120 mile commute brings me back to biking

Fuel Price rises. Check. Credit crunch? Check. Gordon Brown asking me not to waste food? Well, I always clear my plate, give the carrot peel to my daughter’s guinea pigs, compost the rest etc. I like the environment.

What’s this got to do with motorcycling? My employer – a major public service organisation in Wales – has decided to relocate all its staff in large offices spread across the Country. This must sound great in Cardiff. There is no realistic public transport option, just the prospect of a 120 mile per day round trip through the A55 North Wales Festival of Roadworks.

Moving is out of the question; my partner has a local job, we’ve children in school, so my solution – get a motorbike. It’s thirty years since I rode regularly and so far I’ve taken my CBT, passed my theory test and had a few lessons. To practice my roadcraft I’ve just bought got a secondhand Yamaha 125 custom. OK, it’s like “my little pony” for a 50 year old, but it’s such fantastic fun!

The voice of Jonah (my instructor) resonates in my mind at every hazard and junction, so I’ve picked up his good instruction, and I’m having a great time. With me aboard the little bike is slow, but not dangerously so, I get about 65 mpg which satisfies the eco-slave in me and the handling seems consistent and forgiving as I regain my two-wheeled confidence.

I might (I did) get laughed at by the boys in their leathers when driving over the Horseshoe Pass in my Gortex suit and armour (it’s on my way to work, I’m never going to hit 60 on this machine, and I’m more likely to break than bend if I do drop the bike). But hey, I’m a member of the club too! I’m booking my test and then we’ll see what I can trade for. I should have done this years ago!