James Gilmore, Autotote Worldwide Services
Your first machine? A 1993 Yamaha Virago XV 750, a smaller version of my current one. I bought it for £2,800 in January 2001. Except for a very short ride on a 125 cc when I was 18, I had no bike experience. When I had the Virago delivered to my house I didn't even know how to start it.
Did you get lessons? A couple of days later a friend called to give me my first lesson. I rode 130 miles across four counties that first day and I haven't looked back since. I loved the feel of it, the low centre of gravity gave me loads of confidence as a beginner, very important when you start out. I felt I had got a new lease of life that day.
What attracted you to motorbikes? I've been drawn to bikes since I was a kid. It's a combination of that awesome power between your legs, releasing it by just rotating your right wrist, the complete freedom as you ride through country roads, and the ability to overcome traffic tails.
Why did you wait so long to get your first bike? Family reasons mainly - there was always something more pressing to spend the money on when you have four kids.
Any biking heritage in your family? Not really. I brought my Dad to see a 250 cc bike when I was 16 growing up in Co Mayo. I was really keen to buy it but he was dead against it. He said he'd buy me a car if I didn't keep going on about the bike. I kept quiet about the bike, but I never did get that car.
How did you persuade your wife to let you have the bike? That's a long story. She kept telling me to wait until the kids finish college. But, when I turned 40, I said to her it's either the bike or a blonde - you decide. I got the bike a short time later.
What do the kids think? Three of them love it - they often ride with me. But one of my daughters - she's 15 going on 27 - thinks "old men" shouldn't be out riding motorbikes.
Your current machine? A 1999 Yamaha Virago XV 1100 . . . I bought it last year for €8,400. Beautiful bike - it was imported from Germany with very low mileage, but I'm changing that very quickly.
What attracted you to this particular bike? I love the Virago. The XV 1100 is very easy to ride for a big cruiser, with plenty of power when you need to overtake quickly.
What do you use your bike for? Pleasure and more pleasure. I have a country ride to work so traffic is not an issue. In just over two years I've clocked up nearly 20,000 pleasure miles.
Your next bike? I'd love to buy the new Pan-European, but also have a cruiser as well. I'm not sure yet what I'm going to tell my wife to get her around to that idea.
Your longest bike journey? My friend Joe, who rides a Honda Valkyrie F6 1520 cc, and I decided to do 1,000 miles in one weekend in the summer of 2001, just for the hell of it. We left Mullingar around lunchtime on a Friday, headed for Sligo and decided to ride with only one rule: Atlantic on the right, Ireland on the left. We came home from Cork via Kilkenny arriving home at 10 p.m. on Sunday after 14 hours in the saddle that day. I certainly enjoyed one long hot bath that night. Our next trip this summer will be the complete 32 counties in one weekend. We have the route already planned and the money we will raise will go to charity.
Your dream bike and dream trip? If money was no obstacle I'd do a David Beckham on it and have a garage full of the top bikes, including a Suzuki Hayabusa 1300 (the fastest production bike in the world), the new Harley V-rod (for the sunny days) , the new Honda Goldwing 1800 and the new Pan European. My dream trip is definitely the USA coast-to-coast which I will do no matter what before my number's up.
Ever had an accident on the bike? Yes, it was on my first bike. I was doing only 30 miles an hour in a built-up area and a kid follows a dog straight out in front of me. I only remember hitting the brakes and next I knew I was on the ground. Thankfully I didn't hit anyone. The kid ran off laughing. I bruised my hip a little, light scratch damage on the bike. I was very lucky. I was riding again the next day.