your first bike

My first street bike was a 1987 Suzuki LS 650, actually I still have it but probably not for long. I still enjoy that bike, but the 78 Z1R I just got is making it very easy to let it go.

Oh, this is my first post, so it's a bit of an introduction also.

Jake

1st bike - 1963 350 BSA single. This was in 1965; I was 16. Fried the engine after a couple years and put 500 BSA twin in frame along with other mods. Kept until 1977 when I bought my 2nd bike (KZ650C1) which I'm still riding at age 60. I recently saw identical stock 350 BSA and was amazed at how frail it looked compared to my KZ.

still have mine also.
( dirtbikes don't count right? )
77 kz650 c1
$600 and one points file later she still has a home.

welcome jake plummen will love having you around with you having a z1-r

JakeB wrote:

My first street bike was a 1987 Suzuki LS 650, actually I still have it but probably not for long. I still enjoy that bike, but the 78 Z1R I just got is making it very easy to let it go.

Oh, this is my first post, so it's a bit of an introduction also.

Jake

Hey Jake, Welcome to KZR!

My first motorized transport was a Vespa 150 "Sportique". Unreliable, brokedown all the time - but I fixed it, painted it and rode it wide-open for miles trying to keep up with my friends on motorbikes!

I don't miss it, but I would love to have it back now that I can actually afford to fix it properly!

I sold it and bought a Triumph 500 Speed Twin - I loved that bike and do wish I still owned it!

wow, im jealous of everyone, so many exotics have been between the legs of you. especially the excelsior. i saw a starfire for sale somewhere in the area in CL but figured a 250 would be too little for the highways and i wouldnt be able to find parts. sigh. i like the looks of the bsa's though.

yamaha xs 650....what a great learner bike....it wobbled...it was scary fast....it vibrated....it was a real blast to ride...till i saw a z-1...then it seemed silly...i am still liking em though....

My first road bike was a Kawasaki KMX125 1989 and it was a great bike, after work I could go green laning and chase my mates on thier motorcross bikes. This bike sadly went to the breakers yard after a boyracer pulled out on me, killed the bike and broke both my ankles.

The next one was a ZXR400 tricked up and paid for by the compensation from the KMX125. Only problem was I had to learn to walk again then wait for the compo to come before I could buy it, it took four years. Sound bike and could keep up and out handle all the big boys.

Got My first bike when I was 12. was a '74 Kawasaki 90 enduro. Paid $185 in 1977. Had a bushing in the case go bad. So I tore down the motor (split the cases) and fixed it. My Dad saw the gears all laid out on the bench and figured I'd never get it back together. Low and behold at 11:00 PM the night I got the parts I was riding around the yard. Also got pulled over by the state patrol once for riding across the road to the trails we road on. That didn't go over very well. Wish I still had the bike. Could give it to my grandson.

Well on my 6th birthday I got a YZ-80. Yeah so thats for dirt big deal, thats where I got hooked on motorcycles and thats the whole point of a "first bike" right? After that it was a Yamaha 350 twin two-stroke (insane for a 12 year old) where I learned what a "reed valve" was. My first 4 stroke street bike was an '81 KZ250 D2 single cylinder. Had that untill last year when I sold it to a retired guy that wanted to start riding again after 40 years.

The story of that one is here:

kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_content...iew&id=188&Itemid=17

im still a fan of bone stock mid 70s yamaha xs'.