1972 Honda SL-125

My first bike after I became a licensed driver; I bought this bike at age 16, even before I had my first car.

It was as robust and reliable as the Suzuki was fragile; it would go for miles and miles and miles with the throttle pinned to the stop. Indeed, that was my normal cruising mode! I rode the thing all over northern Illinois, ranging as far afield as the Wisconsin Dells. It didn't see too much off-road use, the novelty of being able to (legally!) ride on the streets was too powerful to resist. Hey, I had places to go and people to see! However, it was a decent dirt bike, though it wouldn't have won any races. All in all a phenomenally can-do little bike that's made me a believer in Hondas to this day.

Favorite memories; gosh, where to start. There are so many! Probably riding around Lake Geneva, WI all day and most of the night with the sweet young thing I picked up on one of my adventures. Though how much of that was the girl and how much the bike, it's tough to say. ;-)

Least favorite; no doubt about it, the crash that resulted from an idiot in a Pinto pulling out in front of me in Aurora, IL. I center-punched the car with the brakes locked, still doing maybe 20 to 25. I flipped over the car and landed on my head, cracking my helmet wide open. Result; broken arm, broken collar bone, punctured lung, tweaked knee, and one totaled bike. I was in a cast for months. :-( Be careful out there folks, and wear your helmets.