Where did you start?

[pegasus1300]

While reading thru the thread started by SteveandBalinda about getting a new battery Bruce (bigbadbruce) mentioned his first bike had no battery. I read carefully his list of former bikes and saw that his first bike was an old Royal Enfield(intro to m/c 1949 Royal Enfield 500cc thumper). That's cool Bruce. My first bike that I actually owned was a 1956 AJS 500cc thumper. It also did not have battery.
So I thought it might be nice to learn others history before coming to a Spyder. Like I said I started with a 1956 AJS then went to a 1969 Norton 750. Next a 1972 BMW 750 a 650 Yamaha x 2 Suzuki RL250, 1972 Montesa 250 King Scorpion, 1972 Montesa 175 Texas, 1978 Yamaha XT500,1968 BSA Lightning 650, 1969 Ducati 450 Scrambler,1968 Triumph 650 Trophy, 1979 Triumph Bonneville, 1983 Yamaha Venture, 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale, 1988 Yamaha Venture, 1987 Yamaha Venture(still have but retired), 1968 BSA Royal Star(500cc twin) 2008 Royal Star RSTD, 2008 Royal Star Venture, 2012 Can Am Spyder RTL. There are probably a few others I've forgotten but you get the idea.

Now let's see where you came from

[missouriboy]

My first was a 1947 "Famous James," an English 5-hp (unknown cubes) 2-cycle thumper Villiers (French) engine. No battery. Magneto in (exposed) brass flywheel. The breaker points were inside that flywheel, and in the dark of night you could see the glow of their sparks while operating.

They were pretty well already worn out by the time kids in our town got them, in the early 1950s. I was too young to get a driver license, but Missouri motorcycle plates were $8 at the drug store, no questions asked. After that, my next "bikes" are listed below.

[Peacekeeper6]

My first bike was the venerable 4-stroke Honda XR200R (Ride Red !!). I came late in the motorcycle game because my parents didn't want me to have a bike. So when I was in the service, my commanding officer was selling this particular bike, and my love of motorcycling started. It was my first and only dirt bike, and from there got a pretty good deal on my first street bike, a brand new Kawasaki Ninja 250R. Little did I know that I would quickly outgrow it, so I got a well-maintained pre-owned Honda CBR600F2 (Ride Red !! ........ as you can tell, I'm a Honda Fan Boi, lol).

I could not ride a sport bike for more than an hour because of back issues, so I sold that and bought my first (new) Harley that I currently own, a Sportster 883L. I still have this bike, and hop on it whenever the urge to "tilt the horizon" hits me.

[CloverHillCrawler]

Had a Honda XL 125 as a teen but sold it when I went in the navy. After being discharged I got a TS 650 Jet Ski and focused on that until I had a kid and all of my time evaporated between that and helping to take care of my disabled brother after his accident.

I got the Spyder after my brother passed away in the nursing home he was in and covid had shut things down then I was laid off from Cisco. I had always wanted one since they came out but never had the time to spend on it then all of a sudden I had the time for it.

Looks like I got mine right on time before all of the supply chain issues raised prices and made them unavailable. I was able to pick up my New 2020 in 2021 for a discounted price and had it delivered to my door within a week of purchase. Hell the sales man wanted to get me on one so bad when I told him that I was holding off on a purchase until I had my license and I could get not into a school for a couple of months. He called the school(didn't know they were using his demos for school) and I was in the next class 2 weeks out.

[safecracker]

My first bike was a 1975 Honda XL 250.(still have that bike). Nest was a 1980 Honda CB 650 Four Custom. It was my only transportation while I was in the service. Sold that one in 1987. Family came along and when the Spyders came out I wanted one. Bought the 2011 RTSSM5 demo. Still running strong.

[cruisinTX]

1964 Honda 90 Street 1968--1970
1968 Honda CB 350 1970--1972
1972 Honda CB 450 1972--1979
1976 BMW R75/6--1977--1980
-------------20 hiatus---------------
1999 BMW R1200C 2000--2004
1998 BMW R1100RT 2001--2008
1985 Honda Rebel 250 2001--present
2000 BMW R1200C 2004--present
1986 Honda Rebel 450 2004--present
1979 BMW R80S 2006--present
2000 BMW R1100RT 2010--2020
2000 BMW R1100S 2014--present
2014 Can Am Spyder RT SE6 2017--present
2000 BMW R1200C 2020--present

[Excoastie]

My first bike was a '91 Suzuki GS50 that I picked up when I was on active duty, but I had to sell it after about a year when I got transferred. I then waited almost 15 years before I got my next bike. It was an '05 Kawasaki Z750S, which I had for almost 3 yrs, but rarely rode. I couldn't handle riding more than an hour or so, so it wasn't enjoyable. It sat in the shed most of the time, and I couldn't keep a battery in it, despite a battery tender.

I bought my first Harley, a '15 Sportster 883L, and I loved it. I put almost 10K miles on it in 2.5 years before I outgrew it. I Traded up to a '17 HD Dyna Low Rider, and I never looked back. I had about 11K on it when I sold it. Last year, I came to realize that due to medical issues, I could not operate the clutch without severe pain; I could ride for about 20 minutes before the pain got so intense that I could not operate the clutch.

In June of last year, I purchased my '21 RTL, and I haven't looked back. I have a little over 6K miles, and I ride it at every opportunity. I have been out of work since January (due to 2 surgeries), so I have more time to ride.
My wife has gotten annoyed with the Spyder, as I find something new that I "need" every few weeks. She doesn't ride, even with me, so she doesn't "get it."

--Exco

[Wmoater]

Started with a 1981 Honda XR50 (Off-road). In High school……..1989 650 Nighthawk. ( it was dads but I rode it to school everyday and took to college). As a College boy……….Completely bored out and rebuilt a 1987 Honda shadow for an energy power and transportation class. That was an awesome bike. Out of College ( first real bike 96 1500 Kawasaki Vulcan, then moved onto my dumb years! Spent everything on a new 2003 Harley springer heritage classic (pearl green). It was a beautiful bike. Anniversary color for one year. Met my wife on it, had 2 boys and wife didn’t like it anymore and wouldn’t ride. Adulthood ……2017 RTL SPYDER! She loves riding with me everywhere again. I’m still a youngster and just turned 50.

[misterbc]

I came to own an early 70s Kawasaki 650, I believe…may have been a 750, in 1979 bc a friend needed to get some quick cash. It had sat for a few years and I gave him a $100 Canadian for it. Eventually I got it running thanks to another friend who had basic mechanical skills and new plugs, battery etc. The bike was too powerful for me and I wasn’t really into it. Sold it for $250 to a guy down the street the day I put a for sale sign on it.
In 1983, for my 30th BD, I bought a 1974 Honda 500-4, which was a beautiful bike and I enjoyed the hell out of owning it. I would get up early in the morning and ride from Calgary to Banff or Castle Junction and have a coffee and muffin and enjoy the scenery; there were always a few other early birds doin the same and I got to know them. I had a nice fairing installed and in the Fall still stayed pretty warm on some v chilly mornings. Occasionally you see one of these bikes for sale and in excellent condition they bring $8000 and if restored about $12,000.
A friend showed me his 1978 Yamaha XS 750 Special he was selling and we made a deal. Shaft drive, great bike, except the gas tank was too small. I couldn’t make it to Castle Junction and back to Banff on a full tank so had to stop in Banff on the way up and the way back to make it back to Calgary. A hassle and so I just did short, less than 150 km, trips so I didn’t run out of gas. Took it to Whitefish, Montana once and needed 5 trips to gas stations. Sold it 2002 when I retired and moved to Vancouver Island. Got 1,000 dollars for it on a quick sale as the shocks were bleeding and I didn’t want to pay to get them fixed.
Around 2011 I saw a couple of Spyders in Arizona while holidaying and talked to the owners and they showed me around the bikes. I was hooked and knew I was going to get one at some point, so in January 2022 dropped by the Calgary BRP dealership, Basecamp Powersports, and bought a 2021 still in the crate. My Avatar shows a blue F3T but I actually got a Liquid Titanium Spyder instead. Fantastic machine and I’ve put most practical accessories on it. I still do the same thing, get up early in the morning and go for a spin in the stillness of the countryside mornings for a few hours twice a week, usually. There are tons of backroads around Calgary and you can always see the Rockies, which just got a fresh dump of snow last Friday. I see moose, deer, eagles, hawks, the occasional skunk, gliders, people riding horses etc. all in the early hours of the day. There are various small coffee shops around where I can still get a small coffee and muffin, so I’m happy.
The Spyder is sheer perfection.

[ColoRider]

I’m almost ashamed to post my list……..but here goes:

Starting out in 1968, although I started riding in 1960
(most were mine, some were family).

The second one in the list is my profile picture.

1967 Yamaha 305 Big Bear Scrambler
1969 Triumph T100 Daytona 500
1969 Yamaha DT250
1970 Honda SL70 (2)
1972 Honda CL100 (2)
1974 Honda XL350
1975 Yamaha DT175
1973 Yamaha DT125
197? Yamaha TY80 (2)
1978 Honda GL1000
1980 Honda CM400A
1981 Suzuki GS650G
1986 Suzuki GV1400
1975 Honda CL360
1982 Yamaha XJ650LJ Seca Turbo
1991 Honda ST1100
1989 Honda XL600V TransAlp
1995 BMW R100GSPD - Classic
1989 Honda XL600V TransAlp
1998 Honda ST1100A
19?? Yamaha PW80
1990 Honda XL600V TransAlp
2000 Honda XR100R
1988 Honda NX250
1991 Honda ST1100
2001 BMW R1150GS
1997 Kawasaki KLR650
2002 Honda ST1100A
1999 BMW F650
2002 Honda GL1800A
2003 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
2005 Honda GL1800A
1995 Honda ST1100
2006 Honda ST1300A
2004 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
2005 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom
2008 Yamaha FJR1300
2009 Kawasaki KLR650
2012 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere
2011 Suzuki 650 Burgman
2013 Yamaha FJR1300
2014 Yamaha FJR1300
2013 Suzuki DL650A V-Strom
2015 Yamaha XTZ1200 SE Super Tenere
2016 Honda CB500XA
2015 Suzuki DL650XT V-Strom
2018 Kawasaki Versys 1000LT
2019 Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+
2017 Kawasaki Versys-x300 ABS
2020 Yamaha Tracer 900 GT
2020 Can Am Spyder RT Limited

[blacklightning]

Well, I have been riding a relatively short time (started in 2006). I bought my first bike on my 40th birthday and this August will be my 16th year. During this time, I have been through 18 different bikes, and loved each one of them.
1- 1997 yamaha FZR600
2- 2002 suzuki LC 1500
3- 2006 Suzuki M109
3- 2002 Suzuki katana 600
4- 2007 Suzuki M109
5- 2006 kawasaki zzr600
6- 2007 kawasaki zzr600
7- 2006 kawasaki zx14
8- 2002 kawasaki zzr1200
9- 2002 kawasaki zzr1200
10- 2014 can am spyder RT
11- 2008 suzuki M109
12- 2012 can am spyder RSS
13- 2016 can am spyder F3T
14- 2013 suzuki M109
15- 2010 yamaha Vmax
16- 2016 can am F3T (wife's current bike)
17- 2018 BMW K1600 B (my current 2 wheeler)
18- 2016 Can Am F3 Limited Special Series

And as always, keeping an eye out for the next big deal. lol!

[troop]

First bike was a 1972 Honda CT70H bought new. It cost $349. Thanks dad I was 14. 27 bikes later, I have my 2019 F3S. I bought that new in August 2019.

[Jesster72]

Yow! Love the question, and now my brain hurts.......
very first bike was a Honda 70 I puttered around the fields next to my house
Kawi 125 Enduro 2-stroke
Suzuki 125 enduro
Honda Nighthawk - red and FAST
1981 Goldwing Interstate
Honda Magna
Kawi 900 LT
Kawi Voyager (v-twin style)
2014 Victory CCT
2016 Victory CCT
2022 Sea to Sky
There may have been one or two other short term bikes in there, just can't recall.

Thank you for the post - it was a fun memory jogger (though I failed at that!)

[RayBJ]

1st bike was in 1963:
1963 Ducati 50cc Standard.
196? Honda Dream 300cc? (beater bike)
1971 Hodaka Road Toad 100cc Enduro.
Raced karts for next 15 years to get my thrills
1983 Yamaha Virago 750 Cruiser
20?? Kymko 200 & 400cc
2009 Piaggio MP3-500 tilting Scooter
2009 Aprilia Mana 850 GT Sport Tourer
2013 Triumph Trophy SE 1200 Sport Tourer
2015 Kawi Versys 1000 Sport Tourer
2019 Triumph Tiger 1200 Adventure
2015 Trophy SE Sport Tourer
2020 RT Base Tourer

[FrogmanDave]

My first bike was a Cushman scooter. We had many when I was a kid. The 2 speed foot clutch, hand shift Eagle was my favorite. My dad was somewhat of a collector. Not counting dirt bikes my first real 'street' bike was a 1968 Suzuki XS-6 Scrambler. It was a 250cc 2 stroke with a 6 speed transmission. After that there are too many to name or remember.

[ARtraveler]

I’m almost ashamed to post my list……..but here goes:

Starting out in 1968, although I started riding in 1960
(most were mine, some were family).

The second one in the list is my profile picture.

1967 Yamaha 305 Big Bear Scrambler
1969 Triumph T100 Daytona 500
1969 Yamaha DT250
1970 Honda SL70 (2)
1972 Honda CL100 (2)
1974 Honda XL350
1975 Yamaha DT175
1973 Yamaha DT125
197? Yamaha TY80 (2)
1978 Honda GL1000
1980 Honda CM400A
1981 Suzuki GS650G
1986 Suzuki GV1400
1975 Honda CL360
1982 Yamaha XJ650LJ Seca Turbo
1991 Honda ST1100
1989 Honda XL600V TransAlp
1995 BMW R100GSPD - Classic
1989 Honda XL600V TransAlp
1998 Honda ST1100A
19?? Yamaha PW80
1990 Honda XL600V TransAlp
2000 Honda XR100R
1988 Honda NX250
1991 Honda ST1100
2001 BMW R1150GS
1997 Kawasaki KLR650
2002 Honda ST1100A
1999 BMW F650
2002 Honda GL1800A
2003 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
2005 Honda GL1800A
1995 Honda ST1100
2006 Honda ST1300A
2004 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
2005 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom
2008 Yamaha FJR1300
2009 Kawasaki KLR650
2012 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere
2011 Suzuki 650 Burgman
2013 Yamaha FJR1300
2014 Yamaha FJR1300
2013 Suzuki DL650A V-Strom
2015 Yamaha XTZ1200 SE Super Tenere
2016 Honda CB500XA
2015 Suzuki DL650XT V-Strom
2018 Kawasaki Versys 1000LT
2019 Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+
2017 Kawasaki Versys-x300 ABS
2020 Yamaha Tracer 900 GT
2020 Can Am Spyder RT Limited

Very impressive.

[ARtraveler]

1966 I bought a year old (new) Yamaha 80 cc one lunger. It did not take me long to seize the piston. $345 new.

Since then, I have owned well over 20 assorted two wheelers. At least two or more from every brand of "rice burner." Have owned 80cc up to 2000cc (Kawasaki LTD) cruiser. Have had a few "big iron" machines and two actual luxury cruiser (Yamaha Venture and Kawasaki Voyager).

I have never had a HD, or a BMW or any of the Italian or Brit brands. I got as far as a test ride on a HD tri glide...the year they first came out. Spyder won that one. Actually test drove a BMW in 1978...a classic 650 twin. During the test ride, I kept thinking: "Vee have vays of making you ride" I did not like the ride...so got a Kawi 650/4 instead. I "vetterized" that one.

Went back to bagger cruisers and sold my last one (2015 Kawasaki 900 LTD) a year ago. Now we have a Kawasaki Mule (4 x 4) for our "other" ride.

Since 2008, I bought the first Spyder GS SM5 sold to a customer in Alaska. The dealer had to have #1. Since then, I have gone through seven Spyders. We both now own F3L's. One a 2019 and one a 2020.

I am thinking we are done with motorcycles, but one just never knows.

[KSCRZR]

My list is rather short and didn't start until till about 7 years ago. First motorcycle was a Suzuki C50T. I think it had a good seating position to learn from, wasn't a complete dog but no where near fast enough to get me into too much trouble. Loved how it looked. The next year, picked up a Honda Forza so the wife could go riding with me. She had no interest in learning gears and needed something short so she could reach the ground. Then in the spring of 2018 I picked up my Kawasaki Concours 14, talk about a fricking rocket ship compared to the C50T. Love that bike and need to get it back together and get some riding time in on it this year still. Which bring me to the Spyder. As much as I enjoyed having my wife with me, I was always scared to death she was going to lay over the Forza, so for that reason we started Spyder shopping and got her the bike in the fall of 2018. It is one thing of hers that I have not been able to let go of.

[2dogs]

I guess somewhere in the mid 50's I acquired a motorcycle in a box, so to speak. It consisted of two 8" wheels a broken frame and torn apart briggs 3 hp engine and some other misc parts. I assembled what I could and scrounged together other parts like a jackshaft, chain, and centrifugal clutch to make ride worthy. I terrorized the alleyways and dirt pathways as far and wide as that little tank of gas would allow. My first street legal M/C was a trash Honda 50. "You meet the nicest people on a Honda". A friend of mine's mother bought it for him so she didn't have to drive him to school every day. Well, he soon crashed it and I acquired it and resurrected it from near death, and rode it all through my high school years. From then on it was Triumphs, Hondas, Yamahas, and Kawasaki's, of all types and sizes until I could afford a Harley. As my wallet grew I grew older and now because of age related issues a Spyder came into my life. I guess I'll stay with the spyder intill I put together a wheelchair with a 750 or 1330 powerplant. Who knows what's coming next? I'm kinda looking forward to a sky cycle. You know, one of those drones you get on and fly around the countryside. What a rush that would be. My wife would just crap if I got one of those! It's all she can do to keep me home now.

[redrazor]

1961: Go Kart mini bike w/6.5 hp chainsaw engine (15 yrs. old)
1962: 75cc Capriolo (4spd) (4cycl)
1964: Parilla 125 Scrambler (4cycle/13hp)
1970: Yamaha DT 360
1975-1990: Married with kids (no bikes)
1990: Used Honda 70cc mini-trail
1991: Used 1989 Suzuki 750 cc Intruder
1996: Used 1992 HD Softail Custom
2003: HD V-rod (100 Anniversary model)
2007: New HD Street Glide
2020: Used 2014 Can Am Spyder RTL

All were lot's of fun for their relative times in my life!!

[bigbadbrucie]

Paul, this thread is a godsend. Way back in the ‘50’s I would ride to high school every day on my Enfield with its kick start, which could balk at times. I remember several instances where I would be out trying to start it. The school jocks would come by with their girlfriends and want to show me how a real man starts these things. I would get off the bike, but unbeknownst to them, I would flick the spark advance lever over. They’d get on the bike, give it a kick, and almost be launched over the bike....get off it and limp away grumbling quite loudly. Did wonders to my ego. I’d then climb back on, adjust the spark advance, use the decompression leaver half way through my kick, and start her up. Fond memories of my first ride.

[canamjhb]

Several Go-Carts when I was 10-14 years old

197? Honda CB125
1982 Yamaha 250 Enduro
198? Kawasaki 650 Vulcan
1984 Honda GL1200
1997 Honda GL1500
2000 Go-Ped 49cc
2002 Honda GL1800
2002 Another Honda GL1800
2014 Spyder 1330 RTL
2008 Honda GL1800/CSC Trike

All bikes were used except Go-Carts (Home made), Go-Ped, & 1997 GL1500 which I rode for 10 years before moving to a GL1800. That damn Go-Ped about killed me. Not recommended for people old enough to know better..... Jim

[Gwolf]

First street legal bike I owned was a 62 Honda Super 90. It had a battery, but it was kick start only. The battery was only to supply power for the ignition on starting up and to run the lights.

All the older batteries were weak compared to the new batteries available these days. Owned several early bikes that did have electric starter, but I only used the kick start, because just a few spins of the electric starter and the battery would be too weak to turn it over.

[Pooch]

1973 Honda CB 350… that was in 1979.. had electric start and manual kick start
1981 Honda Silverwing GL 500 Interstate .. touring bike
1985 Honda Rebel 250… just to run around in the neighborhood
1987 Kawasaki Voyager 12 .. touring bike..LOVED this thing
1992 Honda Nighthawk 250.. trailered behind the motorhome
2008 Suzuki Boulevard C50 .. 850 cc .. did not like the stretched forward cruiser riding position
2009 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad 1700
2009 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT
2008 Honda Gold Wing GL1800 Trike .. MotorTrike Adventure IRS kit
2021 Spyder RTLtd
All of these “Jap” bikes ran very well… never failed me.. not once. The Spyder is following in their footsteps.

[BCNewell]

His:
1974 Honda XL70 (‘75-‘82)
1975 Suzuki TS185 (‘79-‘79) {rode it into a canal...}
1977 Honda CT125 Trail (‘79-‘84) {one-year-only production}
1986 Yamaha VMX12 V-Max (‘89-‘91) {1st real street bike! Took DMV riding test on it !!!}
1994 Suzuki Intruder 800 * (‘94-‘96)
1995 Yamaha VMX12 V-Max * (‘96-‘99)
1997 Honda Shadow Spirit 1100 (‘08-‘17)
1989 Yamaha VMX12 V-Max (‘16-‘17)
1998 Honda VF750 Magna Deluxe (‘17-‘17) {totaled - hit a deer}
2014 Honda CTX1300 Deluxe (‘18-present) {one-year-only production}
2017 Can-Am Spyder F3-S Daytona 500 * (bought new in ‘22-present)


Hers:
1995 Yamaha Virago 250 * (‘96-‘97)
1996 Yamaha Virago 535 * (‘97-‘99)
2007 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 (‘14-‘17)
2015 Can-Am Spyder F3-S (‘22-present)

* - denotes bought new. Current rides are the two F3-S’s and the CTX.