I started riding motorbikes when I was 13 years old in 1970. It all started when Pop brought home a Kawasaki MT75. We had it all of about a week before Pop thought we should have something more like a real motorbike. We loaded up the little Kawasaki and headed down to the local Honda dealer.
After an hour or so of looking and a quick try-out in the large parking lot of the municipal swimming pool across the street, we headed home with a shiny new blue Honda SL-70. This bike had a clutch and large spoke wheels….. a proper motorbike. In all honesty, I think Pop just didn’t like that the Kawasaki because it had a 2-cycle engine. This little blue Honda was a 4-stoke!
That first bike was my introduction into so many learning experiences. I learned about oil changes and tune-ups. Fixing flat tires, and cleaning air filters.
I grew up in rural Ohio and was surrounded by farms and deserted back roads. There certainly wasn’t any shortage of places to explore on the Honda. I must have put at least a million miles on it. At least it seemed like it!
Over the past 50+ years, I’ve had so many bikes I can’t remember them all. Fast bikes and slow bikes, new bikes and old decrepit bikes, but they have all been fun. I’ve raced bikes, and ridden at least another million miles just off the beaten path. My wife and I used to vacation on a bike before we had children.
To say that bikes have played a big part in my life would be an understatement. Even after all the miles and memories that have gone by, I still get a smile on my face every time I head out on a bike. I guess they are just in my blood.
I put this site together for several reasons. First, I’m a semi-retired systems engineer. I still like my computers and this site lets me play with website development toys. Second, I use it like a journal of my own motor bike projects.
I hope the information and personal experiences presented here can help someone. The older I get, the more enjoyment I get from my vintage motor bikes!