Courier questions

GearboxGeezer · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Karma :

Just some quick questions I would like answered.

1. What age do you have to be to be a courier
2. What is considered to be the best bike for coureing ( I spell that right? )
3. Do you get linked up to some sort of radio channle thing and get called apon when to make a pick up or somthing? or do you sit in an office and wait your turn or what?
4. If your a courier how much do you normally make a day, and how much do you get paid per job? ( obviously its hard to say the how much you work a day unless your paid by the hour. )

Tarmacsurfer · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Karma :

Yup. The first sign of summer.
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I'm immortal. Well, so far.

Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

summer? , I ride in all weathers , I'm interested in this thread as my career is seriously faltering , and this is a serious alternative , riding all day long risking life and limb has got to be better than loading vans/moping floors/stacking shelves for £5.05 an hour

GearboxGeezer · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Karma :

Paul@125power · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 01 Mar 2006 Karma :

My uncle used to do that in London. He said the best bike he used was a Honda goldwing, he used it as the one he was using at the time was begin serviced and MOTed. He said it is good when spending all day on the M25 and other motorways due to its lower end torque, it eats the miles up and doesn't feck ur back and doesnt give you a sore arse.
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If at first you don't succeed.....destroy all evidence that you tried.

Yamaha YQ100 (RIP)......Honda CBR125R

southlondoner · Scooby Slapper Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Karma :

you wanna ask "luxy dj" who comes on here sometimes. hes a bike courier in london, he used to do it on a gixxer ( Laughing

) but now he uses a cb250.
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-southlondoner-
2002 Honda CG125

Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

actually there are a ton of threads on becoming a courier , you just have to use the search function

Sickpup mentions a list of bikes he uses and recommends on one thread ,

while a few others regale the tales of I remember .......

while a few others generally try convince you out of it..

LUXY DJ · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Sep 2005 Karma :

now the cb is being replaced for a aprilia sr(back to peds again Razz

..work related tho)

1: 21 & over majority of time(insurance purposes)

2:went thro this aswell & thats when it was said a cb or cg 125 or 250 but did that & bike was weak & a flop all in all gonna use scooter now

3:av radio & wait LOCAL but were ever & they call you when theres job & if your next to go on bike plot(list)

4:ALL DEPENDS! on what job some places i think do a flat rate take home but mainly its what YOU earn

i love riding round for a living ITS GREAT! Mr. Green

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GSXR750
(FAR FAR from standard) www.gixerjunkies.net

Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

via the magic of the search button

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=73347&highlight=courier

stories

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=70865&highlight=courier

what bike shall we courier on?

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=70916&highlight=courier

how to be a courier

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=67605&highlight=courier

the life of a courier

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=65074&highlight=courier

do couriers really make £500?

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=39098&highlight=courier

do something other than couriering

carlnicholson... · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Mar 2005 Karma :

I tried to insure the KLE for courier use, it was £1800 just for the bike insurance, then I had to sort goods in transit cover and public liability.

Rough calculations showd me that it would be a fucking huge effort to make it even slightly worthwhile. I now sit around doing nothing for £20k a year. Much more to my taste. Wink

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"THOSE WHO RISK NOTHING, DO NOTHING, ACHIEVE NOTHING, BECOME NOTHING."

extreme3d · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Dec 2004 Karma :

This should help:

https://www.couriertraining.co.uk/

Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

extreme3d · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Dec 2004 Karma :

sickpup · Old Timer Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

veeeffarr · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Karma :

Is something I'd love to fantasise about doing, but never do practically, I could never keep up with the maintainance.

Sadie · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Karma :

I'll try to put you off for one reason only ... money!

I used to do the accounts and tax returns for a courier mate of mine.

The first year I did it I told him it was costing him money to be a courier, but he said it had been a bad year.

The second year we worked out that he had spent £3K maintaining the bike, £3K on fuel and about £1.5K on insurance (he was 34 and had been a courier for several years).

I managed to persuade the tax man to "donate" £3.5K back to the man, but he decided after looking at the figures that it wasn't a job he could continue to work at.
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With experience comes age.

KevlarPants · Nova Slayer Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Karma :

Somewhat related, I think the program was Dangerouse Driving on men and motors or something like that. Had a segment on a courier in London. Bit of a nutter. Actually rammed a taxi in that last bit of the segment (not on purpose I think).

Anyway, he said he was hoping to get out of it as the rise of email etc meant there was less work for couriers (i.e. people emailing documents, photos and whatnot).

Would be interesting if any other couriers here agree with that.

I must admit I have at times thought it'd be great to be out on the bike all day, especially on a beautiful sunny day like today. But I don't doubt its seriously hard work.

akaDAVE · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Karma :

The company I work for employ a couple of couriers full time and use other bike couriers.
There still seems to be a demand for it despite the rise in email and sending files over FTP site etc. I imagine thier hayday was in the 80s. I see them come and go all day past my window and on days like this I think I could get jealous but on a dark rainy day it would be a different prospect riding through london traffic all day tired. bloody dangerous infact.
I do see a few who use a GSXR600, an R6 and a Fireblade, they look very odd with a huge box attached!
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GSXR600

danzai66 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Karma :

i saw that as well.

he reckon he'd pretty much used up his 9 lives....crashing at the end of the programme didn't help!

i commute every day into london and 2 half hour trips are enough for me thanks.

i get to work and have a nice cup of tea, gaze at the knockers clustered round the photocopier and go for a long dump.

that'll do me thanks Very Happy

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Ridey, riding a Black '08 CBR600RR

curryfishball · Nova Slayer Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Karma :

i only did it for 6 months from last august to feb. just needed a career break. met quite a lot of the experienced guys, they said in the 80s they were taking home 8-900 quid before fuel etc, but nowadays nearer 500. for me on a good week back then, 500 was possible, but average was around 400. there are some companies that were better, but i liked working with the controllers in the company, they were quite friendly.

on average, i would close call once a day.

did it on a cb500 and a gixer 600.

for money wise, probably best to use a 180 scooter and only do london jobs, if you do around 25-30 jobs a day at 3.65 each, its not too bad, plus the petrol would be cheap.