Modern Vespa

This topic worked so well on the NSM side, I'm hoping it might be fun here as well. Two good ways to answer, first one you rode on or drove and also the first one you owned - toss in a good story if you have one.

The main thing I remember about the Tote Gote besides that it could go about anywhere, was my wife trying to ride it and getting her leg trapped against the garage door w/ the throttle open. Her first and last attempt.

I saw one for sale few months ago. Trail bikes like tote gote with Briggs and Stratton engine are still sold in stores like Cabella's and such.

Yeah, they show up on Craig's regularly - from a hundred to a thousand dollars. I do look, but No Thanks.

So what about your first time? Did the earth move?

I owned a go-cart with a B&S 5 HP motor... took it down to the freeway (280) and ran it on the closed section between Page Mill and Moody. That got my heart beating....In High School I worked at the Hudson Gas Station on El Camino. I bought a Ducati Dianna from a guy who used to gas up every week. Paid 400.00. A month's pay. Yup...an 18 year old with a Ducati.. Bad...Bad to the bone....

FFS! I just rode cupcake on a buddy's Honda Elite for my first 2-wheeled experience!

First dirtbike? Yamaha PW50.

First "real" streetbike? Kawasaki KZ454LTD (biggest POS you could buy for $550)

First scooter? Not until college actually (Best time to experiment? ): The Honda Elite/Dio 50



Yep,., that's the bike (and the young arts major) in question. Bought it for $450 with decent miles and only one scratch on it, and sold it 20,000 miles later (!!!). One of the best scoots I have ever owned. Surprising how far 42mph will get you in 3 years of school.

First motorized two wheel..... No. Really. My GTS 300 is my first. I never rode a motorcycle before I got her. Other than the Kymco scooter I rode during my MST class the weekend before I bought Rosie.

My first PTW was a 1970 Fox Scamp my dad bought used from a neighbor around 1975. It was black, the paint was horrible and had what was the equivalent of a lawnmower engine strapped between my legs.



Top speed on it was barely above 30 mph but my brother and I learned a lot taking the thing apart to fix it over and over again. We moved up to dirt bikes after that including a Yamaha Enduro and my one and only Harley, the SX 175.

My first "motorbike" was actually a power=assisted bicycle. It did have a twist-grip throttle control though so qualifies for this thread.

I found this comprefensive article on the internet:
http://oldbike.wordpress.com/1950s-raleigh-superbe-with-trojan-mini-motor-gearless-cycle-outboard/

Happy Days! (in 1969)

John W.

This was my first ever PTW ride way back in 1998: Honda Nova Tena Casual Sport 105cc, a stepthrough two-stroker. They call them underbones in Southeast Asia. Mine came with automatic clutch, four gears, front disc brake and rear drum. The colour was green with stickers. It was quite powerful for its size. I could do 110 km/h on the road. The price was 35 500 Baht (950 US Dollars at the time).

It was in Thailand where I learned to ride a motorbike. I dropped it hard in a street corner after a night out on the town (Pattaya). The bike was OK in a day -- all the parts that were hit were replaced. It took me 19 long days to finally recuperate after the incident because of road rash on my right side. That's when I found out the hard way that you don't squeeze your front brake lever when in a curve.

I still have a reminder on my elbow -- a scar that tells me to take it carefully out there. Since then I've been safe and been to the Moon figuratively by mileage on a two-wheeler (knocks on wood).

Sadly missed

I'll bite. I lost my power virginity on a Douglas (British-built Vespa) 125 way back in the '60s. It was probably ten years old and cost me £30 - a lot for a kid with a paper route. Despite its total lack of power it took me two days before I could ride up the road without stalling.

I vividly remember me dear old Dad saying to me, "How do you like that surge of power, son?".

I had no idea what he was talking about. It did not have a 'surge of power'.

Still, it got a pimply-faced schoolboy mobile and onto the slippery slope of Vespa ownership. And girls.

first bike was a honda CM400E -- I ended up kitting it out with a whole bunch of JC whitney junk and sold it for just as much as I bought it for...


Which I seem to remember as being around $500 --that was in 1991 more than 20 years, gah, makes me feel old.

First ride as Pillion in 1949 on one of these with my Dad. He bought it to get around our town. Has a pillion cushion on his.



First ride at the controls, 1958 on my uncle's Vespa. Been riding shifty Vespas ever since.

My first ride was pillion on a Kawasaki kH500 two-stroke triple. Beautiful machine.

The first PTW I owned was a 1997 Derbi Vamos 50cc moped.

Taco mini bike a age 8

Folowed by Yamaha DT60 / DT80

New Honda Elisnore in 1974

I put on more miles per day offroad then most do on road...

From where Iam at now we ride to Neveda or Mexico without seeing anyone else..

I still ride with Malcom Smith every year at the Soboba Indian reservation.

GB

I had a little mini bike with a Briggs and Stratton engine. Sorta looked like the one in the pic below but mine was blue. 8 years old and i was "screaming" up and down our dirt road. Dad customized it it for me. I must of lost my pics of the one i had but my mom probably did. Always blame the mom. :lol:Fun times. I did have a 2 runnered ( just made up a word) snowmobile at 7 but didn't get the mini until i was 8.

On my Dad's 1966 Yamaha Twin Jet 90 (Japanese home market only). He doubled displacement the next year with a 1967 Yamaha YCS Twin 180. I had my first crash on that one.

Between this thread and the NSM one, it's surprising how many of us started out with Something I confess I look down my nose at today, but they were influential little machines apparently.

My first... in 1978 .Worked as a Bus Boy to save up the money.
Rode it into the ground until there were no more pieces to fall off.

Just got one of those last year. Paid $1500 for it.
Bet you kinda wish you had kept it don't you...

My first motorized 2 wheeler. Got it on my 7th Bday. Owned it until I was 18. it was originally blue. In high school painted it yellow. I loved this bike and rode it like I stole it! My folks bought it at JC Penny back in the day they sold tires and such. They sold these in the tire and automotive section.

I then moved into a Honda trail 55. Later a Honda trail 90. Still wish I had a couple of trail 90's. They are a lot of fun.

I couldn't Vyatka and had to accept this

vyatka, nice Minsk! Is that a 125cc?

Here's one like the first bike I actually owned - was a Honda Cub 55






So Jess, how about your first?

On-road, one of these.

Mid 70s Motobecane Mobylette, the basic version with a hardtail rear end and single seat.



Although I did have this on the road briefly at the same time, a 60s Kerry Capitano Gran(sp) Prix



Off road, was riding from the age of 10 on a ubiquitous Honda 50 Cub, followed by the first bike I built, a BSA Bantam "Scrambler"

V oodoo, this is a cool thread. I'm rather nostalgic and love looking at older bikes. The first bike I rode(at the age of 7) was a Honda 50 that belonged to my Uncle. He lived on a farm and there were huge cow pasture all around. He showed me the throttle, brake and gear shifter(3 speed w/auto clutch) and let me loose. I have been hooked ever since. When I was 8 my dad purchased a used Gemini SST(50cc) which had a 4 speed and a manual clutch. I used to jump a dirt mound in the yard and eventually broke the frame.

Yes, 125cc, simple as AK47

1982 Yamaha XZ550. V-Twin, Shaft Drive, Liquid Cooled. A wonderful bike well ahead of it's time. Another vehicle I wish I never gave up.

Back in 1971, a Honda CT90 just like this one:

Purchased as a negotiated settlement with my husband. I really wanted a dragon red Vespa but he was afraid I'd get hurt in an accident. So I did the best I could with the e-bike and when I finally decided I must absolutely have a dragon red Vespa he had nowhere to go...