The good old days 80's

[wortho]

I find it very strange that in order to go off road on a bike these days, it needs to have cost 10k upwards and have more electronic traction gizmos that you can wave a stick at.

Back in the 80's when I was growing up with no money and rubbish TV. We used to buy cheap bikes and ride them off road. Fields, lanes, woods and pit tips.

Nothing would stop us so long as we had had a whip round for some petrol.

It was common knowledge that a Honda C70 (pig) was the best off road light weight cheap as chips bike going and it would do it 2 up. I bought an engine for £3 for my £10 Honda Pig and bought it home from school in an Adidas bag.

My parents loved me. You could fix the bike with limited tools and everybody knew how to do it.

I then started to play with the big boys and moved up to a CD175. stripped down and rear mudguard sawn off aft of shock mounts. Ran for ages but was a bit heavy in soft mud.

Upgrade to a CB250 G5. Totally stripped including silencers. Instant moto crosser built like a tank. Swapped an electric guitar for it. Could not play guitar but could ride the bike. It was way too heavy but when you are skint it has to do. We went all over on it, often 3 up. Old quarries were a favourite. Got given a part worn knobbly tyre for the rear. Then we were in business.

Finally I passed my test and bought a Yamaha DT175 MX. Loved it, went all over. Even toured on it. Re-bored tuned up, bigger carb and a off road pipe. I had it for a few years before I sold it and bought a car.

Now I ride a Triumph Sprint 1050 ST. Just love it. Happy days in the 80's.