Where and how did you get started???

55 cc Benelli? That reminds me of my second bike. I don’t recall the displacement or model name but it was an early sixties Benelli minibike with a 3 speed transmission and a conventional clutch. It had a bright metallic green frame maybe even metalflake and a chrome gas tank that was kind of an odd triangular shape. That bike taught me how to use a clutch which was something I didn’t need to know on the crude lawnmower powered mini bike that was my first powered two wheeler.

I didn't fool with motors much until I was about 14 and built a simple wooden go-kart using a five horsepower Briggs and Stratton. I ran it for about a week or two until it fell apart. It looked like something you might have seen on The Little Rascals, and was about that safe. In my late teens a friend had become injured in a motorcycle accident on his Honda 90, and I bought it from him. He was struck broadside in an intersection and he remains handicapped from that mishap. But the bike was only dented and otherwise could be straightened, so we got it going without much fuss.

That was my first motorcycle and I later sold it to buy an engagement ring. Then after 32 years together, she left in 2004, and I decided to get back on two wheels and bought a 2006 Sportster. But after a shoulder fracture last Fall, I decided to opt for the more stable sidecar platform.

So now we all wait for warmer weather, and sunny skies.

My first bike was a 98cc Sachs,2HP,2speed handshift.I put it together from pieces in East Germany in 1950 and crossed the border to West Berlin
in 1951,Illegally,,no drivers licence no vehicle papers,blackmarket gas.
Then to Frankfurt,a long trip with 2 HP.
Next was a BMW R2 and then a lot of different German bikes.
Gary

1969, Then Came Bronson started it. I also had a copy of Popular Mechanics with a picture of a Triumph Bonneville.I always thought that bike looked like the perfect motorcyle, and still do even though I have never had one. During my 30 yrs of riding I never,ever thought I would crash. Until a nurse blew thru a stop sign and ran me over.While recuperating from surgery I did'nt know if I would have enough strength to hold up a bike again,so I ordered my new Ultra with a sidecar. I always wanted to try a sidecar, so this was the time. Luckily my health is fine, but I love the sidecar so much I won't go back solo. For the first 3 months I was still putting my foot down at stops! Steve B.

1955 I had been drooling over motorcycles and came across a 1947 EL Harley Dividson. Went everywhere on that thing including the ranch pastures rounding up cows and seeing how high I could climb the butte by our house. Won a bet with a VW bug as the hill climb champ. Later owned several HD's, one (1951 74} with metal sidecar and I found out how much fun it could be. Sold that bike and kept the sidecar which I mounted to a 1949 74 and eventually sold that. Many dirt bikes, street bikes and now the GL1500 Gold Wing/Champion Escort. I was able to get the Escort that was previously mounted to a identical bike and so with some help from this site and instructions from Champion, I am completely happy with the rig.
Ralph

May of 1965. I walked over to the neighbor's farm, he and I were going to walk to town to buy a new Raliegh 3 spd English Racer bicycle. As I turned to go up the driveway, his recently drafted older brother was hanging a for sale sign on his 1942 Harley Davidson FL. As they say, the rest is history. I was fourteen. My first sidecar was two years later attached to a $75 1951 Panhead. Of course, I was too cool for a sidecar so it found it's way to the landfill in the woods. :0)

this is a fun thread,..in '72 my friends next door( bike mechanic dad) updated their honda 50cc to yamaha 60s with a clutch,..for $50.00 I got on the faster of the two hondas, and went up from there, a 60, 100 175cc, to a 350 street late650 550750& 920 to my current 800 with CF1 hack,... in 1994 I was hired by a local company to escort funerals through Hamilton Ontario on "police" type motorcycles,....for a biker, that's like gettin paid to screw,..hehe ... in the off season the KZ1000 police bikes were fitted with 562 velorex cars for the snow and slushy conditions, as someone who had never tried a hack,...the experience intrigued me,..donuts n the snow were a blast and I became quite comfortable on the third wheel....fast forward to 2002,..my new 800 marauder and 3 month old daughter ment mommy and I would never get on the bike enough,...after a few months of searching, several hours in my employer's machine shop and trial and error,..my scooter is equiped with a car that removes in minutes, is equiped with a radio, CD and DVD for my 5 yr old, and the miles rack up from there,..we even went out for hot coco last sunday @ 33F degrees I enjoy the " family time" on the bike and as an 2nd officer in the Canadian Motorcycle Cruiser's riding club 007 chapter, we are able to do all these events as a family and my kid doesn't feel ditched when we wanna ride,..we love it,..cheers, crawf.

I must say I'm enjoying these storys....here's the photo i promised in the first post- I have allways named my bikes after some of the girls and women in my life i.e. Beth, Bobby Sue, Val and Smoking hot Sarah. But as of yet I have not named this rig so I just call her the "Object of my Obsession"(maybe I'll change it to Black Betty---Bam a Lam) Keep them stories comming. Ed.

Remember the "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" Ad Campaign? That along with the easy dollar down and dollar a week financing brought hubby and I each a Honda 50 in 1970. They were the size of a mini bike but street legal with headlights and tail lights. Lots of fun on trails and off road too. Wish I still had mine.

Started in 1968 on a 1965 Honda CB160 - another of those "nicest people on a Honda" though I didn't stay that way for long. Went from there to Ariels, BSAs and Triumphs and more Hondas and to my current favorites from Milwaukee.

my 1969 350 with open pipes still sets off the occasional car alarm,...but there is not a note sweeter then a british twin with co-operation from Lucas , hehe ..I'm still a sucker for the vintage bikes,...the new ones today are too easy,....you don't even get oil on your boots anymore,...hehe crawf,....ps, nice rig modelflyer, that fairing is on my marauder, gives a clean look, sweet.

I started off after high school with a $300 Honda Super Hawk. Turned it into a cafe racer when I attended an art collage in the Bay Area. I started building "Coasters" for a sculpture class out of bicycle parts. The last one was a 3 wheeler made with Lambretta wheels and suspension but no motor. We clocked it at 50 mph. I quit collage and bought a a BMW R/75. After many crashes,I got rid of both bikes and I moved to Idaho in 1972. I figured I'd live longer if I got rid of the motor cycles. 3 years ago I saw a sidecar rig parked by the side of the road with a for sale sign on it. Now that I have lived longer, I thought I'd try bikes again. I'm glad I did.

In 1957 I wanted to replace my Cushman motor scooter with a "real" motorcycle. I planned to buy a Puch 175 from Sears, when a fellow showed up at the gas station I was working at with a H-D Model 165 for sale. I got permission from my folks to buy it and I thought I was in heaven. That bike was my daily transportation (summer & winter) until I graduated from high school and joined the Navy. Over the years I've owned a variety of Harley's, BMW's, Yamaha's and Honda's. Our initiation into sidecars happened when it was decided to take our youngest daughter along with us on outings. I found a 1976 Hondamatic 750 with a Spirit Eagle sidecar. I had never driven a sidecar rig before and was convinced that I was going to be killed before I got it home as it didn't handle anything like I expected. My wife learned to drive that outfit. We've had a number of rigs including a CB750/Velorex, Honda PC 800/Hannigan, and our current outfit is a GL1800/Hannigan GTL. Do I miss two wheels? How could I after seeing the smiles on the faces of the folks at one of the nearby homes for the disabled when our CMA chapter spends time with them and offers rides, or when we go on the local Ride for Kids and get to have the privilege of taking one of the special needs kids on the ride.

Here's how a a pre-novice is working his way to a sidecar rig: In 1993 I purchased a used Suz 450 as a grad-school gift from myself, mainly to convince my grandmother that had raised me that she was mistaken in that "only trash rides motorcycles." A progression of various Yamaha/Honda 700-1100's followed until I settled in with a BMW F650 and 1500 Goldwing, soon followed by a crash of the F650 in 2001 -- proper riding gear is sure good stuff, but bouncing down pavement still hurts. Being married only 3 1/2 months at the time, we sold the 'Wing and used the money from both bikes for new kitchen appliances & a Miata convertible, promising my wife no more motorcycles ... unless this one fellow wanted to sell this one particular bike that he said he'd never sell. Well, he sold it to me last year, but I found riding wasn't as much fun as before, due somewhat to experience, but primarily the result of the passing of several of my riding buddies.

I also found, due to my experience, I no longer care to carry a passenger on two-wheels, and then we acquired a new puppy (now an 8 moth old 45 lb bundle of energy named Maddie), which made me recall the Helix w/sidecar that I always regretting not buying back in 1998 (as I was then a single fellow into touring), which led me to this site, which led to the advice that an 883 Sportster makes a pretty good sidecar mule, which led to placing an order for a Texas Ranger car last week. I'm now looking forward learning to drive the rig and opportunities to take the dog, children, seniors, and maybe even my wife for a ride.

Lee
Summre Grove, LA USA