Where did it all begin?

[RevWillie]

So with the new bike did you get to go for the "stroll in the woods?"

Not sure that I have ever heard what you were planning to do in the woods that before!!!!

I am happy to announce that a R75/5 with a Windjammer was capable of off-road riding if the need was strong enough!
I took another girlfriend to the 1981 National Rally on the /5. The beginning of the second day, two dimwitted pedestrians walked out in front of us and we spent the rest of the day in the emergency room. We then went to the rally site, found no camping spots without rocks, few bathrooms, and nary a vendor. After the Rally, we went through Chattanooga and suffered heat sickness on the bypass. Amazingly enough, this girlfriend stayed with me and we have been married for 25 years.

As about the woods: We were going to a well-known university forest area for some in-depth research of heavily wooded areas!

 

[JAMESDUNN]

Yamaha 55cc.

I was 12 when my dad purchased the little Yamaha for my younger brother and me. About 1964 as I recall. It was a two stroke of course and a light blue in color; loved that bike, which though a tiddler would hit about 52 or 53 miles an hour with a lightweight such as myself aboard. Threw many a paper from that little bike (afternoon daily) while growing up in Canon City, Colorado. My dad traded it in on a 125cc single cylinder Santa Barbara Yamaha for me and a 80cc Yamaha for my brother. Biggest Yamaha at the time was the 250cc Catalina. We rode the hell out of them! The place that sold Yamahas was a bicycle shop (Jones Bicycle Shop). How many bike shops do you know these days vending motorcycles? I never did obtain a motorcycle license while riding either of those motorbikes! Finally got one at age fourteen riding a Honda CB160.
As a side note Jones Bicycle also sold Benelli and Vespa, once the Yamahas were stocked they took over. The future had arrived.

 

[vinton]

1970 Honda 175

My older brother gave me his 175 which he got new and rode for a couple of years until I got my license. Brother got a Honda 450 and then our dad gave us a BMW R27
It was fun but slow on acceleration and could not go off road with it. My brother and I rode it for a couple of years and the sold it. One of the biggest mistake I ever made god I wish I had that bike now.

 

[ANDYVH]

My first,...ah, my first, was a 1969 Yamaha Twin Jet 100 (the crankcase was twice as wide as the block, at least). It was 72, I was 14 and I have not stopped riding since. 2nd bike, a 74 Honda CB350F bought new. Next a 78 Honda CB750 bought new. Then a 78 Suzuki GS1000 salvage project in 84. Ah but, 1989, I brought home my 1976 BMW R100RS (serial #414) in the huge cab of a fire truck, I worked for Pierce at the time as a chassis engineer. Still have the Suzuki and my 76 BMW.

Oct of 94 I met my current ride, a low miles R1100RS in teal green, and its been with me since for almost 140,000 great miles. I have gone through some tough times, lost job, two divorces, but that bike is always ready and reliable, just waiting to ride somewhere.

 

[JAMESDUNN]

Women come and go....

My first,...ah, my first, was a 1969 Yamaha Twin Jet 100 (the crankcase was twice as wide as the block, at least). It was 72, I was 14 and I have not stopped riding since. 2nd bike, a 74 Honda CB350F bought new. Next a 78 Honda CB750 bought new. Then a 78 Suzuki GS1000 salvage project in 84. Ah but, 1989, I brought home my 1976 BMW R100RS (serial #414) in the huge cab of a fire truck, I worked for Pierce at the time as a chassis engineer. Still have the Suzuki and my 76 BMW.

Oct of 94 I met my current ride, a low miles R1100RS in teal green, and its been with me since for almost 140,000 great miles. I have gone through some tough times, lost job, two divorces, but that bike is always ready and reliable, just waiting to ride somewhere.

Women come and go but....your bikes remain! There is some wisdom there but uncertain what it is. still, glad you have hung onto the '94 RS. I have a '94 as well and love it. I also have a girlfriend. Wonder which one will be with me "down the road"? Time will tell.

 

[RandallIsland]

There is some wisdom there but uncertain what it is.

I would submit that any worthwhile relationship, or motorcycle to ride, demands unflinching honesty, above anything else, to be maintained well.

With that premise, I further submit that forgiveness of errors is far more likely from a human.

Yet I'm single, so take the theory with a grain of salt.

 

[535IS]

A bit of background. My home town was very bike-conscious in the late '60s. There were Triumphs, BSAs, Nortons, the odd Harley (too big & old-fashioned) and lots of 'big' Hondas of the 305-350cc size. The 305 Scrambler was the bike to have - but I didn't. I was a barely-able-to-borrow-Dad's-car geek who might have been able to afford two wheels, but not a 'respectable' two wheels. Anything under 150cc (or a Honda Dream of any engine size) was openly derided and was my generational equivalent of 'gay'. You either had a cool bike or none at all. So I had none, at least until my second 5-year mid-life crisis, at age 35.

My younger brothers started with dirt bikes and rode from the time they were 15. I was the 'car guy' and never bothered. But at 35, starting to feel kinda' 'old', I decided it was time. So I borrowed an MB5 from the younger of them (He'd used it as a runabout toy but was tired of it.) and learned to ride, mostly on my own. Flat out in 5th gear (11,000 rpm), if I laid on the tank, I could hit 60. Took my license exam on it and got the MC endorsement. Then, bought a bike for my wife. She liked the color; thought it would be fun - and I thought I could hold off buying her a horse instead. So we had (and still have, stashed in a garage) a 250cc Honda Rebel to buzz around. She crashed it about the second time she rode it and hated it ever after. Needless to say, we have 4 horses now ...

The MB5 was red. It was about the smallest thing you could actually call a motorcycle and that engine size would have gotten me laughed off the streets 20 years earlier. But it was a riot to ride. Kind of like a Fiat - redlining everywhere while nobody noticed you were riding like a maniac. (stock photo):

The first bike I owned was an '86 Shadow 500, but that's another story.

 

[JAMESDUNN]

Agree.

I would submit that any worthwhile relationship, or motorcycle to ride, demands unflinching honesty, above anything else, to be maintained well.

With that premise, I further submit that forgiveness of errors is far more likely from a human.

Yet I'm single, so take the theory with a grain of salt.

I read your post, thought about it a little while....and agree. Without "unflinching honesty" most relationships are doomed. Motorcycles do not forgive errors, humans are more likely to do so.

 

[TALLPAULS]

My First Bike

My first bike was a Yamaha 80. It was given to me by my Uncle Clifford. My Uncle had this bike on the back of his camper and whenever we all went camping I'd ride it the entire time. One day my Uncle said it was mine! WOW, my own bike! Life's great!

Lake Almanor, CA (Rocky Point Campground)