Learned to ride on an old Honda 90 on a snowed over baseball field in the middle of winter in 1971, Been riding ever since!

 

I took the HD Riders Edge program this past summer. I learned allot and so far I have about 2000 miles under my belt. Here in CT if you are getting your Motorcycle endorsement for the first time you have to take a class. I liked the riders edge program it was geared to the Harley rider and they went over the bikes and even did a fit shop.

 

I read about it in a book. Really.

I always knew I wanted a motorcycle. My parents were opposed to my having one and I had no one to teach me. So, I bought and read a book on motorcycle operation. Next I bought a life insurance policy. Finally, I bought a new 1972 Honda CB 450. My first motorcycle ride was across the parking lot in the motorcycle dealership. My second ride was 100 miles from the dealership back to college.

It was a really good book.

 

5hp mini-bike from Guarantee Auto, Honda Trail 50 then onto the first "real" bike Honda Elsinore 250. Several after such as KZ900, Yamaha 850, etc. Took 14 years off to raise kids and be a golfaholic but bought the 1600cc Road Star in 2001. My first HD the new 08 RKC.

Bought the Ride-like-a-Pro in 02 and took the experienced rider course in 03. Would love to find the time/$$ to take a motor officer type course. The older I get the more I realize how little I know in life, why should riding be any different?

When my girlfriend now wife decided to ride her own in 04 I bought a used 86 Honda Shadow 1100 and insisted she take the MSF course before riding. She is on her 3rd bike, an 07 RKC we bought this last summer. She has more then enough miles now; think I will sign us up for the experienced rider course this summer for a "tune-up."

 

So I wasn't the only one who had one of these. The first licensed ride I had was a Honda Trail 55 way back in 1963 or 1964 and I rode it on the streets and through oilfields of southern California (AKA: 'Bakersfield').

 

'66 Harley Sprint that dad bought for my big brother and me to learn on. http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/...n-sprint-5.jpg Then a '56 K Model Sportster and I was on it. Several others since.

 

I was self-taught as a farm kid. We always had mini-bikes and dirt bikes around. Bought my first street bike when I turned 16 (Honda CM400C), graduated to a Kawasaki 750 at age 17, which I pretty much ruined within 10,000 miles. I think I went through 4 rear tires on that bike. Burn-outs and 1/4 drags with buddies every day. Here and there over the next 20 years I would own a bike for a short while, but for the most part was away from them until 2005. At that point I bought my first Fatboy and had to get my endorsement all over again. In 2009 I went through the 2 week MSF Ridercoach school, and then last spring I went through Police Motor School. So I guess I don't think I REALLY learned how to ride until last spring.

 

Learned myself on a dirt bike at 7 years old in the mountains of W.Va.

 

Like the major percentage, started out on dirt bikes. If ya can't ride a Honda 50 Trail, ya might want to consider another activity when yer able to get a real motorcycle

 

I would LOVE to attend an officers type riding school.
I've even inquired about attending the course at my local sheriff's dept.
I'm told for liability reasons, it aint happening.
I can ride pretty damn good, I think.
But I can't hold a candle to those guys, and I know it.