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Riding Milestone

How long have you been riding?

  • 0-4 Years

    Votes: 13 19.7%
  • 5-9 Years

    Votes: 10 15.2%
  • 10-14 Years

    Votes: 5 7.6%
  • 15-19 Years

    Votes: 1 1.5%
  • 20-24 Years

    Votes: 5 7.6%
  • 25-29 Years

    Votes: 2 3.0%
  • 30-34 Years

    Votes: 6 9.1%
  • 35-39 Years

    Votes: 6 9.1%
  • 40+ Years

    Votes: 18 27.3%

  • Total voters
    66

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I wanted to find the picture and post it last night, but other duties called. As it turns out, yesterday marked the 10 year anniversary of my first motorcycle purchase. Ihad done my research, taken the MSF class and decided on a Kawasaki Vulcan 500. I found a 2003 model at the local dealer and called the bank. We negotiated what I thought was a fair price and I rode off into the sunset. If I can find the picture, I'll put it up here soon.

I'm curious now. How long have you been riding and what was your first bike?
 
Well, I started riding when I was 18 years old, when I was 23, got married, had kids and went on a 25 year hiatus, until 9 years ago. Since then, I have ridden over 155,000 miles (in the last 9 years and don't ride much in the winter).
My first bike was a 73 Honda CB350, my next bike was a 74 Honda CB 360 (both bought used in the late 70s). 9 Years ago I purchased a Suzuki GZ250, put 11,000 miles on it in 6 months (including a 2500 mile bike trip in 5 days). I then purchased a new Suzuki C50 Boulevard; now with 76,000+ miles-my commute bike to work on the superslab. In 2009, purchased a new 2009 BMW G650GS, put 32,000+ miles on it before I traded it for the 2013 NC700x. Oh, I also have a 2009 Kawa KLX250SF I keep in a garage in Florida when I go visit the wife.
 
I don't know how you wish the parametres to be set- strictly licenced on pavement riding, or cumulative and all encompassing, including all the years prior?

I started riding at about 7 and rode dirt bikes for about 6 years before getting my street licence, and I dare say I had a few of learned things under my belt by then, like how every single different type of crash feels, lol :D

My first purchased with my own money bike, was a brand new 1977 Honda XR75. RCMP officers of the time will attest that I indeed, rode it on the street and highway. oops busted :eek:

First licenced and street legal bike was my 1979 dualsport Honda XL185S, followed by a 1980 CB400T Hawk, as my first true street bike.

Got my M/C learners permit in Alberta at 14, and pretty much rode my XL185 on the street all of 1979 at 15 until I turned 16 and got my full British Columbia M/C licence. Didn't get a car driver's licence until I was near 30.


*scrolls though abacus*

I guess that puts it at roughly 39 years for actual licenced M/C operation, and 6 years for dirtbikes prior- so a total 45-ish years out of my 53.

I can't wait to hear OCR and other vets bring their early days to the party, and show us still wet behind the ears newbs the real deal :D
 
45 years for me.

My parents would not allow motorcycles, so I had to leave home first. This does not count the one I stole and kept hidden in the woods behind my house. I have repented and am a better person now. My first legally owned bike was a 1971 Honda SL125. After that followed a 1971 SL350. Then a 1972 CB500, then a 1975 GL1000. I had the 183rd Gold Wing in the USA. A Suzuki RM370 an RM 400 came along while the GL1000 was in-house. Then the GL1000 got traded in on a 1977 BMW R100RS that I still have (in boxes). A 1978 Belgium Police R100RS came to live with the '77 RS. I sold the '78 RS and the RM400 to fund a move from Tennessee to Georgia. The '77 RS served me until a 1991 ST1100 came along. When I determined that I was unable to keep it below 100 miles per hour I sold it and bought a 1993 R100GS/PD. The PD got quickly traded for a 1992 R100RT that served me until I bought a 2004 R1150R. I bought a 2009 Yamaha TMax on a lark and later traded it in another lark for the 2012 NC700x. In 2010 I acquired the 1976 R75/6 of a friend who passed away. I gave it to my son last year. In 2014 I added a 1992 R100RS and in 2015 a 2012 R1200GS Rallye. The R1150R got sold last month.
 
Actually the poll question is flawed.

I started riding 25 years ago....but I did not ride a bike all those years, every year.

I did ride at least 15+ years while the balance was taken up by "I was bikeless" or "I was way too busy".

Now how do we report that?
 
OCR to the white phone, paging OCR to the white phone....LOL

About me again, if you have not read it before.

I first got on Buddy Sadler's Sears Moped in July 1958. Even though I was on the rear rack, I knew this was for me. The next day I was at the Cushman Dealership three blocks from my home, bothering the owner of the one man dealership. After hanging around 8 hours per day for a week, the owner agreed to let me work for free and knowledge, and I became the only employee at the Cushman Dealership. The next month, I was totally surprised the first day of 7th grade when I walked into my homeroom science class to see the owner of the little Cushman shop was also my science teacher.

After high school my friends and neighbors sent me a letter. These folks were nice enough to send me to helicopter flight school, and gave me a one year all expense paid trip to Southeast Asia. I flew helicopters as a member of the 1st Air Cavalry in Viet Nam. Heck, I even bought a Honda press frame 90cc when in Viet Nam. Why heck, when I left Viet Nam those nice folks gave me a Bronze Star, and 23 Air Metals.

After Viet Nam and 4 ½ years service in the Army, my friends and neighbors were nice enough to give me a GI bill for college. So, I went to college and the nice people at University of Houston gave me a degree.

While in college I figured the family and I had to eat, and the nice people at the Houston Police Department gave me a job. What a great job, I got to ride motorcycles and fly helicopters. So, I stayed for 21 ½ years before I retired.

Being the other police officers didn’t want to work night shift, the Houston Police Department was nice enough to let me work night shift. So, being I was off work during the day and evening, in 1981 Farmers Insurance was nice enough to send me to their Insurance University, and the State of Texas was nice enough to give me all my insurance licenses, and I started my insurance agency.

In 1997 the nice people at Yamaha were nice enough to give me a dealership. The nice folks that came by the dealership to visit, bought so many Yamaha motorcycles, ATVs, and watercraft that before long Honda, Suzuki, and Kymco all gave me dealerships. So, for 17 years I sold insurance and motorsports products at the same location. What made this job so sweet, besides shop rides, I got to ride so many different kinds of used motorcycles 100 miles every day, 6 days a week, to and from work . Also, these motorcycle companies would send me to other counties to ride motorcycles. All I had to do was just win their sales contests. What a great job!

Then in 2012, the nice people of the city came in one day and wanted to purchase all my property for a new city hall. So, I just sold these nice folks everything. Now I’ve got the best job ever, Retired!


I bought my Honda NC700X in January of 2013. The New Concept 700x is the only motorcycle ever made by any motorcycle company to be designed to obtain "high miles per gallon" (64 Miles per Gallon). Yes, the bike is down on power, it has a rev delimiter that cuts off spark to the spark plug if you try to drive to fast, and most folks have a hard time imagining a motorcycle that quite often will not run the speed limit. However, while riding "Nana Chou" (I named my bike in Japanese "Grand Mother Butterfly") and I have now gone to Daytona bike week (three times), Key West (three times), Canada (Two Times), Alaska (Two Times), Maine's leaf colors, U.S. Highway 1 (East Coast), California Highway 1 (Two Times) and 101 (West Coast), I-10 from one end of this county to the other end (Three times), I-95 from one to the other end, I-45 from one end to the other (6 Times), Redwood Forest, Golden Gate Bridge, Pikes Peak (Two Times), Million Dollar Highway (Two Times), Texas Blue Bonnet Independence Trail (6 Times), Lone Star Rally (Every year), Texas Hill country, Three Twisted Sisters a few times, Arkansas Pig Trail (twice),Anacortes, Washington, Arkansas Scenic 7 (twice), and Arkansas Hillbilly Hangout (twice), Baja - Mexico, Deal's Gap (Tail of Dragon), Appomattox, Sturgis, Cooper Canyon, Mexico - all since purchasing this bike. Currently over 90,000 miles. To see the videos of my adventures in YouTube, go to "Adventures of Nana Chou". The only problems I had,were solved with accessories.

And last but not lease, when Blue Knights VI started, they made me a charter member. Now, Blue Knights XXXI which is near my home have also made me a member.

But more important than anything else, is I have been lucky enough to be married to my wife for almost 50 years. With our 4 kids, she has been nice enough to travel with me on some adventures, and to put up with all my adventures over all these years..

What a wonderful life!
 
Flawed or not, define it how you want. I found the commemorative calendar the dealership gave me when I bought the Kawasaki. This is me just after signing the paperwork.

Vulcan.jpg

I had many adventures on that bike in the two years I owned it. I sold it to my ex-girlfriend's little brother, got him hooked on riding and he passed it along to one of his buddies who, in turn, did the same. It was like the Friendship Bread of motorcycles.

For OCR and all the other veterans here, thank you. While I was unable to serve, I have many friends who have, in all branches. Two cousins served in Vietnam, one also flying helicopters. Just the other day, I saw a picture online of two soldiers, one carrying the other while the wounded one kept on shooting. The caption was something like, before you make any assumptions about that old man who wears his VFW hat all the time, just remember that there was a time when he was way more badass than you'll ever be. True statement. Here's to all those who were and continue to be more badass than I will ever be.
 
I started riding in 1970 with a Honda Z50 Mini Trail. I got a paper route and needed a bike that could keep up with small town traffic so my dad traded the 50 for a Mini Trail 70. I then moved up to a Honda Scramber 175. I traded it for a Kawasaki 175 enduro. In due time I bought a car and sold the motorcycle around 1975. I did not own a motorcycle for about 20 years though I had friends with them and rode one every now and then. In 1995 I had a Honda CL200 for about a year. My dad bought it new in 1975, rode it for 2 years and stored it for 18. I brought it to life and I was back in the hunt for another bike but with a wife and two small children I did not get one. 20 years later in 2005 I bought a beater Nighthawk 750 "to see if I still liked riding". I was immediately hooked again and rapidly bought and sold a Honda 750 Aero, VTX1300 and a ST1300. I still have the 1300 now with 161,000 miles. Alongside the ST1300 I had in succession a 1999 VFR, 1981 BMW R100, Honda CB160, CB350, Suzuki DR200, Cub 70, Honda Express 50 and an Elite 80. I kept the BMW for 40,000 miles and sold it for a 2012 NC700X manual. I traded it after 2 years for a Triumph Tiger 800 and had seller's remorse for 11 months until trading it for another NC700X this time a DCT model. Since 1970 I've ridden about 300,000 miles.
 
First bike: my dad traded a rifle for a 1978 Yamaha GT80 for my 11th birthday in 1981

Favorite bike: 1979 Suzuki GS100L bought used in 1993 for $800

Only brand new bike: 2014 Honda NC700X
 
1.jpg

Brand new 1984 Kawasaki GPz 550, three weeks in and I locked up the rear wheel and slid under the front bumper of a car that turned left in front of me. The guy never got out of his car and told the police I must have been going awfully fast. An older man, I'll never forget his name Louis Zuckerman. It's okay Louis, RIP, where ever you are.
 
I started in 1970. Was in Junior high. My dad bought me a brand new Honda QA50.... Rode it till the backbone broke in half....
 
I'll represent the newb team then. I went up to the hills with a friend who had a 50 cc dirt bike. For some reason back then it was ok for 10 year olds to play outdoors unsupervised. What could possibly go wrong.. Two years later when an uncle asked if I wanted to ride his 125cc trail bike mom found out what I had been doing. She was convinced I didn't know how to ride as I had no access to a bike...somehow was able to ride it away...

I had always be motorcycle curious but never gotten serious about.

In 2015 went to Tainan in Taiwan where there were so many two wheeled vehicles. I thought what would it be like to be part of that. Mentioned it to my spouse and she said I should do it. June I got my license. Already researched bikes to death and thought the NC700 was the best option for me. Practical, good on gas, built in case...perfect. Bought the 2013 NC700S used 2 days after getting my license.

In the first year have put on about 11,000 km mostly commuting. Learned about wet weather, cold weather, first crash/fall, motorcycle repair.

Enjoying the obsession :)
 
My first bike was a Suzuki TC100. The bike was given to me by my grandfather which used it to hunt his land in Washington state. He gave it to me when I was 16 so that would make it 1981. I had a PI (Post Intelligencer) route at the time and used that bike to deliver papers at 0500 until I was caught by the local police. Luckily, dad was a local cop too and I was caught by one of his friends. Thankfully, he did not tell dad. LOL

I bought my first bike with my own funds in 1987. I was a single soldier in the army and finally had the funds to make a purchase. I bought a lightly used 1986 VF500F (Interceptor). I think that was the year of the bike. Might have been 1987. That bike was my sole mode of transportation for two years as I rode all around the Ft. Lewis area.

I am very thankful to be 51 years old and still riding. I don't see an end to that anytime in the near future. I honestly can't see myself not riding even if I primarily commute.
 
Lots of old farts here, and of course OCR is their (our) king!
The poll is far from methodical but I still find it agrees with my anecdotal view that the NC700X appeals to two groups: newer riders building experience and older riders with lots of experience. Probably something to that.
 
You hear of all these 3D, HD, and "no D" movies out there where the entire screen freezes and one person walks through, or something like that.
What I read above was that every single one of you could have made a good movie from your lives!!
(Now that you know that, start to determine who will or would (someone from years ago) play you!!)
(Clint Eastwood playing OCR?????)

One thing that sticks out is that most of the NC owners are not people that had to have the huge high CC engine bikes.
Most, if not all of you, enjoyed the smaller or mid-size bikes.
Yes, some would throw a bigger bike in there.
But only occasionally.
And I see several BMW riders that seem content with the NC.
(Honestly, I want to go to the BMW/Triumph dealership and test ride the BMW R1200R and the R1200RT.)
I do not believe anyone from above was a Harley rider.

For myself (I break that type I just spoke of!):
First bike was a 1976 Honda CB360T.
Then, Yamaha Virago 750 (1982)
Sold it.
Then bought, ..... another 80's Yamaha Virago 750 (1999)
Onto a 1992 Honda Shadow 1100 bought in 2002 (still have it!)
2008 Yamaha Tour Deluxe 1300CC (my wife and my favorite!)
Traded the Tour in for a 2013 Triumph Rocket III Touring 2300CC (did so in July 2012).
Bought a 2008 Harley Davidson Sportster on Memorial Day 2013 and by Labor Day 2013 had enough of it and traded it in for a 2013 Honda NC700X.
Traded the Triumph Rocket III Touring in for a 2015 Triumph Tiger 800 XRx (July 2015).
Presently have the 1992 Shadow, 2013 NC700X, and the 2015 Triumph Tiger XRx.
I started riding in 1977 at 17 YOA and am still riding today at 54 (about to hit the speed limit this July!)

Next Poll: Who would play you in the movie about your life!!

God bless!!

Michael
 
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