How to impress a Japanese businessman: have him picked up at the airport by the new Airbike motorbike passenger service and whisked to your office by a highly trained driver on a Yamaha FJS 1300 ABS touring bike.
There’ll be room on the Airbike for his perfectly designed cabin baggage and laptop. He’ll be exposed to the sights, charmed by the driver (whom he can communicate with via Bluetooth intercom during the journey) and impressed with your efficiency. Then get those deal-breakers past him pronto, before he even realises he has landed. The Airbikes, which were launched last week, feel solid and are kitted out with seat backs all the way from Ohio. “We are super-safety conscious to make the customer feel comfortable,” says St John Cooke who, together with Greg Carley, has established the service, the first of its kind in Ireland, similar to the Virgin Limobikes that operate in London. Passengers must wear the safety gear and are cocooned from the elements in a helmet and protective all-in-one waterproof suit with body armour. Helmet hair is an unavoidable disadvantage, but being unrecognisable in the Evel Knievel outfit, especially if you are a celebrity, is not. You can hire an Airbike for €70 per hour, €240 for a half day, or €440 for a full day. A single journey callout is €25 plus €2 per kilometre. See www.airbike.ie or phone 086-7817811.