“How One Split Second Changed My Life”.

For those of you who do not know me personally, I want to introduce myself.

This is a look at who I am and what I get up to under the brand "The Basic Biker."

My passion for motorbikes started at a very young age. When I first rode an XT500 in a field in South Africa at just 14 years old, I was instantly hooked.

Then, about 20 years ago, it happened!

I was en route to Edinburgh, filtering past queuing traffic at temporary traffic lights on an A-road in Livingston, West Lothian.

I was definitely travelling too fast in the oncoming lane. You can probably guess what happened next.

A driver turned right out of the traffic to do a U-turn. She wanted to head down an off-ramp she had just missed. Neither of us made it to work that day. I hit her car directly, right between both side doors.

The impact created several tons of pressure. The force snapped the clutch side of my bike like a clapperboard trapping my left leg against the car. And knocked the centre hub right out of my front alloy wheel. The momentum spun my torso, slamming my right foot against the bar end. When I separated from the bike, I flew over the car. I landed on both knees 35 metres down the road. I could have died at that moment. Somehow, I managed to commando crawl into safety off the tarmac and waited for the ambulance.

“ I Could Have Died At That Moment “

The damage was severe: three breaks in my left leg, nine breaks in my right foot, and two broken knees. I was incredibly lucky to be alive. I spent six months in a wheelchair and another six months with callipers on my legs. After endless hours of physiotherapy, I finally got back on a bike.

Within two years, I travelled to Cardington and qualified as a DAS instructor at the DVSA Academy. I made it my lifelong mission to educate riders to the highest and safest standards.

Many years later, my wife passed away.

And to pull myself out of the darkest of places, I decided to give back to the one thing that had never left my side: the motorcycle community.

That is how "The Basic Biker" was born.

It started as a simple diary to track my miles. Soon, it morphed into an entirely different beast. Riders began asking questions, and I used my experience to give them the best advice possible.

Today, the brand is still growing.

My relationships with The British Motorcycle Federation, One Split Second, and Trauma Rider motivate me to do better every day. I also proudly support DocBike Avon and Somerset.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years, and thank you for taking the time to read my story.

I hope by reading this, you get an inclination of how much I am dedicated to rider skills and safety. Because I truly am.

Committed to your Safety,