Motorbike taxis are the mode of transport du jour for the rich and famous of the French capital, and having experienced it for himself an initially sceptical Conor Twomeycan see why
THERE'S SO much about the concept of the motorbike taxi that bothers me. As much as I love bikes, I'm aware they're a somewhat dangerous way of getting around at the best of times, so the idea of climbing on the back of a motorbike during rush hour in Paris makes me very uneasy. There's a reason just about every car in Paris has some scrape or crease or scuff somewhere along its bodywork, and I'd rather my skull wasn't used to add a few more.
Secondly, I don't have any gear with me, so I'm going to be completely exposed to the elements - and not just the weather, either. There's nothing between me and the exhaust fumes, the robust exchanges between irate commuters and the surprising amount of cigarette smoke that characterise Parisian rush hour. There's no kicking back on the back of a motorbike taxi - I'm part of the action, whether I like it or not.
What's worse, I'm a rider myself and I'm simply not accustomed to being on two wheels with someone else in control. I look at the glistening shine on the road surface caused by the cold rain that's been drizzling steadily and my buttocks clench.
If I were riding, I'd be feeling out the road surface, seeing what kind of grip was there. Without that feedback I expect every white line to offer as much purchase as a bar of soap wrapped in banana skins.
And yet somehow, within 15 minutes of setting off I'm completely relaxed and enjoying the view as we cruise along the Voie George Pompidou, with the Eiffel Tower poking out of the Paris skyline. It's impossible not to succumb to the satisfaction of passing hundreds of stationary commuters stuck in the gridlock. Our Honda Gold Wing, with its 200kg human cargo, can't match the nimble scooters and supermotos flying around, but it's still able to wriggle its way through all but the tightest of gaps. We clip a few mirrors on our way across town, but this doesn't seem to bother any of the car owners. Initially my rider is quite timid, lining up behind cars in long lines of traffic, driving as if he is bringing his granny home from the hospital after a double hip replacement, but when I accidentally poke him in the back while rummaging around in my pocket, he turns around, smiles, gives me a little nod and takes off like his granny has suddenly burst into flames. It seems a poke in the ribs is code for: I'm in a hurry - we can drop the charade, monsieur!
The rain doesn't seem to slow him down and I'd be quite concerned about this were I not too busy remarking to myself about how warm and dry I am. Before we left, I was given a long winter coat and an even longer waterproof jacket, and after I climbed on the back of the bike a heavy, waterproof and wool-lined blanket was thrown across my legs. Gloves are also available and my flip-face helmet has a disposable liner to keep things as hygienic as possible.
The company I'm travelling with is called Motocab, the biggest motorbike taxi operation in Paris, but there are a number of other companies offering the same service around the city. The concept is pretty new, with the first motorbike taxi company starting up as recently as 2000, and Motocab arriving on the scene in 2005. It's growing rapidly, though, as word spreads and more and more cash-rich, time-poor executives are using the motorbike taxi to shave hours off their commutes.
At the start of the year, Motocab had a 22-bike fleet but by the end of 2008 it'll be closer to 50. Motocab's success is down to the quality and diversity of the service it offers - parcel deliveries, airport pick-ups, daily commuter appointments, last-minute dashes across town - and the reassurance clients get from a superb safety record, well-maintained Honda Gold Wings, experienced riders and, thankfully, full medical insurance.
It's the mode of transport du jour for Paris's rich and famous. Not only is it fast, convenient and door-to-door in a way no limousine can offer, it's also environmentally responsible and about as cool a way to arrive as you can get short of getting a piggyback from P Diddy.
As the Motocab zips past another long line of traffic, I contemplate how grim my commute could have been. My hotel is located a stone's throw from the Louvre but the Paris Motor Show is all the way across town - 13 Metro stops away. Getting to the show earlier that day took me more than an hour and that was walking briskly in trainers and comfortable clothes.
When I left the show that evening it was 6pm, traffic was chaotic and it should have taken at least an hour-and-a-half to get back to my hotel, but instead we rolled up only 25 minutes later.
In fact, one of the reasons the Motocab service is so popular is they guarantee travel times.
There are downsides, of course, apart from the element of risk that comes with every bike ride. For one thing, the riders don't speak a lot of English. It's also pretty costly - there's a flat fee of €35 regardless of where you want to go in the city - that's tough to justify when things are quiet, perhaps, but on a day like today you'd easily rack that up just sitting in traffic in a normal taxi with the meter running. There's also minimal space for luggage - you'll get a medium-sized rucksack or travel bag and maybe a laptop bag into the Gold Wing's top box but anything bigger cannot be accommodated.
I'd also like to see how well this gear would manage in a downpour - it's fine for the light shower we rode through but I've a feeling I'd get rather damp if the heavens opened.
The ride back to my hotel was over almost as soon as it began (it cut my commuting time by two-thirds) and even though my chauffeur wasn't hanging about, he took no serious risks.
I might have had reservations about it before I gave it a go, but having experienced the comfort and convenience of a bike taxi for myself I can't recommend it highly enough.
It's more than fast and convenient - it's also enormous fun. Can you ever imagine a world where your trudge to and from work becomes the highlight of your day?