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I got my first bike, a DOT 250cc Scrambler, when I was 14 in 1971. My uncle originally owned the bike, and it had laid unused in his garage for five years. He said if I could get it running, I could have it. I drained the carb, cleaned the filter and ignition points up, and she fired after a few kicks. DOT motorcycles were made in Manchester, England, and DOT stood for "Devoid of Trouble."
It was a very quick bike for a first-timer, and I remember those dry stone walls coming up pretty quickly as I rode across the Cumbrian fells in England. We used to ride up a very quiet back lane to get up into the hills, and I once remember being chased by the local policeman, who couldn't catch me! I started Schoolboy Scrambling the following year and got a Dalesman 125cc but still fondly remember my DOT that has led to a lifetime of motorcycles.
