Name: Barney Andrews | Age: 37 | Occupation: Police Officer
First bike?
Yamaha RXS100
Current bike?
BMW R1200GSA LC
Dream bike?
The one that I’ve got
Most expensive motorcycle accessory?
Luckily my current bike came with every conceivable accessory, so I haven’t needed to buy anything for it. However, we do now have an Apple MacBook Air that travels with us. It enables me to connect the GoPro or SatNav in the evening over a beer and download videos, check routes etc. It’s just the sexiest piece of technology.
Lifelong ambition?
To build my own house with a double garage big enough for a choice selection of bikes. I’ve always liked the idea of a cave similar to the one that ‘Airwolf’ lived in, but I’m not sure it would suit my wife so well!
Ideal Travel Partner
Not to get people reaching for the bucket but I married her in November. Bryony and I do everything together, she has the brains and I just ride the bike.
Most Dangerous Motorcycling moment?
I’ve had a few hairy moments but the one that sticks out is a brake failure in lane two on the A30 while travelling well into three figures. I was running a training course and was travelling back to base when a van decided to move across to lane two without looking.
Fortunately, I had been anticipating something along those lines and had throttled off, but I still needed to apply some brakes. As I did so, I was a little surprised to find that I didn’t really have any. It was no fault of the manufacturer, rather an overlooked ‘check’ from a recent service.
The other moment that springs to mind is when the steering stem snapped on a loaned Yamaha Passola moped. I was 14 years old, with a mate on the back and we had acquired the sorry machine for thrashing around the fields behind our houses.
On this occasion, we had a baked bean tin taped to the back, spouting fire, and were flat out downhill when I lost all feeling in the front. The handlebars, cables and the top half of the stem came completely loose in my hands leaving us riding handsfree and totally out of control until it finally disintegrated under us. We still have the scars today.
Most memorable motorcycling moment?
Being parked up at the top of the Stelvio with my good mate John, Bryony and the bikes that took us there. The view, and the feeling of being so utterly insignificant cant in comparison to the terrain.
What do you miss most when travelling?
It’s always going to be five-year-old daughter (Moo) who lives with her Mum.
If you could meet any person, dead or alive, and ask the one question, who would it be and why?
I’ve actually always fancied meeting Tom Hanks. He just seems like a top bloke. As for a question, it would be “fancy a pint?”
Favourite crap joke?
Why does Snoop Dog carry an umbrella? Fo Drizzle
Write a personal dating ad for you and your bike
Non-stereotypical GS rider with GSOH requires like-minded lady who owns a large boat and perhaps an 1299 Panigale. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours?
Want to be featured?
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You can’t say fairer than that, eh?