Your first MX bike

keeptwostrokesalive 2/2/2013 7:35am
2/2/2013 7:35am
Here is the first real dirt bike I ever owned. I had a chinese pit bike before this but that is a bike I would like to forget about.Sad This 125 made me fall in love with the great sport of motocross and is one of the reasons I still ride and will continue to ride.
thrillbillie91 2/2/2013 7:56am
2/2/2013 7:56am
keeptwostrokesalive wrote:
Here is the first real dirt bike I ever owned. I had a chinese pit bike before this but that is a bike I would like...
Here is the first real dirt bike I ever owned. I had a chinese pit bike before this but that is a bike I would like to forget about.Sad This 125 made me fall in love with the great sport of motocross and is one of the reasons I still ride and will continue to ride.
i'm still riding one of these (found one a couple of years ago on original c+s plastics etc with spares kit)....
got to love the steel yz 125's Smile
SMITH201
Profile picture for user SMITH201
Posts
1994
Joined
1/9/2007
Location
Frederick, MD, USA
SMITH201 2/2/2013 8:04am
2/2/2013 8:04am
1982 JR50. I miss that bike Sad

AzTrooper
Profile picture for user AzTrooper
Posts
229
Joined
7/5/2012
Location
Benson, AZ, USA
AzTrooper 2/2/2013 8:22am
2/2/2013 8:22am
My first bike was a 1972 TM125. I rode that untill 1974 when I bought a TM400 .
John

The Shop

See All »
SouthwestMfg
Profile picture for user SouthwestMfg
Posts
281
Joined
2/9/2007
Location
Diamond Springs, CA, USA
SouthwestMfg 2/2/2013 8:46am
2/2/2013 8:46am
1st "motorcycle"

1st real "MX" bike - I clipped this pic from a Vital member who restored one (very nice to!)


ClassCClairVoyant 2/2/2013 8:58am
2/2/2013 8:58am
A 1969 Kawasaki Green Streak 100 (Google pic below). I was making $1.00 hr and it cost $450 new. It came with reversible Hatta forks, chrome bore, rotary valve intake, a straight through pipe that was ear piercingly loud, and a dyno tag from the factory for my specific machine. I think the dyno tag was something like 15.6 hp. It had no power whatsoever below about 10K rpm but when it came on it was fast. When I say 'chrome bore' I mean actual chrome like on your Chevy's bumper. Problem was that the aluminum piston had a very bad habit of bonding with the chrome bore. Sold it without actually getting to ride it much and vowed never to buy another Kawasaki...

keeptwostrokesalive 2/2/2013 9:04am
2/2/2013 9:04am
thrillbillie91 wrote:
i'm still riding one of these (found one a couple of years ago on original c+s plastics etc with spares kit).... got to love the steel...
i'm still riding one of these (found one a couple of years ago on original c+s plastics etc with spares kit)....
got to love the steel yz 125's Smile
Definitely one of the best bikes I have ever owned.
crashnburn11 2/2/2013 9:05am
2/2/2013 9:05am
My dad was working full time while my mom was working her way through school as a waitress. She finished school when I was around 10, and got her first career job. Her first paycheck she took and cashed and bought me a used 1987 kx60 from one of her coworkers.
yam261
Profile picture for user yam261
Posts
449
Joined
4/28/2011
Location
CA
yam261 2/2/2013 9:07am
2/2/2013 9:07am
braaap wrote:
January 28th, 1978. Had been begging for the new monoshock 1978 YZ80. Woke up on my birthday to find a brand new twin shock 1977 model...
January 28th, 1978. Had been begging for the new monoshock 1978 YZ80. Woke up on my birthday to find a brand new twin shock 1977 model! My disappointment lasted only until I sat on it. When I took it out to the field behind the house I was thrilled, especially when I smoked my buddy that had the 1978 model!

That was my first MX bike also. Your right it was fast.
watson
Profile picture for user watson
Posts
712
Joined
7/15/2012
Location
Houston, TX, USA
watson 2/2/2013 10:27am
2/2/2013 10:27am
Started riding/ racing when I was seventeen, twenty one years of age now. Never even sat on a dirt bike before, and bought a 2004 CRF450R for $1200. Needed a lot of work, and of course, it was flush with Monster logos. Learned throttle control and wrench turning very quickly Tongue

These are circa '09, same bike, about a year after I started.


scrubbin627 2/2/2013 10:53am
2/2/2013 10:53am
I couldnt talk mom into buying me a motocross bike until I was 16 and got a job. I borrowed $2200 and bought a 1994 kx125. It was a 2 year old race bike from a local A rider that lived in my neighborhood. I rode it until it wouldnt go anymore. lol

The good old days...
bd
Profile picture for user bd
Posts
6056
Joined
4/6/2007
Location
Las Vegas, NV, USA
bd 2/2/2013 11:08am
2/2/2013 11:08am
Part I: 1980 Suzuki JR 50
DanDunes818 2/2/2013 11:22am
2/2/2013 11:22am Edited Date/Time 2/2/2013 11:23am
fencepost wrote:
@ Indian Dunes. There was a track near the Shadow Glenn track that was a huge circle with little jumps. This is me in action. Blue...
@ Indian Dunes. There was a track near the Shadow Glenn track that was a huge circle with little jumps. This is me in action. Blue jeans, work boots, crappy kidney belt, and my brothers DG helmet. Heaven.


Awesome Pic Fencepost!! That track was called the TT track. I spun 1000's of laps on that track. For some reason I loved practicing on that little circuit. I also loved when they ran Grand Prix's cause my pops would always make sure to design the track to use the TT track. God, I miss that place. Indian Dunes wrecking crew for life....
bsharp
Profile picture for user bsharp
Posts
1
Joined
9/16/2013
Location
Canastota, NY, USA
bsharp 9/16/2013 7:13pm
9/16/2013 7:13pm
I was eight or so and traded a friend for an old SL100 that was striped of the lights and had a thumb throttle off an ATV on it. Yea had to hold your hand over the carb to choke it. I rode it every day and fell in love with riding. One day it backfired starting it and caught fire on me and my mom made me get rid of it. I saved up my money working on a farm down the road and bought a SP 100 that I eventually killed. I rode that thing every ware even though the snow in the winter hear in upstate NY. It died pretty quick once I started to learn how to jump. Third real MX bike was a 82 CR 125 I paid 200$ for as it was a parts bike. The clutch boss had two posts snapped off and second gear was blown. I jerry rigged it together and rode that for quite a while like that. I couldn't touch the ground on it so I always started it leaning onto something. The clutch would drag so bad that once yea got it started yea just had to drop it in gear and go. I left trenches everywhere I went with that thing. I then started working on other kids bikes when I was thirteen for extra money as well as working on the farm and bought a used 1988 CR125. The second day I had it my buddy and I was headed out to go riding and I blew it up out running the state police right in front of the sheriffs house. Needless to say I learned my lesson about trying to out run the law Smile . After my punishment I saved up and rebuilt it. I eventually modded the base and ported and filled the jug myself learning from reading hundreds of magazines and books "this was before the internet days". I really learned how to ride on this bike learning how to twist the gyro in the air and grinding the fork ends in the ruts. I qualified Loretta's on this bike but never went to the final. I loved that bike. I sold it to a buddy and gave up riding because I started a family. Now twenty years later I just bought a 99 CR250 that made me fall in love with riding all over. I loved riding the 125's back in the day but this 250 is incredible compared to the older bikes I had. I look forward to getting back out and doing what I love to do.
racerhansen
Profile picture for user racerhansen
Posts
799
Joined
12/6/2010
Location
Aarhus, DK
racerhansen 9/17/2013 7:12am
9/17/2013 7:12am
I was probably the only kid ever, that had to be talked into trying a dirtbike. I was 7 I think, and my little brother had been begging for a bike for a long time, so our parents took us to a track, where they had a KTM 50, they borrowed to kids. For reasons I don't remember, I didn't want to try the bike, but did so anyway later that day. A few weeks later my brother got a PW 50 and I got a brand new LEM 50. I've been hooked ever since!
Tork
Profile picture for user Tork
Posts
30
Joined
7/1/2013
Location
Saint Albans, WV, USA
Tork 9/17/2013 7:38am
9/17/2013 7:38am




The TS was my first real motorcycle the YZ was my first MX bike.
PADDY'S LAD
Profile picture for user PADDY'S LAD
Posts
227
Joined
1/13/2013
Location
Newbury Park, CA, USA
PADDY'S LAD 9/17/2013 8:32am
9/17/2013 8:32am Edited Date/Time 9/17/2013 8:52am
fencepost wrote:
@ Indian Dunes. There was a track near the Shadow Glenn track that was a huge circle with little jumps. This is me in action. Blue...
@ Indian Dunes. There was a track near the Shadow Glenn track that was a huge circle with little jumps. This is me in action. Blue jeans, work boots, crappy kidney belt, and my brothers DG helmet. Heaven.


I remember the day you got that bike! Plus, i wish I had that DG helmet now!
Epic day for an epic brother&riding buddy! I remember I was practicing for the amateur nationals on the shadow glen track & got this real weird feeling so I pulled off the track to go and find you . I went to the TT track & you were riding toward me crying with a whole in your knee the size of a quarter! 10 stitches as I recall. Cheers brother!

Pit Row

See All »
thefactorypilot 9/17/2013 8:43am
9/17/2013 8:43am
First bike was a 1987 Yamaha PW50... my dad at the time was a pipefitter, so he travelled a lot. He knew I wanted a bike badly (he grew up riding and so did my cousins), so he came back from a job in Houston with a brand new 87 PW50.



Next bike was a modifed 1984 PW50... before Cobras and LEMs, the hot ticket was to put the extended driveshaft from a Yamaha scooter onto a PW, and then make a lowboy cone pipe and some 60 front forks.



After I beat the dogshit out of the modified 84, he decided to put the plastics from the 87 onto it to refresh it. Here is a picture of me leading Justin Buckelew at Ponca City NMA amateur nationsals.



Then I got a CR60, last year they made them. He bought me this bike while I was still racing the PW, and after a few months of racing it he got me a KX60.


moore433
Profile picture for user moore433
Posts
525
Joined
11/2/2011
Location
Denton, TX, USA
moore433 9/17/2013 8:45am
9/17/2013 8:45am
braaap wrote:
January 28th, 1978. Had been begging for the new monoshock 1978 YZ80. Woke up on my birthday to find a brand new twin shock 1977 model...
January 28th, 1978. Had been begging for the new monoshock 1978 YZ80. Woke up on my birthday to find a brand new twin shock 1977 model! My disappointment lasted only until I sat on it. When I took it out to the field behind the house I was thrilled, especially when I smoked my buddy that had the 1978 model!

Braaap, your name wouldn't happen to be Kent would it?? Dad's name Kenny?
slipdog
Profile picture for user slipdog
Posts
10054
Joined
7/25/2009
Location
Nor Cal, CA, USA
slipdog 9/17/2013 8:48am
9/17/2013 8:48am
bsharp wrote:
I was eight or so and traded a friend for an old SL100 that was striped of the lights and had a thumb throttle off an...
I was eight or so and traded a friend for an old SL100 that was striped of the lights and had a thumb throttle off an ATV on it. Yea had to hold your hand over the carb to choke it. I rode it every day and fell in love with riding. One day it backfired starting it and caught fire on me and my mom made me get rid of it. I saved up my money working on a farm down the road and bought a SP 100 that I eventually killed. I rode that thing every ware even though the snow in the winter hear in upstate NY. It died pretty quick once I started to learn how to jump. Third real MX bike was a 82 CR 125 I paid 200$ for as it was a parts bike. The clutch boss had two posts snapped off and second gear was blown. I jerry rigged it together and rode that for quite a while like that. I couldn't touch the ground on it so I always started it leaning onto something. The clutch would drag so bad that once yea got it started yea just had to drop it in gear and go. I left trenches everywhere I went with that thing. I then started working on other kids bikes when I was thirteen for extra money as well as working on the farm and bought a used 1988 CR125. The second day I had it my buddy and I was headed out to go riding and I blew it up out running the state police right in front of the sheriffs house. Needless to say I learned my lesson about trying to out run the law Smile . After my punishment I saved up and rebuilt it. I eventually modded the base and ported and filled the jug myself learning from reading hundreds of magazines and books "this was before the internet days". I really learned how to ride on this bike learning how to twist the gyro in the air and grinding the fork ends in the ruts. I qualified Loretta's on this bike but never went to the final. I loved that bike. I sold it to a buddy and gave up riding because I started a family. Now twenty years later I just bought a 99 CR250 that made me fall in love with riding all over. I loved riding the 125's back in the day but this 250 is incredible compared to the older bikes I had. I look forward to getting back out and doing what I love to do.
Nice 1st post "music man", welcome to the jungle!


kevingent55
Profile picture for user kevingent55
Posts
176
Joined
9/20/2010
Location
Maryville, TN, USA
kevingent55 9/17/2013 9:04am
9/17/2013 9:04am
First real bike was a 1973 Honda XR-75 bought it used for $250 with paper route money in early 1974.

I had a 3 HP Briggs&Stratton mini bike before that but I don't count that as a motorcycle.
hellion
Profile picture for user hellion
Posts
1092
Joined
12/19/2009
Location
Westfield, MA, USA
hellion 9/17/2013 10:21am
9/17/2013 10:21am
braaap wrote:
January 28th, 1978. Had been begging for the new monoshock 1978 YZ80. Woke up on my birthday to find a brand new twin shock 1977 model...
January 28th, 1978. Had been begging for the new monoshock 1978 YZ80. Woke up on my birthday to find a brand new twin shock 1977 model! My disappointment lasted only until I sat on it. When I took it out to the field behind the house I was thrilled, especially when I smoked my buddy that had the 1978 model!

I wanted the same bike and left the ad with the 78' yz80 laying around the house whenever my dad was home. I was lucky and after what seemed like months my dad took me for a ride to the Yamaha shop and we brought home the new 78'. In my mind it's still the sickest looking bike ever and I'd like to get one to restore someday, unfortunately there probably aren't many around because they had a nasty problem with frames breaking.
Zesiger 112
Profile picture for user Zesiger 112
Posts
2393
Joined
3/4/2013
Location
Galveston, TX, USA
Zesiger 112 9/17/2013 10:24am
9/17/2013 10:24am
My first bike was a 2001 Yamaha TTR 125L that my parents bought me. I think I was about 13 years old. My first MX bike was a 2007 Honda CRF150R. The first bike I bought is the 2005 Yamaha YZ125 I have now, I bought it last year at 17 years old.
sende
Profile picture for user sende
Posts
2394
Joined
1/15/2013
Location
FI
sende 9/17/2013 10:35am
9/17/2013 10:35am Edited Date/Time 9/17/2013 10:37am
Back in 1992, I was 15 yrs. old and I got an barely used 1987 RM 250. Needles to say I never a became a pro :D but I sure loved that thing for a first bike! ps. Shell didn't give me any sponsor money either, haha!!
Here it (and me) is:
Original 44
Profile picture for user Original 44
Posts
531
Joined
12/4/2008
Location
Chardon, OH, USA
Original 44 9/17/2013 12:11pm
9/17/2013 12:11pm Edited Date/Time 9/17/2013 12:12pm
braaap wrote:
January 28th, 1978. Had been begging for the new monoshock 1978 YZ80. Woke up on my birthday to find a brand new twin shock 1977 model...
January 28th, 1978. Had been begging for the new monoshock 1978 YZ80. Woke up on my birthday to find a brand new twin shock 1977 model! My disappointment lasted only until I sat on it. When I took it out to the field behind the house I was thrilled, especially when I smoked my buddy that had the 1978 model!

I had that same bike in 77. I wish I had a hour meter on it, that thing had like a zillion hours on it and it never broke. I bought one for my son so we could do a restoration on it. This is a picture of my son racing it in 2012 at Unadilla during the Ahrma weekend.
Bret
Profile picture for user Bret
Posts
832
Joined
8/10/2008
Location
Mission Viejo, CA, USA
Bret 9/17/2013 2:44pm
9/17/2013 2:44pm
Made payments to a neighbor for his 1979 Maico 400. I paid $900 for it back in 1981 with my pay from cleaning a laundromat. I was too young to actually have a job so my Dad took the job and we would both clean the place so I could earn some money to buy the bike. We started at 10:00 pm 5 to 7 nights a week and usually finished around 11:00 or 11:30. I will never be able to thank him enough for that. I learned quite a bit about responsibility working alongside my Dad in that laundromat. Sadly, I no longer have the bike but the same neighbor that sold me the '79, gave me his '81 Maico 490 back in 1990 when he had to quit riding. The reason the '79 was for sale is because he had bought the '81. I actually still race the '81 here in Southern California.

This was 1981 or 1982 at the CRC Un-Leap Year Gran Prix at Corona Raceway.
KaptenStarkvin 9/17/2013 3:53pm
9/17/2013 3:53pm
In about 1988/89 my older brother got a xr80 that he rode around the house and in the woods. Eventually we went to the local track so he could ride there. The track had a pw50 and a pw80 that you could rent. I was thrilled! I rode the pw50 a couple of times, then got on the pw80 and loved it.
I dont remember if the following was on a birthday or not, but I was 6-7 years old (1989-90).
Then I got a full set of motocross gear! I could not wait to try it on and ride on the back of my brothers xr the same day. We went out in the yard to take a picture of me in my new gear. Little did I know that behind me was a 1987 pw80. The happiness that followed when I turned around can't be described. I rode that bike all the time, and I rode it hard. I guess I wasn't very smooth because I broke the swing arm.
About a year and a half later I got a 1987 kx60. The first time I rode a bike with a clutch. I tried it out in the field in front of our house and popped an accidental but pretty long wheelie! I immediatly rode back to the house and said: DID YOU SEE THAT DAD??? I POPPED A HUGE WHEELIE!
He laughed and told me to do it again. Lets just say I could not replicate it and my dad laughed even harder.
jimmie
Profile picture for user jimmie
Posts
2263
Joined
8/21/2008
Location
Huntington Beach, CA, USA
jimmie 9/17/2013 4:32pm
9/17/2013 4:32pm
Sorry bout the crummy quality of these images but, that's the best I can produce.
Snapping a photo of an "old" photo is all you get. (the original photo ain't any better either)

Not my first motorcycle, however it was the first, hard core, state-of-the-art, no frills, badass, gen-you-wine MX bike I had the pleasure to own.

Borrego Springs/Ocotillo Wells, spring of 1974








Post a reply to: Your first MX bike