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marked50

(1,510 posts)
53. Bikes have always been my go-to for a zen experience.
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 08:06 PM
Thursday

Stared out on a moped in early teens- not legally tho

Next, a hand me down from my brother- a Honda SS50- still under age

My first legal ride was a BSA 650 Thunderbolt. It really was a work in progress all the time.
It didn't have a normal keyed ignition switch. Someone installed a12 position switch and you had to
know what time to set it for it to start. It also had quirky kick starter. It would randomly lock-up and stop your leg stroke
with solid jolt. You had to put it in gear and roll it a little and it would clear. Used it for most all things including work at
a Rib joint. One night I was taking out the trash and the bike was gone. Uh-Oh. Frantically looking around found it behind the
restaurant in an alley. Next to it was some Guy trying to put the heel back on his boot. He lickity split. The ignition switch
and the kick starter glitch was my salvation.


Next was a completely stock 1971 Harley Sportster KLH 883cc. Ugliest lime green color you have ever seen but beautiful in my Eyes. Perfect condition. Had that one from 1987 to 2000. Sorry to let it go but we couldn't take it where we were going.

Riding a 2015 Triumph T-100 Bonneville 8665cc now. Bought this during the pandemic. Made the isolation at the time
so much more bearable. Still riding- 58 years (not contiguous tho)




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0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Not in a long time EYESORE 9001 Thursday #1
I haven't been on a Harley motorcycle for a long time......but absolutely loved riding. a kennedy Thursday #2
Thank you very much, a kennedy. debm55 Thursday #5
I understand. I haven't been on one in ages. Thank you EYESORE 9001 Glad you were okay. debm55 Thursday #3
Many years ago I had a friend who had a big ol' Indian motorcycle. Ocelot II Thursday #4
Same here, Ocelot II. it scared me, but at the same time it was fun, debm55 Thursday #6
Okay, I'm a bit jealous EverHopeful Thursday #44
My brother had one for awhile-- once he took me on a ride around town. ailsagirl Thursday #7
Thank you very much, ailsagirl, Yes, I remember going around curves and feeling like I could touch the road. At that debm55 Thursday #8
Yes I rode on the back of a cycle with a guy Diamond_Dog Thursday #9
Thank you very much , Diamond_Dog. So was mine. That was the first and last time I rode on his bike. Told him to bring debm55 Thursday #31
I dated a guy who had a Kawasaki 900 Nittersing Thursday #10
Thank you very much. Nittersing, What a great post.I am happy you liked it so much. debm55 Thursday #29
Yes. Loved it. Sailingdiver Thursday #11
Thank you very much, Sailingdiver. What a journer you had with your bikes.So sorry about it being stolen. debm55 Thursday #28
Yes. Once. Decided I want something bigger between me and the pavement. Like a car, for instance. Dorothy V Thursday #12
HAHAHAHAHA. I feel the same way, Dorothy V. debm55 Thursday #26
Yes, in my early 20's I had a Yamaha 125 trail bike. Glorfindel Thursday #13
Thank you , Glorfindel, I guess on the backroads it would be okay. We drove, at night , to a dinner on Rt 30, I never debm55 Thursday #24
I had a Honda 750 Aero for a couple of years. GP6971 Thursday #14
Thank you very much, GP6971, for sharing. debm55 Thursday #22
I sold the last one I'll ever own about 5 years ago yonder Thursday #15
Thank you, very much, yonder. You had a lot of bikes. Thank you for sharing with us. debm55 Thursday #20
Owned two, one at a time bottomofthehill Thursday #16
Thank you very much bottomofthehill. Yes, car is much needed with kids, Especially in Washington, DC. debm55 Thursday #19
Yes. And I owned a Honda 360 for awhile. Ended up trading it sinkingfeeling Thursday #17
Wow. Thank you very much.sinkingfeeling. Nice trade. debm55 Thursday #18
Yes, through Downtown Minneapolis at 120 mph JMCKUSICK Thursday #21
Thank you very much, John. were you scared? I would be. debm55 Thursday #23
yes lol JMCKUSICK Thursday #25
I used to have a Harley, but my cat took it over. iscooterliberally Thursday #27
HAHAHAHHAHHAHAH, thank you, Iscooterliberally. That is funny. debm55 Thursday #33
Wow... I had a HS boyfriend who bought me a Suzuki 185 in 1978 Cloudhopper Thursday #30
You are brave, Cloudhopper, I don't think, I could drive one, . You must of been very brave. debm55 Thursday #34
Yes WmChris Thursday #32
Thank you WmChris. You have a long history with bikes. I agree with Mrs.WmChris. about the cell phone use. debm55 Thursday #37
My brother's friend had a moped. I went around the applegrove Thursday #35
Thank you very much, applegrove. The only time I went on one, was my last time. debm55 Thursday #38
Yep my parents both had bikes. I wiped Luciferous Thursday #36
HAHHAHHAHA. I can't see my parents having bikes. I am glad you and your dad were not seriously hurt, debm55 Thursday #39
had a cushman scooter once . didnt get licensed . friend of mine did whelies with me on the back of itt and scared the AllaN01Bear Thursday #40
HAHAHAHAHh. Thank you very much,Bear, debm55 Thursday #60
way back in my misspent youth mike_c Thursday #41
Thank you very much mike_c. That is funny. debm55 Thursday #57
I currently own two Moto Guzzis. cloudbase Thursday #42
Wow, that's great. Enjoy, cloudbase. debm55 Thursday #43
I had a 350Honda back in the 70's. Hubby and I traveled around with it until i had kids and didn't have the time. Srkdqltr Thursday #45
Rode dirt bikes as a kid EverHopeful Thursday #46
Thank you very much EverHopeful. We have a dirt bike place around here. I have never ridden, but the kids seem to have debm55 Thursday #61
When I was younger. OldBaldy1701E Thursday #47
Yep, friend of mine stole justaprogressive Thursday #48
Been riding motorcycles since my early teens, haved owned many over the decades. My first new bike was a 1978 ImNotGod Thursday #49
I drove a friends Honda Dream motorcycle doc03 Thursday #50
The first thing I ever drove was a motorcycle. About 1964. Walleye Thursday #51
I just rebuilt a 1969 Honda CB350 K1 Bristlecone Thursday #52
Bikes have always been my go-to for a zen experience. marked50 Thursday #53
I owned 4 of them. Gave up riding them when I was 50 yr old. Emile Thursday #54
Omg, yes! In a -most stunning- way! electric_blue68 Thursday #55
Wow. what a great adventure, electric_blue68, Thank you for sharing with us. debm55 Thursday #59
I've owned 3 oberle Thursday #56
Thank you very much,oberle for your post. Riding for 25 years, Wow. Yes, traffic is insane in the DC area. debm55 Thursday #58
I had a Yamaha Vision (550cc sport twin) when I was in the 101st Airborne jmowreader Thursday #62
Nah, too dangerous. BlueTsunami2018 Friday #63
Rode on the back of one many moons ago Mad_Dem_X Friday #64
Yes, I Did ProfessorGAC Friday #65
I rode my brother's Honda CBX1000 from the Southern California coast to Death Valley... hunter Friday #66
I've been riding for 60 years. Jeebo Friday #67
Rode on the back a couple times WestMichRad Yesterday #68
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