I’d rather talk about bikes than boats. I’ve been riding motorcycles since 1965. The bikes have included a 250cc BSA C15 that taught me about mechanical breakdowns, a 650cc Matchless that almost killed me at the age of 19, various reliable Hondas and Yamahas in the 70s and 80s, a Kawasaki GPZ1100 whose performance you simply couldn’t ignore, a 1979 Triumph Bonneville T140 and the star of Good Vibrations (see Books) a Harley Davidson Soft-tail called Black Madonna. I’m now astride a Yamaha FJ1100. It’s a workhorse and I often ride the hour and a half to London on it. It’s big enough for me and keeps me dry and with heated grips I don’t feel much pain in winter.

I’m wondering where to go from here. The trouble is I’m 6ft 6in and there’s not many bikes out there that fit me. If you’ve any ideas, let me know.