Elmbridge’s motorbiking grandad not ready to hang up his leathers!

31 Jan 2007

Dressed in leathers atop a sporty banana yellow motorbike, grandad Peter Parvin cuts quite a dash.

His neighbours at Elmbridge Village, a Retirement Villages development exclusively for the over 60s, near Cranleigh in Surrey, are used to the sight of Peter snaking through the streets.

“Some are horrified a 73 year old’s still riding a motorbike,” said Peter. “Others ask for a pillion ride!”

Peter’s love of two-wheeled machines began in his 20s. But, when he married Judith and became a dad to two daughters, he was forced to hang up his helmet.

“Motorbikes are great fun, but not very practical with a family,” said Peter.

But in his 40s Peter, who lived in Guildford, Surrey, realised he could save money and time commuting to his job as a lawyer in London with a multinational company by swapping the train for a motorbike.

“I kept three suits at the office and carried a clean tie, shirt and hanky in the paniers,” said Peter, who has three grand-daughters. “It was so much better working to my own timetable than the one dictated by trains.”

Peter became a founder member of the Wey Valley Advanced Motorcyclists.

“Safety’s vital for bikers of all ages,” said Peter. “I’ve had a couple of minor scrapes over the years but nothing serious.”

Since retiring Peter has ridden his bike purely for pleasure and now has a sporty Triumph Daytona.

“I’ve been to France with biker friends and love riding down the lanes around Elmbridge. Motorbikes give you freedom and anonymity. There’s no way of knowing whether the person behind the helmet is 17 or 70,” said Peter. “It makes me chuckle when people realise the guy in leathers on the yellow bike is over 70!”

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