[Cover Photo by permission of Kyle Pegutter]
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I’d had my used, clunky, hunk of junk Hodaka 125 for about six weeks and had gotten pretty comfortable with using a clutch and riding in the woods near our house in Turtletown. In fact, I was really enjoying it and the freedom it gave me at twelve. Imagine being twelve and being about to fly through the woods on a giant (perspective) dirt bike all by yourself. The problem was I had a little brother. Like all little brothers, he looked up to his big brother and wanted to copy everything I did. So, naturally, he wanted a motorcycle too.
[Yep, that’s really me 40 years ago]
My little brother was having a birthday and unbeknownst to me, my parents decided to buy him a Honda MR50. Now, let me be clear, the Honda MR50 was a great little bike. I don’t really consider it a starter bike though. It had a full clutch, gears and a handful of power for such a tiny frame. I think my little brother would have been better served by an XR 50 (no clutch) to get started. However, I was at home with my little brother, David, when my dad pulled up with a Honda MR50 in the back to surprise him.
[Photo used with permission of Jack at xtreemedecals.com]
Imagine being an 8 year old when dad brings this home?
Of course, he had no idea how to operate it, so I got the pleasure of showing him while dad explained it to him. This allowed me to pop a few wheelies and ride around on this tiny little powerhouse that I was way oversized for. David was beside himself with excitement and couldn’t wait to get me off it and start using it.
After a few more explanations by dad and visual aids from me showing him how to release the clutch and apply the gas to pull out, we let him have a go at it. He was eight, but due to childhood illness looked and stood about the height of a 6 year old. He was a good little athlete though, so my dad trusted him to figure out how to manipulate the machine.
After a few stall outs, he figured out how to get it going and took off in the cleared acre immediately surrounding the house. Dad had told him to stay in first gear for a few laps around the house until he got comfortable. He had NOT explained to him not to overrev it though, so what do you think David did? He was revving it to the moon as he ran around the house in first gear. I think dad was just trying to prevent David from blowing the head off the little bike so he yells out, “shift up to second gear!”
That was a big mistake!
The little MR took off like a rocket at that point. David wasn’t prepared for it. He didn’t seem to be able to let off the gas and just started running wildly around the house. We chased him by cutting across the circle and just as he came around the side of the house, we saw that he wasn’t continuing in the same loop. Now, he was going to run up the side of a steep clay bank to the east of the house.
My dad is yelling, “let off the gas!”
I’m yelling, “grab the brakes!”
David is yelling, “I’m trying!”
As he reaches the apex of the bank, I’m thinking he’ll stall out. Nope, he turns just as it would have likely stalled and starts coming down the bank and gaining speed. I’m trying to stay out of the way because I realize how embarrassing that it would be to get leveled, smashed and run over by my little brother. My dad seems to be thinking he can catch the bike and pick it up off the ground. Not at 22 plus mph he’s not.
David is trying to reach an endpoint, so in his eight year old mind the open garage door seems like a safe place. He’s picking up steam and coming down the bank with the throttle wide open and heads straight for the garage.
My dad and are running behind still yelling various instructions. We are at an angle to the garage and see him as he’s entering it. We know it’s not going to end well. We hear the crashing and explosions and the screaming engine of the dirt bike with the throttle stuck wide open and we are flying in with very concerned expectations.
Stunningly, he’d hit the old dodge sedan and it gave some movement to absorb the hit. The bike was on its side running with the wheels in the air, but not damaged. My little brother was scared and crying, but not hurt (not anything permanent anyway). He had a helmet and gloves and long pants on—so glad for that. I got to the bike and shut it off as dad grabbed David and picked him up to hug him and take him in the house.
I still remember as my dad picked him up, David was crying and scared, but he was apologizing– yes apologizing– for crashing into the garage and the car. As hard on him as I was as his older brother, I did feel sorry for him over that. Dad was just relieved that David was ok. The car and the bike didn’t matter in the scheme of things (and they really both had almost no visible signs of damage). Since David was not hurt, we could laugh about it later (pretty quickly actually).
[Photo by permission of Rod Mickelson]
David did try again after a few days and, several more instructional lessons later, he learned how to give gas to and release the throttle. He learned how to use the clutch and how to brake (very important). So, my biggest twelve year old fear came to pass. David wanted to follow me in the woods on his little bike… more on that in a future story!
#motorcycle #motocross #honda #dirtbikes #minibikes #hodaka
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Why not read the first story in this series? Tales from Turtletown #1: The Crazy Creek
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Thanks for the story, love those bikes
My pleasure. I’m pleased to hear various similar stories about teaching young riders how to ride these bikes. The MR50 is a great bike. They provide great memories too!