On a motorcycle, queues shrink to a fraction of their size compared to when you’re stuck in a car. Commuting by motorbike in London and other big cities is quick, cheap and fun. You arrive at your destination on time and in a state of Zen-like calm.
"A professional despatch rider in London. Please don't copy him!"
All towns and city centres have some designated motorcycle parking bays that are rarely full and are usually free to use. In addition many commercial car parks allow free motorbike parking. On the street you can squeeze your bike into a space that would be too small for even the tiniest car.
Bikes use far fewer raw materials than cars in their manufacture and they pump out fewer emissions.
Decent motorbikes start at under two grand for a commuter like the excellent Honda CG125, while, once you have passed your motorcycle test, a piece of precision engineering with state of the art suspension and brakes can be had new for less than £7995. Road tax is less, tolls and ferry charges are cheaper and Londoners: there’s no congestion charge for motorbikes!
Like skiing, surfing or flying, the combination of controlled movement and relative freedom that goes with riding a motorbike is very exhilarating.
New bikers need to learn to control their bike, to spot hazards early and to anticipate the behaviour of other road users. With progress comes a feeling of pride and satisfaction, with most bikers noticing an improvement in their car driving as well.
The weekly grocery run is impossible on a bike (except for the very frugal) and you can only carry one passenger, unless you have a sidecar.
Modern kit will protect against much that the British climate has to throw at us, but freezing temperatures, fog, heavy downpours and strong winds, while they last, make travel by bike at best ‘challenging’ and at worst unsafe.
Along with cyclists and pedestrians, motorcyclists are classed as Vulnerable Road Users by the UK government. While car and van drivers sit in a metal cage fitted with seatbelts and airbags, those on two wheels have much less in the way of built-in protection.
From being a novice motorbike rider to the point where you’ve held a bike licence for a year or so, new bikers learn much and make great strides in their riding skills.
The aim of this site is to help you on that journey.
