GEORGIA:
This summer I made the massively excited but mildly apprehensive step into the world of motorcycles. At first glance it seemed like an exclusive world, dangerous and arguably aggressive but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only have I learnt a new skill, but Ive also managed to meet some amazing people, all of us connected by an engine and two wheels.
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"Whether it’s to clear your head, meet some mates, or just a way to spend your time, the experience is incomparable".
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So what made me want to start riding? When I was little my dad had a bike (he still does) and I always kinda thought he looked quite badass. He also used to race cars so anything with an engine makes sense to me (sort of). By no means am I a mechanic but it isn't a totally alien world in some ways. I must have been about 10 when I had my first memory of being on a bike was clinging onto my dad and his very ugly Triumph Tiger.
So, with a wobbly start and a couple of very helpful spins around a car park with the lovely Gemma of VC London, I got my act together and managed to pass my CBT in torrential rain with a bunch of aspiring Deliveroo drivers. The prospect of getting on a motorised, two- wheeled machine with minimal practise was a pretty nerve wracking thought but for anyone interested in the idea please don’t be deterred - you can all do it with yer eyes closed! My main advice would be to take it on a scooter, these are automatic and only 50cc. Get legal and then get your ass on a geared bike, there’s no rush with these things but the most important thing is that you can legally cruise the roads!
For my first bike I chose a Yamaha SR 125. I wanted something older and of more vintage style so I trawled through millions of eBay listings and stumbled across the bike I now own. Luckily the woman selling wasn’t quite aware of the market and the bike was an absolute steal. The appeal of something older was the idea of customising it and the vision of a little cafe racer, however, that’s yet to happen (but in the pipeline). After getting my bike I just rode and rode and rode, everywhere, anywhere, nowhere. It didn’t matter the occasion, or why, the liberating feeling of being sat on a motorcycle trumps any other. Whether it’s to clear your head, meet some mates, or just a way to spend your time, the experience is incomparable.
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Despite what people might think you can do some serious mileage on a 125 as I did this summer. From Kent to London - Wales and all through the Brecon Beacons, I’ve made some pretty amazing memories in my first summer on two wheels.
A ride out to Kent with a motley crew - It was a Sunday, the sun was shining. Rachel Billings and I fancied a BBQ and a river to swim in so a group of about 10 of us rode on down. We cruised along some picturesque A-roads and tried to delay the inevitable Sunday blues as much as humanly possible. We all managed to avoid swallowing rat shit from the dodgy looking river, however we did not manage to avoid partial nudity from some of the guys…
