Talking to @b0y2k about motorbikes and the first one I owned, I dug out a couple of pictures…

My first bike I owned was a Honda CB100N

http://i.imgur.com/MRyCAlR.jpg
[Source](http://www.motorbikespecs.net/index.dyn?flag=2&model_id=25157&make=Honda)

@s0u1 was under the (mistaken) assumption that it was legal for me to ride my bike on a learner’s licence (permit) with him as pillion because he had a full licence. **HINT** *NEVER* listen to friends…. They may *THINK* they know the law, but as often happens, nope… WRONG! We were lucky we didn’t get caught, we could *BOTH* have ended up in serious shit for that stunt.

Anyway…

Riding home one evening, him riding pillion, we came to a stop because of roadworks and temporary traffic lights.

Facing uphill, the lights changed and I set off. The little bike couldn’t cope with the double weight and the slight incline and decided to *‘NOPE’* and I stalled it.

I kicked it up and started again, a little embarrassed and flustered. *‘NOPE!’*

I kicked it up again and by this time, was getting angry, frustrated and … did I mention angry?

“Give it some more revs,” says @s0u1.

I wound the throttle back and dumped the clutch.

Yeah, I can laugh about it now…

The front wheel took off from the ground, @s0u1 stepped off the back, easy as pie and me and the bike careered off across the road towards the reason for the temporary traffic lights… a 6ft deep trench running the length of the road. By the time we (me and the bike) got to the precipice, we were sliding along the tarmac on our sides. Yeah, I should have kicked the bike away and allowed it to go on its own, but what the hell did I know?

We stopped right at the edge of the ditch, fortunately. 

He rode the rest of the way home. That was about 34 years ago. Like I said… I can laugh… *now.*

The first bike I rode was a mean little thing.

A 1976 Kawasaki KX250 Motocrosser

http://i.imgur.com/rBAaIGC.jpg
[Source](http://racerxonline.com/2013/02/26/your-collection-1976-kawasaki-kx250-a3)

@s0u1 is an Engineer, he likes engineering. 

The KX250 was a ‘project’, a bright idea that should never have worked, but it did, damnit!

He bought the bike as a toy. He put it on the road to see if he could – yeah, he *could* – whether he *should have* is a whole new question entirely.

Down the fields, a few of us, some with bikes, some on foot. 

“Can I have a go?” I asked.

So I hopped on the bike, no helmet, no leather jacket, no boots… “Let the clutch out slowly…” he said. I should have remembered *THAT* piece of advice later on…

Off I went. I remembered how to pull the clutch in and change gear and WOW! I was off down the field, wind in my face, grinning like a loon!

Suddenly, a panicky boyfriend caught up with me. “Pull the clutch in!” he yelled.

Puzzled, I laughed and carried on.

“Pull the clutch IN!” he yelled, a little more desperately and running out of breath.

I laughed again and gave a little more throttle… 

“Pull… the… clutch…” he panted, trying (and to his credit, managing) to keep up with me.

I brought the bike to a stop. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I forgot to tell you how to stop,” he said. 

“I know how to stop, obviously…” I said. “I’ve watched you.”

The bike I bought after the CB100N was an anniversary present (Who said romance is dead?)

TS125 with only 500 miles on the clock! Bargain! The guy had bought it as a toy, fallen off it and bent a brake lever and given up. What we didn’t realise until later was there were two different TS125s – one was restricted for the learner-legal market, the other wasn’t restricted. Guess which one I had?

http://i.imgur.com/GLY7qzE.jpg

I passed my test on that – I took a 3 day ‘Crash Course’ – an unfortunate term if you ask me…


Once I gained my full licence, I was ready to rock’n’roll!

We went to a bike auction.

All that day, Hubby had been advising me to go for a Honda 400Four. “I don’t want one of those,” I kept telling him.

The very FIRST bike we saw when we got to the auction? You guessed… a Honda 400Four.

We met someone at the auction who asked why we were there. “Buying Michelle her first bike, she just passed her test,” Hubby said.
“Oh, I’ve seen JUST the bike for you,” he said. “Right at the front, just as you come in, A Honda 400Four…”

I smiled politely and waited.

We then met up with Hubby’s Bro-In-Law. “Congratulations on passing your test, Michelle. I’ve seen just the bike for you…”

I wandered off on my own for a while because if I’d been advised one more time about that bloody Honda, I’d have spoiled my manners.

Then I saw it. I fell in love.

http://i.imgur.com/Q3nF2XA.jpg

This is what it should have looked like:

http://i.imgur.com/JUBbiX6.jpg
[Source](http://www.rd350lc.net/4L0-81black2.jpg)

The bike was cobbled together from 250 and 350 bits, it was race-tuned and went like a rocket!

Hubby took it into town one day and handed me the keys when he got back. “Don’t ever let me ride that again, I’m going to get my licence taken off me…”

I sold it and didn’t ride a bike for about 6 years. GUTTED.

I bought this. Ducati Monster 900ie Dark 

http://i.imgur.com/qkLyavH.jpg

I’ve had it from 6 months old and bought it about 17 years ago.

I couldn’t find my licence to take a test-ride on anything so I bought it on faith. We travelled about 300 miles (round-trip) and I rode it back home like I’d not had 6 years off.

I bought the Duke over the phone and when I turned up at the showroom after badgering to be able to take it away the day after I enquired about it (well, why *can’t* you buy a motorcycle as easily as you buy a loaf of bread?).

I walked into the showroom, the guy looked up at me and said, “Mrs Gent?”

“Yeah? How did you know?” I asked.

“I just did,” he said.

http://i.imgur.com/XuoSj4t.jpg

This is me on the way home. What you can’t see in the foreground is who’s taking the photo of me.

@s0u1 is on his bike at the side of me, taking a picture of me as we’re riding.