Why did you start?

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When I was a teenager I bought my sister's moped. I bombed around Kitchener-Waterloo for the summer fully enjoying my new found freedom. When fall rolled by, my buddy took me to Guelph to check out a motorcycle auction (Royal City Cycle). I spent my last dollar to purchase a 1979 Yamaha XS 650 Special. Two weeks later I was enjoying the beach in Key West Florida for the winter. The bike purchase was on a whim....

3 bikes later, (my wife started on the first with me)...the freedom I get on two wheels is still going strong!!!
 
Real sports cars died over a decade ago.

When I realised I could get by without the need for a car, the possibility of owning a bike came into view. They haven't been softened by regulation and the poor buying habits of consumers like happened with cars, so they retain all the sportiness they ever had, and more.
 
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It was on my bucket list!!! Next is skydiving (don't tell my husband ;))!!!

When I was young, my uncle would take me for a ride on his Honda Goldwing and I would have so much fun - we would be gone for hours!!! I now ride along side of him!!
 
Ya, I'm much better now. Hey, that was my second time out and the road I turned off onto was all gravel. It was a really weird feeling when I felt the back tire slip :).

So it was either go slip sliding away and fall, or let off the throttle and glide to a stop. For a newb like myself who has had limited access to standard cars and no bike experience previously, I'm reasonably happy with my decision :).

Rod loves his bike, as I do mine. I've been at him for at least three years to consider bikes because it's something I knew would make him incredibly happy, and feed my need for something exciting. There's nothing better than 2-upping with him, and learning on my own. My poor t dub doesn't go super fast, but for my skill level right now it suits me just fine ;).

killerkeith said:
I hope she's improved more than this
[video=youtube;snZHQKizbV4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snZHQKizbV4[/video]
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In June (or was it July?), 1997, I spent two weeks in the Dominican on my "honeymoon". The only thing I remember about that two week period is riding a moped (in a little rain) for the very first time. My husband, at the time, was riding behind me, slowly. A few years ago, when mopeds started becoming more popular in this area, I would recall that feeling of freedom and excitement. I told myself I was going to get my motorcycle license. It took me a few years to get around to doing it, but I did! Riding now is not about speed, but just the enjoyment and sense of accomplishment that I did something I set out to do.
 
You're doing fine hun.... baby steps and a ton of practice and you'll be killing my 650R ;)

Orangepeel said:
Ya, I'm much better now. Hey, that was my second time out and the road I turned off onto was all gravel. It was a really weird feeling when I felt the back tire slip :).

So it was either go slip sliding away and fall, or let off the throttle and glide to a stop. For a newb like myself who has had limited access to standard cars and no bike experience previously, I'm reasonably happy with my decision :).

Rod loves his bike, as I do mine. I've been at him for at least three years to consider bikes because it's something I knew would make him incredibly happy, and feed my need for something exciting. There's nothing better than 2-upping with him, and learning on my own. My poor t dub doesn't go super fast, but for my skill level right now it suits me just fine ;).
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I always loved bikes...but never got the nerve up to go get my license..One of my best friends talked me into doing it....he basically gave me that extra push..and the rest is History... I wish I started a long time ago.. because now I can't get my *** off my bike.. I love it... Its one of the best things I have done in my life.. :)
 
I'd always wanted one and been curious about the sport...

And then, in fall 2009, my buddy took me for a ride on the back of his '04 R1. He took me on the freeway and I think he got it up to 195 km/hr.

After that, I had to have one. Not that I've ever gone that fast myself...
 
In 1987 my 1973 beetle was $1700 insurance and the 1977 CJ360T I traded it for was only $350 a year. Never had a bike or even ridden a dirt bike before.
 
I didn't have any exposure to motorcycles growing up, and apart from admiring them when they flew by on the 401, they weren't really on my radar until I met a co-worker who rode dirt bikes. I was intrigued by his stories of "misspent youth" and seriously considered it, but the insurance quotes seemed ridiculous for anyone under 25. (Although, I think I was unknowingly quoting SS bikes, which I thought were "average" and didn't investigate anything smaller.)

My co-worker had recently given up riding on the street and bought a dirt bike because he considered it safer. Ironically, he experienced a devastating crash shortly after making the switch -- t-boned while while air-born -- and he had to be air-lifted to the hospital. He was in a coma for several days and suffered extensive injuries.

This, in combination with the high cost of insurance, scared me away for nearly a decade. However, in '09 I was riding an e-bike around China, and loved the unique sense of freedom and agility that came with being on two-wheels. I decided I would get my motorcycle license as soon as it was viable, which turned out to be last summer.

I suppose there was one aspect of my youth that would foreshadow my interest in motorcycling, my bicycle. I saved up several years of paper route money for what was, at the time, an impressive 18-speed mountain bike. I rode all over the city, year round, and often into crazy situations like Toronto's ravines. I think that early experience has helped me stay upright on the motorcycle in a few dicey situations.
 
i dont remember starting. it was something that i just did. my dad got me onto a minibike at a very young age.
 
Lived downtown. Thought a scooter would be a fun and econmical way to get around. (I used to spend an obscene amount of money on cabs). Bought a 50cc Derbi scooter. Loved it and wanted to go faster, so I bought a bike. Will never regret that decision.
 
rbjeepthing said:
I had been riding dirt bikes from age 4 till 16. I was a trouble maker in H.S. and the principal thought it would be a good idea to get me into a Motorcycle Shop as a co-op. Apparently I had a knack for dealing with customers and working with my hands. After selling 14 motorcycles in 3 days I realized the same and was offered a full time position. Since then I have worked and rode on and off for the last 15 years in the industry.
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You should go back and thank the principal.

I've always been drawn to motorcycles. My parents were always against it (Mom heavily, Dad was so-so). I've been kicking around the idea of riding for many years until one day I asked myself why I kept putting it off. 4 weeks from that day I had passed my M1, completed the course, and bought a bike.
 
I'm another one who thought I could save money getting around on a bike...... WRONG!!!
 
Eight years after I moved to a small community an hour north of T.O. I got it in my head how cool it would be to travel on a motorcycle on the back roads I was driving in a van at the time. I grew up north of Jane and Wilson and no way José when I was there or if I was still there. After a year of doing my homework on bikes, bugging everybody with questions and playing over traffic scenarios in my mind to consider if they would bother me while "defenceless" in the open on a motorcycle (answer: No), I took the RTI course the week of my 50th birthday. Just like drills in the military, the repetition hopefully gets embedded and kicks in automatically when you need it. It saved my bacon probably twice in the first two weeks of riding and that was 18 months! after the course.

Best thing I've done for myself in decades on many levels. But it has to be right for every individual at any given time in their life.

Oh yeah, and to get chicks !!! LOL (good one Johnny5)
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