What kind of street bike did you start riding on?

[ghostflame]

I started out on an old school 350 honda twin, semi-chopped with a king/queen seat back in 1977. Then I rode a 1974 Yamaha RD 350 with expansion chambers on it. Then I rode a 1979 Yamaha XT500 on/off road.Those were some fun bikes back in the day.

[BigT]

A 1973 Honda 750 with highway bars and sissy bar. Great highway bike, but it scraped in the corners. I was in college in Napa I rode it everwhere.
T

[Slade]

1968 250 Triumph

[99bluetiger]

'76 FXE that had been well used. Leaked real good and rattled like hell. One time my riding companion pointed to one of the pegs as we were cruising on the highway and I kicked it back on just before it shook off. Another time I was riding to pick up parts for machines and the headlight fell off as we pulled into the driveway. Borrowed a screwdriver and put it back on. Drum brakes....... But that was a faithful beast, she took me through the ropes and I learned to ride on a bike with a lot of heart. We eventually restored it after I got out of the habit of dropping it every now and then. Came with the stoopid bowling ball logo on the tank. That bike scraped around corners too. Only scraped twice on the RK so far.

[Unmarked Rider]

Started out on a 71 Kaw 500 (H1C) with CDI. You know, the old school two stroke with the spark plugs that arc'ed off the top of the pistons.

I bought it as a basket case for $50.00 and sunk another $800.00 into it one summer. It came with a frame, two rims, and 5 boxes. I was living away at school and needed a ride and had some extra time to build one. It did run pretty decent. It smoked like a mofo when I ran it hard, and sounded like a swarm of bee's. It wouldn't turn for s##t.

Over the next twenty something years came several more Honda's, CB350, CB750F, a Silver Wing, VT1110C, ST1100, VTX1800 and one Yammerhammer (RD350). Bought an HD cause its what I always wanted but thought I could never afford one.

The peeps I use to ride with really gave me a hard time when I switched, telling me I was a Black Sheep and all that. But around here, its 99.9% HD. All I can say, is I'll probably never switch back. Its the little things that HD does. Better acessories too. Yea, it may not be quite as fast as some, but its definately a heck of a lot more plush, hasen't cost me squat to maintain either.

[Hardlydangerous]

Cushman Silver Eagle....a real pig.
Then moved "up" to a Yamaha 100 twin.
After that, a plethora of Hondas and Yamahas a couple of Triumphs and a 1940 45 WL also a pig, but a cool pig.

[ozzy85]

A buddy had a KZ400 that I often had access to. I also had a GS450, a Honda Hawk, and a couple of Yamahas, an XS 650 and one of the firts Viragos.

[Flyin Brian]

My first street bike was a 1979 Yamamaha RD400 Daytona Special with cafe bars and rear sets. I was partying at a friends house and I asked his roommate about this bike that was under a tarp out front. He said he was riding it and the motor seized, so he was going to have to sell it since he didnt know how to work on it. I bought it and pushed it 6 miles to my house since I didnt know anyone with a truck and I couldnt wait to start working on it. Turned out in '79 they added an emission control device which was a butterfly valve on the exhaust port, so at idle it choked up the exhaust and made it pass emissions. The control had come unscrewed from the valve and the guy tried to ride it that way. So for 2 or 3 hours in the garage and around $300 I had a running bike that was fast as hell. The way it was set up it was like a forward recliner, kind of like laying on a couch. My head was over the trees in front and at speed it was impossible to see the speedo unless I sat up and looked down.

My best friend had a Kawi H2 triple and I always loved that bike. I would love to have an RD or an H2 in the garage someday.

[kickstart]

My first bike was a suzuki 125. Learned alot on that lil bike. it was freeway legal! Yes I rode it on the freeway....but not often! Then graduated to a X-6 Hustler 6 speed and radial finned hi compression heads. Then to a 500 cc titan by the time I was 16.

[keelo]

1978 Kawasaki KZ650 then a Suzuki 650 ( the Kaw was better)