend it on: drums.

Wee mistake there. Never kept at it, as I ended up always living in flats, and not wanting to disturb neighbours.

Flash forward ~8 years, and I finally had money again. Bikes more and more came up in conversation with friends and I kept talking about my poor choice in the past.

The desire came full force after [shamefully?] getting hooked on Sons of Anarchy, along side shittier and shittier commutes to work.

I made the decision that, if my car repairs started getting too high in its impending MoT, I'd say f...[wait, what's this forum's policy on swearing?] ..k it, and finally get my bike license.

My car's MoT cost me £400 and a holiday to Germany.

I booked my CBT the next day.

Now, it wasn't the best of CBTs, as I had massive problems with the clutch control, largely due to misunderstanding instructions, and continually dumping it. This led to me dropping the bike almost straight away. While I passed the CBT [no idea how], I was left rather anxious about riding.

I didn't want this to stop me yet, so gave myself a "2 lessons, see how it goes"

After those 2 lessons, I was enjoying the riding, but still had clutch problems - no where near as bad. I did also manage to earn the nickname "Captain Chaos" from one of the instructors, due to being a bit unpredictable: "You're great 95% of the time. That other 5% has me chewing through my helmet!"

Unfortunately, new money issues meant I couldn't do the lessons needed, and I didn't feel comfortable getting a bike on my own.

It was 8 months before I was next able to get back to it. And, I wanted to do it right.

I asked for a lesson where I could just stay in the yard and have my clutch control worked on.

After about an hour, I was asked if I wanted to go on the road yet. Initially refusing, the instructor tells me to do a U-turn, in however wide a turn I wanted. I did.

"You've just performed a turn in a space not much wider than a parking space... We're going on the road. You're ready"

That lesson was probably the best decision I could have made. No longer fearing the clutch, I was able to enjoy the ride so much more.

I'm still not licensed though, as a new job and city had me move before I could book any tests. But I'm almost there.

I've found the love of filtering passed stopped cars in rush hour ["so long, suckers!"], and the thrill of taking a corner just right, and also realising how much better your own bike is, compared to the ones instruction centres have [gear changes... oh, my]

That's my waffle over. Now tell us all yours!

EDIT: And on the 2nd of October '14, I passed my test, with 4 minors.

[slice]

I was 14 and my brother had just bought his first car so I got another hand me down, rode it to school and most weekends went off on it to see what was out there, never got stopped or asked for my licence and that included when I hit a cyclist up the back cos the girl on the pavement had a miniskirt on !!Yikes!! Finally took my test in 1968 and have been riding more or less ever since, except when the kids came along as SWMBO was worried about me feeding her and the rug rats. Now 62 and still trying to get it right but when you do oh my you can feel the grin start, first bike was a Fanny "B" and wish I still had it, not cos it's worth more money than a car just so I could look at it and pretend I am 14 again.

[DutchFJ1200]

Turned 16 in Cloggieland, aquire FS1 to go to school - rest is history - Yammy's all the way, not a life choice, it just happened

[dt502001]

I was born to ride my mom reminds me all the time about how I would ask daily "when do I get my bike" .

I could barly ride a push bike,my cousin left his mini bike running and I jumped on and took off no helmet shorts and sandels everyone screaming for me to stop. NO way I was in my glory.Sadly I guess he went to get gas as it ran out and that was the end of my first ride

They bought me my bike at 5 never been without one since

EDIT that was 1972

[steve 1052cc]

I was told by my parents I could not have a bike which was red rag to a bull, so I bought 2 basket case Honda 250cc CB72s rebuilt 1 from the 2 and rode it to work on my 16th birthday no training did make 1 concession though wore a crash helmet then if you survived the first 12 months you were lucky. never been without a bike since.

[jimmy]

1977 aged 13 I used to see this bike pass me on my way to school each morning. It was a Norton Commando and I wanted one. A year later me and a pal chipped in and bought a fizzy which we used as a field bike, we progressed onto an xl125 and a ts125. Turning 17 I bought an xs250 and it turned out to be a pig in a poke but undeterred I got through my test on it and then bought a 4/4. A week before my 19th birthday I got my first Triumph and that then became my bike of adored choice, although I still have a love of Yams and have owned a few.

The Norton Commando? well I saw this bike every day and finally tracked down the owner. I was standing drooling over it, 14yrs old and in love, when the owner came out his door. "F*ck off away from the bike" shouts he. Stick your Norton up your arse thinks I and have never even sat on one since then

[lallasro]

when I move in UK, I also take my mountain bike with me. I was MB addicted... but here the things has changing. no pleasure in riding MB in leeds or near leeds... and nice areas for riding MB`s are to far away, so, I decide to get motorized. I was hoping a bigger speed will keep me on 2 wheels and I was right. I can reach faster some nice areas with a motorbike. I still find MB a lot more funny, but not here.

[wild foamy]

My dad was always into bikes, I grew up with honda CBXs, Mike hailwood replica ducatis, Nortons and various other unusual bikes.

When I turned 16 I took my CBT and bought a DT50, tinkered with it every waking minute and blew it up a few times (some of my first posts on this forum!), I then sold it to buy a car, took my bike test and nought an XJ600 pre diversion.

Rode that XJ for a few years and put a few thousand miles on it. I also bought an Xj650 Turbo out of a widows garden which is still an ongoing project.

I then bought an urban tiger fireblade after my first overseas tour, didn't really like it and sold it after a year.

A few weeks ago I bought an FJ 1200 and so far all is well.

Oh and I also went through a phase of buying dead/dieing DT50s and ended up restoring one which is now hidden away in my dads farm unit waiting for it to go the same way as the fissies

[meatloaf]

My old man always had a bike, when us kids came along he got one of those big old fashioned side cars so the whole family could go out together, just remember sitting in the side car wishing that I could swop places with my mum who was ridding pillion. Even after a nasty crash when my dad, mum and nan ended up in hospital after the side car broke away the bike I still wanted to ride. Sadly the last bike he owned sat in the garden not being used due to his ill health, I never got the chance to ride with him as he passed away when I was just 14 but it was in my blood and as soon as I was 16 I got my first bike a Honda CB 125. 46 years later I'm still riding and love it. Fortuantly I have ridden with my son who also has a passon for bikes, so it would seem that bikes run in my family.

[jimmy]

Hey Meat

My auldest boy also rides a bike and the best/worst ride happened at the start of the year. Me and him with my daughter on the back of my bike and my youngest son on the back of no1 sons bike. About 20 miles away from home I happened to look in the mirror, saw my daughters elbow, and my 2 boys behind me and then the thought 'what if something happens' hit me like a lump of 4x2. It turned into a complete mind fuck for me and I was glad when it was over and all remained well.

[dt502001]

Jimmy wrong way to think we's all's gona go some day I'd rather go riding than anyother way.

BUT I know what you mean .......the first big crash at about 8yrs, my son had was at about 40mph tank slaper and he did the full superman on gravel ,knocked the wind out of him scared the duck out o me,full gear on and he walked away with a few bruses.

Next big one was when he hit a rock wall and the bike tried to crush him into the wall,walked away again at 9yrs. I was FREEKED OUT..Till I got to him both times..He is still fine at 14 and when he hit's the road he will be fine as he knows how fast stuff changes.

My crashes over the years well to many to count on the tracks but,,,, road wise been safe,many a close call but it really comes down to thinking all the time that "they" are all trying to kill you.

And I still think .....why walk safely through life only to come out the other side dead anyway....Live it up on 1 or 2 wheels LOL or what ever else get you going..ie perfectly good plane lets jump out HAHA just for fun.

There are more ways to die than have fun and the governments will wrap us all in bubble wrap soon enough so live free and ride at "your own risk" LMAO while you can.

[Sacha]

My dad has had his motorcycle since i can remember and that started my interest. Got into riding with friends at about 13 years old. Rode a couple bikes off road, but mostly rode pillion until one day I decided I didn't want to wait around for a guy to ride. That's when I learned to do it for myself. Still stuck to off-roading even after I got my endorsement and never really rode on the street until I got the little G7S a few years ago. Didn't really have the confidence for traffic until then. Had a friend give me the '76 DT175 (probably over a decade ago) and started trying to fix it. Unfortunately, life happened and the bike was left behind until I got my own home (and garage). Now I've just about got her tuned in and then I bought the Bolt... so, it's ended up being Yamahas for me all the way too. Wouldn't have it any other way.

[meatloaf]

Jimmy riding with my son was the best thing I could have done, his first couple of years riding was a nightmare, he was a complete arse on the road, every time he went out I thought I would get that dreaded phone call to tell me that he had been scraped of the road and was in A & E but now 8 years on it was great to go out with him, he has turned into a really good rider, like me he likes his speed but I see nothing wrong with that if you choose the right time and place, I know I could still get that phone call but now I don't worry about it. Like DT says we's all's gona go some day I'd rather go riding than anyother way and the same goes for my son.

[chedd]

I was ten years old and living in Bristol,myuncle took me across cliffton suspention bridge on his motorcycle,i have no idea what make it was but it was big black and shiny ,made a beautifull noise and I wanted one!passed the test in1968 andhave been lucky enough to have ridden everything from brits,japs,Harleys,and back again.i'll be 69 on the16th of oct,and have no intentions of quitting any time soon.

[jimmy]

meat and dt

As much as I love my bike, I dont want to die on it, unless I'm about 90 years old. With regards to my kids, I'd rather not think about it (Having lost my sister when I was only 15, and then my brother when he was 30, it is not something I would want me or my wife to go through)

[meatloaf]

meat and dt

As much as I love my bike, I dont want to die on it, unless I'm about 90 years old. With regards to my kids, I'd rather not think about it (Having lost my sister when I was only 15, and then my brother when he was 30, it is not something I would want me or my wife to go through)

Jimmy don't get me wrong, I don't want to die on my bike, not yet anyway i'm not old enough, but when I was 14 I lost my dad an ex coal miner who had a slow and painful death, and last year my wife who was only 55 lost a two year battle with cancer, I try to remember all those many happy years we had together but I will never forget those last two years of suffering and the side effects of all the treatment she went through.

Hopefully I will not see any of my children die but if I do just let it be quick I don't think I could it take if it was slow and painfull.

[obriens65]

My Dad had a Jawa 350, a big black beast of a bike to me back then. I was always sitting on it in our garden and watching my Dad tinkering with it. A mate of his had an 850 Norton Commando and I thought it was the most beautiful machine I'd ever seen. Unfortunately, as Sacha said, life happened and my dreams of having a bike were set aside.

I've never had a driving license and relied on my wife to take me anywhere I needed to go. Then out of the blue, for my 40th birthday, she bought me a little chinese 50cc twist and go scooter (can't remember what make). I passed my CBT using one of the school's geared 125s and rode the scooter for about a year until it died.

I didn't want another scooter so waited and looked around until I found a Honda CG125 that I could afford, a 'real' bike. I rode that for another year (having to retake my CBT) and the wife said I should take my 'Big Bike' test, so I did.

Since the CG125 I've averaged around 12k-14k miles a year. I ride the bike about 350 out of the 365 days of the year.

[captf]

she bought me a little chinese 50cc twist and go scooter (can't remember what make).

Now, I could be wrong here, but I think she may have been trying to kill you...

[obriens65]

Well she is now my Ex wife

[drewpy]

My dad was never good at mechanical things, but my uncle was into all the things I loved, bikes, RC planes etc so when he took me out on his ex-police 650 triumph, I always wanted to ride a bike from then on.

my first bike was from Venture scouts, they were throwing away a cd175, so I sort of did it up and even got it going with very minimal tools.

after that I got a kh125 and passed my tests on that and that we say, is history