A young motorbike rider in Frome says he is “over the moon” after saving for nearly three years to buy his dream off-road Yamaha motorbike.
Ed Price, 11, purchased a Yamaha TTR 125cc copy after putting aside all the money he earned doing chores and helping his mum deliver the Frome Times.
“Ed knew that even after buying the bike, it would still need a lot of money for day-to-day running,” said his mum, Victoria.
Before helping with the paper round, Ed had already saved £400 but knew he needed more to buy a suitable bike. After months of searching, a Yamaha TTR 125cc copy — a small off-road bike designed for young riders — came up for sale just down the road.
“We managed to get the bike for £375, and Ed had some money left for all his gear,” said Victoria. “A few weeks later, we went to Bristol and managed to get a deal on all his gear — helmet, boots, body armour, trousers and top — for under £400, which was amazing.”
Ed, a pupil at Selwood Academy, had been saving to buy a bike for nearly three years.
“Over the years, he asked friends and family for money for birthdays and Christmas,” explained Victoria. “Ed also has a NatWest Rooster account where he keeps a list of daily and weekly chores. By completing them, he earns a small amount of money, 20p to 30p each time, which all adds up by the end of the week.”
When Ed is ready, he will be able to ride on children’s motocross tracks. However, Victoria said the closest opportunities are in Keynsham or Cheddar.
“I have since found out there are very few opportunities in and around Frome for children learning to ride,” she said.
To save further for his hobby, Ed is helping his mum with an extra paper round.
“Travelling to Keynsham or Cheddar can cost up to £40 a day to ride,” Victoria said. “This doesn’t include the travel back and forth or the petrol the bike uses. Also, there will be costs for when Ed falls off and needs to buy parts to fix it.
“It is a very expensive hobby, so every penny counts.”
Pictured: Ed with his new bike
