I never found the bike any quicker overall for general commuting – was quicker when moving, but 15 minutes of faff at either end of the ride – kitting up, warming the bike up etc. Didn’t save any time overall between breakfast and starting work. – unless I was going into Bristol where the morning traffic was awful – in which case I’d have access to the bus lanes and could skip loads of traffic.
Took my test back in 1999 – cbt then some sort of direct access course, passed my test on the Tuesday, picked up a Triumph 955 on the Saturday. Great times – went all over the country on it, watching racing, going to track days etc.
After the kids started arriving I sold the triumph and went green laning where I lived in Wiltshire – really really good fun, and a lot safer. Put supermotard wheels on an enduro bike and again took it on racetracks – awesome pieces of kit.
Just cycle these days – but I do miss riding a motorbike…..