Nostalgic biking thoughts

Just reading and contributing to this thread HERE it reminder me of the day I got my first bike.

No one in my family was (or is) a biker but I used to work with a guy who had a Suzi GT250 Ramair. I lived in Rush Green, Romford, just around the corner from Johns of Romford and sitting out the front of the showroom was a Suzi TS90 for £180. I loved the look of the bike and mope'd around work for a few weeks dreaming of it until my boss took pity and lent me the cash interest free deducted from my wages. So one wet, dark January night in 1976 off I went to the showroom and brought it. I was 17 and had just passed my car test. Out came the Norwich Union insurance pad (anyone remember them?). Name, address and ticks in the TPF&T and up to a certain cc boxes I was ready. I had a second hand helmet and got handed the single key. It then dawned on me that I had never actually ridden a bike before but got on, started it and spent the whole night riding around and putting petrol in it.

Oh happy day's.

The suzi GT250 that I mentioned earlier became my second bike and I was still on those everlasting L plates.

Anyone else want to share?

To be honest- I'm pretty nostalgic about the bike I've got downstairs. Barely ridden it over Xmas due to problems!

But it is my first bike and I'm sure I'll look back with fondness one day and the learned lessons of budget bikes and DIY mechanicking!

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

My first ever trip on a bike on the road was when I was four, a Triumph with the luggage rack on the tank, (I think it was a T110 - it was a while ago), belonging to my Mum and Dad's friend Larry, being as I was very short, (I still am), I coudn't reach the footrests so I sat in front of Larry on the tank and held on to the rack, helmets were not compulsory then and no-one seemed particularly worried about such things.
I remember every inch of that short trip so vividly; from my house then turn right onto Mansfield Road, through the lights and past the Stag, across South End Green and up Donkeystand Hill, around the Whitestone Pond and along Spaniards Road through the old toll gate then onto Hampstead lane to Highgate, turn right at the Gatehouse and past The Flask, down Highgate West Hill and then right onto Gordon House Road, under the railway bridges at Gospel Oak, (ohhhh the noise!), onto Mansfield Road and then back into my street. I wished it wouldn't end so soon.

It's very difficult to put yourself in the shoes of a four year old, memories fade and the capacity for wide eyed wonder is something that age somehow breeds out of us. That brief memory from *cough-cough* years ago is so burnt upon my memory that I can close my eyes and, almost, take myself back there now to that wonderful moment when I was so speechlessly astonished by that fantastic experience. I think I grinned for a month, and I knew that this was something I wanted to do too - I so wanted a motorbike and I became utterly obsessed by them.

...

Sid - utterly brilliant. I was a south Londoner and as you know in those days south and north didn't mix. But I recognise the names...

My first ever ride was on the back of our plumber's moped. Mr Banks the plumber. We lived in a big house in south London and he would arrive on his moped, I have no idea what it was, this must be about 1966 - 1967, and he'd get me on the back and ride up the long driveway.

TBH - I hated it

And then became interested at skool 1977 - 1979, friend Andy had a GT250, I would have sold my grandmother to the gypises for one. Shame they were both dead And then he passed the test and got a GT380

[Biker Biggles]

Mine was a Triumph 5T 500 Speed Twin,but not on the road as I was about 11 at the time and couldnt quite touch the ground.It was cafe racered with a huge fiberglass race tank,so I could barely reach the clip ons either.I rode it round some waste ground and just about stopped it without falling off.It was my brothers bike that he had originally bought damaged for less than a quid.They fetch a few grand today.

[Bri w]

First bike I was on was pillion on an RD200. And the other lad had a GT185, he was a nutter and parked it in the front of a Volvo at speed just outside Ambleside.

Ed, I had a GT380 in the early '90's. Two guys had bought it and totally renovated it but couldn't get it to run. I bought it for silly pennies, and after a few hours fettling I decided to try swapping the plug leads between cylinders. Result! Only problem I had with it after that was keeping the front wheel on the deck.

[punyXpress]

Mid 50s - holiday in Scarborough. Pal of my aunt's was going fishing @ Ruswarp near Whitby & transport a 500 side valve rigid Norton. Whole family wept as we left - never knew I was so loved! Still recognise the conifers beside the road off A171.
Only caught 1 trout but had to sling it back as only had a coarse licence - he got nowt & he never asked me again.
Happy daze!

Watching my uncle turn up to our house on his Ducati 900ss, he loved that bike and I will never forget the noise and the way the ducati symbol contrasts so vividly with the flat red paint, every time I see the ST2 it reminds me of that moment..

Learnt to ride at school with the RAC/ACU Training scheme on a Vespa 90 (dont laugh!) a BSA bantam 125 rigid rear end and donated by the local bike shop - a shiny new Honda cb125 (too fast and scary for me!). I was about 13 and I was at a steam/Vintage vehicle Rally last year and I saw my old cb125 restored to its former glory!!!
Steve

I learnt to ride on a GT 250 in about 77 on the country roads all around RAF Kinloss in the highlands, my first bike was the 250 X7 in about 78 I think, wish I had few quid spare I'd have another tomorrow