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The kids are alright
Regards Paul Lang’s article ( Bike, October) on kids riding pillion. It’s something Lou, my better half, and I have encouraged with our two – Jack aged and Isabella .
I’ve ridden bikes since I was and I’m now the wrong side of quite old. Lou passed her test a few years ago and as soon as she felt she had sufficient confidence and experience, we bought the kids full riding kit. We go out as a family as often as we can – today we’ve done 100 miles with the girls on a ZX-9R and the boys on a ZX-6R. We’re hoping this experience will inject some much needed young blood into motorcycling in a few years time – these days motorcycle meets seem to be awash with grey-hairs.
Kevin Love, email
Tech. No
In 1957 at the age of 17 I purchased my first used bike, a matchless 350CC for £90. I wanted the new Norton Dominator 99, in red, but that was £250 so no chance. The Matchless served me as my only transport. My then girlfriend now wife handmade panniers and we did some travelling – back then there was less traffic and no motorways.
In those days bikers were self-sufficient, and if you couldn’t solve a problem there was always someone with a bit more know how to ask. But bikes today have become alarmingly complicated. On the horizon there’s even a radar to guide bikes ( Bike, Sept)– does this mean I can roll a ciggy on the motorway? Then there’s electric bikes; can you imagine lads discussing motors and batteries over a mug of tea? That is a bike’s character out of the window. Myself, I now have a Honda CBR600 – a worthy machine with a pedigree – and a Honda VFR800 which I think is the top bike of all.
John Woods, email
In Grayson we trust
What an inspired choice to get Grayson Perry to judge the Bike Of The Year contenders on their looks. I like his witty and informed comments – it shows that he is a genuine biker and
enthusiast, not just a celebrity poser pretending to be a biker. Can you make him a regular Bike contributor please.
Dom Hemming, email
It’s getting louder
It’s about time Bike actively discouraged the almost religious swapping of standard exhausts for noisy and antisocial aftermarket systems. It saddens me to say that if Bike does not take a stance on this issue soon motorcycling as a whole could well suffer from a Parliamentary backed public backlash due to the actions of the ignorant and inconsiderate among us. Nick Brewer, email
Oh deer
In response to Chris Taylor’s ‘win win’ letter about electric bikes ( Bike, November) I would add a lose to his list. I don’t know where you live Chris, but in the countryside where I live we have deer and lots of them. In my car I average two to three collisions or very near collisions every year, but none while riding my noisy motorbike. Round here an electric bike would guarantee you a trip to A&E. Jim Roberts, email
Letter from an S1000 R
I’ve been cogitating whether, or not, you have a blind spot for me – the superb (your words) BMW S1000 R. Or am I imagining it. Despite me receiving a, at the time of test, 10/10 score I rarely warrant a mention when you’re reporting on naked bikes, even when I’m a direct comparator. I do acknowledge that I’m due a refresh – maybe then I’ll catch your attention.
And at least you haven’t removed me from the listings.
Mr no-friends S1000 R, email
Winka wankas
With an abundance of lovely weather over recent months, born-again-bikers and retro-rockers have taken to the highways in their droves. But, alarmingly, many seem to have forgotten basic indicator craft and ride around with one or the other permanently on. In order to encourage and shame slapdash bikers into getting their acts together I think Bike should spearhead a safety campaign and call it: DON’T BE A WINKA WANKA.
Peter Barrs, email
Oh my eyes
We are truly living through a Golden Age of The Ugly Bike, but you should have issued a warning before publishing the photograph of the execrable Toyota i-road ( Bike, November). It was like Hector from Hector’s House meets Kermit the Frog. It even made the V4 Streetfighter look attractive.
Dean Grindle, email
Trackdays not races
Last month’s letters page scored a number of eye-rollingly worthy letters, but of particular note was Paul Sandbach’s – he who despises trackdays. Paul rightly pours scorn on would be racers misbehaving on the road. Trackdays are there for people – like me – who want to stretch their bikes and their own capabilities while reducing risk. Not all of us want to do this in competition where egos and aggression may end painfully – and expensively.
Jeremy Shotts, email