Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Other Bikes First Bikes

Another currently active thread on what size bike is appropriate for a first bike (Hey Dad, I kinda think I want to get a Rune ) has got my curiosity up. With our varied members here, young and not so young, what were some of the "first bikes".
My absolute first bike was a Yamaha DT90(hardest working 7.5 HP I've ever seen). My first "real" bike was a 46 Honda CB450, punched out to 500cc with gutted bonnie pipes on it. To this date I think it's still the loudest bike I've ridden.

First "motorcycle" (i learned on a 80cc quad) was a 78 yamaha 250 enduro when i was 12. Thing was a tank and I could barley lift it up when i fell.

here it is, only I had grey

Got my first two wheeled transportation when i was 16.

A Puch Grand Prix Special in John Player Special colors.



Then one year later on my 17 birthday i got a Honda CB250RS (mine was black).



Single cylinder, great bike. 250cc was the biggest bike we could have at 17 until you past the bike test. I actually wanted a Yamaha RD250LC but my dad would not let me have one. Said it was way to fast for a beginner. Looking back he was probably right.

I used the CB250 as a despatch bike for quite a while. Did a lot of mile on that thing. Very Very reliable bike.

Mine was a 1981 Kawisaki Spectre 750. Real close to this one, but a 750, not an 1100....

Although I "learned" on a couple of borrowed mini bikes, my first bike was a 1958 Cushman scooter. 3.5 hp and 45 miles an hr, all day long. Automatic with a built on generator.It had the better looking full body which is kind of rare. It was already an antique when my grandpa gave it to me in 1975. Still have it, although one of my Uncles "borrowed the motor to fix it" later on and then he sold it to someone. I'm gonna restore it someday.

Well with the exception of a Lambretta SX150 (I know . . don't hate me) I had for a couple of months back in 1980 my first bike is an 07 Triumph America in Pacific Blue and New England White. Her name is Marilyn.

Prior to passing my test I had only 3 1/2 days road experience ( DAS course) so I decided to be sensible and build up my experience before moving onto a bigger bike.

Because my boss at work knew a dealer who could get me one on 0% finance I ended up with one of these, but in dark red.



It did what I wanted it to do, and eventually got traded in for my current TBA ( after I got back from the States)

First street bike was a 81 CB900 with the hi/lo trans and a vetter fairing (I took that off).

I had a couple of dirtbikes and minibikes before that. And the one I wish was still around was a junk my uncle got in a trade that was only good on flat fields ... was an old POS indian with a monster briggs and stratten rigged into the frame. Man that thing was heavy when I was a kid- dropped it on myself a couple of times!

first bike is my current ride, 2005 america

Frank

my first bike was a Morini Super America,couldn't find a pic of it though. My first real street bike was a Suzuki GT 550 triple but had a Yamaha 360 enduro registered before that. Already had the Triumphs but not on the road.

My first was a 500 Velocette. Truthfully, it was a bit much, but the original owner had a hard time starting it, so I got the proverbial deal that couldn't be refused.

1976 Bonneville T-140 (Red ). It was my first motor vehicle. Also the first m/c I rode. The 2002 BA (red ) is the second. "Narrow-Minded", but I'm happy . I tried to add motor oil to the frame in the BA

jh

My first bike was a 1957 NSU Prima scooter. I rode that thing everywhere for a couple of years including most of one montreal winter. There's something gratifying about a tough little two-stroke like that - you can wring its neck and still say in some semblance of control.

My first was a 1971 Orange and White, Yamaha RD 350 2 stroke. It was a quick little thing.

My first bike was my dad's "hand me down" Honda CB100N, which I rode for a while, stripped it down and put it back together. Unfortunately I had bits left over. It never worked again!

The forerunner to my BA was a Suzuki 600gsf (Bandit), I would recommend this bike to ANY beginner, it's a great allrounder.

1974 Honda 550 four. I was such a brave soul back then..

A 1972 Fox minibike with a 3hp Tecumseh lawn mower engine.

First motorcycle was a 1974 Honda CT70.

Mine was a 72" Hodaka Super Rat!
After that were TS 50 and 250 Suzukis both were a POS thanks to the stupid oil injection.

My first bike (also my first motorized vehicle) was a real death machine, a 1971 Kawasaki H1 500cc just like this one (without the ped slicer):

KZ400 wow does that bring back memorys the wife and I where date at time.

My first one was a 1954 HD Hydra Glide hard tail

1972 Yamaha 250 Enduro. I was 12.

Soren

My first bike was a GT380. Freshly married - she's sure put up with a lot of s..t from me ! We took a trip with all of our camping gear strapped on to the Going to the sun road in northern Montana. That poor bike ran pretty much flat out all the way there and back - doing 70-90km . In the evening we put the bike on the centre stand, and stretched a tarp from the top of the bike to sleep under. To this day it's still one of my most memorable camping trips.

One identical to this, except for the grab rail. A 82 Yamaha 250 exciter.

I still have 2 of those GT380s and my GT500 looked exactly like it except it said GT550 on the side and was black. My GT750 being water cooled looks different.

197? Honda CD175. like this one.


My dad told me it was for sale localy and he talked me into buying it

Not counting the Sears Moped a friend gave me taken apart that I couldn't ever get running, my first bike was a brand new Honda 50 in 1964. Every time I got on the bike the Beach Boys singing "Little Honda" was going in my head.

Many bikes later I now hear "Born to be Wild" when I ride off.

Learned to ride on a '64 Honda CB160. My first bike was an '80 Honda CB 650. Got my America after the motor locked up. I think fuel got in the oil from leaky carbs and ruined the viscosity. Sold it piece by piece on ebay and it paid for a lot of my Triumph, so everything worked out OK

first 2 wheeler at 11....
Rupp 2.5


then at 13...
Yamaha U5 50cc


later, Tom.

I had a couple bikes between my GT550 and my Morini a Pan that was someone elses nightmare and spent more time broken down than running and a 77 Yamaha DT100. The Yamaha was a fun bike but never street legal, just beat the crap out of it in the dirt. Ran for years with a broken crankcase half. The kick start quit working when the crankcase cracked and I push started it. Mag cover was mostly screen and bondo , primary cover was cracked and JB Welded, no sprocket cover, rear fender smashed from botched jumps and wheelies etc.... What finally killed that bike is I loaned it to a friend when I was on an involuntary vacation and he forgot a 2 stroke needed oil in the injection system, broke a ring.

1970 Triumph T 100 C. I really loved that bike.

FS1E yamaha 50cc 1976
xs250 1977
rd250b 1978
rd350b 1979
rd250lc 1980
rd250lc 1980 (i've had 2 in a year both got stolen)
rd350lc triumph t90 suzuki gt185 1981
gpz900r xt500 and dt80 1985
chopped z400 1992
tw200 1999
speed triple harley sportster 1999
duke monster 600 2000
bonnie america 2005 sportster 2008
plus loadsof dt50 tsx50
always had the bigger bikes along side the smaller ones
thats my lot to date

Lots of borrowed rides including a community KM 100 in the early 80's that we all beat up and down the dirt roads. (We had snowmobiles and the kids up the road had motorbikes so we rode theirs and they rode ours)

My first bike that I owned myself was a Suzuki Savage 650 thumper and now my beloved TBA.

(Mr. Turner here in his youth.....)

Asked the Stablemaster: "Have y'all ever ridden a horse before young man?"

Replied Ed: "Nah! But ya see that there wild bronco over there y'all named 'Widow Maker'? Well, I'm a gonna ride HIM!"

(you Da Man, Ed!)