Why did you decide to ride?

[berserk81]

I am sure that for most people they probably grew up riding with family and friend from a young age, and it just became second nature for them to ride. I on the other hand grew up with old school bikers but never really was to interested in motorcycles. My family was poor but it seemed like all of our family friend were riders. I got to ride a motorcycle one time when i was about 13 I think, it was just a little dual purpose bike and I was only on the damn thing for about 100 yards before I fell into the dirt.

I have only decided to get me a motorcycle in the last couple of months. I was coming back from New Mexico from a job me and my crew just got ran off of, and my friend (who is also my groundhand) started to say that we should get some motorcycles. I don't even know why he had brought it up, neither one of us ever really showed any interest in getting one. So I just choped it up to him just talking sh*t.

Once we started to leave Taos, NM I noticed that the scenery was very nice, and the road into and out of Taos looked to be a great road for a bike. It took us nearly 12 hours to get back home and the whole time all I could think about was, what kind of bike I would ride. When we got to the house I turned my tablet on and began sifting through motorcycles on CL and hve been hooked ever since.

I haven't even gotten a bike yet and from reading stories of rides from people on this site and others, I can't wait until I start riding.

Sorry for such a long story but would love to hear yours. Did you start out young on a dirt bike, or are you kind of like me and just got it stuck in your head one day?

[rasta]

I admit, when I was in high school I wanted to get one because I thought it'd look cool

But it's always something I wanted to pay for myself (I guess you could say I had a "privileged" upbringing), but could never afford it. I graduated college, started my career, and saved up some money, then finally decided to make the investment.

It's a good thing I ended up waiting, I'm much more mature at 24 than I was 17 (shocking lol). I did some stupid sh*t when I was younger. I still do, just not while I'm on the road anymore

[allanoue]

That is a good question

You will see many answers to that very question here
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...&highlight=age

[moonwalker]

I always liked the sound of engines, the smell of gasoline and oil, the sensation of speed. I also always thought that those MotoGP racers are the coolest looking dudes after astronauts. I enjoyed riding usual bicycle, but I wanted to go faster than my muscles would allow me to. So for me riding motorcycle is something I wanted to do for a long while.

I had no motorcycles around me growing up. My parents wouldn't buy me a motorcycle, both because we weren't that well off and because they thought (still do) that it's too dangerous. Unfortunately I wasn't able to afford buying one on my own until recently, when I finally got a well paying and stable job, so I missed on some years of fun. Fortunately, I wised up enough by now, because had I got motorcycle just some five years ago I would've killed myself very quickly.

[NevadaWolf]

When i was little, i rode quads out at the local sand dunes. But by the time i hit junior high, we were no longer going out there.

Shortly before my 21st birthday i was watching all the bikes around and decided i wanted one. No clue what i was getting into, but i wanted one. Even completed the MSF on my birthday! But i think what sealed it was this conversation...

Me: "It'd be cool to ride a bike!"
Southern g'ma: "You should. All you need is to find a nice boy with one so you can ride on the back."
Me:

[Aggrotech]

Money. I always had the idea that my first vehicle was not going to be a piece of ****. so i had 2 options. Buy a piece of **** junk car that will make me miserable everytime i look at it or B, sacrifice certain things for a brand new vehicle that still accomplished the same goal that i was looking for, in other words, Commuting.

[250rr]

Sound. Bucket list thing, as well.

[JohnnyBravo]

Most folks in my family have rode... Uncles, both grand dads, cousins, dad, even my grams wanted me to take her a ride on my bike last visit I payed her at the nursing home. I rode some dirt bikes, they are fun! We have plenty of four wheelers on the farm! My nice even has a lil mini bike thing my brother bought her, a bit raggedy and under powered, but still lots of fun. So ever since I can remember I have been sitting on an engine and two wheels, bikes are amazing!!!

It's in my blood!

[mrb]

I remember the day i saw my first motogp race and knew i wanted to ride eventually after that. I wasnt able to start young because no one in my family rides or is interested in riding. At 18, im pretty introverted, so it is a good way to spend some time outside the house and in the fresh air.

[red5]

I started on the street later than most here I'm guessing. Plenty of dirt bikes and 3-wheelers when I was a kid. Always wanted a street bike but never owned one until a few years ago.

High School - some money but parents were very "not while you live here"
College - no money and not practical
Graduated - still no money
Married/Kids - see "graduated" X3

Now cars/trucks are paid for and had the cash on hand.

[ChickenRun]

Nobody in my family rides but my dad used to be an avid gamer back in the early 90's so I grew up playing a Genesis and one day my dad brought home this game... since then always wanted a motorcycle until I finally got one, and I love it!

[Rugby Winger]

Fuel economy and free parking (it's expensive around here). I don't give a single flip about motorcycling as an experience or lifestyle.

[Brocked]

I've always wanted to be on two wheels and after putting myself back into school two years ago I got into a 4 year university and went to the msf course as a present for myself. After dreaming about a ninja for two years I got one a week after my msf course. Very happy with my decision.

[Singh2jz]

Rode one in india for like 20 minutes and had a blast lol. I had no experience before that and nobody told me what to do. My friends here wanted to take the MSF course, so I took it just to have the license. I initially did not want to own a bike yet, but ended getting one because my momma persuaded me and my dad was cool with it!

[red5]

Originally Posted by ChickenRun

Nobody in my family rides but my dad used to be an avid gamer back in the early 90's so I grew up playing a Genesis and one day my dad brought home this game... since then always wanted a motorcycle until I finally got one, and I love it!

I invested/wasted many hours on this one...

[NevadaWolf]

LOL Yep, me too! Had a lot of fun playing Excitebike and the rest of my NES collection.

[mikromo]

I have an early memory, of being in kindergarden (1956) and running around with a friend playing "motorcycle", making the noises, and pretending we were holding handlebars. In 1964, our family moved to Tiapei, Tiawan and the city was awash with Honda Cub 50's. Our "yard boy" had a Yamaguchi 50 Sport (3 speed with clutch) that he taught me to ride, and at 13 years old, the feeling of riding WITHOUT pedaling was intoxicating to say the least. I came back from Tiapei with a Honda Cub 50 of my own, and have never looked back. It rarely fails to put a smile on my face! My dad was really anti-motorcycle, but the Cub was harmless looking, and that got my "foot in the door". I plan to ride until I can no longer throw a leg over the saddle!
Funny story:
When I got married, my Dad told me that for a wedding present, he was going to give my Bride and I the down payment on a house! Needless to say, we were stoked! So, after the honeymoon Dad called and said he wanted to come over and talk to us about his "gift". So, he get's there, and say's "as a condition of this "gift", I would have to sell my Ducati, and give up riding...... My new wife looked him square in the eye and said, "why would you have your son give up the thing that gives him so much joy?", " I guess we don't want your money!" My Dad (a retired Naval officer, used to people following orders without question), quickly backed down, and we got our "gift". And I knew then that I had married the "right one"!

[crazymadbastard]

My grandfather rode till his late 70s, I used to go ride in the back seat. I always liked mechanical things and kept watching cafe racer tv lately. SO the bug bit me and I got my starter bike. I just wish my lifestyle would lend itself more to riding but it doesn't really, with work and dropping kids off before work I just cant ride as much as I want to...

[Insan3guy]

I needed to break the monotony of life for a little while. At the time, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and I needed something better than a bicycle to get around... motorcycle is pretty cheap on insurance and gas, plus I could learn a bit about small engines. Took the MSF, 4 months after that bought a ninja. Infinitely better than I could've imagined... can't picture myself NOT riding now.

[Boom King]

The Terminator



Saw the movie when I was younger. Thought bikes have been cool ever since. Still working on the part where I'm able to ride and fire a shotgun at the same time, being able to take multiple bullets, and time travel but just the riding part is still hella fun

[Sirref]

I was driving one morning to high school, and considering that I drove like a moron every morning I was doing about 90-100 on a back road (didn't take long to learn the cost of tires and brakes hahaha) and I was passed by a bike like it was nothing. at that point I wanted in, I thought "man I want to do that" and here I am, learning how to ride fast on a slow bike and feeling/looking like a boss in the process.

[azian4lifz]

got my licenses suspened which got me thinkin about bikes a lot more

[alex.s]

my dad had always wanted a gold wing when he was alive. because of that my older brother bought a 40cc pocket bike. the bike was wicked fun and a blast to screw around on. after the 4th pocket bike i had moved out and my roommate at the time let me borrow her 150cc adly thundercat scooter. the bike was wicked fun and a blast to screw around on. so i took the msf and rode a KX125. the bike was wicked fun and a blast to screw around on. so i bought a ninja 250. the bike was wicked fun and a blast to screw around on. so i bought a 600. the bike was wicked fun and a blast to screw around on. so i bought a 250 2 stroke dirt bike. and another 250 ninja.

maybe you notice a theme:

bikes are wicked fun and a blast to screw around on. this is why i ride.

[Nemesis]

Link to original page on YouTube.

[ChickenRun]

Originally Posted by red5

I invested many hours on this one...

No such thing as wasted hours on video games

[Alex]

Originally Posted by ChickenRun

No such thing as wasted hours on video games

Well, there might be some outer limits to that hypothesis.

[JohnnyBravo]

I was just thinking about posting cartman playing dungeons and dragons... Somebody stoled my thunder

[Mocha Man]

I rode dirt bikes when I was young but absolutely hated it at the time. My dad wanted me to and I won some races but quit after a few years.

I have no idea why I decided to get into street riding though. I pretty much just woke up one day and said to myself, "I want a motorcycle."

[berserk81]

Originally Posted by ChickenRun

Nobody in my family rides but my dad used to be an avid gamer back in the early 90's so I grew up playing a Genesis and one day my dad brought home this game... since then always wanted a motorcycle until I finally got one, and I love it!

Road Rash was awesome I played it all the time. By far the best one was the one that came out on the Sega Saturn.

[KrazyWalle]

I had been riding random bikes on and off as child, and my dad would ride and always have bikes laying around. I learned how to ride on the street on a Suzuki GZ250. So when i got the 250 a few years later it was almost like I was meant to ride it, it felt natural... First thing i did was ride straight onto the interstate and opened her up...

Anyways long story short i got fired from my job, stopped going to college and was unemployed for a few months. My now current ex-wife, only had one car so she had priority and a job. Finally got a temp job at McDonalds but didn't have transportation or the money to flat out buy a car, so off to the motorcycle dealer i went. Tried to get a zx6r but was DENIED because the dealer said I wasn't approved for that much money because I only had one day on the job. Something to do with the application. I was suckered in to buy a 250, they told me to come back and trade it in later.. 3 years later i still have it.

I used to live in SoCal and commuted to work on the interstate alot. The 250 was the perfect package; cheap on gas, insurance, beat the traffic(I still do that but I can't lane split anymore, I'm devastated!), and look good while doing so.. Plain and simple..

[Sipper']

Started riding when I was 4 yrs. old and even at that point I knew "this was me". It seemed the most natural thing in the world, like being able to breathe.

I cannot imagine being without a motorcycle and since the age of 4 I haven't been. Even if I go for a while without riding, just knowing that ultimate freedom is available at any time is very soothing.

The funny thing is I am the only member of my entire family that is a motorcyclist.

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by KrazyWalle

I was suckered in to buy a 250, they told me to come back and trade it in later.. 3 years later i still have it.

funny how things work out like that, in the end for your purposes you got a bike that is every bit your fit.

reminds me of the days where I wanted my first bike to be a cbr1000rr and here I am with my second bike being 300ccs of back road terror passing the very bikes I looked up to with the freedom to unwind the throttle at will.

[menikmati]

I wanted to do something that scared me.

“Don't do what you want. Do what you don't want. Do what you're trained not to want. Do the things that scare you the most.”

[Jiggles]

I hear its a great way to pick up girls so long as they don't know it's just a 250

[DCMoney]

2nd nature in my house and among all my relatives on one side of the family.

Dirt since I was bout 6, road first street bike at 14, motorcycle license at 16. First bike I bought from my mom, was her Bandit 600.

I ride for the adrenaline.

[CC Cowboy]

I was forced into it at the early age of 4. My father told me if the cops show up at the door get on the bike and ride like the wind. I forced my kids to ride at 3. I told them when the cops show up at the door get on the bike and ride it like you stole it.

[allanoue]

It looked fun

[choneofakind]

I like things that are noisy, quick, and let me tinker. I'd wanted one since I was about 5, finally had enough one to feasibly own one by 17, so I bought it.

The rest is history.

[mtbang]

Because my dad said motorcycles were too dangerous for girls!

[Donniejoe]

Because I looked so cool!