MCE: So Garry, why the R6?
GH: To be honest, I was always a CBR600 man. Prior to the R6 I had two - first an 06 plate, then a newer one. Unfortunately I've had a run of really bad luck - I've had 5 accidents in 18 months!

MCE: Wow, that IS a run of bad luck. What happened?
GH: You must think I'm a really bad rider, but honestly I'm not. In the first crash I was cut up on a roundabout by a BMW M3 (what else?!), then, 3 weeks after my bike was repaired, a lady drove into the back of me at the traffic lights! Unbelievably, when I was still on the courtesy bike from that accident, a car ran a red light and knocked me off again! Then, when I got the CBR back (all fixed), I came round a roundabout to find a load of boxes in the road. I tried to avoid them but ended up on my back again and, this time, the bike was written off for good. At this point my previous insurers started quoting me silly money. But luckily I found MCE!

MCE: That's good to hear.
GH: Yeah - they were a hell of a lot cheaper AND they were really down-to-earth to deal with. But it's not all been plain sailing. Soon after I took out my MCE policy, another guy pulled out on me and wrote my NEW CBR600 off!

MCE: Are you winding me up?
GH: No, honestly! Luckily he admitted liability straight away and his insurers, with a little gentle persuasion from the guys at MCE, have been really good at getting it sorted.

MCE: I'm pleased to hear it. So that's when you got the R6?
GH: Yep. I got offered an amazing deal from the California Superbike School and I couldn't say no.

MCE: Sounds fair enough to me. So how did you first hear about Club MCE?
GH: Actually it was at Brands Hatch last summer. I met the team on the MCE stand and decided to take a policy out there and then. To be honest, I didn't even know there was a Club MCE but Nicola (who sorted out my policy) made sure I didn't miss out... A few minutes after I signed up, she called my mobile and told me to grab my girlfriend and meet her at entrance to the pits. I must admit, I couldn't believe it - I thought she might not be there - but she was. She told us that one of the benefits of being a Club MCE member is to walk the grid - just like the celebs do in Formula 1! Before we knew it, Nicola had shepherded us through the crowd and straight out onto the grid. It was unbelievable. My girlfriend and I are massive Karl Harris fans and we couldn't believe we were standing there right next to him. It was actually quite nerve racking, but I'll definitely always remember it.

MCE: Really?
GH: Definitely. I know I would never have been able to do it without MCE and without Nicola looking out for us.

MCE: Sounds like we'd better give Nicola a pat on the back!
GH: Yeah, you should! We've bumped into her at several races since and she always recognises us and makes sure we're getting the most out of our club membership. In fact, we've met quite a lot of the team now. It's not really like an insurance company - they're more like our mates!

MCE: Garry, if you keep on like that, this is going to sound made up!
GH: Really? Maybe you should pay me some commission! Actually I brought a couple of mates along to the London MCN Show and they both signed up too - purely because I'd been going on about Club MCE! I can't wait to make the most of the Club benefits this year. Avoiding the queues and having somewhere to leave your helmet and leathers is such a bonus, but it's the lap in the safety car that I'm most excited about!

MCE: They're using the Nissan GTR this season; fancy a go in one of them?
GH: Too right - I've heard they're quicker than a Lamborghini round the track. Should be amazing - I can't wait!

MCE: OK, let's change the subject. What do you think of the biking scene these days - is there as much camaraderie as there used to be?
GH: I reckon it depends on where you are. If you're riding a sports bike on the open road, you still get a nod from the guys coming the other way, but it's not like that in London. I commute into London every day and you definitely don't get such a warm reception. I guess there are too many people - you'd be nodding every thirty seconds - but it's definitely not such a friendly place to ride. That's why I joined the London Bikers forum.

MCE: What do you do with them?
GH: It's basically a group of bikers in and around London, who meet up, chat and generally try to combine riding bikes with doing good deeds.

MCE: Like what?
GH: Well, they often meet at the Ace Cafe on the North Circular [a great spot for a decent plate of hot food and a good look at all kinds of exotic bikes and mod's] and they also do loads of charity work for the Air Ambulance.

MCE: And do you do that yourself?
GH: Actually not yet - a lot of the ride outs happen at weekends, when I'm working, but I am running in the Reading Half Marathon to raise money for the CJ Rider Fund. As a lot of BSB fans will know, Chris Jones lost his life in an accident at Cadwell Park aged only 14. The CJ Riders Fund was set up in Chris' memory to raise money for medical equipment and improved safety at British motorcycle events. I'm running to see if I can raise £400.

MCE: Right - let's see if we can help you smash that. If you're reading this, make a note of this address: www.justgiving,com/garry-hurst and see if you can help! I'm going to do it right now (and don't worry if Garry's already completed it - it's never too late to give to a great cause like this).