If you choose to, please elaborate where you started riding? City or rural? Course or taught by friend/family?
At what age did you start riding?
- Thread starter Lightcycle
- Start date
First attempt was when still living at home. Got license, parents freaked out…so M2 license lapsed.
Attempt 2 was early 30s when I was living on my own. Parents freaked out (they still do) but 14 years of motoring.
Only did the Humber course to date.
Attempt 2 was early 30s when I was living on my own. Parents freaked out (they still do) but 14 years of motoring.
Only did the Humber course to date.
Lots of bicycles as a kid. First ride on a dirtbike at maybe 6? A family friend had a 50 with ropes on it. The mom would stand in the centre of a circle holding the ropes and the kid would ride around the circle. The ropes were backup in case the kid made poor choices. They had a deep rut worn in their lawn. Grew up rural but parents were anti-motorbike. Borrowed a CT70 from a buddy in university for a summer and rode that thing everywhere. Gas bill was ~one cent per minute. Bought my first street bike from my boss the next summer.
M1X course and M2X course.
M1X course and M2X course.
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KenC
Well-known member
City (Downtown Toronto), weekend course @ Humber shortly after (I was 19 on a Honda CBX250).
You've got 20 twice ... as well as 30, 40, etc but I assumed the same pattern as you started with and voted that way.
50 for me ... tried at 18 but no bueno from the folks. Someone across the street had a Vulcan 900 with V&H's on them ... always been a sucker for a good sounding vehicle of any kind. I also ended up getting a V900 used as my first bike.
50 for me ... tried at 18 but no bueno from the folks. Someone across the street had a Vulcan 900 with V&H's on them ... always been a sucker for a good sounding vehicle of any kind. I also ended up getting a V900 used as my first bike.
Sochi
Well-known member
It was my Canadian dream became reality.
Started here in GTA, still remember @Lightcycle riding his GS500F like it was yesterday
Started here in GTA, still remember @Lightcycle riding his GS500F like it was yesterday
i-WERKS
Well-known member
I got my M2 in my late 20s, got married, had a kid and put off getting a bike and let my M2 expire without ever buying a bike. 9 years ago while cleaning out the basement, I came across the motorcycle boots I had bought for my safety course. Brand new condition of course. My first thought was to sell them but then thought, if I decide to sell them, I'm also deciding to not ever get into riding motorcycles.
I went upstairs with the boots in hand and bravely told my wife I'm getting a bike. She told me "i don't think so". I took a deep breath and courageously responded with, "I'm not asking, I'm giving you a heads up.".
Wife still hates it but tolerates it because of how much I love it.
I went upstairs with the boots in hand and bravely told my wife I'm getting a bike. She told me "i don't think so". I took a deep breath and courageously responded with, "I'm not asking, I'm giving you a heads up.".
Wife still hates it but tolerates it because of how much I love it.
Started on motorized 2 wheels on dirt in BC along trails late teens/20s.
Lusted for street bike since I was old enough to sit on a bike. Family and friends all rode something.
The 70s and 80s, anything on two wheels was a marvel to me. Cruisers, dirt, street, super sport. Maybe not so much a touring machine like a gold wing etc.
When it didn’t have a motor, I was riding a bicycle everywhere and trying to crash with class. Banana seat red stripe tires with tassels from bar grips jumping home made ramps with wood from a local lumber yard. Dirt hills and trails by the river. BMX to follow.
Wasn’t much of a Harley guy. It was BSA, Yamaha, Kawi, Honda and Ducati. PS, I’ve now owned many HDs lol
But, I’m not a Toronto/GTA person. Lived in Brampton from 2001 until 2006 and worked in Etobicoke. Lived mostly SW Ontario or Niagara.
Lusted for street bike since I was old enough to sit on a bike. Family and friends all rode something.
The 70s and 80s, anything on two wheels was a marvel to me. Cruisers, dirt, street, super sport. Maybe not so much a touring machine like a gold wing etc.
When it didn’t have a motor, I was riding a bicycle everywhere and trying to crash with class. Banana seat red stripe tires with tassels from bar grips jumping home made ramps with wood from a local lumber yard. Dirt hills and trails by the river. BMX to follow.
Wasn’t much of a Harley guy. It was BSA, Yamaha, Kawi, Honda and Ducati. PS, I’ve now owned many HDs lol
But, I’m not a Toronto/GTA person. Lived in Brampton from 2001 until 2006 and worked in Etobicoke. Lived mostly SW Ontario or Niagara.
Around 1978 I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of a Moto Guzzi Lemans while at the Pickering Flea Market at what was then Sheridan Mall in Pickering. The poor guy who owned it chatted amicably for a few minutes then started the bike...and the deal was forever sealed.
2 years later at 15 I was the proud owner of a brand new 1980 DT 100. I had no idea how to change gears but it didn't take long. I got my MC license a month after my 16 birthday in 1981 (a year before my car license) and I have ridden continuously since.
EDIT: I grew up in North Pickering (Cherrywood) on a farm and close to plenty of trails.
2 years later at 15 I was the proud owner of a brand new 1980 DT 100. I had no idea how to change gears but it didn't take long. I got my MC license a month after my 16 birthday in 1981 (a year before my car license) and I have ridden continuously since.
EDIT: I grew up in North Pickering (Cherrywood) on a farm and close to plenty of trails.
PacoT
Well-known member
Grew up scared of motorcycles. They were killing machines and living where they don't obey traffic rules the risks were even greater.
My first experience riding a motorcycle was when I was 23-24, a friend of mine purchased a Suzuki 150 because he was going to work on the other side of the city and commuting by motorcycle reduced the time from two hours to less than one. I did a few loops around the street in front of his house and was getting used pulling the clutch and braking with my hands instead of the feet.
Shortly after, I accepted a job offer in the same part of the city. From my parents place it was a 1:30 hour drive with bumper to bumper traffic or around 40 min in motorcycle. So, I made up my mind and decided to go down the motorcycle rabbit hole. My mom was not happy about it.
I also wanted to start in a 150, in my case a Chinese or Indian brand, for the sake money being tight. But my dad's friend convinced us that it was better for me to start in a 300. So that is how I ended up with a US rebuilt title R3. For me the power difference between the 150 and the 300 was scary.
Unfortunately, I did not take a motorcycle safety course. As they were not a thing in Mexico and I was a cheap bastard. Ended up going for rides around the neighbourhood in the weekend to get up to speed. After one or two months, I got my confidence levels high enough and decided to commute to work in my bike.
My first experience riding a motorcycle was when I was 23-24, a friend of mine purchased a Suzuki 150 because he was going to work on the other side of the city and commuting by motorcycle reduced the time from two hours to less than one. I did a few loops around the street in front of his house and was getting used pulling the clutch and braking with my hands instead of the feet.
Shortly after, I accepted a job offer in the same part of the city. From my parents place it was a 1:30 hour drive with bumper to bumper traffic or around 40 min in motorcycle. So, I made up my mind and decided to go down the motorcycle rabbit hole. My mom was not happy about it.
I also wanted to start in a 150, in my case a Chinese or Indian brand, for the sake money being tight. But my dad's friend convinced us that it was better for me to start in a 300. So that is how I ended up with a US rebuilt title R3. For me the power difference between the 150 and the 300 was scary.
Unfortunately, I did not take a motorcycle safety course. As they were not a thing in Mexico and I was a cheap bastard. Ended up going for rides around the neighbourhood in the weekend to get up to speed. After one or two months, I got my confidence levels high enough and decided to commute to work in my bike.
Started at 15 years old on the streets of Toronto on a 1956 Harley hand banger. In those days you had to be 16 to drive a car but could legally ride a motorcycle on the street at 15 with no licence requirement. My goal has been to ride until at least 80 and I was on track until about a month ago when I suddenly developed heart issues which put that at risk about 18 months short of my goal.
Small town probably around 8 on dirt. M at 16 no course.
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Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
A friend's coleman chassis with a briggs engine cobbled together would be my first "ride". Plywood seat and duct tape for grips. Brakes were dragging your feet.
KX125 when I was 15 for a few years riding and racing CMRC with a 10 year hiatus from motorcycles, then my first streetbike when I was 25 years old. Mother hated every minute of it, and still does, but does appreciate the friends we've made through riding and the bond I have with my kids riding mx today.
KX125 when I was 15 for a few years riding and racing CMRC with a 10 year hiatus from motorcycles, then my first streetbike when I was 25 years old. Mother hated every minute of it, and still does, but does appreciate the friends we've made through riding and the bond I have with my kids riding mx today.
Early 20s. I mentioned to a co-worker that I was surprised at how cheap road bikes were, and I was considering getting one instead of a crappy car. They laughed at me pretty hard, so I had to show them up
Mom bought me a mint YZ50 for $275 when I was 4yrs old against my fathers wishes. Bought my eldest kiddo a new 50 when they were 2yrs old to return the favour.
My first bike was a mini bike, had a briggs and Stratton style motor in it, pull cord to get it running. I think my father bought it at sears if my guess is right. was about six yrs old and my brother was eight. of course i didn't get to ride as much as he did. looked like this
Age 12, summer of 1970, Honda CT70. Rode it around our cottage in the Laurentians and also in town (Laval).
I did odd jobs and had saved up $115 to buy a minibike. We spent summers at cottage, dad drove up on the weekend and returned home to Laval early Monday AM. One Friday he arrived, he tossed me the keys and asked me to get the groceries in the trunk. I opened the lid and there was the CT70.
I did odd jobs and had saved up $115 to buy a minibike. We spent summers at cottage, dad drove up on the weekend and returned home to Laval early Monday AM. One Friday he arrived, he tossed me the keys and asked me to get the groceries in the trunk. I opened the lid and there was the CT70.
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Gaoler
Well-known member
I don't care to remember... 'Just reminds me of how fast time goes by and how quickly we get old.
