Summer fun: should I swap my convertible for a motorbike? 

This is my 2010 Mazda MX-5, and it’s my favourite car I’ve ever owned. I’d never had a convertible before, but after the first top-down drive I fell in love with open-air motoring. I remember taking my Dad out in it for the first time, and he said something which got me thinking.

“This reminds me of when I had my motorbike.”

I’d always had a passing interest in bikes, but I’d never taken the plunge and actually learned to ride. But with my newfound love for open-air motoring, now seemed like a great time to give it a go.

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Motorbike vs convertible: getting started on two wheels

I had never so much as sat on a bike at this point, so the first step was to book a CBT – which I did through the Honda School of Motoring. CBT stands for Compulsory Basic Training, and it’s essentially a day out with an instructor where you learn, well, the basics.

You can start with zero biking experience, and over the course of the day you’ll learn the controls, go over the highway code and spend two hours out on the road followed by an instructor. By the end of the day, provided you complete all of the modules to a satisfactory standard, you’ll be ready to start your solo biking journey. A CBT only permits you to ride a bike up to 125cc in capacity, though, and you’ll need to wear L plates the whole time.

Motorbike vs convertible: Riding a bike for the first time

After a morning of getting to grips with my two-wheeled steed, I hit the open road for the first time, with my instructor talking to me on a headset to make sure I didn’t do anything stupid.

Having been driving cars for the past 10 years, I went into this thinking it would be easy. It wasn’t. My first hour or so on the road was fraught with dodgy gear changes, jerky stops and a rather wobbly turn in the road manoeuvre, but after a while I started to get the hang of it.

And once I did, I realised that riding a bike is nothing like driving my MX-5 – it’s much more exhilarating. 40mph felt like 100mph to me, and the feeling of exposure is far greater.

That did unnerve me somewhat. A decade spent with a metal cage around me made me feel quite vulnerable on a bike, and it didn’t help that the dinky 125cc Honda I was riding was maybe not best suited to someone as big boned as I am. I did feel a bit cramped.

Annoyingly, it was towards the end of my time on the bike that things really started to click, and I went from being mildly terrified to actually enjoying myself. The road to the test centre was a twisty back route, and wringing the neck of that little 125cc engine was actually quite good fun.

Motorbike vs convertible: comparing it to my MX-5

So, how does the bike compare to my beloved Mazda? Obviously I feel more comfortable in it, but the MX-5 isn’t as exciting as a bike.

With the Mazda you do still get a similar open-air experience, and even more wind in your hair because you’re not wearing a helmet. It’s great fun to drive as well, with a rev-happy 2.0-litre engine and precise steering making it a joy to chuck down a country road.

But ultimately, the bike was exciting at very low speeds, whereas you need to be pushing on in the Mazda to get similar thrills. Granted, this would probably change as you get more biking experience, but I can see how it becomes addictive.

The other obvious difference is practicality. I didn’t buy the MX-5 for hauling people around, but I can at least take a passenger and a weekend’s worth of luggage with me. A provisional bike license means you can’t carry a pillion passenger, and you’ll be limited to whatever you can fit in your backpack.

Motorbike vs convertible: final thoughts

But this isn’t about practicality, it’s about having fun. The bike certainly set my pulse racing more than the MX-5 did, however I’d need to spend more time riding to build my confidence up before committing to two-wheel life full time.

This was my main takeaway from the CBT – it’s a starting point. You are not a biker after completing your compulsory basic training, you’re merely ready to start learning to ride.

And there are costs associated with that beyond just buying a cheap bike. The gear you need can be quite pricey as well. Get yourself a decent helmet, jacket, trousers, gloves and boots and you’ll easily spend £1,000. It’s not something you can cheap out on either, because you’re talking about life-saving kit here.

So am I going to sell my MX-5 and buy a bike instead? At this point, no. It’s too big of an investment for me considering I didn’t come away yearning to do it again. It was a great day out, but I’d be pretty peeved if I spent a load of money on bike gear only to decide I prefer cars instead.

I’m still glad I did it, though, and maybe I’ll revisit biking in the future if I’m in a position where I have more disposable income. If you’re unsure on whether biking is for you, go out and book your CBT. It’s not that expensive, with prices ranging from £150 to £200, and the training centre provides the bike and all the safety kit you need.

Even if you don’t decide to pursue biking full time, you’ll learn valuable skills which will translate to driving your car. Getting an idea of the challenges faced by bikers has made me much more aware behind the wheel. It’s a great string to add to your bow.

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