Sunday 14 October 2007

My biking years.

This is for a bloggie friend, and for me, as it bought back so many happy memories. It is also dedicated to Roger, RIP mate! Yamaha RD200, 1979. My first bike, aged 17. I skipped the moped stage because Mum wouldn't let me have one!

Honda CB400-4 F1 1980. A modern classic now, this was a cracking bike, my second . I Fell off this once, in the next village to us. The bloke whose hedge I went through wasn't very chuffed the next day! He never did find out, i'd scarpered!!

Yamaha DT175, 1981. This was my first foray into off-road bikes for road use. I got the bug, hence the manic thing below.


Suzuki PE400, 1982. This is the most fun you can have on a bike! Totally banzai, road legal, and a true enduro bike. Power wheelies up to 4th gear, eats Yamaha RD350-LCs for breakfast 0-60mph!



Suzuki GS550-E 1984. This was a nice bike, bullet proof engine. Only fell off this once! My fault of course. Too fast, molten tarmac, no front wheel grip, result? Ditch !!





Honda CB900-F2.1986. Cracking bike, smooth and quick for its time!



Preparations for 2 weeks in the South of France. Arcachon here we come! 580 miles from Cherbourg in 10 hours, stopping for fuel every 150 miles! FUN ! Do you recognize the bloke with hair tending his bike?




23 comments:

Mermaid of Moorgate said...

nice bikes! So you were a bit of a rabble-rouser, eh? Still are I suspect...

Unknown said...

Mermaid, I wish !!

Anonymous said...

You have had some nice bikes. The DT175 was my first bike. The PE was a killer I went for the KLX 250 from Kawasaki. I loved enduros,just hated the falling off.
And of course the drive home covered in stinking mud !.

Unknown said...

Martin, thanks, I loved that PE400!

Karelian Blonde said...

Oh my word! I like these blasts from peoples past, but what is with the beard young man ;) ???

Unknown said...

KB, hi, laziness I guess !! Oh, I like the young man bit!

ChrisB said...

I loved motorbikes when I was a child. My dad had one (don't ask me what) until he had an accident. This made me very cautious.

phoenix said...

nice bikes john! Sometimes memory lane's a good place to wander. x

Anonymous said...

Nope. Don't recognise the weirdo puffing away on the fag. He looks a bit of a suspicious twat to me! Not to be trusted with a bike.

Anonymous said...

What a collection! You got through more bikes than I did cars!

Beccy said...

Well you sure had a lot of bikes John, as for the bloke with the hair...pass!

headless chicken said...

Thanks for this post John, as you know I love rufty-tufty biker types and you were certainly one, judging by these photo's. It must piss you off a bit not riding anymore.....couldn't Kev bunjy you on to the back of one of his bikes and take you for a blat?.....just a thought.....
I'll leave Kev to comment on the bikes as he knows alot more than I do but I must say I do rather like the 400-4!
Btw sorry this comment was a long time coming...busy,busy,busy....

katy said...

some nice bikes there. have never driven one but have been on one, didnt like it too fast, but i do like looking at motorbikes so thanks.
ps love leathers an all;)

Unknown said...

Thanks all, I loved my bikes, and am still addicted to bike racing!

HC, it was a pleasure doing that post!

sallywrites said...

Waht a gorgeous photo of you!! Nice hair!! And i'm not usually a beard person, but yours looks good on you.

You ought to take HC up. You must miss all that stuff....

Brilliant post....

Unknown said...

Sally, thanks!

*blushes*

Richard Wintle said...

That PE 400 looks plain dangerous. I like the Honda CB 400-4 F1 best... nice looking thing, wicked pipes.

Not that I know much of anything about 2-wheeled transport, of course.

headless chicken said...

Hi John....Kev commented but got so carried away that the comment ended up being a new post on my blog!! Have a look.

Unknown said...

R'Pus, that PE was the most insane bike i've ever ridden!!

Drama Queen said...

Aw what fab memories. . .

Unknown said...

DQ, very special.

meredic said...

Nice post John.
I should like to add to this series I think (having seen yours and Kev's bike posts).
I shall work up my own piece of two wheeled nostalgia.

Unknown said...

Meredic, look forward to it!!