Going back when I was 15 (many moons ago)  I was riding to school in the bus and went past the Ford Dealer in town. Out the front was this cool looking bike, looked like a Bantam from a distance, but  I wasn't sure.

That night when I got home I was dropping hints about getting a bike and mentioned the bike I had spotted. My 2 cousins already had their Bantams. Bugga me dead a couple of days later the Ol man comes home from town with this same bike in the back of the ute.

It was a 1950's something CZ 150cc, single 2 stroke with 2 exhaust pipes, with fishtail mufflers. I was over the bloody moon with excitement.

Wasn't long before I stripped it down, painted the frame black, cut the back mudguard down and painted it silver. Removed the front guard. Painted the fuel tank Canary Yellow, and hand painted in the logo with black paint. The final custom feature was to cut the fish tail bits off the end of the mufflers, and rip out the guts, making megaphone pipes. Sounded good, but probably made it run not so good. Who cared, not me, it sounded loud.

It was sold as a basket case a year later when I moved onto the next classic.......that's another story......

What was your first bike????

Bultaco Trails bike. Mowed lawns for 12 months to save the $ and on my 8th birthday bought the first bike I saw for sale. Wheeled it home and on first sight me foster dad said "Well you won't be keeping that then" , 2 days later it became "if ya can start it ya can keep it", 2 more days and I had perfected the (from the owners maual) 'depressing of the start kicker' which I now know was on the wrong side as was the rear brake and gear lever but at the time it was all I knew and with a Steven Gall collum from Trail & Track I taught myself to crash, a lot.

 

Kirby Zipstart

First Bike? Was a dirty bike, um, Yam 250 something, fuel tank leaked, rings were shot, absolutely hated it except that it WAS a bike and it was MINE. When I turned 16 and got a job I got a new Yam DT-250B. This one didn't leak fuel which I thought was really neat 'cause I just couldn't fix the old one (being a kid with NFI).

At that stage my brother had about 6 HD's which he had restored and repainted original army green. (They were ALL army green..) One or two(?) even had sidecars, one of them I think complete with the machine gun mount (dunno what happened to the machine gun tho - he's probably still got that somewhere). Also had a couple of HD trikes (I think they had locking diffs too 'cause he used to take them on the beach). He got really shitty when I touched any of his "collection" and threatened to kill me (actually, threatened to kill me ALL the time regardless).

But he DID teach me to ride. He won the 1969 Kangaroo Rally on his 'taco, so the dirty lessons were good and insisted I learn on the dirt before getting on the road. In retrospect, that probably saved my arse more than once..

First Motorbike was a 30cc TAS Rockhopper, Man I did some miles on that thing, (At least I thought I did)

Then on to a GTMX 80 Yammie, Shit that thing flew

After that a series of DT250 Yammies and then the big ones, XT500's, Man I love those things

Graduated from the dirty bikes to an assortment of Kwaka 900's and 1000's

Left the bikes alone for a couple of years until I came across a 74 FLH at the right price so I bought it, On the ride home within the first 20k's I couldn't believe what a piece of shit Harleys were but by the time I got home I was in love

Harleys are funny like that, First time you ride one it's like WTF is this shitbox but by the time you get home you want more, (Was for me anyway)

Currently own an 08 FXDC and a XT500H Yammie that I wouldn't part with for any money

Anyway, Thats my experience, Your mileage may vary

Hey Roadtrain!! Love the airman's flying boots!! I had them too! Army surplus...

Yeah.. hehe.. liked the cheap bit the most in those days..

Jesus RT, I was born in 1969, I was still a few years off getting a bike.

Mine was a XR75 back in 1973 at seven years of age. ive owned 12 more since, and been through a shit load of tyres.

ATC 70 three wheeler in about 1976 - i was almost 5 years old. First two wheeler was a XR80.

First road bike, RD250 - fuck that thing flew.

I love those fucking goggles on the beach RT, reminds me of Worlds Fastest Indian - or maybe you were about to go scuba diving.

FS1-E December 4th 1976

Must of been around 1969, wagged school for the day. Dad came home with a shit eating grin and a tarp over the back of his ute. He'd just bought me a bloody "Grand Prix" with a Kirby pull start, that was my first bike. First ride was on a Honda Dax?? 6 months or so earlier. Both shit boxes but a ton of fun. Only kid in school who rode to school.

The first bike I paid off & owned was a beat up old vespa scooter, more years ago than I care to mention After that it was BSA, Yamaha and Honda in various sizes and states of disrepair.

Bt

My first bike was a CB 350 twin. Then a 650 dildo, several honda fours and Z9's before seen the light.

Note the front number plates.

 

Keep posting these old pics folks - great to see.

My dad had a CB 350 which I first rode when I was about 12 with my older brother while dad was at work - we dropped the fucking thing and got in deep shit!