Why bikes

[Danny]

Come on then why did you start riding bikes and how long have you been riding for?

I started because I needed a safer way to get about and I got my first bike 17th December 2002.

[priller]

Been riding since January 2001, would have had a bike before but I didn't have a garage. Bought one within weeks of moving.

[ZaphodBeeble]

Well I've been riding since 1984. My first bike was a Honda 50R monkey bike. I was 6 at the time. Had that until I was 11 when a 'friend' crashed it into a wall and wrote it off. My uncle gave me an old Honda CD200 to mess about on which was good fun, although it was like a horse for me at that age hehe. The next bike I rode was a Honda XL185, then an XL125. After those I jumped on my friend's KX420 (1984 model) at the age of 14. He wouldn't ride it because he was scared lol. Since then I have lost count of the different bikes that I have rode.

It's been great fun and I wouldn't ever stop riding.
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Current bike: VTR1000F Firestorm. Previous: Firestorm (written off) - XJ600 Divvy - NSR125 - DT125 and a load of offroaders.

[dainesefreak]

I used to be into Mountain biking in quite a big way and had quite an expensive bike. I also cycled to work all year round for 6 years in all weathers and after a while it sort of lost it's appeal, so I decided to sell the bike for a deposit on one with an engine. That was about 11 years or so ago, I've always had one with an engine since.

Now I'm older and have a bit more money I've bought another mountain bike, nowhere near the cost of the last one though and I've used it a grand total of twice. Think I prefer horsepower to cycle power now in my old age!

[Stew]

Started messing around on field bikes at about 14 years old after we had got bored of BMX and skate boards. Living in the middle of nowhere at 16 meant that buying an RD50 was a good idea. Loads of us had AR50s RD50s, FS1es etc. I used the RD50 for a couple of years until I went to uni. After uni I started toying with the idea of buying another bike for my own transport and ended up buying an NSR. Nowadays the bike is more of a plaything as M and myself share the car to get to work.
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"Unlike public school you don't need to have your arse up and your head down to go a long way...."

[ProXimaCore]

Had a bike since May 2003. Not long... I don't even remember what gave me the idea of getting a bike. I think I was just doing some random internet surfing and seen some bikes and thought it would be cool to have one. I had passed my car test 6 months prior to this and it just didn't appeal to me sitting in a car. So I looked up some 125 sports bikes and seen the NSR and thought I've got to have one!
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Honda NSR125R -> Suzuki GSXR400R GK76a -> Kawasaki ZX636 B1H -> Honda CBR400RR NC29 -> Nothing

[Ste]

Always looked at them when younger going "I'm gonna ride a motorbike when I'm older". Poor parents didn't believe me.

Interested in mountain biking quite a lot, (mainly breaking them and myself ), so something with an engine seemed like a good idea. And it meant I could get around without the need for lessons and everything like you have to for cars.

Got the NSR, passed test, moved onto ZX6R for a year, then onto the TL1000R. With added other NSR's, RD's, and R6's along then way when mine have been broken .

[divuk83]

I never had a bike at 16 and never really even thought about getting one, as I spent all my time saving for a car at 17. Then when I was 17 and realised how much it would cost me to insure even a rubish car and started looking into bikes. Got myslef a new speedfight 100 to start on and I have been into bikes ever since

[Adam_P]

On the road I had an MT5 when I turned 16 that I bought off a mate who'd had it the year before. Then I got a car!

I bought a Kwak KH125 for traveling to an from work when me and my ex bought a house together out of town. Relationship lasted about another eight months, but kept the bike for another year or so.

Did the proper thing in October last year (as had been promising myself I'd get my bike test done at some point and kept putting it off) and did the DAS. Passed and pick up my nice new bike on Tuesday, and I can't wait!!!!!

Before all that I've had bikes that I've ridden around the garden and on lanes on. Biggest was a Kwak KE175 for a while, when I was about 12. It was a bit too big and heavy for me really, but once you got it moving it was fab!

I'm looking forward to being able to make progress when I go out without having to worry about getting caught up in traffic jams at weekends coming back from racing and things.
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Colin McRae MBE 1968 - 2007 RIP
Orwell Rolls in his Grave
God is imaginary

[Dr Nick]

Started out on field bikes, basically for the same reason as Stew, we all got mopeds at 16 as they were a good way to get around, quite enjoyed my experience on my 50 , so instead of wasting money on car insurance decided to get a bike. Had a go in a few of my friends car since, though "this is slow", so decided against getting a car and got the hornet.
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is that it

[Hex]

I grew up round cars and learnt to drive at the age of 12, never even wanted a bike as a kid etc. Even up to the age of 20+ could never see the point of bikes (none of my mates had them and never had access to any).

Then one year I hired a scooter while on holiday, enjoyed playing with that and left it there.

Then about 3 years ago my girlfriend at the time needed a way of getting around and couldn't afford a car so got a scooter. I then decided top get a cheep bike.

Since then did my DAS and got my CBR and just enjoy riding it, the acceleration side of it etc. After all my bike is just a toy for me.

Been riding a couple of years now.
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My little photo portfolio

[Bendy]

Bikes never really crossed my mind when I was younger, nobody really had them where I grew up (possibly something to do with the 9 months of rain and massive sidewinds). So I learned to drive like everyone else.

Moved to London, sold my car cos it was too expensive to park and bought a scooter cos it was a cheap and quick way to get to work. Trundled around on that for a couple of years until one day I just decided to do my DAS in 2002.

[McJamweasel]

When I was 18 I had my first pillion ride with my then gf's dad. Got back and just had to have a bike of my own. One of my best college mates (who also became a housemate at uni) was a biker so with him egging me on as well it didn't take long.

Within about 3 months I'd done my CBT and bought an NSR, that was about 3 1/2 years ago. Then about a month ago I finally got my arse into gear and did my DAS and bought a ZX-6R.
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BCF: Be yourself, just don't be an arse.

[MIKEY B]

I used to race scramblers when I was younger, until I finally had a big fall and broke my leg.

My mum banned me from riding bikes ever again.

I had Totally forgot about the fun of biking until I failed my driving test twice and thought to myself "Why I am I wasting money on something that I cant do when I could spend it in something I could??" So I went out behind my mums back at 17 and bought myself a scooter. When I brought it home she slapped the shite out of me. 3 months later I bought the NSR125 and she was still quite pissed. A year and a bit on from that and I have the Bandit 600, and she does'nt mind anymore as she knows how much I love bikes.

Now I am seriuosly hooked, and I hope I always will be.

Mike.
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GSXR 1000 K3 "Silver Bullet"
Yamaha XS 650 Hardtail bobber

[JimboJ]

Well as soon as I turned 16 I went looking for a bike, being sensible I went for a moped of the rs50 due to cost etc etc. So I got all my money and went and bought one back in July 2001 done a few miles since currently own a gpz, after the ped I got a much loved nsr which is no more. Don't know what got me into biking, I knew no-one that was into bikes, my family has 1 biker in it (me) and doesn't look like gaining anymore.

Suppose it was mainly due to riding a mountain bike so much when I was younger, I just wanted the power!, natural progression and all saw me try everything and work as much as I could to see I could get it.

James
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[00:42] <NSR-Andy> which one's the missionary position
[00:42] <NSR-Andy> i've heard it's good
[9:42pm] <Shaun> you came first mike | <Shaun> yes gav, because I really want to fuck you

[Luke_Retrofly]

Hi
Well when i was 15 i went to the canary islands, only had spanish TV you see but they had eurosport, nothing was on except moto GP, id alwaysed watche dbike racing before but thats when i got into into it .

Anyway went back to school, got talking to a mate, turned out he loved bikes too (older brother both had bikes) anyway, i liked bikes but didnt think id get one, then my mate turned up on a derbi GPR50, and i was like "I want a bike", 9 months later, i gave birth, i means saved up enough money to buy a bike.

At first i was going to get an RS125, but everytime i phoned up it had been sold, then a saw an ad, for an NSR125, it wa sstrange as it was the 1st add in the learners section, not witht the NSR's, it was a sign. Phoned up and he still had it, woop!
https://hayabusa.bikepics.com/honda-nsr125-01-bikepics-045732.jpg

Then the NSR was mine, then i found NSR125, the forum and all you guys, good grief what would have happened if i had got an RS, id prolly be wearing a cap and driver a nova rude boi car (shudder).

The rest is history .

Luke
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Flounced - Long overdue
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[Kickstart]

Hi

Living in Northern Ireland at the time I got into bikes in 1987, as there was no way I could afford the insurance on a car (the cheapest insurance quote I could get on any car worked out at over 300 hours work at the rate of pay I could get at the time). A 100cc bike was 1/4 the cost of a car to insure.

Basically it went from there. Found I liked bike. Landed up being in a car so rarely for a few years that I landed up getting distinctly car sick reading a book in the back seat once (never had that problem before).

I have cars and bikes these days. Like them both, and both can be fun. However doing the weekly shopping on a bike is not fun.

Basically I am a hoarder and don't like selling stuff which is why I have landed up with a load of bikes.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[G1_]

My dad had a few bikes when he was young. When we moved to the uk my dad got a new biken. I had never known my dad to be into bikes really, didn't seem the type. Since then and a little before my dad used to often buy bike mags which I started reading. I got hooked on the idea. The rents baught me a ped (I'm still not sure what I must have done to convince them ) .
Found this forum. For a long time concidered getting a 125 but was too lazy to actually do something about it, until I eventually got a proper(ish) job and actually had some money for a change.
In the end I skiped a 125 and did my 33bhp licence. Yes there was a stage here where I was on a 33bhp licence but only owned a 50cc.
Eventually got a cb250rs which a rode for a few months and blew it up. Moved back to SA and got my bandit...

[EuropeanNC30R...]

Bikes always interested me, I guess partly because my Dad had bikes and living next to a bypass on the edge of North Wales there was always a constant stream of 4-cylinder bikes screaming past on sunny weekends . In the summer every time we went for a day out there the roads were full of bikes. I think it was an sunny afternoon driving back from Bala with my Dad after mountain biking in Coed-y-Brenin park when I decided I wanted one.

I did my CBT the weekend after I turned 17, partly spurred on by watching Valentino Rossi win at Suzuka despite being elbowed off the straight by Biaggi.

[John]

Hmm.

I rode pedal bikes a lot, and when I was about 14 I was bought an electric bike, was good fun but only did about 15mph unless you pedaled at the same time. When I was about 17 I wanted an upgrade, an NSR really, me and my friend would ride around on the pedalbikes drooling as one came by.

I looked at car insurance prices, then Ste gave me a pillion ride to Ace Cafe last summer, and I met some of you etc, and I think that got me sucked in. Cars are so much less fun.
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TT600 neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeowwww!

[headlamp]

In 1998 I decided to get a bike when they introduced a CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone) by the tube station I used in North London. This meant that I could no longer drive to the station, and waiting for the bus and using the tube would have meant an additional half hour on my journey. At about the same time my brother-in-law passed his DAS and gave me his Piaggio 50cc moped. This was so underpowered and dangerous I took my CBT and bought a Piaggio ET4 scooter and my journey time to work in Leicester Square was 25 minutes.

After 18 months I took the DAS and then left the company there and started working in Chiswick. Using the Vespa on North Circular was not an option so went to buy a bike, thinking I would get a Ducatti Monster. I test rode one and hated it but the shop had a second hand Faser which I took out and really liked!

I bought my second Faser last April so it's been five years! The bike is a much quicker way of getting around town the Mrs. and a couple of the kids have been on the back of it!
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Using a mobile phone while driving a car should be made a capital offence!

[andrew]

I started riding bikes because it was quicker than doing my car test to be honest. I always liked them but didn't really think about getting one until me and Kornel had a discussion one day about how cool it would be to get dirt bikes. Well he got himself a Yamaha SR and Richard wen't out and got himself a Honda CG, after riding the CG I just had to get one myself, I thought it was so fast, my mate had a go and didn't realise that you had to let go of the throttle to slow down, it was funny watching him nearly drive head on into a brick wall at 15mph. I will own that dirt bike one day.

[Korn]

About 4 years ago when I was working with Dru in Shepherd's Bush - cycling the 15 miles to work every day - the bald one (who at that time had long ginger hair ) suggested we got ourselves some scramblers. Taking to the idea I did my CBT a week later, but Dru chickened out so instead of a scrambler I went out and got an SR125, thinking it would be a good first bike as I'd done the CBT on one.

Two months later we'd hired Zimma - who at the time owned a Mini Metro - and pretty soon I'd talked him into the bike thing. He bought his CG125 (for less than the price of the cheapest insurance quote on the metro) that night, crashed it 40 minutes later, decided it would be best to have some training and went through his CBT that weekend. Two down, one to go. After another month Dru got fed up with hearing our constant bike stories and decided to join the crew, a CBT was booked and the CLR125 paid for a few days later. And now there were 3

We spent that winter enjoying the new freedom, riding our little 125s to the coast and back nearly every week and generally having fun. Pretty soon though, the lust for better and shinier things kicked in. I picked up my new NSR in January, and a month later Zim did the same. A few months later Dru realised the CLR wasn't going to catch these things and also joined the NSR club.

Cue the shenanigans! We spent the following year thrashing around on our two stroke missiles, riding them everywhere (even to wales) and generally loving every minute. Six months into the experience, we de-restricted them all and nsr125.com was born - originally just a single page with the de-restriction guide on it.

Come July of 2001 I'd aquired a full licence, and once again caught the lust for a bigger and better bike. I spotted the RVF400 and fell in love instantly, the bank manager was pleaded with and after parting with the best part of 5 grand, I had my 400. Zim wasn't far behind, a few months went by and the black NSR was replaced by a brand new ZXR400. Two down, one to go. A few more weeks passed and eventually Dru brought the XJR400 home from Biggin Hill, job done.

Fast forward to September 2002, and I turned up at Dru's house one Saturday morning and dragged him and the XJR to the bike shop. After several minutes of very persuasive arguments I'd convinced him and the XJR was swapped for a shiny Red FireStorm - but we weren't done yet. We packed into a creaky old 4x4 and trundled up the M25 to Harlow, from where we brought home a second VTR. We met Zim that Sunday on his 400 and demonstrated superiority of the new bikes

The following Monday lunchtime, Zim dissapeared in the general direction of the bank and returned with a big envelope stuffed full of cash. The latest auto trader was scoured and after a wheelie-filled lift down to Croydon, there was a third Storm in the kru

And all was good until I decided to smash myself up last December. I ended up in the care of the NHS and my VTR ended up in the back of some thieving bastard's van. So after a miserable Christmas I decided the only way to cheer myself up was to blow all my savings on the biggest, fastest thing I could afford - and along came the R1.

We're now a month on and there are R1-type noises coming from both the other two. Dru is putting the Storm up for sale and Zim is searching for a loan shark to whom he doesn't owe any money. You could say, we're hooked

Thank you for reading Korn's novel, sponsored by a lunchtime of strong Belgian beer and way too much cough medicine.
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3516 Miles, 11 Countries

[andrew]

I couldn't have put it better myself. Very good sir.

[Sparks!]

I used to be really into cars with a mate of mine who was also really into cars. I then started to like bikes (we were like, 13/14 at the time ) and eventually fell out with my mate because he thought bikes were crap.

I done my CBT on my 17th birthday in July, looked for a 400, ended up buying a bandit 400, never got around to doing my test until December. Passed and insured the bandit, rode it for about an hour and realised how bad it was so sold it and bought my ZXR400.

Then Monday just gone I sold the ZXR400 but pick my nearly new 2001 R6 up tomorrow morning so can't complain

Not got a car licence yet, not really inclined to either although getting lifts to and from work for the past 4 months in a car has been kind of nice. Warm, dry, quicker (for time of getting gear on and warming bike up) and generally less hassle.

But I'm looking forward to getting mobile on the bike again and bikes will always be my main form of transportation. Even if I do go and get my car licence!
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