I think I was 11 years old when I got my first bike. I had been reading Motorcycle mags for years, circling bikes I'd like to get, dreaming of bikes I'd like to get. I remember I had saved up $50, my dad must have thought I'd worked hard for the money cause he then offered to pitch in another $50! So bike looking we went! I don't remember much about getting it, but this bike ruled! It had a motorcycle style engine and gas tank and even had a clutch although no gears! This came in handy cause the pull start spring always seemed to break and we would have to head out to Richmond BC to the Keystone HQ (I heard the frames were made in Richmond!) to get a new spring. Eventually I just bumped started it which was easy with the clut
ch. Plus I could rev it up and pop the clutch and do wheelies!!!I have so many memories of this bike! Cruising the lanes, showing off to the girls, getting chased and caught by the cops. I remember coming back from riding in some sandpit. I was sitting in the back of my dads stationwagon with the bike when a motorcyclist came up behind us. I geuss he saw the minibike laying down in the back and he gave me the thumbs up! WOW! I was part of the biker community now! Funny how a little thing like that can stay vivid in your memory 35+ years later!! Thanks Bro
!.I also use to take the minbike up to my Grandparents cabin which was on the way to Whistler. The chopper craze was going big at this time and I remember always wishing I had long "biker" hair! I found this blonde wig that I would put on underneath my helmet and ride around on the private road that went to my grandparents cabin. (this pic is of my dad!) Sometimes I would ride up the road to the highway and park my bike and lay on it with my "long hair" coming out from underneath my helmet. MAN I was cool!!!! Those were great days!!!! Thanks Dad for letting me get my first bike! (but was mom pissed!)
PS Here are some pics of 2 other mini-bikes I currently own. The "red" one I bought for 2 of my kids for christmas a number of years back. Weeks before Xmas I was blasting around the streets on it, even to
ok it to an empty warehouse where a gig was going to take place and road it up onto the stage! The yellow one is one that me and my youngest built together one winter. It's one of my favourites with the square tyres and the scrub brake!
