David Burke, owner of Western Pet Supplies
Your bike? BMW R1150GS
Why this particular bike? I like its 'go anywhere' capabilities; from back roads, dirt tracks to motorway touring. It's nine-tenths of every bike I've ever owned and most definitely the best bike in the world. I suppose everyone says that but I think it truly is.
Why the desire to become a biker? It's a culmination of function and the desire to live life to the full. It's hard to beat that feeling of freedom. I've always been fond of travel and there is simply no better way to see the world or feel the world go by than on a bike. I could almost tell what part of France I'm in from the smells.
Were there any family objections to your riding a bike? Looking back now my mother was none too happy as any mother would be but she has accepted it well.
Do you worry about your safety? Sometimes I do. I've just realised that I always say a prayer before setting off on a journey. I can't seem to remember ever doing that before a journey on four wheels.
What do you use your bike for? I use it a lot during the summer. I also use it to make calls to pet shops and garden centres for my work. I can make far more calls than I would normally do in the car. I just throw a laptop in the top box and off I go. I also use it for camping weekends away in Ireland and trips abroad.
Had any accidents? Yes. A Labrador crossed the road in front of me one night. I squeezed the brakes and the front wheel locked up. I low-sided off the bike and skidded on my jacket for about 50 yards finally landing in the ditch only to see a cloud of sparks flying down the road towards me - it was my bike! Thankfully it flew past me. I suffered road rash on my back for a while but no major damage except my pride. I got a feeling after that which was quite unusual; I was never so glad to be alive. I got a lick off the Labrador too!
Do you follow motorcycle sports? I've been to the Le Mans 24- hour bike race and, of course, the North West 200 many times.
Tell us about your trips abroad? At this stage I'm a veteran of the European Tour. I love the feeling of arriving in Cherbourg with nothing between you and your destination but thousands of miles of twisting country roads. It's a feeling that's hard to top. I've done the European tour at least 10 times now, visiting Greece, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and many other places. I'd strongly recommend the Alps and Corsica to any motorcyclist.
Why do you think bikers share that special bond? I guess it's just a communal feeling of riding close to the wind that makes bikers look out for each other on the road. It always amazes me how friendly people are to bikers in Europe. I travel mostly on my own and it's nice when people approach you and ask where you came from and where you're going. They seem to have a greater spirit of adventure than we do here in Ireland. Of course, a greater proportion of central Europeans own motorcycles than we do here in Ireland so in many ways this probably accounts for the interest and friendliness afforded to visiting motorcyclists.
Any issues for the government? Many of our roads are not bike friendly. Cats Eyes and concrete road dividers make for unpleasant and dangerous biking. Our roads are not good for bikers, at least not here in the West of Ireland anyway.
Any tips for survival on two wheels? Always stay in view of the mirror of the car in front of you. In other words make sure the motorist sees you and always drive with your lights on.