On what brand of motorcycle did you begin riding?

[basketcase]

For the writers among us, I elected to not leave the preposition dangling for once. :brow

Why would anyone start out riding on something other than a BMW? I can think of several reasonable answers.

- BMW does not offer a much in terms of entry level bikes.
- BMWs can be hard to locate and tedious to maintain.
- BMW is a tall motorcycle -- which makes it intimidating to the new rider.
- BMWs are darned expensive.

But, in spite of the negatives, some riders do indeed fall in love with the marque, and end up riding one of the infernal machines.

With all that on the table, the addition of several new riders to the forum family has prompted me to think in terms of where some of the others among us started our riding bent. I suspect a lot of us started out someplace other than on a beemer, and that our warm reception of those who start out on a safer and less expensive bike can go a long way towards building the MOA family of the future.

So it's confession time! The options are: (1) confess discreetly by only completing the poll, or (2) confess blatantly by posting in addition to completing the poll!

For my part, I started out on a 1970 Suzuki TC 90 "trail bike." Great ride, very dependable, wish I still had it.

IMHO,
Rick (yes, I confess to enjoying these voyeuristic surveys) in AL
:D

[BradfordBenn]

I started on a Yamaha VStar 650Classic. I picked it for a few reasons:

1) Cost
2) Low Seat Height
3) Liked the look of it
4) Could pick it up myself

I do not regret changing to a BMW. On the VStar a long day was 100 miles, on the BMW it is 1,000 miles.

[gambrinus]

I fall into the "other" catagory... Bultaco Baby! Old 250 that had been ridden and abused by every kid in the neighborhood. Was also another bike that would fall into the "other" catagory.. an old Hodaka Road Toad.

[Usedtopilot]

As my most recent post mentions, I have just purchased my first bike - a Honda Shadow 600. He's a handful, but becoming more manageable with each ride. I do aspire to owning a BMW... there are few machines more beautiful. But cost, miles to a BMW dealership, and other factors compelled me to purchase my current sweet ride. He's a beauty.. will post pictures ASAP.

The BMW family here has been wonderfully receptive to this new rider, welcoming my posts as a BMW "outsider". I certainly hope my simple "new rider" perspective will continue to be welcome here, because, in my view, this is by far the best "forum fit" for me, and I'm becoming attached to the various personalities here!

[GSTom]

My first bike I owned (I had ridden many other peoples before) was a 1952 HD Panhead 74 with a factory sidecar. It was a rigid frame model with kick start. I enjoyed owning it for over 20 years, but wanted a more highway capable machine for serious road trips. I sold the Harley and bought a used K100LT. I now own 4 BMWs and a BSA 650 Lightning.

[JetDoc]

Whoops... no pic, I'll try again.

[DarrylRi]

I learned to ride on borrowed bikes, particularly a Yamaha 175 Enduro two smoke and a Suzuki GS650. But my primary motorcycle mentor bought a new BMW, so that's what I did, and spent 56,000 happy miles on my 1981 R65.

[JetDoc]

I rode several different bikes when I was a kid, ranging from rented Honda 50's to my buddy's Ducati 250 CC dirt bike. My Dad wouldn't let me have one of my own, so I bought my first one after I left home to join the Air Force.

Here's me with my 1970 Suzuki TS 250 in front of the Suzuki shop in Mt Clemens, Michigan.

[fetishbear]

I learned to ride on a 100cc Hodaka but my first bike that I bought and paid for was a 1966 Honda 305cc Scrambler. After totally thrashing that in the deserts of So. Cal, I got a 1968 Yamaha DT-1 250cc Enduro which I raced in motocross. For a street bike, my brother and I both rode 1970 Kawasaki 500cc Mach III's. Went through Bultaco's and Montessa's in motocross and trials, then Maico's and CZ's in motocross again and then Yamaha RD350's in road racing. Then came the military (stationed in Germany) and my first BMW - a 1978 R100RS. Put 168K miles on her before switching - went through Gold Wings, a Ducati and three Harley's. Just switched back to BMW. There were a few others in there but I will always remember that damn first Honda 305cc.

Cheers,

[BradfordBenn]

I realized that I did not include the Rebel 125 if I remember properly that was provided during the MSF course. Not sure if that counts.

[Cliffy777]

First one I bought/owned/rode all the time was a Honda 750 in line four with a Windjammer fairing. Bought it slightly used.

[Usedtopilot]

Sure.. it counts, Brad. If you've never ridden before (as was the case for me a couple of months ago)... anything on 2 wheels counts!

[kbasa]

1969 Honda SL90.

Interestingly, Andy Goldfine of Aerostich learned to ride on the same kind of bike. I wish I could find one now.

[Braddog]

I had a 1971 Honda CB100. This was the first motorcycle I owned. I put several thousand miles on this little bike on the highways and biways of North Dakota.

The first motorcycle that I ever rode was my cousin's '65 Bridgestone 7. 3 speed. Got me hooked, bought my Honda the following spring.

[Hodag]

'74 Honda hawk 450
Paid $450 for it when I was 16 (17 years ago). . Rode it every day until it snowed, then walked, until spring. Bought a car the following summer, and a bigger bike. Glad I learned on the smaller bike first.
Mark

[Montana]

Powell "pit bike" which was a sort of minibike but it was apparently a work vehicle in coal mines. It had a large frame - an adult could ride it comfortably (I was 12 but tall). The front end came apart by removing one large wing nut at the triple-clamp and the whole thing could be loaded into a car trunk (of course, trunks were larger then). It had a 5 hp B&S engine and belt drive. The engine pivoted so you could position it to pre-tension the belt, allowing the centrifugal clutch to create pseudo-gearing. It was stolen - punks.

[BubbaZanetti]

first bike: my current BMW

i've only been riding 5 months

and now i'm going across the country.......

[edge51]

Bultaco Metralla. I am surprised to see there are others that started on Bultaco's. Kind of gives away our age a bit. My second was a '51 Harley Panhead, which I chopped in High School shop class and rode to Sturgis in 1968.

[Visian]

Honda 50.

Guess this makes me one of the nicest people, eh? ;)

You shoulda seen me pop wheelstands on this thing!

Ian

http://world.honda.com/news/2002/image/2021217b.jpg

[deilenberger]

Hodaka Ace-100, graduated to the 125cc Road Toad after a bit. The Road Toad was what I took my license test on and the first bike I rode on the street. 15 miles of street riding to work everyday was very exciting - especially with the knobbies...

Great bikes, I was sorry when the company went belly up. I've thought about getting one to keep in the garage, but running ones are now selling for more than when they were new.

[AZgman]

Montgomery Wards 125cc 2-stroke!

[Motorcyclist]

Greetings everyone, new to the forum but not to motorcycling in general or BMW's in particular!

The first bike I rode on as a passenger was a 1967? Suzuki 125 Enduro. I was two at the time and rode on the tank with my father at the controls.

My first bike was a 1974 or 1975 Yamaha 80 dirt bike. I can still remember seeing it in the kitchen of our house as I stepped off the stairs on my birthday. It was bright yellow and white and was by far the coolest gift I have ever received!

When I was 14 and 15 I rode a 1972 Honda CL350 up and down a 1,000 foot section of our street. By the time I got my license (at age 16) I had covered 1,200 miles on that circuit (which is a lot of starts, stops and turnarounds)! This was the in the day before MSF Courses in my area, but you'd be amazed how much you can learn on such a small section of road that requires you to start, shift, negotiate a curve and stop in short order.

My first road bike was a 1981 Honda CM400T. I put 24,000 miles on it in 2 years and fully developed my love of road riding.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, how the memories flood back!

Safe riding,
George

[James.A]

1967 BSA 650 Thunderbolt. I bought it in 1981 and it was stolen and wrecked in 1983. I bought my first BMW, a 1971 R50/5, in 1987

[boomyr]

'70? (orange with white pinstripe) Yamaha DT60 my Dad bought when I was in 5th grade.
He gave it to me on a school night and I was supposed to do a book report the next morning. I blew off the homework I was to do that night and rode the bike instead (hey...5th grader with a new motorcycle) . I improvised by giving a "new bike report" when I was called upon...but the teacher was NOT impressed.

The first one I paid for myself was a '74 Yamaha DT175 that I bought from my Dad (no more freebies) when I was 15. I rode it exclusively the first year I had my licence (year round) until I had scraped enough money for my first car....A 1964 RAMBLER 660 CLASSIC!:brow

[kioolt]

Puch 250

Also sold by Sears as a Sears Allstate 250 I believe.

[rocketman]

Originally posted by KBasa
1969 Honda SL90.

Interestingly, Andy Goldfine of Aerostich learned to ride on the same kind of bike. I wish I could find one now.

Well here's a start...
http://virtuallyjunk.com/20111105.JPG
:D

RM

[rocketman]

First bike ridden (back in 65) was Vespa Scooter 150cc. First bike owned was a 1970 Suzuki Titan 500, in between those, mostly CB250's, a 305 Dream and Suzuki 250cc.
First BMW ridden was a mid 60's /2 in the early 70's, first BMW owned (bought in late '70's) R50/5 punched out to 600.

RM

[YB in IN]

The first bike that I ever took a ride on I believe was my dad's Kaw 900 when I was about 3 months old. The first bike that I piloted was my dad's Yamaha Seca that he got when he re-entried 10 years ago or whatever. That was a fun bike. I learned on the Yammy and his K100LT at the same time.

[MarkF]

Suzuki SP500. It was a DR500 with turn signals. 500cc 4-Stroke with a kick start. You stalled it once in front of your friends you learned not to do it again. In heavy traffic was even more embarassing.

MarkF

[The_Veg]

First I piloted was a neighbour kid's 197? Honda 50cc trail bike. Teeny tiny lil' thing, I was 13 and already about 6'. My knees stuck way up over the mini-apehanger-like bars, and the fuel tank was held in by legs since the big rubber band broke. I don;t really count it that much though as it had no clutch and toppped under 30mph and wasn;t much good on pavement so I really didn't learn anyhting from it.
Nor did I learn anyhting from the Honda moped I rented at the beach a few years later. Like a bicycle minus pedaling.
Wanted a Harley in college but then changed my mind as that was when the current hype and craze was beggining (around ten years ago). Decided a BMW would be the coolest, smartest and the most "me."
In 2001 I got my first bike, a free fixer-upper from a friend. By some stroke of luck it just happened to be a BMW! It's a very long story, if you really want to read it you can find it buried in an old thread somewhere around here (I think the Tell Us About Your Bike sticky). Before I could ride it I took MSF and got put on a Honda CB125T. The poor thing was really tiny and weighed no more than I do. I couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry when the fork bottomed out every time I braked, but our instructors had a hard rule that anybody who hadn't ridden before got the 125s instead of the odd little Suzuki 250 cruisers.
I'm now on my second BMW, a 1995 R100R that some of you know as The BatBike!:bliss

[Frank in NC]

'88 Yamaha Radian - 6 mos & 5k later - '88 K75S

[Fritzc]

My first bike was a 1934 Harley Davidson 74 CI Flathead.
It had a suicide clutch which darn near did me in.
I paid $100 for it and painted it green with a paintbrush.
Wish I had it today. This is not mine but one like it.

[Fritzc]

I forgot to vote!

[jgr451]

1970 Triumph Bonneville.Bought in 1971 at age 19;also,my first bank loan.Great bike.I chopped hell out of it(sorry now) and went 100 mph on it,no helmet.Some prick stole it a couple years later.
I have had one bike or another ever since then.
First BMW I bought sight unseen in 1996-1971 R75/5.Loved it!!Then,1984 R100RT-loved it too;now,04 K1200GT.
I am learning to love it.
Ah,the power!!

[Ironhorsecowboy]

My ride began with a 1966 Honda 50cc SS. I was 10 years old and rode it in the front yard so long I made a giant circular path that looked like a horse ring. Finally my dad let me go down the road for about a 1/4 mile to where I could get to a lot of trails and fields to really have some fun.:D

[donkey doctor]

Hello; My first was a "61 Cushman road king. No rear suspension and no front brakes. I bought it with my newspaper earnings. I put 3 or 4 thousand miles on it before I moved east in 67. Since then there has been more then 60 others. I still have 4 in my garage.

[lorazepam]

The first bike I ever actually bought, was a 1968 Kawasaki A1. It was a 2 cyl 2 stroke rotary valved rocket. It would do 100mph if you had the guts, and the plugs didnt foul. It was a hoot to ride, and would outrun any 4 stroke up to about 70 mph.

[mthelmet]

I learned to ride in 1995 on a 1947 Indian Scout, then rode OPB (other peoples bikes). In 1061 purchased my firfst Bike a NSU Super Max 250 cc single.
Enjoyed it.
next bike was a 1938/39 HD.
Then went to a 1962 R69S
Present rides are a 2000 K1200LT Canyon Red and a 1974 R90/6 with 190,000 + mile , almost back together, shpould be on the road by next spring.

:clap :bliss

[RevWillie]

A 1972 Yamaha CS-5, a 200cc,two-cycle twin that had a drum front brake that didn't do the job. It didn't matter because the bike constantly fouled plugs (no matter what the bike shop tried to do), and it finally left me stranded on the side of the road with my lady friend. The crankshaft had twisted like a tootsie roll and I finally got the hint.

After the 5+ mile hike back to my lady's home, she decided that our relationship had ended. By the end of that evening, I had lost my bike and my girl. I figured that I needed a more trustworthy bike, so I eventually found a R75/5 that could do the job. I also found more forgiving girlfriends afterwards. :clap

[RT DOG]

I guess the first time I rode a bike with a motor on it, was probably my preteen years, At my Uncle's house, 80'scc or 90cc's something like that, I think it was a Kawaski not to sure.

Then I bought my first bike when I was 22 or something like that. A new 125 cc Susuki enduro. rode that around my Dad's Gentlemans farm, and around some State land around the area. You could get away with that stuff in the early 80's. then I got married and couldn't afford to do much riding and needing a family car. I sold the bike, And spent my time Working a civillian job and National Guards, And enjoying raising a family.

Now that the family is almost out of the house one in college and one starting her junior year in high school. It was Daddies turn to have fun. LOL I did some researching did some listening, and did some searching and ended up with a 97 R1100RT, I was impressed with the design and the safety features. Basically a new rider being 18 years from any riding and my riding expierance basically nill, I was concerned with starting out with a bike of this size. But with common sense the willingness to pick up a book and learn ( Profiecient Motorcycling by David l Hough) And lucky enough to get in a MSF course. I have been able to ride 4000+ miles this year. With a big grin for every mile. This site has been a great help in helping me understand the RT's anomalies and maintence's requirements. My hat is off to the site and the knowledgible people that come to this site

[Rich]

I came home from school when I was in the 5th grade, and my dad had picked up a little Honda 55, it looked a lot like the one Ian pictured, only it was red in color. It was all mine, I just had to pay him the $35 he shelled out for it. The same day, we made a quick trip and picked up 2 more bikes, a Honda 90 for my one year older brother, and a Bridgestone 100 for my oldest brother. I think the three bikes, which were all in great shape, came to a total of about $350 dollars. Things sure have changed, huh? I rode the heck out of that little 55. It topped out at about 35, and had a 3 speed automatic. My sister and one of her friends finally blew it up riding down a steep hill at about 50 mph, and it ended up in someone's junk pile. But boy, those were the days!

[Spider]

I "learned" to ride on several of my friends' Harley 125s and 165s in about 1954 when I was 13. One of my friends was sent off to military school, so he let me keep his 165 except when he was home on holidays. I managed to burnout his clutch. He was a good sport about it, but I didn't get to keep that bike any longer. I had managed to save about $100.00 from my paper route, and bought a 4 year old Simplex Servi-cycle ( http://www.servi-cycle.com/index.html ). I rode it a couple of years until it finally disintegrated. Was off bikes while in the military, college and family. Got back on about 10 years ago. Here is the bike in all its glory. Forgive the black & white - it was a dull red!

:)

[cgarr]

My very first bike was this little gem.....

http://www.gci-net.com/users/c/cgarr/bike0.jpg

I bought it basically because it was available when I needed a change in my life (divorce does that sort of thing)....

After spending a year wrenching on it, I started looking for something better (anything better)........ been on a BMW of one kind or another ever since.

[TheSlashFiveTourer]

Originally posted by Spider
....Here is the bike in all its glory. Forgive the black & white - it was a dull red!

Nice anecdote on the first bikes, Spider, but is that a real, live
SCHIPPERKE (the 'barge dog') we see there in your avatar?

Met a couple of folk at a rally last year who were out being walked by their matched pair of totally black Skippers. We had a 20 minute chat about the active little fellers - interesting history on this tail-less breed from Belgium!

[Spider]

Originally posted by SlashFiveTourer
Nice anecdote on the first bikes, Spider, but is that a real, live
SCHIPPERKE (the 'barge dog') we see there in your avatar?

Met a couple of folk at a rally last year who were out being walked by their matched pair of totally black Skippers. We had a 20 minute chat about the active little fellers - interesting history on this tail-less breed from Belgium!

Yes, that's "BearDog" my four year old skipper. Here he is again:

[TheSlashFiveTourer]

Originally posted by Spider
Yes, that's "BearDog" my four year old skipper. Here he is again:
Ah, yes...the EYES at work! Tell me...is it worth life and limb for you to make an attempt to take his favourite pulltoy away - while he's watching? :uhoh

Thanks for the photo - fine lookin' little feller! :wave

[Rad]

7 & 1/2 pure raw horse power in a 1966 Honda S 90

What a beast:D

[oldcarkook]

Originally posted by Cliffy777
First one I bought/owned/rode all the time was a Honda 750 in line four with a Windjammer fairing. Bought it slightly used. I swapped bikes Sunday with a buddy who has a '78 750 Four and Windjammer! That thing was a BLAST to ride for me. It was like going from a Ferrari to a 747. Long low power, high center of gravity, but extremely well balanced and BLAST to ride. I almost didn't want to give it back after an hour! Four carbs, four cylinders, and surprisingly smooth and quiet with the Windjammer.

My first bike was a used Triumph Bonneville in '72. First time I rode it was in the rain and I went in to a power slide on about my fifth turn - OHBOY! Bought new underweebs and I was fine.

[manicmechanic]

Wow, somebody else rode a Hodaka! Mine was a '71 250ED Road Dog, set up for dirt with all the Preston Petty goodies. Am I dating myself?

[gambrinus]

All Hail the mighty ROAD TOAD!! I grew up on the edge of a National Forest in a small town so the bikes that were around were mostly dirt / enduro bikes. The Bultaco that I posted , Hodaka.. Also a Can-Am that was all orange...everything but the tires. Whole group of us flogged those bikes.. I can't believe that we all made it to adulthood.

Funny thing about the Bultacos... Guy owned a small shop in town. He died without a will. Shop was locked up and the case goes to court...for YEARS. Finally everything is liquidated... OLD Bultaco bikes still in crates for stupid cheap money. Thus there were lots of these floating around when I was learning to ride.. '78 or so.

[HexST]

Bultaco!
Fun, but so many fasteners so little locktite!Bought it in Europe and left so many nuts and bolts on U.S. roads.

[subvet]

First street machine was a used 71' Yamaha 350 R5. The day I bought it, I took a ridin' buddy to help me load it in my truck. As I was paying the seller, my bud wheelied it in a parking lot and crashed it. Minor damage to the bike, a good case of road-rash on his right ass-cheek.....I forgave him, he paid the price for his error.
Rode the stew outta that bike and wound up selling it at a yardsale years later for $15
Over 25+ years, have had a series of HDs (1947 - 2000) and several Yamaha 650 vertical twins along with several other makes/models all of which I enjoyed except the Kawasaki KZ400. Vibrated so bad it would put blisters on your hands if you didn't have gloves on.
96' RT now....love it! Gonna try a K-bike next.

[barryg]

My first motorcycle to own and ride was a 71 R50/5 purchased in '86. I had all the usual experiences of a new rider on it. My two most memorible rides on it were in 92. I did a 1000 mile rode trip around Arizona in the spring, then that summer I rode it to the MOA National in DuQuion Il. I still own the bike, but I plan on returning it to the son of the original owner at some time in the future.

[jdcoffman]

My first ride on the back of a 1963 or there abouts Honda 50
seven or eight years of pleading with my mother, I finally bought a 1969 honda CL175. Then while in the navy I moved up to a Honda XL250. Then in Hawaii a CB450 rather used. After Navy but before marriage I bought my first beemer in 1976 a 1974 smoke R90S I traded that in for another Honda this time an Accord Wife,kids, etc. FF to 2002 purchased a 2000 R1100RS kids are almost all moved out time to make up for some lost riding. I have put about 36,000 trouble free no surge miles on in two years..

[Kenny2]

What kind of bike did you learn to ride?

A Ducati 350, single lung. Why? Because I could hot wire it with a 8 penny framing nail. :bliss Of course, there was no headlight, but it was my brother's bike and I would ride through the neighbor hood while he was working. :D He didn't know about it until he lost the key and I gave up the secret. Dad saved me from a thrashing, (Brother wondered why the gas didn't last) but it was fun...while it last. :cry

[Cliffy777]

Hey Kenny 2 - that is a great story. Thanks.

[PacWestGS]

Wow this questions beckons some good old memories.

My first ride was on some little Honda 50cc trail bike. The second was a Yamaha 250 enduro at Pismo Beach, CA age 12 or so. When I was fourteen my dad bought me a well used '73 Bultaco "Alpina". Life on two wheels began and really never ended after that. That bike took me places and away from people the "fuzz" that I didn't what to talk to all that often anyway. Got to meet alot of Juvenile judges too, after having that bike, a license plate, magneto powered head light and tail-light, and a brand new California Drivers Learners permit. Man, what a great time. I'm that kid your mother warned you about, and made you swear at while driving to work in and around San Clemente, CA in the late '70s, I tortured that poor thing, broke and repaired most every part on it over the years and finally pushed it behind the barn to rust away after parts became scarce. A '69 Camero "Rally Sport" will do that. But what a ride. Remember when you could take anything with two wheels and ride it anywhere? Down the freeway at 70mph, down any dirt road, or up any hill in town. Two-Stroke singles blowing blue smoke all over the place and making noise only a deaf man could appreciate. Those days are over, anyone else remember them? Freedom on two wheels!

The list after that goes Honda; '79 CT200, '78 CB650, Kawasaki '85 GPZ900 "Ninja" (Second tour in Germany, Autobahns are so cool, no speed limits), and lots of Dirt racing bikes, currently a Yamaha '00 YZ426, no more two-strokes.

I sure would like to "be able" to ride my YZ on the road to places left un-explored but for now I do that on my '02 R1150GS. Still ride and race Motocross, ride trails and blast dunes down in Oregon.

My first ride? Thanks for asking, that was one fun memory. I'm glad I survived, I also grew up. Keep the rubber-side down...and keep smiling.

[DareDevilDrew]

I rode OPM's(other peoples motorcycles) from approx. 1955 until 1966, when upon returning from Vietnam I bought a almost new 1965 Ducati 175cc. great bike and I would probably still have it, but someone with sticky fingers took it and failed to return it.

I just learned recently from another old biker dude that the old shop owner that started me riding on that 'Steen class' bike, I am remembering it as a 50cc ?, is still alive and kicking. Going to go by soon and brush the dust of some personal history.

btw I was 8 years old in 1955 and lived to be around motorcycles. Back in those days old Speedball would let me hang around his shop and I would watch him work and BS about bikes and women for seemingly hours, but always sad when closing time came. For me hanging at the shop was even better than comic books and baseball cards. That was really something back then when boys lived for these things along with the latest serial at the movie theater.

"Well boy your always hanging around here, make yourself useful and take this Steen and test ride her for me out in the parking lot". Man that parking lot seemed so huge at first. I am thinking it was 40' X 60' maybe !!

I have owned several bikes over the years. A couple of my favorites have been a 125 Hodaka Super Rat that would climb a tree if you could hang on to it. A '60 Panhead chopper that always seemed to attract the gals when the wife was looking !! The pan had been built by a guy in Keewanee(sp),IL that built Evil's bikes for him, I have heard. I fooled more than one rice rocket off the line at streetlights.. One could never be to sure of that old 4 speed box enough to bet any serious money though :>)

Thanks for stirring up such a nice memory for me.

[DareDevilDrew]

Traded with a brother for a '67 Camero Hot Rod . He got me real drunk first. He didn't even have her a year before some butt-wipes stole it and parted it out. A hanging offense if there ever was one IMHO !!

[Kenny2]

60 Panhead

I have to ask. Did it kick over FIRST time EVERY time??

Guy down the street, his bike would take a proportionate number of kicks to the number of boys under 15 yo watching. :brow We would gather around him and that bike and he couldn't get it to kick over to save his ego...:D He would finally give it up and chase us off...:bliss

[DareDevilDrew]

If I was "sober" and remembered to set the spark advance correctly she would start 9 out of 10 time on the first kick. Never more than 2 kicks unless some other dummy had tried to start her and she was flooded. Turn the petcock on, flip the toggle switch on (no key), adjust distributer manually , prime her with a easy half stoke, then a crisp and firm kick through from the standing position. Once she was running readjust the distributer and ride off with the boys and girls all with looks of wonder in their eyes !!

Heck the local cops even admired this scoot !! Of course I wasn't prone to rattling the blue haired ladies windows like I see some of the so called bikers do lately . I would rap her up some, but only in commercial type areas, not next to some old grannies bedroom window. Sheese not all HD riders are bad folk believe it or not.

It's been my experience that more often than not that a properly maintained Panhead had little if any starting problems if the rider did their part. Clean and good plugs, good points, and good gas seemed to be essential for mine. I also believe the Mikuni(sp) carburetor helped a lot.

When I was drunk on my butt as I was prone to do some back in those days I couldn't start her for anything 9 out of 10 times. I look on this now as a good thing !! Pushing her over to a close by tree and taking a little nap was probably the best thing to do, although I might not have thought so at the time. Ahhh the follies of youth !!

Put your knees in the breeze it's good for one's soul !!

[Kenny2]

:D Ah yes, youth....where did it go??
Just seeing the picture of your bike bought out the 'trip down memory lane'. That big pedal on the side, bought a smile to my face. :p When Chuck couldn't get the bike started my dad would come out and 'give it a try'. what memories. Thanks. :bliss