[CDL]

1973 Kawasaki 350, two stroke triple. Bitch to start at times, plugs were worthless after 500 miles, but man once you got the revs up that thing would scream. Can't imagine what the 500cc and 750cc versions were like. Stock photo, they didn't have cell phones back then

 

[Rebelstonewalljackson]

My first bike?

Because I´m an Austrian, maybe nobody here knows this bike:
It´s a "Puch 175", year of construction 1950, austrian brand.

I buyed it 1976 for an amount of 30 USD.
It´s a two stroke with 12 hp and was one of the typical european cheap postwar bikes for people who couldn`t afford cars in this times. But anyway, some people made 10.000- mile trips with bikes like this.

 

[Odin]

I can honestly say i've never seen anything like it Stonewall !

 

[JimInOz]

1973 Kawasaki 350, two stroke triple. Bitch to start at times, plugs were worthless after 500 miles, but man once you got the revs up that thing would scream. Can't imagine what the 500cc and 750cc versions were like. Stock photo, they didn't have cell phones back then

Went on a group ride once, me on my Honda CB750K2, one of the guys on a Kwaka 750 triple. We were stopped at a petrol station and he asked if I'd like to swap for the next section. I was up for it and we rolled out to the road, checked all clear and went on our way. Only thing was, I revved and let out the clutch the same as I did on my Honda. The result was a wheelie across three lanes before I got it under control, thankfully very little traffic on the road at the time..

I found the handling very twitchy after my Honda, it was like riding a ball bearing and when we got up to speed (above 150 kph) it kept trying to develop a speed wobble.

It was the scariest, worst bike I've ever ridden, I couldn't wait to get back on my beautiful turbine like Honda.

The Kwaka owner bought a Honda 750 a few weeks later :grin2:.

 

[Kenny G]

Went on a group ride once, me on my Honda CB750K2, one of the guys on a Kwaka 750 triple. We were stopped at a petrol station and he asked if I'd like to swap for the next section. I was up for it and we rolled out to the road, checked all clear and went on our way. Only thing was, I revved and let out the clutch the same as I did on my Honda. The result was a wheelie across three lanes before I got it under control, thankfully very little traffic on the road at the time..

I found the handling very twitchy after my Honda, it was like riding a ball bearing and when we got up to speed (above 150 kph) it kept trying to develop a speed wobble.

It was the scariest, worst bike I've ever ridden, I couldn't wait to get back on my beautiful turbine like Honda.

The Kwaka owner bought a Honda 750 a few weeks later :grin2:.

Jim, Part of the reason the triples handled so poorly was the nylon swing arm bushings would distort under acceleration. I had a 500 triple for a couple of months and decided it was too scary for me.

Kenny G:|

 

[astrem]

Technically, my first bike was a Puch Maxi-Lux. This pic isn't mine but very similar to what I had:

My first actual motorcycle with a clutch & shifter was a 1997 Honda Shadow that I plunked a deposit down for and waited a nail-chewing two weeks to arrive. That was almost 20 years ago (June 6 will be the anniversary).

Upon delivery:

Today:

This one was Simson Suhl 50cc, Yes it had a clutch and 2 speed gearbox. My first motorised 2 wheels. And I was only 10 years young

 

[Ollie Rinkle]

New here, gathering info on a Rebel 500. That aside, my first bike was a 1964 Norton Atlas. Owned it for all of three days. Too much bike for a beginner. However it did inure me to motorcycle vibration, so on subsequent bikes, vibration was never an issue.

 

[Kendo]

My first road bike was a 1962 BSA C15 SS80 250cc single, which I bought in 1963 from the Claude Rye dealers in Fulham, London.
Still well remember dropping the bike in the wet, on the very first day of ownership (thankfully only minor damage).
Great little bike, passed my motorcycle test on it, and shortly thereafter bought a BSA A10 Super Rocket, again from Claude Rye's, great memories.

 

[Elks Bells]

I started young! x

 

[Robble10]

"Claude Rye". That takes me back a way!

This was my mine: a 1940s Ariel 350 (military) from WWll

. Bought in 1955. This the model (not the actual bike).

 

[RupertC]

Tomos moped T12, three speed, handlebar change.