With all the talk about what kids should be allowed to ride and at what age, I'm curoius to know when you started, what you rode as a child and if you ever had a serious injury?


Me, I started at 5 on a Sears special minibike with a Briggs and Stratton engine, progressed to a 50cc Yamaha by time I was 6 or 7, a cr80r by age 10 and a atc200x by 15. Lost some skin. Had some bumps and bruises. That's it.

How about you?

 

I started at age 4 on the original '74 Honda ATC70... no suspension, no front brakes... man we rode the hell out of that thing!!!

Kinda like this one, but this is a newer model than mine was... ATC70 picture

Every so often, I get the urge to buy one and fix it up.

Bryce

 

Bryce, I REALLY am surprised you're still alive!

Had a friend with a 125m and another with a 185. No suspension. Those things really were death traps! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]



Samson

 

I started at age 6 on a Yahama gt80. It got stolen, went to a Honda sl90, sold it and at age 11 bought a IT175 Yamaha. Traded it for a brand new Yahama tt225 at the ripe ole age of 15. Sold it and bought a Yama Timberwolf at age 22. Traded it for a worrier, than a wolverine than a 2001 SP 500 H.o.

As far as injuries, Broke both ankles, (not at the same time), broke a coller bone, dislocated a shoulder, broke all the bones in the top of my foot, took a stick half way through my chest, sprainded ankles wrists and knees. Almost all my injuries have been on bikes, and is the major reason I started my sons on quads. Realize, most all of my injuries were done at a later age. (16+) But I always were protective gear. I have really slowed down in the last few years.

 

I was a po' boy, so the first ride I had, I had to build.

At 11 in 1982, I gained access to a junkyard that a friend's dad owned, and allowed free run. I dragged out every dirt bike I could find and placed them together. (took a month!) I then started digging through it and finding parts that worked.

All done, it was a 125, dual shock 2 stroke. I could tell you what it was in detail, but I would sound like Johhny Cash's old "one piece at a time" song...
Based on a 1971 Yamaha 125 frame....

We rode the hell out of that thing. First time we started it, we wiped out the friend's cousin's Porshe 914. D'OH!
Push starting it, the throttle was stuck wide open and it went ripping across the yard to meet the Porche as he turned into the junkyard for a visit. Had to replace the front tree, and the bumper and hood of that 914. (Thank the gods for junkyards!)

Ask me later about taking that motor and putting it in a homemeade go-kart several years later.... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Couldn't find any brakes huh? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] Too funny!

I'd love to hear about the kart!

 

I started riding my older brother's and older sister's mini-bike when I was 5 (or was at 4). No accidents to either one of us. Although I do remember my mom hoping on my sister's mini-bike for the 1st time and flooring it. She went sideways for 10 feet then did a face plant into our gravel driveway. She had the scars on her arms and legs for over 35 years to prove it. She never got back on one again. I drove those 3.5 HP mini-bikes so much, I blow the engine out of my older brothers and my sister's unit "feel apart". So much for that high jump. Brakes you ask??? Those expensive parts were always optional in my old neighbourhood. At age 5 or 6, I would drive my father's 500cc snowmobile by myself - mostly in the dark. Supervision??? He'd come ouside to start it for me, then go back inside the house to watch his Hockey Games. Had that thing wide open so often, it blow its engine 3 times. And my dad thought it was a bad design of its engine. Then, I got my own TNT 340 snowmobile. I think I was age 15/16??? For its day, that thing was the best hill climbing / speed demon unit in my neighbourhood. Only a 500cc Storm could keep up to me. From age 7-14, I also had a Honda XR75 motocross bike, 2 other used snowmobiles (2 engine blow ups to prove it) and at age 16, I had my own Honda XL-250. One day at age 15, I was driving my buddies CR250. Had it in a wheelie for over 80 feet down the center of a gravel road. Doing great until a wasp landed on my face and started stinging the heck out of my left eye. Yes, I took the pain and calmly landed its front end. I often reflect back and say, "man - those were the good old days". In those days.... Everyone had trails connected across their properties and the many adults would group together to forum clubs. Clubs that would promote safety but also "pulled the neighborhood" together.

And yes.... I hope the heck my son NEVER does even 1/10 of the wild stuff I did when when I was younger. YES - I'm lucky to be alive today but at the same time, I now have the "real world" experience (35+ years of experience) to fully understand what safety and common sence is about...

If wondering, only scar on my body is a small burnt mark on hand. Lesson learned: Don't reach into the engine area to perform maintenance just after a long day's ride. Man, those muffler support brackets sure are hot.

Motocross, quads and snowmobiles are "in my blood"....

.

 

I know what you mean about brakes! That mini had a friggin piece of metal that rubbed the back tire to stop it. It was a bad joke!

 

Raptorlegs,

Yes, the braking system on those old technology mini-bikes was a joke. Doing wheelies down the center of main street with the cops chasing me was a joke too. They'd get really peed off when they couldn't catch me. In the old days, unsafe mechanics and "outside the norm" driving behavior was the norm. Many didn't like it, but it was tolerated by many. Today, our times are much different. Just like our "good old days" of driving drunk or driving kids around without their seat belts on, our society exspects more safety. In many ways, our society DEMANDS more safety!!! More "common sence" and a lot less "wildness". Like many, we each have to learn for ourselves what each of our comfort zones are... It took me 35+ years - and our family is still learning.

If wondering, those same cops are now my buddies. Buddies on my trail and my one buddy often goes ridding with my son & I. Times sure do change...

.

 

Started when I was 12 on a Yamaha 80 Enduro which I bought with saved lawn mowing money. Broke the crank on that in a wipe out. Luckily didn't break any of my bones. Just sore for a week. Saved up more money and bought a 1971 Hodaka Super Rat. Yes, this was a long time ago. Bored it out, ported and polished, 32mm mikuni carb. ,stuffed crank and lightend the bike buy removing unneeded parts and raced 100 mile desert races. Now over 30 years later I still have the Hodaka. It's still faster than all get out but the suspension sucks buy todays standards. Now I ride a 450R. Rode a 400ex until the 450R came out. My son rides the 400ex and my wife rides a 250ex. Got my son started on a KX125 when he was 14. Got him a Blaster 2 years ago, now the 400ex. Come the end of June he is going to go drive the Chenoweths for the U.S. Army.