What made you start?
Discussion
I don't know why, but this subject popped into my head this morning, perhaps prompted by BV72's Moto Morini 3 1/2 stories...my mate Karlo who lived across the road from me from the time I was about 10 had one in the early 80s. His stepdad was a keen biker and took both K and his brother to shows and rallies regularly and they both ended up taking up motorcycling. I was already keen on it, I'm sure partly inspired by a poem one of my English teachers got us to read and analyse when I can only have been about 12 - quite a radical piece for a minor, Catholic boarding school in rural Hertfordshire, but very boyish I guess. That was in 1977 I guess...
It was this, by a chap called Robert Davies
Leather Jackets, bikes and birds
The streets are noisy
With the movement of passing motors
The coffee bars get fuller.
The leather-jacket groups being to gather,
Stand and listen, pretending they are looking for trouble
The jukebox plays its continuous tune, appreciated by Most.
The aroma of espresso coffee fill the nostrils and the night
Motorbikes pull up
Riders dismount and join their friends in the gang
They pretend not to notice the drizzle
Falling out of the dark
Because you've got to be hard to be a leather-jacket
A couple in the corner, snogging
Hope the motor lights will not be dipped too much
so that other will see them
They must all have recognition, there must always be
Enough leather-jackets around them, the same as theirs
The street lamp on the side shows the rain
for what it is - wet and cold
But it does not show their faces for what they are...
Reading it now it seems sadder than I remembered. I think it definitely sowed the seed of wanting to ride a bike and wear a leather jacket for a reason other than just to look like Joe Strummer.
Karlo and his brother had a succession of interesting and varied machinery, but the Morini stands out, as does K's XT250 which he let me learn to ride on at the local gravel pits. That sowed the seeds of a love of Enduro/Supermotard (as they were in the bike mags of the 80s) style machines which lead me to my current Tiger Sport.
It helped that we weren't that far from Silverstone and Jacks Hill Cafe on the A5 near there. I spent many an evening hanging around drinking mugs of tea and looking at bikes and the Friday night before bike GPs was always a crazy free for all in Towcester high street and market square with bikes everywhere and idiots doing stupid things that we all thought were amazing back then.
So what got you started?
It was this, by a chap called Robert Davies
Leather Jackets, bikes and birds
The streets are noisy
With the movement of passing motors
The coffee bars get fuller.
The leather-jacket groups being to gather,
Stand and listen, pretending they are looking for trouble
The jukebox plays its continuous tune, appreciated by Most.
The aroma of espresso coffee fill the nostrils and the night
Motorbikes pull up
Riders dismount and join their friends in the gang
They pretend not to notice the drizzle
Falling out of the dark
Because you've got to be hard to be a leather-jacket
A couple in the corner, snogging
Hope the motor lights will not be dipped too much
so that other will see them
They must all have recognition, there must always be
Enough leather-jackets around them, the same as theirs
The street lamp on the side shows the rain
for what it is - wet and cold
But it does not show their faces for what they are...
Reading it now it seems sadder than I remembered. I think it definitely sowed the seed of wanting to ride a bike and wear a leather jacket for a reason other than just to look like Joe Strummer.
Karlo and his brother had a succession of interesting and varied machinery, but the Morini stands out, as does K's XT250 which he let me learn to ride on at the local gravel pits. That sowed the seeds of a love of Enduro/Supermotard (as they were in the bike mags of the 80s) style machines which lead me to my current Tiger Sport.
It helped that we weren't that far from Silverstone and Jacks Hill Cafe on the A5 near there. I spent many an evening hanging around drinking mugs of tea and looking at bikes and the Friday night before bike GPs was always a crazy free for all in Towcester high street and market square with bikes everywhere and idiots doing stupid things that we all thought were amazing back then.
So what got you started?
In a nutshell, 1997, I had just started college. Zero interest in bikes up to this point. Someone bought in a bike magazine reviewing the brand new 'gamechanging' first ever R1, from this point I knew I'd have an R1. Took another 8 years to get a licence but ended up with two of the buggers.
Brought up with bikes as my Dad always had 1 or 1. When I was very young he had a Brough Superior with a sidecar, that had to go for a car when my younger brother came along, 3 kids doesn't work with an outfit.
after that he had a Ducati 250cc single, Triumph Tiger 110 (clubmanised with fibreglass tank, single seat and clip ons) a TRITON featherbed frame with tuned Bonneville engine etc etc. various other small bikes that he never really used just messed abut with.
I got an old (£35) Puch moped when I was 16, changed that for an MZ TS150 at 17 and passed my test on it 2 months later, this was written off by a dozy bint who turned right across me without looking. After that I got 2 MZs a TS125 and an ETZ150, there after, Royal Enfield 250 Crusader, Triumph T100T daytona (1968), Honda 400/4 F1 (1976), Kawasaki Z650B1 (1978) sold this when I got married to get a car. Kawa Z550 Banana yellow, the only bike I never really got on with. Break from bikes for 14 years.
The Honda 400/4 F2 (lasted 6 weeks. 1991 ZX6rG1 Kawa, ZX6R C1H Kawa, at the same time ZX6r C6F track bike, Triumph Speed Triple 1050 (2008), Kawa ZX10R Performance (2010), Triumph Street Triple 675 R (2013), Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport (2016), Triumph Street Triple 765RS (2017 to current). Also at various times 1985 GPZ900R, 1991 ZX10, CB500 trackbike, Honda VF400D (import).
So a few over the years.
after that he had a Ducati 250cc single, Triumph Tiger 110 (clubmanised with fibreglass tank, single seat and clip ons) a TRITON featherbed frame with tuned Bonneville engine etc etc. various other small bikes that he never really used just messed abut with.
I got an old (£35) Puch moped when I was 16, changed that for an MZ TS150 at 17 and passed my test on it 2 months later, this was written off by a dozy bint who turned right across me without looking. After that I got 2 MZs a TS125 and an ETZ150, there after, Royal Enfield 250 Crusader, Triumph T100T daytona (1968), Honda 400/4 F1 (1976), Kawasaki Z650B1 (1978) sold this when I got married to get a car. Kawa Z550 Banana yellow, the only bike I never really got on with. Break from bikes for 14 years.
The Honda 400/4 F2 (lasted 6 weeks. 1991 ZX6rG1 Kawa, ZX6R C1H Kawa, at the same time ZX6r C6F track bike, Triumph Speed Triple 1050 (2008), Kawa ZX10R Performance (2010), Triumph Street Triple 675 R (2013), Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport (2016), Triumph Street Triple 765RS (2017 to current). Also at various times 1985 GPZ900R, 1991 ZX10, CB500 trackbike, Honda VF400D (import).
So a few over the years.
Obsessed with bikes since day 1. parents could never understand why/how, just was.
Then we moved out of London to (what was then) rural kent behind Brands Hatch circuit.
A fiend of the family had a farm with some bikes. Learnt to ride from a very young age even though stopping was either againstt a fence or falling over as the foots didn't reach the ground. progressed to a rabid Husky 125 crosser.
Rode a bit of off road, friends MX bikes up to national spec CR500's and YZ465.IT 465, DR400's etc
Die was cast from there... Lost a fair few friends during college years due to fatal bike crashes on road and on track. had some epic crashes myself but never even thought for a second about quitting. Still part titanium...
A few pauses in between due to normal life but generally not for long
cars are cool, I've been lucky enough to have some amazing 4 wheelers but even today, I look at the space a car takes and calculate how many bikes I can fit in the same space.
Also been fortunate to ride all over Southern and Eastern Africa for many years getting up into Tanzania and across to Namibia and Zambia as well as a fair few excursions through South East Asia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia etc.
Nothing, NOTHING compares to life on 2 wheels.
Then we moved out of London to (what was then) rural kent behind Brands Hatch circuit.
A fiend of the family had a farm with some bikes. Learnt to ride from a very young age even though stopping was either againstt a fence or falling over as the foots didn't reach the ground. progressed to a rabid Husky 125 crosser.
Rode a bit of off road, friends MX bikes up to national spec CR500's and YZ465.IT 465, DR400's etc
Die was cast from there... Lost a fair few friends during college years due to fatal bike crashes on road and on track. had some epic crashes myself but never even thought for a second about quitting. Still part titanium...
A few pauses in between due to normal life but generally not for long
cars are cool, I've been lucky enough to have some amazing 4 wheelers but even today, I look at the space a car takes and calculate how many bikes I can fit in the same space.
Also been fortunate to ride all over Southern and Eastern Africa for many years getting up into Tanzania and across to Namibia and Zambia as well as a fair few excursions through South East Asia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia etc.
Nothing, NOTHING compares to life on 2 wheels.
As a kid had a fascination with MX bikes, would buy Dirt Bike Rider mag in the mid 90’s. Not interested in football, rugby, cricket etc late 90’s my Dad suggested we give MX so me and my younger brother had a hobby (very fortunate, I know).
Did that for a few years and when I turned 16 got a scooter so I could get the school and back. When I left school and the got a full time job and did my car licence the MX fizzled out but I quickly did my bike test and ran a restricted SV650. After a year or two away from MX decided to get back into it which continued for a couple of years but the commitment needed was becoming an issue - loading the van, driving 90 mins for a days riding, drive back home, unload, wash bike etc so got rid of the crosser and went back to another SV650 before moving up to a GSXR600.
Kept the GSXR for a year and then sold it and went about 5 years with no bike at all. Got married in 2015 and had our first child in Aug 2018. Quickly realised that having a baby was a difficult job and I needed something which would give me some “me time” a break from the stresses of a young family so got a CBR600 last April. I guess I’ve done the opposite to most who have a baby and stop riding.
Did that for a few years and when I turned 16 got a scooter so I could get the school and back. When I left school and the got a full time job and did my car licence the MX fizzled out but I quickly did my bike test and ran a restricted SV650. After a year or two away from MX decided to get back into it which continued for a couple of years but the commitment needed was becoming an issue - loading the van, driving 90 mins for a days riding, drive back home, unload, wash bike etc so got rid of the crosser and went back to another SV650 before moving up to a GSXR600.
Kept the GSXR for a year and then sold it and went about 5 years with no bike at all. Got married in 2015 and had our first child in Aug 2018. Quickly realised that having a baby was a difficult job and I needed something which would give me some “me time” a break from the stresses of a young family so got a CBR600 last April. I guess I’ve done the opposite to most who have a baby and stop riding.
I remember In the 70s as a kid watching Barry Sheene, and pinning up Honda Dreams on the bedroom wall. A family acquaintance raced sidecars at nearby Cadwell Park which was a memorable day out.
By early 80s my older cousin got his first road bike and a school friend had a CR125 that I learnt to ride on in a field. Got a cheap CD200 field bike myself.
Went to school on back of cousins RD250 then 350LC and by the time I was 17 got my first road bike an RG125 on L plates.
By early 80s my older cousin got his first road bike and a school friend had a CR125 that I learnt to ride on in a field. Got a cheap CD200 field bike myself.
Went to school on back of cousins RD250 then 350LC and by the time I was 17 got my first road bike an RG125 on L plates.
Similar to a few others, I just always have been for as long as I can remember...
I was probably 5yo when I'd stare longingly at the PW50 in my Yamaha MX brochure and dream
As kids we had friends who were big into MX and had a double garage full of bikes. Our parents couldn't afford for us to have one and the fact that they had actual real motorbikes **each** seemed like the greatest thing in the world.
Our holiday photos always had one or two of my brother and me stood next to a random bike just parked up in the street. I distinctly remember one with us wearing awful matching 'holiday shorts & tee shirts' stood proudly in front of a Fireblade, Urban Tiger no less!
We did eventually get an MX bike to share (an old RM80 1989) but it was relatively short-lived (parents couldn't be arsed to stand around in the cold/wet, faff around with a trailer and spend money on fuel and 2 stroke) but once you've had one, that's it, there's no going back.
Pretty much the same with cars as well...
I was probably 5yo when I'd stare longingly at the PW50 in my Yamaha MX brochure and dream
As kids we had friends who were big into MX and had a double garage full of bikes. Our parents couldn't afford for us to have one and the fact that they had actual real motorbikes **each** seemed like the greatest thing in the world.
Our holiday photos always had one or two of my brother and me stood next to a random bike just parked up in the street. I distinctly remember one with us wearing awful matching 'holiday shorts & tee shirts' stood proudly in front of a Fireblade, Urban Tiger no less!
We did eventually get an MX bike to share (an old RM80 1989) but it was relatively short-lived (parents couldn't be arsed to stand around in the cold/wet, faff around with a trailer and spend money on fuel and 2 stroke) but once you've had one, that's it, there's no going back.
Pretty much the same with cars as well...
A workmate bought a CBR6 (FM if I remember correctly). He offered it to me to take around the works car park & site. That was it, 5 mins later I was making plans. This would’ve been 1994 when I was 21. A few weeks later the 3 day course was booked, test passed & a Suzuki RF600 was in the garage.
A great question because it's one I'm slightly baffled by as regards me. My dad had ridden a motorcycle, but way before I was even a twinkle in his eye and he had no passion for it, just rode a bike because he couldn't afford a car. When he could he got a car a sold the bike.
None of my then friends rode bikes or had any interest. But when I was 15 I was forever down my local bike shop, looking at bikes and getting the mags etc. Soon as I was 16 I bought a brand new Yamaha DT50 on an A plate - it was 1983.
I've always had bikes since, but for a while favoured cars. I still drive a "nice" car but for the last 20+ years I've been much more in to bikes (I have two now) because lets face it when you ride bikes you realise you just can't really have any fun in a car on the UK's roads - at least not in the South East
The thing that swung it for me was a Honda Mac Course when I bought a new Honda CBR600 in 1998. Up until then I'd had silly little bikes (Suzuki X7, RD250LC etc) that I just razzed around on, but the Mac Course was two days out with an ex-Police rider, training us on road skills etc. But the key is, we went for miles and miles and that was the point when I realised a bike isn't just for a 10 mile blast or a trip to the local bike cafe, it is a proper form of fun transport to have adventures on and that really sucked me in.
Now I travel all over Europe on my bikes and when I can't do (like now) I massively miss it
None of my then friends rode bikes or had any interest. But when I was 15 I was forever down my local bike shop, looking at bikes and getting the mags etc. Soon as I was 16 I bought a brand new Yamaha DT50 on an A plate - it was 1983.
I've always had bikes since, but for a while favoured cars. I still drive a "nice" car but for the last 20+ years I've been much more in to bikes (I have two now) because lets face it when you ride bikes you realise you just can't really have any fun in a car on the UK's roads - at least not in the South East
The thing that swung it for me was a Honda Mac Course when I bought a new Honda CBR600 in 1998. Up until then I'd had silly little bikes (Suzuki X7, RD250LC etc) that I just razzed around on, but the Mac Course was two days out with an ex-Police rider, training us on road skills etc. But the key is, we went for miles and miles and that was the point when I realised a bike isn't just for a 10 mile blast or a trip to the local bike cafe, it is a proper form of fun transport to have adventures on and that really sucked me in.
Now I travel all over Europe on my bikes and when I can't do (like now) I massively miss it
BobSaunders said:
Bloke on a Honda Fireblade in full Repsol .......... and proceeded to do a monumental burnout.
Yep, that'll do itOne of my founding moments when you're young (14 ish) was a guy giving me a lift on his CBX at the Transatlantic Trophy race day at Brands.
Honking great wheelies past the 5-o up Death Hill..... I still smile at that day..
My dad mainly... he's never had a bike licence but his life revolves around hoarding classic British motorcycle parts which I find mad.
We had a basement full of old British bike bits and a lovely Triumph in the hallway as an ornament.
I got a 1962 250cc Greeves Scottish trails bike for my 14th birthday and rode it around the garden.
Then I got a XR125 when I was 17, did my A2 licence at 19 and got a DRZ400 then my unrestricted licence at 21 and got a FZS600 which I've got currently.
We had a basement full of old British bike bits and a lovely Triumph in the hallway as an ornament.
I got a 1962 250cc Greeves Scottish trails bike for my 14th birthday and rode it around the garden.
Then I got a XR125 when I was 17, did my A2 licence at 19 and got a DRZ400 then my unrestricted licence at 21 and got a FZS600 which I've got currently.
It's just in my blood. My grandfather always had bikes, mostly big BMW tourers. My dad is bike mad, has always ridden them, raced them, fettled them, restored them. I was brought up on the back of bikes and weekends full of BSB, WSBK and MotoGP.
I got a moped on my 16th birthday and then an RS125 on my 17th. Had a bit of a hiatus when married life and kids started, but I'm now in the business of acquiring more and filling the garage (currently at two bikes).
I got a moped on my 16th birthday and then an RS125 on my 17th. Had a bit of a hiatus when married life and kids started, but I'm now in the business of acquiring more and filling the garage (currently at two bikes).
Edited by samdy on Thursday 21st May 16:49
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