He rode for a year, as he had to sign an agreement with his mother that he would sell the bike on his 17th birthday. He enjoyed the freedom of the open road, albeit at 30mph and experienced his only (touch wood) accident when the throttle stuck open and he caught his foot in the back wheel. Sitting in A&E he learnt a valuable lesson - always wear boots!

A parent enforced absence followed until January 1992 when he bought his first ‘big bike’ - a Suzuki GS500 (awesome). The power was amazing and he thought he would never be able to handle it. Three months later he bought his first CBR600……!

Since then he has had many bikes, Three CBR 600s, A Yamaha Super Tenere, Kawasaki Scorpion 250 (pile of poop), Fazer 600, VFR 400 and a CB500. He has been fortunate enough to have had 6 bikes in the garage at one time including an RSV Mille and an early R1. Following the ownership of a Honda Blackbird for 6 wonderful years, he has accepted that, due to being a pipe smoker and having a lovely pair of slippers at home, it was time to buy a BMW R1200 GS...! He can currently be seen around North London and the Home Counties riding up and down kerbs as that is the only off roading the bike is likely to see..!

Paul rides in most weathers and believes there is no such thing as being cold or wet, its just you are wearing the wrong equipment. He has been on many track days and is fortunate to have access to his old CBR600 that has been turned into a race bike. He wishes he could get his knee down, but that particular skill remains illusive.

He rides abroad whenever he can and has covered most of France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Andorra on two wheels. The Blackbird is made to ‘munch miles’ and he enjoys the company of like minded petrol heads when he is touring.

His worst biking moment has got to be when the snow came a few years ago. His bike was outside under a cover as he had a borrowed new R1 in the garage. His wife came into the room and mentioned “Oh, I forgot to tell you, your bike fell over yesterday”. He rushed outside to find that the wind had caught the bike (as it was near the wall) and due to the weight of the snow on the cover, the bike had fallen on its side. He picked it up, using that immense strength you get when you are angry, only to find that is was smashed to bits!

His best biking moment was riding through several of the mountain passes in Switzerland with his friends. Occasionally travelling at speeds in excess of 70mph but don’t tell anyone. Pushing the Blackbird so hard that the front wheel was lifting out of the hairpins and breaking so hard he thought his wrists would snap. Fantastic views (1000ft drops certainly focus the mind), awesome roads, fine food, fine beer and no police in sight - fabulous!

His ideal bike is the Blackbird - boring I know - but if funds and garage space ever became available he would add a Honda Africa Twin, a Harley Fatboy, a Tuono 1000R and a newer Blackbird to his stable.

Paul is a Class One Police Advanced driver, police motorcyclist, a member and examiner for the Institute of Advanced Motorists. He is a RoSPA Diploma holder in Advanced Motorcycle Instruction, a RoSPA Examiner and he is one of only 8 people who teach the RoSPA Diploma course from Birmingham. He has the portfolio for BikeSafe-London and is totally committed to reducing casualties within the motorcycling community.

Colin says "If you have not yet gone abroad on a bike then this has to be put on your things to do list. I leave you with one final thought: If you have not yet been on BikeSafe and you want fun, excitement, good company and food, then this is also one for the list. Take care and see you at the Ace Cafe or The Warren".

PC Keith Johnson

Keith started his riding career at the early age of 6 years old Off road riding and Enduro. He passed Motorcycle Riding test Whilst Serving in the Army in 1978 on BSA B40.

During Army career, served with Royal Signals Motorcycle Display team "The White Helmets" and toured all over Europe with the team doing shows.

Bikes owned include BSA B40, CCM 500,OSSA 250 Trial bike, Triumph 750 Tiger. Kawasaki GPZ750r. Honda VFR 800. Honda CBR1100 Blackbird.

Tries to get away on tour at least twice a year.
Best places to visit France, Switzerland, Spain.
Travels about 25,000 miles a year on the bike.

Worst biking moment getting knocked off Police bike twice (hit from behind) at the same pedestrian crossing whilst stationary in 3 month period. Luckily it was not the same car driver.

Best bike in the world's got to be the Honda Blackbird. Its Ideal for touring Europe.

Believes he has the balance right when it comes to hobbies, wife owns a horse -"I don't ride her horse, she doesn't ride my bike".

Qualifications include ROSPA (dip) Member IAM. Police advanced driver/rider.

PC Adrian Alsop

a Adrian started riding at age six on an old BSA field bike. Progressed to an AP50 at age sixteen at the same time owning a TY250 trials bike and two speedway bikes.

Adrian rode Speedway successfully nationally and internationally until he was 23. Hanging up his racing leathers when three friends were killed in the space of eighteen months, in track incidents.

Currently rides about 40-45,000 miles a year owning a stable of five bikes. Main bike 1150 GS, if he‘s not abroad at least three times a year there is something not quite right.

Ridden in South America, Australasia, Africa, Most of Europe, including the Eastern Block, go now before it gets to westernised especially the Baltic States and Russia. Artic Circle and beyond (Nordkapp)

Worst tour getting lost in the Sahara, being chased out of Libya by armed Soldiers. Having to talk your way out of a sticky situation in Bolivia!

Best biking moments: Going away on your own pitching your tent and within ten minutes fellow bikers from other countries chat to you. Standing on a rostrum in a foreign country listening to your national anthem playing. Knowing 30,000 foreigners are watching you. Still being able to ride 1000 miles in a day.

Involved in Motorcycle training with IAM and RoSPA

PC Philip Mason

My first motorcycling experience was as a teenager being given a rather white knuckle pillion ride up the M1 on the back of a GPZ 1100. I don’t remember too much about it, as I was too scared to open my eyes, and the colour didn’t come back to my knuckles for about a week!
That was my biking career until I was seduced by the glamour of a brown Yamaha SR125, which was much like riding a lawn mower, only with worse handling.
My first “big” bike was a Suzuki GS500, which was where I first got the taste for the excitement that can only be provided by the performance of a motorcycle.
From then on a succession of worthy but not very exciting bikes followed; Diversion, Bandit, SV650, Bandit 1200 before my most favourite bike to date, a Ducati SuperSport, which unbelievably never broke down.
Since then I have endured an 18 year old FJ1200 which always broke down, a SV1000 which survived crashing at the Nurburgring and now a Triumph Tiger, which is an excellent road bike.
On the way I have done track days, race schools and have particularly enjoyed many visits to mainland Europe, where the roads are generally much less crowded than at home.
The best bit of advice I have been given? White boots are worth at least two seconds a lap!