what inspired you to first start riding?

[motonap]

For me its a mix of a couple of things

- my father used to ride a motorcycle back in the day (1970's) before he had slip disc issues. He would tell me stories of the crazy things he used to do back then 

- I cycled to school and always wondered in awe what it would be like to have a little motor on the cycle, experimented with a car battery and sewing machine motor with a rubber bush against the back tyre once and that went off pretty crappy 

- I had friends older than me who started riding motorcycles when they were old enough. I enjoyed riding on the back and then they taught me how to ride a motorcycle and my mind was blown

- Speed always has a crazy attraction for the young bloke 

 

Got my first 2 speed geared 50cc moped when I was 16 and absolutely loved it, pushed it to its limits back then and took it off the road a couple of times. Then when I was 18 got my first proper motorcycle, even if it was a 100cc commuter class motorcycle. Loved that thing to bits and pushed it to its limits as well. Spent quite some time and money I did not have back then customizing it to scream it was mine.

Guess there was no turning back from there, the next step up was a 350cc Royal Enfield that I hate now when I think about it, then the 200cc pocket rocket KTM  Duke, my own hand built 225cc adventure motorcycle next and then when I moved to NZ is when I really started doing more adventure based riding and worked my way up from a WR250R to a CB500X and now the Tenere 700!!

 

I would still love a WR250R or road legal WR450 in my garage if I could afford too!!