Tank Slap - Motorcycle Forum

I've just posted this on the PB Mag forum in a thread titled "What have been your defining moments with bikes ?"

Passing my test on a freezing cold December day. The examiner was impressed I turned up.

My first trackday - an evening session at Cadwell

Doing a group test ride with Performance Bikes trough france and into italy (mixed emotions about that one, Rich was a top lad)

Doing a Chris Walker race school at a damp Mallory, chasing Ben Wilson for all my worth, putting in some decent times and at the same time reminding myself it was the first time riding properly since my massive crash the previous year.

Doing runs over the Mountain with my tankslap mates. Flying past a police car as he pulled over to give me room is a memory that'll stay with me for a long time. One of the years losing a mate in the fog over the mountain. He was not a happy chap.

Touring France with good mates.

A whole host of days out, nights out, breakfasts and cake meets, chasing each other on the track, the dirt or the tarmac, taking the piss, being there for each other when needed.

And meeting some people through biking who have become very special to me.

Passing my test in the pissing rain! Hammering it down on the way up to the test centre, stops raining when I get to the test centre and just before going out the heavens opened and I was drenched through. Riding home.stopping at the lights squeezing my hands (gloves) with water falling out like it was a spilt cup of water!

Out on a ride out to The New Forest and a car pulling a trailer tyre burst and the rubber smacking me on the shoulder and chest

Meeting up with you guys in wales and my visor snappong at the attachment area so D6Nutz pulled me over and grabbed some stickers from under his seat and stuck them across to stick it down - not once but twice!! Never forget that - thanks again

My first track day at Castle Combe, wet track, nervous me but by the end of the day I had properly gelled with my bike

Riding back from Scarbourgh MCE Live and riding past where my nan lived so we stopped for a break and a few snaps by a stream and a whole bunch of ducklings woddled up and past us within touching distance and the mum was chilled out about it. Great memory

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Doing my instructed rides before my test in the snow at the tail end of January

1st time I tipped a bike into paddock hill bend and felt like I was falling off the end of the world

Riding from Blighty to Germany through France, Belgium and Holland all in 1 day with some mates

My first intentional clutch up wheelie

Being run over by a lorry....

Blimey - plenty but here are some.

Seeing my now missus riding her motorbike and thinking I need that in my life. (both elements).

Passing my test in 3 days from no experience, including day 1 where i struggled to master the clutch and managed to wheelie the 125 several times while almost falling off.

Watching my fathers pride and my mother's panic seeing me on my motorbike for the first time.

My first biking accident - taught me as much as learning to ride.

Maxing out my Daytona 650 (on a private road).

Rebuilding a motorbike from a frame upwards - taught me everything i needed to know about mechanics of a bike.

Meeting people through biking who i now class as my best friends.

Just riding with those friends and doing stupid things and helping them when i can.

Test riding my current bike and realising i must have one.

Passing my test.

Owning my first bike.

My first ride on a sportsbike (Daytona 600) The handling and brakes blew me away.

Meeting good people wherever you go on a bike. Always up for a chat even if we don't speak the same language.

Touring Europe with good mates and the completely different way in which bikers are treated in Europe compared to the UK.

Meeting some of my best mates whilst out biking.

The Panigale trackday last year. A day wazzing round Snetterton on Ducati's own 1299 and making £50 in the process.

The IOM trips. Always a great craic of biking, eating, drinking and just having a great laugh.

Visiting Misano, Lake Como and the Ducati factory within the space of 3 days.

The B500 region.

Owning my first Ducati.

The Tankslap community.
Loads more i suspect i have missed.

The 'firsts'....

First ride....first bike....first trackday....first race, etc.
First crash.
First go in a bike & sidecar....beyond cool.


Stuff like that

Buying a Ducati

Anything before was just the build up to the main event

A few more:

A top hot days riding and then a cracking night out in Orleans earlier this year.

Stopping at a German cafe with Bratty and Blade. Not t being able to speak any German and the waitress unable to speak English yet we got what we wanted and then the waitress asking me somehow where we were going and where we had been riding for the last few days as all the cafe staff were interested.

Getting lost in Switzerland with Bratty and Blade on the way to Como. Been given directions to a town called Splugen nearby and then having a night of laughs, food and beers in a traditional Swiss sky resort. Then the ride over Splugen pass the next day. Epic.

Riding round the outside of 4 cars and a van on Windy corner at the IOM last September.

Not realising at 13yrs old that buying, fixing and riding a 50cc Mobylette on a disused railway line had set a hook so deep inside me it would last a lifetime.

Screaming with exhilaration the first time I opened the taps wide on a 750.

My eyelashes freezing shut coming home from the NEC with my brother.

My first trackday at Cadwell in rain so hard the track was underwater and still enjoying it.

Riding with mates to Brands WSB when the M25 was just solid bikes for 3 lanes, realising as a lonesome rider you were part of a huge fraternity.

Passing Mick Doohan on track at Snetterton (He was warming his tyres up and passed me back at twice my speed later that lap)

Test riding the 675 as hard as I could and having the bike ask me “Is that all you’ve got?”

The wet 675 Fest in Kent, 10hrs riding in torrential rain, and being 15° off vertical on the M20 due to crosswinds.

A trackday at Lydden in the sun with 4 mates, drinking tea, taking the piss and being at peace with the world.

Watching my eldest Son ride off on his SV after passing his test. (and worrying about him)

Some great stuff in here which reminds me why I love bikes so much - community and free-spirit.

For me:
My first journey from my dad's house to my mum's with him following me (50cc 4t scooter)

My first crash, I knew I shouldn't have used the front brake, at lean, with a brand new front tyre. It was that or I went into the back of the car that stopped unnecessarily on the roundabout - i still hit the car.

Riding my moped down a flight of stairs and staying upright

The first ever feeling of hitting a 2-stoke powerband when I got my 125

Taking the girlfriend on the back of the SV650, pulling out of a supermarket carpark and unintentionally pulling a massive wheelie - we laughed SO hard when I landed it.

First trackday at Pembrey and going into fast group before lunch

Everytime I back the bike into a corner whether intentional or not, my heart starts racing!

The thing that tops it all are the friends I have made and the people I have met - I wouldn't have discovered half as much without these people and I owe them a lot!

All the Firsts,

First ride on my CG125.

Doing direct access I thought that a GS500 was fast.

Then I bought a used SV650S and thought that was fast with good handling and brakes. Until it got uncomfortable and I replaced it with a Datytona 650 and joined this forum.

Next was my first ride on a Street Triple R, I fell for the low down grunt of the triple and bought one there and then.

People say that Ducati ownership is the best, my Mutly must have been a Friday evening bike from the last day before summer shut-down, First bike where the tail light has fallen out while riding....

And the latest riding first, the first ride on a Yamaha of any description, the MT-10, wasn't too keen on the blue so ordered the Black one, Tirst bike that's a definite keeper. I really fell for it on the Tankslap IOM trip, freshly mapped and with the suspension professionally set just a few days before it was the best it had been, and the coffee and cake stops were as awesome as the company

All of my crashes have been memorable but I suppose that's not what you were talking about

At least you can remember them, that's always a bonus