Riding makes me feel alive; it connects me to reality like nothing else. I’m out there experiencing everything around me, senses heightened in self-preservation. Unlike other road users, I’m not distracted by modern gadgets.

My mobile is tucked away safely, I can’t check social media, don’t want to listen to music, or chat with a passenger. I’m ‘just’ out there riding. My mind is clear of the 24-hour society we live in. Put a crash helmet on, jump on a bike, (or scooter) and you can escape reality, whilst at the same time living life to the max.

1. Gadget man?

Of course, there are gadgets available if I need them, I can use Bluetooth for music and to connect a mobile, I can also use an intercom to speak to my pillion or other riders in a group but I prefer to leave these things off my kit list if at all possible. A sat nav is one gadget I do use for longer journeys but other than that I’m free of technical constraints. Other than being free there are plenty more positives to riding and the more you do it the more you’ll benefit from them in all areas of your life.

2. Time is tight

Time is ever more important and there aren’t many journeys that can’t be done quicker on two wheels. It’s not all about outright speed though; a 125cc scooter is just as quick through busy traffic as a 1000cc sportsbike. Smaller capacity machines are light, agile and nippy enough to get through and beat the traffic.

If your commute is a busy one you’ll certainly benefit from leaving the car at home and switching to two wheels. You can guarantee, pretty much to the minute what time you’ll arrive at your destination, a broken down car, minor accident, temporary traffic lights or other problem on the road has very little effect on journey times (and stress levels) when you can nip through the traffic. Meanwhile, your usual bus, taxi or car is stuck miles behind. Frustrated passengers furiously tweeting and updating their statuses, blood pressure rising by the minute…

3. More miles to the gallon!

That journey on two wheels will save you money as well, how much are you spending per day on travel costs? If you’re using public transport it can be £10 a day on bus fares alone, that’s enough each week to pay the finance on a new 125cc scooter and still have enough cash left over to put petrol in it. The money used on a regular train journey could buy you a mid-capacity bike in less than a year. How much fuel does your car use per week and how much do you pay for parking? Most modern cars will do between 40 and 50 to the gallon; a fair amount of that fuel is burned whilst sat stationary in traffic. Most bikes up to 125cc can do around 100 miles to the gallon quite easily, for instance, this Vespa Sprint 125 does a claimed 145mpg, three times as many miles to the gallon as your boring car and it’s much more fun.

My advice to you is to get yourself onto two wheels, and stop just thinking about it – do it. It’s not rocket science, see our recent blog about Getting on the road Motorcycle Training Once you’ve got out there and overcome the trepidation you’ll love it, we promise.

I hope this article has given you some inspiration to get out there and ride...

But before you hop on your two-wheeler and go, it is important to remember to have the correct insurance. If you do have your own motorcycle or scooter you need to insure - make sure to get a motorcycle or scooter insurance quote direct with Lexham!