In 1986 at the age of 16, I bought my very first motorbike, which was a 1981 Yamaha RD50 which was black with red mag wheels. I went everywhere I could on it. It gave me my first taste of independance. I learned alot about how engines worked and mechanics as it broke down regularly, but was never hard to fix. Ever since the day I bought it I knew I had found something special, for me.
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| The bike that started all this. Yamaha RD50 |
A few years later Col bought his first motobike which was a Suzuki GS 100cc which he owned for a while and then swapped in for a Yamaha RD125. He also had been bit by the biking bug.
For the next 11 years neither of us could afford to run a car, pay a mortgage and have a motorbike, but always talked fondly of owning another, but this time we would do the bike test first, so we could ride a larger engined bike.
One Saturday evening in 1996 Col told me that he had just past his bike test, after the 2nd attempt, so I saved every penny I could so I could do mine. Unfortunately in the time it took me to save up the £300 to do my test, 1997 happened and the law changed, so I had to do extra things such as a Theory Test and CBT before taking a weeks lessons and the test.
My test took place in September and it was raining for most of it. I turned up in a borrowed leather jacket and helmet, only to find the examiner had not got a motorcycle to follow me on. He wanted to cancel my test and rebook it for another day, but the instructor whos bike I had borrowed told him that his training bike was booked up for months and I wouldnt be able to use it, so the examiner said I will follow you in the car.
He looked daft with his helmet on sat in the car and told me I would fail if I laughed at him, but I knew I could get through places that he couldn't and used that to my advantage, only stopping when he said, '' I cant see you, please wait at the next safe place for me to catch you up!''. I did lots of waiting for him over the 30 mins i was out, but on return to the test centre I was told, well I couldn't see you for 50% of the test but the bits I saw were very good, so I am pleased to tell you you have passed!!
Two years later I was suprised to hear from my brother, that he wanted to do his bike test. He had not owned a bike/moped when he was in his teens like Col and me, and I didnt think he was interested in bikes until that day. He passed his test first time, and bought his first bike soon after.
In 1998 Col rang to tell me he had just bought his first big bike, A Kawasaki GPZ 500S. He turned up on it one afternoon and that was it I had to get my bike as soon as possible. I saved for months until I could afford to buy a bike off my cousins husband Ian. It was a Yamaha TZR250. I was on the road. After 2 years of owning the TZR a chap who I worked with who was into motorbikes told me his bike was up for sale, I had admired this bike of his since the day I first saw it, so I thought its time to go bigger. The bike was a Suzuki GSXR 1100M, which was a massive jump in power and performance to the bikes we had been riding. Over the next 12 months Col decided that his GPZ was no longer a match for my bike so upsized to a Honda Fireblade. Jon for a while owned my old TZR but soon realised it was far lacking the go of the other 2 bikes and bought a Yamaha Thunderace and Everyday Superbikes was born.
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| The first bikes of Everyday Superbikes |
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| Our first trip to Germany. Me (Phill) Right, Col Left and Jon Centre (2006) |
My Suzuki unfortunately had many problems in 2004 which meant it had to go. Jon was changing his Thunderace for a brand new R1 so we traded the Suzuki GSXR in and I bought his trusty old Thunderace, which I enjoyed owning for 4 years. In 2008 Jon wanted to swap the R1 for a Suzuki GSXR 1000, so as the R1 was and still is my favourite bike I couldn't do anything other than part with the Thunderace and buy his R1.
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| The next bunch of bikes on the Isle of Man 2004 |
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| Ready to go at Olivers Mount 2009 |
Mark has ridden with us on a number of occasions, but the weather has to be very good for his bike to come out of the garage.
Rich past his bike test in 2011, and has bought his first big bike, so wants to come on some of the days out with us. I am sure this is so he can pick up tips for the fantasy league!
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| The Riders and bikes of EDSBK 2012 Road Trip left to Right Rich, Jon, Col & Phill |
We currently have visitors to the website and our Youtube channel from all over the world and the site gets visitors everyday.
The Trips for the past 4 years were done in a van, we found it more convenient and civilised when travelling 800 miles in 1 day.
Our group has had some new faces come and go, Jon Still has his bike in 2019 but its not been out of his garage for 4 years. Rich changed his ZX636 for a 2006 Fireblade, Mat joined us with a ZX10 and changed to a troublesome Fireblade which he swapped for a BMW. He had a crash and gave up biking. Rich sold his bike the year after leaving just Col and myself.
Col had a serious crash in 2018 breaking his shoulder, arm and leg, writing off the black Fireblade he had been riding for 5 years. He has got another Fireblade a 2006 model so there starts the next chapter of EDSBK.
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| The bikes of the EDSBK 2013 road trip. Left to Right Jon's GSXR, Col's new for 2013 04 Fireblade, Phill's R1, Rich's ZX636 |
To Contact EDSBK email:- phire_blade@hotmail.com
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