Ian Taylor, chief technical architect, Microsoft Ireland
What is your current machine and how much did it cost? I've a Honda CBR 600 which I bought 18 months ago for €10,000.
What attracted you to this particular bike? The CBR 600 gives me the best compromise between performance and across town commuting.
What attracted you to two rather than four wheels? I've had bikes since I was nine-years-old. My first bike was an NSU 50 that I used to ride around the garden at home. I've been dipping in and out of bikes ever since. When I've been without a bike for more than about a year the bug starts to bite, and I'm drawn to the local bike shops again. What attracts me is the fun element of biking, beating the traffic is secondary.
Are you likely to change your bike in the future or are you happy with what you've got? I'll definitely change within the next few months. I've my eye on a Honda Fireblade. It's a bit more radical with quite a bit more power.
What do you use your bike for? Commuting when I need to go into the city, but more importantly for the Saturday/Sunday morning spin with the lads to Laragh and track days in Mondello Park.
How much do you spend on bike gear? Too much. If you want to get kitted out properly you're looking at a helmet, the best you can afford, a set of quality leathers, gloves and boots. There wouldn't be a lot of change out of 1,200. €
Have you ever had an accident on the bike? I fell off earlier this year for the first time in over 20 years. It happened on a streaming wet night about 500 yards from my front door. The scary thing is that I have no memory of how the accident happened, and I came to in Casualty wondering what was going on. I really don't know what happened, was it my fault? Did a car hit me? There was nothing broken. I was wearing good quality gear and I got out of it with a sore thumb and damaged pride. Even the bike wasn't badly damaged, only replacement plastic parts were needed. All I really lost was about an hour of memories.
Have you taken any trips abroad on two wheels? I've been to Britain for British Superbike races for the last few years. My bike is not an ideal tourer but it copes pretty well.
More people than ever are now taking to the road on two wheels, why do you think this is? Cutting down on the commute time is the main attraction. Also people who've had bikes in the past and have some spare cash are looking to recapture their youth, not me honestly!!!
What you do think is the bond that links bikers closer than motorists? The guy who picked me up after my accident and pushed my bike home was a biker, thank you whoever you are. On weekend spins passing bikers acknowledge each other as they pass. Maybe it's the element of danger shared. The bottom line is that bikes aren't just transport.