My Life In Bikes: Bruce Dickinson

'Dad got me a Mobylette – I thought ‘you b****rd!’’

Iron Maiden’s lyrical screamer talks mopeds, the TT and licensing woes

Did you grow up around motorbikes?
I did. My dad had a car showroom, and one day he turned up on a Norton 750 Commando, in his suit, with no helmet! He’d just taken it in part-exchange for a car, and it sat in the showroom, next to a brand new Meriden Bonnie, a Honda CB400-4, a Sunbeam S8, and an Ariel Square Four. It was a nice collection of rare and cool-looking bikes, and they just sat there – people would walk in and ask if they were for sale, but Dad would say ‘naah, sorry,’ and then manage to sell them a car!

First Bike: Velocette LE ‘My dad rescued it from a skip’

So did you ride as a kid?
Yeah, I graduated as far as a Honda 125 trail bike, but before that had a Velocette LE200 that my dad rescued from a skip! He made me fix it before he let me ride it – he was a mechanic. He had a sense of humour too, and before that – when all my mates had Yamaha FS1-Es – he got me a f***ing Mobylette! I thought ‘You b****rd!’ – it was so much like a bicycle that it had brake blocks on the front end! I still got it going 60mph downhill though, and I took the exhaust off so that it made a bit more noise! I upgraded from that to a Honda SS50, which was just terrible.

Good memories of a misspent youth?
They are. I always remember the first day I heard Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow – the first time I ever heard Ronnie Dio’s voice – was listening to the radio in this guy’s garage as he spannered on a Triton he owned. I remember asking who that amazing voice on the radio was – I was about 16, full of spots. He finished what he was doing and asked if I wanted to hop on the back. So I did, and we ended up doing a ton down the dual carriageway on it. I thought, ‘oh, shit, that was fun!’ – but then I went to university and never had time for bikes.

The upgrade: Honda S50 ‘It was just terrible, shockingly bad’

So you don’t actually own one now?
No, not at the moment. In fact, I’ve not got a UK licence. I hated driving and in the end I passed my driving test in Jersey, which gave me a weird licence, and when I converted it, it didn’t give me any motorcycle entitlements. Then they changed all the regulations and it became such a faff to get a licence that I never got round to it. I keep looking at motorcycles and would really like to get one again. I’m strictly talking about a well-behaved retro thing and just bobbing around on it. I love the lightweight bikes of my era too, though – things like the Ducati 350 Desmo. Light, flickable and fun. I do keep looking at the new Royal Enfields, then I remember that they were never that good when they were new!

You’re getting involved in the TT?
Yes, although I’ve still never been. The TT is one of those things that I’ve always wanted to get to, and never managed it. We came very close this year, what with sponsoring Peter Hickman I told myself it had to be done – and then it didn’t happen, but it will next year! The Classic TT as well – there’s some genius machinery there.

A few years ago I was a judge for the aviation class at the Goodwood Revival, and it was great to be able to just walk around the pits and talk to everyone. Motorcycling has that sort of atmosphere where you can go and do that. I suppose in a way it’s a bit like Iron Maiden – you can listen to us, then go get yourself a guitar and do it – put a band together and play!