What got you hooked on riding? Moments while on a bike

[kawasakirob]

I always (maybe not always) enjoy listening to people tell stories about their bikes or the adventures they have been on with their bikes. The different types of bikes they have been on, and the trouble they have gotten themselves into while riding. So I thought it would be enjoyable to read riders stories of the bikes that made them laugh under the helmet. If you do do not know what I'm talking about I sure hope you get to experiance it one day. Alot of things take place under your helmet while riding... daydreaming, humming, singing, swearing, spitting, sneazing, sweating and snot freezing just to list a few, but my all time favorite is laughing...from pure joy of feeling something that only a bike can deliver. So lets read a few stories of the bikes and times that had you laughing/ smiling uncontrollably under the helmet. I'll start it off.

I was 15 years old and brand new to the street riding scene. I thought I was hot shit running around on a 92' EX500 that my dad had bought for me. We were in Michigan and for the first 2 years I was unable to ride by myself or with anyone else but him. After a few miles and some months went by, we took a ride out into the surrounding country area's. We stopped on the side of the road and he let me on his 90' ZX10. We headed out and I saw him tuck behind the screen on my 500. So naturally, I tucked behind the 10 and twisted the throttle all the way back. Before I knew it I passed him. I knew I was not supposed to pass him but I didnt care. I knew I was going to be in trouble so instead of stopping I just kept on going. He could not catch me. The scenery started to blur and my eyes were having a hard time adjusting to the scenery as rushed by. I got nervous and sat up from behind the screen at 140mph. I nearly got blown off the bike. The bike started swaying from side to side as my upper body caught the wind. Nothing crazy, but I never felt anything like it before. The bike slowed and I pulled over waiting for my dad to catch up on my 500. He did and preceeded to ask me what the hell did I think I was doing. All I could say while trying to contain my laughter (while my body was twitching) was "did you see that"?




A few years later and were at a local dealership (whose name will not be mentioned) looking at a Busa and a 14. The dealership gave us both to take out and ride. I took the Busa and my dad took the 14. At one of the intersections before we made a turn leading to a LONG straight, I told my dad I was going to gun it (how couldnt you with all the hype surrounding it). He said ok and told me "just dont crash". I turned the corner and pinned it. My eyes lit up. My senses immediately hightened as I had NEVER ridden anything like that before. The rear end squirmed and the bars twitched and off I went. 1st gear, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and back down before I could reach 6th. Worried about how much attention I just drew towards my dad and I. I just kept going enroute to the dealership, not even worrying about my dad. I got back to the dealer and my good buddy came out with a smile on his face....thats when I lost it. All responsibility and credibility of taking a pristine busa out for a test ride got thrown out the window with the longest most hooliganistic laugh you've ever heard. I laughed about that moment for years. What an awesome thrill.

I've had laughing sessions on the track but nothing compared to that session on the Busa.

[tecknojoe]

The first time I took my R6 on the track. We finished the first lap and hit the front straight.

indescribable

[mauser72]

Yeah I would have to say the first time I hit the back straight on my 1198 at hpr running through the gears with the quick shifter absolutley incredible laughing my ass off while doing my best to keep the front wheel on the ground....man I gotta get back out there asap

[Chaos]

I'll go.

When I was 15 with just a learners permit in the summer of '89, my dad had bought me an '83 Honda SilverWing to learn how to ride on the streets (I had been riding dirtbikes since I was 6) so he planned a trip from the springs to Seattle to visit family and we took the bikes. 15 with just a learners permit riding 3000 miles with my pops before I could even drive on my own was pretty epic to me and I remember smiling a hell of a lot.

My dad had a stroke last year and can't ride anymore, but I'm sure glad we did that ...jeez 23 years ago.

[asp_125]

All my bikes make me grin.

My first bike, a Ninja 500, after I got my license and rode it home.
My SV650, the way the twin responded and it's rideability around town.
My Ducati .. well nuff said
My CB350, it's so old school.
My BMW F650, first time I took it on a dirt road.
My GSXR, it's flickability and power
My track bike, The Bass boat, and the first time I had it out at HPR, knee down.
My KLX in the trails, and mud.
My VFR, the sound of gear driven cams.
My Thruxton, the sound of D&Ds and the look.

If a bike doesn't make you grin, you're not on the right bike.

[madvlad]

Like said above, all bikes but so far is the MV Agusta for me... insane power snd handling! The R1 was hella fun though. 2 wheels is where its at, hell even a cafe racer would make me grin

[rforsythe]

Every bike I've owned. That's why I owned them.

[kawasakirob]

Ok I see whats going on here. Yes every bike makes you laugh and grin and pop wood. Details (maybe not about popping wood) but what happened imparticular? A section of road that was hit perfectly, the straight on the track (as mentioned above) as you banged through the gears, riding with someone close to you (as mentioned above), a hairy moment that made you tremble...then made you realize you liked it? Getting pulled over by an airplane and thinking WTF is that thing doing here? Or railing through a double apex or a decreasing radius with your rear burning for grip? A wheelie between two cars? Details. Yes all bikes bring pleasure....naughty naughty pleasure!! But lets hear the stories that you tell when your kicking it with your tightest riding partners.


I was delivering a bike from Denver to Oklahoma City and was making it in record time. I stopped at the Loves in Boise City. Upon leaving I noticed a highway patrol eating a sub...man I knew I was free. There could not have been more than 1 cop working I thought between Boise city and Guymon (70mi). I left the Loves and Promptly set the speed at 110 in the middle of nowhere. At the 45mi mark a white Cessna came out of the heavens from my right and buzzed me. This guy was LOW!!!! just above the power lines. Man it was so cool! He pulled the plane up in an arc then proceeded to do the same thing in the opposite direction. I took my hands off the bars and gave him two thumbs up (110mph) and proceeded to keep going at that speed. I could see everything. His hair color (dark) his glasses, his instruments, his white shirt, everything. The plane leveled off next to me... I looked at him as he looked at me. I thought "this guy wants to race" you know like in TOP GUN. I gave him another thumbs up, dropped a gear and pinned it. Shit I left the Cessna so fast. All he did was gain altitude. as I pulled away I just started laughing thinking about how cool this was that I'm actually racing this bum country pilot who probably has a blast messing with tired semi drivers. I finally slowed down and noticed that my buddy was still behind me. Just weaving in and out slowly behind me...for the next 25 miles. As I drew closer to the Guymon City limits, A sherriff blew past me then flipped around. He stayed behind me for awhile until I noticed two more patrol cars in the distance get closer and get behind me as well. Thats when the Sheriff hit his lights. I pull over with three cars behind me and an airplane cruising above. I started shaking a little bit. "Not even my bike, in transit tags and now its getting impounded and I'm going to jail" I thought. Damnit. The trooper put me in his patrol car and we had a talk. I'm not going to say about what ( get your mind out of the gutter) but he let me go on the grounds that I would have to pay a 450 dollar fine to the town. I paid that without hesitation and delivered the bike. Colorado never even heard about it.

[kawasakirob]

Everyone has good memories on a bike that stick out more than others. I thought it would be cool to post them here so people can read and laugh and relate. Some people probably have really bad stories about bikes too, so hopefully the posts will enlighten them and help get the fire re-lit.

[JKOL]

I started riding last summer. Bought a 07 600RR and took the MSF course. The same day I passed the course, the dealer delivered my bike. I knew if I controlled my right hand, I would be just fine learning on my 600RR. For the first month, I set a few limits for myself. I didn't allow myself to pass 7,000 RPM and couldn't exceed the speed limit by more than 10mph. I actually followed these limits....to this day, I still don't know how.

I had the bike for 6 weeks and had been riding constantly, keeping within the limits I set for myself, until one morning on the way to work, I decided to see what happens past 7,000 RPM. I was on the on ramp to west bound 36 from Wadsworth, I twisted the throttle and held on. As the bike passed 9,000 RPM, it was like something rear ended me, the acceleration compared to any of my previous experiences was unlike anything I had ever felt. I hit 2nd and then 3rd, it felt like my bike would never slow down. I finally let off, and then the biggest wave of adrenaline hit me. I had never been so scared and at the same time been so excited.

It was that moment I went from really liking my motorcycle to I must never be without 2 wheels as long as I am able to ride. Its that thing motorcycle riders just can't ever explain to people that have never thrown a leg over motorcycle.

[stubbicatt]

1976 Suzuki GT380. or the RE5. Or the Norton 750 Commando. Or the DBD34 Gold Star that broke my foot when it kicked back.

The first time I heard a V4 Honda 750 Interceptor! Just wow! The Honda CBX.

When I was 16 riding my 250 cc Suzuki 2 stroker from Denton Texas to Denver to visit friends. Backpack strapped on the sissy bar. Raton Pass was windy. Neat motorcycle.

[kawasakirob]

This is good stuff. I had to look at a few of the models that I was not too familiar with but other than that, this is good. Thanks for sharing. I changed the title so hopefully more people will jump on board and share some experiances that got them hooked riding. When everything "clicked". The good times being had on bikes hopefully outweighs the bad times had on them. Lets here the good times.

[Clovis]

For me I got the bug from my grand father. As soon as I was old enough he started taking me on his trips. The trips ranged from trips to the mountains, the plains (which was Powers in Colorado Springs back then) and trips to parades he was in as a Shriner.

I've always loved traveling but I especially love traveling on two weeks.





As a youngin I wanted a motorcycle every summer but it wasn't until I was 25 that I finally got one. I did what exactly what I recommend most people not do and started with a brand new R1.

I loved that bike, it was incredibly sexy looking and gobs and gobs of power. I taught myself how to ride by first going around my neighborhood learning the clutch and then slowly venturing out to the country roads that run by my neighborhood.

After a week or two I took it to work, taking Powers because I was afraid of I-25. A few days later I rode I-25 at night and realized it wasn't bad at all.

A month and a half into it I did my first CSC over night ride to Durango and clicked in around 1000 miles. I've since done that same trip several times (always staying at the Iron Horse Inn) but the first time is always the special one

The 07 R1's were the first to use a fly by wire throtle and the ECU prevented the bike from wheeling simply by powering up. I had just started to learn how to wheelie with the clutch... man what a lot of fun!!

One day I'm riding home and I'm on powers and this ricky racer in a STI with his girl friend keeps reving his engine at stop lights but then driving normally. So after the 3rd light I had to put him in his place. From first gear I popped the clutch and the front end of the bike came straight up. It scared me, I thought I was going to flip the bike as it went way higher then I intended. I left off the gas and the front in came down hard. It probably looked cool but after that I decided no more wheelies.

About 3 months into owning the R1 I crashed it (of course). Newbie error coming back from Bishop's Castle. While it was in the shop I started riding my wife's FZ6 around. It felt depressing at first but once I let my ego go I realized that I liked the FZ6 a whole lot better. The next year after my R1 was fixed it was stolen but I could have cared less, I still had my FZ6

Since then I've taken the FZ6 everywhere and I've logged 19,000+ miles in just the last 12 months.

I'm not really one to show boat but I'll admit that when I come around the bend of a curve and see other bikes or people in general standing there I'll lean the bike a bit more and put my knee down to show off a bit =P

[Clovis]

This afternoon I went into work for a few hours and being Saturday the gates to the parking garage are left up. The secondary exit from the parking garage is this long ramp at a sharp incline.

Leaving this afternoon I went up the ramp at maybe 20-25mph and kind of forgot about how the ramp flattens out at the top. My bike and I left the parking garage like Batman leaving the bat cave getting air born for a second. It was completely unintentionally but I was tempted to go back and do it agian!!

[BadR6Man]

Me and beloved 1986 Yamaha FJ 1200. The fun the two of us have had together over the years. I think we both giggle still today as we pull up to a red light and drag race to another victory or pass the latest hyper cycle around a corner in the canyons.