Ian has been a member for many years and lives in Sonning Common near Reading, Ian has worked in computer software development for nearly 40 years.
For the last decade or so he was working on software to stream video over cable networks to set top boxes. This has been changing from streaming to interactive devices in recent years.
Ian started riding a motorbike the weekend after his 16th birthday and moved onto a BSA Bantam D14/4 as his first bike. ‘With hindsight that was a terrible bike. In under a year I part exchanged it back for a D10 which was much better’.
Ian’s current bikes are a R1200GS/LC and K75S. ‘I have owned the K75 for years, it’s been my main bike, then winter hack. It’s done 107,000 now and I’d trust it to get me anywhere.
‘The GS is great, it does everything better than the K (except filtering). But I enjoy both even though my annual mileage doesn’t justify owning two bikes’
Over time Ian has owned several other BMWs, an R100RT with auxiliary lights, way ahead of its time and a K100RT.
‘Much as I love my GS I would really like an RT if only they did a smaller/lighter version than the current model. However I am addicted to the shaft drive, so not an F900 based model.’
Ian joined the Oxford club in July or August 1980. ‘I was about to do my first trip on my R45 and I didn’t have luggage. At Hughenden M40 they said they’d give me a discount on panniers if I joined the club.’
‘When I think about notable rides, I can recall in 2020 with Andy Barrett we were booked to visit the IOM for the Southern 100 road races. The races were cancelled because of C**id. The IOM reopened its borders just before we were due to go and we decided to go anyway. Roads on the IOM were very quiet compared to usual and the weather was abnormally good. It was the best trip to the IOM I’ve ever had and I really enjoyed it!’
‘One of the great things about being a motorcyclist is the advantage that can be gained while commuting. I did this most days for 40 years and avoiding the traffic has to be the best thing. It probably saved me about 5 hours a week for the last 10 years. Now I’ve retired I still prefer traveling by bike but I’m more wimpish about the weather!’
‘However on the other side, as we all know, there are lots of downsides to motorbiking! Wet weather, very hot weather, slippery roads, storing helmets, luggage space – I could go on.!’
When not on two wheels, it would be possible to find Ian in the sky! ‘I started flying microlights in the late 80’s and now fly a small plane just enough to keep current. However my main interest is folk dancing (think advanced barn dance). I run a group every week and organise a weekend event as well as attending a lot of other dances.’
(The featured image shows a rather young Ian on his Velocette Viper Vline without touring fairing, added rear sets and flat bars – image taken circa 1973.)
