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First bike ride 'elates' Hammond First bike ride 'elates' Hammond
(about 1 hour later)
Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond has said it was "fantastic" to ride a motorbike for the first time since his near-fatal jet-car crash in September.Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond has said it was "fantastic" to ride a motorbike for the first time since his near-fatal jet-car crash in September.
He told Motorcycle News he had taken his Honda Fireblade around the streets of London just days after being given the all-clear to ride by doctors.He told Motorcycle News he had taken his Honda Fireblade around the streets of London just days after being given the all-clear to ride by doctors.
Hammond crashed in September while filming for the BBC motoring programme.Hammond crashed in September while filming for the BBC motoring programme.
"I just can't believe how good that was," he said, although he admitted the first few minutes were "wobbly"."I just can't believe how good that was," he said, although he admitted the first few minutes were "wobbly".
Hammond suffered memory loss and needed weeks of therapy after the 288mph (463km/h) accident at Elvington airfield near York in the north of England.Hammond suffered memory loss and needed weeks of therapy after the 288mph (463km/h) accident at Elvington airfield near York in the north of England.
My naturally cautious riding temperament has perhaps gone up a notch or two Richard Hammond But he said it had not dimmed his love of all things petrol-driven, especially his bike. But he said it had not dimmed his love of all things petrol-driven, especially his bike.
My naturally cautious riding temperament has perhaps gone up a notch or two Richard Hammond
"It felt like a fantastic connection straight back to a time when I hadn't suffered a brain injury and life was a lot simpler," he said."It felt like a fantastic connection straight back to a time when I hadn't suffered a brain injury and life was a lot simpler," he said.
"That's why I ride a bike. I can come out of a TV studio or the big meeting doing grown-up stuff - but the moment I get on a bike I'm exactly the same person I was 15 or 20 years ago.""That's why I ride a bike. I can come out of a TV studio or the big meeting doing grown-up stuff - but the moment I get on a bike I'm exactly the same person I was 15 or 20 years ago."
He added: "That ride, the quick wobbly ride with me looking like a nobber, just made me realise why I love bikes and just what I started riding for all those years ago.He added: "That ride, the quick wobbly ride with me looking like a nobber, just made me realise why I love bikes and just what I started riding for all those years ago.
Hammond was filming for Top Gear when he crashed at great speed"Every ride I have ever done... they all make sense and came back to me in a split second.Hammond was filming for Top Gear when he crashed at great speed"Every ride I have ever done... they all make sense and came back to me in a split second.
"I'm finding it fairly hard to work out how I feel because just getting back on a bike has been incredible. "I'm finding it fairly hard to work out how I feel because just getting back on a bike has been incredible," he said.
"It's not like I had forgotten how to ride but I did have to really think about what I was doing."It's not like I had forgotten how to ride but I did have to really think about what I was doing.
"It still felt perfectly natural, just my naturally cautious riding temperament has perhaps gone up a notch or two.""It still felt perfectly natural, just my naturally cautious riding temperament has perhaps gone up a notch or two."