How old were you when you first rode motorcycles on the street?

[slolane]

My son turned 16 today and looks forward to the day he gets a motorcycle. He is still learning to drive a car so I told him as long as he continues to do well for the next year or two I will work with him on learning about bikes, I will take the MSF course with him and help him get a 250. We would then have 3 250's, maybe I get a newer 250 and he would get mine? Would have to see what is out then, that's a long time off so no biggie. He has ridden dirt bikes for 2 years but needs some time on the street to learn the rules of the road and how to avoid the crazies and continue to learn situational awareness before getting out there on a motorcycle.

So how old were you when you first rode motorcycles on the street? I was, well let's just say I was 16.

[kkim]

17

[austexjg]

Do mini-bikes around the neighborhood while parents are away count?

[slolane]

Originally Posted by austexjg

Do mini-bikes around the neighborhood while parents are away count?

LOL, no and neither does my race YZ-80 when I was a young teen.

[tiggen]

29

[kkim]

Originally Posted by austexjg

Do mini-bikes around the neighborhood while parents are away count?

more so, if the cops stopped you.

[Sailariel]

16 A Zundapp Sabre 200cc

[Alex]

Howdy all - should I merge this thread with this one?

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=62883

Or is the topic separate enough to leave 'em be?

[kkim]

I think it's different enough to stand on it's own... btw, how old were you?

[mikesova]

I was 26. It was 2 years ago. I started on a CM250.

[V2Neal]

16
Got my driver license then MC license a week later.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by kkim

btw, how old were you?

26. Probably for the best that I didn't start earlier, I drove like a knob in my teenage years and a motorcycle wouldn't have helped the situation...

[slolane]

Interesting... maybe I will let him start earlier and just make him ride with me for a while before letting him go out on his own... jeez I sound like such a dad right now, LOL. I just want him to be safe. Maybe I will let him pick out gear now and start the search for a good deal on a 1st gen 250 and let him have a 2nd gen to look forward to (what he wants) once he gets seat time logged.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by slolane

Interesting... maybe I will let him start earlier and just make him ride with me for a while before letting him go out on his own... jeez I sound like such a dad right now, LOL. I just want him to be safe. Maybe I will let him pick out gear now and start the search for a good deal on a 1st gen 250 and let him have a 2nd gen to look forward to (what he wants) once he gets seat time logged.

dirt bike. let him do his crashing offroad where you still get hurt, but at least stay alive.

it really is a great outlet for riders who think they are the next supercross star (or are filled with no respect for the laws of gravity), only to have reality fill their face with dirt.

gives you a new found respect on the power of a motorcycle and the skill needed to utilize that power without crashing.

[slolane]

Actually he's nothing like his dad, he has a feel for mortality at a young age (he's a lot smarter than me). He's a good trail rider, no jumping or anything crazy, cruising really. We have a couple of CRF 100's that we ride on our property and some friends trails that he has done well on.

[nexus]

17. Got my MC license exactly one year after I got my drivers license.

[kkim]

with that experience of being already able to handle the basic operations of a bike, being a sensible type of rider in the dirt, I think he'll make a great street rider if he can keep his hormones in check for the next couple of years.

That's where you come in... nurture his growth. sounds like you've been doing a great job so far. what does his mother think of the idea of street riding?

[slolane]

Originally Posted by kkim

what does his mother think of the idea of street riding?

She's ok with easing him into it. I kinda wish I kept my supermoto now, that would be a great starter bike (WR250X).

[kkim]

sounds like you have a plan.

just be sure to solicit his input so he at least ends up with something that's on his list, too.

gl... you can't protect them forever. the best you can do is prepare them for what lays ahead and teach them to approach anything with all the knowledge they can arm themselves with about the particular subject matter.

16 on streets. 8 in the dirt.

[slolane]

Good points, thanks!

I will get a short list of bikes from him and try to work that into the mix. He likes the new-gen Ninja 250, liked my WR250X, so we'll see. I wasn't planning on this until next year but maybe can do something sooner.

[bluepoof]

I was 22.

[PsychoNinja]

24 or 25 when I first drove a motorcycle. It was a Honda Rebel. Only drove it for 2-3 hours.

[gfloyd2002]

8 on a minibike on a country road, some time on dirtbikes in my teens, but into my early 30s before I got my first street bike. Good thing, too. I was an maniac in my '67 Mustang when I was 16 - its a miracle I didn't get into more trouble than I did. If I'd had a motorcycle I would have.

But it really depends on the kid and how responsible he is. You might think of getting him out onto the track early before he hits the streets. Give him in a good hobby and teach him safety and skill techniques, as well as a safe outlet to ride harder.

[austexjg]

I use to take my Dad's Shadow for a ride while they were out of town - it started around age 13.... just got me license this year (not a role model).

[wild-bill]

20. I had a KDX80 when I was a teenager, so I knew how to ride. I went to test ride an old GS650 this kid was selling. He let me ride it. It was very heavy compared to the KDX. And I was on the pavement with crazy cagers. It was scary, but so much fun. I did not buy the bike-it had too many crazy cosmetic mods I didn't like. But a month later I came home with a '82 GS550L. That day I felt like I was SOMEBODY 'cause I had a street bike. Then 6 months later I decided it was time to get the motorcycle endorsrment on the license.

[AMMOCAN]

Well, I am in my 30's and I am just now finally in a position to fulfill my long awaited desires to ride and have a street bike.

Growing up, I lived in a, what was then, a small rural town, so dirt bikes and ATVs were a common everyday occurrence. I am in a way glad that the opportunity to get and ride a street bike hasn't happened until now, as I am a lot more wiser and mature to understand and respect the differences between dirt and street. I am sure that if I had this opportunity when I was younger then I would have paid dearly, as I just really never thought about the consequences involved or had any respect for fear.

Thankfully, growing up through all my thrill seeking adventures I never sustained much if any serious injuries. Oddly enough though, the one time that I can remember sustaining a major injury, which was a leg fracture from my knee down to my ankle, it was when I was hit by a car crossing the street inside a crosswalk. The biggest difference I see with me now than when I was younger is that I have learned to think about things before doing them.

I believe the biggest reason for this is because I now have responsibilities, priorities, and a family that depends on me. As a kid, I never thought about much, so I wasn't worried about anything. Now, I am thinking about my health, finances, family. etc. However, the kid I once was still lives strong inside of me, as I still want to have fun living life to it's fullest, as at any time it can be taken away, thus I try to make sure that what ever I choose to do that I leave behind no regrets. I just think more now then I did then, lol.

[n4mwd]

It was September last year and I was 48. Before that, I have never even ridden a dirt bike (and still haven't). I seriously regret not getting a motorcycle when I was younger. I think learning is easier when you are younger. I'm getting better, but I'm still having issues with some riding skills.

When I was growing up, motorcycles had a bad image and those that rode them had a tendency to be involved in crime. Not to mention the safety concerns. In fact, just a few miles from where I grew up, the Outlaws motorcycle gang got in trouble for nailing a girl to a tree and torturing her. Consequently, there is no way my parents would have let me have one growing up.

[warlord]

32 but I don't really know anyone that rides...

[FrugalNinja250]

Illegally? When I was 15 or 16 on a very small dual purpose 4-stroke, way back when. Legally was 45.

[heylookitsfranco]

21-- the bike bug didn't bite me until a few months before my 20th birthday. also, my parents weren't on board with the idea (didn't even let me get my driver's license til I turned 18 or 19) but then they were cool about it, so all's well that ends well.
I figure as long as he don't get too crazy and that he doesn't have any friends on any of them crazy ninjabikes, he should be fine do him a favor, get him a proper harley. like a real man.

[CC Cowboy]

7 years old on a Cushman scooter in the neighborhood. It might have been illegal. 10 on a mini bike (same neighborhood). I might have still been underage. At 12 I was building motorbikes (Stringrays with a Briggs and Stratton). 14 was my first AMA race. Then I was finally legal when I got my motorcycle license the day I turned 16. Two days later I got my car license.

[singlecoillover]

20. Anything with wheels was highly frowned upon as I was growing up. Probably because my uncle almost killed himself in a 4-wheeler wreck before I was born. I honestly had very little desire to ride until my brother got his first ninjette. I'm so glad I let him talk me into learning to ride.

[bowersox3589]

20

[Nemesis]

I think I was 27 or 28 when I first got my bike (600cc). Passed the MSF and immediately took to the streets. Boy was that a mistake.

I should have practiced in the parking lot even after graduating from MSF for a couple months or so.

There were numerous situations I was not prepared for or taught in the MSF course to handle the situation. I thank God for protecting me during those times.

[grandelatte]

I was 16, started on 50cc back in Japan.

[coondog]

20, bought a four stroke knobbed up 250 honda for the beaches, at that time the building moratorium was still on. two strokes still ruled the roost and I changed over to a yamaha 175 enduro.

[Live2ride]

17, I decided to take the msf course before ever riding a motorcycle before, then rode the hell outta my step brothers 09 ninjette .(well besides a 5hp mini bike around age 11 that is ).

[Blackwidow]

31

[kkim]

Originally Posted by coondog

changed over to a yamaha 175 enduro.

I had one of them... CT-1. $750 brand new, out the door, IIRC.