Great Thread!! A short trip down memory lane, LOL!! I rode a number of the bikes pictured above, My cousins had a Bridgestone, my neighbor had a Montgomery Ward mini bike, Brother in law had a 305 Dream, and I had a 72 CT90 I shared with my Dad as my first bike at home...
Then I sold the 90 and bought a 74 H-D SX175, which taught me the FUN of motorcycling!...
I then picked up my Dad's 73 SS350 Sprint, which taught me good street tactics,
Built this Triumph 500 in shop class in High School, and really learned how to wrench...LOL!
My earliest memory however, is getting my butt beat cuz I wouldn't stay off my Dad's 47 Knucklehead, at 2 years old...
first bike was a little minibike when i was a kid, not sure what it was, something old. First bike with a clutch was a suzuki 100 dual sport. Old as well.
Then the first street bike was the honda in the MSF course
honda XR100 and a yamaha YZ125 were the bikes I first learned on the XR was my brothers and the YZ was my friends bike that he didn't like to ride because he got a quad.
and this truck was my first "car" manual everything, even the transmission. (that was rare where and when I started driving) but my grandpa taught me how to drive with his 1985 S-10 in his yard before I could even reach the peddles, my dad then made me learn on his older manual trans Subaru legacy before I could take my drivers test.
My first bike was a Ducati 200 Elite which I bought in Rome in 1958, and had modified at the Ducati Factory by Franco Farne.
I wished I still had it. A perfect example of these wonderful Taglioni designed bikes are not only worth about ten times what they cost new, they are still a hoot to ride.
My first cage was a 1948 MGTC, which was way past its spoiled date in 1958. Keeping this thing running was a full time job. Was a bit of a chick magnet, all though we didn't call it that back in the day.
I learned two things from these vehicles, both of which would be valuable classics today.
1. Nothing combines speed, handling, and beauty like a Ducati.
Still riding one in fact:-).
2. Don't buy anything English unless you can wear it or drink it.
'cmon guys! Somebody has to put a 1971 Kawasaki 250 enduro up here (the Bison).
(I was making cables for it last night... the new goal of the restore project is to get it to be streetable and interesting looking with as little investment as possible, meaning a lot of functional fabrications. Kind of a "how neat can you make it look while keeping it a cheap hobby" kind of thing. Thank God for Alumaweld and JB Weld.)
The bike that started it all for me, was given to me when i was 6. It was a beautiful metallic purple rupp roadster! That bike was so bad-ass!!! The local police chief if the town i grew up in also dabbled in small engine repair, so he was taxed with the maintenace on my baby. I used to love riding down the road to his shop for him to check it out, I think he liked it as much as i did! God how i miss it!!!!
This one is identical to it, makes me want another just looking at it. On a side note mine did not have a recoiler on the pull start, it was a hand wind and man when it didnt start it sucked to keep winding and winding!!! It was always worth it in the end.
NOTE; none of these are the actual vehicles, just pics i was able to find that represent the ones i had/rode/drove.
about 9 or 10 years old; not sure if this is the exact model, but very similar to the first two wheeler i rode, and became shortly thereafter, the first two wheeler i CRASHED!! my friend Greg (who's bike it was) and i set up a little ramp, about 2 feet high, up in his driveway. of course we jumped it, and i, never having ridden a hand throttle bike before, had a high wrist, and after landing the jump, the throttle went as high as possible, and i went head first into a woodpile!! luckily i was wearing a helmet. the bike and myself survived with very minor injuries!!
13 years old; the first bike i actually learned to ride with any authority, of course i crashed dozens of times on this thing! it was also the property of a friend, Mike. we rode all over town, using back alleys and railroad tracks to stay away from the cops!! he lost his privilege of getting a driver's license at 16 because of all the times he was busted riding on the street, luckily i was never operating it at those times!!!
14 years old; the first street legal bike i rode, even though i wasn't legal to ride yet! it also belonged to Mike.
16 or 17; first bike ever ridden legally, was my Dad's, later became my first bike that i owned legally. 83 Shadow 750, bought brand new by Dad. i traded a 69 VW bug to him for it.
14 years old; first 4 wheeler i drove, and subsequently crashed into a mountain. it was a manual trans, had no clue how to shift, steer or stop!!! no injuries, except to Shawn's truck that is!! Sorry Shawn! ( i was with Mike from above, seems to be a trend!!) Shawn had run out of gas on Mike's dirtbike, and we went looking for him. i drifted off the side of the road, overcorrected, spun out and drove into the side of the mountain!
15 years old; first car driven legally (permit) , the family car. 1978 Ford Granada, v6, AT, four door, vinyl top, triple burgundy!! first new car my parents ever owned. hated that car!! (but i never wrecked it!!)
16 years old; first car that was mine!! (dad owned it, legally!) 72 Malibu, 350, AT, orange with white vinyl top and interior, rally wheels. left it at home when i went into the service, Dad sold it to his brother. i had rebuilt the motor in auto shop, big heads, cam, etc, it hauled for a small block!! wish i had this car back!
first bike honda c50 fist car, 66 bug, but never saw the road.....It became a dune buggy or what ever a 15 year old could build!!! \ then the first car 72 mustang 302 with an FMX trannie. lots of fun
196? Bridgestone 175. With pink shag carpeting cover on the seat. Finally killed it "riding dirt" at the local quarry.It was a really fast 175. When I took my MVA test on my dad's Honda 450, it seemed huge and intimidating.
A hot Vietnamese gal about 10 years older than me
Sorry. "Someone" threw them away for me