Dear Diary,

My car is old and tired, a bit like me and, sadly, the dog!

It has good days and bad, but whether it’s in the mood to take me anywhere on any given day is wholly unpredictable.

It spends most of its time parked on the road in front of my house, no longer in demand every day, and usually only required for short trips to the supermarket.

A heyday of reliable daily commutes and long trips well behind it, I think it stares out from its windshield at the passing seasons wondering why, after everything it delivered and endured for all those years, that its later life seems so undeserved, reduced to a mere convenience, its future precarious.

At the moment it will grudgingly get me there, but judging by the variable engine pep and cacophony of worrying noises, we may soon be setting off on a wing and a prayer.

Running costs aside, the spectre of significant mechanical resuscitation hovers ever closer, promising an eye-watering toll, and adding to the angst of ownership.

There comes a point where throwing money at an old car is a bit like burning the hull on a steamship to feed the engine. And, unless you’re Phileas Fogg, it will only sustain you for a short time before the inevitable disaster.

So, what to do? Burn that boat and keep it afloat as long as possible, resulting in burnt cash, scrap value, and an absence of wheels?

Should I trade the beast sooner for a newer, more reliable carriage to sit sentinel throughout the year, and in doing so pillage my savings and feed the debt ogre for the continuing comfort and presence of four wheels?

Or, would a more radical approach meet most of my needs and prove less costly?

Should I lose half the wheels and buy a motorcycle?

The maxim ‘Four wheels good, two wheels bad’ - as Orwell didn’t quite put it - might accurately reflect the majority view.

‘Two wheels bad’ because, clearly, riding a motorbike is inherently more dangerous, but also because it requires more skill to ride a motorcycle, it’s much less practical than a car, and there’s the small matter of weather, in Scotland. Why would anyone swap their car for a motorbike?

The combination of impending necessity, mid-life crisis, and dreams unfulfilled, suddenly make a compelling case.

Motorcycle riding, apart from being more economical, can be invigorating and life-affirming. It requires higher levels of focus and skills development, and it’s known to be good for mental health and physical wellbeing.

Now, don’t get me wrong. The comfort and convenience of a hermetically sealed, insulated, and weatherproof box on four planted wheels, with added entertainment and climate control, undoubtedly makes better sense, but what if sensible is no longer an option?

It’s decades too late for me to feel the wind in my hair, but my need for some radical change is almost palpable. Perhaps it’s time this old dog learned a new, two-wheeled trick.

Four wheels good, two wheels better?