50 Years of Enduro – Gavin Johnston Is Still Riding

50 years around motorcycles

Some riders come into off-road motorcycling for a few years. Others build a lifetime around it.

Gavin Johnston falls firmly into the second group.

After around 50 years on two wheels, the enthusiasm is still there, and that makes his story about far more than simply how long he has been riding.

It is about the people, experiences and friendships that keep riders involved in Scottish Enduro year after year.

What keeps someone riding for decades?

Motorcycles change. Events change. The people around the sport change too.

But for riders who stay involved for decades, there is usually something deeper than simply chasing results.

For Gavin, off-road riding has remained part of life through different stages, different bikes and plenty of years in the sport.

That long-term connection is something you see throughout Scottish Enduro.

Some riders are focused on competition. Others value the social side, the challenge of riding difficult terrain or simply spending a day on a motorcycle with people they have known for years.

Scottish Enduro is about more than race results

Competition is an important part of Enduro, but the results sheet only tells a small part of the story.

Behind every event are riders with completely different backgrounds, experience levels and reasons for turning up.

There are young riders starting their first events, experienced competitors still chasing results and people who have been involved with the sport for decades.

That mix is a big part of what makes Scottish Enduro what it is.

BRAAP Scotland has more Scottish Enduro stories, riding information and guides for anyone wanting to learn more about the sport.

Does getting older mean slowing down?

There is an obvious physical side to off-road riding.

Enduro can be demanding, and riders often adapt the way they ride as the years pass.

But getting older does not automatically mean walking away from the sport.

For many riders, the goal simply changes.

Winning may become less important than getting out on the bike, staying active, seeing friends and continuing to enjoy something that has been part of life for years.

Gavin’s story is a good reminder that off-road motorcycling does not have to have an expiry date.

Capturing the people behind Scottish Enduro

BRAAP Scotland was created to show more than just the racing.

The sport is built around people, and many of the best stories happen away from the stopwatch.

Riders like Gavin carry decades of experience, memories and knowledge of Scottish off-road motorcycling that are worth recording.

These are the stories that help show what the sport actually means to the people involved in it.

Will you still be riding after 50 years?

That is the question Gavin’s story leaves behind.

For anyone starting out in Enduro, Trials, Motocross or wider off-road riding today, it can be difficult to imagine still pulling on riding boots decades from now.

But plenty of riders prove that the passion for motorcycles does not necessarily disappear with age.

Sometimes the reasons for riding simply become stronger.

How long have you been riding — and do you think you will still be on two wheels 50 years from now?

Filming supported by MTech Offroad

This BRAAP Scotland rider story was produced with support from MTech Offroad.

MTech Offroad supplies off-road motorcycle parts and accessories, and their support helps BRAAP Scotland continue travelling to events and producing films, interviews and rider stories from across the Scottish off-road scene.