My Life in Bikes: Dave Myers

One half of television’s Hairy Bikers, Myers is a lifelong motorcycle nut, with a seriously eclectic bike history.

How did you get into biking, and what was your first bike?

I first rode a bike when I was about four, I think. My dad had a BSA Bantam he rode everyday, and he used to stop down the bottom of the hill and let me sit on the bike in front of him and steer it back to the house. My first bike was a Ural Cossack Mars Mk3 with sidecar, which I had at Goldsmith’s College in London. I only had a provisional driving licence, and was so green to riding when I got it that I didn’t realise the reason it kept stalling was because I wasn’t pulling the clutch in at junctions.

Name the bikes you’ve owned

After the Ural was a Honda Benly 185, Yamaha XS750, Yamaha RD350 bored to 400cc by Stan Stephens, Harley-Davidson Tourglide, BMW K100LT, Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk1 and Mk3, Guzzi California Mk1, Yamaha V-Max, Harley Heritage Softtail Springer, Suzuki GS1000, Hesketh V1000, Benelli Tornado, Benelli Tre-K, Aprilia RSV1000, Aprilia Falco, Moto Guzzi California Vintage and Griso, Suzuki Hayabusa and an MV Agusta MV F4 750. Oh, and a KTM 990 Adventure which I bought after the show series had finished filming. And a Hog Heaven custom bike I had built. Owning motorcycles is a bit like murder; it gets easier after the first few!

What’s in the garage at the moment?

The KTM 990 Adventure, Guzzi California Vintage and the Hog Heaven bike. I just sold the Hayabusa as I wasn’t using it.

Which has been the best?

The Yamaha XS750 was great, I used it so much it just wore out. The Benly was good, but I crashed it into a Jaguar XJ6 and wrote both of them off. I got fined for driving without due care and attention. The RD350 was a great bike too; anti-social but good fun. The RT was great for the dispatch riding I was doing at the time. My Guzzi Le Mans Mk1 was lovely, too. Oh, I can’t choose one!

If you could buy one back – which would it be?

The MV Agusta F4 750. When I sold it I was 18 stone and didn’t really fit on the bike. Now I have lost all the weight I think it would suit me a lot better. And the Le Mans Mk1.

If you could have any bike in the world what would it be and why?

I would have to be a Vincent Black Shadow. I have always loved the look of them; and the noise they make. I had the chance to buy one a fair few years ago. I think it was about £20,000, which was too much for me at the time, but when you see the prices now I wish I’d bought it.