The Tower of London is the oldest and most layered fortress in the capital. William the Conqueror began the White Tower in the 1070s, a massive keep of Caen stone meant to show the English who was in charge. Over nine centuries it was a palace, a mint, an armoury, a menagerie and a prison, and some of the people who went in did not come out: Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey were executed here, and the two young princes of the fifteenth century vanished within its walls. Today the Crown Jewels sit in the Waterloo Block and the Yeoman Warders, known as Beefeaters, lead tours with a mix of grim history and well-polished jokes.
Ravens live on the green, and an old tradition says that if they leave, the kingdom will fall, so the keepers clip their wings and look after them well. Beyond the walls lies the Thames, with Tower Bridge looming above and the glass towers of the City on the other side, an almost comic juxtaposition of ancient and modern.
You will not ride into the Tower, and central London is not a place for pleasure riding. Motorbikes are free from the congestion charge, but the capital's low-emission zone rules may affect older machines, so check before you go. Parking is the main concern: there are motorcycle bays in the City, and some are free, but they fill early on weekdays. Cobbles and tramlines are rare, but wet manhole covers and painted road markings are slippery, and buses and cyclists weave around you.
The best time is early on a Sunday morning, when the streets are almost empty and the stone glows. There is no shortage of fuel or food in London, but petrol stations in the very centre are scarce, so fill up on the way in. Entry to the Tower is ticketed, with a charge, and queues are long in summer. Allow at least two or three hours, and wear comfortable shoes, because the inside is full of stairs.