revtothelimit - motorbike forum

Skub wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:13 pm A 1971 Suzuki T250 Hustler. I was banned from riding while still on L plates.

I had two Hustlers (awaits comments from Finbar) after passing my test on a C90. I thought they were the dogs dangles.

Buckaroo wrote: Sat Jan 20, 2024 12:41 pm

Skub wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:13 pm A 1971 Suzuki T250 Hustler. I was banned from riding while still on L plates.

I had two Hustlers (awaits comments from Finbar) after passing my test on a C90. I thought they were the dogs dangles.

I loved mine too,even though I was clueless. A GT250 came next,then onto Yamaha with the YDS7,YR5 and RD350. Aside from a flirtation with an RD350LC and a DT175,it was fourstrokes from then on until 2023!

I'd contemplated an rd350 or vf400 but a mate bought a gpz550. Having ridden it a couple of times I decided that would do nicely so I got a loan from the bank, collected the bike and gig made redundant the same day. So out of desperation I started despatching three days later having absolutely no road experience whatsoever. Straight into the deep end of 2000 miles a week. Erk.

My first road bike before and after my test was this TZR125 as that's all I could afford with the student loan I got out for 'books'



That pic was taken the day I bought my first 'big bike' my TZR250

Supermofo wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2024 12:15 amthat's all I could afford with the student loan I got out for 'books'

The best book you could ever read

James Cadet 150. Interesting front brake. The cam would go over centre if squeezed too hard which locked it up solid!

I was one of the first to buy in West Yorkshire from cable motors in Halifax a Suzuki 250gt .........with ram air cooling and a front disc brake..... wot a fanny magnet that was. Reg was tjx 933L . £399.00

The top box for my triumph trophy was £400.00

Dt50MX at 16 (with a 60cc big bore kit )

Suzuki GT185 after that.

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 8:44 pm Honda CB-1. 400cc grey import thing, same engine as a CBR400. T'was an NC27, IIRC t'was the engine from an NC23. Maybe.

I think, and I'm a long way from sure on this, the only "CB" Honda where the official name is hyphenated.


image_2024-01-19_204308588.png

Does the CB Two-Fifty count?

First legal road bike was a Suzuki GS125ES that I managed to write off within a fortnight when a car reversed out in front of me and I hit it at about 50mph and flew over the roof.



Got another one off the drivers insurance and rode that till it died a couple of years later when my 2 year L entitlement ran out so as I was riding illegally on a 125 I bought a 250LC and rode that illegally instead

My mate write a car off with a GS125.

The car stopped suddenly in the wet and my friend wasn't paying enough attention. He laid the bike down and it slid into the cars towbar, which somehow bent the chassis.

The bike had a broken head lamp and he rode it home.

I can only imagine the car must have been fucked to start with, or it would have been the first time it tried to tow anything.

Horse wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 10:20 pm

Honda CB175 'Sports' twin

86 mph from 20 bhp

That was the bike I wanted... but when I walked into Paul Smart's to buy it, they'd just sold it... and the model had been discontinued, so it was the last one.

I humm'd and haa'd between the then-new CB250G5 and a 125, and decided on a red metallic CB125S... left me a bit more cash in hand for college and I guessed it would be a bit easier to learn to ride on... I was probably right.

Passed my test on a riding school Yamaha RXS 100 then bought a full power Kawasaki KMX 125 which I kept for about 3 years…… Cracking bike for road and greenlaning.

FS1E, in 1975 was the first legal 2 wheels.
Yamaha 125, the twin, not sure of its full title, in 1976 I think.
GT380, then a 550, then 2 kettles in quick succession. Various other big bikes after that.
First time I ever rode a bike I knew this biking lark was for me, 50 years later it still is!!
Mick

The Spin Doctor wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 9:29 am I humm'd and haa'd between the then-new CB250G5 and a 125, and decided on a red metallic CB125S...

You dodged a (G5) bullet there.

636mick wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 12:46 pm First time I ever rode a bike I knew this biking lark was for me, 50 years later it still is!!
Mick

Amen to that, brother.

My moment of realisation was when we were going on a family holiday and I was sat in the back seat in an unmoving queue of traffic, feeling slightly car-sick, and a big motorbike burbled past completely unaffected by the traffic. (I've fictionalised it in my memory as a Vincent, but it could have been any 50s/60s motorbike).

I remember saying to no-one in particular 'when I grow up, that's what I'm having'...

Fizzy dx.

Skub wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 1:20 pm

The Spin Doctor wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 9:29 am I humm'd and haa'd between the then-new CB250G5 and a 125, and decided on a red metallic CB125S...

You dodged a (G5) bullet there.

Looking back, I do think the little 125 was a very sound choice!