The first time I ever rode a motorcycle was the summer of 1970, when I was 12. Really it was a mini-bike ... my nine year old cousin, John's Honda Z50 MiniTrail. We were all at my aunt's house, taking turns in the driveway on John's new motorcycle.
The driveway was wide enough for two vehicles and about four car lengths deep. I watched as my cousins and their friends took turns riding to the garage, making a u-turn, and riding back to the starting point by the road. Though MiniTrails had a three gear shift (all three down), there was an automatic clutch. Easy.
After all the boys had taken a couple of turns, I was given the opportunity to ride. Making the u-turn in front of the garage door was not as easy as the boys had made it look! Though I did not navigate the u-turn, I did manage to not hit the garage ... instead, I rode down the five, two foot wide, slate garden steps!
I could hear John up in the driveway, jumping up and down crying, "She's going to wreck my new MiniTrail!" Miraculously, I made it down the steps still upright, feet on the pegs, into the yard and circled around the garden back up to the starting point in the driveway. Everyone, including me, was totally amazed! I suddenly became the star of the day, with a few referrences thrown my way about Evel Kneival!
The driveway was wide enough for two vehicles and about four car lengths deep. I watched as my cousins and their friends took turns riding to the garage, making a u-turn, and riding back to the starting point by the road. Though MiniTrails had a three gear shift (all three down), there was an automatic clutch. Easy.
After all the boys had taken a couple of turns, I was given the opportunity to ride. Making the u-turn in front of the garage door was not as easy as the boys had made it look! Though I did not navigate the u-turn, I did manage to not hit the garage ... instead, I rode down the five, two foot wide, slate garden steps!
I could hear John up in the driveway, jumping up and down crying, "She's going to wreck my new MiniTrail!" Miraculously, I made it down the steps still upright, feet on the pegs, into the yard and circled around the garden back up to the starting point in the driveway. Everyone, including me, was totally amazed! I suddenly became the star of the day, with a few referrences thrown my way about Evel Kneival!