What was your first bike?
Discussion
I bought my first bike at 16 from another apprentice toolmaker. It was a BSA beaver. I think this was an Italian made unrestricted moped (good enough for 50 MPH)that was made after BSA went into one of it's periodic stays in administration.
Like many a callow youth I had no lessons and learnt the hard way to ride. I crashed this bike often and eventually went to sell it expecting £50 or thereabouts given the condition. I was shocked at the number of grown men who charged across the UK to view it and had an impromptu auction outside my parents house. I got more than I paid for it which was weird.
Here is a pic of someone else's beaver. http://classic-motorbikes.net/images/gallery/bsa-b...
Since then I have ridden a load of MZ's, Kawasaki GT550's, Honda ST1100's and currently have a BMW R1100GS which is being revived after a 5 years spell in my garage.I have a few sorn issues to address and await permission to post in Speed, Plod and the law.
Like many a callow youth I had no lessons and learnt the hard way to ride. I crashed this bike often and eventually went to sell it expecting £50 or thereabouts given the condition. I was shocked at the number of grown men who charged across the UK to view it and had an impromptu auction outside my parents house. I got more than I paid for it which was weird.
Here is a pic of someone else's beaver. http://classic-motorbikes.net/images/gallery/bsa-b...
Since then I have ridden a load of MZ's, Kawasaki GT550's, Honda ST1100's and currently have a BMW R1100GS which is being revived after a 5 years spell in my garage.I have a few sorn issues to address and await permission to post in Speed, Plod and the law.
Any pics to offer? Particularly the MZ's - I like the history surrounding MZ
My first was a scooter, peugot speedfight 100. Proverbial death-trap. My proper first was my current SV650. The first bike I ever rode was a KMX125, but the bike I really learned to ride on was an XL125 (with a non-operational front brake). I cut my wheelie lessons on a C90.
My first was a scooter, peugot speedfight 100. Proverbial death-trap. My proper first was my current SV650. The first bike I ever rode was a KMX125, but the bike I really learned to ride on was an XL125 (with a non-operational front brake). I cut my wheelie lessons on a C90.
I owned a lot of MZ's. The first was a TS125 that I bought from Carl Rosner's in Sanderstead Surrey. This was the day of the Clapham rail disaster, I was shook up about missing the crash itself due to being on the early train from Coulsdon to Victoria and left work early but the journey home took nearly three hours.
Sanderstead was the closest station I could get to my home and the bike shop was just outside the station. I wrote a load of £50 cheques with a guarantee card and cashed in my season ticket to pay for it.
This bike seemed to be built out of old East German tanks. With decent tyres it was quite usable and took the abuse a 17 year old could dish out quite well.
I later became a motorcycle courier and bought two MZ ETZ 251’s from Kickstart Motorcycles in Burnt Ash Hill in Lee.
They were quick, cheap and unreliable.
Once you waterproofed the electrics they became ok, just. The kick start was a pain, in fact cold starting them was a pain. I put a lot of miles on these two bikes and stupidly bought two more when they conked out. I should have spent my money on something better with an electric start.
I miss the smell of two stroke oil burning, it reminds me of those years.
Do you mean first road bike or first offroad bike?!
Surprised you found your MZs unreliable! My old man had a couple of ETZ250s when I was a kid, we went all over the place on them without any issues! I remember once riding across the Fens on the back of it with a hurricane blowing and it hailing. We had to stop and both hide in a phone box as we were both getting a headache from the hail on our crash helmets. To be fair it didn't slow us down much when we stopped as the headwind all but stopped us anyway
Surprised you found your MZs unreliable! My old man had a couple of ETZ250s when I was a kid, we went all over the place on them without any issues! I remember once riding across the Fens on the back of it with a hurricane blowing and it hailing. We had to stop and both hide in a phone box as we were both getting a headache from the hail on our crash helmets. To be fair it didn't slow us down much when we stopped as the headwind all but stopped us anyway
Honda SS50 at 16. Took the RAC/ACU training course and then took (and passed) my moped test which in those days was the same as the bike test. Still managed to fall off a few times but thankfully without injury.
The moped test caused no end of grief with plod who at the time seemed to believe you couldn't ride a moped without L-plates. I very occasionally used to carry a pillion passenger too - and that used to really upset plod in spite of it being totally legal.
The moped test caused no end of grief with plod who at the time seemed to believe you couldn't ride a moped without L-plates. I very occasionally used to carry a pillion passenger too - and that used to really upset plod in spite of it being totally legal.
srob said:
Do you mean first road bike or first offroad bike?!
Surprised you found your MZs unreliable! My old man had a couple of ETZ250s when I was a kid, we went all over the place on them without any issues! I remember once riding across the Fens on the back of it with a hurricane blowing and it hailing. We had to stop and both hide in a phone box as we were both getting a headache from the hail on our crash helmets. To be fair it didn't slow us down much when we stopped as the headwind all but stopped us anyway
Well after 30,000 miles they got a few issues. Surprised you found your MZs unreliable! My old man had a couple of ETZ250s when I was a kid, we went all over the place on them without any issues! I remember once riding across the Fens on the back of it with a hurricane blowing and it hailing. We had to stop and both hide in a phone box as we were both getting a headache from the hail on our crash helmets. To be fair it didn't slow us down much when we stopped as the headwind all but stopped us anyway
I should not have expected too much. The gear box was vulnerable especially if you did not change the oil too regularly. . I am a rubbish mechanic. 
My first big bike was a brand new Yamaha YZF600 Thundercat, which I tracked at Brands about 8 months after getting it and slid off at Clearways, bending a fork leg in the process. Shortly after getting the fork leg straightened, I crashed it on the road and it barrel rolled itself to death.
Here it is just a few months before writing it off.
Here it is just a few months before writing it off.
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