My first bike was a 1980 Yamaha MX80. Even though I sold it almost 30 years ago I still have the owner's manual. What a blast from the past thumbing through it just now! BTW, my first trike was a 1976 Honda ATC 70. I've been riding since I was 3 years old. Good times over the years.
This was my first race bike. Picture taken in 1988. If you look on the front number plate. You can see an old Costa Mesa Speedway sticker. My family was big into speedway then.
Missed my chance to buy a Hodaka ACE 90 that I rode a couple times, so the first bike I' actually owned ended up being a 1967 (68?) Yamaha Trailmaster 80. It had been bored out to about 90cc, had a (loud) Hooker header and plastic high front fender. Paid a whole $150 for it back in '72......learned a bit on that bike and still have a few memories of fun times, but this one of those things best left in the past as a memory. At one time it probably looked like this internet find, but the one I had was much more abused.
78 YZ80E. Not a pic of mine. Mine was a hand me down from my brother and had no rear guard after he flipped it.
It's amazing how we all got started riding and our first bikes..... You guys have posted some really cool pictures and stories of your first bikes.. That is way too cool to learn about other peoples first bikes..
Even though my brother and I killed a couple of MTD minibikes my first ''real'' motorcycle was one I worked and saved for...1971 Honda SL100K1 Can't remember who I bought it from or how much. Kept it legal for the road... it was Dual Sporting before it became a certified classification... This is an internet pic. I believe the Mars Orange was only on the '71. My First upgrade... a Preston Petty plastic front fender that was a real close match in color! Good thread...lots of memories...
When my brother and I were 11 and 12, we used to ride our bicycles to the local motorcycle shops, which were about 12 miles one way, and get sales brochures and hang them on our walls. Finally after a year of pestering my dad, in December of 81, he got us a 1982 KDX80. I remember him picking it up and sticking it sideways in the back of his Pinto wagon. It was tough sharing, so I was allowed to pick a bike. I found a used Husky 430 in the Cycle Trader. The guy said "I might as well sell you a coffin too" and sold us a 1979 YZ100. The guy was Tony Doukas, way before his TDR days. I loved that 100. I've got pics somewhere but can't remember where I put them. Here are a couple web pics.
1979 Yamaha XT500 Just like this one. It was nearly impossible to restart when it was hot. I hated kicking that thing.
This exactly is what my Mini Enduro looked like..I found this picture on the net... I'd give anything to have one of these bikes again....
Mine was a 1972 Gemini Fuji 80cc trail bike , payed 250 bucks for it in 1975 (had only 400 miles on it) I had saved up 200 dollers from cutting grass and working two paper routes. Dad said he would put up the other 50 if I let my two brothers ride it. 4 of us had great fun on it. Got a pic somewhere.
Haha, I know what your talking about with the hot starting. My Brother had one of these years back. I remember borrowing it one day and being stuck out in the middle of know where unable to get it to start. I pushed it for miles before I gave it one more go and she fired up.
A home-made briggs and stratton mini bike that my dad made and passed down to me by two older brothers,great memories.Next bike was a 1973 honda cr125 elsinore,even better memories!
Those Elsinores were no joke.... They were a serious bike..... We didn't ride MX but we did go to races and watch ....
Hodaka Dirt Squirt. When I was 13 or 14, my mother gave it away in a bitter divorce battle between her and my abusive stepfather. What upset me the most about that was the fact that step-dad had no rights to the bike. It was built for me by my uncle (on my mom's side) and given to me. He fought for it in court, and my mom gave it away without a fight.
I still remember being 12 years old and riding it for the first time. When the power-band hit it stood straight up in the air and put a stain in my shorts!. What a difference compared to a 2.5 horsepower mini-bike!
A Yamaha DT 360, it was my brothers but he made the mistake of leaving for the weekend and leaving the key. 1 set of rings and a night with my local sheriff I was hooked.
I raced one of those on the ice back in the 80's. They started great if you keep the points sharp, valves adj and always obeyed the orange TC dot. Looking at all these old bikes makes me appreciate what we have now.
