My first go on a bike was a mate's at school who had a YB100 - I managed to wrap it round a telegraph pole for him! Ooops! We're still mates, but he doesn't let me ride his bikes!!!
The first bike of my own was a highly stylish Honda CB125RS, bought in 1991 for 200 quid. This got crashed about every other week because I thought I was Mick Doohan(?) and blown up three or four times trying to keep up with my mates on bikes like RD125LC, TZR125, NS125F etc. It eventually dawned on me that I should buy a) some decent protective gear, and b) a faster bike with better brakes / tyres / suspension etc.
After passing my test I got an NS400, I nearly bought an NSR250MC21, but it was a grand more. The NS got swapped with a mate at uni who had an RGV250. This got sold and was used as a getaway vehicle in an armed robbery of a jewellers!!!
Since then I have owned various bikes - 4 NS400s, 2 RGVs, a YPVS, an NSR250MC16 and some four strokes, including two VFR750s.
I currently own:
NS400/RGV conversion project bike, hopefully coming to the track day.
NS400 Repsol colours - in bits due to broken primary bearing.
NS400 Rothmans with Shepherd 500 kit on - bought in boxes, barrels to be used on project bike. The rest to be rebuilt.
NSR250 MC16, Repsol colours, MC18 carbs and barrels.
VFR750 1995 - good all rounder
GT750 1984 - commuter bike with sad caravan style fairing - absolutely hideous! But cheap to run and weatherproof - used to commute daily up the M3 to London. I shouldn't really admit to owning that one!
Mat.