my grandaddy's bikes!

[dextersaurus]

So my grandad is coming close to 80, and has an old royal enfield bullet 350, and a fancis barnett 250 2 stroke... Can't remember the model, but they are awesome.

He's the one that first got me into bikes. I want to be like him at that age...

There's me on my CBR600, and he's pushing his bike faster through the bends than I would

So, who has an old family member who still rides? What do they ride?

https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=83767

[daemonoid]

I'm a pioneer in my family. My Granddad had a couple of mopeds (nothing that exceeded 100cc) but he does have a full bike license. I tried to get him to have a go on mine but he wouldn't risk it.
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@thomasgarrard | www.straitjkt.com | www.racingseven.com

[blurredman]

My Grandad rode a bike only in the 40's, and early 50's after he passed his car test, he never got another bike. Which is a shame, as above- he won't come on the back with me. Which is kinda a shame but then, he is 84, and very frail. He's afraid he'll break something.

He used to ride a Brough Superior SS80, to which he sold to buy for an engagement ring. It wasn't a bike that was well maintained both before, and while ha had it. I often hear his stories of how he blew the engine up because he didn't connect the oil tank, or how he once got the wheels stuck in the tram lines in Liverpool, and how he once accidently wheelied behind a policeman and crashed into a lampost, or how his exhaust fell off while travelling (Other objects too! It was no shiner like you would find such a bike to be intoday. Regardless of how many bikes were made, it was a 1927 (same age as grandpa) motorcycle and even in those days old bikes go very cheap, esspecially the badly conditioned ones..), and how he was with other bikers this one time, and one of bike riders found his handlebars come off in his hands just before he crashed into a bush.

I know that he changed the petrol tank for a larger capacity tank in order for him to travel from Liverpool to London in one sitting. Which must have been a very long journey over just A and B roads!

There is a picture of him about 8 before the war, ontop of I think a Royal Enfield, which was his Uncle's, it had acetylene gas lamps though..

Unfortunately, for all the years my Grandpa owned the bike, there is absolutely no evidence of it ever happening, he has no pictures (this is the late '40's!), no insurance, MOT or Tax documents either. I wouldn't expect him to remember the number plate either.. He passed his test on the last day of his provisional licence, which was lucky because even before the mod1/2 tests and the car licence now, you would have been blocked out for two years before applying for a new licence- which really didn't suit his job at that time travelling back and forth from Liverpool to London.

Even more lucky was that on the way to the licence centre to give his pass papers in, his clutch cable broke! And indeed, on the test itself he actually dropped the bike at a set of lights, it was only a miracle that the examiner wasn't there to see it. He had 3x luck that day I tell ya! Real lucky!

There is an old story that an old Uncle of the family of ours did in the TT, but I don't know who or when. Probably in the middle of the last century, and I don't know if it's the same 'Uncle' who owned the RE.

My dad, was always one of those ones which has always had a car and although admired bikes and riders, and has attempted to ride my bike, and my brother's, has never wanted to do a test. I think somewhat because then he'd have to give up his old paper licence. He's the immediate odd one out.

I know my close Uncle (on my mother's side) has had bikes in the past , and indeed his wife has also followed that path and got herself a licence and the obligitory 600's..
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 51k.

[Wave2k]

Theres an old boy near me whos 77 and rides around on a new Busa.

Fair play to the old gent

I hope i can stil ride at that age.
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Imonster]

My Grandpa was taught to ride while stationed on the Isle of Man in WW11. His C.O. looked at him one day and said:

"Bellamy?"

"Sir!"

"There's a motorcycle there" - pointing at a BSA 500 (I think)

"Sir?"

"Ride it!"

And that was the sum total of his motorcycle tuition

94 years old now and he still speaks speaks fondly of going over the Mountain on it.


My great Uncle Les was a very well renowned trials rider in Australia in the '60's and still competes today at the age of 80
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Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

[Clanger]

My Nan recently informed me that her Dad, my great Grandfather was a biker, no idea what he rode though, getting details from her like that is tricky.

My uncle still rides his BSA Bantam, and goes to rallies here and in Europe with it (he's got to be late 60's sort of age now), plus my other uncle also rides, though think he rides '80's retro sports rather than old English bikes.

And my cousin rides bikes too, though he's older than me, he isn't old.

My Dad used to ride bikes, but lost his licence due to DVLA fook-up, and didn't bother to complain as he didn't think he'd ride again...until recently...ha ha ha...my enthusiasm had rekindled his interest.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[TheSmiler]

The only person in my family that has ever ridden a bike apart from me was my dad and he had 2 C50's (Blue and Red) I was told by my mother. This was before I was born he used to use them for work in all weathers including snow. However he gave them up when he lost his job due to bad health, I still have his old gloves in great condition.

Other than that never known anyone else in my family that has ever ridden.
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CB125>CG125>GN125>ER5>K100RS>R1100RS>K100RS
A2 completed 23/07/15 Ready for the Golden Crisp Packet

[Pol Anorl]

[TheSmiler]

[P.]

[Themightyimp]

As far as i'm aware,other than my Cousins on my dads side of the family.The only other biker was my Mums brother,not sure what bike he had as my mum wont talk about it.As he lost his life on the bike on my 3rd b/day 1969.
She still blames bikes for his death,even though it was a drunk driver who wiped him out.
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1998 Yamaha FZS 600 Fazer
Now turned gay and got a cruiser.

[fireyphoenix1...]

there is an old guy in his 70s that comes knott end a lot on a busa says its slow compared to his R1 lmao he rides circles round me on the lanes

my biological father was in the hells angels but i aint seen him since i was one lol

both my uncles are bikers one builds choppers the other is a trainee motorcycle instructor, my grandad was a biker in the 50s my nan used to ride mopeds.
all my mothers bfs were bikers and she was a pillion for years at a time .

most my friends were bikers before i was even old enough to get a provisional .

bikes are a massive part of my life cant imagine life without them
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2014 Aprillia dorsoduro 750 factory.

[scorps]

my dad and uncles used to ride a lot in fact my uncles worked at the norton factory, i have two female cousins ive never met who ride.
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Do not presume that I am male.

[temeluchus]

My uncle used to play chicken with the fuzz in the early 60's on his triumph (I think he said it was a tiger cub). He loves jumping on the pillion seat and loved my Dnepr sidecar outfit.
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Some shite cruiser. Now with guns and FREEDOM!

[bikertomm]

My grampa had a superdream 250, always tells me the same things about it, and how he came off on a roundabout on diesel and hurt his neck.

Another distant relative lives up in Scotland he's a weathly old guy I haven't seen in probably 8 years. Used to be well into his tourers.. or maybe cruisers

I know at one point he had 3 or 4 brand new bikes, dare I say I think one was a Harley lol

My other grampa recently informed him that I am becoming a 'biker' and he sais he was very pleased.
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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[Shaft]

Virtually no history of biking in my family.

Dad often got a lift to and from his airbase when he was doing his NS from his nephew, who had a Black Shadow, but I once took him up the road on the back of one of my bikes and it was definitely a one off deal.

Had a cousin who used a CD175 and later a CX500 for commuting, but he hasn't ridden for years and never considered himself a biker; he got the idea from his Dad, who stopped riding as soon as he could afford a Bond 3 wheeler.

The only real biker was another cousin, who was (and might still be, haven't seen him for years) a leading light in the custom chopper world; proper greaser, looked like he hadn't seen a bar of soap for years, but built some immaculate Triumph based choppers, that often won awards at custom shows.

No idea where I got the bug from, certainly wasn't hereditary.

Edit: Forgot my cousin moved to the dark side, just googled him and was reminded he built the cover bike on the second edition of Back Street Heroes, a Harley Pan; turns out he also lives in Australia, which would explain why I haven't seen him
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Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
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[Rebel]

Legend has it I am Giacomo Agostini's long lost baby brother.

[andyscooter]

old man used to ride to work and back

still hankers after a bike but mum wont let him
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
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[UnspeedySam]

My dad's parents used to have a couple of Vespa type things and a sidecar outfit at some point. They are well against bikes since my grandad came off and screwed up his knee many years ago.

Nothing on my mum's side as far as I know, except a cousin that died whilst riding when off his face.

Both parents are well against bikes and my brother couldn't care less. I think what put me on to bikes was my mate's Zx-6r j. The moment I did my CBT there was no going back...
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Riding: BMW R1150RT `02 bought mildly crashed
Fixing: Also the BMW as I get less broken bits
Gone: ZZR600 '00, TRX850 '97, RXS100 '93, JS125-6B '07, BMW R1100RS '93, Kawasaki ZX-6R-J2 '01, Honda Bros NT400 NC25 '88