Fanthorpe: "I love the freedom"

"But these aging bikers think they can still do it. They buy a superbike and within days they are off it. In the vast majority of the accidents no other vehicle is involved. It's rider incompetence."

The DSA is so concerned they have launched a nationwide campaign aimed at middle-aged rusty riders urging them to at least take lessons before risking their necks.

Freedom and power

Latest figures show that there were almost 2,500 under-30-year-olds killed or seriously injured. That compares to more than three thousand for the 30- to 50-year-old age group.

So far the Reverend Lionel Fanthorpe at 67 years of age has managed to stay aboard his 1,300cc Harley Davidson. Behind his white collar the Cardiff based pastor who wants to go faster is still something of a rebel.

"I am with those riders with the leathers and bandanas. I love the freedom and the power of the bike. I think of my bike as a thing of beauty," he says.

Sales of superbikes - that's 600cc to 1,300cc- have risen by 350% over the past 10 years and Manchester salesman, David Herd sees middle-aged men itching to buy the best and climb aboard.

"It gave me a bad feeling knowing I had sold a superbike to a bloke who killed himself within days. I found that there were times when I didn't want to sell these machines to customers whose experience was obviously lacking," says Herd who now sells more sedate �13,000 Harley Davidsons

Three weeks ago the AA named the A 537 Cat and Fiddle road in Derbyshire as the most dangerous road in England. Its 12 miles of twisting tarmac taking on 18 left and right hand bends and draws bikers like a magnet.

Speed limits

Tommy Bird, landlord of the Cat and Fiddle pub, says the road has claimed several of his customers.

"There's something about the speed limits up here that remind you of the Ten Commandments - they're all broken," says Tommy.

"But many of the accidents are not about speed but about bikers who cannot handle their bikes. I see men in their 50s in here every weekend with bikes bigger than their egos. It's their Viagra."

Three times British Superbike Champion Niall Mackenzie now in his 40s is the grand master of the motorcycle smash. In biker's language he has "laid his bike down" more than 400 times.

That resulted in 8 broken ankles, 2 broken scaphoids, six broken wrists, three broken legs, most fingers and toes and 12 concussions.

"As I fall I say a quick prayer that I'll be all right. Once I'm on the floor in a crash I pull my arms and legs in as much as possible because it's when they are flailing about that they get dislocated or broken.

"As soon as I stop I don't move. I prefer to collect my thoughts and wriggle my toes and fingers to see if they are OK."

His advice to born again bikers who want to give their machine a thrashing - Don't Do It On The Road.

"There are plenty of race tracks about and instructors who can give one to one instruction. The worst you can do is end up in a sand pit. Remember it is fear that keeps you alive. Without fear you're going to end up in a bad way."

Born Again Bikers, the Five Live Report, can be heard on Sunday 10 March at 1205 GMT on BBC Radio Five Live.