What bike do you ride?

A 1954 BSA B33 How long have you had the bike?

This bike I have made up from bits I have had in stock for years.

How much did it cost?

£1,500.

Why did you get this particular bike?

The majority of my biking years have been on twin cylinder machines and I just fancied having an old British ‘plodder’.

What do you like most about it?

I like the tractability of the engine, meaning I can ride around mostly in top gear.

What irritates you most about it?

That I have to kick-start it and with advancing years and a ‘dodgy knee’, it is becoming increasingly difficult.

Is it good value for money?

Yes it is. Because it is classed as an historical vehicle, I don’t have to pay road tax, and at my tender years the insurance is not crippling.

Does it have name?

Yes, when it won’t start! Not in the Classic Bike Guide.

What is your favourite memory of the bike?

The first time I started it after a complete rebuild.

What is your worst memory?

Don’t have one, every memory is bliss.

If you could own any vehicle, what would it be?

A G50 Matchless which I could ride round Mallory Park circuit on, a superb little circuit which I have ridden round in the past with exhilaration.

What was your first bike, what did it cost and how long did you own it?

A 1955 James Colonel which I bought in 1959. The total cost, if my memory serves me right was £70 (in those days hire purchase agreements required 10 per cent deposit).

I had managed to save £6 for the bike, but needed a further £1 to make up the 10 per cent deposit for the initial payment, but my rise was not due until the following week, so I had to borrow the £1 from the wages clerk! I owned the bike for about three-and-a-half years.

l Tell us about your vehicle. Do you drive an old banger which you can’t live without? A reliable motor that gets you from A to B? Do you drive something unusual or extravagant? If you drive a car, motorbike, van or truck and want to tell us about it please email cwalker@oxfordmail.co.uk