What size (cc) bike did you start out on?

[Bluestreak]

I put a lot of miles on a Kawi 500R before I upgraded to the 600SS. Best decision I ever made.

[Cruzergirl]

V-Star 1100 Silverado. Great bike. Low center. Balanced. Why oh why did I ever sell that bike...

[z06boy]

I started out on a 1988 Ninja 600R...it wasn't quite like todays 600's.

I wrecked it in 4 days.

[fnfalman]

This is a tricky question for me to answer. First of all, the bike that I started on was not the bike that I owned as a beginner. I started on a Honda Hurricane. A dumbass Army buddy of mine who didn't know squat about motorcycles (neither did I) decided to go get a Hurricane because it was the coolest thing out there. We went and picked it up in his pickup truck, neither of us know how to ride a motorbike. We read the manual about the clutch and throttle and brake, etc. He climbed on, no helmet, T-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes (I was similarly attired) and roared down the parking lot with the bike careening out of control, skidded down the right side with the lucky bastard rolling in the grass. The whole right fairing was screwed up. THEN it was my turn to get on. I follow suit and fell on the left side. So the brand new bike was fucked.

Anyway, I bought a Kawi EX500 (aka Ninja 500 nowadays). Not because I learned my lesson but because that's all I could afford. MSF? No way, man. I was too macho for that shit. All I need was cruising around town for a bit with the boys on Saturday night, trying to act cool for the chicks. Bareheaded, James Dean-style black dress leather jackets, black Army dress gloves, some sort of cheap half boots and Levi's. The first time I ever rode in a twisty was to ride to Nashville on the backroad, I crashed at an easy 30-MPH turn. An easy low side into the side of the road that was covered with leaves. Walked away without a scratch with minor scraping on the bike's fairing. Didn't understand why and how I crashed either. Later on I realized that I didn't know shit from shinola because I never bothered to learn how to ride the correct way. I thought that leaning was how you turn the bike into the corner.

MSF, MSF, MSF, MSF, MSF. Enough said.

[JoJoYZF]

Started off on the slightly tamer 600cc bike that is in my avatar.

[Crazy]

started on a ninja 250, no previous experience besides the MSF.

[OTB]

This was my first....bought as a basket case and put it together....ran poorly, siezed all the time, but got me started on motorcycles.
http://bikez.com/motorcycles/yamaha_yas_1_1970.php 15 HP!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was my second: ran like a scalded cat!!!
http://bikez.com/motorcycles/suzuki_gt_250_1973.php 31 HP!!!!!!!!!!!

[t-homo]

Buell Blast. 500cc single cylinder. Hope to move up to a early 2000s 600 or 750 next year. I will get more in depth with this when I don't have to go to class in 5 min.

Ok so I am back. I am really glad that I started on my 500. It is really forgiving and really builds your confidence. In the twisties, it handles really well and you can lean it over like its nothing.

[DLIT]

Brand new '04 R6.

[lauralynne]

spent a day on a borrowed TTR125
Did my MSF on a Rebel 250 - 2 days
rode about 10 miles on a FZR600 on the street and then got it race ready
my street bike was then a VFR800i and I started racing the FZR

But I'm older then the average "beginner" and probably not quite as smart (My MSF instructor told me I was crazy for wanting my race license so quick and told me it wasn't possible. I hate when people tell me something isn't possible)