by Ian Austen

ian.austen@essnmedia.co.uk

"Born again" bikers reviving their hobby in middle age are helping boost business for a leading motorcycle company.

Bosses at Doble Motorcycles in Brighton Road, Coulsdon, are finding the "older" motorcyclist is high on their customer list for the new Honda VFR1200 which was launched at their store on Friday.

Partners Mike Doble and Paul Styles made sure the launch went off in a big way.

In a twist for shoppers in the town centre, the bike spent much of the day under wraps on top of a cherry picker outside the store.

It was lowered with due ceremony and a blaze of laser beams at official launch time, 8pm.

More than 250 people, including 16 executives from Honda, packed the dealers' party to enjoy not just their first chance to view the bike but a supper of sausages and chips, neatly wrapped in old copies of enthusiasts' newspaper, Motorcycle News.

Entertainment was provided by Radio Mercury.

The pair believe the new bike will help kick start more interest in motorcycling.

Mr Doble explained: "We have already had a tremendous amount of interest.

"We sold two bikes on the night and a lot of people who turned up over the weekend have said they are coming back."

He added: "This is a high end of the market bike and it is likely to appeal most as a sporting tourer, rather than as a motorcycle for 'Jack the Lad'.

"We expect considerable interest from what we say are 'born again bikers'.

"We don't think we will be selling many to anyone under 40. It is enthusiasts of that sort of age who are returning to biking who have the money these days."

The partners are hopeful these high-earners will help boost the shop's profits.

Mr Styles said that although the recession had affected trade he believed the new bike would help in lifting their business.

"Like everyone else things have been a bit slow in the past year and we have suffered during the recession.

"Fortunately we have not been hit as hard as people in the car trade."

He added: "This is the bike we have literally been waiting for, for four or five years.

"It is a completely new machine."

●THE new motorcycle is a powerful machine, which has a 1200cc engine and can reach a top speed of 200mph.

It has cost around £20 million to develop.

The basic model without extras will sell at Doble for £12,000.