FIFTY times the displacement of my first bike?

bootworks

.040 Over
Joined
Jun 29, 2020
Messages
66
Location
Livermore, California USA
Ride
2020 Rocket 3 TFC
A DKW 50cc two stroke, pedal assisted, open frame. In green, with cream trim.

Gone through a bunch of neat bikes during this journey, loved them all, from the Hodaka Super Rat to the BMW R90S in Daytona Orange, and all the other special machines that have made these past 56 years a 'rell of a hide'. (Censorship, you know. Can't say "$hit" without offending other adult riders, right?)

Strangely only three Japanese bikes along the way, and even though I loved them all, they were among the least memorable.

And now this beast, FIFTY times the displacement of my first beloved bike. The sensations of that first ride are still burnt into my ethos, the smell of the Belray, the sound of that mill, the eagerness of the sled and the thrill of pushing a bit harder on a turn the first time. Sensory overload.

So, tell us about your journey, your special bikes: What path landed you here?
 
Ten years old riding on a quarter mile dirt road on a Honda CT70 started the obsession. Progressed up the chain with Suzuki 90, Yamaha DT 250, Yamaha Xt 500 then the big boy road bike. The Virago 1000 and I felt top of the heap in 1983. After a few years off I bought my first Harley and loved that 96 ci Road King.

More Harley’s and then Indians and motors getting bigger all the time. Lord help me I love power. After building a 116 Indian Chieftain I thought I was at the top but then found the Rocket Roadster and I loved the motor. Now at 2.5 liters the TFC is really the top and I’m very satisfied. Some days I still feel ten years old.
 
Progressed up the chain with Suzuki 90, Yamaha DT 250, Yamaha Xt 500 then the big boy road bike.
I've got a @'72 DT250 sitting behind my garage. I remember riding that once when I was about 7 or 8. Dad would put it in gear, let out the clutch, and then once we got moving, he would hop off. Couldn't even reach the pegs, or shifter, or anything else. Think I rested my feet on the cylinder head. Same bike! Not long after learning to balance on a two wheel bicycle, I started on the Honda 50. That bike was the starter kit for all 6 of us kids growing up...plus a few cousins/friends as well.
Most of my riding has been in the dirt.
Honda Trail 50
Yamaha GT80
Yamaha YZ80
Yamaha LT100
Bunch of other bikes in between....
Yamaha DT250
Yamaha TY 250
Honda CR 500
Honda Magna/Sabre 750
Short stint on my brothers Yamaha V Star (I think) 1100
The Rocket !
 
Ten years old riding on a quarter mile dirt road on a Honda CT70 started the obsession. Progressed up the chain with Suzuki 90, Yamaha DT 250, Yamaha Xt 500 then the big boy road bike. The Virago 1000 and I felt top of the heap in 1983. After a few years off I bought my first Harley and loved that 96 ci Road King.

More Harley’s and then Indians and motors getting bigger all the time. Lord help me I love power. After building a 116 Indian Chieftain I thought I was at the top but then found the Rocket Roadster and I loved the motor. Now at 2.5 liters the TFC is really the top and I’m very satisfied. Some days I still feel ten years old.
No Boss Hoss?
 
I've got a @'72 DT250 sitting behind my garage. I remember riding that once when I was about 7 or 8. Dad would put it in gear, let out the clutch, and then once we got moving, he would hop off. Couldn't even reach the pegs, or shifter, or anything else. Think I rested my feet on the cylinder head. Same bike! Not long after learning to balance on a two wheel bicycle, I started on the Honda 50. That bike was the starter kit for all 6 of us kids growing up...plus a few cousins/friends as well.
Most of my riding has been in the dirt.
Honda Trail 50
Yamaha GT80
Yamaha YZ80
Yamaha LT100
Bunch of other bikes in between....
Yamaha DT250
Yamaha TY 250
Honda CR 500
Honda Magna/Sabre 750
Short stint on my brothers Yamaha V Star (I think) 1100
The Rocket !
The DT 250 was the first bike bought with my own money, I loved that bike.
 
I've got a @'72 DT250 sitting behind my garage. I remember riding that once when I was about 7 or 8. Dad would put it in gear, let out the clutch, and then once we got moving, he would hop off. Couldn't even reach the pegs, or shifter, or anything else. Think I rested my feet on the cylinder head. Same bike! Not long after learning to balance on a two wheel bicycle, I started on the Honda 50. That bike was the starter kit for all 6 of us kids growing up...plus a few cousins/friends as well.
Most of my riding has been in the dirt.
Honda Trail 50
Yamaha GT80
Yamaha YZ80
Yamaha LT100
Bunch of other bikes in between....
Yamaha DT250
Yamaha TY 250
Honda CR 500
Honda Magna/Sabre 750
Short stint on my brothers Yamaha V Star (I think) 1100
The Rocket !
How'd you like that CR500 could it do a wheelie?
 
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