Who or What Inspired You to Ride

[gianetics]

When i was 18 I saw the movie easy rider for the first time. The idea of being completly off the normal track off life,. The idea of Being a free individual not just having individual freedoms really hit a cord. I didnt immidately get a bike, it took a picture of James Dean and his freequently used quote that put me over the edge, and buy a bike. "dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.' I Knew it wasnt a Saying, but instead a way of life. I was 21, now 23 I dont think i can ever give it up now.

[omegajim]

gianetics

When i was 18 I saw the movie easy rider for the first time. The idea of being completly off the normal track off life,. The idea of Being a free individual not just having individual freedoms really hit a cord. I didnt immidately get a bike

So, uh, what you driving now?

[tnichols]

I was never really interested in motorcycles, although i owned a small thomas moped for about a month. Then my brother-in-law decided he wanted to buy a bike and start riding after a friend of his bought an old honda rebel. He rode it a few time up and down one of those old country roads in TN and even wrecked his friend's bike once, but he was hooked!
After that he wanted to take the MSF class, but didn't want to do it alone. He asked me to take it with him. In the end...he paid for himself, my wife, and for me to take the class together.
I took the class and it made a permanent impression on me. All I wanted from that point on was a motorcycle! It took a year before I could afford to buy one. I got a brand new '05 S50.
I've been riding for a year and 4 months now with 15,000 miles under my belt and couldn't imagine life without a motorcycle. However, my brother still has not bought one! but I owe it to him for getting me started.

[artistic_gore]

When I was growing up my best friends brother raced dirt bikes we both envied him greatly and desperately wanted to ride. Anyway when he started riding 125s and it was time to get rid of his 80cc bikes my friend got his race bike and my dad bought his beater practice bike for $50 not running off the side of his dads barn. He made me earn that bike and fix it on my own but it instilled a huge passion for riding in me. I love motorcycles and riding on any turf.

[gianetics]

started on an 84 kaswasaki KZ550, now 1999 honda shadow

[AZRyder]

I'm not totally sure what inspired me originally. I remember first moving out to Tucson and my neighbors son who was the same age as I was 13 I think came over and told me that we better not complain about his dirt bike being too loud etc. etc. My response was f**k off. He laughed and we were best friends after that. He and my other neighbor had dirt bikes and taught me to ride. I was hooked from then on. Then my brother gave me his GT750 and I rode my first big street bike. I was 15 then.

My friend went through some tough times after high school, he fell asleep at the wheel when he and his father were driving to San Diego in the car his dad just gave him for graduation (I was supposed to go with them on that trip). His dad was killed and his leg was pretty much messed up. After that he kinda gave up on things, got heavily into drugs, got arrested and went to jail for a while in Florida. Then he cleaned up, got married, had a couple of kids and was doing good business in the mountains between here and San Diego running a towing business. I lost touch with him again for a couple of years, then tried to get in touch with him. Couldn't get ahold of him but I ended up finding his wifes parents email, emailed em and found out that he died. I've been too chicken to call his mom and find out how. I suppose I'll need to eventually for my piece of mind.

Kind of a long story, but almost every time I get out and get on that bike I think back 30 some odd years ago to that day. And to days where we'd ride in the mud and having my mom chase us out of the house with a broomstick when we tried to come in covered in mud..Of wiping out and laughing our asses off. The beer parties in the Tucson foothills behind our houses when there was just desert and not filled with condos. All because some goofy buttwad tried to be a smartass..

[SVZuki]

My dad took me for a ride when i was about 7 on the back of a honda cb750. Kind of dangerous, but short ride. No gear, no helmet, no fear..lol. We just tooled down the block and back. Feeling the freedom on a bike was just awesome. As I grew up I got into motorcross, and finally transitioned a few years ago onto the street. But it was my dear old dad that got me into bikes. The funny thing is now that I have a bike, he wants one again.

[Scott58]

Evel Kneviel

[POE-BOY SAMICH]

Originally Posted by Apertureguy

Just seeing them on the road was all it took.

I've been staring at them in wonder...ever since I could see out a car window.

I hate to +1 another member on a question that should result in a very personal answer, but Apertureguy hit the nail on the head with his response.
He crystalized my very thoughts on the matter

Matter of fact, I get a good feeling every time I see a kid staring out the car window looking over my bike. I just gotta smile and waive or give 'em the ol' thumbs up each and every time. I still relate so closely to what I'm sure some of them are feeling.

[GSF650S]

A friend of mine had a Maxim 400 back in high school. He took me for a few rides on it and it was then I decided I'd buy one as well. It didn't happen for another 12 or so years though as I bought my first bike when I was 30 ( 6 years ago ) but I did eventually fulfill that dream. I still enjoy it as much as that first ride and I now realize I'll probably have a bike as long as I am able to ride it.

[Apertureguy]

Originally Posted by POE-BOY SAMICH

Matter of fact, I get a good feeling every time I see a kid staring out the car window looking over my bike. I just gotta smile and waive or give 'em the ol' thumbs up each and every time. I still relate so closely to what I'm sure some of them are feeling.

Yeah man...me too. I can remember looking at bikes and being in complete awe of them. The way I see it...I've been a biker all my life and if there's something I can do to enrich someone else's life the same way...you can bet I'm up for it.

So yeah, I wave...I pop up my shield and say "Hi!"....I'll go out of my way to make sure I've acknowledged their interest in me or my bike...then, with any luck, they'll do something similar in their lives and get a chance to enjoy it as much as we do.

[Colorado Cajun]

For me, my first bike was a nessasity. Making $600.00 a month as an E1 in the Army, I needed something that could get me around for cheap. I bought a 82 Honda CB400 for $500 in 1990. When I had more money, I trade it in on a car because I needed a car and couldn't afford the insuance on both. I was hooked from the first bike. I went awhile without a bike then I got my C50 last year.

[Ol Doofus]

I would have to say that the tv show, " Then Came Bronson " in the early 60s got in my soul. At the time I was married and had 3 step children and not much money. Fortunately, I have been able to fulfill my dream since that time. Some days, if I haven't been able to ride due to working, etc. even if its 32 degrees, I'll get the long johns and leather on and ride 50 miles. Since I stopped smoking and boozing, I guess thats my addiction now.

[Robley]

You guys have alot of heart felt memories of your families & should be very greatful.
I began wanting one in the mid 80's after high school,thought about trading my 3-wheeler in @ one time & should've w/the deal they offered. Then in the mid 90's a bunch of my buddies bought some and really had me wanting then & I had the wifes aproval even,found a great dealthat no one would pass up,but as useuall I was to little to late missed the steal of the century by about 30 min. Now in 2004 they got them again & I couldn't take it any more & went to Yamaha & bought my very first motorcycle 2005 650 V-Star classic. I hope not to be with out one again,atleast until i'm old decripped

[Trapper]

Besides riding dirt bikes when I was young, I was tired of paying $3000 - $5000 on used cars (second vehicle) only to dump more money on repairs that didn't fix them. My wife said you should get a motorcycle I said "ah...OK". After looking around for a used bike I didn't really feel like paying $3000+ on a 20 year old bike, so my wife said "Why don't you buy new." I said "ah...ok" Here we are...

p.s. Now we have two new vehicles and a bike.

[inspiron]

Behind every successful man is a woman telling him what to do ... right sunny?

[Uncle B]

I got my first motorcycle when I was a freshman in high school to deliver newspapers from. My Parents made the down payment on it and I made payments from the paper route. Didn’t get my license until late in my sophomore year in high school.

[steveevets]

Seeing Steve McQueen in the Great Escape and On Any Sunday!

[scrimmer]

For me it was an uncle of mine who had a '72 Triumph Bonneville that I just thought was the coolest thing ever. Then for the rest of my life I was always one of those kids staring from the backseat admiring the bikes. Later, when I was in the Army I had a good friend that from time to time would let me borrow his Yamaha Virago 750. I bugged my wife for 20+ yrs. wanting one, but never did until in Sept. '06 she told me to shut up and go buy one for my birthday. That's when I purchased my M50. Sure took me long enough to get around to it!
I feel I've also been a motorcyclist at heart all my life.

[koolbreeze25]

I remember from when I was about 6-8 on the nice days riding around all day Saturday with my dad. Then when I turned 9 we moved to Florida and had no birthday party. So my parents said they would make it up to me if I could give them a couple of months to get settled in. Well 2 LONG months later they took me to a local shop and got me a Honda 50cc dirt bike. The rest is what they call history. I did have a 7 to 8 year dry spell, and made a promise to myself not to let it happen again.