By Steve Cook, TAB Franchisee, Edinburgh
I first rode a motorbike when I was about eight years old, on a mate’s farm track somewhere in the middle of nowhere. I couldn’t tell you what kind of bike it was. I just remember the feeling — the noise, the freedom, the thrill of being in control of something that demanded every ounce of your attention.
It never really left me. Motorbikes have been a part of my life ever since. And yes, I’ve had my fair share of bumps along the way, but nothing’s ever quite comes close to the way riding clears my head. It’s my therapy.
When you’re on the bike, you’re focused. You’re not thinking about meetings or emails or the million other things pulling at your time. You can’t be on your phone. You can’t be distracted. You’re in the moment, fully committed. It’s the only place I know where random thoughts and background noise genuinely disappear. That kind of clarity is rare, and when you find it, you hold on to it.
Twenty years ago, I had a serious crash. A 4x4 drove straight into me, threw me in the air and shattered a lot more than just my leg. Ribs, confidence, time. I was in a bad way. Apparently, after the accident, I told the paramedics I’d give up bikes for good. Must have been the morphine talking.
By the next day, still in the hospital bed, I’d already spoken to the insurance company and was figuring out what to buy next. I wasn’t done. Not by a long shot.
That moment taught me something that’s stuck with me ever since. If something really matters, you get back on with it. You push through the pain, soak it up, and keep going. It might take time. It might hurt. But the things that are worth it usually do.
And that mindset has helped me through plenty of other tough situations in business and in life. Maybe not quite as dramatic, but the same principle applies.
People think of biking as fast and risky, but actually, it’s all about discipline. You’ve got to be on your game. The bike has to be right, your focus must be sharp, and you’re always thinking ahead — reading the road, anticipating what might happen, planning for it.
That habit of looking a few steps further forward shows up in the way I work too. I’ve always been someone who likes to prepare properly. Whether it’s mechanical, structural, or just getting out the door on time, I don’t like surprises. I build in contingencies, probably to an annoying degree sometimes, but I’d rather be early and ready than rushed and reactive.
It’s the same with my TAB members. That long-range thinking, that ability to spot problems before they land, is one of the most valuable things I can bring to the table. And they know how much the bike means to me too. I’ve turned up to plenty of 1-2-1s on two wheels. It helps me move quickly between meetings and keeps my head clear between sessions. Win-win.
Running a business is demanding. Everyone knows that. And in the early years especially, there’s a temptation to believe that taking time out is selfish. But I’ve learned that it’s the opposite.
When I’m on the bike, I come back better. Calmer. Clearer. More useful. That hour or two of headspace can make the rest of the week sharper. It resets something. I suppose my advice to any business owner trying to balance a passion with the pressures of the day job would be simple — Don’t lose sight of what matters. Protect the things that help you think clearly.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is get on the bike and disappear for a bit.
There are a lot of memories I could share, but one stands out. Not long after my accident, with my leg still only about 70% healed, I was told by the hospital I might need another operation. I declined. Instead, I left the appointment, went to the racetrack, did a full track day, then came home and packed for a week-long road trip around Scotland.
No route, no schedule, just me and the bike. I didn’t tell the surgeon. Or my mum. But it was one of the best things I’ve ever done. It reminded me that freedom and recovery can go hand in hand. That sometimes, you’ve just got to trust yourself and get back out there.
If there’s one thing I hope people take from this, it’s that life will throw stuff at you. Accidents happen. Plans go sideways. But don’t lose touch with the things that make you feel alive. Sometimes the best things in life come just after a bump in the road.
You just have to hold your line, stay focused, and ride it out.