SCOOTISSIMO ~ For the Love of Scooters!: November 2008

ought

Today I found a picture of an old bike I used to ride on my grandparents farm and it got me to thinking how many 2 wheeled toys I had owned over the years, the different farm bikes, road bikes and now scooters.

Here's my 'Bikeography'

My very first ride, the Deltek Grass Scrubber 50cc

I remember learning to balance on the minibike by being pushed along the driveway by the grown ups when I was about 3 years old with my Dad and Uncle Steve running along side to make sure I got the hang of it. Then they fired it up !

Hot days, red dirt and rows and rows of track in the South Australia orange groves to just
ride all day. I rode in shorts and tshirt and never remember getting hurt or burnt- ahh the good ole days :)

I was shattered when Dad took the engine out of the mini bike to make a go cart when I was about 5 or 6, the AZ was way too small for me by then.... but still!!! I never got over it..sob sob.. :)

This next one was my toy on my grandparents farm. I started riding this model when I was about 9 or 10. I wasn't allowed to ride it until I could touch the ground. I remember running to the machinery shed every weekend when we first drove in the driveway, I'd jump on and stretch as far as I could groaning as I tried to reach the ground with my bare foot!! :)

On this bike I mastered dam bank jumps, skids and slides and was able to even pop little mono's by age 11. The friends I used to bring home for the weekend would be a bit white knuckled on the back for a few kms but soon starting grinning as big as me!

HONDA 100

SUZUKI TS 185

Back to the riverland for holidays, I'd jump on my uncles Suzi and race around the old familiar tracks in Loxton on the block

SUZUKI ER185

(I think?)

Another family farm rider

Vespa PX150 or 200

(can't remember which)

This was 'a Loaner'

This came about in a funny way, it belonged to the son of my very first next door neighbour in Mt Barker SA. He asked if I'd like to borrow it to get to work and back while I was saving for a car, I used to ride my pushy to work but I think he felt sorry for me one winter and said his son would appreciate it if i could keep it running for him while he was away.

Which I did, until he came back....from jail!!

He sold it for drugs I heard years later but I had the best few months ever on that old scooter- vowed there and then in 1986 that I would own a Vespa one day. I waited 19 years for that dream to come true!

YAMAHA DT250

Road/Trail

This was the first bike I ever 'owned outright' and had out on the open road (and bush-which was way more fun!)

SUZUKI GSX250

This was my first real 'road' bike, I loved it. I rode it from Adelaide to Victoria about 3 times, even moved house on it once! It had a quirk where I had to lift the seat before starting and spray some fuel down the top of the carby air filter just to get her going, I rode around with a Rexona pump action bottle filled with fuel under my seat for 3 years in all kinds of weather, now I'm older and wiser (and in the Safety Business!) I'd probably not do that now :)

YAMAHA XS650
Man, I LOVED this bike. When I owned it I was living in the Adelaide Hills before the tunnel went in and it was a joy to ride to "town" thru the hills. They were no match for the old girl, she was a beast- mine was chocolate brown (brush painted) with more gaffa tape than backstage at an AC/DC concert!!!

The back road from the Great Eastern Hotel in Littlehampton to Birdswood was my fave ride.

SUZUKI TS185

I didn't ride for many many years until I had the chance to buy a cheapo 'bush basher' from a family friend. It was fun for a while then gave it to my brother to have fun on.

YAMAHA 100 Ag
In my shed at the moment awaiting a rear tyre, was my brothes. This old beast will just be my 'camping basher' or for some rough fun in the paddocks next door.