LN, yes of course I'm taking the p**s, I'm only jealous cos I haven't got a bike. However I lost a few schoolfriends to motorbikes in the 80's and spent an unpleasant night in Casualty after bouncing of a tree on my trail bike. I have watched a lot of my colleagues buy bikes in their 40's and either scare or hurt themselves trying to recapture their youth.
The truth is that since the 80's the roads have become so much more congested and the bikes have become so much more powerful that being a biker requires a lot more care than it used to - I'm sure TC will vouch for that!
One ex-workmate of mine was a long time biker and he left the services to fly air ambulance in Essex - he said it was just so depressing picking up bits of biker from RTAs.
Safe riding chaps and watch out for those Volvos!