Motorbikes - Do you remember your first one?

[Timbuck]

In 1955 I was sixteen, and like many other sixteen year old lads, I was old enough to ride a motorbike..Just about then my Brother in law was just about to upgrade his steed to a Matchless 350 and he offered me his old bike for the sum of five pounds..in my Post Office account I had just the right amount to buy it....So I became the proud owner of a 1932 Francis Barnett Cruiser (my first motorbike)..I've owned many other superior bikes since then but none of them had the Magic of my Fanny Barnett...

Question....what was the first motorcycle that you owned?.

[Cols]

My first road bike (not counting stuff used on fields) was a Suzuki 120 back in the late 70's. I'm still riding 25 years later, but maybe not as much. Work, family and having a car changes all that.

[saxon51]

Never had a 'bike myself, but my dad used to let me travel on the pillion of his Royal Enfield in the late 50s.

 

Happy days, and I can still smell the engine getting hot.

[brooksy]

i had a bultcaco in the late 70s and also a kawasaki 550.

[blue11265]

I had a yamaha FS1E (fizzy) in the late seventies. 60 mph on a 50 cc moped with pedals attached. Pure madness.

[Tofty]

My first motorbike was a 150cc Francis Barnett Plover that I had just before my 16th birthday in 1962. I used to love riding round the Parson Cross/Ecclesfield/ Grenoside areas thinking I had the best bike in the world. I managed to put up with the bike for about a week before buying a 197cc Villiers engined DOT Mancunian. What a difference to the Plover.

My next bike was a 350 Velocette ( this was bought about 3 month after the DOT) and then in 1964 I bought the bike I had for nearly 25 years a beautiful 500cc Norton 88. How I wish I still had that old Norton.

[Alanbro]

I had a Matchless 250, I bought it with me winnings on the draw at Spear and Jackson. I used to use it for work. I didn't go very far on it. There was a lot less traffic on the roads at that time. I don't know whether I'd want to risk it anymore, there are so many silly buggers on the road these days. I used to go to Castleton on it. When I met me wife I couldn't get her near it. She used to say "You'll not get me on one of those things!"

I suppose she had a point. I never passed me test on a motorbike, but I enjoyed the wind in my face even though it was short lived. Speaking about Spear and Jacksons, does anybody remember Workers Playtime. They put a big marquee up. I think that was in the bicentenary year 1960. We all got a big box of chocolates on a Sanen wood tray.

[Plain Talker]

When I was a little girl, my father had a James. (amongst about half- a-dozen he owned through my childhood)

 

I also remember that he had an Indian (I think it was called)

 

I also remember the wonderful bike-and-side-car ensemble he had when I was about four.. we used to have wonderful trips into the countryside and to the coast. we used to use it to go and stop in our uncle's caravan at Hubbert's Bridge, near Boston, lincs.

 

The side car was like an old fashioned stage coach. It was high topped and round of body. My sister and I loved travelling in the side car.

 

My first bike was a new, v-reg MZ 250/ts-2, red, it was.

Boy oh boy! did it ever have some torque. it would try to pull wheelies as you pulled away. The only thing I did not like about it, was that, as it was a two-stroke, the engine sounded like a hairdryer. It belied the power it actually had.

 

PT

[rupert]

First bike ridden was an old Honda SS50 in 1978. First bike owned was a Honda CG125, then an RD250B, then Suzuki T125 Stinger, then a GP100C, then a GT250X7, then a Montessa Cota 348, then a GS1000C, then an XR250 (had 2), then a KH250 (had 3), then another X7, then an RD400F, then a Moto Guzzi 1000, and several more. Still ride - had a Harley forthe last 6 years

[awoollen]

Originally posted by rupert

First bike ridden was an old Honda SS50 in 1978. First bike owned was a Honda CG125, then an RD250B, then Suzuki T125 Stinger, then a GP100C, then a GT250X7, then a Montessa Cota 348, then a GS1000C, then an XR250 (had 2), then a KH250 (had 3), then another X7, then an RD400F, then a Moto Guzzi 1000, and several more. Still ride - had a Harley forthe last 6 years

my first bike was an ok supream jap engine

petrol 2shillings and three pence a gallon

had a few bikes after

brough superior

bsa m20

goldflash

yamaha 250 rdx