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marked50

(1,511 posts)
53. Bikes have always been my go-to for a zen experience.
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 08:06 PM
Aug 21

Stared out on a moped in early teens- not legally tho

Next, a hand me down from my brother- a Honda SS50- still under age

My first legal ride was a BSA 650 Thunderbolt. It really was a work in progress all the time.
It didn't have a normal keyed ignition switch. Someone installed a12 position switch and you had to
know what time to set it for it to start. It also had quirky kick starter. It would randomly lock-up and stop your leg stroke
with solid jolt. You had to put it in gear and roll it a little and it would clear. Used it for most all things including work at
a Rib joint. One night I was taking out the trash and the bike was gone. Uh-Oh. Frantically looking around found it behind the
restaurant in an alley. Next to it was some Guy trying to put the heel back on his boot. He lickity split. The ignition switch
and the kick starter glitch was my salvation.


Next was a completely stock 1971 Harley Sportster KLH 883cc. Ugliest lime green color you have ever seen but beautiful in my Eyes. Perfect condition. Had that one from 1987 to 2000. Sorry to let it go but we couldn't take it where we were going.

Riding a 2015 Triumph T-100 Bonneville 8665cc now. Bought this during the pandemic. Made the isolation at the time
so much more bearable. Still riding- 58 years (not contiguous tho)




Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Not in a long time EYESORE 9001 Aug 21 #1
I haven't been on a Harley motorcycle for a long time......but absolutely loved riding. a kennedy Aug 21 #2
Thank you very much, a kennedy. debm55 Aug 21 #5
I understand. I haven't been on one in ages. Thank you EYESORE 9001 Glad you were okay. debm55 Aug 21 #3
Many years ago I had a friend who had a big ol' Indian motorcycle. Ocelot II Aug 21 #4
Same here, Ocelot II. it scared me, but at the same time it was fun, debm55 Aug 21 #6
Okay, I'm a bit jealous EverHopeful Aug 21 #44
My brother had one for awhile-- once he took me on a ride around town. ailsagirl Aug 21 #7
Thank you very much, ailsagirl, Yes, I remember going around curves and feeling like I could touch the road. At that debm55 Aug 21 #8
Yes I rode on the back of a cycle with a guy Diamond_Dog Aug 21 #9
Thank you very much , Diamond_Dog. So was mine. That was the first and last time I rode on his bike. Told him to bring debm55 Aug 21 #31
I dated a guy who had a Kawasaki 900 Nittersing Aug 21 #10
Thank you very much. Nittersing, What a great post.I am happy you liked it so much. debm55 Aug 21 #29
Yes. Loved it. Sailingdiver Aug 21 #11
Thank you very much, Sailingdiver. What a journer you had with your bikes.So sorry about it being stolen. debm55 Aug 21 #28
Yes. Once. Decided I want something bigger between me and the pavement. Like a car, for instance. Dorothy V Aug 21 #12
HAHAHAHAHA. I feel the same way, Dorothy V. debm55 Aug 21 #26
Yes, in my early 20's I had a Yamaha 125 trail bike. Glorfindel Aug 21 #13
Thank you , Glorfindel, I guess on the backroads it would be okay. We drove, at night , to a dinner on Rt 30, I never debm55 Aug 21 #24
I had a Honda 750 Aero for a couple of years. GP6971 Aug 21 #14
Thank you very much, GP6971, for sharing. debm55 Aug 21 #22
I sold the last one I'll ever own about 5 years ago yonder Aug 21 #15
Thank you, very much, yonder. You had a lot of bikes. Thank you for sharing with us. debm55 Aug 21 #20
Owned two, one at a time bottomofthehill Aug 21 #16
Thank you very much bottomofthehill. Yes, car is much needed with kids, Especially in Washington, DC. debm55 Aug 21 #19
Yes. And I owned a Honda 360 for awhile. Ended up trading it sinkingfeeling Aug 21 #17
Wow. Thank you very much.sinkingfeeling. Nice trade. debm55 Aug 21 #18
Yes, through Downtown Minneapolis at 120 mph JMCKUSICK Aug 21 #21
Thank you very much, John. were you scared? I would be. debm55 Aug 21 #23
yes lol JMCKUSICK Aug 21 #25
I used to have a Harley, but my cat took it over. iscooterliberally Aug 21 #27
HAHAHAHHAHHAHAH, thank you, Iscooterliberally. That is funny. debm55 Aug 21 #33
Wow... I had a HS boyfriend who bought me a Suzuki 185 in 1978 Cloudhopper Aug 21 #30
You are brave, Cloudhopper, I don't think, I could drive one, . You must of been very brave. debm55 Aug 21 #34
Yes WmChris Aug 21 #32
Thank you WmChris. You have a long history with bikes. I agree with Mrs.WmChris. about the cell phone use. debm55 Aug 21 #37
My brother's friend had a moped. I went around the applegrove Aug 21 #35
Thank you very much, applegrove. The only time I went on one, was my last time. debm55 Aug 21 #38
Yep my parents both had bikes. I wiped Luciferous Aug 21 #36
HAHHAHHAHA. I can't see my parents having bikes. I am glad you and your dad were not seriously hurt, debm55 Aug 21 #39
had a cushman scooter once . didnt get licensed . friend of mine did whelies with me on the back of itt and scared the AllaN01Bear Aug 21 #40
HAHAHAHAHh. Thank you very much,Bear, debm55 Aug 21 #60
way back in my misspent youth mike_c Aug 21 #41
Thank you very much mike_c. That is funny. debm55 Aug 21 #57
I currently own two Moto Guzzis. cloudbase Aug 21 #42
Wow, that's great. Enjoy, cloudbase. debm55 Aug 21 #43
I had a 350Honda back in the 70's. Hubby and I traveled around with it until i had kids and didn't have the time. Srkdqltr Aug 21 #45
Rode dirt bikes as a kid EverHopeful Aug 21 #46
Thank you very much EverHopeful. We have a dirt bike place around here. I have never ridden, but the kids seem to have debm55 Aug 21 #61
When I was younger. OldBaldy1701E Aug 21 #47
Yep, friend of mine stole justaprogressive Aug 21 #48
Been riding motorcycles since my early teens, haved owned many over the decades. My first new bike was a 1978 ImNotGod Aug 21 #49
I drove a friends Honda Dream motorcycle doc03 Aug 21 #50
The first thing I ever drove was a motorcycle. About 1964. Walleye Aug 21 #51
I just rebuilt a 1969 Honda CB350 K1 Bristlecone Aug 21 #52
Bikes have always been my go-to for a zen experience. marked50 Aug 21 #53
I owned 4 of them. Gave up riding them when I was 50 yr old. Emile Aug 21 #54
Omg, yes! In a -most stunning- way! electric_blue68 Aug 21 #55
Wow. what a great adventure, electric_blue68, Thank you for sharing with us. debm55 Aug 21 #59
I've owned 3 oberle Aug 21 #56
Thank you very much,oberle for your post. Riding for 25 years, Wow. Yes, traffic is insane in the DC area. debm55 Aug 21 #58
I had a Yamaha Vision (550cc sport twin) when I was in the 101st Airborne jmowreader Aug 21 #62
Nah, too dangerous. BlueTsunami2018 Aug 22 #63
Rode on the back of one many moons ago Mad_Dem_X Aug 22 #64
Yes, I Did ProfessorGAC Aug 22 #65
I rode my brother's Honda CBX1000 from the Southern California coast to Death Valley... hunter Aug 22 #66
I've been riding for 60 years. Jeebo Aug 22 #67
Rode on the back a couple times WestMichRad Saturday #68
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