Hmmm get a bike licence or not??

Do it, I used to just go for a ride sometimes just for the fun of it. I've never been tempted to do that in a Car. Don't by something like a Kawasaki 1300 or you'll be dead within a year. And ALWAYS remember that you have the crash helmet of invisibility on.

 

Try it see how it feels. I havent ridden regularly for years and drifted away from it as I stopped enjoying it because if im frank and honest I rode like a complete knob-jockey a lot of the time and im only alive through some good fortune. That said I rode daily for 25 years or more and did mega-miles in that time so i must of been doing something right. I digress, what i was going to say was that i constantly had a nagging feeling that what i was doing could leave my mrs and kids on their own - or worse!

Some years on now im tempted back but have other priorities for my hard-earned. I do still have a bike i might restore but then again theres some cheap iron out there. Ideally would love a bobber and im a big fan of Russ Mitchells - Exiles. Not cheap but would like to emulate the style.

http://www.exilecycles.com/index.php?section=1

 

Video of rider being killed on Norfolk's roads. He was going too fast and the car driver was done for not looking. The family approved the headcam footage being released. You may have seen this.

http://www.norfolk.police.uk/newsandevents/newsstories/2014/september/hardhittingvideolaunched.aspx

 

Seen it - Marmite skills im afraid. poor guy! crap car driver. was going to happen sooner or later.

 

I had been riding since the eighties, had a job as a DAS instructor, copulated, two kids later and no missus, no job.
Roll forward twelve years and i'm back as an Instructor and commuting around the south circular in rush hour I love it.
For the last twelve years the biggest risks I've taken have been....

Balancing washing up on the drainer.

Putting Lola on concrete blocks with Axle stands on top. ( all was cool for six months then the pressure started to shatter the blocks :-( )

Doing seventy five in Lola.

Horse riding.

Crossing roads.

Having a go at disturbing yoofs.

It was driving me insane not feeling alive, just looking after and teaching my offspring wasn't enough, I need to feel alive, and riding bikes makes me feel like this.

I trained a seventy one year old bloke on CBT the other day, he wants to pass his full test so he can ride his Matchless G50, so your never to old and what is life without risk..........dull

 

If he had survived, they would have both been done for being idiots.

 

well put!

 

this!

 

Nice website, really like the cross bones one. But like you say, very far from cheap!!

@everyone

Some great replies and great discussion going on. I don't think those race style bikes are really my cup of tea, the likes of the ninja, the blade etc, I'm much more of a bobber / chopper kind of person.

I have no idea what the feel of a different engined bike would be like. I think in my mind it would have to be a 400 upwards, just to achieve "that sound" you all know what I mean?

 

there is a time and place for speed.....
and it doesn't always have to be illegal speeds to get a thrill,
tbh... no matter what fast vehicle you have driven.... you will never experience a thrill as much as 0-100 on a bike...

 

Yer not wrong. Head down - wobbly eyeballs and a few seconds later your changing up to 3rd or 4th and punching through the ton with gears to spare and ponies biting yer arse yeeeeeh harrrrrrrrr! I mean 100 - surely - not on the public road. Save it for the track guys.

 

Give it a try you have nothing to loose and all to gain, just recognise that you are completely vunerable to the actions of others and need to ride accordingly. It's not just about speed, the feeling of freedom can't be explained to non-riders, I've just got back from a long biking weekend in Germany. Had a fantastic time, 1200 trouble free miles and with all of Europe on our doorstep can't wait to go again.
But you can't beat chilled out driving in the van with all your comforts of home packed on board. It gives a leisurely pace of life that can't be beaten. I just want and can do both

 

Bike trailer.....

 

Ive got my licence not used it since i was out with my mate and he got knocked off and was killed i have 3 kids aswell thats the reason i will never ride again

 

By observation, I believe most deaths involve:

People that have no license of any type, doing the bare minimum to pass their CBT and not doing any further training.
Middle aged blokes getting 180bhp missiles and the latest Rossi leathers riding like dicks.

If you factored those two groups out, then yes, there are plainly tragedies happening to very able and skilled riders that are riding well within their skill set getting killed by car drivers busy not paying attention or diesel spills etc etc, but bike deaths have a far more gentle death rate curve.

I'm a far far far better car driver because of my bike training - that to me is the biggest benefit.

The other benefit to me is that I can contemplate most jobs whatever the location as I know I can commute in on my bike if I need to.

I don't ride socially as as mentioned above - British roads are not fun anymore, more a bad video game where you get messed up bigtime if you or someone else makes a mistake.

 

35s a bit early for a midlife crisis.

I rode a motorbike from my sixteenth birthday (OK a FS1E at 16) until my early forties (circa 10 years ago) (did loads of miles over 12 years on my CBR600 but had other bigger bikes) I was lucky enough to get away without having an accident serious enough to cause me significant harm. Most of my riding was also commuting including Pompey to Plymouth so not always short journies and perhaps different mindset to those that go out for a spin on a Sunday afternoon. I occasionally get the desire to get an old bike, but seeing the camper van gives me enough to fix up then I snap out of the dream and back into reality. Also with a young child I'm now a bit more risk adverse. Not for me any more I'm afraid. But best of luck and wishing you safe riding if that is what you decide to do.

Just been onto the DVLA website and see that my old CBR hasn't been taxed or MOT'd since 2007 (probably just over a year after I sold it) I did see the bloke hurtle past me just after, who knows what happened but I always wonder if he would kill himself on it.

 

From the T.A.C. in Australia
Of the 40 motorcyclists and pillions killed in 2013:

• 95% were male
• 45% were aged between 40 and 65
• 54% occurred in rural Victoria
• 53% were involved in crashes between the hours of 10am and 6pm and
• 43% of deaths occurred on roads sign posted at 100km/h or more
• 45% were involved in single vehicle crashes, 23% were involved in head on or overtaking crashes and 18% were involved in crashes with another vehicle at an intersection

http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/statistics/summaries/motorcycle-crash-data

Nearly half the deaths are guys who had a bike until they got married & then once the kids are grown up go out & buy another one not having really ridden in the intervening years.
I still ride, but I'm not as good as I used to think I was.

 

In all honesty I blame the motorcyclist more ,people are going to make mistakes and you should be able to anticipate this and be able to react in time ,way way too fast.

 

These sadly are the true facts of the matter, if that car had pulled in front of another car going at the speed limit they would be looking at smashed front ends now About four years ago three of my mates all bought bikes together, big modern fast bikes, we all said they were mad and just tried to warn them, four weeks later two of them sold theirs and we all went to the other ones funeral

 

I've nearly hit two bikers ,none were going too fast ,just didnt see them ,looked as well ,once on roundabout and once when pulling out of a junction
I always look a few times now as it really Marmite me up.