Two Wheels

Summary: Two wheels have formed an integral part of my life. Motorised two-wheelers took me more than ten times around the globe, after that I simply stopped counting the kilometres. Riding, with a varied range of wheels, has been fun to this very day!

My current ride: Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive

I utilised two wheels from the early age of three years. A scooter (a three-wheeled children's vehicle resembling a skateboard with a handlebar) to be more precise.

At the age of six I owned my first bicycle. A the age of ten I bought a bigger bicycle, bigger wheels that is, with a three-gear-shift. With eleven I acquired a sport bicycle with ten gears.

A friend introduced me to motorised two wheels at the age of fourteen. Roads in the woods were the play and training ground for learning to control the two wheels; out of necessity, to avoid driving unlicensed on public roads.

I got my first 50 ccm (called Mofa, top speed 25 km/h) at my 15th birthday. My mother topped up my savings to make the deal possible. There is actually more to this particular deal, maybe another time.

At sixteen years of age I acquired my small motorbike license and also bought my first small motorbike — a Honda Dax ST50 — with a 50 ccm engine.

Adolesence did require to vent some steem; a 125 ccm trial bike (Aspes Hopi) was the right thing at the time, to supplement the road bike.

I acquired my motorbike license at the age of eighteen. I bought an oltimer motorbike: a NSU MAX 250, build in 1957. It was in dire shape, and a complete renovation to its original state took money and time, producing a very good result.

Various other motorbikes followed suit. Varied also was the mode of riding, ranging from long distance, international, dirt road, amateur racing, and test riding.

After migrating to Australia in 1995, I bought my first two wheels — a Honda Foresight FES 250 scooter in 1999. The 100 km/h was the most prevalent constraint for a fast bike. A maxi scooter provided the business-type mode of transport with above average weather protection and decent storage, I was after at the time. A decsion I did never regret.

In 2006, my Honda Foresight FES 250 was replaced with the Suzuki Burgman 400, after its engine died. I totalled the latter in February 2009 and replaced it with a Burgman 650 Executive.

Visitor's Comments

Entries are shown in the order of latest first.