I graduated in 1973. I rode a 73 Kawasaki S2 350 3-cylinder two stroke. I have had 15 m/c and Can Ams. I did take a few years off between 1993 and 2001 because Boy Scout years took up all of my spare time.
My wife and I I currently have A F3L, 600 Ryker, a 250 Suzuki and a BMW R1100R. ( More toys than time)
2018 Can Am Spyder F3L, 1995 BMW R1100R, 1988 Suzuki GS250, 2019 Ryker 600 (Wife's)
Yes my senior year (1967) I rode a 305 Yamaha. It was a piece of junk that I had the piston replaced once and then it went again. Traded it in on a 1962 Corvette. Good decision.
2015 RT S , None Tried one, but took it off. Didn't like it Black and Silver
I wasn't old enough to drive in High School. Had a 3-speed bicycle.
1963
How old did you have to be to get a DL? What state were you in during HS? In Idaho back in the '50s and '60s you could get a full blown DL at age 14! That's typically one's Freshman year!
2014 Copper RTS
Tri-Axis bars, CB, BajaRon sway bar & shock adjusters, SpyderPop's Bumpskid, NBV peg brackets, LED headlights and modulator, Wolo trumpet air horns, trailer hitch, custom trailer harness, high mount turn signals, Custom Dynamics brake light, LED turn signal lights on mirrors, LED strip light for a dash light, garage door opener, LED lights in frunk, trunk, and saddlebags, RAM mounts and cradles for tablet (for GPS) and phone (for music), and Smooth Spyder belt tensioner.
Florida back in the 60s you could get a learner's permit at 14 and that was good for any motorcycle solo. If you drove a car you had to have a licensed driver over 18 with a regular license in the car with you, but you could get a special permit to drive back and forth to work alone. You got the full license at 16.
in tn i think you could get a mc license at 14 , but i never got one til later, probably around 16 or 17 really don't remember, around knox co where i lived if they caught you they would just tell you to go home, i got caught in several roadblocks and thats all they ever did. it was a different world then, my dad got caught drinking a beer and the cop poured it out while lecturing him and sent him on his way.
I graduated in 1977. I rode a 1969 R60/2 BMW...did not fit in with the other motorcycle's of that time.
'77 was the year I got my first BMW; a '76 R75/6. I was in my Sr. of college by then and completely hooked on BMWs after my first 100 mile ride earlier that year on a friend's R75.
Let's see SL 100 honda, 1962 550 BMW, 600 BMW, 1973 Harley Sportster. The one I miss the most is the 550 BWW . Drove that from here in Clearwater thru Alabama, Mississippi Natchez trace and Georgia in the 10 grade. Then rode the Sporty from here to Westfield Mass. and back in Jr. Year.
Let's see SL 100 honda, 1962 550 BMW, 600 BMW, 1973 Harley Sportster. The one I miss the most is the 550 BWW . Drove that from here in Clearwater thru Alabama, Mississippi Natchez trace and Georgia in the 10 grade. Then rode the Sporty from here to Westfield Mass. and back in Jr. Year.
You've got my curiosity meter pegging now. I have never heard of a 550 BMW. What R designator did it carry? I remember an R50 that was a 500 (I think) that I saw when working for Sharp's Honda in Amarillo in 1972. It was beautiful pearl white with navy blue pin stripes, funky looking fairing and tear-drop shaped saddlebags. Ran like a top and quiet as mouse.
How old did you have to be to get a DL? What state were you in during HS? In Idaho back in the '50s and '60s you could get a full blown DL at age 14! That's typically one's Freshman year!
It was in Connecticut. Had to be 16 to get a license. I turned 16 four months before graduation.
Got my first motorcycle at 25...a Suzuki 2-stroke...forever fouling the plugs, but it was quick when running properly.
Parents (Dad) would never let allow me to own a vehicle of any type til out of school. Most of my friends had bikes and sisters boyfriends also had bikes. So I rode everyone else's from a cushman to at that time a very large Honda 305. Didn't get my very own until after first re-enlistment in the Navy. It was a 1972 Honda SL 350. Was stationed at Naha okinawa and sold the bike to buy airline ticket to go see my now wife in Atsugi Japan. Have been riding ever since.
Got my first MC in "65" when I was 7yo. It was a hand me down Honda 90 that my dad bought for my mom, but she didn't want to ride it. Road it, my other bikes, and my dad's bikes on the road since. Got my MC endorsement a week after my 16th birthday (min age in Washington State) on a new Honda CB360.
I have never taken the motorcycle test. There was no motorcycle endorsement when I started riding. When Florida passed the law requiring a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license, they said if you had a motorcycle registered in your name, that you just took the title in and you was grandfathered in. I took my title in to the driver's license office, and they put the MC endorsement on my license. Had it on my license ever since.
I have never taken the motorcycle test. There was no motorcycle endorsement when I started riding. When Florida passed the law requiring a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license, they said if you had a motorcycle registered in your name, that you just took the title in and you was grandfathered in. I took my title in to the driver's license office, and they put the MC endorsement on my license. Had it on my license ever since.
Same here re: m/c test. I actually had it a bit easier getting the endorsement. When I moved to Illinois from Idaho in 1982 and went to get an Illinois DL the license person asked if I wanted the m/c endorsement. Idaho did not have a m/c endorsement on the DL at the time and the reciprocity agreement w/ IL included a m/c endorsement when an ID license was converted to IL! So I said sure, even though I had no m/c at the time. Had it ever since.
2014 Copper RTS
Tri-Axis bars, CB, BajaRon sway bar & shock adjusters, SpyderPop's Bumpskid, NBV peg brackets, LED headlights and modulator, Wolo trumpet air horns, trailer hitch, custom trailer harness, high mount turn signals, Custom Dynamics brake light, LED turn signal lights on mirrors, LED strip light for a dash light, garage door opener, LED lights in frunk, trunk, and saddlebags, RAM mounts and cradles for tablet (for GPS) and phone (for music), and Smooth Spyder belt tensioner.
I rode a 1975 Honda XL 250. I bought new. Graduated in 1979. Bought new Honda in 1980, a CB650 Four custom. I rode that bike from Canada to Texas and all over the South east. Bruce
New to Sue and I
2021, LTD, Asphalt Gray, 22,000 miles
Gone but not forgotten
RTS 2011 SM5, 95,000 miles
Going slightly astray from the actual question...I did not have a street bike or ride to high school on a motorcycle, but, however, many days the van I drove was loaded with motocross bikes and gear. School got out and we headed to the practice track. It was actually pretty cool growing up racing motocross in the mid to late 1970s. The photo below of me at the practice track is likely one of those days after school.
I have never taken the motorcycle test. There was no motorcycle endorsement when I started riding. When Florida passed the law requiring a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license, they said if you had a motorcycle registered in your name, that you just took the title in and you was grandfathered in. I took my title in to the driver's license office, and they put the MC endorsement on my license. Had it on my license ever since.
I was kind of a bad boy here in Florida. For years I rode my street tagged former FTR Hare Scrambles bike on the road from trail to trail. Never had the motorcycle endorsement. Somehow every time I got pulled over, they never asked for my license. Maybe on account of when the helmet came off, they realized I was not some kid. Most times we talked about how the officer as kid rode, how cool my KTM is, and off I went. I suspected my good luck might be running out, so when a friend wanted to get his motorcycle endorsement, I went and took the class also. Honda 200 street bikes. Mine in the class was not the Honda Rebel but something more generic with drum brakes. It had vapor look problems on the hot August days during the school. Pretty sure my years of riding and racing made it very easy for me to pass the ride portions. Often they had me be the first to try the skills test after it was demonstrated. I was enjoying myself, but felt bad watching others crash or fall over.
I took my first and only MC endorsement riding test in CA back in the early 80's. I did it on my new Yamaha Venture and I was sweating bullets. There wasn't a chopper made that could stay
between the lines let alone my venture, but I made it and I passed. The short course was in the DMV parking lot and it was about 75/100 feet long and shaped like a bobby pin and was
maybe, 32" wide. You had to go down to the end make the turn w/o touching the white outlines and return. The questions on the written were obviously made up by someone who didn't ride,
and it still seems that way today. I had to retake the test recently when I got my federal ID and I aced the portion on the regular vehicle test, but missed two questions on the MC portion.
I crashed my 125cc Sears Cruisaire on the way to junior high in 1957. Still riding today at age 76. Never too old
Bought my first Honda 50 from a high school buddy who crashed it with me on the back during lunchtime on the way back to school. License plate bracket hit my leg and busted a
blood vain and I was crutches for a week or so. My buddy crashed it again by himself and his mom made him sell it. I got from him and the rest is history.