Express & Star

Bikers: What do you see?

What is your perception of a group of bikers riding on a summer's day with helmets and leathers on? What do you see? What do you really think when you can't see the person under it all?

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What do you feel when you see a bunch of bikes parked up in a town like Stratford-upon-Avon; when you see bikers lift their visors at a set of lights to grab a few words with each other what goes through your mind?

Do you see a menace on the road? Do you see a bunch of law breaking hooligans spoiling people's otherwise ideal lives? Do you see ordinary people with ordinary lives just enjoying their hobby? Do you know what to do for the best when a biker is near you?

Let me give you my view of who you are looking at, and a few pieces of good practice when sharing the road with a biker.

Flying the Black Country Flag at the Isle of Man TT 2014

Inevitably there are other bikers wherever you are and I'd admit that it was a bit daunting the first time I pulled onto the car park at The Food Stop Café at Quatford. Just imagine stalling the bike, parking wrong, or worse falling off. Well none of that happened and I wasn't accosted by any unhinged individuals – quite the reverse.

So what did I see? What was I going to be confronted with?

Well the reality is that this was a car park and café full of enthusiasts. There was no age group more dominant than another. It wasn't all men - there are many women riding their own bikes, or and riding pillion with their husbands and boyfriends and vice versa.

There are different types of bikes; sports, touring, cruisers for example, and some riders have a specific preferences while others just want two wheels and they are happy. However, there is always a lot of attention and appreciation for those bikes that are a little bit special and a little bit different. There is a lot of banter between riders around the various manufacturers like Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Honda and around the different types of bikes and you take your sides usually based on what you own but if you change your bike you just change sides and the banter continues.

Clee Hills - stopped for photos and a bit or larking about was inevitable

There are meets and charity events arranged by bikers to raise money for a good causes, to put a smile on someone's face or just to show an appreciation. There are regular events, for example, a local dealer organises a ride to Russell's Hall Hospital taking in toys for the kids who are unfortunate enough to be stuck in hospital at Christmas, air ambulance events, animal rescue, prom escorts for those that want something different to a limo. You name it somewhere bikers are probably getting involved. It's not all selfless though, most events take in a ride of some kind, a place nowhere near the event is chosen to meet at then ride to the event with route marshaling where necessary so everyone is happy.

In the fours years I've been biking I made some really good friends initially because of the common interest in bikes but I soon realised that we had other things in common. There are lots of families behind these bikers, young kids, wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers. You have people from all walks of life, people running their own businesses, directors of companies, plumbers, sparkies, landscapers, plasterers you name it. I now have friends that I talk to and meet regularly and that isn't limited to being on the bike riding but socially with the families.

A night out to Chiquito's after a BBQ was rained off

If you had a negative view of bikers I hope this blog may have swayed your thinking a little.

Read my four-part blog on buying my first bike and passing, eventually, my mike tests.

How I took on life on two wheels the lead up to the decision

Turning the dream into reality

Training and tests

Training and tests complete

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