Kevin Davey, managing director of the Trinity Institute
What's your bike? A super Blackbird - it's an 1100cc 16-valve 4-cylinder animal of a bike capable of 249km/h in third gear with a top speed of 297km/h in sixth.
Why this machine? When I decided to move on from the more sedate Honda VFR 800 I was looking for loads of adrenalin excitement and style carefully balanced with a mere hint of practicality. The Blackbird's a bit like a Porsche 911 4x4 turbo with a tow bar. It's just about the fastest bike on the road, but it's terrific in traffic and commuter situations.
Why did you become a biker? In 2000 I read in the paper that back in the 1890s Dublin traffic moved at about 11 mph whereas in 2000 it was doing an average of only 8 mph. A fundamental part of my business ethos is helping people to stop complaining and take responsibility . . . so I stopped complaining about the traffic and started to think about the solution. I also like to have control and I was beginning to feel overly influenced by external factors. I think people are only happy to the degree that they feel they are in control. I changed the only thing within my power and I went out and bought a motorbike.
Did you take rider training? Absolutely, as the owner of a training and development business I fundamentally believe in training. This is even more important when moving to a more powerful machine. I took some advanced training with Fastrack - it was fantastic to be reminded of the fundamentals of riding safely . . . little things like scanning for potholes and tramlines, avoiding wet manhole covers, not to mention car doors opening inches in front of your front wheel.
What does your insurance cost? About €520 for my bike and €1,098 for my car. It's outrageous that I have to insure two different vehicles when I can drive only one at a time. More progressive countries allow an individual to take out personal insurance which allows the freedom to own more than one vehicle.
Any family objections to becoming a biker? Yes many years ago my parents refused point blank to let me get a bike. They were always dead set against it, excuse the pun. My fiancée is anxious when I go out and is always pleased when I get home safely. In fact, now that I think about it, it's the only time she is pleased to see me.
Any scary biking moments? Yes I've had some very scary moments over the years, such as being sandwiched between two 18-wheel juggernaughts doing 70mph on a wet, misty motorway. The most ridiculous scenario of all was when I went to fire up the bike one Saturday for the first time in a few weeks; the battery was flat so I asked a neighbour for a push; after several attempts we came up with the idea of a towrope; my neighbour drove off slowly with me and the Honda in tow . . . not my best ever plan; needless to say, within seconds 250kg of bike was sliding down the avenue with me after it.
Any biking trips abroad? Not to date but some fellow-bikers and I intend to spend a few weekends in the hills and valleys of Wales - and we'll probably do the TT.
What's your dream bike? Difficult question . . . I'd have to go for something totally classy such as a Ducatti or MV Augusta. Kevin from the Motorcycle Paintshop customised my current bike to my design. I think, if I won the lottery, I'd probably sit down with Kevin and design and customise a ZXRIR Kawasaki. I'd love one!