Cliche alert - considering a motor bike in my 40s
Discussion
I've been pondering a move to motorcycles recently and I can't tell if it's boredom or a genuine desire.
I've can a passionate car owner, driver, occasional HGV driver, cyclist and traveller and can still remember the excitement of my first driving lesson the day I turned 17. In short, I love pretty much everything about making something with wheels move.
Except I've never been truly bitten by the motorcycles bug.
I've admired from afar police bikes effortlessly moving and enjoyed the Long Way series but sports bike culture leaves me stone cold.
I guess I'd love to hear from fundamentally car people who have ventured over and how you found the enjoyment of riding a bike in comparison to cars.
Recent cars owned include a GR86, Megane RS so I gravitate towards cars that are handling led rather than outright power.
I've can a passionate car owner, driver, occasional HGV driver, cyclist and traveller and can still remember the excitement of my first driving lesson the day I turned 17. In short, I love pretty much everything about making something with wheels move.
Except I've never been truly bitten by the motorcycles bug.
I've admired from afar police bikes effortlessly moving and enjoyed the Long Way series but sports bike culture leaves me stone cold.
I guess I'd love to hear from fundamentally car people who have ventured over and how you found the enjoyment of riding a bike in comparison to cars.
Recent cars owned include a GR86, Megane RS so I gravitate towards cars that are handling led rather than outright power.
I was never big into bikes, my dad and brother both were. I eventually joined them but I'm not into sports bikes either, I like bumbling about the A & B roads at a steady pace.
I found it more of a social hobby than I expected, bit lonely riding on my own tbh which was partly why I flogged the bikes, along with so many people being glued to their phones these days rather than looking at what their doing. Still fancy another one from time to time, try to bully my brother into getting one again too.
I found it more of a social hobby than I expected, bit lonely riding on my own tbh which was partly why I flogged the bikes, along with so many people being glued to their phones these days rather than looking at what their doing. Still fancy another one from time to time, try to bully my brother into getting one again too.
I got my bike licence at 39. Bikes were forbidden growing up, all sorts of gruesome tales of woe would be told if my mum even saw me looking at one. I also never really saw the point in having one either, so didn t think I was missing out. I got my licence as my gf at the time had one and it was a cool hobby to enjoy together. I didn t expect to take to it quite so strongly as I have.
I own an Elise and a clio cup, used to own a Caterham, driven an atom a few times, done many track days and a season s racing in a gt86 cup.
Bikes: I started with a Ducati monster and have since added an 848, a fireblade for track, and a Honda monkey. I m thinking about an adv bike.
On a nice day I will usually take the bike out for fun over the Elise. In fact I d say most of my on-road fun is on 2 wheels these days. It s a completely different feeling / experience that I don t know how to describe. There s just you and the road, no radio or other distractions, I find it very focussed yet relaxing at the same time. I only get that same level of focus/freedom in a car on track, which is obviously much less accessible and performed at much higher speeds with narrower margins.
You can t compare car and bike handling imho. Going quick on a bike is a very physical sensation. The atom is probably the closest in terms of visceral acceleration but cornering physics are chalk and cheese.
I like long solo rides especially at night when I can go from the city to a moonlit desert, up through the mountains and back home again. I like taking the OH out as pillion as when the speed rises she’ll just hold me more tightly but enjoys it as much as I do. Group rides are mainly breakfast runs with good mates. Speeds are actually a lot lower on these rides, but the social aspect is better than say a track day as you can talk to each other over the helmet comms as you ride.
But also normal journeys and commuting are still fun. It s very satisfying to blipshift down the box, tip in and roll out of a corner just so .
Also, traffic doesn t exist on 2 wheels
I own an Elise and a clio cup, used to own a Caterham, driven an atom a few times, done many track days and a season s racing in a gt86 cup.
Bikes: I started with a Ducati monster and have since added an 848, a fireblade for track, and a Honda monkey. I m thinking about an adv bike.
On a nice day I will usually take the bike out for fun over the Elise. In fact I d say most of my on-road fun is on 2 wheels these days. It s a completely different feeling / experience that I don t know how to describe. There s just you and the road, no radio or other distractions, I find it very focussed yet relaxing at the same time. I only get that same level of focus/freedom in a car on track, which is obviously much less accessible and performed at much higher speeds with narrower margins.
You can t compare car and bike handling imho. Going quick on a bike is a very physical sensation. The atom is probably the closest in terms of visceral acceleration but cornering physics are chalk and cheese.
I like long solo rides especially at night when I can go from the city to a moonlit desert, up through the mountains and back home again. I like taking the OH out as pillion as when the speed rises she’ll just hold me more tightly but enjoys it as much as I do. Group rides are mainly breakfast runs with good mates. Speeds are actually a lot lower on these rides, but the social aspect is better than say a track day as you can talk to each other over the helmet comms as you ride.
But also normal journeys and commuting are still fun. It s very satisfying to blipshift down the box, tip in and roll out of a corner just so .
Also, traffic doesn t exist on 2 wheels
Edited by shirt on Wednesday 7th October 22:14
I used to be into sports bikes. My final bike was a Fireblade before I was finally caught speeding and given six points. No car has come close to achieving the same buzz a bike will provide, apart from something like a Caterham.
I used to love riding on my own. Early morning starts, vague routes planned, earplugs in and I was away. As someone who enjoys solitude a bike is the perfect way to achieve that. I was never really into the social side of things.
I gave it up as I started losing my nerve somewhat. I’d lost a few biker friends over the years due to accidents (most bikers will know someone seriously injured or killed) and I realised I was pushing myself more and more every time I went out.
I keep meaning to go back to biking. I miss it, especially as my interest in cars has pretty much evaporated (over-crowded roads, rise of aggressive car drivers etc). I reckon I’d need to go back to something sensible to start with!
I used to love riding on my own. Early morning starts, vague routes planned, earplugs in and I was away. As someone who enjoys solitude a bike is the perfect way to achieve that. I was never really into the social side of things.
I gave it up as I started losing my nerve somewhat. I’d lost a few biker friends over the years due to accidents (most bikers will know someone seriously injured or killed) and I realised I was pushing myself more and more every time I went out.
I keep meaning to go back to biking. I miss it, especially as my interest in cars has pretty much evaporated (over-crowded roads, rise of aggressive car drivers etc). I reckon I’d need to go back to something sensible to start with!
shirt said:
I got my bike licence at 39. Bikes were forbidden growing up, all sorts of gruesome tales of woe would be told if my mum even saw me looking at one. I also never really saw the point in having one either, so didn t think I was missing out. I got my licence as my gf at the time had one and it was a cool hobby to enjoy together. I didn t expect to take to it quite so strongly as I have.
I own an Elise and a clio cup, used to own a Caterham, driven an atom a few times, done many track days and a season s racing in a gt86 cup.
Bikes: I started with a Ducati monster and have since added an 848, a fireblade for track, and a Honda monkey. I m thinking about an adv bike.
On a nice day I will usually take the bike out for fun over the Elise. In fact I d say most of my on-road fun is on 2 wheels these days. It s a completely different feeling / experience that I don t know how to describe. There s just you and the road, no radio or other distractions, I find it very focussed yet relaxing at the same time. I only get that same level of focus/freedom in a car on track, which is obviously much less accessible and performed at much higher speeds with narrower margins.
You can t compare car and bike handling imho. Going quick on a bike is a very physical sensation. The atom is probably the closest in terms of visceral acceleration but cornering physics are chalk and cheese.
But also normal journeys and commuting are still fun. It s very satisfying to blipshift down the box, tip in and roll out of a corner just so .
Also, traffic doesn t exist on 2 wheels
Great post, thanks. I own an Elise and a clio cup, used to own a Caterham, driven an atom a few times, done many track days and a season s racing in a gt86 cup.
Bikes: I started with a Ducati monster and have since added an 848, a fireblade for track, and a Honda monkey. I m thinking about an adv bike.
On a nice day I will usually take the bike out for fun over the Elise. In fact I d say most of my on-road fun is on 2 wheels these days. It s a completely different feeling / experience that I don t know how to describe. There s just you and the road, no radio or other distractions, I find it very focussed yet relaxing at the same time. I only get that same level of focus/freedom in a car on track, which is obviously much less accessible and performed at much higher speeds with narrower margins.
You can t compare car and bike handling imho. Going quick on a bike is a very physical sensation. The atom is probably the closest in terms of visceral acceleration but cornering physics are chalk and cheese.
But also normal journeys and commuting are still fun. It s very satisfying to blipshift down the box, tip in and roll out of a corner just so .
Also, traffic doesn t exist on 2 wheels
I can articulate what handling I enjoy in a car as well as the wider experience of say an NC500 trip, I can explain to a degree the enjoyment I can get from regular A-B vehicles.
I guess the only really way to find out is to do my CBT, it's only £200 and will hopefully give small taster.
Do your cbt, it’s cheap and a full day of riding, first in a carpark getting the basics then on the road.
Iv had 65ish cars and did my bike test last year, I won’t be buying a car for fun again as they just don’t compare unless it’s raining.
Bikes have indeed ruined quick cars for me!
Iv had 65ish cars and did my bike test last year, I won’t be buying a car for fun again as they just don’t compare unless it’s raining.
Bikes have indeed ruined quick cars for me!
37 here, started biking at 26 as I had an awful commute, after watching videos like Royal Jordanian smashing through London traffic I thought wow that would be a huge improvement. Nowadays prefer to let the car drive for me to get to work, the bike is just for pissing around and once or twice a year go up north for a week.
It's quite a commitment with doing the tests, cost of gear, tyres etc. So it depends what you want from it. I like going fast and fast bikes are much cheaper than fast cars. Bikes are also very good for sightseeing tours but have their disadvantages as well.
For me I started with renting a moped in sunny Majorca, doing the CBT on a freezing January morning with swiss-cheese gloves should have put me off, but I persevered and riding a bigger bike for the first time felt much better than skinny tyred 125s. You'll soon know if you want to carry on with it.
It's quite a commitment with doing the tests, cost of gear, tyres etc. So it depends what you want from it. I like going fast and fast bikes are much cheaper than fast cars. Bikes are also very good for sightseeing tours but have their disadvantages as well.
For me I started with renting a moped in sunny Majorca, doing the CBT on a freezing January morning with swiss-cheese gloves should have put me off, but I persevered and riding a bigger bike for the first time felt much better than skinny tyred 125s. You'll soon know if you want to carry on with it.
Gear is a good point, I think a lot of people underestimate the cost of decent (as in functional and comfortable) kit. I tend to only buy new items when there’s a sale on.
Weather is another variable. My comments about should be viewed in that I’ve never ridden a bike in temperatures below 20degC and only been in the rain once. That was in the alps on a rented BMW 1300rt with full panniers and a pillion, didn’t enjoy that much!
Weather is another variable. My comments about should be viewed in that I’ve never ridden a bike in temperatures below 20degC and only been in the rain once. That was in the alps on a rented BMW 1300rt with full panniers and a pillion, didn’t enjoy that much!
TheFungle said:
Except I've never been truly bitten by the motorcycles bug.
Why bother then. It's a much higher risk activity and all the costs of learning, buying and running a bike could go into a better car. I love bikes and have had a licence for years but there's nothing wrong in just not being into it. I gave bikes up last year after having them for forty three years...it was like cutting off an arm.
Apart from fighter jets and dragsters they must be one of the most addictive mechanical things ever invented...they really get under your skin.
I can't describe to you how good it is riding along in the wind...you do not need a hyper fast bike to do this, anything will give you that feeling.
Get yourself to the bike shops speak to the people in there and you'll start to get the feeling what bikes are all about.
Do your CBT (which you will thoroughly enjoy doing by the way), get some training and pass your test...and please don't buy anything over 500cc for your first bike...even the 500 will feel rapid compared to most cars.
Oh and look to spend about £1000 on gear, don't skimp on a crash helmet, its your head after all.
I started off on a 50cc Suzuki at sixteen years old...I think my arse became permanently welded to the seat, I couldn't keep off it, even on that little bike the feeling was amazing.
Apart from fighter jets and dragsters they must be one of the most addictive mechanical things ever invented...they really get under your skin.
I can't describe to you how good it is riding along in the wind...you do not need a hyper fast bike to do this, anything will give you that feeling.
Get yourself to the bike shops speak to the people in there and you'll start to get the feeling what bikes are all about.
Do your CBT (which you will thoroughly enjoy doing by the way), get some training and pass your test...and please don't buy anything over 500cc for your first bike...even the 500 will feel rapid compared to most cars.
Oh and look to spend about £1000 on gear, don't skimp on a crash helmet, its your head after all.
I started off on a 50cc Suzuki at sixteen years old...I think my arse became permanently welded to the seat, I couldn't keep off it, even on that little bike the feeling was amazing.
Xcore said:
Do your cbt, it s cheap and a full day of riding, first in a carpark getting the basics then on the road.
Iv had 65ish cars and did my bike test last year, I won t be buying a car for fun again as they just don t compare unless it s raining.
Bikes have indeed ruined quick cars for me!
This is sound advice.Iv had 65ish cars and did my bike test last year, I won t be buying a car for fun again as they just don t compare unless it s raining.
Bikes have indeed ruined quick cars for me!
Mull it over this winter and start in the Spring.
TheFungle said:
I've been pondering a move to motorcycles recently and I can't tell if it's boredom or a genuine desire.
Sports bike culture leaves me stone cold.
Don't have to get a sportsbike.Sports bike culture leaves me stone cold.
Something like a Ducati Scrambler?
I gave up sports bikes many years ago due to a high speed tank slapper, but I still use a 350cc scooter for every day transport, and will for as long as I can stand/see.
Free parking just about everywjere you go, including railway stations.
98% of drivers are very well behaved towards bikes (I don't live in London) it's only once in a blue moon I get tailgated when on the bike, and so many people let you out, give you space. (I don't have to filter very often)
If you happen to break down, someone stops to see if you're ok. Inlcudes warming my cold hands on the exhaust lol
But as already mentioned, hire a bike for a few days first.
Good luck with it.
I did it at 30, no real interest in the sportsbike thing, bit of a pause with kids but getting back into it again. Not so much the danger thing, but I used to ride a lot to do trips like seeing my parents or running errands and that turned into just taking the car with one or both kids instead. Plus the old commute I'd occasionally do by bike (when weather was nice and I was bored of the car) went away.
It's just a very different way to use the roads. Ground rushing past your feet, moving your body around to lean through bends, the different mix of hands and feet controlling things, the sheer visibility of what's around you, squeezing through traffic to the front of a queue. It's perfect if you just want a change, it makes my brain work differently, there's a real novelty to it after spending time bored sat in a car.
Just get CBT done and see how you feel.
It's just a very different way to use the roads. Ground rushing past your feet, moving your body around to lean through bends, the different mix of hands and feet controlling things, the sheer visibility of what's around you, squeezing through traffic to the front of a queue. It's perfect if you just want a change, it makes my brain work differently, there's a real novelty to it after spending time bored sat in a car.
Just get CBT done and see how you feel.
Clad-Hach said:
Oh and look to spend about £1000 on gear, don't skimp on a crash helmet, its your head after all.
£1000 is a bit much but I would say at a minimum£200 helmet
£200 jacket and trousers
£75 boots
£50 gloves (but you'll need different pairs for different weather, I have 3 pairs and take at least 2 pairs on a tour)
These items usually last a few years depending on usage.
For many people here cars a tool and bikes are a toy.
Im very much not that.
I stated almost accidentally in 2021 when my wife said she wanted a vespa to commute to work.
Her commute took her through the town centre and past three schools so a scooty was perfect.
We both did our CBTs and we got a 125.
To cut a short story long, we had a kiddo so i ended up using the scoot all the time for town runs, commuting etc. I did my CBT 3 times and then eventually did my big license and got a big scooter, which is absolutely great for my commute, shops, going places solo etc.
It is absolutely a tool for me but I love it.
Cars are my toys.
Although I can see a 50s British big single in my future....
Im very much not that.
I stated almost accidentally in 2021 when my wife said she wanted a vespa to commute to work.
Her commute took her through the town centre and past three schools so a scooty was perfect.
We both did our CBTs and we got a 125.
To cut a short story long, we had a kiddo so i ended up using the scoot all the time for town runs, commuting etc. I did my CBT 3 times and then eventually did my big license and got a big scooter, which is absolutely great for my commute, shops, going places solo etc.
It is absolutely a tool for me but I love it.
Cars are my toys.
Although I can see a 50s British big single in my future....
Also a GR86 owner.
I had no interest in bikes until I was 24 and commuting to the then job was hard work and I liked the idea of filtering. I did CBT to see and within 2 weeks I had my full licence. I rode for a bit then started a new job so was out of it until I was 30 and I moved back home and had a garage again. Bought a new Street Triple RS after a 5min conversation and a test ride. I still have it and I've loved my time with it. I enjoyed the whole process of learning something new and seeing self improvement. It's made me a better driver too.
I had no interest in bikes until I was 24 and commuting to the then job was hard work and I liked the idea of filtering. I did CBT to see and within 2 weeks I had my full licence. I rode for a bit then started a new job so was out of it until I was 30 and I moved back home and had a garage again. Bought a new Street Triple RS after a 5min conversation and a test ride. I still have it and I've loved my time with it. I enjoyed the whole process of learning something new and seeing self improvement. It's made me a better driver too.
I was an out-and-out car obsessed petrolhead, been lucky enough to do plenty of track days and have had some pretty fast stuff along the way. Over the past decade or so, cars just became less and less involved, electronic aids, auto gearboxes and now EV's - there's not a lot to separate one from the other. I did my bike test in 2024 (7 day Direct Access with BMW Motorrad in Royston) and haven't looked back. I've been to Europe twice, toured Scotland, Ireland and Wales and tomorrow set off for an organised tour of the Spiti Valley in India. I've done my IAM, joined the TRF and probably covered 15k in 30 months on two wheels. Most people our age will gravitate towards an adventure bike, they're so capable - but there's so much variety between brands, engine configurations and styles that modern bikes make modern cars look rather dull. Go and do it!
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