It’s interesting to me that you can get to the ripe old age of 33 and never have done certain things which aren’t all that out of the ordinary, but just things which have never crossed your path. I mean, I guess when you think about it there are loads of these things. I’ve never abseiled, never skinny dipped, hey, I’ve never even been to Bath (I hear it’s lovely – note to self, go to Bath).

One of these illusive activities for me has been riding a motorbike. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as if I’d been chomping at the bit to do it, but it had always been something I would like to try. All this changed recently when I met a certain someone; the proud owner of “Be” a Yamaha XJR 1200. It wasn’t long before I went for my first ride – all the way to Ryka’s Cafe in Surrey. Talk about a thigh workout! I think I did pretty well considering!

Initial observations:

• Illogical fear of putting the helmet on (what if I can’t get it off?!)
• My thighs are not as strong as they need to be
• My neck is also not as strong as it needs to be to deal with 80mph winds!
• Immediate biker chick aspirations – must get cool gear
• This is coooool
• It’s not as scary as I thought
• Helmet hair – hmm

Before I knew it, I was a convert and quite the willing pillion (get me with the lingo!) and the next trip was set – this time a the way to London for Bike Shed 2017

What an amazing experience. So many types of fancy schmanzy bikes, accessories – you name it, they had it. I fell victim to the retail buzz pretty quickly and bagged myself an overpriced yet cool t-shirt (standard tourist move). I was schooled in the different types of engines and despite the rain, had a bloody awesome time.

Next stop was The Ace Cafe in North London, a quirky, funky hang out for the well-esteemed biker. We were there during the day but I can’t wait to head back for one of their music nights – such a cool place.

It’s safe to say I am fast becoming a bit of a bike fan. My helmet and jacket are always at the ready and I love the freedom it gives you. Just last weekend we hopped on and nipped up to the V&A museum for an impromptu visit. Who knows where I might end up next!