10 Years on 2 wheels....

[wiltshire builders]

23 years for me.

I'll never forget how excited I was, as a fresh faced 11 year old, when my Dad took me into the garage and showed me the wrecked Italjet sat on a milk crate.
We rebuilt it and I rode it as often as I could.

I've ridden loads of bikes since but whenever I get a wiff of 2 stroke it brings back some awsome memories of both riding and watching my Dad race.

[redken1]

Well said Jon. [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Passed my test in 1979 and like you have ridden too many bikes to mention. Gt 185 twin suzuki 2 stroker has got to be my fav.

I was an apprentice on a low wage and worked on local resident's gardens for a year to save up. Picked it up on my 17th birthday in 1976. Like WB, every time I smell the exhaust fumes from a 2 stroke I take a trip down memory lane.

They say, "You never forget that first kiss" or in this case, first ride. ;D

[Snowy]

Got my first bike August 1st 1978 - brand new CB250N Superdream and rode it out the showroom having never sat on a bike before with the mechanic on the pillion seat telling me what to do ;D ;D. Passed my test the following May, 3 weeks before riding down through France and Spain to Minorca for a two week holiday with a bunch of college mates. Great times. Must do the Pyrenees again on the GS someday - great ride.

Well done JonW for reaching the decade.

[Toph]

Most of you know my story!! ;D ;D
I rode my first "bike",a 3 speed NSU Quickly, to work on my 16th birthday, February 1976. I've owned and ridden a huge series of small capacity bikes to work ever since, when I was 17, I bought a TS250 Suzuki trailie, Which I loved, but had to sell it when the restriction for riding on "L" plates was reduced to 125cc.
I can't explain why it took 35 years to pass my test , I guess it was because I used my bike as a tool to get to work, never really wanted to ride anything bigger.......until..
April 4th 2010, when I joined Wiltshire Bikers, I went to some meets, made some new friends, joined you all on a few rideouts, and realised how much I needed some more horesepower!! : : ;D
So in March this year, after 35 years on "L" Plates, :-[ I passed my bike test , bought Jordan, and am having the time of my life, I wish I'd passed the test years ago!.
I'm loving the extra power and more importantly the friendship of everyone in Wiltshire Bikers. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[bubblylittleme]

Well I passed mine on 9th April 1980, that's 31 yrs!
and heres all my bikes...






and of course

[Scotty]

You passed your test about three months before I did Sue - not had many bikes since then though have you? Star got through about that many in just over a year.... :

[Swanny]

Passed mine back in Sept 1981 on my Yamaha XS250 Special 8-)
Back in the days when the examiner walked around and you just rode off

Before I was 16 I had

Kawasaki 90
Honda SS50
Gilera 50
FS1E

then when I was 16

Yamaha DT50
Yamaha FS1E
Yamaha XS250 Special
Honda XL250S
Honda CX500 Custom

20 year break

Kawasaki Zephyr
Honda CBF600

[Mark_Able]

Congratulations Jon! It's great to read a story like yours, especially as I was there at the beginning. How time flies. It's been coming up 14 years since I started 'Able Motorcycle Training', and 17 1/2 years since I started instructing. I wonder how many people's lives have changed in that time??? 8-)

[BB]

Well done Jon, here's to the next 10 years. 8-)

29 years so far for me, I was a late starter

BB

[Thorkill_The_Tall]

When I passed my test, the red flag rule was still in force, the hottest/dryest summer in living memory was just about to start, gay meant happy and this was number one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bKAPVpA46o

You are al soooooo young......