I was just 17 and failed my car test 4 times (Opps!!) and my Dad eventually agreed that I could have a motorbike. He even lent me the money to buy a brand new Honda CB200 - almost a classic bike!! Within 2 years I had doubled the capacity to a Kawasaki 400, and then 2 years later a BMW 800. I then started collecting a few small capacity classic bikes, a BSA Bantam. a James Comet and a BSA C15. Now about 30 years later, I've got a L reg Suzuki GSXR1100 in original showroom condition. Despite the fact that over its production run tens of thousands of GSXR1100s were produced and sold all over the world, original examples in good condition have become something of a rarity. Many bikes were ridden hard and they were often crashed. As a result, they became and remain a popular starting point for street fighters and customs. As for failing my car test - best thing I ever did - it changed my life!! What's your first bike or classic bike?