Think Bike or not

When I first passed by bike test I had an Aprilia RS 250, I loved the old stink wheel and did about 8000 trouble free miles on it before I thought it was time to get something a bit bigger and cheaper to run (£13 per litre of 2-stroke and 90 miles to a tank of fuel).

After a few years of 4-stroking I had an old friend offer me a 95 RS250 for a price I couldn’t refuse – although I did try for a month or so as I’d just bought a house and money was tight but I thought F#*k it, what’s the point of going to work and not having things that you want?

So I picked up the RS at the start of May. It had just had a rebuild and needed running in so I began to clock up the miles looking forward to the high pitched scream only a stroker can provide.

As the weather was constantly bad this was taking me more time than I’d expected. Three weeks in and I was about 50 miles away from that power band. I’m so close I think but I was mistaken as I was T-boned by a drunk driver who was arrested on the scene after being breathalysed but later passed another test at the police station.

As I was wearing full leathers and good boots I only suffered soft tissue damage to my right foot which lasted about 6 months and bruising to my whole right side and both hands.

I recently went to court to give evidence along with a witness that saw the car drive past him before hitting me. First time it was adjourned because the driver wanted to get photographic evidence of the scene at night. The second time myself and the witness gave evidence followed by the driver.

They began by saying it was their fault and were sorry but if I’d seen them I would have been able to avert the incident (even though I had right of way and they ignored a give way sign) then reeled off some shit about being a careful driver and it’s not you it’s the others (yes you I thought), they didn’t like driving at night and the city roads are confusing blah blah and walked off Scot free!

As my policy was up for renewal I got a call from my insurers giving me a “competitive quote” which was 150% more than last year. I called up asking why it had gone up when the blame wasn’t mine. “It’s because theirs a claim pending sir”,

Oh yes of course it’s logical that I have to pay for making no mistake. The next day I calmed down a bit only to receive a call from the body shop that’s had the bike for the past 8 months to say they can partially fix the bike or completely write it off at book price.

Either way I feel like I’ve been done. What a great start to 2008!