Anyone interested in motorbikes?

I had it as a hobby for about 10 years recently. Rode a ZR-50 and TS-125 as a teenager, never took my test, then did a direct access test in 2008 and bought a GS500. From there through TDM-900 which took me through my advanced test in 2011, to a K1300s. I qualified as a national observer with the IAM on that, did a couple of short tours in France, then traded it in for a brand new CBR1000rr Fireblade in Autumn 2016, obsessed myself over the power curve and got annoyed that I couldn't access its full power legally on a road (I could do so legally for about 2 seconds on the K1300s!) and ran out of enthusiasm for biking 6 months later. I'm now driving a Mini Cooper!

For me, I loved learning the techniques, and the "flow" state of a good advanced ride. But to be honest I got bored after an hour or so.

Hello. That's interesting. (What does an 'observer with the IAM' mean(sorry))? Why is it you think you got bored, after an hour? Envious that you got hold of a brand new Fireblade, but yes, I can see your point about getting bored, once you've mastered all there is to learn, and tried a load of different bikes out, like you did.

It means I'm qualified to teach advanced motorcycling. We get called "observers" because we follow students around and "observe" what they are doing and offer advice on how to do it better so that they can take a test that's at a higher standard than the one used to get their license.

I think it was exactly that about getting bored with motorcycling, and there was the ever-present nagging about how much it would hurt if something went wrong. Eventually I decided to leave on a high after ticking all of the boxes (how I finish most hobbies!). But I also got bored even when I was in the peak of the hobby, after being on the road for an hour or so. I get bored easily.

I used to find that the greatest cause of absenteeism amongst local young guys (& women) was falling off or crashing a motorcycle. And sure enough they would invariably arrive a few days later hobbling along on crutches. The local tradition is to try and do everything you would do in normal life on a moving motorcycle. (And I mean almost everything. And with no protection.) It is quite a laugh (I shouldn't but I can't help myself) to see someone actually riding a bike with a crutch under one shoulder, in case they have to come to a halt or have to do some drastic 'pole' steering. The more careful ones might ride pillion with crutches, but it would often be side-saddle to avoid having to get their broken leg over the seat. 

I used to find that the greatest cause of absenteeism amongst local young guys (& women) was falling off or crashing a motorcycle. And sure enough they would invariably arrive a few days later hobbling along on crutches. The local tradition is to try and do everything you would do in normal life on a moving motorcycle. (And I mean almost everything. And with no protection.) It is quite a laugh (I shouldn't but I can't help myself) to see someone actually riding a bike with a crutch under one shoulder, in case they have to come to a halt or have to do some drastic 'pole' steering. The more careful ones might ride pillion with crutches, but it would often be side-saddle to avoid having to get their broken leg over the seat.