Tim Collins, CEO of Ocean FM, talks to Patricia Weston.
Your bike? A Honda Pan European ST 1300 - because it's the best long touring motorcycle on the market. I'm on it seven days a week travelling all around the country - from Leitrim to Donegal and Sligo. It's solid and comfortable and handles so well.
Why did you become a biker? I came to bikes in my mid-40s. I took it up out of sheer frustration with the traffic in Dublin - I was spending three to four hours a day in my car. I sold the car and took up biking full time.
Your first bike? A BMW C1 - it was great. I could arrive at a business meeting in my suit, although I couldn't take the bike out of Dublin because if a truck passed me I'd have blown over. There was a lot of windage, it being a covered bike and the centre of gravity was lower. I then bought a Honda NT 650 and abandoned the idea of wearing the suit on the bike. I hate formality so the whole biking thing really suits me.
What do you love about biking? I enjoy knowing exactly what time I'll arrive at my destination. It's simply the best way to travel around. I also find it very relaxing - it frees up your mind because you can't think of anything else but riding the bike.
Taken any rider training? I did the Star Rider training and got the Silver Star. I found it very useful for gaining confidence on the bike. I'll definitely do more training in the future.
Ever had an accident? Yes, I had an accident two years ago. I assumed the driver saw me, but he hadn't. It was an expensive and valuable lesson.
What did you think of the bike test? A bit ridiculous. I had a nice guy giving me the test and he drove behind me in his car. He asked me to do a U-turn on a road without enough space for the bike - I couldn't do it without putting my foot down but I still passed. If the government is serious about rider safety, it has to look at the test.
What's on your wish list for the Minister for Transport? The government needs to do something on bike awareness for motorists. It put a lot of money into advertising seat belt safety etc, and it should do the same for bike awareness because bikes are very vulnerable. I also think the tolls pose a serious problem for bikers. It's almost impossible to stop and get your money out with the gear on.
Your next upgrade? I'm so happy with the Pan European that I've no need to think of an upgrade. It's zippy and well put together - I'm just delighted with it. The next obvious step would be the Honda Gold Wing, but that's getting into the realm of bikes that aren't bikes, so I'll stick to what I have. ...