Been riding about 5 years now. Ill be 35 next month. I never had ridden a bike before but had seen it done. Bought a 96 R6. Never told the guy or my friend I had never really ridden. Drove the thing home 40 miles in the rain, man my jaw hurt from clenching my teeth! Rode with guys WAY faster than me, wrecked twice but began to figure it out. Now I run intermidiate times on tracks....just following faster guys lines and asking questions. FULL GEAR!

 

Started racing mx on a yz 80 at age 7. Was racing bmx. Dad just took me to the track and let me go. Raced 125s by 10. Used to start with foot on milk crate because I couldn't touch the ground. Raced MX until mid 20s. Picked up road racing in teens. Spent a lot of time on a TZ 250 moved to superbikes for a while.

 

Always loved bikes, but no family or friends rode. Bought an 84 Honda Shadow 700 off of eBay when I was in my mid 30's, bought "Motorcycling For Dummies" or something like that and taught myself some basics. Took the MSF course and learned alot more. Sold the bike and got away from it for awhile. Now I'm in my early 40's, decided to get back into it. Bought an 09 Suzuki S40 on eBay, took the MSF course as a refresher and found the book "Proficient Motorcycling" that others have mentioned. A friend let me take his Street Glide for a spin and I was hooked. I found an 01 FLHT on eBay and haven't looked back since.

 

I started riding at 14. One neighbor had a Honda 50 another a Cushman scooter. We rode on country gravel roads. When I was 16 I had saved enough money to buy a new Honda 90. But my parents said no and my father rode, but I could not get him to change his decision. I bought my first bike at 19 a Honda 300 Dream.

 

Taught myself at 50 years old on a brand new Sportster. Practiced figure eights in a church parking lot for weeks and took the DMV test after about 4 months. Past the test on the first try and haven't looked back.

Wanted to ride my whole life but family priorities ruled. Been riding for about 3 years now and graduated to a 2009 Streetglide. Ride mostly 2up now and the wife loves it more than I do.

 

age - 10

1971 on a 1971 Yamaha 80 JT1 - came full street legal...dad striped it..

Dad was on a 1968 390 Husky....

Wish we kept the Husky........

First street bike: 1985 Yamha FJ1100 -

My buddy was racing AFM he taught me how to ride on the street, dad and mom hate the fact I even have a street bike to this day.......

 

I too started out on a Honda moped 50 at age 9 or 10. Nobody there to teach me you just ride, heck it's a 50 and it would do 48 mph on a big down hill. By age 14 I was riding my dad's Moto Guzzi 1000 on trips. Always owned a bike or two.
Now at 53 bought my first Harley, a 11 Ultra Road Glide and loving it.

 

1966 Honda CL 160 Scrambler.I was 12 yrs old and completely nuts over motorcycles,my dad was too in his younger days.I'll never forget the day he pulled into the driveway with it in the back of his pick up,a total surprise to me.It was almost new,aprox. 500 miles.He said if I wanted it the payments would be $28.00 a mo.I'd push it a mile to the gravel pit almost every day,ride till dark and push it home.The one stipulation was if I got in trouble with it,it would disappear.Our neighbor was a state cop so I didn't dare get caught on the street,a year and a half before I had a dr. license.Rode it for 5 yrs.and traded it in on a 4 cyl. Honda 500.1st Harley was a 73 Super glide a year later @19.

 

Took a Safety Course, then rode when ever I can, plus brought the DVD ride like a pro to pick up some pointers. Plus advice from and old timer on do's and don'ts

 

The first time I visited my Dad for the summer after my parents divorce, he took me camping in Baja, Mexico and gave me a Honda 90. It was 1971 and I was 10. The next summer he put me on a Yamaha 250 (I was a big kid) and I rode with him on the beaches and deserts of Baja for the next several summers. Didn't ride at all once I grew up and started raising a family and working my *** off to pay the bills. Finally after I got the last kid out of the house and into collage 5 years ago, I took the safety course and bought myself a big boy bike. Funny thing, I haven't thought about those summers riding with my dad in years until reading this thread. Thanks...