First post-test/big-bike ?

[bob_summers]

I don't know if I have any pics but mine was a 350LC, HAK555W.
It was pretty minging when I bought it. Pearlescent white, with decals on the tank that said "Screamer", wheels and engine brush painted in red oxide (everyone worked in the shipyard then, and nicked their paint for just about anything).
I was gutted when I stripped it and painted it black, but you could still see Screamer under the paint.
It ended up quite nice - Stan Stephens tune, Microns, YPVS front end, wheels and swingarm. I was an apprentice toolmaker at the time, machined all the rearsets and brackets out of alu billet, and pinched some LEDs from my work (lighting/indication firm) for the clocks which was dead trick, blue LEDs were quite hi tech in 1991

Now I could be wrong but I sold it to a mate who was very handy with two strokes, and if I'm not mistaken he built my frame and engine into a very tidy 3-pot 550LC (also has a YZ engined RD125 and a 3-pot RD600).

After I sold it I put the proceeds into the deposit on a RG500 which was the best and worst bike I've ever owned...

[Druid]

I am proper old and passed my test on a 250. Next bike I bought was a Yamaha YR5, 350cc air cooled 2 stroke. I don't have any photos but this is the same colour as mine was



Note the drum front brake. Mine had been fitted with (air cooled) RD350 front forks and a disc brake, and an electronic ignition system which caused me no end of problems.

[Skub]

I am proper old and passed my test on a 250. Next bike I bought was a Yamaha YR5, 350cc air cooled 2 stroke. I don't have any photos but this is the same colour as mine was



Note the drum front brake. Mine had been fitted with (air cooled) RD350 front forks and a disc brake, and an electronic ignition system which caused me no end of problems.

I had a YR5 too and a RD350. Great bikes. The YR had a flakey gearbox though,common enough on Yams.

I kinda thought the question was first big bike,so I went big!

[Druid]

I had a YR5 too and a RD350. Great bikes. The YR had a flakey gearbox though,common enough on Yams.

I kinda thought the question was first big bike,so I went big!

Depends how you define "big" When I was riding around on L plates I thought anything over 250 was big. Most people would have thought 500cc was big, and 750 was definitely big. So...

Suzuli T500



Honda CB750F2

[scottyuk]

I passed my test but didn't instantly buy a bike. I got a lot of advice from biking mates etc and narrowed down what I wanted. I ended up opting for a CBR600F6. For the first 6 months I'd get to 8k rpm and never give it any more as I couldn't handle the acceleration

I grew into it and used it for everything from commuting to trackdays. I always felt I looked too big on it but it was an absolutely blinding first bike

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[Taipan]

Legally a Z550. Can't remember the model, but it had a rotten 4-1 exhaust and I loved the sound. I had to replace it for the mot and got a hideous Neta 4-1 which ut me off the bike so I sold it. Start of a trend there lol!

[Bigyin]

I had been riding various bikes and despite coming under the 125 learner restriction i already had a tuned RD250LC that i had been riding about as well as my GS125ES ....my bad and did this from 17 to 20, the 125 lasted till i was 19

I then got to the stage of needing a full license to get a job with a courier company so borrowed a couple of little bikes to pass the old Part 1 and Part 2 then bought this for my new work a couple of days later and hey presto, despatch rider

Yamaha XS400SE



I also ended up a few weeks later buying one of these BMW R80's with about 60000 miles on the clock from another courier however dont have an actual photo but was same colour with Krauser panniers and a whip ariel on the rear rack connected to a radio in a tank bag and speaker on the bars



Funnily enough this was the only time in my life up till a few months ago i owned more than 1 bike at the same time ....... when i joined the RAF i had to sell some bikes so was offered more for the BMW by another courier and a racer bought my LC so i was left with the XS as my transport from base to base during training and carried all of my kit in a maze of bungees on the rear