I first started riding when I was about 11 years old. My first bike was a 1952 BSA Bantam which I still have. Shame I can't find any photos of that. Next was an Exelsior Sprite - Second World War paratroopers bike (still had the Bantie at this time). The Exelsiors used to get thrown out of the airoplane somewhere over Germany (or somewhere) and the Para's would use them to drive to wherever they were going. They had fold up seats and handle bars and the foot peg doubled as the gear lever. Pretty neat actually. I even got stopped for riding on the road with that and the copper let me off!

Next was a Suzuki TS100 - my first proper bike??? At the time I thought it was the bees knees and when I sold it I even managed to make a profit. Here's my attempt at trying to be Dougie Lampkin.

Next was a Kwasaki KL 250. Pretty good, although soooooo heavy. By this time I had progressed to stunts. This bike lasted quite a while with only one total rebuild. If I remember right, a single piston from a Gpz1100 (B1) went in to increase the capacity and up the compression ratio. Mostly I did this my self with a little help from my brother-in-law Kenny. At this time I guess I am 14 or 15. Most memorable is getting chased by a farmer in his jeep and his shot gun. He even rammed my mate on his KE175. I was running the bike in at the time and just doing enough to keep in front of the jeep. My mate thought I was just taking the piss out of the farmer by going slow.

Looking at these photos I wonder how come I can't wheelie or do stoppies on the ZX9. All I can do now is look back and say "That was me that was".