What was your first bike(s)...
#21
12-31-2009, 05:54 PM
Oh the memories... We lived in the redwoods, down in the Santa Cruz mountains in California, at the end of a long private road, and past our house was nothing but empty woods. The land was owned by some guy who no one knew, because he was never there. (Thanks for letting us build an awesome trail system on your property random land owner dude) We could ride right out of our garage and on to the trails, in fact we even had a race course that included riding up a ramp on to our back deck, and then dropping off (about 2') the other end. Needless to say, I never got my homework done because I was always out riding instead. 
I went in to the Navy in when I turned 18 and didn't get another bike again until 2004 (at 33) that was much too long without a bike. ugh. I've had a string of street and dirt bikes since then, and like some of you have said, I doubt if I'll ever be without a bike again. If I am, I imagine something pretty bad will have happened in my life.
I found this photo of me on my first bike, a 1976 YZ80. This was in about 1981 (yes, I'm wearing checkered slip-on Vans that were part of my "uniform" back in those days)
Here's another from a few years later with my '80 IT125 and my second YZ80, a '79 model (also in the shot: dad's '71 Datsun 240Z with 350 V8 power)
Here's one from about '84 of me and my brothers at Hollister Hills. From L to R '79 YZ80, '80 IT125, '81 YZ125, '80 IT250. We were definitely a Yamaha family.
I went in to the Navy in when I turned 18 and didn't get another bike again until 2004 (at 33) that was much too long without a bike. ugh. I've had a string of street and dirt bikes since then, and like some of you have said, I doubt if I'll ever be without a bike again. If I am, I imagine something pretty bad will have happened in my life.
I found this photo of me on my first bike, a 1976 YZ80. This was in about 1981 (yes, I'm wearing checkered slip-on Vans that were part of my "uniform" back in those days)
Here's another from a few years later with my '80 IT125 and my second YZ80, a '79 model (also in the shot: dad's '71 Datsun 240Z with 350 V8 power)
Here's one from about '84 of me and my brothers at Hollister Hills. From L to R '79 YZ80, '80 IT125, '81 YZ125, '80 IT250. We were definitely a Yamaha family.
#22
12-31-2009, 05:56 PM
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Washington
Posts: 21,060
Though not a bike, my first off-road machine was a 1982 Honda ATC185s 3-wheeler that I got when I was 12. Don't have any pictures of that handy. I ran the crap of it! A buddy of mine at the time was an amateur MX racer, and his dad owned a repair shop (bikes, ATV's, sleds, etc.). One of his old race bikes was a thrashed CR250 (air-cooled, '80 or '81 I think). The engine in it still ran OK, so we shoe-horned it into my ATC185s, whose own engine was getting tired by then. His dad helped me mount the engine and fabricate the pipe. You had to take the rear fenders off to start it so the kickstarter would clear (which was on the left side, not the right). With no rear suspension, it was nearly impossible to hang on to at full throttle, but I had a blast on it anyway. 
My first real motorcycle was a 1985 Suzuki SP250. No pictures of that either, but here's what it looked like...
I got it when I was 16 with thoughts of riding it on- and off-road everywhere. My parents on the other hand, nixed that idea for fear of my getting hurt on the street. Funny thing is, that squirrel-on-heroin 3-wheeler I mentioned earlier never gave them a moment of concern.
Anyway, I never got a plate for it, and only got to put about 2K miles on it. When I was 18, I had to sell everything to help pay for college. 14 years later, the bike bug bit me again. Bikes came and went until I saw my KLX at the dealer one day, and here I am.
My first real motorcycle was a 1985 Suzuki SP250. No pictures of that either, but here's what it looked like...
I got it when I was 16 with thoughts of riding it on- and off-road everywhere. My parents on the other hand, nixed that idea for fear of my getting hurt on the street. Funny thing is, that squirrel-on-heroin 3-wheeler I mentioned earlier never gave them a moment of concern.
Anyway, I never got a plate for it, and only got to put about 2K miles on it. When I was 18, I had to sell everything to help pay for college. 14 years later, the bike bug bit me again. Bikes came and went until I saw my KLX at the dealer one day, and here I am.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/mcy/1526002094.html
#23
12-31-2009, 05:58 PM
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Washington
Posts: 21,060
Oh the memories... We lived in the redwoods, down in the Santa Cruz mountains in California, at the end of a long private road, and past our house was nothing but empty woods. The land was owned by some guy who no one knew, because he was never there. (Thanks for letting us build an awesome trail system on your property random land owner dude) We could ride right out of our garage and on to the trails, in fact we even had a race course that included riding up a ramp on to our back deck, and then dropping off (about 2') the other end. Needless to say, I never got my homework done because I was always out riding instead.
I went in to the Navy in when I turned 18 and didn't get another bike again until 2004 (at 33) that was much too long without a bike. ugh. I've had a string of street and dirt bikes since then, and like some of you have said, I doubt if I'll ever be without a bike again. If I am, I imagine something pretty bad will have happened in my life.
I found this photo of me on my first bike, a 1976 YZ80. This was in about 1981 (yes, I'm wearing checkered slip-on Vans that were part of my "uniform" back in those days)
Here's another from a few years later with my '80 IT125 and my second YZ80, a '79 model (also in the shot: dad's '71 Datsun 240Z with 350 V8 power)
Here's one from about '84 of me and my brothers at Hollister Hills. From L to R '79 YZ80, '80 IT125, '81 YZ125, '80 IT250. We were definitely a Yamaha family.
I went in to the Navy in when I turned 18 and didn't get another bike again until 2004 (at 33) that was much too long without a bike. ugh. I've had a string of street and dirt bikes since then, and like some of you have said, I doubt if I'll ever be without a bike again. If I am, I imagine something pretty bad will have happened in my life.
I found this photo of me on my first bike, a 1976 YZ80. This was in about 1981 (yes, I'm wearing checkered slip-on Vans that were part of my "uniform" back in those days)
Here's another from a few years later with my '80 IT125 and my second YZ80, a '79 model (also in the shot: dad's '71 Datsun 240Z with 350 V8 power)
Here's one from about '84 of me and my brothers at Hollister Hills. From L to R '79 YZ80, '80 IT125, '81 YZ125, '80 IT250. We were definitely a Yamaha family.
#24
12-31-2009, 09:00 PM
Join Date: May 2007
Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 878
Mine was a mint 1982 Honda Nighthawk 450...bought from a RCMP officer back in 1987 with 3500 KMs on the bike. This was first vehicle of any kind...I had taken a motorcycle driving course before I turned 16 and bought this bike with my first job the following year. I had it for 5 years and it sold very quickly with only 15000KMs on it. I oved this bike...had more power than one would think....no problem to do 100 MPH at all.
here is my wife-to-be and the little boy she babysat (and dog) when I met her some 16 years or so ago...lol
here is my wife-to-be and the little boy she babysat (and dog) when I met her some 16 years or so ago...lol
#25
12-31-2009, 11:27 PM
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SW Ontario, Canada
Posts: 869
Some great pics there guys.
Really brings back the memories.
My first was a Motobecane moped my dad bought for $20, and gave to me when I was 10. I ripped up the neighbourhood with that thing. Next was a 50cc Bombardier, predecessor to the Can am. I don';t have any pics of those, but my first real bike was a 76 RM125
My first race.
On the line at Motopark in Ontario-wearing my hockey shoulder pads.
Motopark still holds races.
A few years later, I graduated to a 78 YZ125
I didn't ride for 30 years, but when i got the itch, I went right back to the RM
Really brings back the memories.
My first was a Motobecane moped my dad bought for $20, and gave to me when I was 10. I ripped up the neighbourhood with that thing. Next was a 50cc Bombardier, predecessor to the Can am. I don';t have any pics of those, but my first real bike was a 76 RM125
My first race.
On the line at Motopark in Ontario-wearing my hockey shoulder pads.
Motopark still holds races.
A few years later, I graduated to a 78 YZ125
I didn't ride for 30 years, but when i got the itch, I went right back to the RM
Last edited by zomby woof; 12-31-2009 at 11:38 PM.
#26
12-31-2009, 11:42 PM
Zomby, what size is that new rm? I can't tell in the pic.
First bike for me was a yz80 ..... but I was such a dumb azzzzz punk all I wanted to do was surf .... so when I turned 15 I got my first street legal ride ..... a f'n moped that my old man put a safari surfboard rack on...lol
Won eastern ESA regionals that year.....its funny to look at trophys you won as a kid.
First bike for me was a yz80 ..... but I was such a dumb azzzzz punk all I wanted to do was surf .... so when I turned 15 I got my first street legal ride ..... a f'n moped that my old man put a safari surfboard rack on...lol
Won eastern ESA regionals that year.....its funny to look at trophys you won as a kid.
#27
01-01-2010, 12:56 AM
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SW Ontario, Canada
Posts: 869
It's an 04 RM125 that was a leftover. Apparently it came from a shop in Wisconsin that went out of business, and Babbitts picked it up.
I bought it new in 07
for $2900
I bought it new in 07
for $2900
#29
01-01-2010, 03:56 AM
under the side cover (rotary disk valve) my F6 had the same setup, so did kmac250's F7. You can see the throttle cable and idle adjustment sticking up
