Riding Experience (No. of years riding)

  • January 8, 2010 4:35 AM PST

    Been reading posts about "how fast?, "how many miles?", etc. Thought I'd throw this one out, "How many years riding experience do you have?".  Did you start on mini-bikes, dirt bikes, or start right out on a full-size bike? My riding days actually started 40 years ago with a Honda 50 mini bike, then a big gap in time (and ccs. lol) when I got my first sportster.

  • January 8, 2010 5:33 AM PST
    I started 33 years ago when I was 13 on a Suzuki A - 100 (The Gopher). Top speed was about 50 mph (downhill), but when I would go up a large hill the speed would drop to about 25. We would ride from dawn to dusk. God I loved that bike!
    • 119 posts
    January 8, 2010 5:51 AM PST
    There where always a mini bike around , I was 12, 35 years ago, when I got ”my” 1st bike a '72 H-D 90cc, blue.
    • 1780 posts
    January 8, 2010 6:04 AM PST
    right at 40 years.......danm that makes me sound old

    Night Dragon
  • January 8, 2010 6:22 AM PST
    I was 16 when I started riding on a 90cc Honda Scrambler. Been at it for almost 44 years and that Night Dragon does make me old in years, but not in heart.
  • January 8, 2010 6:28 AM PST
    I'm only old on the outside.45 years my first bike of my own was a 90 cc Bridgestone scrambler style got it when I was 8 before that I rode with my brothers.
    • 5420 posts
    January 8, 2010 6:40 AM PST
    I started riding mini-bikes and dirt bikes in 1969, got my first street bike, a Honda 350CL, in 1973, got into sport bikes and amateur club racing for a bit, and rode just about every kind of bike up until the early 80's. Took a short few year break from riding while the family was young, and have been on a Harley ever since.
    • 75 posts
    January 8, 2010 6:43 AM PST
    I started out on a mini-bike. Bought my first bike with my hard earned newspaper route money. It was a 1974 Kawasaki G4 100cc with a split shifter - 5 speeds low and 5 speeds high. Paid $450 buck for it brand new! I loved that bike. Got my first ticket for riding without a license on that bike. I even drove it right through the big wooden door on our carport (with my little brother on the back). Good times! I've since owned a 250, a TT500, a 550, a 750, a 1000, and a 1300. I've been riding exactly 40 years.
    • 5420 posts
    January 8, 2010 7:06 AM PST
    Nofrets1 wrote...
    I started out on a mini-bike. Bought my first bike with my hard earned newspaper route money.

    Bought my first to "bikes" with my parer route money too.  First was a actual mini-bike, the kind with the B&S 5hp lawnmower engine...The second was a Honda 70, man I loved that Honda 70.

  • January 8, 2010 7:25 AM PST
    started on a mini bike, then dirt bikes, small cc cruisers, crotch rockets now got the first but probably not last harley, 25 years, i'm the puppy on this page! haha
    • Moderator
    • 19067 posts
    January 8, 2010 7:26 AM PST
    Started in 1969, Pope AFB NC Airmen second class (two stripes) and needed cheap transportation. Honda CL50 similar to this but mine was all red...


    • 467 posts
    January 8, 2010 7:32 AM PST
    Rode behind my dad starting when I was 8 months old. He put me on my first 1200cc Sporty when I was 14. Bought my first Yamaha 650 at 16, Buell X1 Lightning at 21 and then what I have now in 02'. And I think I have found "The One"! My son also started riding with me when he was 8 months old, and hopefully this tradition will continue.
  • January 8, 2010 8:33 AM PST
    My first ride was a 1948 Cushman Huskey with a 2 speed transmission. for $35 at 13. Ohio changed the law for scooters to 16 yrs old in January, my birth month. I had put all of the basket parts together and was not going to let it set for two yrs. that was 51 years ago. It was followed by Suzuki T10 250, Moto Guzzi 850 Eldorado, Suzuki Savage and now Suzuki Boulevard C90 Dressed.  Forgot the 185 Suzuki dirt bike time with the Guzzi, it don't burn like scratchfalt.  
  • January 8, 2010 8:35 AM PST
    i've been riding for 37 years started off on mini bikes moved up to a Honda S-90 at 15 rode it till the cops caught on as i raced around the block drove the folks next door crazy.got the first Harley and then they really loved me drag pipes and all
    • 601 posts
    January 8, 2010 9:11 AM PST
    Riding now 34 years (28 legally) started on Yamaha AS 3. never sat behind the wheel of a car in my life.Never intend to either.
  • g
    January 8, 2010 9:32 AM PST
    had ma full licence now for 15yrs but ive been on bikes for about 21yrs ,but im still young ,lol
    • 190 posts
    January 8, 2010 9:44 AM PST
    damn damn damn...all those wonderful memories come floodin back...My first buijke at the tender age of 17 was a monstrously orange ol honda hawk 400. kickstart and all. Then on to a kawa GPZ 550 and then to a CB650 Special. I loved that first bike! back then full of piss and vinegar and wnted nothin more than to be an 81....hmmm. i miss those days..
  • January 8, 2010 9:53 AM PST
    rode my first bike in 1968. a Triumph Bonneville..my first bike was a 1968 Yamaha 350.....God, has it really been 42 yrs ago? don't feel a day over 58!!!
  • January 8, 2010 10:24 AM PST
    Got my first bike at 16, 78 Honda Hawk 400.Motorcycles were forbidden in my house so I kept it at a girlfriends house till an 18 wheeler hit me.Hospital had to call back 3 times because my mom said I was in school and didn't own a motorcycle! Rode until 27 when I got married.Wife didn't like me riding so gave it up for 15 years.Got 05 Sportster in winter 06.Now my wife rides too!She is on her second bike in two years and the one she just got is her first Harley:-) as she outgrew(wanted a Harley) her starter bike.Man time does change things!
    • 190 posts
    January 8, 2010 12:06 PM PST
    Did get my license till 30, then finally got a bike at 31. Rode a Kawi Eliminator 124 for the msf course, then once with my dads '86 heritage, now I have my superglide.
  • January 8, 2010 2:59 PM PST
    Started riding at 16 on an old 67 BSA 650 chopper rode it till 89 then graduated up to a flh bagger I am 50 now
    still riding it and getting older
  • January 8, 2010 3:00 PM PST
    Started riding at 16 on an old 67 BSA 650 chopper rode it till 89 then graduated up to a flh bagger I am 50 now
    still riding it and getting older
  • January 8, 2010 3:25 PM PST
    Oh, I'm such a newby. I got my first bike at age 56. I'm now 57. Plan on riding as long as I can throw my leg over it and sit up without having to bungie cord myself to it.
  • January 8, 2010 4:13 PM PST
    I've been riding since 1974. I learned to ride on a 1965 65cc Honda, got my license, bought a 400cc Kawasaki and have been riding ever since.
  • MJ
    • 35 posts
    January 8, 2010 4:19 PM PST
    Started riding dirt bikes around the age of 10 to 16. Rode on the back of HD's for years and finially got my own bike at the tender age of 40.