Motor Bike Courier Ride in London

[muswellmike]

Sounded like a CB 400. Nice riding matey. 20 yrs of courier and 6 months of calling it a day. Felt like I was riding up the A3 myself then.

[abstractduk]

i so miss having fun like that in town! nice vid : )

[Gurriers]

Good stuff man. Check out Gurriers for clips of how we do it across the water in Dublin. I've written a book about it and shot a pilot for a tv series. Just entered an online competition today for short films. I intend to bring the masses into the world of couriers!

[mientus147]

wow that's wondsworth near the brewery...

and over the river

dude, i'm a courier too, but this is fucking mad

[stopglobalswarming]

Oh man I thought he almost winged that other motorcyclist at around 30 seconds.

[kingharryannis]

I loved riding my cx500 around London ,East Anglia,rode through Europe in 1979 to florenceItaly and back .Try Naples in the rush hour it is a chuck wagon race.

[stlee74]

I could b mistaken, but it looks & sounds like a CX500 with Rickman fairing? Cos I couriered on an immaculate red one, back in the 90's! Then went onto an ST110, & 1300. After 13 yrs of riding, I now cycle/drive. Great vid! Looks scary from where I'm sitting, but we don't see all u can just from this clip! I used to ride from Battersea, along some of those roads in Chelsea onto the A4 where u did the u-turn.

[MrBarrytommy]

I used to ride to work in london day in day out in the 70's -80's sometimes i would try and keep up with these guys -no I had'nt got what its takes, never try this their Pro's

Most of my mates at the time tried courier work ,it was very hard danderous work

I spent many hours visiting them in hospital with broken legs or knee injuries but

we loved bikes and the life style.I respect the current drivers - traffic is crazy now

[LowDownBum1]

I should also say no one should attempt to ride like this. Classic excample of how not to ride so please dont!

[stopglobalswarming]

@LowDownBum1 What kind of freight is worth driving headlong into traffic for?

[LowDownBum1]

If you look in my right hand mirror you can see the enourmous camera and mount. I made the mount from sheet alli and when I was riding I was accutly aware of two things. One if I came off the alli may case a really serious injury and b if I came off the very obvious camera would get me into trouble so I was infact riding with extreem caution and slower than a normal day..

[LowDownBum1]

It's always great to get comments from ex couriers. It's beyond the imagination of normal riders that anyone could ride that quick and be judging every situation carefully and safely. I had many years of safe riding faster than the video shows. It's not sensible but it is possible with enormous amounts of time on the road. I used to have a saying that if you had a rush when riding then you are riding beyond your skill set.

[eekamoose]

I've been there and reached that level of skill too, a few years before you but also on a CX, also with a Rickman Polaris fairing. Your video was a real flashback for me, it looked and sounded just like I remember. You made a few calls I wouldn't have made myself, like squeezing between the blue van and the traffic island at 3:25 . I presume you saw the whites of the driver's eyes in his wing mirror. Despatching is not as totally suicidal as it looks to the uninitiated here, it's just dangerous.

[leakeyboy]

I commute every day, and I'm also surprised you're still alive. Slow down mate, some of those close calls aren't worth the extra 3 minutes you make up.

[raxorules]

This is an old vid and what amazes me is that u r still alive!

I used to commute from the Thames Valley into the City throughout most of the 90s into the early 2000s and used to push it myself (taken out twice but no major injuries - at least not in London!) but this is insane riding.

During the time I commuted the volume of 2 wheeled traffic increased massively and you can tell this vid is old cause not many scooters about.

Stay alert and stay alive.

[noleesk]

is that blood on the windshield?!

[mutantmongol]

divi or ntv , ?

good fun was it not ? i loved it ,

i been a pushey /125/600 i know how it is to predict , right turn , no indicator , well did , long time ago

[andrew50444]

did u meet any police some time?

[Brendenarmstrong]

reading traffic like a book. excellent riding

[EnjoyFirefighting]

awesome driving!

[myelite100]

good driveing style dude

[myelite100]

crazy

[interloperopp]

great rideing style ,you put the bike in the same place i would

tho id be a bit cautious of those oncomeing black cabs

tho that last u turn id gone st over pavement tho could be cctv cams

[engineer06onur]

Good work I am working as a delivery man these jobs are believe me very dangerous .2 weeks before I had an accident.my right foot injuried but in london never trust car drivers!they are so crazy and in this country too many people don't know how to drive...but nice video

[kwaker400]

yep... hard bit of bread... by the way friend of mine has just relese the book about couriers in Dublin... book has been created over years of his work in courier industry. name of book: Gurriers (not sure if it's gona be availaible over uk)

regards Robert

[arturscot]

respect mate.

[jollyzz]

Used to do this in the eighties there were hundreds of us its amazing how it can all come together and flow beautifully.....thanks for the memoeies!!!

[mudriden]

Ballsy!

[LowDownBum1]

Until you have expirenced being that good it it incocevable that it is possible to be that good. In actual fact the video was taken when I was quite rusty and was being super carefull because of the very large video camera strappen to my shoulder. Having said that it was a while ago and I cetainly could not ride like that safley now.

[LowDownBum1]

It's always great to get comments from ex couriers. It's beyond the imagination of normal riders that anyone could ride that quick and be judging every situation carefully and safely. I had many years of safe riding faster than the video shows. It's not sensible but it is possible with enormous amounts of time on the road. I used to have a saying that if you had a rush when riding then you are riding beyond your skill set.

[Heckthusula]

Nice run. If you rode like that every time you went in or out though, you'd eventually get nicked, have a bad off, or get rammed by one of the people you pushed past.

This is coming from someone who couriered from 1996 till four years ago :)

[MrJohnQCitizen]

is that blood on your windscreen?

[millwallmadse16]

as an ex courier i love this video, i've just watched it again before going to bed. Brings back so many good memories. I miss the thrill of riding a bike through central london every day..

[dbauernf]

Awesome video! I'm surprised it doesn't get more views! Greets from a scooter/bicycle courier!

[itsthemechanic]

Why are all you other ex-couriers here watching this vid? Because somewhere you are bored in front of a computer and you miss it, because they is no job like it in the world! Just admit it.

[xdr8390]

@itsthemechanic you are right-I was a DR for most of the eighties and miss the buzz-what was once the most dangerous job in Britain is now low wage and only as risky as carpentry-I wanted to fight in Afganistan but unfortunately am too old ...

[LowDownBum1]

Thanks my friend

[Krazer2100]

so cool how you seem to glide through every obstacel especially at 4:20

[LowDownBum1]

You would loose it hear too but no way to catch up with you. Over the years I over took fire engins first then ambulances and eventually police and once a police bike all on emergency calls with there lights and sirens on. I didn't have to speed up just not slow don for them.. Thank god I'm a reformed character. I would not recomend it to anyone.

[kingzombie01]

@LowDownBum1 why overtake??, tuck in behind and let them do the hard work.. Only grief i ever had was of the oinks. 10 years and shattered femur later - i dont miss it

[jonesy1000]

I live in Canada, and if a cop saw you doing any of this... you would most likely lose your license.

What are the laws like over there for lane splitting/filtering?

[miceandmen7]

Sensible, low speed filtering is perfectly acceptable. (It is not outlawed, so has to be proven in court as dangerously done).

In traffic jams and slow moving traffic, it is, in fact, actively encouraged and expected. The safest position for a biker is on pole.

Of course, some riders then push the rules to the limit, or even beyond....as the poster here does.....a little :)

Still a brilliant ride and control though, I would say.

[gallonchris]

how do you thing these boys make a living and put food on their table. they dont get payed to sit in traffic. it's a little different here to canada mate

[yakobsffs]

one of the greatest videos on youtube. THAT is making progress sir. My hat is off!

[molu69]

Pierdolony :-) szacun - w PL daje ci w 2 dni ;-)

[evdcelia964]

nice video i watch it sometimes before i go to work on my bike

[Peterthegmtb]

Ah this takes me back to my courier days in London. lol

[carpy1]

I moved to the states in 2000 and was a Dispatch rider for 20 years in london, MCP, Pony Express, A1, Addison lee etc. Top earner and Guarantee too, 100 drops a day, believe me people, you have to ride aggressivly to get the work.

is it dangerous? Fuck yeah!

[LowDownBum1]

I doubt anybody saw me coming in the traffic in London. Riding expecting people to see you is sure way to kill yourself. You have to ride beliving every car can't see you. For instance overtaking when something is coming the other way looks daigerous but it's safer as the car you are overtaking will not turn right or U turn weather he has seen you or not.

[roadmonitoroz]

If you rode like that here you would be knocked off your bike within the first 5 minutes by a car that didn't see you. Maybe it's different in the uk. BTW I ride.

[LowDownBum1]

Hi 93 to 96 so long time ago this I can remember Honda cx500.. I wore out the outter edges of my tires before the middle . same bike but 3 engins & I lost many drive spigots & bevel boxes. brake calipers had oval holes and rattled.swing arm moved from side to side.once did 700 miles in a day. nick name "LORRY" after carrying 5x 13kg A4 boxes of paper...The money was good but I would not recomend it to anyone. Hopefully I have more sence although still crazy on snow mobile. post video soon.

[MrB1obby]

Real nice riding, just a few questions if you dont mind because im staggered by the 260,000miles in just 5 years! lol

What Bike/s did you have? how often did you change you tyres because it would seem to me every 2 months lol How much did your bike cost in maintenance per year? How much maintenance per week did you do? Is it worth it for the money?

Thanks a lot!

[xdr8390]

Brings back the memories of my despatching career from 83 til 90,I suffer arthritis in the hips cause of getting wet and staying wet all day,on the motorway rain would force its way up and under your Rukka jacket and down your trousers!I got knocked off a few times and reversed into,hit from behind and rammed a few times deliberately,once by a taxi and once by a group of homeboys on their way to the NH Carnival-they developed some serious dents on their Saab`s bodywork a few minutes later!

[lehoom]

Great video, mate! I`ve been doing courier job for 2.5 year in London. It was a great experience, great way to gain riding skills and gain more and more hate against car drivers :-)) Now I`m back in my country. I miss couriering, hope I will go there again in next 2 years just to ride a bike and deliver items around Engalnd, I want it for just a couple of weeks to refresh my skills. Winter was a hard time, rain and cold but after couple of cold weeks You learn how not to care about it.:-))

[maddfurey]

glad you posted bike. heard they were good work horses. 1000 miles a week for 5yrs! can't even imagine what it was like in bad weather deliveries.

while i was watching i was thinking about that expression, live fast ,die young. very impressive. nice to learn from those with skills.

[LowDownBum1]

Your going to just have to trust me after 1000miles a week for 5 years at faster speeds than I dare do with a large camera on my shoulder you are unimaginably good and trust no car.

[dr0504]

Damn, that's crazy riding. Trusting the car drivers too much in spotting you.

[Daltonson]

Nice video man good riding too, hope you get to upload some more.

[LowDownBum1]

Had to cut the video down a wee bit to fit on you tube. So no delivery

[Despatch20]

Didn't see you deliver your parcel

[nickmx4]

very nice video! and very skilled riding!

i wanna be a courier, i should be starting in october :)

[freddy77777]

Top notch

[LowDownBum1]

Thanks mate please forward to other bikers

[fixedgearlondon]

omg and i though bicycle couriers were risky gd work mate

[LowDownBum1]

It was nasty old Honda CX500. Fortunutly that bike was only used for work. I had Tiger 900 for pleasure. I will be posting some more videos or other rides soon.

[miceandmen7]

Good ride. What bike are you on there?