Sales Assistant Megan Douglas

Megan Douglas

Walrow, Highbridge, Somerset

Sales Assistant at Branson Girlsbike2 and second year motorcycle mechanic at college

School: Rossholme School

College or University: City of Bristol College

Motorcycle: Suzuki SV650 SK2

How long have you had your bike?

I've had my SV since the start of June this year.

Why and how did you acquire it?

I had been riding a Kawasaki EL252 since I passed my test. I had had it for six months and was starting to feel it was underpowered for the use I was putting it to. I commute from Highbridge to Bristol for college three times a week and from Highbridge to Bridgwater three or four times a week for work, as well as riding with my friends from college, most of whom also have bikes. We have been camping in Wales a few times since we met, and I was finding it hard work (and embarrassing!) to keep up with them on the motorway.

I started looking for my new bike with my Dad, and settled on the SV after looking at various bikes in the local papers and motorcycle dealerships. My friend had an unfaired SV650 that I'd sat on and felt comfortable with, so I went with the faired version.

People often ask why I have a bike instead of a car. It wasn't really a choice I had to think about; I love bikes, my parents love bikes and both ride. There are photos of me going down the garden path on the back of my dad's bike at three or four years old! Even if I didn't come from a bike-oriented family, they're still a lot cheaper to run than most cars, fun to ride, and you also get a lifestyle that car drivers don't have. Even bikers that have never met usually nod as they pass and say hello.

What is the bike like to ride?

It's great. The fairing sends the wind straight past you, not buffeting you around on the motorway as with some other bikes. As I'm not tall the screen sends it straight over my head making for a lovely ride. It goes around corners well and while still restricted it has enough power for me at the moment, and can still easily beat boy racers off the traffic lights. It's great seeing their efforts to catch up as they're beaten by a seventeen year old female rider!

What would be your dream bike?

To be honest I haven't thought very far ahead or in serious terms of what my next bike will be as I will have my SV for the next two years at least. I would like to have a ride on a TL1000, though I do have the problem of either choosing a bike with a low seat height or getting it lowered.

What bikes have you ridden in the past?

As I've mentioned I haven't had my test very long, but my first moped was a Superbyke Cruz. It looked brilliant, a miniature cruiser with a black tank and orange flames and was also geared, which was an advantage for me when I came to take my test. A lot of riders take their test after riding a twist and go scooter, but I think I would have found that difficult; having to get used to a larger bike as well as gears and how it handles. I can understand why they do though, we had a lot of trouble finding a geared 50cc that wasn't a trail bike as I'm fairly small!

My Kawasaki EL252 I bought (with my dad's help!) from the wife of a friend of his. It was the most easily accessible bike for me at the time – I was still riding my moped and was desperate to get a proper bike after passing my test! After that I bought my current bike.

When did you take your test and what was the experience like?

I first took my test a week after my seventeenth birthday, but unfortunately failed after riding in the right hand lane of a dual carriageway for too long. I took it as soon afterwards as I could (two weeks) and passed. It was nerve-wracking but once you're on the road you're concentrating too much on live-savers, signals etc. to be too scared.

What's the funniest or most quirky thing that's happened to you when riding a bike?

I don't know about funny but the memory that stands out most in my mind was when four of my friends and I were riding to Ross-on-Wye. The weather was gorgeous and sunny and you could see the haze on the hills in the distance. We were just cresting a hill when another group of fifteen or so riders caught up with us and gradually overtook, so at one point there were about twenty of us strung out along the road and climbing the next hill, with no one but us in sight.

What could be done to improve the conditions for motorcyclists in this country?

Other road users need to be made more aware of the hazards they present to bikes. For example, they need to be made aware that it isn't acceptable to pull out on bikes, whether because they can't judge the speed correctly or they just don't care. I've frequently had quarry lorries and other drivers that have clearly seen me but just pull out in front. Another situation that could be improved is when bikes are filtering through traffic. This is perfectly legal and most car drivers are fine with this, some even moving out of the way to make it easier to get through. However there are always the idiots who move to the right to block the passage through. This is incredibly dangerous to a moving bike, as are u-turns without signalling when in traffic jams or not looking in the wing mirrors when turning right.