Your bike: Aprilia Scarabeo 500cc
How long have you been a biker? I've been riding bikes since 1963 for my job as a courier. The Farmer's Journal purchased all my bikes over the years. I'm the oldest courier in town but when I retire very soon I'll be hanging up my leathers and there'll be no more bikes for me. I will certainly miss them because I've had a lot through the years.
What was your first machine? My first bike was a Prima scooter. It had a box on the back to carry parcels. It was a 125cc and it was a dreadful thing to ride. I then progressed to a Heinkel 175cc scooter. It was great; it was years ahead of its time.
The next one was a BSA 250cc single cylinder, then I had a BSA 500 and a BSA 650 which was a disaster. I then got a Norton Commando, which were all the rage in the seventies. I was doing big mileage then so it really showed its faults to me.
I then moved onto an MZ 250cc and had a few of those very successfully over six years. I got into Kawasakis after that and I had nine in total. I think they're the best-built bikes in the world. I had 650s and 550ccs. They never broke down on me, which is an incredible record for a bike. The 550 was a wonderful machine, a great workhorse.
They stopped making them and I wanted a shaft driven bike and a bike with a big faring to protect me in all weathers so I opted for the Aprilia Scarabeo.
How has biking changed over the years? The power element has been blown out of all proportions. The technology has changed a lot down through the years. Rider's attitudes haven't changed but the machinery really has. The tyres are superb nowadays and the gear is great. The volume of traffic was zero in the sixties compared to today. Nowadays there's barely room for a bike to get through the traffic!
Why do you think couriers have a bad reputation? In my opinion the majority of motorcycle couriers are good, the reputation is all wrong. I'd say it's because he's gone past and through the traffic so the car driver stuck in traffic gets annoyed because he isn't moving.
Why do you enjoy riding a bike? It's wonderful. The freedom is fantastic. You're riding by the seat of your pants; it's the nearest thing to riding a horse. It's all about feel and instinct. I get a great feeling from riding a bike. Every time I fire up the engine is just like the first time, it's such a great thrill.
Do you follow motorcycle sports? I used to watch the road racing but when I had kids I got into the football with them instead.
Have you had any accidents? Last year for the first time in my life I had an accident. It was 90 per cent my fault, I just didn't see the car come out and I slid down the road. I was lucky, only my pride was damaged!
Any tips for safe riding? Make sure you have good tyres and good mirrors and use your mirrors constantly. Maintain your machine. Be respectful of motorcycling because you are so vulnerable on a bike. You get a false sense of security in a car but on a bike you have to be aware of the dangers. I wear all the gear; good gloves, leathers, the fluorescent bib and a back protector.
- Patricia Weston