Steve Field's memories

Well it all started a long time ago, 1971 I think. I was working on the farm weekends and had been driving tractors for a couple of years. My mate and me, found a bike!!!! A Honda C70, we got it started and off we went round the farm yard. All was going well until his dad came home and re-found his bike (not well pleased). We were off like a shot, but it was too late, I was hooked.

Between 1971 and 1976 we bought bikes from Parson’s Motorcycles in Radstock, any thing that would run (and we could afford). There were a few chicken chasers, an MZ, a James 150 and even a BSA Bantam scrambler. Then we got hold of a Triumph 350 twin, across the fields by day, a quick wash down and off round the local area by night. What fun we had.

1976 and I could now ride on the road legally. 50cc! I ask you. A Honda 50 SS was followed by a Yammy FS1E, bars turned down, baffels out, led flat on the tank going like hell everywhere (well it felt like it).

1977 came, now I could move up to a 250. Shame I couldn’t afford it. A trip to Parsons saw me fall in love with a black and gold Honda CB 175. Straight home to get the old man (after I had done a deal with a trade in). Father looked at the bike, said it looked good and the deal was ok, but can you afford it? “Yes dad, I’ve got the money to buy it and tax it, all I need is you to lend me £31 for the insurance”. “Well me son, you can buy and tax it, but can’t insure it”. “Yes Dad”. “Well, you can’t bloody have it then” (lesson learned). That was the last time I saw the CB175, well gutted!

As it turned out the old man was told by Mother, “God help you if he comes back with the bloody thing”, (now, mother was not to be messed with, as the old man knew).

Cars, it was then, for the next 20 odd years. Still riding the mate’s bikes when I could.

Then I met Mary and the rest is her fault, not mine.

On holiday in Zante, we wanted to get about, so I said “lets hire a scooter”. So we did, the hire man told us “you get petrol at top of hill, OK” (his brother’s garage). Now, Mary is not too keen on this biking lark, hates bikes (like mother). We fill up and then break down, turns out the garage had put diesel in the petrol pumps. Back for bike number 2. Mary took a real dislike to this one and would not get on it. Sod this I’m getting a motorbike, and came back with a Kawasaki EN 125. After a short argument outside the hotel, I said, “just get on the back, if you don't like it, we can take it back and bloody walk! Well, we spent all week on that little bike, all round the island. Mary loved it. “When we get home why don't you do your bike test and get a bike?” Not that I was too keen, but 8 weeks later we had a Yamaha XJ 750. After that followed a Triumph 900 then ZZR 1100. Then in 2007 came a Dragstar 1100, a 1300 Midnight Star and now the Warrior 1700.  With the Dragstar came membership of the VSOC.

As they say, the rest is history. 

 

Ride safe Steve Field