I had a briggs& stratton mini bike when I was 10 3HP lawnmower engine...then when I was about 12 I had a Honda SL70 70cc single.

My first was a 1976 BMW R90/6.
There is a pic of it in my profile, and on this tribe.

A 1977 XS750 Yamaha Triple. I rode it about 5 times before buying a smaller bike (the 1980 Honda CM400T Pictured) to learn on. I still have the XS750, but when i was going to ride it last year, the brakes had quit working... so i'll get it fixed this spring and get it out a little bit.

1964 Bultaco Sherpa S, 125 CC, three months old, and very fast but
needed frequent rebuilds, it lasted one season before being traded
up on a 250 CC model. I was 13 years old at the time ,paid $350
1964 dollars for it.

Thanks for all the interesting stories. Makes my tribe day!

This is from a thread regarding first bikes and teaching your kids to ride. Thought I'd share it here.

My dad started teaching me to ride on a '74 Honda 350 starting when I was about 13 on closed roads. He took it very slowly and by the time I was 16 We were riding together on open roads throughout Europe (based out of the Netherlands). Now this was actually illegal as 16 is too young to drive there.

I can now really appreciate the risk he took and also understand why he decided to trust me and take it. Those were some of the best times in my memory, really a rare opprtunity for a kid and his Dad. Dad taught me patiently and well. I "had to" (it was the best hobby in the world for a teenager) learn basic maintenance and diagnostics, he would make me take
things apart and put them back together. We'd intentionally ride in wind and rain so I'd know how to deal with it. He let me move up to his Suzuki GS550 when I had enough miles under my belt (and he bought a Harley).

The first bike I bought was a Honda XL 185 (enduro). My first Accident was on that bike. Going 35 mph on a country road in daylight... Old fart in a cage did a last second "surprise" U-turn in front of me. Nothing I could have done regardless of training. I was badly hurt with a long recovery throughout high school.

Fast forward 15 years to the next major accident... After a few bikes
in-between, I then had a Yamaha Virago 1100 Same type of scenario 30 mph through a green light. Young gal in a hyundai looked through me and left-turned into me. Again... Nothing I could have really done despite my experience. Spent 6+ months in a wheelchair.

The point of all this story...
1. Although I have had 2 near fatal accidents with major medical recoveries. They were both were "out of the blue" and the ONLY accidents I've had. The training and respect for the road my dad instilled in me kept me from doing too many stupid things.

2. Teach your kids well take time doing it. Cherish that time and live it to the fullest. Then come to a complete place of letting go and understanding that life will take its course and there ain't a damn thing you can do about it. Our sport is somewhat dangerous but we feel the benefits are worth it.

Last thing... I decided to start riding again and I bought my first airhead (85 R80RT) after 8 years from my last accident. I was looking at Hogs but chose an airhead because my Dad (a 20 year Harley Rider) reminded me what made me fall in love with bikes. Simple mechanics, learning and knowing the bike, the commaraderie and the quality of the time spent. After all his time riding Harleys he said you know what I'd do if I were you... Find an old airhead.

Thanks Dad,

Dan Blanchard , Petaluma CA

I just bought my first motorcycle (at age 33).

1973 BMW R75/5 LWB Toaster. Very cool. Am currently going through it front to back to make sure everything works and have ridden it quite a bit as well. Down to the city (I'm up in Napa), out to Sacramento and all over Napa Valley.

Man its nice living in California...

Hey man...my first bike was a brand new Yamaha 100...YL1E...twin cylinder two stroke...with electric start...it was considered top of the line back in 1970...when I got it...I had seen the movie EASY RIDER with my best friend...and he had gotton a Honda 90 sport...given to him by his older brother...who had graduated to a Kawasaki 120 trail bike...from the 90...we thought we were the HELLS ANGELS of the tiny town we lived in...(population only 500) we acted just like "Billy and Wyatt" and went around hanging out and smoking a joint...this was the life I would end up living for the next 30 years. now I am a 50 year old weather worn ancient outlaw...I have hundreds of storys to tell and will be putting them in a book...(Sonny Barger did the same thing a few years ago when he wrote about his life in the Hells Angels of Oakland California). DENNIS

For my fifth birthday I got a Bronco minibike. I could ride it two years before taking the training wheels off my Schwinn Stingray! For my seventh b-day I got a Hodaka 100 (right about the same time I tamed that Stingray). I've always had motorcycles. It probably helped that my folks owned a motorcycle shop...