Riding motorcycles.

[terry950sm]

Been riding bikes since 1976. 63 this year, still have the bug. But sometimes I have to dig deep to reignite it.

[Tuck]

I've not ridden a bike for about 4 years, never expected this would ever happen. Thought riding was in my blood and something in me for life.

In the past I couldn't imagine me ever being ok with it having lived and breathed bikes for so long. I have been riding since I was a kid on field bikes, onto 125's on L's early 90's all the way through to litre bikes on the road and track. I've lost count of how many trackdays I must have done, I'm guessing at 80+. Over a 25 year period there was never I time when I didn't own at least one bike, often I had 3 or 4 in my garage and even kept a few inside the house!

My second house renovation forced a break from riding, this place was far more ambitious than I had done before so I wasn't expecting it to be easy. I also didn't expect it to tie in with a difficult period at work or break a valued long term friendship I was reliant on to help me with the project. As I wouldn't of had time or money to ride them, nor anywhere to store them securely all 3 of my bikes were sold and put their money into the project. I did the same with my treasured Lotus too. Plan was to replace them when the build was complete. This never happened as the house took far more time, money and energy than expected, I've only very recently got myself a replacement nice car which is more of a do it all daily than a sports car. House is mostly done and has been for some time now, its a great home for our family and after a lot of pain is now something I'm very proud of, especially given the many obstacles that had to be overcome.

After so long out I've realised that I don't really miss the riding any more, I really miss tinkering in my garage with the bikes, but most of all I miss the people, the friendships and the social side. I still have all of my kit, pretty much everything but a bike and the van to transport it. I've a nice big garage but nothing to play with in it. Maybe I should sell the kit I have left but it makes me feel better to have not let absolutely everything go just incase.

I don't see myself getting another road bike, I went track only in 2008 after being involved in a pretty horrific fatal accident and track riding is now quite a daunting thought after so many years away. I was also never really talented enough to ride as well as I would have liked. No matter how I tried, with a lack of talent, fear of injury, a job to do, bills to pay and a family to feed I just didn't have the required confidence to push any harder on track, meaning riding was maybe becoming a bit stale. With loads of experience and some very nice bikes, at best I hung toward the slower end of the fast group and these days had I of continued I'd probably struggle to even be there as I would expect the TD pace has gone up another notch by now.

A trackday or Euro trip was always a great excuse for a mancation with a group of great people, for me that fun and camaraderie was by far the most appealing thing. From the preparation, to the banter, to the trip itself. Over time the riding became secondary, I just loved playing with bikes and going on a bloody good jolly. I still have a huge interest in bikes and follow the biking media and some of the racing, although less obsessively than used I to. Bikes have given me some of the best times of my life so how could I not still have a love even without riding! I hope to get to some circuits and visit some trackdays or race meetings again very soon, I guess I'm still a biker, just one that no longer rides.

[DaveH]

Always loved bikes (especially Kawasaki), had a shot on my big cousin's Honda 50, then pillion on my mate's dad's Z400 along a back road at 16 and that sealed it.

Took ages to get a bike, passed my test when around '90 when I was down south, but didn't get own bike till 1995; it was a Honda CB750F1, so much for just getting a 250 - car broke down, so had to sell bike to get it fixed. Got a cx500 for a wee while before it rusted away around '97, but both were only used for commuting.

Fast forward to 2005/6, bought an old GPZ750R1 (water cooled top gun style) and actually went out to play on it, rather then just commute and loved it - changed bikes quite a lot, admittedly not compared to some other than the two Hondas I started with, there have been two Yamahas, but the rest, up to now, have, all be Kwaks - up to now, as I currently have a BMW F800ST - bought as I wanted a more powerful ER6; which it is and is a great bike, comfy, fast enough, good for touring....but.....hate the indicators and it's not a Kwak and just doesn't really do it for me; quandry as that I love the performance characteristics of the twin, but love the howl of a kwak IL4   

[CBr6y]

Started as pillion on my Uncles XT500, around 10/11 years old, spent time riding quads on fields/roads  until I was 16, by which time I had my DT50, which i run around the fields on until my provisional came through.   Spent about a 18 months riding it every day, until I got my car licence. Had to pick car or bike as couldn't have both and a car was a must for work.

Ended up back to being a pillion on and off for many years but kept my hand in riding other people's bikes, on mostly dirt /stone roads, until I could afford both a car and bike. Done my Direct access in 2004 and have had bikes since.  Don't get to ride anything like as much as i would like to, but don't plan to give it up anytime soon 

Always had a thing for bikes from a really young age, looking through old photos with my dad, there is a picture of me sitting on my uncles bike at about 4 or 5 ...... interest was sparked way back then!  Was always a Tom boy