This was my first motorcycle:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...da_CL-125S.jpg

Not very fast, but an absolute blast in the woods!

One time we had about a 3" snowfall on Ft. Belvoir, and I was riding the bike in the snow to work.
It had those 'almost' knobby tires on it and was great in the snow. But, this time I got some red
lights behind me, and the MPs pulled me over. "Sir, you're not allowed to ride a motorcycle in the
snow in Virginia." And then he explained that Ft. Belvoir abided by Virginia's laws. I was
disappointed, which he noticed, and then said, "But, if you keep it on the shoulder or in the grass,
then you're not breaking a law!"

Some MPs are just good guys.

On Tuesday, 2 January 2018 18:22:18 UTC-4, John H wrote:
This was my first motorcycle:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...da_CL-125S.jpg

Not very fast, but an absolute blast in the woods!

One time we had about a 3" snowfall on Ft. Belvoir, and I was riding the bike in the snow to work.
It had those 'almost' knobby tires on it and was great in the snow. But, this time I got some red
lights behind me, and the MPs pulled me over. "Sir, you're not allowed to ride a motorcycle in the
snow in Virginia." And then he explained that Ft. Belvoir abided by Virginia's laws. I was
disappointed, which he noticed, and then said, "But, if you keep it on the shoulder or in the grass,
then you're not breaking a law!"

Some MPs are just good guys.

Trails tires? That's what I had on my 1976 Can Am 175cc TNT

On Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 8:00:37 PM UTC-6, True North wrote:
On Tuesday, 2 January 2018 18:22:18 UTC-4, John H wrote:
This was my first motorcycle:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...da_CL-125S.jpg

Not very fast, but an absolute blast in the woods!

One time we had about a 3" snowfall on Ft. Belvoir, and I was riding the bike in the snow to work.
It had those 'almost' knobby tires on it and was great in the snow. But, this time I got some red
lights behind me, and the MPs pulled me over. "Sir, you're not allowed to ride a motorcycle in the
snow in Virginia." And then he explained that Ft. Belvoir abided by Virginia's laws. I was
disappointed, which he noticed, and then said, "But, if you keep it on the shoulder or in the grass,
then you're not breaking a law!"

Some MPs are just good guys.

Trails tires? That's what I had on my 1976 Can Am 175cc TNT

Yeah, another generic name for them was 'scrambler' tires

On Tue, 2 Jan 2018 18:00:36 -0800 (PST), True North wrote:

On Tuesday, 2 January 2018 18:22:18 UTC-4, John H wrote:
This was my first motorcycle:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...da_CL-125S.jpg

Not very fast, but an absolute blast in the woods!

One time we had about a 3" snowfall on Ft. Belvoir, and I was riding the bike in the snow to work.
It had those 'almost' knobby tires on it and was great in the snow. But, this time I got some red
lights behind me, and the MPs pulled me over. "Sir, you're not allowed to ride a motorcycle in the
snow in Virginia." And then he explained that Ft. Belvoir abided by Virginia's laws. I was
disappointed, which he noticed, and then said, "But, if you keep it on the shoulder or in the grass,
then you're not breaking a law!"

Some MPs are just good guys.

Trails tires? That's what I had on my 1976 Can Am 175cc TNT

Sounds right. I think I remember that name now.

On Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 5:22:18 PM UTC-5, John H wrote:
This was my first motorcycle:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...da_CL-125S.jpg

Not very fast, but an absolute blast in the woods!

One time we had about a 3" snowfall on Ft. Belvoir, and I was riding the bike in the snow to work.
It had those 'almost' knobby tires on it and was great in the snow. But, this time I got some red
lights behind me, and the MPs pulled me over. "Sir, you're not allowed to ride a motorcycle in the
snow in Virginia." And then he explained that Ft. Belvoir abided by Virginia's laws. I was
disappointed, which he noticed, and then said, "But, if you keep it on the shoulder or in the grass,
then you're not breaking a law!"

Some MPs are just good guys.

Here was my first:

https://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/yamaha_dt_125_e_1975.php

I rode it to school for a while until I got my first car. I'd strap my books down tight and hit a couple of dirt trails on the way home. Fun stuff.

9:20 AMJohn H
- hide quoted text -
On Tue, 2 Jan 2018 18:00:36 -0800 (PST), True North wrote:

On Tuesday, 2 January 2018 18:22:18 UTC-4, John H wrote:
This was my first motorcycle:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...da_CL-125S.jpg

Not very fast, but an absolute blast in the woods!

One time we had about a 3" snowfall on Ft. Belvoir, and I was riding the bike in the snow to work.
It had those 'almost' knobby tires on it and was great in the snow. But, this time I got some red
lights behind me, and the MPs pulled me over. "Sir, you're not allowed to ride a motorcycle in the
snow in Virginia." And then he explained that Ft. Belvoir abided by Virginia's laws. I was
disappointed, which he noticed, and then said, "But, if you keep it on the shoulder or in the grass,
then you're not breaking a law!"

Some MPs are just good guys.

Trails tires? That's what I had on my 1976 Can Am 175cc TNT

Sounds right. I think I remember that name now.

.....
CanAm was way cool. Rather innovative too. I may be wrong but if memory is correct, models like Dons didn’t have a gear transmission. They used a “hi-vo� belt pulley sysrem like snowmobiles have . Same as a line t if scooters. The more throttle, the faster you went due to the belts self adjusting for different ratios. But they had their problems too.. Let water get in and it’d slip etc. no clutch to slip to get you out of a bind when you needed it etc. they were cool but really unpractical.. that’s they went to the wayside...

9:43 AMIts Me
- show quoted text -
Here was my first:

https://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/yamaha_dt_125_e_1975.php

I rode it to school for a while until I got my first car. I'd strap my books down tight and hit a couple of dirt trails on the way home. Fun stuff.

.....

Complete with electric start too?

On Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at 10:47:34 AM UTC-5, Tim wrote:
9:43 AMIts Me
- show quoted text -
Here was my first:

https://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/yamaha_dt_125_e_1975.php

I rode it to school for a while until I got my first car. I'd strap my books down tight and hit a couple of dirt trails on the way home. Fun stuff..

....

Complete with electric start too?

Yes, it did have electric start. I'd forgotten about that.

At one point I had fallen into a group of riders, mostly older than myself, who had a motorcycle shop and rode competition enduros. They had KTM/Pentons, Husky's, and one guy had a 250 and 400 Maico. Except in tight woods the Yamaha couldn't keep up, but I got pretty good at getting everything out of it that it had.

While they would "toss me the keys" to their bikes all the time, the Maico 400 was my love. It was so smooth and balanced while being FAST! You could take it down a dirt road, and when you came to a curve just lay it over, crack the throttle, and the back tire would just float out. No drama. Time to straighten up you'd just start to stand the bike back up and everything just naturally came together. I wanted one so bad, but they were way out of my price range at the time.

10:06 AMIts Me
- show quoted text -
Yes, it did have electric start. I'd forgotten about that.

At one point I had fallen into a group of riders, mostly older than myself, who had a motorcycle shop and rode competition enduros. They had KTM/Pentons, Husky's, and one guy had a 250 and 400 Maico. Except in tight woods the Yamaha couldn't keep up, but I got pretty good at getting everything out of it that it had.

While they would "toss me the keys" to their bikes all the time, the Maico 400 was my love. It was so smooth and balanced while being FAST! You could take it down a dirt road, and when you came to a curve just lay it over, crack the throttle, and the back tire would just float out. No drama. Time to straighten up you'd just start to stand the bike back up and everything just naturally came together. I wanted one so bad, but they were way out of my price range at the time.

..

Ah the Maico! Beautiful bikes. Got hard to get parts for and we’re price compete to be with the Japanese big 4.
Now ATK and Maico have a 700/750 single two stroke out there. A perfect way to kill myself!

The older air cooled 760

http://www.off-road.com/dirtbike/tec...760-54366.html

The newer liquid cooled 700 ATK/Maico
http://motocrosszone.com/maico-700-t...ator-dirtbike/

On Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at 12:00:05 PM UTC-5, Tim wrote:
10:06 AMIts Me
- show quoted text -
Yes, it did have electric start. I'd forgotten about that.

At one point I had fallen into a group of riders, mostly older than myself, who had a motorcycle shop and rode competition enduros. They had KTM/Pentons, Husky's, and one guy had a 250 and 400 Maico. Except in tight woods the Yamaha couldn't keep up, but I got pretty good at getting everything out of it that it had.

While they would "toss me the keys" to their bikes all the time, the Maico 400 was my love. It was so smooth and balanced while being FAST! You could take it down a dirt road, and when you came to a curve just lay it over, crack the throttle, and the back tire would just float out. No drama. Time to straighten up you'd just start to stand the bike back up and everything just naturally came together. I wanted one so bad, but they were way out of my price range at the time.

.

Ah the Maico! Beautiful bikes. Got hard to get parts for and we’re price compete to be with the Japanese big 4.
Now ATK and Maico have a 700/750 single two stroke out there. A perfect way to kill myself!

The older air cooled 760

http://www.off-road.com/dirtbike/tec...760-54366.html

The newer liquid cooled 700 ATK/Maico
http://motocrosszone.com/maico-700-t...ator-dirtbike/

Wow! You're right... a perfect way to kill yourself.

One of the guys back then had a Honda TT500. He was arguably the best rider of the group. He looped it twice and went back to a KTM 250. He got tired of picking himself up off the ground.