Looking through a Govt Statistics website this morning (not for fun, its my job), and came across some 'Motorcycle' statistics, presumably based on DVLA's database. There were stats by engine size - not new registrations but total registered. It was quite interesting - the number of 51-150cc PTWs (ie 125s!) has risen hugely in recent years, though the number of 50cc bikes/scoots hasn't. The number of 1000cc+ bikes is going up, but the number of 800-1000cc (mostly sportsbikes) was going down a bit.

What I thought was particularly interesting was that 43% (nearly half) of all PTWs registered are under 400cc - yet if you read our dross bike press, you wouldn't think that as they don't bother with anything less than 600cc!

I guess there's only so many times you can say how quickly a bike gets to it's v-max of 62mph and how you got your knee down at 35mph on roundabout leading to the dual carriageway outside Sainsburys. It's just more exciting to write and read about dream machines.

But I really don't get why we don't have a similar attitude to bikes as practical transport that the rest of Europe does. Especially given the population and resulting traffic density we have on this little isle.

Its because a ptw can't be relied on twelve months of the year.
Some winters I can't use my scooter for months at a time.

For those who are wondering what PTW means, fear not - I looked it up for you, so enjoy your new Precision Targeting Workstation.

http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/PTW" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PTW Poison the Well (band)
PTW Permit to Work (UK)
PTW Powered Two Wheelers
PTW Play the World (Civilization 3 game)
PTW Pressure Treated Wood
PTW Power Trip Wrestling (UK)
PTW Play to Win
PTW Pottstown, Pennsylvania (Airport Code)
PTW Price to Win
PTW Precision Targeting Workstation
PTW Player to Watch
PTW Personal Training Weapon
PTW Prove Them Wrong
PTW Pops Tönende Wunderwelt (German: Pops Sounding Wonderland; radio show; Germany)
PTW Potassium Titanate Whisker (cellular biology)
PTW Pirate the World (online pirate game)
PTW Profesional Training Weapon
PTW Proposing to Win
PTW Precision Tomahawk Workstation
PTW Pychkine-Tews-Weinmann (cryptographical attack on the WEP encryption protocol)
PTW Participant Test Weekend (London Stock Exchange; UK)
PTW Professional Time Waster
PTW Plan to Watch
PTW Performance Tool Wilmar
PTW Prepare the Way (various meanings)
PTW Perfect Tanning Weather (Booba Jones)
PTW Party Time Watches (est. 2010)
PTW Pathways to Work (various organizations)
PTW Pull the Wire
PTW Physical Therapy & Wellness
PTW Physikalisch-Technische Werkstätten GmbH (producer of dosimetry equipment; Freiburg, Germany)