How Old ? - your first motor bike adventure

[Mountainman]

hey there motorized bikers

if like myself - thinking for many of you
those first rides on a motor bike - we will never forget

I was raised (part time) by my grandfather
old grandpa was a 2-wheel rider of anyTHING with motor from way back

grandpa drove a cement truck for a living -- brought home 110 dollars a week
one payday when he arrived home from work
grandma ran out to meet him so as to get some of that pay check
grandpa said "that he had spent the WHOLE THING"
grandma asked " on what ?"

grandpa had brought home to me at the age of six or seven
a custom built mini bike with a 7 1/2 hp PowerCraft engine
wow -- that little THING went around 45 mph
I rode that THING for all day long -- on so many fun filled days

grandpa had passed it down -- it's in the blood
little motor bikes a running through -- how about you ?

ride that thing

 

[ZnsaneRyder]

I was 25. I didn't have nice motorized toys as a youth, so I had to make one of my own.

It's the best!

MOTORIZED BICYCLES FOREVER UNTIL I DIE!!!!

 

[srdavo]

ha... I think I was about 12, (1969) I'd been bugging my Dad for a minibike....NO luck, what so ever!
Then one day, I asked him to quit his job. When he asked why, I told him...."The neighbors don't work & their kids have minibikes!!"

The next day, Dad bought a 1965 Honda 50 for me. Within the year, we upgraded to a Honda SL100.
At 14, I traded the Honda for a Brand NEW 10 speed. I could travel with the bicycle, as I wasn't street legal with the Honda.
I've owned a few Motorcycles since, but it's always back to bicycles for me.

 

[Gungatim]

This thread got me thinking about why I like motorized stuff so much. My first adventure was riding on the back of my Grandfather's ugly black Solex moped on the sidewalks of detroit circa 1974. I remember he won it (didn't find out until after he died it was in a poker game) and was so proud he wanted to show it off. Nobody would ride with him but me. We had a blast cruising around on low speed (those only had a 2 speed throttle) while dogs chased us down the street. I remember hitting a buckled section of sidewalk and falling off the back. I thought he would be mad but he just picked me up and plopped me back on and never told anyone. I think I was about 6 years old.

I have been addicted to motorized stuff ever since. Growing up alot of my friends had dirtbikes, gokarts, etc. but we could never afford such luxuries. Now that I am 40, I am recreating my youth. I have built 2 motorized bikes, one gokart, one mini scooter, and have half a dozen little projects in various states of completion in my shop. When my pusher project is done, I plan to build a home made Utility vehicle, using a wrecked quad, golf cart, and whatever else I can scrounge up. Then maybe a replica Ford Quadracycle, then I have a suzuki moped with no motor that I think a Lifan 110cc could be stuffed in.

I love motors....

 

[Mountainman]

yes -- there the other MB THING is

The next day, Dad bought a 1965 Honda 50 for me.

my second MB
also a Honda 50cc sports model with a large climbing sprocket
that thing would climb almost anyTHING !!!
I think that I owned it from around the age of 12 - 15
never even had to adjust the points
bought it in cherry condition for around 100 dollars
sold it many, many miles later for 135 or 145 -- long, long time ago now

that's why I still have a very weak spot for Japanese motors

those THINGS run forever !

 

[Mountainman]

Grandfather's -- just a passing the THING on down

Grandfather's ugly black Solex moped on the sidewalks of detroit circa 1974.

I love motors....

got to love those motor bike Grandpa's

grandpa Bill had an old BSA one lunger -- 500cc I think it was
he would put me on the back and say hold on tight
man that man could ride that THING -- scared me to death

but -- I always wanted more

as we rode that THING together !!!

 

[macarollo]

I was 25 when I bought my motorcycle.

26 When I started building/riding motorized bikes.

 

[duivendyk]

I must have been about four when I got my first ride with my brother in the sidecar of a humongous motorcycle piloted by my grandpa.It was a Henderson,I later found out.I could hardly look out, but was thrilled all the same by the sheer speed.This thing would move! (A 4 cyl.1200 cc longitudinal inline engine).He was an early adopter,loved things that moved fast,esp motor cycles& airplanes.The Henderson did not survive WW2.Later I found a Henderson engine in a junk yard, carted it home & took it apart.My first motorcycle was a far cry from that, a dinky 125 cc DKW 2 stroke, but I was thrilled all the same.In Holland you have to be 18 to get a license.

 

[nsideus]

This stirs up memories There was a guy in the neighborhood with a motorized bike I would always stop him to ask questions, gotta be where it started.
I bought a go cart when I was 9 for $35 mowed the neighbors and our lawn.
My Dad brought home a 5hp mini bike from the auction when I was 10 it had lights . Dad let me ride it in the back yard at night there was and oval carved from riding it so much. One night I talked my cousin into getting on the back we went out into the fields a construction co. had cut some new roads and I nailed a berm at full speed my cousin flew off and would never ride with me again. LOL
I still have and old mini bike with a ‘68 briggs.

 

[knucklepanshovel]

I got my first tast of gas engine power when I was 5 a 3 wheeler for christmas not like todays 3 wheelers but a chopper with a rear engine it still exists in a storage building at parents place

I had mini bikes & motorcycles & mopeds & everything inbetween..

I had several factory mopeds that were basically bicycles with motors attached 1 was a solex front engine another had a mcCulouch engine in the back I probably have a few parts left from when they were blown up.

I rode a chicken power with an olson & rice engine or O&R still have it put many thousands of miles on that trips up to 75 miles away as a young teenager when I was 14 at that time no ID was required to go if you got stopped you just told cop you was 16 & that was that & if they didnt believe you they could call parents & parents would say 16 & that was that.

I rode mopeds for 200,000 miles but never traveled over 100 miles away but one of my friends rode his 200 or so miles regularily to visit his grandparents & they were supposed to be tagged in state he visited & he always got pulled but they couldnt ticket him because he wasnt a resident & was only visiting.

I have rode motorcycles over 500,000 miles during my lifetime traveling over 1/2 of the USA

I have been slowly picking up parts for a custom hard tail chopper moped with 21 inch ape hanger handle bars it will be sweet..

Randy