GVH
Well-known member
1987 age 20 365 Learner permit on a Monday test on the Friday. Shop owner who cert my $550 1977 CJ360T taught me how to start stop and shift. Also turned up the idle so i couldn't stall it during the test.
At what age did you start riding?
- Thread starter Lightcycle
- Start date
Started on a Keystone minibike at around 12 I think. Upgraded to a Suzuki TS125 at 15. Still remember, it was $995 all in from Brampton Cycle and CIBC wouldnt let me withdraw $1000 from my own savings account. I had to get my dad to go in with me to get the money. He drove me straight from the bank to Brampton Cycle so I wouldnt have any issues buying it myself. Rode it back home to Malton through back streets and fields (yes, there wasnt much between Brampton and Malton back then)
My older brother was ****** because they wouldnt let him have a bike (or pellet gun). The deal with my parents always was we could buy what we wanted as long as it was legal and paid for with our own money. I had saved my cash from paper routes and grocery store jobs to buy that bike. My brother blew all his on girls and whatever. He wasnt terribly trustworthy.
My older brother was ****** because they wouldnt let him have a bike (or pellet gun). The deal with my parents always was we could buy what we wanted as long as it was legal and paid for with our own money. I had saved my cash from paper routes and grocery store jobs to buy that bike. My brother blew all his on girls and whatever. He wasnt terribly trustworthy.
Started fooling around with friends Rupp mini and a Yamaha 50 around 14 years old,got my licence at Warden and Eglington at 16 riding a Suzuki TS 185 two stroke.Have been riding street or dirt ever since.
took the weekend course in Stoney Creek
40 mph downwind, downhill smoking like a chimney.
First year of uni - was 17 ...just passed my 60th year riding this year
Never have passed a motorcycle test as grandfathered in including here in Aus.
I'm also aiming for riding at 80. Many bikes since that Allstate. First real bike was
Honda 305 Superhawk, excellent machine. Rode it all year round in St Catherines mild winters.
Off road and on, blizzard be damned.
Good memories.
One of the best bikes came later
RD400
One of the first with cast wheels - rode that all over Ontario visiting audio dealers. Lots of memories.
Then a break for kids. Don't recall what happened to the RD
Dirty Frank
Well-known member
Had a uncle that i think did not care for my father too much buy me a Z50 for Christmas when i was 5
Ruined me for life.
Ruined me for life.
Loved 🏍 and 
as a kid, but was told then under no uncertain terms that I'm disowned if I ever get a bike. Once I got a real job and moved out, the 🏍 itch came back, but I procrastinated for a few years, and finally took the now defunct centennial college course when I was 37. First bike I rode is a CBR300R on that course, managed to drop that and a CB300 
. My mom still has no idea I ride.
as a kid, but was told then under no uncertain terms that I'm disowned if I ever get a bike. Once I got a real job and moved out, the 🏍 itch came back, but I procrastinated for a few years, and finally took the now defunct centennial college course when I was 37. First bike I rode is a CBR300R on that course, managed to drop that and a CB300 . My mom still has no idea I ride.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I started at 8 years old on an Arctic Cat mini bike. A friends dad worked at a local motorcycle shop, he’d bring a couple of bikes and setup a pylon course in the parking lot at Fairview mall on Sunday’s. The kids would ride, the dads drank beer.
At 12 I got a new but wrecked RuppRoadster from Snow City. An old Italian army mechanic next door helped me rebuild it. Me and a few buddies travelled miles from home (Dorset Park) using the rail and hydro ROWs.
At 14 I moved to Markham, back then you could ride dirt bikes on the roads between home and local sand and gravel quarries.
At 12 I got a new but wrecked RuppRoadster from Snow City. An old Italian army mechanic next door helped me rebuild it. Me and a few buddies travelled miles from home (Dorset Park) using the rail and hydro ROWs.
At 14 I moved to Markham, back then you could ride dirt bikes on the roads between home and local sand and gravel quarries.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Cool mom.
Around 5 or 6, Honda CT70. I remember my feet could barely reach the ground - it's one of those core memories.
I loved that bike and rode the wheels off of it. When my parents sold their park-model trailer where it was situated and moved on from that segment of their life, that bike I grew up riding was sold to another fellow in the park and I never saw it again. I didn't even realize he'd bought it from my dad, for that matter...it was just one of those things that disappeared.
About 10 years ago we were back at the park again visiting some friends (we were a founding member of this particular park, so we are technically lifetime members) and low and behold, there was the bike.
I managed to get it running (it had not aged gracefully, wasn't treated particularly well unfortunately) and not only took a ride on it again for old times sake, but took my daughter for a little ride as well. It was a little bit magical, gotta say.
I loved that bike and rode the wheels off of it. When my parents sold their park-model trailer where it was situated and moved on from that segment of their life, that bike I grew up riding was sold to another fellow in the park and I never saw it again. I didn't even realize he'd bought it from my dad, for that matter...it was just one of those things that disappeared.
About 10 years ago we were back at the park again visiting some friends (we were a founding member of this particular park, so we are technically lifetime members) and low and behold, there was the bike.
I managed to get it running (it had not aged gracefully, wasn't treated particularly well unfortunately) and not only took a ride on it again for old times sake, but took my daughter for a little ride as well. It was a little bit magical, gotta say.
I found some of the photos. Turns out it was 2012 from the date stamps.
Don't mind the total squid crap going on here between me and my daughter, this was not planned in the least but when I spotted it, I was NOT passing up the opportunity to not only ride my childhood motorcycle again, but to take my daughter on it as well. The thing barely ran, we never got over a jogging pace lol.
When I found out that the fellow who bought it was also moving out of the park some time later I tried desperately to get him to sell it to me, but he wanted to keep it for his grandkids and I couldn't convince him otherwise.
I should try to track it down again. He passed away a few years ago but I'm positively I can still find some of the family. I'd totally fix it up and put it on the road for that matter. THAT was the bike that put motorcycles in my blood.
Don't mind the total squid crap going on here between me and my daughter, this was not planned in the least but when I spotted it, I was NOT passing up the opportunity to not only ride my childhood motorcycle again, but to take my daughter on it as well. The thing barely ran, we never got over a jogging pace lol.
When I found out that the fellow who bought it was also moving out of the park some time later I tried desperately to get him to sell it to me, but he wanted to keep it for his grandkids and I couldn't convince him otherwise.
I should try to track it down again. He passed away a few years ago but I'm positively I can still find some of the family. I'd totally fix it up and put it on the road for that matter. THAT was the bike that put motorcycles in my blood.
matt365
Well-known member
Rode a childhood friends mini bike in a pit when we were 10. Always wanted bikes, but parents were against it.
Bought a friends old 1985 yamaha fj600 for $1200 when I was 19. The bike had 13 owners by the time I got it.
24 years, and 17 bikes later.
I enjoyed most of those 17 bikes. There was a couple turds in the mix, but most were good in their own way.
Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk
Bought a friends old 1985 yamaha fj600 for $1200 when I was 19. The bike had 13 owners by the time I got it.
24 years, and 17 bikes later.
I enjoyed most of those 17 bikes. There was a couple turds in the mix, but most were good in their own way.
Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk
As a kid, a friends parents bought him a Honda 50 and would let me ride once in a while. I loved it.
Fast forward to when I am 19 and my ex BIL had a Yamaha Seca that he never rode and I had a burning desire. He said, get your learners and take it for the summer. I did that the very next day and rode for most of the summer. Had a very close call that was totally my fault. Lack of experience, awareness, maturity all wrapped up into one and I realized that I was just not ready.
But, I still admired and would stop and watch anyone that would ride and that burning desire came back. I was 30 with 3 kids and that itch was wicked but funds were tight. At 35, I just stopped denying myself the pleasure and jumped in.
Fast forward to when I am 19 and my ex BIL had a Yamaha Seca that he never rode and I had a burning desire. He said, get your learners and take it for the summer. I did that the very next day and rode for most of the summer. Had a very close call that was totally my fault. Lack of experience, awareness, maturity all wrapped up into one and I realized that I was just not ready.
But, I still admired and would stop and watch anyone that would ride and that burning desire came back. I was 30 with 3 kids and that itch was wicked but funds were tight. At 35, I just stopped denying myself the pleasure and jumped in.
Malks
Well-known member
It was a natural progression for me from a bicycle to a motorcycle. At 14 I acquired an old 50cc Honda step-through that didn't run. I tinkered with it enough that I was able to get it running. My friends and I took turns riding around the island in the centre of Cabot Court in Etobicoke until it finally stopped working. I never did get it going again, but I was hooked.
Next up was a 100cc Kawasaki Enduro that I bought before my 16th birthday. I would push it over to an empty lot next to the Westwood theatre (current site of 22 Division) and ride around there for hours practicing for my M licence test. One day I got tired of pushing it over there and decided to ride. I was doing great until I reverted to pushing it across a pedestrian crossover in front of a police cruiser. We had a nice chat and after I told him I was practicing for my road test he made me push it back home. It was a different time then. Anyway, I took and passed my test before the end of June 1971 up at the Keele/401 centre. I didn't even bother to get a G licence until I was 19. No money to buy a car and no need for it until I started a job that required me to drive a company vehicle.
Next up was a 100cc Kawasaki Enduro that I bought before my 16th birthday. I would push it over to an empty lot next to the Westwood theatre (current site of 22 Division) and ride around there for hours practicing for my M licence test. One day I got tired of pushing it over there and decided to ride. I was doing great until I reverted to pushing it across a pedestrian crossover in front of a police cruiser. We had a nice chat and after I told him I was practicing for my road test he made me push it back home. It was a different time then. Anyway, I took and passed my test before the end of June 1971 up at the Keele/401 centre. I didn't even bother to get a G licence until I was 19. No money to buy a car and no need for it until I started a job that required me to drive a company vehicle.
Late 60's early 70's my Dad built minibikes for me and my two oldest sisters. Before he built guards I caught my finger in the chain turning off the choke. It stalled the bike with my finger 1/2 way round the sprocket. We were down the street at a neighbour's house and it took a while for her to find some tools Dad could use to free my finger. I got hospital, a cast(?) a finger that still doesn't straighten correctly and is first to feel the cold.
Oh and of course a life long love for motorbikes.
Oh and of course a life long love for motorbikes.
Who wants to know? A thread about motorcycles....!!
Sure beats 10 more about politics.
The bike in the photos above was crashed more than a few times by first timers trying to ride for their first time.
I remember my dad putting some family member on it one time and explaining how easy it was to ride since it was a semi automatic, no clutch, just three up and away you went.
They proceeded to whiskey throttle it in first gear and then shifted to second without releasing the throttle. It was at that moment that we discovered that yes, even a Trail 70 can wheelie, directly into a pine tree.
