What bike did you learn to ride on?
- Thread starter Drangueos
- Start date
CG125 for my CBT
A Suzuki 'something' 400cc and then a Honda 600 something. It had fairings but it wasn't a CB600F. for my full license.
Frist bike was a 2006 Yamaha R6. Got stolen and then I haven't bought a new one since. Was a great 4 or 5 years on that bike though! Really miss riding.
A Suzuki 'something' 400cc and then a Honda 600 something. It had fairings but it wasn't a CB600F. for my full license.
Frist bike was a 2006 Yamaha R6. Got stolen and then I haven't bought a new one since. Was a great 4 or 5 years on that bike though! Really miss riding.
Last edited:
Soldato
- Joined
- 11 May 2007
- Posts
- 9,213
- Location
- Surrey
Did my CBT on the world's worst SR 125, it had a bite point of about 2mm right at the end of the travel. Absolutely crock of ***** that thing was. Almost unrideable.
Then did training on a CBR125 which was great fun. Bought my own CB125T and rode that on L-plates for a bit. Took my test on a CG125, which was like riding a bicycle.
Then I bought a Honda Bros 400, which I loved. After 2 years on that, I had my license unrestricted and bought a Triumph Speed Four (600cc inline 4). Loved that bike too until I wrote that off on a diesel spill.
11 years later I bought a 1981 CB400N Cafe Racer, have had that over two years and would like a Triumph T100/T120 or something now...
Then did training on a CBR125 which was great fun. Bought my own CB125T and rode that on L-plates for a bit. Took my test on a CG125, which was like riding a bicycle.
Then I bought a Honda Bros 400, which I loved. After 2 years on that, I had my license unrestricted and bought a Triumph Speed Four (600cc inline 4). Loved that bike too until I wrote that off on a diesel spill.
11 years later I bought a 1981 CB400N Cafe Racer, have had that over two years and would like a Triumph T100/T120 or something now...
Suzuki TX50X 
Stuck a 70cc kit on it. Blew it up a couple of months later.
Passed my test on some horrible 125cc. Restricted to 33hp for 2 years on A2 I then jumped on a CBR400RR that was definitely restricted officer...
Stuck a 70cc kit on it. Blew it up a couple of months later.
Passed my test on some horrible 125cc. Restricted to 33hp for 2 years on A2 I then jumped on a CBR400RR that was definitely restricted officer...
Last edited:
Associate
- Joined
- 27 May 2008
- Posts
- 1,176
- Location
- Petersfield, Hampshire
A mid 80's Kawasaki KMX125
Had a lot of fun on that bike... then I "upgraded" to a CB250N SuperDream
Had a lot of fun on that bike... then I "upgraded" to a CB250N SuperDream
Soldato
- Joined
- 11 May 2007
- Posts
- 9,213
- Location
- Surrey
A mid 80's Kawasaki KMX125
Had a lot of fun on that bike... then I "upgraded" to a CB250N SuperDream
I have the 400 WetDream
My riding school used Honda CB125's for CBT and Yamaha MT07's for DAS. But between my CBT and DAS I had my own Yamaha YBR125 for about 8 months. I loved that bike and would go out most evenings, taking food and coffee with me. I would ride our and find somewhere nice to sit on a warm evening and have my coffee. It was a great learning experience. So I would say that is the bike I properly learned on.
Back in the 1990's I almost got my licence. I happened to go to a car show at the NEC and opposite the hall was a motorbike show. There was an offer for cheap motorcycle training during January, presumably because it was so cold and wet that no-one else wanted the course. So I took the course more as an experience than wanting my licence at the time. Unfortunately I failed the test and never had any motivation to take it again until much later. But I think we had some kind of Honda CB back then. The training was very different to today, and we could ride the bikes home at night. I think it was larger than a 125 as well. Maybe a 200 or 250? But I distinctly remember riding that home in the dark, and the magical feeling of being out in the open, with lights everywhere, and lighting up the road whenever I put the indicator on. Although I didn't take my test again until decades later I think that experience planted a seed. Strangely I don't remember being bothered by the cold and wet despite it being January and I would not have had any decent riding gear. I guess it just bothered me less when I was much younger.
Back in the 1990's I almost got my licence. I happened to go to a car show at the NEC and opposite the hall was a motorbike show. There was an offer for cheap motorcycle training during January, presumably because it was so cold and wet that no-one else wanted the course. So I took the course more as an experience than wanting my licence at the time. Unfortunately I failed the test and never had any motivation to take it again until much later. But I think we had some kind of Honda CB back then. The training was very different to today, and we could ride the bikes home at night. I think it was larger than a 125 as well. Maybe a 200 or 250? But I distinctly remember riding that home in the dark, and the magical feeling of being out in the open, with lights everywhere, and lighting up the road whenever I put the indicator on. Although I didn't take my test again until decades later I think that experience planted a seed. Strangely I don't remember being bothered by the cold and wet despite it being January and I would not have had any decent riding gear. I guess it just bothered me less when I was much younger.
My first bike was when I was a teenager, 1979 Suzuki GP100, which I had for a couple of years.
Fast forward about 12 years, I bought a Honda CG125 and did my CBT. Bike was stolen just before my second test, so I borrowed one from the training centre. Passed my test and I haven’t sat on a bike since.
Fast forward about 12 years, I bought a Honda CG125 and did my CBT. Bike was stolen just before my second test, so I borrowed one from the training centre. Passed my test and I haven’t sat on a bike since.
Wasn't my bike, but I learnt how to ride a motorbike at 13 years old (1984). My mate had a Honda SS50, he was paid £10 by a local farmer (and free fuel!) to ride around an orchard all day long, blasting his horn, on a Saturday.
It wouldn't be another 4 years until I bought my own bike to learn and ride on the road, due to a very over protective mother 'banning' me from owning a motorcycle until I was 18. I bought it a week before my 18th a Yamaha RD125LC - with filed ports, skimmed head, a Micron 'spanny', overjetted carb, K+N filter and +1 tooth up on the front sprocket, a bloody missile!
It wouldn't be another 4 years until I bought my own bike to learn and ride on the road, due to a very over protective mother 'banning' me from owning a motorcycle until I was 18. I bought it a week before my 18th
a Yamaha RD125LC - with filed ports, skimmed head, a Micron 'spanny', overjetted carb, K+N filter and +1 tooth up on the front sprocket, a bloody missile!I had a Raleigh runabout I was convinced it looked like a speedway bike couldn't wait to come home from school & have a play over 40 years ago.
My older brother had a bike so "You hear that sound Mr Anderson." First Geared bike was a Suzuki B120 used off road my brother see one time and booolicked me for clutching it when stopping.
looked a little like this.
My older brother had a bike so "You hear that sound Mr Anderson." First Geared bike was a Suzuki B120 used off road my brother see one time and booolicked me for clutching it when stopping.
looked a little like this.
Last edited:
First motorcycle I owned and rode was a Honda C70. I rode it all over North Devon when I was 13 *cough 17 cough*. Lobbed it up the road in the end.
My first legal bike was a Yamaha DT50MX when I was 16.
Took my full bike test on a Yamaha SR125 three days after my 17th birthday.
My first legal bike was a Yamaha DT50MX when I was 16.
Took my full bike test on a Yamaha SR125 three days after my 17th birthday.
Last edited:
Soldato
- Joined
- 13 Apr 2013
- Posts
- 13,654
- Location
- La France
Started riding my late father’s Honda SS50 moped the second I turned 16 in 1981. Had been riding bikes on farm and common land since I was about 14.
Was riding a Yamaha RD200 on L plates when the 125cc law came in. Rushed to take the old one part test and failed on rear observation as the mirrors on my RD were set perfectly and I didn’t need to turn my head to use them. Unfortunately, this meant the Examiner couldn’t see me move my head.
Did a one day course on how to ride around cones in a car park on a 100cc Yamaha I borrowed form another apprentice at BAe, followed by a road “check” ride which I also passed.
Borrowed the Yam again for my two part test a couple of months later and made sure to remove the mirrors this time. I also replaced the utterly knackered chain and sprockets as well as adjusting both brake light switches before hand. Sailed through the test and went back to riding the RD200 for a few years until I replaced it with a bag of nails Z750.
Was riding a Yamaha RD200 on L plates when the 125cc law came in. Rushed to take the old one part test and failed on rear observation as the mirrors on my RD were set perfectly and I didn’t need to turn my head to use them. Unfortunately, this meant the Examiner couldn’t see me move my head.
Did a one day course on how to ride around cones in a car park on a 100cc Yamaha I borrowed form another apprentice at BAe, followed by a road “check” ride which I also passed.
Borrowed the Yam again for my two part test a couple of months later and made sure to remove the mirrors this time. I also replaced the utterly knackered chain and sprockets as well as adjusting both brake light switches before hand. Sailed through the test and went back to riding the RD200 for a few years until I replaced it with a bag of nails Z750.
