Pride and Joy

This is my pride and joy, my motorbike nicknamed Max, I learnt to ride in 2003 after I fell in love with the bike.

I hadn't had any idea of riding a motorbike, my brother used to own a Triumph Daytona and got knocked off by a SMDSY driver (Sorry Mate, Didn't See You!); luckily he wasn't injured only his pride dented a little. I thought they were dangerous (along with the majority of other car drivers).

It was only when I learnt to ride, that I realised they are not any more dangerous than a car or a pushbike, but how you ride that makes the difference. If you ignore the signs, or don't pay attention to what you and other road users are doing, then yes you probably are going to come unstuck at some point in time (hopefully not being killed in the process).

Bike riders, have to think for themselves as well as anticipate what other road users (lorries, cars, other bikes, pedestrians etc) are going to do and you process an enormous amount of information all the time.

Yet I wouldn't change the hobby that I have, and am planning on a holiday in the South of France sometime in September this year, going on the bike... am I scared, you bet.. but not for the reasons you think.. most continental drivers are much better at spotting and coping with motorbike riders than in the UK.. no the journey down is just about 1000 miles and we have allowed 4 days to do it in... but my knowledge of French is limited to 'excuse me I don't speak your language very well, can you help me..' so I need to brush up on my language skills :-)