Kid Goals

[Tekime]

Seems like everyone grew up on bikes, always hearing stories about how so-and-so was doing wheelies before they could even walk. I was not that kid! Parents were totally against it, didn't have the money anyway, but I always remember dreaming. Two hour bus rides every day from K-8 staring out the window imagining I was tearing it up on a dirt bike or doing giant wheelies on my GP bike.

Anyway, I helped my mom move the other day and she gave me some old journals I wrote when I was six.. turns out half of them are stories about why motorcycles are awesome.

Just stumbled on this page, circa 1985:



Haha. Funny how it works, I had totally forgotten about all that but 30 years later, my first street bike:



Dreams do come true, lol

Just got a big kick out of this and had to share. First track day in a few weeks and just as excited about the idea as I was in '85.

Must be one or two of you that are late bloomers too.

[RyanNicholson]

Ha! I was the same way... my Dad had a sportster way back in the day but riding just wasn't part of our family. When I was 6-10yo or so I used to make those plastic models a lot, one of which was an old EX500. Of course at 8 years old in the early 90's I thought it was the most bad ass machine ever and became obsessed with sport bikes. I recently found that same model in an old box in my parents basement, sits on my desk at work now.

My first job was also up at NHMS prepping and selling tshirts at the big events at 14 years old. I couldn't care less about NASCAR but when bike week came around I got yelled at for watching a lot, I wanted to be out there racing so bad. I got my first bike at 20 years old, then took the Penguin school 6 months later on my R6. I'll never forget rolling down hot pit for the first time. A year later I had my expert license and was racing in the Classic myself.

Now I do design/strategy/marketing work at National Powersports, surrounded by 600+ bikes every day.

Fun stuff to think back on.

[Petorius]

I used to argue with my buddy in high school about how bikes are stupid and dangerous, and how cars make way more sense. Finally rode on the back of his bike in college, and it all made sense. I thought I was a 'late bloomer' when I got my first one at 22.

[cdovego]

Same story, thanks for sharing!

[Speed serpent]

My dad had 2 Honda's a CB350 and a CB750 in my grandparents shed that I always wanted to ride. Even if it was on the back. I remember him having to push one every year to get the snowblower out then saying he'll fix it up etc. He never got the chance to get them going again. So last year when the decision was made to sell my grandparents house I had to weasel atleast one bike from him. I ended up with the 72 CB350 and I took the opportunity to turn it into a project with my to-be fiance (if she can withstand the trials and tribulations of rebuilding something she's a keeper). That bike was my first, and I'll hold onto it forever. We've added an R6 and Ninja 650 to the stable and we're getting my uncle's BMW R60 soon too. I'm gonna steal the other Honda sometime soon and fix it for my dad. Hopefully go on a nice ride together.

[Falko]

I had a poster of an RC40, Diablo, and Kathy Ireland. I don't have any of those....

[Tekime]

Great stories, love hearing 'em.

Now I do design/strategy/marketing work at National Powersports, surrounded by 600+ bikes every day.

Dream job! I'm a freelance designer/consultant/Web/marketing guy going on 15 years. Last few years I've thought hard about pivoting toward something in the moto industry, combining my loves. Coincidentally, I was also obsessed with models, but could never find bikes.. mostly jets. Lost them all though after several moves!

[RyanNicholson]

Dream job! I'm a freelance designer/consultant/Web/marketing guy going on 15 years. Last few years I've thought hard about pivoting toward something in the moto industry, combining my loves. Coincidentally, I was also obsessed with models, but could never find bikes.. mostly jets. Lost them all though after several moves!

Small world! I freelanced for years doing UI/UX work, mostly for start ups. Got burnt out after a while and started looking for a full time gig. Knew the guys over here for years (Nate, the owner here, used to race as well along with a bunch of other people here) and here I am... lovin it!

Don't judge me by our current website, a new one is almost done lol

[jerseygirl]

Rode a motorcycle when I was in the womb....Dad ran out of gas at turn 1 at Summit Point Raceway and Mom rode on the back to bring it out to him.

6 months old- Daytona Bike Week

1984- Slept in the corkscrew at Laguna

The list of tracks I have been too is really long! Includes the US, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia...

I didn't have a choice, but to love riding. I didn't really pick it up consistently till 19. I started racing when I was almost 27. I picked up a dirt bike last year. We have guys that race vintage with us that are pushing 80. I love this sport both road and especially track. I am who I am because of it.

[breakdirt916]

Also late here...first 89 zx600 street bike at 19...no family rode, they hated it, and still do

I had more lust for dirt bikes though... growing playing soccer games near the woods and seeing fluorescent red/green dirt bikes/quads hop out of the woods, cut across the parking lot and disappear again was like seeing a unicorn

No money for moto, so I rode a huffy mountain bike visualizing bring on a bike...now I still have a street bike, but enjoy the dirt more...being essentially a big kid now in my early 30's I went through about 14 or so dirtbikes in the last couple years LOL

[Rada]

Started at 7. Still going 39 years later.

[carsick]

You keep your sex life outta this.

[Tekime]

Don't judge me by our current website, a new one is almost done lol

Hey man, I'll always have a soft spot for verdana - 10px, 13px, you name it

I still pine over the days of exact keyword match domains, SEO was so easy.. damn you Google and your sophisticated modern algorithms calculating for social presence and hundreds of unique factors

No money for moto, so I rode a huffy mountain bike visualizing bring on a bike...now I still have a street bike, but enjoy the dirt more...being essentially a big kid now in my early 30's I went through about 14 or so dirtbikes in the last couple years LOL

Oh yeah, MTB has been my anodyne since the beginning, plenty of unicorns in my neck of the woods growing up (perfect way of explaining that btw lol)

Rode a motorcycle when I was in the womb....Dad ran out of gas at turn 1 at Summit Point Raceway and Mom rode on the back to bring it out to him.

6 months old- Daytona Bike Week

1984- Slept in the corkscrew at Laguna

The list of tracks I have been too is really long! Includes the US, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia...

I didn't have a choice, but to love riding. I didn't really pick it up consistently till 19. I started racing when I was almost 27. I picked up a dirt bike last year. We have guys that race vintage with us that are pushing 80. I love this sport both road and especially track. I am who I am because of it.

I'm scribbling stories called "WHY MOTORCYCLES ARE COOL" because I rode a cheesy bike at Ames... and you're napping at Laguna. Awesome!

[Chippertheripper]

I got a hand-me-down z50 at 4.
This is my self portrait age 7:

I took a long break when my mom pulled the plug at age 15.
I know the feeling of finally getting on the horse when you're of age and being able to ride whatever/whenever. It's glorious.

[jwm2k3]

Started at 7 when my uncle bought me a dirt bike. Mom pulled the plug at 13 when that same uncle got hurt in a bike wreck. Almost 20 years later I bought myself a streetbike at age 32. I was married, 2 kids, homeowner and had to hide the bike from my mom. I had to keep it at work....here we are 12 years after that and Ive owned 10 or 11 bikes in the last 12 years.

I will ride till my old and broken body can no longer hold up a bike. Brrrrrraaaaappppp!!!

[csmutty]

I will ride till my old and broken body can no longer hold up a bike. Brrrrrraaaaappppp!!!

Soo....next year?

[Stoneman]

Got my first ride for my 6th birthday. Been riding dirt and/or street for the over 40 years, although I've been streetless going on my 3rd summer. Used to take my daughter 2-up on the ATV when she was 6, got her own ATV at 12 although she used to ride her mom's before that. My boy was riding ATV's at 5...

My daughter is 15 now and still rides ATV's and is already asking about her M/C endorsement once she gets her driver's license...

The boy is now 9 and rides any & everything he can get his leg over. While he has an ATV, he likes to swap rides with his pals that have dirty bikes. He's convinced he's gonna get a KTM factory ride on the FMX circuit, then move up to MotoGP...

They each have their own ATV's that have been upgraded a couple times over the years...

And they both ride snowmachines as well...

[RandyO]

Got my first ride for my 6th birthday. Been riding dirt and/or street for the over 40 years, although I've been streetless going on my 3rd summer. Used to take my daughter 2-up on the ATV when she was 6, got her own ATV at 12 although she used to ride her mom's before that. My boy was riding ATV's at 5...

My daughter is 15 now and still rides ATV's and is already asking about her M/C endorsement once she gets her driver's license...

The boy is now 9 and rides any & everything he can get his leg over. While he has an ATV, he likes to swap rides with his pals that have dirty bikes. He's convinced he's gonna get a KTM factory ride on the FMX circuit, then move up to MotoGP...

They each have their own ATV's that have been upgraded a couple times over the years...

And they both ride snowmachines as well...

so when you gonna start having trail making parties again, park that camper up at your landhopefully doctor takes me off light duty today ,

[Stoneman]

so when you gonna start having trail making parties again, park that camper up at your landhopefully doctor takes me off light duty today ,

I'm down for it any time. I gotta get that log pile moved before I can maneuver the camper around comfortably...

[nhbubba]

A lot of win in this thread, but I think JerseyGirl is kicking our asses.

<= Started at 15-ish with a Puch moped around the neighborhood. Crashed a Rebel 250 trying to learn how to work a clutch right about then. Inherited a CB400 @ 17. 1st experience with a race track in 2011. First time on dirt in 2013. Currently feeling like a kid at a buffet wanting to try everything.

[RandyO]

I was given a 20ga. shotgun for christmas @ age 10, but had to wait till I could buy my own motorcycle, that happened at age 16, for $50 I bought as POS Honda S90 that every other kid in town had already owned

[Mr. Kurtz]

One day(early 20s'?) I sat on my friend's scooter, he had ridden motorcycles, step father was a big harley guy in a club, etc. He told me "just turn the throttle slow and it'll go," but it didn't...so I twisted it more...and then bailed the fuck off when it finally started moving.

Then another day, age 27, I just decided "I want a motorcycle," so I found one, and started riding it, an 88 ZX600c(still have it). Month later I upgraded to a pink 98 ZX6R, got hit by a car in my only street accident ever, and replaced that with a 2004 R6(which is still my street bike). This was all between April and August 2006, did my first trackday in May 2007, did ALL THE TRACKDAYS that year, got my race license in Sept 08, been racing ever since.

[Stoneman]

I was given a 20ga. shotgun for christmas @ age 10, but had to wait till I could buy my own motorcycle, that happened at age 16, for $50 I bought as POS Honda S90 that every other kid in town had already owned

Off-topic: Each of the midgets have their own .22's now. And each of their rifles shoots short, "medium" and long ammo. It's a hoot shooting the shorties, you can see them travelling to the target if the sun is just right! LOL!

[01xj]

Cool thread. I grew up in a farm town and we all had land growing up. I was the only freakin kid without a dirtbike or ATV. My parents would never buy me one despite having acres and acres behind our house. Probably because neither one of them rode or had any interest in it. Come to think of it I don't even think they had a friend or acquaintance with a motorcycle either. At my first "real" job I took the first few paychecks and drove to NJ to buy a Honda shadow. Brought it home and my mom wasn't even mad. Said she loved the color and to be careful. A few years ago, after 8 years of riding I found a time capsule somewhere and included in it was some line about how adult me better have a motorcycle.

[breakdirt916]

One day(early 20s'?) I sat on my friend's scooter, he had ridden motorcycles, step father was a big harley guy in a club, etc. He told me "just turn the throttle slow and it'll go," but it didn't...so I twisted it more...and then bailed the fuck off when it finally started moving.

Then another day, age 27, I just decided "I want a motorcycle," so I found one, and started riding it, an 88 ZX600c(still have it). Month later I upgraded to a pink 98 ZX6R, got hit by a car in my only street accident ever, and replaced that with a 2004 R6(which is still my street bike). This was all between April and August 2006, did my first trackday in May 2007, did ALL THE TRACKDAYS that year, got my race license in Sept 08, been racing ever since.

Mine too!

Had a 1989 and went on a squidastic first NESR group ride to the vanilla bean cafe in 2003ish?

The other Sean, Manny, zx12r, swiftone were all there