tebo53

My very first bike (in 1968 I think) was a Honda 50cc step through which in those days you were allowed to take your test on! Around the streets a few times,on your own, and an emergency stop, a few highway code questions and that was it......passed.

Simple times...

missile

you are even older than me!

Rosemary

I have met him and can affirm that he is absolutely ancient.

Rosemary

tebo53

You've all heard that well known and completely true saying "They old ones are always the best"

I hate cheeky kids!!

Rosemary

You just made my day, thank you kind sir.

Rosemary

Fredbargate

BSA Bantam in 1958
But not on the road.
Fined 10 shillings at junior court for failure to put name in log book

tebo53

Yeah, my mates and I "shared" an old Post Office Bantam to go around the fields and a place we called the 'hills n hollows'. I think the Bantam was an introduction to bikes for many young lads!!

lurchio

Ahhhh, yes.... I love the smell of frying cork clutch linings in the morning! Me and my mates kept an old CZ 2 stroke (I think it was, or an MZ even) 'hidden' near some mine workings away from our homes. Bloke in the village gave it to us, that was the start. It was indestructible...........

jonboy

My first legal bike was a brand new BSA D175 Bantam. It vibrated so much that I was lucky not to become impotent! The piston rings tended to weld themselves to the piston on occasion. Thank God engineering and quality control has moved on.

My first non-legal rides were a Dianna Durkop 200cc scooter with a sidecar, a Triumph tiger 100cc? scooter and a old Ariel 600cc, VB side valve. I had an old Norton Dominator 600cc single carb' at one point. Most of these bikes had had several owners and were butchered to the point that just sitting on them was an exercise in self induced risk!

jonboy

That reminds me of an old advert

"Piston broke, we can fix it!"

bobd22

Sold the GS last week only for the old Triumph now

bobd22

Talking of first bikes. I was about 12 and me and my mate walking back from school football (think film Kes), we saw an old bike covered over in a garden. So after school we knocked at the house, Mr can we take your old motorbike? Aye lads it's no good but you can have it. So we pushed it 2 miles to my mates house free wheeling it down hills. We hadn't a clue the bike was seized solid after a few days we got fed up and pushed it into the river Calder. I now regret that as even for parts now it would be worth a bit as it was an Ariel Square 4! After that we scrounged an NSU Quickly which was first bike that ran I rode. From there went onto James Cadets and Frances Barnett's etc.

tebo53

Nice memories

A mate of mine refurbished an old Honda square 4 but always had problems with the car so going out of balance! Lovely machine though.

The only bike I ever attempted to build was a "Tribsa" - putting a 350cc single pot BSA engine into a Triumph frame. I eventually finished the project and rode it for a short time before selling it on. Most enjoyable

Steve

bobd22

Around the early 80's I thought my road bike days were finished so I took up Trials riding. However I quickly realised A. It was more difficult than it looks B. You really need to start very young if you are going to be much good. So I went into Pre 65 Trials I built a couple of bikes to do that, a Royal Enfield Crusader 250. Followed by a BSA C15 which I literally built from scrap parts and basically got it to the works Trials spec from the early 60's. The Christmas I was building it my wife asked what I wanted for Christmas I said 2 Akron aluminium wheel rims and 2 sets of spokes? Over the next weeks I spent hours lacing the rims to Bantam Gibbs on a wooden jig I made. It worked I got them bang on true. I was never great at Trials riding but I enjoyed it especially riding my C15 which had just been a pile of bits. I have had many bikes but must admit I prefer old British bikes.

bobd22

My list of bikes since started riding on road 1970

Honda CD 175
Honda CB 250
Honda CB 500
Suzuki GT 750
Honda XL 250
Sachs Saracen 200 Trials
Yamaha Ty 175 Trials
Seeley Honda 200 Trials
Armstrong 320 Trials
Royal Enfield Crusader Trials
Montesa 249 Trials
Honda Tl 250 Trials
Suzuki GT 250
BSA C15 Trials
Suzuki GT 750
BMW R100Rt
Kawasaki VN1500
Aprilla 650
Harley 1200 Sportster
Yamaha XJ 900
Triumph Tiger 955i
Triumph RS Sprint
Kawasaki GPZ 500
Triumph T100C
Tiger 955i (again like these)
BMW R1150 GS.

I thinks that's it 😃