London couriers?

[Katman]

Any ex-London Bike Couriers on here?

[Taz]

Cary couriered in london.

[James Deuce]

Courier carried in London?

[Taz]

Courier carried in London?

Yeah:weird:

[T.W.R]

Metaldogz_70 was one for 7yrs :crazy:

[Usarka]

Do they survive long enough to use the internets?

[hellkat]

I are well versed in London Courier culture (and couture, LOL)
I did it for one week, couldn't hack it :laugh: ... mr hellkat done it for 23 years on and off, before packing it in about 3 years ago.
Lots of our mates still do/are.
Fookin' mad bastards, the lot of them :love:

[Katman]

Fookin' mad bastards, the lot of them :love:

Aye, I only lasted 4 years. :msn-wink:

[James Deuce]

Ahhh, that explains it!

You're not the chap I knocked off on the Hangar Lane Gyratory are you?

[hellkat]

Grrr, Hanger Lane! That place freaks me out more than Hyde Park Corner!

[Usarka]

London couriers do not survive.

At the very least their mental health doesn't :msn-wink:

[SKIDA//00]

Any ex-London Bike Couriers on here?

hell yeah i rode for courier systems for 3years,rode bmw r850....
awesome time craving up the traffic,,,think i left a few un-paid fines for speeding thru hyde park and battersea park...lol...oh well....

[Sam I Am]

I managed to do 8 months cycle couring there....

[Jacko2]

Yeah, my girlfriend ("twiglet" on here, doesn't post) did about five years, in the days of the CX500.

[hellkat]

courier systems

*hissssss*

My No. 1 chaperone spent a fair while working for them over the years, sometimes as a night controller, other times on the vans. I think the last time he was with them, he left before he felt compelled to deck somebody in the accounts department for trying to keep back his last week's wages. I think he and CS have a love/hate relationship with each other :laugh:

He once dropped a controller at Reuter Brooks, left their employ, and then was asked back two weeks later - the controller turned out to be an arse, and was sacked anyway.

[Katman]

I have a mate here in Taupo (that's right people - I do have one :msn-wink:) who worked for Courier Systems. I worked for Cannon Couriers and Clockwork.

[madbikeboy]

Any ex-London Bike Couriers on here?

I think I can explain your KB personality a bit better knowing that - and I'm being kind here - when you're in a situation where there is danger all the time, once you leave that environment you're still looking for it. When I was living in the UK in 1991 (that kind of ages me doesn't it?) the Gulf War (aka Bush's little dick causes war, part 1) was raging. A squaddie and a London courier had the highest rating for risk for insurance companies for life insurance at that point...

Sobering thought, you were just as likely to be maimed or killed despatching or fighting in a war.

And, I can confirm Katman has friends, he's on my friend list.

[Pussy]

And, I can confirm Katman has friends, he's on my friend list.

And mine...... :niceone:

[old git]

YEP, still alive and kicking.............and with the same bike....no shit, the old girl is a bit tired with 300,000k's on the clock but i just can't sell her.
In the days before computers{early 80's} i took print plates from Fleet street London to Glasgow for the sunday papers, left London at 5pm sat eve and rode there and back every other saturday for a few years amongst other jobs.
Only got mangled twice doing it! and a lot of minor scratches, and killed a couple of bikes along the way before i decided the xs1100 was best.

[Katman]

I always thought Deadline and Dead on Time were shocking choices of names for courier companies.

Working as a courier made me feel more alive than any other time in my life. Every day was an adrenalin rush - even the days of rain, hail and snow when you could get to the point of just wanting to sit down on the side of the road, put your head in your hands and cry.

Riding for entire days where the temperature never got over 5 degrees was common in winter. Taking wind chill factor into account could see temperatures down as low as minus 10-20 degrees. Riding through freezing fog could see a 5mm layer of ice form on the front of your jacket.

[madbikeboy]

I always thought Deadline and Dead on Time were shocking choices of names for courier companies.

Working as a courier made me feel more alive than any other time in my life. Every day was an adrenalin rush - even the days of rain, hail and snow when you could get to the point of just wanting to sit down on the side of the road, put your head and your hands and cry.

Riding for entire days where the temperature never got over 5 degrees was common in winter. Taking wind chill factor into account could see temperatures down as low as minus 10-20 degrees. Riding through freezing fog could see a 5mm layer of ice form on the front of your jacket.

And now you live in the warm paradise that is... Taupo...? I'd have emmigrated to Dubai. :)

[Katman]

And then there were the black cabbies (who hated us with a vengeance) who would take off their fuel caps and go around roundabouts spraying diesel over the road specifically to catch us out.

[madbikeboy]

And then there were the black cabbies (who hated us with a vengeance) who would take off their fuel caps and go around roundabouts spraying diesel over the road specifically to catch us out.

But the pay and the challenge made it worth it... ?

[Katman]

But the pay and the challenge made it worth it... ?


The pay could be very good. I got to the point where at our busy time (over winter when all the softcocks gave it up :oi-grr:) I was taking home 600-700 pounds per week. Never managed to bring any of it back to NZ though - we worked hard and played harder. :msn-wink:

[Pedrostt500]

Ive got a Cousin in the Naki that was a London motorcycle courier in the 80s, he ended up riding his bike down to South Africa, from London.

[madbikeboy]

Ive got a Cousin in the Naki that was a London motorcycle courier in the 80s, he ended up riding his bike down to South Africa, from London.

Did he wear those floatation thingees on his arms? Was it hard swimming with the bike?:bleh:

[Katman]

My mate here in Taupo had a job once (at the height of one of the IRA's bombing campaigns)to deliver to an address in Horse Guards Parade. He parked (illegally), went in and delivered the package and when he came out there was a policeman standing beside his bike. The cop pointed up the road to a soldier manning a security checkpoint and told my mate that the soldier had told him if my mate had broken into a run after he parked the bike he would have been shot.

It was a freaky sensation to have a rolling security checkpoint pull up in front of you and suddenly be confronted by four soldiers with machineguns trained on you.

[madbikeboy]

I was living in Kuala Lumpur for a while, during the outbreak of Bush's small dick part 2 - (aka the gulf war). Malaysia is a Muslim country, and they were hosting the Muslim Heads of State conference. I was walking from my apartment to work in KLCC, and I was at an intersection where one road sort of merged to another. Anyhow, a motorcade was about to roll through, and a young chinese guy in a volvo started to run the intersection. There were some cops on bikes, some SUV's, and then a couple of stretch Lexus.

The first cop on bike simply steps off his bike and starts pulling his gun off his chest, and starts shooting at the volvo. I was just standing there, so like all the other Gwai Lo, I dropped my bags and sort of stayed still. SUV screeches to a halt, guys jump out with longs, a couple of them point guns at me and the other westerners, the rest start shooting the shit out of the Volvo. Motorcade screeches by, and then they all get back in the SUV and fuck off.

Chinese guy literally pissed and shit himself, had to be carried from the car as he was bawling so hard, from whence he was duly arrested. He was having a bad day for sure.

Two lessons from this:
1. If you're getting shot at, choose a Volvo, they're fucking bulletproof, and
2. If you're going to run an intersection, make sure that a bunch of gun toting crazy fuckers aren't going to object.

:dodge:

[Pedrostt500]

yup geuss the floaties worked, hes still got the BMW
Did he wear those floatation thingees on his arms? Was it hard swimming with the bike?:bleh:

[madbikeboy]

yup geuss the floaties worked, hes still got the BMW

Good stuff - those BMW's are indestructable - have you ever seem them in Paris-Dakar?

[Eddieb]

Any ex-London Bike Couriers on here?

Yep, 18 months through the IRA bombings in '96 & '97. I was at Canary Wharf a couple of hours before they blew that area that up.

[Katman]

Yep, 18 months through the IRA bombings in '96 & '97. I was at Canary Wharf a couple of hours before they blew area that up.

I was there at the same time. Who did you ride for?

[Eddieb]

I was there at the same time. Who did you ride for?

Square Moves on the GT550's, and you?

[Katman]

Square Moves on the GT550's, and you?

Post #16. You probably wouldn't have noticed us - we weren't made to wear bibs. :msn-wink:

[Eddieb]

Post #16. You probably wouldn't have noticed us - we weren't made to wear bibs. :msn-wink:

:) I did 3 weeks for Courier Systems also, in that time I suffered 3 lemon bikes and a 50% drop in income so I went back to Square Moves.

[90s]

London couriers do not survive.

And yet here I am ...


At the very least their mental health doesn't :msn-wink:

Ah, replied too soon ...

Still, I only did a little bit casual ... I was more suited to commuting through London than racing through it ...

[Pedrostt500]

He meet up with some of the Paris Dakar racers on his way down to South Africa, there was a photo of his bike taken by a photo jurno that made it onto the front page of a few World News Papers, he tells the story better than me though it is his story.
Good stuff - those BMW's are indestructable - have you ever seem them in Paris-Dakar?

[xwhatsit]

London courier -- what a wicked job :D OK, maybe not acutally doing it, but if you want to bandy around silly phrases like `real biker', surely that would be an applicable situation.

I'd love to try, not sure how I'd do though. At least in terms of making money! I'm fairly gentle with my filtering ;)

[Andystructible]

Hi Guys - I worked for Canon Couriers, started in Oct 1989 until Dec 1991. Can't believe what we got away with in those days.
Nickname was Frank and call no. was 11 (if anyone out there remembers) When I started with them they only had 30 riders, when I left over 100.
Good times !!!

[sinfull]

This is a gold dredge !

285753

[Katman]

Hi Guys - I worked for Canon Couriers, started in Oct 1989 until Dec 1991. Can't believe what we got away with in those days.
Nickname was Frank and call no. was 11 (if anyone out there remembers) When I started with them they only had 30 riders, when I left over 100.
Good times !!!

You would know my mate Sean then. He was one of their originals.

[cheshirecat]

Late 80's for me. Ended up with Motorcycle Messengers city stuff, lawyers merchant banks. Went back a couple of years ago and it seemed so tame 'cause of all the surveillance cameras. Seemed the late 80's the bus was in decline. Boy I learnt how to survive pretty quick. really strange but I miss the cut and thrust of London traffic.

[cheshirecat]

London courier -- what a wicked job :D OK, maybe not acutally doing it, but if you want to bandy around silly phrases like `real biker', surely that would be an applicable situation.

I'd love to try, not sure how I'd do though. At least in terms of making money! I'm fairly gentle with my filtering ;)

Our company had a phrase "gone by lunchtime" for newbies. Ask anyone here about their first few 10/12 hour days.

[Andystructible]

Yeah Katman - I travelled from Oz back to London with Sean Kay in 1989 and he got me the job at Cannon. We all lived in a squat in Elephant & Castle a few years before that. Knew Sean for years.

[Road kill]

My mate here in Taupo had a job once (at the height of one of the IRA's bombing campaigns)to deliver to an address in Horse Guards Parade. He parked (illegally), went in and delivered the package and when he came out there was a policeman standing beside his bike. The cop pointed up the road to a soldier manning a security checkpoint and told my mate that the soldier had told him if my mate had broken into a run after he parked the bike he would have been shot.

It was a freaky sensation to have a rolling security checkpoint pull up in front of you and suddenly be confronted by four soldiers with machineguns trained on you.

I wonder why the people with the guns are so paranoid ?

You'd think they would be the most relaxed being armed an all,but that doesn't seem to be the way.

Anyway,forget it carry on.:mellow:

[Twentypercent]

I was a cycle courier for 6 years, early 90s. I did about 3 months on a GS125, and made less cash, so I went back to the pushie.
I hired the bike new from a place in Acton, got CBT, and then put about a zillion miles on it before I sat my full license test.
Loved every minute of it...great lifestyle.

[Katman]

Yeah Katman - I travelled from Oz back to London with Sean Kay in 1989 and he got me the job at Cannon. We all lived in a squat in Elephant & Castle a few years before that. Knew Sean for years.

Sean lives just up the road from me now. I mentioned your posts to him today.

[kinger]

I wonder why the people with the guns are so paranoid ?

It's not paranoia when fuckwits with home made explosives, and highly effective ones, are taking every opportunity to blow you up.
I remember the joys of crawling on hands and knee to check my car EVERY time I'd left it alone in public.

[pritch]

There's a guy a few doors up the street from me has a KB nick but doesn't post. Was talking to him the other day and he was saying he was a courier in London.

I stayed at the London Union Jack Club in '94. No parking in any of the adjacent streets and security guards with double doors. You were stuck between the doors while they sized you up. All of which struck me as a bit funny really because most of the cleaning staff were Irish judging by their accents.

[bigreddog]

CX500 about a million laps of the south circular and about a dozen crashes....crazy days.:niceone:

[cheshirecat]

CX500 about a million laps of the south circular and about a dozen crashes....crazy days.:niceone:
Ah the CX500 and bloody 'ell that S circular.

[mattsdakar]

I couriered for Premier Couriers based in Camden for two years 99-2000 after my work permit ran out (wasn't ready to come home)
Usually rented a Honda CB400 or Honda Bros when not travelling overseas, good times and great money back then.
Have fond memories of blasting all day and big pay packets, (best week was 1200 pound) but also have memories of motorway punctures in middle of night/middle of no where and riding through snow ice and hypothemia
I heard that after 911 you couldn't make anywhere near the money as security checks now take up so much time getting into buildings etc

[Katman]

I couriered for Premier Couriers based in Camden for two years 99-2000.
Usually rented a Honda CB400 or Honda Bros when not travelling overseas, good times and great money back then.
I heard that after 911 you couldn't make anywhere near the money as security checks took up so much time getting into buildings

Yes, even before 9/11 there was always a running battle with security guards.

"Sign here please".

"Take your helmet off please"

"Sign here"

"Take your helmet off first"

"Ok, I'll just use the name on your badge".

[Eng_dave]

Don't know who they rode for but I've heard the war stories. It finished up with my brother getting mangled and four steel pins in his leg, and a 30k payout from the insurance company at that point he packed it in. Numerous bike were ridden to death by the two of them I still remember going round to their house and seeing a engine in the bathtub. But the only one to survive was a BMW k series 700. Loved that bike and yes i know its ugly. Oh their name was Maurice and Alan Wacks if anyone remembers them they also ran a house with a three week free stay in Walthamstow shakespear rd. Very popular with the new to London.

Don't think i've heard of anyone else doing it for as long as they were. Specially Alan.

[cheshirecat]

Yes, even before 9/11 there was always a running battle with security guards.

"Sign here please".

"Take your helmet off please"

"Sign here"

"Take your helmet off first"

"Ok, I'll just use the name on your badge".

Had a delivery to Buck Palace once and it took forever to get through security. Had the pleasure of parking the bike right next to a copper by the front gate then the long walk across the courtyard escorted by the red Busby folk resisting all temptation to walk in step.

Mind you better than delivering to the Barbican any day. No one can hear you scream there.

[Katman]

Had the pleasure of parking the bike right next to a copper by the front gate then the long walk across the courtyard escorted by the red Busby folk resisting all temptation to walk in step.


Yes, I remember that walk well.

I could just tell that all the tourists peering through the fence wanted to be me.

[Runt]

Yes, I remember that walk well.

I could just tell that all the tourists peering through the fence wanted to be me.

Actually they wanted to be me - you must have had your helmet on and fooled them
-Canon 13

[ellipsis]

It's not paranoia when fuckwits with home made explosives, and highly effective ones, are taking every opportunity to blow you up.
I remember the joys of crawling on hands and knee to check my car EVERY time I'd left it alone in public.

...likewise...yet the security that poked and prodded and held us up always seemed to be after the fact...I missed being a casualty by fuck all when I'd arranged to meet a mate outside the McDonalds they blew up...we were a couple of pubs down the road having our first pint when it went off...looking back it seems a bit surreal living with all that shit...it just seemed a pain in the arse at the time...