Bikers' heaven on a Harley

If, like me, you've always dropped everything at the sight and sound of a Harley Davidson roaring past, but can't afford one - and don't know your motorbiking arse from your elbow - you're in luck. For a sum of money considerably smaller than that needed to buy one, you can hop on the back of one and be Harley-ed round London.

Which is how I come to be standing in Park Lane on a sunny day, wearing sunglasses and a leather jacket two sizes too small, in front of two gleaming Harley Davidson motorbikes. My driver is a stubbly, pleasant chap called Steve who seems to be wearing a leather cap, jacket, and black leather chaps. I hum the Blue Oyster Bar music from the Police Academy films very quietly, since Steve strikes me as the sort of guy who might resent being waltzed round the room by another moustachioed biker.

I suit up with a leather jacket, gloves and helmet, and receive a copy of the route that kicks off in Chelsea and Fulham, and covers most of central London. You book the bike for two and a half hours, during which time you can whizz through an awful lot of the city. The drivers are happy to work in any location. Harleys have plenty of room for pillion passengers, and soon I stop clinging to the back of the bike and just enjoy myself.

Zooming around the city on a bike, you notice how quickly you can cover distances, as you rarely get stuck in traffic jams. You also realise, pretty quickly, how a car shields you from the stench of fumes that heavy traffic produces - by the end of the trip I was gasping for fresh air. That said, you have to balance that against the excitement of accelerating as if you're astride a rocket, and the thrill of taking corners as if on rails. I'm almost tempted to enquire about second-hand Harley prices afterwards - and I'm pretty sure leather chaps are optional.

Harley Heaven costs £162. For details, call 0870 871 8717 or visit www.virgin.com/experience.