It was only a Winter's Tale (tidy)....

So here we are....21 December 2011. Today marks the Winter Solstice and the first step towards the lighter evenings and longer days of spring and summer. It still seems a long way away of course, but we are heading in the right direction at least. Just need to get past the Christmas and New Year onslaughts first.....

I haven't posted on this blog for a while now - mainly through being very busy at work and the consequent lack of time to dedicate to writing it - so this midwinter point also serves as a reminder to try to get things going again. My loyal reader (note, singular!) would expect nothing less. When I started writing Box Hill or Bust (my first foray into the blogosphere), it was just a hobby - all I wanted to do was write a bit about bikes and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Would anyone read it? Why would anyone care what I thought about anything? Would it serve a purpose in any useful way at all? Well, I've actually enjoyed doing it and have been pleasantly surprised by the results.

This piece is the 50th blog, there have been 14,000 page views over the previous 49, with audiences in countries as diverse as the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, India, Russia and much of Europe. The Facebook page has 53 "likes" and everything has ticked over at a consistent rate despite nothing being posted since late September. Like I say, I expected nothing but have been pleasantly surprised. ...

So, I thank anyone who has taken the time to read my inane ramblings and I may have to inflict more on you!

Biking-wise, 2011 has been a reasonable year overall. The weather has been a bit in and out but on the plus side there have been no accidents, no "pulls" or tickets, nothing has gone wrong with the bike and there have been some cracking trips along the way - notably two long weekends in France (in spring and autumn respectively) and the Wootton Bassett run. For 2012, plans are beginning to emerge for long weekends in Northern Spain and North Wales/Anglesey, there's been mention of a trip to a speedway GP in Europe and I may try the odd trackday or two. Mrs CC and I are also taking a trip to South Africa in March, and I hope to be able to do the Hartie's run while in Jo'burg. And there will be the usual "spur of the moment" rides along the way, I'm sure.

It would be great to hear what plans you all have for the bike in the New Year.

For now, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year - and remember.....four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul.....

Bikes vs Football Clubs

Given the ridiculously warm weather in London at the moment and the fact that it's very nearly the weekend, it's time for a bit of sunny Friday whimsy. Obviously, I love bikes and, despite being a Fulham supporter, I love football too - so let's do a bit of a match up and see how a selection compare.....

Manchester City - MV (Meccanica Verghera). Donkey's years old, with the glory years well behind them and largely ignored by the wider biking and football fraternities ever since, both MV and "Citeh" have new money behind them these days and both are now splashing out on new models.

Sadly, Carlos Tevez will never be as good looking as the new MV Agusta F4 1000 or even the new Brutale and although the biking equivalent of porn, both are likely to be as high maintenance as the treacherous Argie.

However, with MV sales up over 50% since 2010 and Citeh now challenging the old order in the Premier£hip, a bright future beckons for both it seems.  

BMW - Chelsea (spit). Repulsive, ugly, workmanlike and generally unloved by the masses - and BMW bikes aren't much cop either! As with Spartak Chavscum, the offerings from the Teutonic manufacturer are very much an acquired taste, with the GS range boasting some of the ugliest bikes known to man - though bizarrely, and for reasons I certainly can't fathom, both actually have strong and loyal followings.

And, it has to be conceded, both have a smattering of flair. As players I loved watching Gianfranco Zola and the likes of Peter Osgood and Alan Hudson from days gone by, equally, I have always liked the look of the K1300S and the S1000RR is one of the best sportsbikes around - yet both Chelski and BMW are often characterised by reliability problems. Overall, although many will disagree, I wouldn't touch either with a 10-foot barge pole....

Arsenal - Yamaha. A great history and tradition and packed full of stunning performers. For Thierry Henry read R1 (fast, exciting, direct), for Bergkamp read Fazer (classic, cultured and great power delivery), for Charlie George read FS1E (quirky, unpredictable and electrifying in its day).

And yet nowadays both club and manufacturer seem a bit directionless....as if they are drifting along and letting others overtake them. Arsene Wenger refuses to spend money and invest, while Yamaha are skint. It's a sad state of affairs for two former powerhouses in their respective fields.

Both are strong enough to return to former glories but the longer the current malaise goes on, the further away this seems. I have soft spots for both....  

Tottenham - Ducati. Strong, glossy brands with colourful histories and plenty of money behind them - and both are playing some attractive stuff these days. However, ultimately both are followed (ridden) by people with more money than sense and often delusions of grandeur - as the overdrafts and more than occasional breakdowns will amply attest. I mean, over £14k for a Streetfighter S?! Compare that with Spurs selling Freeeaaak Crouch for £10m and someone somewhere is definitely having a giggle (and making a lot of folding).

Nevertheless, the likes of Van der Vaart and the 1198 Testastretta are stunning performers and despite trying, you can never quite take your eyes off them.

Definitely a bit of a guilty pleasure....




Harley Davidson - QPR. Followed by oddballs. 'Nuff said!

Fulham - Triumph. Ha! Full of history and tradition, with both club and manufacturer mirroring their respective glory days of the 50s and 60s. For Haynes read Bonneville, for Jezzard read Thunderbird.

And both have been making strong recoveries in the last decade following the depression and malaise of the 70s-90s. Unfortunately, that's probably where the similarities end. Whereas Fulham have had the odd success (Europa League final in 2010), Triumph has surged forwards in recent years and are now leading the sales lists in the UK across much of their range.

Triumph Motorcycles is very definitely a British manufacturing success story. Fulham is....well, Fulham. We love them both.  

Gentlemen (& ladies), let's have a few of your comparisons......

Beware - Killer Chip Bags!

We had some lovely weather in Old London Town last evening. Despite being promised the start of an Indian Summer with sunshine and high temperatures all week, it had actually been pretty grey and dismal all day - then, at about 17.30, the sky really blackened and it started raining....and it rained....and it rained..... At one point I fully expected to see an Ark floating down Whitehall, with the animals coming in two by two! There was no point in attampting to go out in it as any biking gear would have been soaked through in minutes (let alone my flimsy textile jacket), so, horror upon horrors, I had to stay at work in the hope that it subsided a bit.

And eventually (about an hour later) it did.

So what's so special about that you might ask? After all, Britain has slightly more than a passing reputation for rain! Well, this little story is about the consequences of the rain. Riding home it was apparent that others had also delayed their journeys so the traffic was quite sticky in places. I ride all year round so wet roads hold no real concern for me - unless of course one comes across something unexpected. So it was last night. In an attempt to make some progress through the traffic, I decided to take a short cut down a couple of residential side streets.

Obviously, in autumn, there are various hazards around on wet roads - white lines, overbanding, manhole covers, wet leaves etc - and so riding a bit defensively is often a good idea, especially on roads that you don't really know very well. And so it proved. Last night I came across a new hazard - rounding a corner, with cars parked on either side, my bike's front wheel hit the greasy paper of a discarded bag of chip shop chips! Panic! Actually, panic is the last thing you should do in these situations - fortunately, I wasn't caning it and so tentatively applying some back brake (not front!) slowed the bike sufficiently to allow me to steer through the remnants of the portion of chips, without dropping the bike. On a wet road this was a very close call but ultimately there was a feeling of relief!

I stopped to regain a bit of composure (and to pick the remaining potato out of the tyre tread!), and it dawned on me that these days you cannot let your guard down anywhere - even in a quiet side street. Quite why anybody would discard half a bag of chips in the middle of the road on a bend is anyone's guess. Apart from the hazard it causes, it's not very community spirited to just drop litter wherever one feels like it. I know I sound like a miserable, moaning old fart but these little things really bloody annoy me. Noone really cares what they do anymore it seems - and hang the consequences.

Anyway, now you know - you can add killer chip bags to the list of road hazards we have to deal with!  

I'm a biker - GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!!

It's been a while since the last piece on BHOB. Mostly this is because biking chum Steve and I have been playing around on French roads again! Following a cracking weekend in Normandy in May riding the excellent French D roads, for our autumn trip we headed to Argenton-sur-Creuse and its environs deep in the Loire region, where we spent an excellent 5-day weekend.

Unfortunately, the days that have passed since I've been back have only served to highlight how huge the gulf is between the two countries when it comes to biking. In three full days of biking in the Loire, we covered 1000 miles, all at a (very) good pace, without any mishap and without attracting the interests of the local Gendarmarie or (the few and far between) speed cameras. French road surfaces are superb and drivers are very aware - even respectful - of bikes. Even police bikers acknowledge you as you pass.

And I have to say that the standard of driving in France is very good overall - indeed, the only problems we encountered came from vehicles sporting UK number plates. In sharp contrast, on the relatively short run back up the A3 from the Portsmouth ferry, I was nearly taken out by a lane-changer and then zapped by one of our lovely (s)cameras. Welcome (back) to the UK indeed....

Getting back into the commute and biking in our wonderful metropolis has been extremely depressing. Having ridden many times in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, I am now firmly of the opinion that London and the South East boasts the most congestion (perhaps apart from Paris), the worst roads, the most road furniture/lights/cameras, the worst driving standards and the least effective (or fair) law enforcement in the whole of Northern Europe. We are getting something very very wrong in the UK.

Clearly, a big part of the problem is overcrowding. France is roughly five times the size of the UK with about the same population numbers, hence there is more space - particularly when compared to London and the South East. But that doesn't even start to mitigate the dreadful state of our roads or the deep decline in driving standards in this country. As an example, coming back from work the other night, travelling just past the Houses of Parliament, a car pulled out on me forcing me to swerve sharply into a cycle lane. Clearly he felt he had waited long enough for traffic to let him out and so he would simply do as he pleased.

At the next lights I pulled alongside him and proceeded to ask him what he thought he was bloody well doing. His reaction startled even this long-standing and de-sensitised London biker - he started ranting and raving "f**k you, f**k you, you f*****g c**t" he screamed and remonstrated and the bulging of his eyes suggested that he may recently have put something illegal up his nose. At this point I noticed that he had what looked like a metal baseball bat on the passenger seat, so judged it pointless to prolong the "discussion". An extreme example, but this is indicative of what now passes for normal behaviour in London traffic. Bad driving and road-rage of varying degrees is now simply an accepted part of the driving "experience" - and bikers and cyclists are the most vulnerable to people's moods.

Anyway, enough of the moaning, let us rewind to the Loire. Over the weekend there was a mixed bag of weather but we arrived in France to 30 degree plus heat so the trip down to the Loire was an absolute pleasure. Once you get past the trading estates and retail parks of Loire-Atlantique, much of the region is countryside and forests and while I wouldn't call it the most beautiful part of France, it is nevertheless very picturesque.

As with the Normandy trip, we again stayed at a biker-friendly guesthouse - this time the excellent Appletons B&B, located in the countryside just outside Argenton in the Indre department and run by the admirable Edward and Malcolm. If you are on a biking weekend or need a homely and welcoming stop-off half way to the south of France, this place comes highly recommended. It also confirmed to me that my long-term ambition of escaping the rat-race and running a similar type of guesthouse can really be made to work.

As I *may* have mentioned(!), the roads in France are excellent and the Loire is no different. We happened across one of the best - the D940 - which was so good that we turned around and did it again, with sweeping bend after sweeping bend disappearing in our mirrors at ever-increasing pace. Tres, tres bon!

And yet, all too quickly it was over and we were soon heading north, back to the ferry at St. Malo (itself a very nice town) and eventually returning to our overcrowded little island. We've had a couple of cracking trips to France this year and so now we start to make plans for our next excursion in the spring - only this time we will be trying the delights of Northern Spain.

A few photos from the Loire trip can be found on the BHOB Facebook page.

They're out to get us!

As THIS news item confirms, there is an increasing trend in British biking to exclude cover for pillions on insurance policies, unless it is specifically requested. Certainly, whenever I renew, I am always asked whether I intend carrying a pillion and the policy is calculated on the basis of my response. Is this fair? After all, on top of yearly mileage ceilings, requirements on garage storage and Thatcham-approved alarms, assurances on no modifications being made to the bike etc etc (all of which are seldom applied to four-wheeled transport), it seems as though the motorcycling public in the UK is being subjected to an ever increasing raft of restrictions when it comes to insuring our pride and joy.    

It's the pillion restrictions that interest me for this piece. Car insurance policies don't cost extra because you want to use your passenger seat, so why should a bike policy charge for taking a pillion passenger? Clearly it comes down to risk. The added weight and abnormal weight distribution of taking a pillion on many bikes can dramatically affect the handling and require better balance and throttle control by the rider. There is an art to pillion riding and in all honesty not many pillions get it right. We all know what it's like, if they don't know what to do then they're going to hold onto you like a vice, wiggle about, adjust jeans/skirt/seating position etc. And if its your fat lardarse mate you need to drop home then your balance is going to be buggered. Either way, the pillion has a superior capability to mess things up.

This is where the rider has to take the primary responsibility. I'd like a quid for the number of times I've seen sportsbikes riders take their birds on the back, dressed only in skimpy top, shorts and flip-flops - and then they piss about. Bloody madness - as THIS shows. It pains me to say it but bikers don't help themselves sometimes.

As far as (private) insurance companies are concerned, it is their role to analyse and assess risk and quote accordingly - and shock, horror, they are in business to make a profit, not just to get you legally on the road! So long as they don't breach discrimination laws, they can pretty much ask anything about the circumstances under which you wish to be insured (where you live, whether the bike is locked up, whether you have mods, how many miles you do, what you will use it for). In short, it is in the interests of the insurer to have as much information as possible about anything that is relevant to how likely you will be to claim.

As an individual, you are entering into a contract that has been agreed on the basis of the information the private insurers have a legitimate interest in. You are bound by the information that you disclose, and subject to breach of contract if even the slightest detail is incorrect. If you don't like the questions one insurer is asking (or, more likely, the price increases entailed by your honest answers to those questions), then it's a free market - find another insurer. If there isn't another one cheaper, then that's it - that's how much it is worth for them to insure you for what you want to do. Take it or leave it.

And yet, despite all of that, there is a nagging feeling that this is all part of a much wider plan - along with recent EU proposals - to price or restrict bikers off the road under cover of the safety argument. Roughly speaking, it should be the case that insurance premiums are set by estimating the total number of customers, the total number of claims and the average cost of each claim. It is further broken down by many factors that help insurance companies fine tune the risk equation such as driving history etc. Thus, if an insurance provider sees an disproportionate increase in claims or cost of claims in a certain catagory of course they are going to increase premiums or stop covering that particular catagory. However, as is highlighted in THIS piece, that doesn't tell the whole story. It seems to me that insurers are going after certain sections of the biking public - and the EU is coming after us all.....

Guest Blog: Biking in South Africa

Ok, here were are with part two of the occasional "round the world" series of guest blogs. This time it is the turn of a very good friend of mine living in Johannesburg, South Africa. My grateful thanks go to "Caff the Saff" for penning the following piece - hope you enjoy it....

Biking in South Africa - by Cathy Brown

South Africa is one of the most diverse and enchanting countries in the world. Exotic combinations of landscapes, people, history and culture offer the adventure rider a unique and inspiring experience. I am definitely a non-biker but I’m hoping to share what I know about South African biking with you.

I am from Johannesburg and ever since I can remember I have known about the Harties Breakfast run. This is a 59km or 36.7 mile ride to Hartebeestpoort Dam. The ride takes place on a Sunday. Harties is a great destination with lots of places to visit when you get there - like the Bushbabies Primate Sanctuary and Elephant Sanctuary, also the de Wildt Cheetah Reserve is en route. There are great places to eat and they are well used to seeing lots of bikers on weekends. 

The N4 main road into Harties is well kept, with an occasional police presence.Generally, bikers and cops are friendly and respectful to one another - as long as papers are in order there is a good relationship.

Harties by night

An interesting event taking place this year is the Pro-Africa Adventure Tour, starting from Johannesburg. The plan is to ride through 10 countries just using back roads, with only old fashioned maps and instinct to rely on. The group will have to be self-sufficient and look out for each other as there will be no back up or support vehicles to step in to help. The group will ride through 10 countries including Angola, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Lesotho and Swaziland - one country per month. It sounds quite a trip!

There are other popular bike events, such as Mandela Day which is recognised as an international day of humanitarian action in celebration of Nelson Mandela’s life and legacy. People are called to devote 67 minutes of their time to serving their communities (this year it is 67 years Mandela has spent making the world a better place). 

Mandela Day this year fell on 18 July and a sprinkling of celebrities joined a group of ordinary bikers leaving Monte Casino in Johannesburg on 11 July, making their way through Gauteng, the Free State, KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga and parts of Swaziland. The 200km ride would take the group into more rural terrain too. They would then devote 67 minutes of their time to activities at various community projects along the way, returning to Pretoria on the former president’s birthday on the 18^th. 

In South Africa, we have quite an active ‘Think Bike’ campaign which aims to target motorcycle and road safety. There is a good reason for this - road safety in South Africa is nothing less than shocking. For the most part there is no police presence and those that are about take bribes for everything. It does however, depend on the province – for example, in KwaZulu Natal, they are quite good there in trapping speedsters. You don’t drink and drive there and sentencing is very harsh. Others are much more lenient – if they catch you at all.

During the holidays, for example at Christmas, everyone heads to the coast and the amount of fatalities at this time is ridiculous - even though the roads are in good condition. A big problem is taxis/mini buses that are loaded too full – if they are supposed to have 11 people they will squeeze in 20. These vehicles are not roadworthy most of the time and a lot don’t even have licences. You can imagine the deaths that occur from this including killing bikers and other road users. A two-vehicle collision can easily have double figure fatalities.

According to the World Health Organization, 14,920 people are killed on South Africa’s roads per year. This is 5 times more than the UK, even though we have a smaller population of 50.5 million. In addition, there are 219,978 road injuries a year. Accidents in South Africa cost R50 billion a year (£4.3bn).

Bike jacking is present - bikers are vulnerable, as you can imagine. They are not targeted more than any other type of hijacking though (that’s not much comfort, I know!). However, bikers can sometimes be their own worst enemy because they know they can get way with riding without a licence plate so they do what they want on the roads and often come off second best. Nevertheless, bikers are not seen as rebels or undesirables here. People come from all walks of life with a passion for biking. There is no colour associated with biking either and there are many women bikers too. Often children accompany their parents on rides so it can be very much a family outing.

In South Africa the fastest growing segment is the Adventure type motorbikes like the BMW F1200GS, F800GS, Yamaha Tenere 660 and 1200, Triumph 800 and 800XC, KTM990 or similar. We also have a rather huge Harley Davidson following. Naked type bikes are few and far between. Sportbikes are still popular but the sales are declining.

From the different aspects of biking in South Africa that I have written about I hope you can see that while there are problems, there are also many advantages to biking in South Africa – including good roads, a vibrant culture, stunning scenery and a friendly welcome. I hope you have learned a bit about South African biking from this article and maybe one day you will visit South Africa on a biking holiday yourself!

Lost in Hollywood

What is the greatest motorcycle movie ever made? It's a difficult one. While bikes and bikers have featured in many films across the years, actually, for a pastime and culture that is popular around the world, there are very few mainstream movies that are about biking itself - and even fewer that are any good! Let's have a quick look at a few of the better ones....

The 50s and 60s were when biking really started to gain in popularity and this was a time when bikes and bikers started to be identified as part of a kind of a rebellious sub-culture.

Films like "The Wild One", starring Marlon Brando, helped set that trend. It all looks a bit dated now but this is a film that helped set the tone of what biking was all about at the time - social outcasts, attitude, lots of black leather, powerful bikes and the communities and rivalries that grew up around it all. 

For that aspect at least, "The Wild One" was an important film.

Steve McQueen's "The Great Escape" is often held up as a classic "bike" film but really it's a war and prison breakout story. It helped cement the image and "coolness" that surrounded bikes and McQueen himself was a popular hero at the time as well as a bike enthusiast and racer and was always good to watch on screen - but as far as I'm concerned, it's not really a "biker" movie in the true sense. 

Its somewhat unfortunate legacy is that it is usually aired as a "filler" in Christmas tv schedules these days!  

Ask most people what they consider to be the no.1 biker film of all time and chances are that "Easy Rider" will figure high on the list. This is a film that has almost entered cinematic folklore as THE Hollywood depiction of biking culture. Certainly, it seemed to capture the time well and in Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and a young Jack Nicholson, it had a good cast. The notorious Hell's Angel Sonny Barger acted as consultant for this film and he rides a Sportster in it. Steppenwolf's classic track "Born to be Wild" also helped set the tone. Personally, I think the film is a load of rubbish but no-one can doubt its place in American biking history and culture.

"Easy Rider" was released in 1969 and it spawned a great many sub-standard "copycat" movies - really, what followed was a period of around three decades where biking films only attained B-movie status. And there were some absolute shockers along the way: "Outlaw Riders", "Electra Glide in Blue", "The Wild Riders", "Bronx Warriors" "I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle", "Knightriders" etc etc. All following a depressingly similar format. 

But there was also the odd gem along the way - and it took independent film makers to forge a different path to what had gone before. 

The classic British film "Quadrophenia" (1979) remains one of my favourite films to this day. Simple and effective, with good imagery and a terrific cast, it captured young angst and the Mods v Rockers rivalry of 60s Britain perfectly. 


Then, the 1981 release of "Silver Dream Racer" reflected the British public's burgeoning interest in bike racing at the time of Barry Sheene and others. In it, a young bike enthusiast inherits the prototype for an incredibly fast machine which was designed by his brother. He successfully gets the finance for it, and uses the bike to challenge for the world championship at Silverstone. 

SDR wasn't the greatest film by any stretch of the imagination but as with Quadrophenia, it was something different to what had gone before.

Fast forward to the 2000s and there are three further films worthy of mention in this piece - and guess what, the one made in Hollywood was comfortably the worst of the three! "Wild Hogs" (2007) could have been a really interesting film. It is essentially about a group of middle-aged riders setting off for a journey across America. But instead of the 'voyage of discovery' film it could have been, Hollywood turned into a comedy - worst of all a comedy that pokes fun at the concept of middle-aged bikers. A terrible, terrible film.

"The Motorcycle Diaries" (2004) tells the story of a young Che Guevara and his friendship with Alberto Granado, a fellow medical student. Together, they take a motorcycle trip across the South American continent. 

This is a film that is quite unlike anything else in the biking movie genre - it is a story of discovery, of the people they meet on their journey and of the poverty and hopelessness of the poor and disenfranchised that they encounter along the way. For Guevara, this trip was a political awakening and a turning point in his hitherto sheltered, carefree life. We all know what happened next.... Highly recommended. 

As is traditional, I have saved the best until last. As good as Quadrophenia and The Motorcycle Diaries are, there is one film that towers above them as a true homage to what bikers and biking is all about. "The World's Fastest Indian" (2005) is based on the true story of Burt Munro, a bike racer from New Zealand. Superbly played by Anthony Hopkins, this is a film that portrays the true essence of biking - an ordinary man, obsessed by motorbikes, tinkering around in his garage in an effort to build a bike to go faster that anyone else. It tells the story of Burt who modified a 1920 Indian Scout, paid his passage from New Zealand to America and then raced the bike he had built to set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. 

At the time of the record attempt Munro was 68 years old and was riding a motorbike that was 47 years old! The record he set still stands to this day.

For me, "The World's Fastest Indian" is one of the best films ever made of any genre - it represents the triumph of the human spirit, it lifts your heart and leaves you with a great big smile on your face. It is deservedly number 1 on my list - but what say you?

The question of organ donation

Somewhat unkindly, bikers are often referred to as "organ doners in waiting" - yet organ donation is a life choice that actually is widely supported in the biking world. It probably has something to do with the rather troubling statistic that bikers are 30 times more likely to die in accidents than car drivers. That kind of risk tends to concentrate the mind somewhat so it is hardly surprising that bikers generally take a more sanguine view of organ donation than do other sections of the population. Whilst by no means wishing to be fatalistic, there is no denying that as bikers we are at significantly greater risk of being killed while going about our business and so the widely held view seems to be that it is incumbent on us to take the necessary steps to ensure, should the worst happen, that our organs won't go to waste.

The facts are stark: more than 8,000 people in the UK need a transplant, but a shortage of donors means that fewer than 3,000 transplants are carried out annually. Around 1,000 people every year die for want of transplant surgery - as the British Medical Association puts it, 'bodies are buried or cremated complete with organs that could have been used to save lives'.

It is also estimated that over 95% of people support organ donation (and would accept a donated organ themselves) but only 27% of the population are on the organ donation register. The widely-held view is that something needs to be done to address this disparity.

Many would like to see the UK adopt (as other European countries have) a system of "presumed consent" - that is, a system that presumes that organs may be used for others upon death. No requirement to sign a register or carry a donor card, simply a system that assumes that the individual automatically will donate organs upon death, unless one opts out. Such a system would create a default position that life should be saved rather than a default position that life could be lost and this was the desired policy of our previous Government. Clearly, such a policy would represent a significant step-change from how the system currently works and when proposed it created quite a furore - not just amongst civil liberties and religious groups but also many in the medical profession. The memory of recent organ retention scandals (at Alder Hey and Bristol hospitals) casts serious doubt on whether it is right for healthcare professionals to ever presume consent. The proposal was quietly shelved after the previous Government were voted out of office.

So what is the answer? Well, the current Government is trying a different approach. From 1 August, new driving licence applicants will have to tick one of three boxes to answer a question on organ donation before they can complete their application:

• Yes, I would like to register
• I do not wish to answer this question now; or
• I am already registered on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

This is a pilot scheme to test the ‘nudge’ theory. It is thought that since a person is required to respond to the question, they will spend more time considering the question. It is hoped that the change will double the percentage of people choosing to join the organ donation register when applying for a driving licence. This "prompted choice" scheme has already been trialled successfully in several US states - for example, in Illinois, where the percentage of donors who have registered has increased from 38 per cent to 60 per cent since 2008. It is not yet known how the results will play out in the UK, indeed the scheme has been criticised in some quarters for not having an explicit "no" option. Presumed consent by the back door is the charge levied by opponents.

But really, what is there to oppose? Yes, there is a discussion to be had about systems and methods but surely noone can doubt that organ donation is intrinsically a good thing and should be promoted? I think the current "nudge" strategy is a good one but its drawback is that it only captures new driving licence applicants - the numbers still need to increase dramatically so other levers are needed. Personally, I would go further - I don't believe families should be allowed to refuse if the deceased has chosen to donate their organs. I am on the organ donor register but would be very unhappy if I thought that one of my family would seek to ignore my wishes and refuse consent when I die (not that there's much that I could do about it!).

Whether presumed consent is the right policy I'm not so sure. There are very significant political and moral difficulties to overcome and I'm not sure that argument is winnable. But we have to do better than the current numbers. The way to look at this is.... if you or one of your loved ones was in need of a transplant, would you accept a donor organ? If the answer is yes then really you should know what to do....

NHS Organ Donor Register can be found HERE

Where the REAL problem lies....(Part II)

Following on from the last piece, there has been a bit of a conversation taking place on my bike club website on standards of driving (I say "bit of a conversation" because, although we're a group of bikers, there's hardly ever any talk about bikes - but that's by the by....!). Anyway, the subject was car drivers and cyclists and the gist of the conversation was an observation that when a car driver is confronted by a cyclist riding in front of him/her, they pull out and overtake them taking up half the other side of the road - whether they are on a blind corner, or have a motorbike or another car coming towards them. The thread then turned into a bit of a general moan about driving standards generally and about how cyclists often do themselves no favours by the way they ride.

I think the central point of the thread was well made but I also think it goes much further than a problem with cyclists. Drivers pulling out and around other vehicles (cyclists or otherwise), usually without looking or indicating, is probably the one thing that incenses me more than any other when out riding. Think about it, you're on a normal urban carriageway and a vehicle two cars ahead wants to turn either left or right. What does the car/van/taxi immediately in front of you do? That's right, they suddenly lurch left/right into your path (or a cycle lane) in order to get round the "obstruction". How many times do you see it happening? It's the same at traffic lights - drivers will nip into a right or left hand filter lane to get a bit further ahead in a queue of traffic, realise they're obstructed by people who actually want to turn and then lurch back out in front of you in order to continue straight ahead. That they might take someone else out in the process seems not to be a consideration. And worst of all is that they usually get away with it by forcing people to swerve or break sharply - bikers and cyclists being the most vulnerable in these situations. If there's one thing that gets on my tits about the standard of driving nowadays, this is most certainly it.

So what's behind it? Is it stupidity? Is it lack of awareness? Is it that drivers cannot deal with competing considerations? No - as far as I'm concerned it is simply selfishness, a desire not to be held up for more than a nanosecond and a complete lack of consideration for others. I really do believe that the majority of drivers nowadays simply do not give a flying one for any other road user. And as roads become ever more congested, so this sort of behaviour will become the accepted norm - if it hasn't already. I know that I expect these things to happen regularly so make allowances - but isn't it wrong that we have to?

You might think that our esteemed Government and brave law enforcers might be concerned about what is happening on our roads and the general deterioration of driving standards and common courtesy. So what do they about it? Yep, they decide to make the motorcycle test harder!

You really couldn't make it up!

Where the REAL problem lies....

I started out this morning in a really good mood. We'd had a nice evening last night at Epsom races and afterwards, Blondie played on the main stage. Along with a few beers a good time was had (despite not backing a single winner all night).

Anyway, this morning's good mood didn't last very long - on the ride into work (13 miles) I was nearly taken out FOUR times by car and van drivers. The closest shave of the four was nearly getting T-boned by a car pulling straight out from between a row of traffic. The guy didn't look, wasn't indicating and came out at speed - he just didn't give a shit as long as he got to where he wanted to go. I, meanwhile, had to take evasive action and ended up swerving onto the pavement to avoid being knocked off.   

We all know that any idiot can drive a car, just as we know that many drivers go into a sort of auto-pilot mode when behind the wheel. Drivers will hold conversations, listen to the radio, talk on mobiles, even eat and drink at the wheel - all the time supposedly in charge of a ton of metal with an engine in it. I've done it myself. In contrast, when it comes to riding a motorbike, WE have to devote our full attention. Riding a bike takes not only a significant commitment in learning to ride in the first place, but also requires a complete acceptance of responsibility for your own safety. It doesn't matter diddly if you were right or wrong in an accident, you are just as dead.

But why should one group of road users be allowed to be so blasé about driving standards? Having been riding and driving for some years, I decided to look at how the various driving tests are set up these days. There are some crucial differences, as you will see....

Currently, budding drivers and motorcyclists both have to pass a theory and a practical test. Both tests can be taken from age 17. Once through the car test, you are able to drive any car you wish, although the New Drivers Act means that you are ‘on probation’ for two years. So, if you reach six or more penalty points in that time, you’ll lose your licence. Then you’d be back to being a learner driver and having to start again. The rules for motorcyclists are far tighter. These are the current restrictions and age limits that apply:

• Age 16 - Moped riders are limited to a 50cc scooter and no faster than 50kph (31mph). You will need CBT first.
• Age 17 - Motorcycle riders can upgrade to a 125cc machine with a maximum power of 11kw (14.6 bhp) manual or automatic. You will need CBT first.
• Age 17 -You can take the A2 practical test for a full licence of 25 kwh/33 bhp (two year limit then automatically upgrades), or A1 which is taken on a machine of less than 120cc (this will restrict you to a 125 but no L-Plates). You will need CBT and Motorcycle Theory Test first.
• Age 21 - You are able to take the full direct access course (taken on a bike that produces at least 35 kwh or 47 BHP). You will need CBT and Motorcycle Theory Test first. 

The letters "CBT" stand out in the list above and this is one of the key differences between learning to ride a bike as opposed to driving a car. Today, a learner motorcyclist has to complete a course called "Compulsory Basic Training" (CBT) before they even get to stage one of the test (theory). On successful completion of CBT, a certificate valid for two years will be issued. If the rider has not gained a full moped or motorcycle licence by the expiry of the CBT certificate, they will, if they want to continue riding on the public road, have to retake the CBT course and be issued with a new certificate. CBT has apparently been introduced to help reduce the high number of motorcycle related incidents on our roads. It is said that CBT will better prepare a rider to deal with, and make them aware of, the dangers associated with riding a moped or motorcycle. I'm sure that's true - equally, I'm also sure that this ignores the point that the greatest danger to motorcyclists comes from other drivers!

So why is there no mandatory CBT equivalent for learner drivers? Why are the odds stacked against motorcyclists in this way? Why is it that motorcyclists are deemed to be "the problem"?  

I'm all in favour of improving road safety and the standard of driving generally. What I'm not in favour of is making bikers - and under-21s in particular - effectively second-class citizens. If they're old enough to pay taxes and die for their country in faraway lands, then they're old enough to be treated equally with car drivers. Why should people whose only wish is to get into biking be subjected to such strict rules that are so obviously unfair - when the REAL problem is elsewhere on our roads?

Always stop - next time it could be you....

One of the things that I particularly like about biking is the sense of community. I still remember my first proper ride on the road on my old 125 back in the early 1980s. It was only a short trip and I had the "L" plates on but as soon as I had turned out of my street, a chap on a bigger bike going the other way "nodded" me. I was made up - I was one of the family straight away! Generally speaking bikers do look out for one another - possibly a little less so these days than was the case years ago but it is still an unwritten rule that if a fellow biker is in difficulty, you stop to help. It's just the done thing.

Over the years I've witnessed accidents, helped pick up dropped bikes or just pulled over for riders who have stopped at the side of the road looking like they have a problem. Technically and mechanically, there's not a massive amount I can offer but I have surprised myself on the odd occasion and got people going again. These days, with mobile phones and other forms of instant communication, help is much more easily at hand and so the temptation is to assume that everything is ok and that assistance is already on its way. But that can sometimes be a risky assumption.

Last week I was riding home from work and decided to take a longer route home for a bit of a bimble. There I was, "giving it the beans" down the A3 when in the distance I could see a bike pulled into a small lay-by at the side of the road, with the rider crouched down looking at it. I had to at least pull in to see if there was anything wrong so on went the anchors and my "spirited" ride was over - for the moment at least. It turns out that my instinct was right - it was a breakdown. Some kind of an electrical fault with the onboard ECU that would need resetting or remapping ("re"-something or other anyway....). What was different on this occasion was that the guy's mobile phone wasn't working so help wasn't actually at hand - and there was no garage, shop or house in the immediate vicinity. All he needed was a local phone call to his mate with a van to come and pick him and the bike up so naturally, I lent him my phone. A simple thing, but a lengthy walk and wait was averted.

Interestingly, as we chatted, I was alarmed to hear that he had tried to flag down a couple of passing bikers, and neither had stopped. He didn't seem impressed - I'm not bloody surprised! Perhaps he just got unlucky. People have lots of deadlines these days and are always in a hurry. Maybe they just didn't see him? Maybe.... Ultimately, I suspect most simply can't be arsed, which I find kinda sad for a movement built on the foundation of community.

Stopping to make sure a fellow biker is ok takes so little effort to do but it can have a big effect - as was the case on the A3 the other night.

After all, next time it could be you....

Guest Blog: Biking in Florida

Now that this blog is up and running, so to speak, what I want to do over the next few weeks is offer selected friends in different parts of the world a guest blog - to hopefully get a sense of how biking is seen in their countries, including from a non-biker perspective. I have some good pieces planned. We start this week in Florida, US with a piece from a good friend of mine - an exiled Londoner and fellow Fulham supporter. Unfortunately he rides a Harley, but don't hold that against him. My thanks to Keith for kicking the "around the world" series off - hope you enjoy it.

Biking in Florida, US - by Keith Ridley

Biking in the USA is a huge subject, so let’s start in my neck of the woods. I live in Florida where you can ride all year round, even in the summer, as long as you don't mind looking like a lobster. I personally think Florida winters are the best for riding. I own a 2004 Harley Davidson Fatboy. It is for my relaxation. Even cleaning it I find therapeutic. Since living in the States you get to realise that bikes and trucks are big business and either will take the pride of place in the home. It’s up there with Fulham, big screen TV and the wife - I won’t specify in which order. The bike is a magnet for spending. I must confess I have spent 25% of the original Harley purchase price just on cosmetics.

I will guess that the Japanese sell the most bikes. They can sell a Harley lookalike much cheaper than the real thing. Harley Davidson may not sell the most bikes, but they sell the most after sale merchandise. You can get everything from chrome parts of anything to home ceiling fans that have rumble sounds and head lights. Plus clothing, including leather jackets, gloves, chaps, boots, belts, anything etc. Even wannabe Harley riders buy the gear to wear.

Although the bikes are capable of high speeds, owners don't often race them. Instead, they like their bike to be seen (and heard). Cruising to and from one Harley Dealership to another at the weekends in large groups gets them noticed. Harley encourages bikers to hang out at their dealerships for obvious reasons - it’s a social place to meet up with others and talk bikes. Free food, soft drinks and sometimes live music are provided. Not quite like the good old days meeting at the Ace Cafe on the North Circular and then racing off to the Busy Bee on the Watford bypass, often clocking a ton.  Harleys are all about being seen. They are seldom taken out in the rain or bug season. Some pay thousands for special custom paint jobs.

Planning a vacation? Bikes can be great fun and are well catered for in the States. Even cruise ships pamper to bikers. You can ride them on and ride them off. It must be great for island hopping in the Caribbean. Spend the day riding then you and your bike can relax back on board in the evening, with a bit of TLC to get ready for the next port of call.

Still on my bucket list for road trips is the ever popular Route 66 ("Main Street of America" or the "Mother Road"). Starting from Chicago, Illinois, then travel through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, before ending at Los Angeles, covering a total of 2,448 miles. The diehards pack only what they can take with them on the open road. Others, and that would include me, can pay for a service that takes care of all that and has everything waiting for you at predesignated hotels on route.

Travelling across the country is a new experience. Road safety is an issue everywhere. Each State may have its own motorcycle road safety laws, which you would need to be aware of. For instance in Florida, helmets are required only for under 21's - in some States it is mandatory for everyone. Speed limits can be different as well - for example, Montana has no speed restriction on the interstate. Noise level is another law. Modified pipes or tuning can earn you a traffic ticket. Even stock bikes can fall foul in some states if the engine is revved excessively. Be mindful, especially between 7pm and 7am.

There are plenty of bike fests, large and small. I have been to a lot of the smaller ones. The format is very similar - it’s like a beauty pageant for bikes. As I mentioned earlier, these bikes are loved and well looked after, some only taking to the road for competition. The largest event for me is Daytona Bike Week. Bikes and bikers descend on the town, sometimes a week before the event. This year over half a million people showed up. It is awesome to see the streets lined with bikes. My friend purchased an RV (Recreation Vehicle) just for events like Daytona. It's big enough to house and transport the bikes and still have room in it to sleep and eat. It's a large mobile home the size of a London bus. 

Just as interesting as the bikes are the people. I can only speak for Harley riders, but they are from all walks of life, doctors, lawyers, teachers, men and women of all ages. Of course, you still get the greasers with tattoos all over their body - and that's just the women! Daytona is a fun week and bikers turn out dressed as flamboyant as the bikes they ride. And the ladies, bless them, wearing chaps and very little else. Phew, I think I need a rub down with Bikers Weekly after mentioning that....

My favourite part of Daytona is the Loop. It's like no other ride I know. It’s freedom, sunshine, open road and graceful curves and for motorcycle enthusiasts everywhere, it's a riders dream. The Loop begins with a northerly trek at the foot of the Granada Bridge on John Anderson Drive in Ormond Beach. Going North, riders are greeted by a cathedral of trees up to the Highbridge Road where they hang a left and go over the bridge and the Intracoastal Waterway (the Halifax River). There are several places to stop along the way and just enjoy the Florida countryside. After more winding turns, you'll come upon Walter Boardman Road where you will make another turn that takes you further west to Old Dixie Highway. When you reach Old Dixie Highway, take another left (to go south) toward Ormond Beach. I recommend it. It's a leisurely ride will give you a taste for Florida's natural beauty. It’s not a race so stop and check out Ormond Park and the Fairchild Oak tree, which is one of Florida's oldest living Oaks. The Loop is approximately 22 miles long and a must for riders who enjoy an open road. [22miles? Is that all? That's like a pop to the shops! - Ed]

The image of the biker in the States has changed over the years. From the Easy Rider and Hell's Angels stereotype (though these still very much exist), to almost respectability and social acceptance.  It's like a club or community. If you stop on the side of the road, it won't be long before another rider stops to check if you need assistance. Bikers are a family.

What kind of bikes will we be riding in the 2020s?

I often find myself wondering what kind of bikes will be hitting the market over the next 10 years or so. Bike technology is increasing all the time and to a large degree follows that of cars - in recent years fuel injection, ABS, traction control etc have all transferred across - so what can we expect to happen in the future? We're nowadays seeing bikes with very sophisticated technology. In 2009, BMW came out with the S1000RR and seemed to re-invent that whole class at a stroke. Close to 200bhp, sophisticated electronics - and apparently all very usable for capable mortals (of which I am not one!). And now MV Agusta are about to break the gentleman's agreement that has been in place among manufacturers by releasing their new range-topping, 200bhp, 320kph+ F4 1000RR superbike.

I'm no techno-wizard but looking to the future I think some things are already clear. Within 10 years I think there will be different materials used in manufacture for weight saving and styling and design will become more and more radical.

I also think we will see much more happening on bike electronics - switchable modes and factory performance kits, perhaps even KERS as standard? Really, the sky is the limit in terms of power and gadgetry, though taking the new BMW and Agustas as examples, it seems to me fairly ludicrous to build bikes capable of such ridiculous speed and power on the public road. But will we now see a new bhp "arms-race" developing amongst the major manufacturers? And what will these bikes cost in the future? How do you keep such high-tech machinery affordable to the masses?

As governments advance the green agenda and exponentially screw us with taxes to pay for it, smaller bikes with good fuel economy figures will hold greater and greater appeal I think - especially in urban areas. The Ninja 250 has been one of the best selling bikes for the last couple of years. The new Honda CBR250 is also selling well. Smaller bikes are selling like mad in Asia and are arguably carrying the cost of developing the higher spec bikes that head for western markets - which is slightly odd given that in the UK and across Europe, sales of sportsbikes are dwindling. Cruisers, nakeds, tourers and "real world" bikes seem to me to represent the future. Those are what's hot right now and manufacturers are beginning to take note of the market shift, so I think we'll see more technology advances there over the next few years. Ducati has already laid down the challenge with the technical advancements seen on the new Diavel. Others will surely follow.

As for the more "functional" side of biking, it seems clear that electric bikes are evolving very quickly, and looking into my crystal ball, I anticipate that in 5-10 years time, they will be very competitive performance-wise with their smaller capacity, petrol powered equivalents.

Of course, the key to their widespread appeal will be whether or not bike enthusiasts accept the differences - for example, in sound, power delivery and recharging range. However, as battery technology improves, for urban commuters I think they have the potential to take off in a big way.  Will we begin to see viable electric bikes in the mass performance market, I wonder?

Anyway, these are just my few thoughts - what do you think we'll be riding in the next decade?

Why are there so few black bikers?

Ok, going to have to be a bit careful here - this is one of those tricky subjects that no matter what you try and say and how you try and say it, people are likely to raise their eyebrows or question motives. I want to pitch this right so let's see how we go with it....

The ride into work the other morning was a nightmare - what is it about a bit of rain that turns other road users into idiots? Anyway, about half way, I stopped at a set of lights and a guy on a GSX-R600 pulled alongside. We exchanged a few words, as you do - "bloody nightmare this morning", "roads are like a poxy obstacle course" "did you see what that twat did" - sort of thing. Anyway, I noticed that the fella was black (I'm observant like that....!) and it prompted me to recall a question I've often thought to myself but have never had an answer to (or indeed ever voiced): why are there so few black/minority ethnic bikers?

For the record, there is no hidden agenda here - it really is a genuine question. In terms of numbers, I have only ever known two black guys that ride - one (Hutch), a clubmate, rides a KTM and VFR, the other (Barry), a work colleague, a Fireblade, which he's turned into a bit of a cafe-racer type thing. That's it - and for whatever reason I don't see many others on the road either. All this having lived in and around one of the biggest and most cosmopolitan cities in Europe all my life.

Brothers.... (though judging by the size of mine and Steve's tits, maybe "sisters" is more appropriate...!)

I suppose one could have levelled the same observation at women years ago. This was largely a macho/chauvanistic/acceptance issue, which thankfully has gradually eroded over the years. Women are now accepted as serious and knowledgable riders and the biking fraternity is better for it in my view. So why hasn't the same happened in BME communities? The answer, at least to some extent, must be cultural. Biking has traditionally been seen purely as a male orientated thing - and white males at that. The biking culture is also identified with particular music genres/performers - again mostly white and male, as are the audiences in the main. That type of culture seems ingrained.

I also wonder whether access and opportunity has been a problem. Without wishing to sidetrack into the social politics of the era, the biking revolution that happened in the 1950s and 60s also coincided with a period of large scale immigration and the people coming into this country generally went into low grade and poorly paid jobs. So I assume that the mothers and fathers in successive generations were more concerned with putting food on the table and establishing a place within a resistent society - therefore, a biking culture didn't take hold in those communities.   

Or is there a problem within the biking fraternity? I personally haven't witnessed anything myself but it has often been suggested that parts of the biking world - in particular, the "outlaw" groups - have a certain "reputation" in these matters. Bikes tend to attract macho personalities. Macho personalities attract other macho personalities, forming like-minded groups - and this starts to take us into what gang culture is all about. A gang is by definition a group that has common interest. To the uninitiated, biking is often seen as synonymous with Hell's Angels and the like, and generally you don't see much in the way of diversity in biker gangs. Certain patch clubs simply don't allow black members. I find this thoroughly depressing - bikers as a group are often discriminated against so it seems to me that the last thing we should be doing is discriminating against others.    

A look across the pond reveals far greater numbers and a great many different biker groups whose membership is almost exclusively black. So not only are there more black/minority ethnic people riding bikes, they also gravitate towards their own groups. Does this suggest that a kind of biking apartheid is going on? I don't know enough about North American society and biking culture to be able to comment, so maybe readers over there could? In this country, it seems to me that the numbers are far fewer and I don't really know why - though hopefully this will change as the country becomes ever more culturally mixed (and accepting) and people become relatively affluent compared to their parents.

I don't really have any answers, and maybe the question doesn't even need asking. The whole thing just intrigues me. Over to you for your thoughts....

How old is too old?

There's a saying in biking circles which goes: "You don’t stop riding because you’re getting old - you get old when you stop riding." I agree with this wholeheartedly - with every fibre of my being.

I was reminded of that saying when I came across THIS story, on the excellent Visordown news page, about Britain's oldest biker. This is a guy that started riding during the reign of King George VI, and well before WWII broke out. Great Britain was still a major world power (that's how long ago we are talking about!), Everton's Tommy Lawton was the football league's top goalscorer and The Wizard of Oz had just become the first major Hollywood release in full colour.

Let's be fair here, 94 is a great age for anyone to achieve - achieving that age while still an active biker is, in my book, a terrific accomplishment. And he looks younger than I do now (and with more hair!) Personalising this story for a moment for the purpose of comparison, as a comparitively youthful 45 year old, I will have to live until 2060 and ride myself for another 54 years merely to equal what this sterling chap has done! Methinks that might be a challenge too far for our NHS....

I'll leave the last word to Reg: “I’m delighted to have been crowned Britain’s Oldest Biker. Riding gives me a sense of freedom; it allows me to get around more easily while enjoying the open road. Age has nothing to do with it for me; I’ll be on my bike for as long as I can."

Amen to that brother - Amen to that.....

Ducati Roadshow: Diavel v Streetfighter v Monster

Ducati UK are currently on a bit of nationwide tour of the main biker haunts and meeting places, to bring their new range of bikes to the masses. On Sunday, they pitched up at Box Hill and the idea of the day was to offer "taster" test rides - then it's up to the individual to follow up any interest at local dealers. So there was no hard sell, which was very refreshing. On offer was the new Diavel, the Streetfighter S, Monsters of various capacities, plus the new Multistrada, Hypermotard and the 848. The sun even paid us a visit so a fair-sized Sunday morning crowd turned out. The day felt good.

Now, I'm not normally a fan of Ducati bikes - they look great but the rattly engines and suspect build quality have always put me off. As with a lot of Italian machinery, I've always felt that for what they cost, there is better value out there. However, I've had a "bit of a thing" about the new Diavel for some time now. It's an awesome looking bike but until yesterday I had successfully fought the urge and resisted a test ride (mainly because I suspected I would love it and would then have to think about how I'd get spending clearance for a bike retailing at £15,495!). But since Ducati were coming to us (so to speak) I considered that it was time to see what all the hype was about. And as a bonus I got to try out the Streetfighter S and 1100 Monster too. So which bike won my mini test? Read on....

Diavel: I ended up having two goes on the Diavel, mainly because the first was ruined by traffic. Thankfully, I got to "explore" it a bit more on the second run. This is a bike that straddles the sportsbike and cruiser genres, incorporating the Testastretta engine from the 1198 SP race bike within a frame resembling your favourite armchair. Add the forward pegs and long wheelbase into the mix and really, you get the feeling that this sort of hybrid shouldn't work - but for the most part it does. The bike comes with loads of gizmos - traction control, keyless ignition, switchable engine mapping etc - and the 162bhp engine has been retuned to produce a huge amount of torque through the range. At one point I tried the bike in 6th gear doing about 15mph and it pulled cleanly through. The bike is also rock solid in corners, which I didn't expect at all and the acceleration is instant. Ohlins suspension, a very comfortable riding position and good visibility (mirrors that actually enable you to see behind!) all help make the Diavel a very impressive all-round package.

And yet....I found the bike a bit uninspiring. This may sound an odd complaint but in many ways the Diavel is too powerful and too comfortable. I like a bike to engage me and I like to feel that I'm working the bike for what I get out of it. You don't get any of that with the Diavel. It is very easy just to climb aboard, point it in the direction you wish to go and then simply open the throttle. It is that easy to ride. And anyone with points on their licence should beware - I was up to 80 in second gear before I knew what was happening. This bike is most definitely a licence shredder. Overall then, a very impressive (and expensive) bike but not really what I'm looking for.

Streetfighter S: I had a sit on this before deciding to take it for a spin - and instantly hated it. Despite the 1099cc engine, this bike felt minute and the riding position is more perched on top of it rather than sitting in the bike. The bars are also very forward so there's a lot of strain on wrists and the seat was rock hard too, so I expected this to be a very uncomfortable 40 minutes! All of which just goes to show that you have to actually ride bikes to make an informed judgement because in the event, the higher-spec Streetfighter S was great fun and a joy to ride. Very fast and very revvy, the engine is an absolute peach and with Ohlins as standard, the handling was spot on too. But it is very, very small and so not the most comfortable ride for those of us of a more "robust" build - and retailing at £14,000 it's also expensive. Good fun for a buzz around but not one for the long term.

1100 Monster: Coming after the back-breaking and bone-crunching Streetfighter, this was a very comfortable bike to ride. But it's also dull....v-e-r-y duuuuulllllll..... To be fair, there's nothing actually wrong with the bike - everything works as it should and it's easy to ride but I just found the engine so boring. This bike, to me, has zero character - all it does is rumble on in its plodding, unexciting way. I tried pushing it about a bit but got nothing back - unusual for a bike with an 1100cc engine. Suddenly, an Oyster card started to look appealing (I'm joking, but not by much!). A very uninspiring bike and I do wonder why they are so popular.

Overall, a good day playing around on bikes that I would not normally ride. As a package, the Diavel wins but it didn't blow me away in the way I expected - for which I suspect the missus and the bank manager will be forever grateful! If you can, get along to one of the remaining roadshow dates and judge for yourselves.

Here are a few photos of the day

National Ride to Work Day 2011

It mystifies me why so many people still persevere with our expensive, dirty, unreliable, time-consuming and thoroughly depressing public transport system (did I mention expensive?). Thousands upon thousands of people file into central London each day by train, tube, bus etc - many still even drive in. All looking thoroughly miserable and stressed by the whole experience. And they pay through the nose for it too. It's madness. Utter, utter madness.

So this is a timely plug for National Ride to Work Day, which this year is set for Monday 20 June. This campaign is a way of getting the message across that motorcycles are the best form of transport for the daily commute. The day is an occasion when people unite to promote motorcycling, simply by taking their bike out of the garage and using it to get to work. More bikes on the road would benefit everyone - there would be less congestion, less pollution and less overcrowding for those who choose (or have no choice but) to remain on public transport. If you have a scooter or motorbike but don’t usually use it to go to work, this is your chance to find out just how much time and hassle you could save, as well as how good it feels to be free of timetables, traffic and ticket office queues and the regimented manner and herding that we have come to accept from our transport systems.
   

For me, riding to work is a complete no-brainer. I love riding bikes and only snow and ice would ever stop me - so I organise myself around the bike, keeping jacket, ties etc at work. Journeys into Central London take a fraction of the time (35 minutes door to door by bike vs 1hr 20+ via bus/tube), it's far far cheaper than a Oyster season ticket and it's FUN.

The question for me is why anyone wouldn't do it - and let's face it, during the Olympics next year bikes will be the only sensible choice in London. So if you have a bike or scooter, why keep it in the garage? Get out on it and use the damn thing!
  
The Motorcycle Industry’s Get On campaign will also be using the day to encourage new riders to make motorcycling part of their daily routine, and to show non-riders what they’re missing. So overall, this is a campaign that gets my complete support. Check out the campaign pages on Facebook and Twitter and get involved.

Let's make it happen on 20 June folks....