First Bike

[shaggystyle]

So just out of curiosity what was everyone's first bike? Why'd you buy it? What did you like/dislike about it? and Why did you decide to get rid of it (if you have)?

(***Bren kind of inspired this topic with her post here)

My first bike is my current one, an 07 red FZ6. I know a lot of people around here have "encouraged" new riders to start on something smaller, but for me that wasn't really an option. At 6'7" / 210lbs the only options I had in the <500cc range were all dual-purpose bikes. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but the ones that I tried out just weren't very comfortable for me. I also considered an sv650 and r6 but my legs were too long to fit under the grooves in the tank which pushed my knees out really wide and made me look and feel pretty silly. Also considered a Kawi EX500 but i was underwhelmed with it's styling and performance. Then I saw my FZ6......love at first sight. I can't imagine a bike fitting me as wonderfully as this one does. It really is the perfect bike for me. Honestly, I don't think I'll ever get rid of it....as long as it runs and there is gas to put in it.

So that's my story....how 'bout you?

 

[sportrider]

first street legal bike

my first street legal bike was a 1979 Suzuki TS 250 enduro, I rode the crap out of that thing!!! it was a two stroke oil injected , kick start, worn out monstrosity. but, I loved that thing! it lasted me two years until it died an untimely death when a misaligned rear wheel, (I don't know who did that) threw the chain and knocked a hole in a in my opinion poorly located neutral indicator switch. the gearbox quickly depleted its meager contents and seized before I knew there was a problem (hey, I was just a dumb kid), the demise of the TS led to my acquiring a slightly road rashed 91 Katana 600, but that's a squid story for another day!!!

:Sport: ok who's next?

 

[fz6xlr8r]

Around 1990 I got the itch for a motorcycle. My dad had bikes off and on when I was a kid and I loved to ride on the back. Another reason for the itch was my best friend had a bike and the girls would fall all over themselves to get a ride.( On the bike.) Anyway, I knew a guy that had a bike for sale and he wanted $500.00 for it and so happened I had the 500 bucks and no sense of what I was getting myself into. I get to his house and there sat, a 1979 Honda CB 750 in all its glory.(A lot of its glory was in cardboard boxes.) I gladly handed over my hard earned cash, rolled the bike into the back of my dads El Camino(threw about three big cardboard boxes of parts in with it too) and I was off.
After about a week of figuring out what went to where, getting the rust out of the gas tank, treating the tank with rusty tank stuff and about $100.00 dollars worth of black Crylon spray paint I was ready to go. I was ready to go but the carbs were not, so my friends dad pulled the carbs and got them cleaned up and didn't charge me a dime to do it.( I think he felt sorry for me.)Carbs back on, bike fires up, running like a top. I pull out on the street, go down the block, come back, get off the bike and say to my dad" This thing sucks!" I was so disappointed at how it handled. The power was there but the bike had a huge fiberglass wind-jammer that made it feel very top heavy and for a beginner this is not a good feeling.( The wind-jammer looked dorky anyway and no girl would get caught dead riding on the back of that bike with me anyhow.) Two weeks later I sold the old CB 750 for $750.00( About what I had in it) and got a nice deal on a 1983 Yamaha 650 Maxim with 500 miles on it. Cut my teeth on the Maxim but gained a lot of valuable lessons with that Honda. Sometimes I wonder why I still wanted to ride after that experience and then I remember"GIRLS" Oh ya, thats why.

 

[wrightme43]

05 Ninja 250. I loved that bike. Jul 24th 2006.
She treated me right, I treated her right. Life was good.

 

[javahaxxor]

1990 suzuki TS 125 R. I was 16, had worked 2 summers and had some money, and my father gave his written permission so I bought it. I was the happiest kid in the world. I also rode the crap out of that bike. I revved it so the spark plug melted and punched a hole in the piston. And that a couple of times.. I did a lot of tricks, such as wheelies, getaways, jumps, stairs .. staying alive, etc.. The happiest period of my life. I loved the looks of that bike, and that it did exactly what i needed it to do: keep me as far away from the police as possible
They didn't stand a chance .. I loved giving them the finger and getting away with it ... I wouldn't recommend it to my son today, but it had its charm at the moment

 

[chunkygoat]

First bike was a blue 07 ninja 650. I loved but at the same time it had its downfalls. I absolutely hated the sound of the engine and it was very very sluggish (at least in comparison to my fazer). On top of that I had gotten it after it'd been dropped 3 times by a friend. I got it for $1500 with 7,000 miles on it. The chain was in poor condition, needed front and back brakes and a new rotor. It also had a bent shift lever, a broken clutch bar, and the front brake lever was missing a 2" section. The tank and fairing were completely trashed, and the back tire was nearly bald. It was a real death trap.

I got fed up with that POS after a few hundred dollars and a few closes calls, and bought my current bike, the 08 black fz6. I love almost everything about this bike. My only complaints are again - the whiney sound of the engine. Simple fix with a new exhaust but that will come soon. Other than that, I don't really have any complaints about it, maybe sometimes I would like the handlebars to be a little lower - bring a sportier r6 feel. I'm still learning though, but I love everything about this bike. No regrets.

 

[shamrocker]

My first bike was 1982 Kawasaki KZ440-A. My wife got her license and bought the bike from a good friend. After I fixed a few recurring issues, I got my own license and started riding it. I figured "Hey, I have to do all of the work on the bike, I might as well enjoy it!" The bike was really nice: comfy, quick enough, and easy to work on. Unfortunately, I had to work on it a lot. By the time I rebuilt the engine, I convinced my wife that enough was enough and we sold it after a couple years (for a nice profit, I might add!). We saved up some money and are both really enjoying the FZ now. If you're curious, I have some pictures of my old bike in my profile photo albums. I definitely recommend the KZ to any new rider. There's a big community of riders out there, from all over the world, just like the FZ6.

 

[04fizzer]

First bike was an 82 KZ 550 I bought off a friend for $400.

 

[hiway]

First bike was a '82 Yamaha YZ80 as a kid.

 

[frt96]

my first bike was a 1993 yamaha XJ600 Seca II

Good bike, great mileage. Handles well. I bought it to learn on in 07. I fell in love with the FZ6 in o4 and knew I needed something a little tamer to learn on. Bought a 07 FZ last year and sold the seca.

 

[Doorag]

My first bike was a Honda XR125L. It's a learner special in the UK. I rode it for about a year until I passed my full test and could get the Fazer.

 

[C-bus Biker]

First bike was a Honda CB250 Nighthawk as a young-30s adult. I had never even sat on a motorcycle before that. I decided to buy it when gas went over $4.00 per gallon (expensive here in the U.S.). Over 70MPG and opened the doors to a new passion. I sold it because I was confined to the back-road commute to work due to it's top speed. In hindsight, I wish I would have just kept it and had two in the garage. It was a great bike.

 

[Kazza]

I had a Kawasaki Z250 years ago but never officially got my licence with her.

Last Xmas hubby bought me a Honda CBF250 which I got my RE class licence on (fully licenced to ride anything up to and incl 250cc). Passed test and bought FZ6 - sit my R class (licence to ride ANY capacity M/C) in June.... then L plate and shadow no more....

 

[Andz]

My first bike was a Suzuki AC50 that my dad bought me in my last year of high school in 1978.

 

[C-bus Biker]

I had a Kawasaki Z250 years ago but never officially got my licence with her.

Last Xmas hubby bought me a Honda CBF250 which I got my RE class licence on (fully licenced to ride anything up to and incl 250cc). Passed test and bought FZ6 - sit my R class (licence to ride ANY capacity M/C) in June.... then L plate and shadow no more....

Again, the Americans get screwed. Compare your Honda 250 to mine. Yours is sporty while mine looks like a moped. When will we ever learn?... :shakehead:

 

[Gilo-FZ6]

my first ever bike was an mx'r an 85 model kx250 i was 10 and it scared the life out of me

my first road legal bike was a bandit 650 ..the first brand new thing id ever owned of substantial value..i hated it

 

[FB400]

My first bike is 2006 FZ6, faster blue.

I spent several months researching a few different bikes including the sv650, gsx650f and ninja 500r. All of these felt pretty nice but the FZ6 was the clear winner both in terms of sporty looks and comfortable riding position.

Oh and yeah, I initially had my sights set on the FZ1 but I decided that would be way too much bike for me... maybe in a few years.

Right now I am thrilled with the FZ6. Just the right amount of performance in a good handling and comfortable ride.

 

[Chris]

Got my first bike, a Suzuki Intruder 125, when I was 15 and learning to ride.

I wanted something sportier but already at 6'1" I felt a bit awkward on the tiny Honda NSR and Aprilia 125RS. On my 16th birthday I got my license to ride anything up to 125cc. Rode the Suzuki for two years. Took my full license when I was 21 and got the FZ6. Again I wanted something with an R in the name, but this time insurance was the issue. Had the FZ for a couple of years before I got a great deal on insurance and traded it in for my GSX-R 750..

 

[Jblk9695]

My first bike was a Puch 250 2 stroke maybe a 59 or 60, used it to go back and forth to work from 182nd and Western in Gardena to 62nd and Western in LA, this was before freeways were invented. Kinda picture American Graffiti with me being the dorky one with the glasses and penny loafers And just jeans and a T shirt cause in those days we were invincible and we didn't have near as many idiots on the road trying to kill us:thumbup:

Jerry

 

[mastakilla]

my first bike was a 2007 red FZ6 Fazer. Did a lot of research before buying it, but I was very happy. I was never overwhelmed with it's power, it was what I had expected and what I wanted

I rode it for a year, never fell or dropped it, put about 8000 miles on her and then upgraded to a FJR1300.

You can read about that here:

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-general-discussion/15689-bye-bye-fz6-welcome-fjr1300-comparison.html