NAOMI MORTON Insurance receptionist.
What was your first machine? About nine years ago my brother gave me his Yamaha Passole 50cc moped, top speed 35mph. He had inherited it from our mother - she paid £800 for it in 1983. By the time I got it, the tyres were bare, the faring was in bits and most of it was held together with brown tape.
What attracted you to motorbikes? My father drove motorbikes all his life - my brother and I inherited the bug. My parents never discouraged us. It was really just a natural progression. I love the freedom, zipping in and out of clogged traffic and, with all my gear on, I'm usually warmer and dryer than those who get the bus. When I get married we're going to leave the church on the back of a custom-made three-wheeler Harley and probably have a crash helmet shaped wedding cake.
What is your current machine? After the Yamaha I moved steadily up from 50 to 90 to 125 to 250 cc. Now I drive a Kawasaki ER 500cc - it cost €6,000 last March. I had a few extras fitted - top box (which can carry a week's shopping), protective crash bars, alarm and immobiliser, front screen to prevent me swallowing flies, gear indicator and a lower seat. I don't think I've gone overboard.
What about insurance? Fully comprehensive on a full A licence cost €700. Insurance is a sore point with bikers. I'll say no more, considering my occupation.
What do you use your bike for? Weekdays for going to and from work and on weekends I use it for pleasure. I recently got a pair of fluffy dog ears attached to my helmet.
How much do you spend on gear? If you fell off a scooter the road would be just as hard as if you fell off a Goldwing. So I've always spent a good bit on safety, no matter what I was driving. I have a padded, Kevlar protected jacket and wet pants (€600), leather gloves (€45), helmet (€225) and fluffy dog ears (€15).
What's been your longest journey? I drove from Dublin to Clare with my fiancé in March - he drives a Bandit 600S. It took about four hours, going at a leisurely pace, but I was rather saddle-sore when we got there.
Are you treated differently by other bikers because you are a woman? Not in the slightest. There is an unspoken code a biker has to follow, male or female, small or big bike - never cut in front of another biker, acknowledge each other's existence on the road. All sorts of people drive motorbikes . . . judges, pilots, corporate executives. Gone are the days of the greasy, unshaven, dangerous long-haired biker. I'm a biker, who also happens to be a woman. I like that.
What's your next bike likely to be? My dream bike is a Triumph Sprint ST 995cc, but I think my next bike will be a Kawasaki ZR 700. It's like the ER but with more torque and, obviously, more street cred.