motorcycle live - 2016
Last weekend, Carolina and I headed up to Birmingham to go to Motorcycle Live at the NEC. Last yeat I left the show feeling a little deflated and I was a little concerned that this year I'd have a similar reaction to the show. I shouldn't have worried as the show was frankly excellent, with some very high profile bikes on display. Probably, for me, this year was the best one I'd been to so far. I left the NEC feeling very content and that was knowing I'd missed out a few bits of the snow (stunt shows and the stage area mainly) which didn't really interested me very much. Here is part one of my review.
Honda
Honda's bike bike news was dominated by the 2017 FireBlade and seeing the bikes in the metal didn't disappoint. Noticeably narrower that previous years bikes, they had a great display showing a mint 1992 a first generation 893 in classic HRC colours, a second generation Urban Tiger 918 and a 929 from 2000 and directed down to the site of the 2017 machine. Although the lineage was incomplete (no 954, 1000 RR, or RR8s for example) it highlighted how proud Honda remain of their hertiage.
Honda
Honda's bike bike news was dominated by the 2017 FireBlade and seeing the bikes in the metal didn't disappoint. Noticeably narrower that previous years bikes, they had a great display showing a mint 1992 a first generation 893 in classic HRC colours, a second generation Urban Tiger 918 and a 929 from 2000 and directed down to the site of the 2017 machine. Although the lineage was incomplete (no 954, 1000 RR, or RR8s for example) it highlighted how proud Honda remain of their hertiage.
The full Honda range was on show, from their Africa Twin to the their smaller friendlier options, but Honda being Honda, they also had representations of their race bikes on the stands as well, which are always worth looking at. The star of the show was this Marquez replica.
Ducati
The big news coming off the Ducati stand was talk of three bikes which find themselves at the exteme ends of Ducati's 2017 range. Firstly there was the new Supersport and the mini Multistrada, which is most likely taking aim at the smaller Tiger in Triumphs range and the ever growing number of bikes in BMW's GS family. The Supersport represents a bike which is reviving an older name and is in reality a Monster with a fairing, although I'm sure Ducati will disagree. The bike is supposed to sit under the 959 with a more relaxed riding position, but one that still carries that distinctive Ducati look, but hang on a second, this is the same market that the mini Strada will be sitting in isn't it?
I know Ducati are riding on the crest of a wave at the moment and I still love the brand, but I'm concerned that they are just putting out new models because they can. For proof of this, just look at the ever growing Scrambler range (also a Monster clone in my opinion). There are now six different varients all based around the same concept, with the original idea being joined by the Desert Sled, Cafe Racer (which I will admit is by far the best of the bunch) and the recently released Sixty2.
The big news coming off the Ducati stand was talk of three bikes which find themselves at the exteme ends of Ducati's 2017 range. Firstly there was the new Supersport and the mini Multistrada, which is most likely taking aim at the smaller Tiger in Triumphs range and the ever growing number of bikes in BMW's GS family. The Supersport represents a bike which is reviving an older name and is in reality a Monster with a fairing, although I'm sure Ducati will disagree. The bike is supposed to sit under the 959 with a more relaxed riding position, but one that still carries that distinctive Ducati look, but hang on a second, this is the same market that the mini Strada will be sitting in isn't it?
I know Ducati are riding on the crest of a wave at the moment and I still love the brand, but I'm concerned that they are just putting out new models because they can. For proof of this, just look at the ever growing Scrambler range (also a Monster clone in my opinion). There are now six different varients all based around the same concept, with the original idea being joined by the Desert Sled, Cafe Racer (which I will admit is by far the best of the bunch) and the recently released Sixty2.
At the other end of the spectrum, we have the beautiful 1299 Superleggera. Sporting the WSBK double exhausts, this bike was drawing a lot attention in the same way the H2R had in previous years. Finished in a wonderful matt finish, its was Ducati doing what they do best. Building exotica that the vast majority of us will never ride.
Sandwiched somewhere in the middle Ducati showed us the updated Monster 1200s, which still suffer from awful peg / exhaust guard positioning, a new 797 Monster, their globe trotting Multistrada as well as other models in the range such as the Diavel, Hypermotard, 959 and normal 1299 Panigale. I say normal, its still over £21,000.
Suzuki
The biggest news of the year that came out of the Hamamatsu factory was the release of details of their 2017 1000cc GSX-R Superbike. Still clearly a member of the GSX-R family, the vast majority of improvements are internal with the biggest external cues to the new bike are the monsterous exhaust and changes to the light cluster. I will admit, I've never ridden a GSX-R although I have flirted with the idea of picking up one these last few years, mainly as the offers that were available from local dealers, were seriously tempting. In reality, before this update, the GSX-R had barely changed since the K7/8 released in 2007 and this bike is being touted as the most important Suzuki since the K5 standard barer. To give it some context, the K5 is what BMW based their world conquering S1000RR superbike on. Only time will tell if this bike will reignite peoples interest in the blue brand, or whether this bike will still be knocking around in 2027.
Suzuki
The biggest news of the year that came out of the Hamamatsu factory was the release of details of their 2017 1000cc GSX-R Superbike. Still clearly a member of the GSX-R family, the vast majority of improvements are internal with the biggest external cues to the new bike are the monsterous exhaust and changes to the light cluster. I will admit, I've never ridden a GSX-R although I have flirted with the idea of picking up one these last few years, mainly as the offers that were available from local dealers, were seriously tempting. In reality, before this update, the GSX-R had barely changed since the K7/8 released in 2007 and this bike is being touted as the most important Suzuki since the K5 standard barer. To give it some context, the K5 is what BMW based their world conquering S1000RR superbike on. Only time will tell if this bike will reignite peoples interest in the blue brand, or whether this bike will still be knocking around in 2027.
However, for me, their most interesting and most important bike was sitting two bikes down. Sitting in the shadows of the new 1000cc bike, was Suzuki's little GSX-R 125. This is the bike that will go head to head with the already great Honda CBR125R and Yamahas YZF125R and will become young riders first foray into sportsbike ownership. Looking at it sat on the stand, it certainly looked smart, with the nose dominated by a bulbous headlight. The MotoGP inspired paintwork won't hurt either, with only Honda making a mini race rep these days.
Suzuki are very keen in embracing their heritage. Like Honda, a copy of their MotoGP bike was in the middle of their stand, rotating away, giving everybody a close up look of its amazing lines. But it wasn't just the modern machinery that was on display. For the last few years, Suzuki, who clearly understand what owners of classic bikes need, introduced their Vintage Parts Programme. To celebrate this brilliant concept, for the last few years they have been building a brand new bike using new parts available through the programme live through the show. This year they were making a Katana Endurance Racer, which looked fantastic when it was finished.
As part of the same stand, which was nicely placed next to their new bikes, there was an excellent collection of their former race bikes, with a few of Barry Sheene's bikes and some of their endurance racers thrown in to. A fantastic collection.
As part of the same stand, which was nicely placed next to their new bikes, there was an excellent collection of their former race bikes, with a few of Barry Sheene's bikes and some of their endurance racers thrown in to. A fantastic collection.
Yamaha
The most important new bike on Yamaha's stand this year was easily the new R6. In a time when journalists, especially in the UK, are hailing the end of the 600 super sports, it was really interesting that this was one of the bikes that was generating the most buzz at the show. The tech blurb about the bike is promising traction control and a quickshifter and its redesign brings it right in line with the latest R1. Could Yamaha be looking at moving in on Honda's territory in Moto2?
Its also really great to see Yamaha building on the success of their MT brand, and taking this progress forward to breath new life into their sportsbike range. Speaking of the MT, the bike is this year joined by a super trick SP version, which comes fitted with a Ohlins electric racing system. Yamaha are calling this the R1M of the MT range, but for me, it kinda goes against everything the MT is supposed to be. The reason why the MT10 is so liked is because its under ten grand. You start adding more bells and whistles to the bike, it starts to dilute the purpose of the bike. Saying that, Im sure the SP is lovely.
The most important new bike on Yamaha's stand this year was easily the new R6. In a time when journalists, especially in the UK, are hailing the end of the 600 super sports, it was really interesting that this was one of the bikes that was generating the most buzz at the show. The tech blurb about the bike is promising traction control and a quickshifter and its redesign brings it right in line with the latest R1. Could Yamaha be looking at moving in on Honda's territory in Moto2?
Its also really great to see Yamaha building on the success of their MT brand, and taking this progress forward to breath new life into their sportsbike range. Speaking of the MT, the bike is this year joined by a super trick SP version, which comes fitted with a Ohlins electric racing system. Yamaha are calling this the R1M of the MT range, but for me, it kinda goes against everything the MT is supposed to be. The reason why the MT10 is so liked is because its under ten grand. You start adding more bells and whistles to the bike, it starts to dilute the purpose of the bike. Saying that, Im sure the SP is lovely.
As well as their range of road bikes, Yamaha brought some impressive looking race tackle to the show as well. Alongside Alex Lowes World Superbike machine there was the McAms Supersport bike and a tidy looking Rossi replica too. Looking at how the other manufactuers had displayed their MotoGP bikes, it was strange the Rossi bike (still the most popular racer in the world) was kinda stuck on the side on a static display at ground level. I almost missed it.
Kawasaki
I will freely admit that I have always liked Kawasaki stands at the bike show I've gone to. Their marketing team just gets it and they really play up the green and black trademark colour scheme to great effect.
With several new models this year in the shape of the new ZX10RR, Versys 300X, Z1000R, H2R Carvon, Z900 and Z650, Kawasaki were able to pull in serious numbers of visitors to the stand. As you can see in the video above, the H2R was still their centrepiece, but what was different this year, was they had an H2 road bike that you could actually sit on. With a serious pricetag, a lot of riders wouldn't get to see an H2 on the road, let alone get the chance to ride it, so being able to actually get on board and get a feeling for the controls and layout of the bike was hugely popular.
Kawasaki
I will freely admit that I have always liked Kawasaki stands at the bike show I've gone to. Their marketing team just gets it and they really play up the green and black trademark colour scheme to great effect.
With several new models this year in the shape of the new ZX10RR, Versys 300X, Z1000R, H2R Carvon, Z900 and Z650, Kawasaki were able to pull in serious numbers of visitors to the stand. As you can see in the video above, the H2R was still their centrepiece, but what was different this year, was they had an H2 road bike that you could actually sit on. With a serious pricetag, a lot of riders wouldn't get to see an H2 on the road, let alone get the chance to ride it, so being able to actually get on board and get a feeling for the controls and layout of the bike was hugely popular.
Alongside a great little display of title winning race bikes, Kawasaki were showing off the 2017 BSB JG Speedfit bike that was unveiled at the start of the show, along with a little display of some classic machinery. Not too sure on the astroturf though?
Triumph
I think it is fair to say that there was some serious metal on the Triumph stand this year. Still riding the retro wave, Triumph continue to build upon their heritage to great success and judging by the sheer numbers of bikes on their stand, they don't appear to be slowing down. Along side an array of custom bikes including the super charged white Thruxton owned by Carl Fogarty, Triumph were showing off the new additions to their Bonneville range. The T100, a smaller version of the T120 (according to Bike magazine) sat alongside the Street Cup which is an out and out cafe racer. The Street Cup is certainly bang on trend and looked good with its two tone tank and dark finish.
I think it is fair to say that there was some serious metal on the Triumph stand this year. Still riding the retro wave, Triumph continue to build upon their heritage to great success and judging by the sheer numbers of bikes on their stand, they don't appear to be slowing down. Along side an array of custom bikes including the super charged white Thruxton owned by Carl Fogarty, Triumph were showing off the new additions to their Bonneville range. The T100, a smaller version of the T120 (according to Bike magazine) sat alongside the Street Cup which is an out and out cafe racer. The Street Cup is certainly bang on trend and looked good with its two tone tank and dark finish.
Triumph also showed off their new Tiger Sport as well as a full array of their off road adventure bikes.
Aprilia
There was a time when Aprilia were throught of just as highly as Ducati. This is no longer the case, especially in the UK where poor factory support to the dealer network has resulted in those very dealers being very scarce across the UK. Which is strange because they still make some serious machinery. Their RSV4RF is compact and purposeful and is the latest in a line that have been at the very front of WSBK racing for several years and this spirit has been brought forward in the shape of their new Tuono 125. It does appear that this should really be a winner. An entry level bike with Italian flair and design, what could go wrong?
Their stand was finished off with some top quality racing equipment too. Always helps when you have a pretty small range I guess.
Aprilia
There was a time when Aprilia were throught of just as highly as Ducati. This is no longer the case, especially in the UK where poor factory support to the dealer network has resulted in those very dealers being very scarce across the UK. Which is strange because they still make some serious machinery. Their RSV4RF is compact and purposeful and is the latest in a line that have been at the very front of WSBK racing for several years and this spirit has been brought forward in the shape of their new Tuono 125. It does appear that this should really be a winner. An entry level bike with Italian flair and design, what could go wrong?
Their stand was finished off with some top quality racing equipment too. Always helps when you have a pretty small range I guess.
Moto Guzzi
Within the same family as Aprilia, Moto Guzzi make very different machines. They have been refining their V7 range for years and their bikes are lovely. This year though it wasn't the V7 that stood out, it was the monstorous MGX-21 Flying Fortress, decked out head to foot in carbon. It was certainly different and I would assume will attract the same sort of person who likes Lamborginis. Saying that, the Gallardo was something very special.
Like their sister brand, Moto Guzzi capped off their stand with some beautiful, and I do mean beautiful, like in the Sophia Loren from the 70s sense, race machinery.
Within the same family as Aprilia, Moto Guzzi make very different machines. They have been refining their V7 range for years and their bikes are lovely. This year though it wasn't the V7 that stood out, it was the monstorous MGX-21 Flying Fortress, decked out head to foot in carbon. It was certainly different and I would assume will attract the same sort of person who likes Lamborginis. Saying that, the Gallardo was something very special.
Like their sister brand, Moto Guzzi capped off their stand with some beautiful, and I do mean beautiful, like in the Sophia Loren from the 70s sense, race machinery.
KTM
There was a good showing from KTM and when I was there, Bradley Smith was on the stand signing autographs. Their range of bikes were good and its a shame they've stopped making the RC8R, but with their MotoGP project in full swing, there are rumours of a KTM MotoGP machine available to the public. Now that could be special. Most of bikes seemed to have a updated front headlight display, which gave them all a great identity. KTM remain an exciting brand and this was represented by the size and scope of what was on display.
There was a good showing from KTM and when I was there, Bradley Smith was on the stand signing autographs. Their range of bikes were good and its a shame they've stopped making the RC8R, but with their MotoGP project in full swing, there are rumours of a KTM MotoGP machine available to the public. Now that could be special. Most of bikes seemed to have a updated front headlight display, which gave them all a great identity. KTM remain an exciting brand and this was represented by the size and scope of what was on display.
Norton
Norton showed up with their new V4 RR Superbike and its certainly a striking looking bike. The stand that they showed the two bikes on, was not. The bike was up on a circular pedistool with really limited viewing positions and only four access points. I guess it sounded good in practice, but in execution, is was just stupid and very crowded. They did however make up for this stupidity by have a range of their TT race bikes on ground level, which were as amazing as you would expect.
Norton showed up with their new V4 RR Superbike and its certainly a striking looking bike. The stand that they showed the two bikes on, was not. The bike was up on a circular pedistool with really limited viewing positions and only four access points. I guess it sounded good in practice, but in execution, is was just stupid and very crowded. They did however make up for this stupidity by have a range of their TT race bikes on ground level, which were as amazing as you would expect.
Ariel
Ariel had a great display, showing a range of their machinery, including two Atoms. The standard road car and the off road Nomad. The Ariel bikes do look great, being dominated by that amazing naked frame, but there in lies the problem. Those exposed beems are right where your knees sit and it just felt really uncomfortable when on the bike, which in my view, kind of goes against the cruiser style approach. Wearing leathers may overcome the issue, but wearing kevlar jeans could really highlight the problem.
Ariel had a great display, showing a range of their machinery, including two Atoms. The standard road car and the off road Nomad. The Ariel bikes do look great, being dominated by that amazing naked frame, but there in lies the problem. Those exposed beems are right where your knees sit and it just felt really uncomfortable when on the bike, which in my view, kind of goes against the cruiser style approach. Wearing leathers may overcome the issue, but wearing kevlar jeans could really highlight the problem.
When all was said and done, Motorcycle Live was a great show. The only main manufacturer who wasn't there were MV Augusta, which isn't a good sign. Motorcycle Live really is forging its place among the top shows in the world, which is very exciting from a UK perspective.
After a somewhat flat experience in 2015, it was great that 2016 hit all the right notes and I'm genuinely looking forward to next year now. The even better news is that there is a whole years worth of riding to fit in beforehand.
After a somewhat flat experience in 2015, it was great that 2016 hit all the right notes and I'm genuinely looking forward to next year now. The even better news is that there is a whole years worth of riding to fit in beforehand.
2014 - a review
So, just to recap. 2013 ended with two Ducatis in the garage; my 1098s and the 695 Monster which I was already thinking of changing and plans a plenty for 2014. Thankfully that winter was extremely mild and as a result the early morning rides into Central London were fairly easy, but despite this, I really wasn’t gelling with the Monster. It was a combination of not really liking the engine characteristics and the extreme change in riding positions when changing to the sportsbike. I’d been around to a few shops and was looking for a ’06 ZX6R or something very similar, but a terrible trade in price leading up to Spring helped make my mind up. I chose to sell the Monster privately and shop around with cash in my pocket. But like all best laid plans, things didn’t go very smoothly and in the end it took months to sell the Monster.
One of the moments of Ducati ownership that I had been dreading came around in Feb, but this was also a time of great opportunity. I decided that I could use the Desmo service as the basis for an article that I could hopefully sell to a magazine. I subsequently arranged to spend the day at Metropolis to document the work done and £1400 later my bike was as good as new and I had all the notes, photos and a framework needed for my article. Before I started writing it up, I pitched the idea to some of the UK magazines and within two days I got a reply from Simon Roots the editor at Fast Bikes who was very much interested. It was on. Eventually my article was published in the July issue of Fast Bikes, which was four months after I wrote it. Oh, and I got £200 for my trouble.
In March I was inviting on a day trip to France and seeing as it was something that I’d never done, I jumped at the chance. I met Nat and Michael at the Eurotunnel early doors and spent the day riding around part of North West France wishing deep down that a) I could speak French and b) that I had softened up my suspension. The weather was fantastic, the food delightful and the company excellent. It was a great was to spend part of the weekend.
As the Monster was up for sale, I decided to use to the 1098s for commuting, which really is as mad as it sounds. Due to the route I was taking and the traffic levels, especially on the way out, I rarely got out of 1st gear and was in fact treating it very much like a twist and go. An extremely rapid and sexy twist and go, but a twist and go non the less.
As Sarah was still living in Birmingham I have made more than my fair share of trips up the M40 on a Friday afternoon, but on one Friday, Sarah was down for the late shift. This left me with a dilemma. I could either delay my trip and drive in Friday PM rush hour, or I could leave at the usual time and instead of sticking to the motorways, I could take the route I use when on the bike. As I detest being in traffic, the latter was the obvious choice so I left at the usual time and took the slow scenic route. On the way I stopped off at the Hughenden Triumph dealership on the A40 in Oxfordshire for a little look around. There, sat in the middle row was a bright yellow 954rr FireBlade priced up at £3499. I was seriously interested, but as I hadn’t sold the Monster yet, I couldn’t really buy it yet….or could I?
As the Monster was up for sale, I decided to use to the 1098s for commuting, which really is as mad as it sounds. Due to the route I was taking and the traffic levels, especially on the way out, I rarely got out of 1st gear and was in fact treating it very much like a twist and go. An extremely rapid and sexy twist and go, but a twist and go non the less.
As Sarah was still living in Birmingham I have made more than my fair share of trips up the M40 on a Friday afternoon, but on one Friday, Sarah was down for the late shift. This left me with a dilemma. I could either delay my trip and drive in Friday PM rush hour, or I could leave at the usual time and instead of sticking to the motorways, I could take the route I use when on the bike. As I detest being in traffic, the latter was the obvious choice so I left at the usual time and took the slow scenic route. On the way I stopped off at the Hughenden Triumph dealership on the A40 in Oxfordshire for a little look around. There, sat in the middle row was a bright yellow 954rr FireBlade priced up at £3499. I was seriously interested, but as I hadn’t sold the Monster yet, I couldn’t really buy it yet….or could I?
I spent most of the weekend thinking about the bike knowing that it would be perfect for my needs. I couldn’t keep commuting on the big twin and really needed an inline four. I called the dealer on Monday and arranged a test ride. The bike wasn’t even on their website as it turned out they had part exchanged on the very morning that I had first seen it. So on the Wednesday I rode the 1098 back up the A40 and after chatting with a nice old fellow with a 600ss, I took the ‘Blade out and rode it into Oxford City Centre. Within 5mins I knew I wanted it. After the Ducati, the riding position felt like a VFR and it was smooth and so easy to ride. Bloody rapid too. After a chat with Rob, the salesman, I agreed the purchase and a pick up date. I sold the Monster three weeks later.
2014 was a little light on the trackday front as I knew I’d be going to Italy in the summer. I’d done a few sessions at Brands on a free afternoon in May, but in June I booked myself up to do a full trackday at Silverstone with a few friends. I have always loved Silverstone as it’s really fast and wide, so your rarely get held up or indeed hold anybody else up. It was all going really well and then on the session before lunch I pushed too hard in turn 2, Farm, a left hander taken flat out in 5th which is taken after a blind right past the pits. It was the third or fourth lap and I was running just ahead of a few riders and I’d gone a little deep through turn one and with the throttle still pinned, I tried to pull the bike down to make turn 2 which is when I lost the front and down I went. After spending an hour in the medical centre treating the friction burns on my arms, I eventually got back to the pits to find my bike up against the garage wall. Everything that was sticking out on the left side of the bike was smashed. The handle bar snapped and pegs destroyed. Thankfully she stayed flat, but in just over six weeks I was due to ride this very bike to Italy. Bugger!
2014 was a little light on the trackday front as I knew I’d be going to Italy in the summer. I’d done a few sessions at Brands on a free afternoon in May, but in June I booked myself up to do a full trackday at Silverstone with a few friends. I have always loved Silverstone as it’s really fast and wide, so your rarely get held up or indeed hold anybody else up. It was all going really well and then on the session before lunch I pushed too hard in turn 2, Farm, a left hander taken flat out in 5th which is taken after a blind right past the pits. It was the third or fourth lap and I was running just ahead of a few riders and I’d gone a little deep through turn one and with the throttle still pinned, I tried to pull the bike down to make turn 2 which is when I lost the front and down I went. After spending an hour in the medical centre treating the friction burns on my arms, I eventually got back to the pits to find my bike up against the garage wall. Everything that was sticking out on the left side of the bike was smashed. The handle bar snapped and pegs destroyed. Thankfully she stayed flat, but in just over six weeks I was due to ride this very bike to Italy. Bugger!
What followed was several weeks of getting the bike checked over, ordering and installing replacement parts. It was all put together with about a week to spare and a test ride proved the bike was safe to ride. Italy and World Ducati Week were back on.
I’ve written in length about the trip to Italy and World Ducati Week (you can even find these articles below this one) and needless to say it was a trip I’ll never forget. I made friends, found out a little about myself and put over 2000 miles on the 1098. Would I do it again? Oh yes.
In September, a family holiday clashed with the MotoGP, so despite having bought a ticket for the Ducati stand, I had to pass it on to a friend. I was gutted as the weather was fantastic and it looked like there were three great races. Saying that, I did enjoy the holiday, so not a total loss.
At the end of October I made my way to Dorset for a job interview. It all went very well and I felt positive about the company and my responses to the questions, but in all truth I still didn’t know. 90mins later I found out that they really liked me and offered me the role, starting in the New Year. So as 2014 drew to a close, the life I knew in London came to an end and a whole new life now awaits me in 2015. I was able to tick off three things on the Bucket list last year and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
I’ve written in length about the trip to Italy and World Ducati Week (you can even find these articles below this one) and needless to say it was a trip I’ll never forget. I made friends, found out a little about myself and put over 2000 miles on the 1098. Would I do it again? Oh yes.
In September, a family holiday clashed with the MotoGP, so despite having bought a ticket for the Ducati stand, I had to pass it on to a friend. I was gutted as the weather was fantastic and it looked like there were three great races. Saying that, I did enjoy the holiday, so not a total loss.
At the end of October I made my way to Dorset for a job interview. It all went very well and I felt positive about the company and my responses to the questions, but in all truth I still didn’t know. 90mins later I found out that they really liked me and offered me the role, starting in the New Year. So as 2014 drew to a close, the life I knew in London came to an end and a whole new life now awaits me in 2015. I was able to tick off three things on the Bucket list last year and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
london to italy - four days i'll never forget
Its 05:00 on a clear Monday morning, the bike is warming up behind me and I have the best part of four days to reach my destination. I reach into my bag, pull out my phone, raise my hand high in the air, point the lens back and click. These days you gotta have a selfie.
The plan for today is simple: get as far into France as I can. My Eurotunnel space was booked ages ago which will see me get into France at just before 09:00 local time. When I arrive there is no traffic. Like seriously, no traffic. Nish. Nada. Turns out its Bastille Day so all of France is on holiday, which suits my purposes to a tee.
The sat-nav quickly directs me onto the Autoroute to Reims some 240km away and I quickly settle into the journey. As I was making good time, I head into Reims at lunchtime and the place is empty, so as I’m hungry I proceed to do a very English thing. I hit the fast food icon on the screen and head to a McDonalds. This turns out to be the start of pattern as I’m quickly happy to shed decent cuisine for reliable amenities and free wi-fi.
After updating my social media and checking the map, I stick with the original plan and head to Troyes along the local roads. Here I embrace the first ‘real’ riding of the journey. My Ducati effortlessly takes to the roads through the Champagne region as we make our way South past rows of fields and the small towns and villages. I seem to be managing my petrol okay and apart from one moment, I pretty much fill up as and when I need it. Rolling into Troyes just after 16:00 I’m feeling pretty tired and although there is probably a good two more hours available to me, I decide to find a hotel and call the first day a success.
The plan for today is simple: get as far into France as I can. My Eurotunnel space was booked ages ago which will see me get into France at just before 09:00 local time. When I arrive there is no traffic. Like seriously, no traffic. Nish. Nada. Turns out its Bastille Day so all of France is on holiday, which suits my purposes to a tee.
The sat-nav quickly directs me onto the Autoroute to Reims some 240km away and I quickly settle into the journey. As I was making good time, I head into Reims at lunchtime and the place is empty, so as I’m hungry I proceed to do a very English thing. I hit the fast food icon on the screen and head to a McDonalds. This turns out to be the start of pattern as I’m quickly happy to shed decent cuisine for reliable amenities and free wi-fi.
After updating my social media and checking the map, I stick with the original plan and head to Troyes along the local roads. Here I embrace the first ‘real’ riding of the journey. My Ducati effortlessly takes to the roads through the Champagne region as we make our way South past rows of fields and the small towns and villages. I seem to be managing my petrol okay and apart from one moment, I pretty much fill up as and when I need it. Rolling into Troyes just after 16:00 I’m feeling pretty tired and although there is probably a good two more hours available to me, I decide to find a hotel and call the first day a success.
After breakfast the next morning, I head to the garage to check the bike. I lube the chain and check the tyre pressure, which seemed to have dropped a little, but that’s the least of my concerns. I have a leak from the front left fork seal. Great, one day in and I’ve hit a snag. The original plan was to head to Dijon and then to Grenoble, but now I needed to find a Ducati dealer. Knowing there was nothing in Troyes for me, I headed out onto the D671 and D971 through more wonderful countryside on the first part of the planned journey. The temperature was rising steadily, but I controlled my pace knowing I had a wounded bike beneath me and when I rolled down into the welcoming Dijon, I found a place to stop, grabbed a drink and broke out my phone. A quick search showed me Ducati Dijon was less than 10 mins away. Nestled between a Triumph and a Harley Davidson dealer inside an industrial estate, the Dijon store was a very welcome site. The gloriously attractive woman behind the counter couldn’t understand a word I was saying, which somehow made her even more appealing, so she headed out and returned flanked by a young mechanic who’s English was good enough that I was able to explain the problem. Sadly they didn’t have the part, but after a quick call Ducati Lyon did.
Skipping lunch, I remounted the bike and headed back onto the Autoroute for the 170km run. Lyon is massive and despite having a top of the line Zumo, it couldn’t find the address. I had stopped my bike, removed my helmet and started to ponder my options when I heard the familiar sound of a triple and turning around I saw a silver Triumph 675 rise over the hill. Salvation? In a piece of good fortune, the rider spoke English and he happily took me to the Ducati dealer in an industrial estate in the outskirts of Lyon at Dardilly .Two and half hours later and 250 euros lighter I eventually left Lyon with a fully functioning front fork. I watched with mixed emotions as the mechanics as the cleaned the collection of bugs from my screen. As I collected my bike I was told to take care of my clutch as it was starting to look a little worn. It would be in exactly 48hrs, 20mins from my final destination that this prophecy would raise its head again.
It was 17:00, but I still wanted to spend the night in Grenoble as I really wanted to spend a whole day just riding the Route Napoleon to Nice. I headed out into full on rush hour traffic and as I rode, I really hoped I was allowed to filter. My bike was overheating badly and I wasn’t in the mood to have my feet covered in coolant. So fighting my way through I finally got out and with Grenoble already programmed in, I was back on my way and shortly I was in sight of the Alps.
After a fairly restless night’s sleep, which wasn’t helped by an overly noisy air con unit, I woke with just one plan for the day. The N85 Route Napoleon. Its ranked as one of the greatest roads in the world and it snakes its way through the Alps from Grenoble in the North, past Gap, to Cannes in the South. At just over 200miles it’s not the longest road by any means, but the series of turns and inclines make it a solid days riding at the best of times. I made good time, but knowing I was on a fairly tight schedule, I knew I couldn’t stop at every corner to admire the view, but despite taking a few snaps, I still made it to Gap for lunchtime. The next 50 miles were easy as a succession of very fast sweeping sections was interspersed with some long straight flat sections which enabled me to make great progress and also use the wind to take some of the pressure off my shoulders. The further South I went the more the landscape changed to match the rising average temperatures.
Despite wanting the complete the entire route, just before Mezel, I decided to head onto the D202 towards Nice where I wanted to stay the night. The D202 is everything that the N85 is, but as I headed back into the mountains, I was somewhat distracted by the deep purple cloud that was seemingly fixed to the mountain. The dark visor I was wearing made it seem somewhat more menacing as well, but when a single bolt of lightning shot out of the cloud and struck the mountain, I knew I could be in trouble. Shortly after the road surface quickly turned from bone dry to wet and it was clear that I was catching up with the storm. Following a very brief stop, where I met a few Belgiums riding from Nice on BMW RT1200’s, I changed my visor and checked all my kit was suitably covered, what followed was the scariest two hours riding I’ve done for some time.
Skipping lunch, I remounted the bike and headed back onto the Autoroute for the 170km run. Lyon is massive and despite having a top of the line Zumo, it couldn’t find the address. I had stopped my bike, removed my helmet and started to ponder my options when I heard the familiar sound of a triple and turning around I saw a silver Triumph 675 rise over the hill. Salvation? In a piece of good fortune, the rider spoke English and he happily took me to the Ducati dealer in an industrial estate in the outskirts of Lyon at Dardilly .Two and half hours later and 250 euros lighter I eventually left Lyon with a fully functioning front fork. I watched with mixed emotions as the mechanics as the cleaned the collection of bugs from my screen. As I collected my bike I was told to take care of my clutch as it was starting to look a little worn. It would be in exactly 48hrs, 20mins from my final destination that this prophecy would raise its head again.
It was 17:00, but I still wanted to spend the night in Grenoble as I really wanted to spend a whole day just riding the Route Napoleon to Nice. I headed out into full on rush hour traffic and as I rode, I really hoped I was allowed to filter. My bike was overheating badly and I wasn’t in the mood to have my feet covered in coolant. So fighting my way through I finally got out and with Grenoble already programmed in, I was back on my way and shortly I was in sight of the Alps.
After a fairly restless night’s sleep, which wasn’t helped by an overly noisy air con unit, I woke with just one plan for the day. The N85 Route Napoleon. Its ranked as one of the greatest roads in the world and it snakes its way through the Alps from Grenoble in the North, past Gap, to Cannes in the South. At just over 200miles it’s not the longest road by any means, but the series of turns and inclines make it a solid days riding at the best of times. I made good time, but knowing I was on a fairly tight schedule, I knew I couldn’t stop at every corner to admire the view, but despite taking a few snaps, I still made it to Gap for lunchtime. The next 50 miles were easy as a succession of very fast sweeping sections was interspersed with some long straight flat sections which enabled me to make great progress and also use the wind to take some of the pressure off my shoulders. The further South I went the more the landscape changed to match the rising average temperatures.
Despite wanting the complete the entire route, just before Mezel, I decided to head onto the D202 towards Nice where I wanted to stay the night. The D202 is everything that the N85 is, but as I headed back into the mountains, I was somewhat distracted by the deep purple cloud that was seemingly fixed to the mountain. The dark visor I was wearing made it seem somewhat more menacing as well, but when a single bolt of lightning shot out of the cloud and struck the mountain, I knew I could be in trouble. Shortly after the road surface quickly turned from bone dry to wet and it was clear that I was catching up with the storm. Following a very brief stop, where I met a few Belgiums riding from Nice on BMW RT1200’s, I changed my visor and checked all my kit was suitably covered, what followed was the scariest two hours riding I’ve done for some time.
By now the rain was falling persistently, with water flowing off the mountains in great streams across the road, disappearing over the edge of rock faces that led to only one certain fate. I seriously tempered my speed and guided my 1098s through the deluge in a very deliberate manner. It was no longer a case of riding for fun. Now it was a case of just getting to my destination.
After what felt like hours I emerged from the mountains and found my way heading down into Nice along a straight flat road. Normally when people think of Nice, they think of the Promenade des Anglais, the picturesque coast road that has appeared in millions of photos across the years. The truth is very different. Nice, well at least the North side is just one great big industrial city, which seems to go on for miles. When you’re tired and hungry, the last thing you really need to ride through is the French equivalent of Birmingham at rush hour, which is exactly what I had to do. Trusting the Sat Nav to find me a hotel I had to try three before I could find a room, which turned out to be right opposite the airport and to be honest, I couldn’t care less. I just needed to stop for the day, have a warm shower, eat some food and stop. Whilst sat on the bed sorting my stuff it dawned on me. I’ve just ridden right across France. Bloody hell, I haven’t even ridden across the UK before.
An early start on the Thursday saw me trying to find the famous hairpin in Monte Carlo. I failed miserably and as the bike and I were both overheating and the traffic was so bad, I cut my losses. The Sat nav wanted me to ride along the coast road, which I did and I crossed the border into Italy at Menton. Finally I was an Englishman, riding his Italian bike on Italian soil. I knew that I had to make up some serious time, so I headed up onto the A10 Autoroute knowing that this was the quickest way Genoa, Bologna and finally San Marino. If you’ve never ridden the A10 is pretty easy to describe. It’s a duel carriageway through tunnels and mountains that thinks it’s a full on old school F1 track. It’s brilliant. On the two hour ride up onto the Italian plains I managed to scrub up my Pirelli Angel GT tyres like I was on a trackday. Stopping for fuel and lunch at a service station, I finally had a Tiramisu in Italy. Check that one off the list too. Once out of the Italian mountains the decent riding stopped. The Autoroute from Milan to Rimini is especially dull and the quality of driving would make anything seen in the UK seem highly trained. The only thing to do was to knuckle down and go with the flow.
When I stopped for fuel I noticed a group of UK plated Ducati’s parked up with their riders taking on fluids in the shade. One couple were riding classic endurance machines and when I got talking to them it turned out that I had travelled over 800miles to meet a couple who live 15mins from my door. Lifes like that I guess. I left smiling at the chances, but within 15miles my smiles were completely gone.
After a little ‘play’ with an Audi A8 that wanted to try and scrape rubber off my back tyre, my clutch lever refused to budge. Bugger! I felt gutted, I was for all intents and purposes about 90mins from my hotel and I was in big trouble. Changing gear when accelerating isnt a problem, but downshifting is another matter. Brute strength worked a few times, but I needed a reliable method that wouldn’t put as much strain on the system and I also knew I couldn’t stop. Once I did, that was it. I found that by blipping the throttle, I was able to change down fairly easily, but I was still worried about what I was going to do when I needed to stop. As the fuel light came on, I knew time was running out. I was fully aware that when below 30mph and in gear, first normally, I had to slip the clutch to keep the motor spinning. Without the ability to slip the clutch, the engine will stall and lock the rear wheel. From my understanding, I had two options. The first was to somehow find neutral on the way into the upcoming petrol station, and the second was to try and do a stoppie from 30mph, raise the back wheel off the ground, and hope the engine stops at that point, allowing me to safely drop the tyre back on the tarmac. I didn’t fancy either but knew the first was by far the safest, but if that failed, I still had time to try the second. The last thing I wanted was to crash trying.
The 500m sign for the Rubicon services game into view. Blip the throttle – down into fifth…..again, down into forth, then third….250m……..100m….second………..into the services…….blip the throttle all the way down to first……..come on……blip, soft lift.....and……yes….neutral. Thank f#@k for that!. I gently coasted to a stop, glad that the bike was still rubber side down, but now what do I do.
I break out my little tool kit and start to take the basket off the clutch. The pressure place has come out to far and won’t go back in, which is why the lever wont budge. I only found out later why. Some of my mates were a few hours behind me and luckily they checked their phones and told me to hold fast. I’d already tried to contact the AA, but the number didn’t work and I had to contact Sarah at home and ask her to phone the AA in the UK and get them to call me. Turns out I wouldn’t need them. My mates finally arrived near the end of their two day ride from England and despite massively jaded, were quickly able to diagnose the problem. My clutch centre nut had spun itself off. Eventually finding a socket the right size (the axle bolt for a Triumph Tiger if you’re asking) we were able to get it back together and get me on my way. Finally, some 12hrs after leaving Nice, I got to my hotel. It was dark, I was hot, exhausted, starving, thirsty, but I was there – safe, and that was all that’ mattered.
After what felt like hours I emerged from the mountains and found my way heading down into Nice along a straight flat road. Normally when people think of Nice, they think of the Promenade des Anglais, the picturesque coast road that has appeared in millions of photos across the years. The truth is very different. Nice, well at least the North side is just one great big industrial city, which seems to go on for miles. When you’re tired and hungry, the last thing you really need to ride through is the French equivalent of Birmingham at rush hour, which is exactly what I had to do. Trusting the Sat Nav to find me a hotel I had to try three before I could find a room, which turned out to be right opposite the airport and to be honest, I couldn’t care less. I just needed to stop for the day, have a warm shower, eat some food and stop. Whilst sat on the bed sorting my stuff it dawned on me. I’ve just ridden right across France. Bloody hell, I haven’t even ridden across the UK before.
An early start on the Thursday saw me trying to find the famous hairpin in Monte Carlo. I failed miserably and as the bike and I were both overheating and the traffic was so bad, I cut my losses. The Sat nav wanted me to ride along the coast road, which I did and I crossed the border into Italy at Menton. Finally I was an Englishman, riding his Italian bike on Italian soil. I knew that I had to make up some serious time, so I headed up onto the A10 Autoroute knowing that this was the quickest way Genoa, Bologna and finally San Marino. If you’ve never ridden the A10 is pretty easy to describe. It’s a duel carriageway through tunnels and mountains that thinks it’s a full on old school F1 track. It’s brilliant. On the two hour ride up onto the Italian plains I managed to scrub up my Pirelli Angel GT tyres like I was on a trackday. Stopping for fuel and lunch at a service station, I finally had a Tiramisu in Italy. Check that one off the list too. Once out of the Italian mountains the decent riding stopped. The Autoroute from Milan to Rimini is especially dull and the quality of driving would make anything seen in the UK seem highly trained. The only thing to do was to knuckle down and go with the flow.
When I stopped for fuel I noticed a group of UK plated Ducati’s parked up with their riders taking on fluids in the shade. One couple were riding classic endurance machines and when I got talking to them it turned out that I had travelled over 800miles to meet a couple who live 15mins from my door. Lifes like that I guess. I left smiling at the chances, but within 15miles my smiles were completely gone.
After a little ‘play’ with an Audi A8 that wanted to try and scrape rubber off my back tyre, my clutch lever refused to budge. Bugger! I felt gutted, I was for all intents and purposes about 90mins from my hotel and I was in big trouble. Changing gear when accelerating isnt a problem, but downshifting is another matter. Brute strength worked a few times, but I needed a reliable method that wouldn’t put as much strain on the system and I also knew I couldn’t stop. Once I did, that was it. I found that by blipping the throttle, I was able to change down fairly easily, but I was still worried about what I was going to do when I needed to stop. As the fuel light came on, I knew time was running out. I was fully aware that when below 30mph and in gear, first normally, I had to slip the clutch to keep the motor spinning. Without the ability to slip the clutch, the engine will stall and lock the rear wheel. From my understanding, I had two options. The first was to somehow find neutral on the way into the upcoming petrol station, and the second was to try and do a stoppie from 30mph, raise the back wheel off the ground, and hope the engine stops at that point, allowing me to safely drop the tyre back on the tarmac. I didn’t fancy either but knew the first was by far the safest, but if that failed, I still had time to try the second. The last thing I wanted was to crash trying.
The 500m sign for the Rubicon services game into view. Blip the throttle – down into fifth…..again, down into forth, then third….250m……..100m….second………..into the services…….blip the throttle all the way down to first……..come on……blip, soft lift.....and……yes….neutral. Thank f#@k for that!. I gently coasted to a stop, glad that the bike was still rubber side down, but now what do I do.
I break out my little tool kit and start to take the basket off the clutch. The pressure place has come out to far and won’t go back in, which is why the lever wont budge. I only found out later why. Some of my mates were a few hours behind me and luckily they checked their phones and told me to hold fast. I’d already tried to contact the AA, but the number didn’t work and I had to contact Sarah at home and ask her to phone the AA in the UK and get them to call me. Turns out I wouldn’t need them. My mates finally arrived near the end of their two day ride from England and despite massively jaded, were quickly able to diagnose the problem. My clutch centre nut had spun itself off. Eventually finding a socket the right size (the axle bolt for a Triumph Tiger if you’re asking) we were able to get it back together and get me on my way. Finally, some 12hrs after leaving Nice, I got to my hotel. It was dark, I was hot, exhausted, starving, thirsty, but I was there – safe, and that was all that’ mattered.
World ducati week 2014
It’s a glorious warm sunny morning on the East Coast of Italy. The sky is a crystal clear blue, but as I make the turn into the Misano Marco Simoncelli circuit, I hear the deep rumble of thunder. Ahead of me are some 100 Ducatis of all shapes and colours, which can only mean one thing - its World Ducati Week and the Ducatisti from the world over have been drawn together for a 3 day celebration of the red planet.
Held in the paddock area of the circuit, the area was broken down into different sections, each with its own theme. In the middle and in pride of place was the Superbike Celebration tent. Inside were a range of bikes documenting the racing success of Ducati over the years and included bikes ridden by Foggy, Hodgson, Bayliss as well as by the modern superbike rider Davide Giugliano. At the far end of the tent, we’re reminded of the technical achievement that is the Superleggera which due to its rarity and cost, drew riders in across all three days. The current line up of MotoGP and Superbike teams had all their race bikes on display in the pit garages allowing you to get up close and personal with some of the most technically advanced racing weaponry on the planet.
Held in the paddock area of the circuit, the area was broken down into different sections, each with its own theme. In the middle and in pride of place was the Superbike Celebration tent. Inside were a range of bikes documenting the racing success of Ducati over the years and included bikes ridden by Foggy, Hodgson, Bayliss as well as by the modern superbike rider Davide Giugliano. At the far end of the tent, we’re reminded of the technical achievement that is the Superleggera which due to its rarity and cost, drew riders in across all three days. The current line up of MotoGP and Superbike teams had all their race bikes on display in the pit garages allowing you to get up close and personal with some of the most technically advanced racing weaponry on the planet.
There has been a lot of coverage lately about the re-imagining of the Ducati Scambler from the 70s, which has only been heightened by a well orchestrated teaser campaign and a distinct lack of pictures. Just after the entrance to the paddock, Ducati had erected a mini beach area complete with sand and fake palm trees that was bookended by giant yellow shipping containers, emblazoned with the Scrambler logo. At the back of the ‘beach’ people queued at a stack of three containers that towered over most of the paddock. After being greeted by a model in a suit (bearing in mind it was nearly 40 degrees) our phones and cameras were taken from us and inside the wonderfully air conditioned container, we were introduced to the new bike following a very short video presentation. It’s clearly aimed as an entry level bike and its very funky, borrowing parts from the new 821 Monster and design queues from the previous incarnation. Could be a winner.
The tent entitled ‘Monster World’ was, as you’d expect, all about the new 821 Monster and was dominated by a huge mural made up of hundreds of Ducati Monster related photos enhanced the feeling that the Monster represents a family within a family. If you fancied it, you could arrange to take on test ride on the bike around the great roads around circuit.
As expected there was many displays and specific events held at and away from the circuit. If you were up to it, you could take your bike onto the circuit for a 20min track session and Ducati showcased guided tours throughout the weekend, a full on beach party on Friday night, stunt shows and the Tudor Drag races where Ducati riders from past and present raced against each other on this year’s Diavel. Held under ‘knock out’ rules it eventually saw Regis Laconi beat Matteo Baiocco in the final much to the crowd’s delight.
Other displays included those by parent and sister companies Audi and Lambourgini, long distance Ducatis that had travelled the world and the international village represented the focal point for many fans around the world across the weekend and proved to be an excellent place to cool down and take a breather. It goes without saying though, that the highlight of the event was simply the sheer number of Ducatis that attended the event from across the world. Official numbers claim that this was as many as 65,000 people and at least every model made over the last 30 years was represented in one way or another.
As expected there was many displays and specific events held at and away from the circuit. If you were up to it, you could take your bike onto the circuit for a 20min track session and Ducati showcased guided tours throughout the weekend, a full on beach party on Friday night, stunt shows and the Tudor Drag races where Ducati riders from past and present raced against each other on this year’s Diavel. Held under ‘knock out’ rules it eventually saw Regis Laconi beat Matteo Baiocco in the final much to the crowd’s delight.
Other displays included those by parent and sister companies Audi and Lambourgini, long distance Ducatis that had travelled the world and the international village represented the focal point for many fans around the world across the weekend and proved to be an excellent place to cool down and take a breather. It goes without saying though, that the highlight of the event was simply the sheer number of Ducatis that attended the event from across the world. Official numbers claim that this was as many as 65,000 people and at least every model made over the last 30 years was represented in one way or another.
2013 - A review
For me, 2013 was a pretty good biking year that was sadly blemished by two and half pretty bad moments. As you would probably have guessed, these were the attempted theft of my Ninja at the end of Spring, the crash of my 1098 at the start of Summer and the actual theft of my Ninja a month or so later.
In all seriousness the year didn’t start out that great for any of us. At the end of January I went off to the MCN motorbike show, which was so bad that even if I got a free ticket for the next one, I’d have to think twice about actually going. It was frankly terrible, especially when compared to Motorcycle Live at the NEC. The long cold Spring followed and we had one of the coldest Easters on record in the UK, with temperatures rarely reaching double figures. During this time I was spending some time in the garage working on the bikes getting them ready for summer. When it did warm up, it did so in earnest and we had one of the best summers in recent memory. The sun was out, the temperatures were up and there was lots of riding to be done.
Trackdays followed in April and May at Snetterton and Brands Hatch but my first visit to Donington, the day after a glorious stunning day at the WSBK, saw me completing only four laps of a totally sodden track at the Ducati only day. I had every intention of getting some serious track time under my belt until in June, following a great day on the Zx7R at Silverstone, I was unlucky to be caught out on Paddock Hill bend, of all places, whilst riding my beloved 1098s at Brands Hatch. A less confident rider in front got spooked by a gust of wind when he was right at the apex. He shut the throttle and sat it up right on my line and it was all I could do to avoid collecting him completely. Sadly I couldn’t save myself as I thundered into the gravel, eventually losing the front and going down, tearing up everything on the right side of the bike.
In all seriousness the year didn’t start out that great for any of us. At the end of January I went off to the MCN motorbike show, which was so bad that even if I got a free ticket for the next one, I’d have to think twice about actually going. It was frankly terrible, especially when compared to Motorcycle Live at the NEC. The long cold Spring followed and we had one of the coldest Easters on record in the UK, with temperatures rarely reaching double figures. During this time I was spending some time in the garage working on the bikes getting them ready for summer. When it did warm up, it did so in earnest and we had one of the best summers in recent memory. The sun was out, the temperatures were up and there was lots of riding to be done.
Trackdays followed in April and May at Snetterton and Brands Hatch but my first visit to Donington, the day after a glorious stunning day at the WSBK, saw me completing only four laps of a totally sodden track at the Ducati only day. I had every intention of getting some serious track time under my belt until in June, following a great day on the Zx7R at Silverstone, I was unlucky to be caught out on Paddock Hill bend, of all places, whilst riding my beloved 1098s at Brands Hatch. A less confident rider in front got spooked by a gust of wind when he was right at the apex. He shut the throttle and sat it up right on my line and it was all I could do to avoid collecting him completely. Sadly I couldn’t save myself as I thundered into the gravel, eventually losing the front and going down, tearing up everything on the right side of the bike.
While I saved up the funds for the repair, my ZX7R was called up for everything, so you can imagine my heartache that when during the hottest weekend of the year, on a weekend trip to spend time with Sarah in Birmingham, someone stole my bike right from outside her front door. It was bad enough a few weeks before when somebody had tried to hotwire it in Central London, leaving me stranded for five hours whilst I first awaited an attempted repair and then an eventual recovery, but that trip back on the train was definitely the lowest moment of the year for me. I’d never had a vehicle stolen and it really hurt. It still does. Even now I think of all the time I spent exploring and learning how the bike worked. The days spent making it better, making it my bike.
From the ashes though, the Phoenix rose. Being without a working bike really spurred me on to getting the 1098s fixed and a few weeks and a good few hundred quid later, the 1098s became my daily ride. This itself led to a few problems. A big twin is no commuting tool and the almost constant clutch slipping and heat from the summer cooked the clutch completely. I had already changed the bike to run an open clutch cover in an attempt to get some air through the system, but this didn’t stop the heat burning away all the grease in the pressure plate bearing, which led to massive clutch problems towards the end of summer.
With winter rapidly approaching, despite continued good weather through Autumn, I knew I had to get my finger out and get a proper bike for getting me to and from work. My mind had bounced between a few ideas, mostly a cheap ZX9R or going completely the other way with a KTM Duke 200. I was very much interested in the smaller bike as I knew I would be taking a bit of an insurance hit come renewal time, so I reasoned that this would soften the blow a little. After a few test rides I finally chose a Ducati Monster 695. I ended up spending a little more than I had planned and the first month was far from plain sailing. Perished rubbers on the intakes meant the bike was back firing badly. It really did sound like an old 1950s Borough Superior. Bit embarrassing really.
With winter rapidly approaching, despite continued good weather through Autumn, I knew I had to get my finger out and get a proper bike for getting me to and from work. My mind had bounced between a few ideas, mostly a cheap ZX9R or going completely the other way with a KTM Duke 200. I was very much interested in the smaller bike as I knew I would be taking a bit of an insurance hit come renewal time, so I reasoned that this would soften the blow a little. After a few test rides I finally chose a Ducati Monster 695. I ended up spending a little more than I had planned and the first month was far from plain sailing. Perished rubbers on the intakes meant the bike was back firing badly. It really did sound like an old 1950s Borough Superior. Bit embarrassing really.
Throughout the year I’ve again been really lucky to meet some really great people. I’m now able to call members of the Ducati Forum friends after meeting them in person several times, which is especially handy as my involvement with the forum went from being a member at the start of January, to the moderator by the end of it and the administrator by the end of the summer. I’ve been lucky enough to meet most of the Ducati UK team and feel I’ve been able to build and maintain a good reputation with the UK branch of my favourite bike maker. I’ve been doing all I get to get my face out there, ‘networking’ with other bike journalists in an attempt increase my presence within the industry, which is harder than you think as its shrinking more and more with each passing day.
The year ended, as it did last year, with Motorcycle Live at the NEC. This year I got to stand a few feet from fellow Ducati owner and Heir the throne, HRH the Duke of Cambridge, but when queuing up to get a well-earned coffee on the afternoon of the first Saturday, I got to chat to WSBK champion Tom Skyes. For me this man is a true example of what a champion should be. He clearly has supreme levels of talent, but he was so humble with his achievements and is a great ambassador, not only to Kawasaki and racing, but to motorcycling itself. That day, he gained a fan for life.
So where does that leave me as the clock turns to say 2014. I’m pleased to say that ‘Head Behind The Bubble’ celebrated its first year and is still going strong. There is still plenty left to do and update and I’m enjoying finding content for the site. I’m fully fit which is something that I’ve learnt not to take advantage of and instead of having a Ducati and a Kawasaki, I can now say I have two Ducatis, which is something that I never thought I’d be able to say. Saying that, I’m already thinking about replacing the Monster with another Ninja come the summer, but that’s a secret so don’t tell anyone. So here’s to 2014, a year that should see me ride the 1098s to Italy in the summer; sit in the Ducati stand at the British GP watching a British rider struggle with the demonic Desmo; meet more people, make more friends, but hopefully it will see me enjoy every moment on two wheels come rain or shine.
The year ended, as it did last year, with Motorcycle Live at the NEC. This year I got to stand a few feet from fellow Ducati owner and Heir the throne, HRH the Duke of Cambridge, but when queuing up to get a well-earned coffee on the afternoon of the first Saturday, I got to chat to WSBK champion Tom Skyes. For me this man is a true example of what a champion should be. He clearly has supreme levels of talent, but he was so humble with his achievements and is a great ambassador, not only to Kawasaki and racing, but to motorcycling itself. That day, he gained a fan for life.
So where does that leave me as the clock turns to say 2014. I’m pleased to say that ‘Head Behind The Bubble’ celebrated its first year and is still going strong. There is still plenty left to do and update and I’m enjoying finding content for the site. I’m fully fit which is something that I’ve learnt not to take advantage of and instead of having a Ducati and a Kawasaki, I can now say I have two Ducatis, which is something that I never thought I’d be able to say. Saying that, I’m already thinking about replacing the Monster with another Ninja come the summer, but that’s a secret so don’t tell anyone. So here’s to 2014, a year that should see me ride the 1098s to Italy in the summer; sit in the Ducati stand at the British GP watching a British rider struggle with the demonic Desmo; meet more people, make more friends, but hopefully it will see me enjoy every moment on two wheels come rain or shine.
Motorcycle live 2013
The penultimate week of November saw Motorcycle Live return home to Birmingham’s NEC, filling three of the biggest halls with all that’s great within motorcycling. All the major manufactures were there, with the notable exception of MV Augusta, who were present at last year’s show. This was a little strange as MV have several new models out for 2014 including the Turismo Veloce Lusso 800, a tall-rounder aiming to take sales away from the Ducati Multi Strada and Aprilia Caponord; and their new hyper naked set to do battle with the new Monster 1200, KTM Duke 1290; the Rivale 800.
Like last year, along with all the static displays, there was lots to see and do including the live Crank’d stunt show, electric kids bikes supplied by Kuberg, the Yamaha off-road experience and not forgetting the ACU Try Trails area and the Test Ride Zone. The Behind the Bars movie was shown at regular points throughout the day and the very popular Get On Zone which is aimed at getting more people interested in riding returned for another year.
Instead of queuing with the masses, this year I was able to utilise the press area and was able to sit down, relax and plan my day. I was trying not to get distracted by the star riders who started filtering past, but it’s still funny to see John McGuiness pulling his stuff along, or Sam Lowes the new BSB champion casually drinking his Starbucks. Just before the doors opened at 10:00, I sneaked through the press door and got my first look of the show. Some exhibitors were putting the final touches to their stands, making sure everything was neat at tidy. A few were giving some team talks and Kawasaki were having photos taken of their team. It was the going to be a busy day and the start of a busy week.
Like last year, along with all the static displays, there was lots to see and do including the live Crank’d stunt show, electric kids bikes supplied by Kuberg, the Yamaha off-road experience and not forgetting the ACU Try Trails area and the Test Ride Zone. The Behind the Bars movie was shown at regular points throughout the day and the very popular Get On Zone which is aimed at getting more people interested in riding returned for another year.
Instead of queuing with the masses, this year I was able to utilise the press area and was able to sit down, relax and plan my day. I was trying not to get distracted by the star riders who started filtering past, but it’s still funny to see John McGuiness pulling his stuff along, or Sam Lowes the new BSB champion casually drinking his Starbucks. Just before the doors opened at 10:00, I sneaked through the press door and got my first look of the show. Some exhibitors were putting the final touches to their stands, making sure everything was neat at tidy. A few were giving some team talks and Kawasaki were having photos taken of their team. It was the going to be a busy day and the start of a busy week.
Ducati
Thankfully, Ducati had a much bigger stand than last year. The number of bikes on display was about the same and in typical Ducati style, their flagship Sportsbike was taking centre stage. Two £60,000 invite only 1199 Sugerleggeras were sat on a revolving platform that displayed the bike in street trim and naked form. It really is a beautiful bike and the fact it puts the already stunning 1199R to shame, goes someway to explain its astronomical price tag. Making its UK debut was the new 1200 Monster with style cues that hark back to previous versions, the bike is clearly part of Monster family and comes fitted with an exciting exhaust system that snakes its way around the front of the bike. Possibly the most anticipated bike on the Ducati stand thou was the 899. Filling the successful shoes vacated by the 848, the 899 had already received its UK premier at the final BSB round at Brands Hatch and is already available through their dealers. Other bikes on display included the Hypermotard, Hyper Strada, Diavel Strada, 696 Monster, the 1199 Panigale R and a new stealth black version of the 1199S.
Kawasaki
The Kawasaki stand was heaving, so they must be doing something right. With the usual display of race bikes, including Chris Walkers new 2014 GB Moto machine, this year the Kawasaki full range included the new Z1000, which although is possibly the ugliest bike of 2014, is by all accounts really rather good. There really is something about Kawasaki Orange thou which I can’t quite put my finger on. The updated Z800 was getting lots of attention and so were Kawasaki’s new range of Scooters and the retro W800. Although practically unchanged, the ZZR 1400 was getting its fair share of admirers as well, but then that’s to be expected given its performance qualifications.
honda
Honda remain the world largest bike manufacturer and judging the amount of space they were using, it really shows. Bringing back the Honda My first licence for children and an impressive café area, Honda filled their stage with an impressive range that included their updated Fireblade, the CBR600RR and they also had a comprehensive number of smaller bikes and scooters that included the Integra and the updated CBR300R. The new bikes didn’t stop there with Honda unveiling the CB650F, the Goldwing based CTX1300 and for me, the most important bike at the show, the new VFR800F.
BMW
BMW arrived at the NEC celebrating their 90th anniversary. Part of their space was taken up solely with models from their past, which included classics, Dakar bikes and even a K1. The pride in the race success of the S1000RR was also clear to see, with a collection of this year’s race bikes.
BMW also had one of the most hotly anticipated bikes on their stand and that was the S1000R, the naked version of their Superbike. It was getting a lot of attention, but people seem to forget that BMW already have a ballistic naked bike in their range, the K1300R, which I’m still very much a firm favourite of. With a couple of revised bikes like the new GS being classed as new for 2014, apart from the S1000R the only other new bike was the Nine T. The idea with this bike is that the owner is able to have the bike they want with a variety of bolt ons to suit its requirements. As a result in basic form, it’s a fraction underwhelming, but when you look closer at the bike and notice a BMW logo smack bang in the middle of the headlights, you know a lot of thought has gone into the bike.
BMW also had one of the most hotly anticipated bikes on their stand and that was the S1000R, the naked version of their Superbike. It was getting a lot of attention, but people seem to forget that BMW already have a ballistic naked bike in their range, the K1300R, which I’m still very much a firm favourite of. With a couple of revised bikes like the new GS being classed as new for 2014, apart from the S1000R the only other new bike was the Nine T. The idea with this bike is that the owner is able to have the bike they want with a variety of bolt ons to suit its requirements. As a result in basic form, it’s a fraction underwhelming, but when you look closer at the bike and notice a BMW logo smack bang in the middle of the headlights, you know a lot of thought has gone into the bike.
Best of the rest
Say one thing about the big HD, they know how to put on a show. Celebrating 110 years HD displayed a small range of bikes charting their history. Although not a cruiser rider, some of these bikes were amazing. I may struggle to ride one, but I certainly wouldn’t mind having one in the house just to look at.
All the attention at the Yamaha stand was directed towards the XV950R, their take on the custom cruiser and the all new MT-09 and 07s. Despite not changing either the R6 or the R1, people was still queuing to get on board and squeeze the levers and the Yamaha stand was filled out with their range of scooters and other bikes including the V Max.
Where to start with Suzuki? Well, as far as I could tell the only new bike for 2014 was the V Strom 1000, which is a brand new model that is re-launching an old name. Their stand will filled with several bikes that are continually being revised such as the Hayabusa, the SV650 (you remember this, used to be called the Gladius), the Inazuma 250, the Intruder cruiser, which has the worse name of any bike on the market as well as the now obligatory collection of scooters. Their hospitality area did have some really nice race bikes on display but I left their stage feeling like I had already seen this range of bikes three years ago, which is sad, because they do make some great bikes. The only area of note was an area dedicated to their GP motorcycles which included the new MotoGP machine and a Kevin Schwantz racer.
KTM were again at the show. This year they brought the balls out crazy Duke 1290; a bike so mad that the prototype was named The Beast. The newish KTM Adventure was very popular with riders looking for a viable alternative to the GS, but for me, the most exciting bikes on their stage were the new RC125, 200 and 390s with sit in their Sportsbike family underneath the RC8R. Despite being clearly great bikes that look like a lot of fun and that I actually really liked them, I have to question the reasoning behind these. I can understand the 125 which will go head to head with the likes of the Yamaha R125 and the Honda CBR125R and will make a great first bike, but why produce two bikes in the 200 and the 390 to go head to head with the new Honda CBR300R and Kawasaki’s Ninja 300. The rest of the stand as expected, paid homage to their off road machinery.
Other bikes on show were supplied by the likes of Triumph, CCM, Royal Enfield, Husqvarna, Norton, WK, Lifan, Aprilia, Triumph, Gas Gas, AJP, Victory and most importantly Motorcycle Live announced the return of Indian. The Indian stand was absolutely buzzing with interest and with only a very limited range of bikes available, they are taking HD on at their own game and have produced some absolutely stunning bikes. Even as a devout Sportsbike rider, I could picture myself riding one across American. That is the power of a well designed motorbike.
Motorcycle live is on at the NEC until Sunday 1st December.
All the attention at the Yamaha stand was directed towards the XV950R, their take on the custom cruiser and the all new MT-09 and 07s. Despite not changing either the R6 or the R1, people was still queuing to get on board and squeeze the levers and the Yamaha stand was filled out with their range of scooters and other bikes including the V Max.
Where to start with Suzuki? Well, as far as I could tell the only new bike for 2014 was the V Strom 1000, which is a brand new model that is re-launching an old name. Their stand will filled with several bikes that are continually being revised such as the Hayabusa, the SV650 (you remember this, used to be called the Gladius), the Inazuma 250, the Intruder cruiser, which has the worse name of any bike on the market as well as the now obligatory collection of scooters. Their hospitality area did have some really nice race bikes on display but I left their stage feeling like I had already seen this range of bikes three years ago, which is sad, because they do make some great bikes. The only area of note was an area dedicated to their GP motorcycles which included the new MotoGP machine and a Kevin Schwantz racer.
KTM were again at the show. This year they brought the balls out crazy Duke 1290; a bike so mad that the prototype was named The Beast. The newish KTM Adventure was very popular with riders looking for a viable alternative to the GS, but for me, the most exciting bikes on their stage were the new RC125, 200 and 390s with sit in their Sportsbike family underneath the RC8R. Despite being clearly great bikes that look like a lot of fun and that I actually really liked them, I have to question the reasoning behind these. I can understand the 125 which will go head to head with the likes of the Yamaha R125 and the Honda CBR125R and will make a great first bike, but why produce two bikes in the 200 and the 390 to go head to head with the new Honda CBR300R and Kawasaki’s Ninja 300. The rest of the stand as expected, paid homage to their off road machinery.
Other bikes on show were supplied by the likes of Triumph, CCM, Royal Enfield, Husqvarna, Norton, WK, Lifan, Aprilia, Triumph, Gas Gas, AJP, Victory and most importantly Motorcycle Live announced the return of Indian. The Indian stand was absolutely buzzing with interest and with only a very limited range of bikes available, they are taking HD on at their own game and have produced some absolutely stunning bikes. Even as a devout Sportsbike rider, I could picture myself riding one across American. That is the power of a well designed motorbike.
Motorcycle live is on at the NEC until Sunday 1st December.
A DAY WITH DUCATI TRACK DAY AT DONINGTON MAY 28TH 2013
Tim Maccabee, Ducati UKs managing director is standing at the podium inside the Paddock Suite at Donington, welcoming us to the Ducati Track Day. Flanking him are several models from the Ducati range and members of the Focussed Events team, including former Ducati riding British and World Superbike champion Neal Hodgson and Niall Mackenzie. Outside its raining and has been so since the early hours, the fabulous weather of the weekend, now just a fond memory.
We listen as we tuck into our breakfast of bacon and sausage butties, coupled with the obligatory cup of tea or coffee. Tim elaborates about what the day will contain, which is far more than just a normal run of the mill trackday. There will be Bikesafe presentations throughout the day and during the lunch interval there will be Q&A sessions hosted by Neal Hodgson with Moto Rapido rider Matteo Baiocco, Ducati Corse rider Ayrton Badovini and the Superbike Project director Ernesto Marinelli followed by an autograph session. Carlos Checa was advertised, but was unable to attend having returned to Spain after experiencing continued problems with a shoulder injury. Throughout the day we would have the opportunity to test out the Bosch ABS systems present on the Ducati range, with three runs on ABS equipped Multistradas and Diavels, which sounded very interesting.
Following the obligatory safety briefing and being told that Focussed Events were waiving their standard fee to ride with their star riders, it was time to head back to the garages and get the bikes ready for the sighting laps. It was still raining.
We listen as we tuck into our breakfast of bacon and sausage butties, coupled with the obligatory cup of tea or coffee. Tim elaborates about what the day will contain, which is far more than just a normal run of the mill trackday. There will be Bikesafe presentations throughout the day and during the lunch interval there will be Q&A sessions hosted by Neal Hodgson with Moto Rapido rider Matteo Baiocco, Ducati Corse rider Ayrton Badovini and the Superbike Project director Ernesto Marinelli followed by an autograph session. Carlos Checa was advertised, but was unable to attend having returned to Spain after experiencing continued problems with a shoulder injury. Throughout the day we would have the opportunity to test out the Bosch ABS systems present on the Ducati range, with three runs on ABS equipped Multistradas and Diavels, which sounded very interesting.
Following the obligatory safety briefing and being told that Focussed Events were waiving their standard fee to ride with their star riders, it was time to head back to the garages and get the bikes ready for the sighting laps. It was still raining.
After the sighting laps and that first session on a totally sodden race track, it was plain to see that the riders fell into three groups. The first group were those riders who were prepared. Their bikes, mostly track weaponry, were shod in freshly cut ‘wets’, with the suspension softened up to make things a little easier. The second group was made up mostly of riders on road bikes with road tyres who went and tottered about, not wanting to push things too far for fear of meeting the tarmac at an uncomfortable angle. Finally there was the third group. This consisted of riders and bikes that stayed either in the garage or the van, knowing full well that they wouldn’t enjoy the conditions and didn’t want to risk damage to themselves or the bikes that they had lavished so much time and money on.
As the fun continued on the track, down at the ‘launch pad’ testing area on other side of Redgate and Hollywood corners, the Bosch technician was introducing riders to the world of ABS. The rain which was making the track conditions so bad was perfect to highlight the benefits that were to be had. The process with simple, the riders were allowed three 50mph runs on each of the two bikes and on each run were asked to do something different with the brakes. In the first run riders were asked to pull the clutch in and stamp on the back brake, for the second is was all about front brake and finally the third run, riders were asked to use a combination of both to simulate an emergency stop. Every single rider who took part was truly amazed at the stopping distance, especially given the tricky conditions.
As the final session before lunch started the rain had stopped and there was hope that the conditions would improve. Lunch was far above the usual track day fare, with a nice selection of both hot and cold foods. During the interval Neal Hodgson hosted his Q&A session with the riders and Ernesto Marinelli and Tim Maccabee donating a fleece for the best question, which was just another small way for Ducati to show its continued gratification for the riders of their bikes. The lucky winner certainly seemed happy to receive his prize from Neal Hodgson just before the start of the afternoon sessions. Sadly, it had started to rain again.
As the final session before lunch started the rain had stopped and there was hope that the conditions would improve. Lunch was far above the usual track day fare, with a nice selection of both hot and cold foods. During the interval Neal Hodgson hosted his Q&A session with the riders and Ernesto Marinelli and Tim Maccabee donating a fleece for the best question, which was just another small way for Ducati to show its continued gratification for the riders of their bikes. The lucky winner certainly seemed happy to receive his prize from Neal Hodgson just before the start of the afternoon sessions. Sadly, it had started to rain again.
A few riders who had sat out most of the morning went out to test the conditions that had already claimed their fair share of bikes and riders, to see if they’d improved. They didn’t stay out there for long as the track was just as wet and un-rideable for them as it was in the morning. As the afternoon progressed riders started packing up as they realised that conditions weren’t going to improve enough before the track closed at 17:00 and resigned themselves to a drive or ride home.
Despite the weather, the day could be seen as a success. Both Ducati and Focussed events made the most of a bad day. Riders had the choice whether to ride the circuit and the many that did, learnt something new about riding in the wet, even if that was only that they didn’t want to do it again. There were some crashes which no doubt tarnished the day for some, but it was also the chance to catch up with friends and to meet new people. The overall atmosphere was very good and everybody who attended was welcomed as part of the extended Ducati family. It was after all the love for the marque that brought everybody together.
This isn’t the end of the story thou as Ducati will be returning later this year, reuniting with Focussed Events for another track day on September 9th at the iconic Brands Hatch GP circuit in Kent. Hopefully, this time it won’t be raining.
Despite the weather, the day could be seen as a success. Both Ducati and Focussed events made the most of a bad day. Riders had the choice whether to ride the circuit and the many that did, learnt something new about riding in the wet, even if that was only that they didn’t want to do it again. There were some crashes which no doubt tarnished the day for some, but it was also the chance to catch up with friends and to meet new people. The overall atmosphere was very good and everybody who attended was welcomed as part of the extended Ducati family. It was after all the love for the marque that brought everybody together.
This isn’t the end of the story thou as Ducati will be returning later this year, reuniting with Focussed Events for another track day on September 9th at the iconic Brands Hatch GP circuit in Kent. Hopefully, this time it won’t be raining.
THE 2013 CAROL NASH MCN LONDON MOTORCYCLE SHOW
Docklands. The last time I was here, the Capital was hosting the world’s greatest show and I had tickets to see that most Olympic of sports, female weightlifting. The Carol Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show, to give it its full title, set up shop at London’s Excel Arena on 15th to the 17th Feb and has become an unofficial opener to the motorcycle season. Although not nearly as large as the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, the Excel isn’t a small place. There are two massive exhibition halls separated by the central corridor which hosts the coffee shops and fast food joints. Despite the mammoth amounts of available space, the show only filled around half of one side and this included a large area in the centre dedicated for the Evolution riding show. You could argue that as motorbikes are small, you can get a lot of them into a very small space, which I guess is true, but the London show was still around a third of the size of Motorcycle Live, held in Birmingham last November. This size discrepancy is more annoying when you realise that unless you booked the tickets in advance, the London show is more expensive than its Midlands counterpart. The show was fairly well supported by the manufactures with some very big names present including the likes of Ducati, Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha, KTM, BMW, Triumph, Victory, Harley Davidson and Aprilia. Even MV Augusta were present as they were being represented by a dealer, but it was who wasn’t there that gave an indication of the shows importance to the industry. Suzuki, one of the Japanese big four had no representation of any kind and nor did some of the smaller brands like Husqvarna, Royal Enfield, Zero and Norton, who despite not making up such a huge market share, all had a great range of products on show in Birmingham.
The stands of the manufacturers at the show were fairly good, even if they were slightly downscaled from Motorcycle Live. The Ducati was right inside the door where they presented a good range of their bikes and in what has become traditional a little shop on the corner selling off branded merchandise. As to be expected the 1199 took pride of place within the stand, but was on static display instead of the revolving one used back in November. All the major models were present, but for this show, Ducati didn’t celebrate twenty years of the Monster.
The stands of the manufacturers at the show were fairly good, even if they were slightly downscaled from Motorcycle Live. The Ducati was right inside the door where they presented a good range of their bikes and in what has become traditional a little shop on the corner selling off branded merchandise. As to be expected the 1199 took pride of place within the stand, but was on static display instead of the revolving one used back in November. All the major models were present, but for this show, Ducati didn’t celebrate twenty years of the Monster.
My favourite stand was by Kawasaki. It was really nicely laid out and drew you in via an archway on the corner and a wide strip of candy green carpet. All their new for 2013 bikes were on display including the Ninja 300, the Z800 and the Zx636r. Again Honda only brought a single CBR600rr along which really felt like confirmation of my feeling that they really don’t have any confidence in the model, which is a shame as the previous model was universally praised across the biking media and is likewise loved by fans. KTM, Harley, Victory and Triumph all had a good showing and their stands were very popular. The Yamaha stand was busy with a Jorge Lorenzo race rep taking pride of place in the middle of the stand. Sadly the exciting sculpture that was present at the NEC and indeed previous European shows was absent.
The Evolution show seemed to be a little better than last year. Although there was less ‘show’ than the previous year, i.e no fireworks or fire breathing women, as it was smack bang in the middle of the arena it seemed to be a much better way of viewing riders Jamie Witham, Tommy Hill, John McGuniness, Neil Hodgson, Dougie Lampkin and Chris Walker having a laugh without being crammed into seats that even a ten year old would find small.
On a retail side of things, there was only a fraction of retail space available but the usual suspects were still there. As a result there wasn’t much of a range to temp customers, but if you really needed or wanted something and didn’t care about its branding, you could find it.
On a retail side of things, there was only a fraction of retail space available but the usual suspects were still there. As a result there wasn’t much of a range to temp customers, but if you really needed or wanted something and didn’t care about its branding, you could find it.
As the show was sponsored/organised by the Bauer group there was a very good representation for MCN and its sister titles Bike, RiDE, Classic Bike et al where you could rock up and discuss the magazine and anything else if you fancied. I got some great advice from Simon Hargreaves and Colin Overland and the chaps on the Practical Sportsbike stand just seemed to be having a laugh. I spotted a few famous faces and managed to say hi to a few. Michael Dunlop came across very well and so did Neil Hodgson who was on signing duties at the Ducati stand.
Excel is big enough to host a show the size of Motorcycle live, which remains the premier UK bike show, but why is the London show so small? Is the industry large enough at the moment to warrant two full size shows? Or is the London show being artificially bolstered by MCN who are using it as a huge marketed exercise? I’m not really sure on the answers to those questions, but I can’t really see the point in a show this small especially considering the ticket price. Personally I feel its either needs to be cheaper or bigger, preferably both.
Excel is big enough to host a show the size of Motorcycle live, which remains the premier UK bike show, but why is the London show so small? Is the industry large enough at the moment to warrant two full size shows? Or is the London show being artificially bolstered by MCN who are using it as a huge marketed exercise? I’m not really sure on the answers to those questions, but I can’t really see the point in a show this small especially considering the ticket price. Personally I feel its either needs to be cheaper or bigger, preferably both.
2012, a review
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For a motorcyclist, 2012 was a strange year. We had record temperatures in early Spring and we had one of the wettest summers on record, which left me snatching rides where I could. Sitting here on a grey December evening looking back, I think to myself that I didn’t ride my bikes enough, that I didn’t make the most of the time, but then I remember. 2012 saw me double the bikes in my garage to two. I visited both the Ron Haslam and Chris Walker Race schools learning more about my abilities and increasing my confidence. I went on no less than ten trackdays and the weather only really ruined two of those, learning new tracks like Mallory and Rockingham. I met some amazing people; real legends like Ron Haslam, Chris Walker, John Reynolds and Tommy Hill. I’ve spoken with writers like Mike Armitage, John McAvoy, Tony Hoare, Simon Hargreaves and Kar Lee to name but a few. Some I have met before, but all of which have been very generous with the time and advice. Most importantly though, I have made new friends. Firstly there are all those new names on the Ducati Forum who are a great bunch, who have proven themselves to be a fine group in which to be associated. For me they are a social network of likeminded people who far outweigh the need to sign up to Facebook/Friends Reunited or any other bullshit faux website. I’ve made friends at trackdays like Tim, who only works five mins away from me in Central London. There’s Pete on his Multistrada who was following me for so long down the A11 to Snett in early May, that I initially feared he was plod. There’s Jeremy on his awesome orange Zx-10 with Ginja written on the side. There was Ashley, a really great guy who I met late in the year who thought it was funny to lap me at Brands on the final session on his sparkly 848 evo (that’s ex racers for ya). Of course there were others but I’d be here all day otherwise.
I spent days at two motorcycle shows, one at each end of the year. In January there was the Excel show where I got so see John McGuinness, David Knight, Neil Hodgson, Dougie Lampkin and Niall McKenzie racing around on little 125s, and in December there was Motorcycle Live at the NEC; three massive halls dedicated to our little hobby and passion. I spent a day with Rapid Training, where I did the best ‘Josh Brookes over the mountain impression’ that my instructor has ever seen. I went to the MotoGP with my very good friend Kevin and his family, where we watched Casey Stoner’s last UK race, Rossi and Hayden wake the world up with their GP12s, Cal Cruthlow secure an amazing 4th from the back of the grid, and where I tried in vain to buy a Ben Spies T-Shirt. Finally, I set up this website, where my writing and musings now live and can be seen, read and hopefully enjoyed by others, rather than sitting hidden on the hard drive of my PC. But 2012 wouldn’t have been half as successful without those people who have kept me on two wheels this year. In no particular order my eternal thanks go to Mike and Artur at Metropolis, Barry and his whole team at North London Motorcycle, Sarah, Tim, Kevin, Ben, Matt and finally everybody at Waltham Forest College. If being on a bike in 2013 is anything like it was 2012, it should be a great year to be on two wheels. These are some of my favourite photos of 2012. 
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motorcycle live 2012
Motorcycle live returned to the NEC on the 24th November of 2012 and stayed until the 2nd December. Building on the growing success of previous years the show managed to draw all the major bike manufactures all eager to show off their 2012/3 range to the thousands that attended over the extended week, proving the show was as important to sales as Cologne and Milan.
Phew, I’ve finally found a chair! My feet are hot and my lower back is sore. My body is more suited to covering greater distances and at greater speeds, but this is Christmas shopping, biker style. It all started earlyish on a suitably cold icy Friday morning. I had taken the day off work in an attempt to avoid the expected crowds on the two Saturday and Sundays. I left my girlfriend’s house in Birmingham and headed onto the M42. Traffic was okay, but it has the worst ripple scarred surface of any road I’ve travelled on. It’s like driving on corrugated iron. But despite the crappy surface I’m pretty glad I left the bikes at home and took the car. Mainly as I intend to buy some trinkets during my visit.
I get there nice and early and pick up an overpriced coffee and I’m pretty surprised with the amount of people already queuing up by the closed doors. There are bikers off all shapes and sizes all of whom are declaring their allegiance in some way of another. There’s a slight commotion as a man in a full length brown leather duster makes his way through the crowd. Turns its Nick Sanders running a bit late. He looks like he’d be more suited to a John Ford film set, staring off into the distance across Monument Valley. 10:00 comes, the door to Wonderland opens up and Alice steps into the rabbit hole.
Phew, I’ve finally found a chair! My feet are hot and my lower back is sore. My body is more suited to covering greater distances and at greater speeds, but this is Christmas shopping, biker style. It all started earlyish on a suitably cold icy Friday morning. I had taken the day off work in an attempt to avoid the expected crowds on the two Saturday and Sundays. I left my girlfriend’s house in Birmingham and headed onto the M42. Traffic was okay, but it has the worst ripple scarred surface of any road I’ve travelled on. It’s like driving on corrugated iron. But despite the crappy surface I’m pretty glad I left the bikes at home and took the car. Mainly as I intend to buy some trinkets during my visit.
I get there nice and early and pick up an overpriced coffee and I’m pretty surprised with the amount of people already queuing up by the closed doors. There are bikers off all shapes and sizes all of whom are declaring their allegiance in some way of another. There’s a slight commotion as a man in a full length brown leather duster makes his way through the crowd. Turns its Nick Sanders running a bit late. He looks like he’d be more suited to a John Ford film set, staring off into the distance across Monument Valley. 10:00 comes, the door to Wonderland opens up and Alice steps into the rabbit hole.
ducati
The Ducati stand is always small compared to the others. The Royal Enfield stand is twice the size for example, but even from the early start, it was packed. This year Ducati are celebrating twenty years of the Monster and they had built an impressive display showing the evolution of the model that saved them back in 1993. Other models of note are the new Skyhook Multistrada, the Diavel Strada, a new family of Hypermotards and the 1199R which looked stunning on its own revolving stand. Bike of the show? quite possibly. The remainder of the range were drawing lots of attention especially the last 848, the Evo Corse, which looked stunning in black and silver
kawasaki
Kawasaki came to the NEC at the end of a year celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Z1 and had an area of their stand reserved for the celebration where they showed off the evolution of the bike. Kawasaki brought several new models to the show which included the new Zx6r, the Z800 and the new Ninja 300. Apart from a few minor tweaks, for each model Kawasaki have taken the 2012 bikes and pretty much just added some more power. The Z800 and 300 are both up 50cc and the Zx6 now has a capacity of 636cc like the bikes produced between 2002 and 2006.
2012 was a great year for Kawasaki Racing. Shane Byrne won the BSB title, Tom Skyes came second to Max Biaggi by half a point in World Superbike, Kenan Sofuoglu won the World Superbike Supersports title. Keith Farmer won the MCE British Superstock 1000 crown and Lee Jackson won the National Superstock 600 on the Chris Walker sponsored Zx6r.
2012 was a great year for Kawasaki Racing. Shane Byrne won the BSB title, Tom Skyes came second to Max Biaggi by half a point in World Superbike, Kenan Sofuoglu won the World Superbike Supersports title. Keith Farmer won the MCE British Superstock 1000 crown and Lee Jackson won the National Superstock 600 on the Chris Walker sponsored Zx6r.
Honda
For 2013, Honda are adding a few new bikes to their range. After several years absence, Honda are re-launching the CB500 and will be produced it in three guises; Naked, Adventure and Racing. The engines are the same, but each model will be easily identified by its differing bodywork, which has been designed to attract a broader client base. Its looks like they could be onto a real winner, offering that first ‘big’ bike for a reasonable price. The CB1100 finally comes to these shores, but doesn't offer anything new and the new ever successful CBR600RR makes its first UK appearance. I was very surprised with the way that Honda promoted this bike which has traditionally been a massive success for Honda. They only had a single CBR600RR on the stand, which was almost hidden against a wall facing a display that showcased the current and previous versions of the Fireblade, which itself was overshadowed by the promotion materials for the CB500 range. If Honda want to regain the title of best Supersports bike they must know that they have serious competition in the updated ZX6R and the new Triumph 675R. The way they promoted the bike, it was almost like they knew the bike wasn’t a big deal. If the factory feels like that, their lack of marketing at the show certainly wasn’t going to draw in any new customers.
ktm
The Austrian marque continues to forge ahead in a very KTM way. Their display contained three of the new Adventure bikes, a line of Dukes and a collection of their off road machines. For me though, what was really important on their stand was being almost ignored by the masses who just wanted to sit on the RC8R, which is a great looking and feeling bike by the way. Over on the side there were three championship winning machines which included David Knights 500 EXC, Cyril Despres’ 2012 Dakar winning machine and finally Sandro Cortesse’s Moto3 championship winning bike.
The other manufacturers
Both Yamaha and Suzuki didn’t have very much that was new or exciting, but their stands were busy with people looking at the gradual evolution of their models. The Harley stand was filled with Harleys and a few custom specials and not much else. BMW showcased the new S1000rr HP4, which is possibly the most advanced production motorcycle on the planet, and the new water cooled version of the ever successful GS 1200. Moto Guzzi revealed the new California, which even for a man who doesn’t like cruisers, looked awesome, and the new Aprilia Caponord has Ducati’s Multistrada firmly in its sight. Triumph showcased their new 675R, Street Triple, Trophy and the newish Tiger Explorer. The only new addition to the Norton stand was their TT racer, but their current range still look amazing. The Husqvarna range included the Terra, The Strada and the wonderful Nuda. The Royal Enfield stand looked the same as last year but had the addition of a wonderful looking café racer and finally Zero motorcycles continued to show that the possibility of mass produced electric motorcycles isn’t too far away.
Throughout the day I saw several people I recognised which included one of my track day instructors, five members of the Rapid Training Team, John McAvoy from Performance Bikes fame, Charlie from Fast Bikes, Chris Walker and I nearly get run over by Richard Hammond as he was ushered around by somebody on a fraction of his pay. I didn’t go to the stunt show, which although I’m sure was excellent and very entertaining, once you’ve seen one you’ve pretty much seen them all. When it was on it made the main exhibition arena a little quieter which was handy. The retailers were out in full force and I picked up some new levers and some protective cases for the Ducati which was the plan from the start.
I managed to find, what for me was the highlight of motorcycle live, almost by accident. I had popped into the Isle of Man TT tent to see if they had any T shirts or DVDs that took my fancy. I couldn’t see anything and I felt that to wear a TT shirt, you really should go to the TT in the first place. When I turned around I saw that for this year, they had not only brought along some bikes but also the TT Trophies. I almost couldn’t believe that I was standing less the four feet from the Senior Trophy, a trophy that men have lived and died for. Seeing in standing there, towering over the others, I could see why.
Throughout the day I saw several people I recognised which included one of my track day instructors, five members of the Rapid Training Team, John McAvoy from Performance Bikes fame, Charlie from Fast Bikes, Chris Walker and I nearly get run over by Richard Hammond as he was ushered around by somebody on a fraction of his pay. I didn’t go to the stunt show, which although I’m sure was excellent and very entertaining, once you’ve seen one you’ve pretty much seen them all. When it was on it made the main exhibition arena a little quieter which was handy. The retailers were out in full force and I picked up some new levers and some protective cases for the Ducati which was the plan from the start.
I managed to find, what for me was the highlight of motorcycle live, almost by accident. I had popped into the Isle of Man TT tent to see if they had any T shirts or DVDs that took my fancy. I couldn’t see anything and I felt that to wear a TT shirt, you really should go to the TT in the first place. When I turned around I saw that for this year, they had not only brought along some bikes but also the TT Trophies. I almost couldn’t believe that I was standing less the four feet from the Senior Trophy, a trophy that men have lived and died for. Seeing in standing there, towering over the others, I could see why.
Chris walker race school
Mallory Park is in the middle of nowhere. I came off the motorway and followed the brown tourist signs and I pass the Triumph factory as a head through Hinckley. Its just a factory like any other with its massive car park and branding on the side. Inside however the UK's assault on the motorcycle world continues. I think to myself that if I had the time, or if I had thought about it before hand, then I would have quite fancied a tour, but mainly on a purely engineering point of view.
I pass through villages, sweeping through the corners on the more open sections of the road. I'm in the car, with my riding kit sat on the chair next to me, but I'm still having fun. I feel like I'm really out in the country at the moment, I'm a city boy and seeing three pieces of roadkill in as many minutes is unusual for one. I could tell the first two were an unlucky fox and pheasant, but I have no idea what the third was, all I know it that is was big. I see more signs to the track and drive through the small village of Kirkby Mallory, not realising where I am and I'm surprised then I see the green and white sign to the circuit on what seems to be somebodies driveway. I pull into the ground and realise that this circuit is miles away from what I'm used to. I pull into a courtyard with its farmhouse and barns. This is no Brands Hatch or Silverstone. Around the outside of the car park are statues and plaques to former drivers and race teams and as is so often the case, I'm early, so I go and grab a coffee, which although not the finest, hits the spot and I have a look around. 
There's a little sign at the end of the car park directing riders to the race school, but when I have a walk over there it appears to lead straight onto the track and not wanted to get into trouble, I hang around the car park waiting. Several other guys turn up and we all wait in the top car park as none of us have been to Mallory before. Its turns out that we are indeed supposed to drive down there as the paddock is in the middle of the track and is only accessible via the hairpin.
After feeling like a berk for a bit for waiting up in the top car park, it was nice to find the sign in process pretty painless. There was the option of a twenty quid waver for any accident damage and having seen the forecast for the day, all of us decide that its better to be safe than sorry. For one rider it was a choice well made after he ran out of track coming off Gerrards and stuffed the ZX6 fairly spectacularly an hour or so later. After getting changed we head up to the briefing which was held on the top floor of the race control building. The room was really stuffy and humid, but the atmosphere amongst the riders was really positive. Sat on the far counter was one Jamie Whitham, who I have never had the pleasure of meeting before and a pleasure it was too. Chris Walker was very wise to get Mr W involved as it really added some of the wow factor that was promised when the initial idea for the school was advertised. What was surprising, was he gave the safety briefing. The main draw for me was that the instructors for the day would be made up of current and past BSB riders, which proved to be a who's who of some of the best talent racing today. One by one their names were called out and they lined up in front of their eager students. Out came Barry Burrell, Richard Cooper; the 2011 National Superstock champion, Billy McConnell, Peter Hinkman; fresh from his release from MSS Kawasaki after taking a wildcard ride for a rival in WSB, Gary Mason, Ben Wilson and Lee Jackson who went onto win the 2012 600 Superstock Title. Finally we were introduced to Chris Walker who was on crutches after smashing up both his ankles a few weeks before at Knockhill, who received a huge round of applause from all in attendance. Although not the most comfortable public speaker, Mr Walker said a few words explaining the nature of the day and what to expect. Basically it would be three sessions and one Superpole session following by a prize giving of sorts. Soon after we were downstairs getting paired up for the sighting laps and we were allocated a rider. To start my day I got to properaly meet and then stare at the rear of Barry Burrell as he showed us around the track 
After three laps of Mallory at an increasing speed we come back in and are directed upstairs again where we are given some race 'seminars' from Jamie Whitam. We find him sat on one of the desks flanked by two woman decked out in skin tight Maxxis branded gear. They are very pretty, but I have always questioned the need for this 'grid girl' approach at events outside of GP's, seeing it as a bit meat marketish, but if they are willing to stand there and somebody is willing to pay, then who am I to argue. Over the day Mr Whitham covers all the basics from body position, line, gear and speed, which all sounds very good, but without a physical bike on hand, it only covers so much.
After this first of four briefings we head back downstairs into the cooler, but still humid air and without knowing it was going to happen we get reassigned riding parters and instructors. I'm now partnered with a quiet young chap called Rad who seemed to be wearing a massive Rossi rep lid and we're taken out onto the circuit by Richard Cooper, who is one of the nicest men I've met and whom always seemed to be smiling under his white HJC helmet. Coming to the end of this second session I am feeling more confident with the track layout and the ZX6R that we're riding. Rad and I take turns to follow 'Cooper-man' around the short, flowing circuit. Dotted around the track are gear markers advising on gear choices for corners, which I didnt really use as I was still getting to grips with the bike, which was made a tad harder due to my massive feet. As the sky starts to seriously darken out session comes to a close and we head back inside. The second session is red flagged within ten minutes after a rider trashes his bike running into the grass coming off Gerrards and the next five to ten minutes of our session are the last dry ones of the day because as we walked back to race control and sky turns black and we hear the rain coming. As I turn to look I hear Peter Hickman say 'I think we're about to get wet lads', I see nothing to disagree with him, but we weren't to know that this intense little shower was just a small sign of what was to come. With the rain, the humidity levels have gone through the roof and I was really struggling to stay cool and our last session and the 'Superpole' laps were run on a wet and slippery track. Being, how shall I put this, heavy, I found it a lot easier that Rad in the wet conditions. He explained that he doesn't normally ride in the rain as as a result was very timid on the track. Coopes could see this and we pretty much coasted around that final session 
About five minutes after finishing our time on track it was time to get ready for the prize giving which is when Chris Walker handed out certificates to celebrate our day at his race school. This came with a goodie bag full of some useful stuff. As I was walking back from my car the sky darkened again and the heavens opened. The rain was so heavy that from Race Control we couldn't see the other side of the circuit. The rain water created a river down the main start finish straight and flooded part of the car park. This ultimately forced the cancellation of the afternoon groups as the track was un-ridable. It turns out that the rain was some of the heaviest the region had seen in years with up to 40mm of rain falling in less than an hour.
After what I felt was a really great day we all headed off home and on the way back I decided to stop at the Triumph factory to take a photo. I was right you know, it's just a big factory with its big car park Triumph in big letters on the side. Thankfully thou, inside that English onslaught continues un-abated. I attended two race schools in 2012, the Walker and Haslam schools and both days were disrupted by the weather. I enjoyed the Chris Walker school as much as I enjoyed the Haslam school, a report of which you can find lower on this page. Chris Walker is a true legend of British motorcycling and has found a nice niche within the track school market. The bikes that are used were top of the line ZX6Rs and although some bore battle scars, non were tatty. I fully intend heading back in 2013 to experience the next level which will hopefully be a lot dryer as I don't fancy trying to control a Zx10r at over 100 mph on full lean around Gerrards. Well not yet anyway    Brands hatch - Ten Weeks Later
I put the bike into gear and gently turn right out of the garage. I roll up my ZX7R behind a white Thundercat in the second of the two lanes. In front of me I notice a SRAD, a 955i Daytona and a VFR. To my right are a SP1 and an SP2, both of which look pretty mean and judging by the scrape marks on the knee sliders and scuffs on the end cans, these chaps may just know what they are doing. Ten weeks ago, I was lying on the side of the road after meeting the side of a minicab, ankle fractured, shoulder dislocated. This is my first time on track since giving the crutches back three weeks ago.
A marshal walks between the two rows of bikes: counting 22, 23, 24, 25, 26... the instructor rides past the right of us and takes his place at the front. Seconds pass and then we are being led out of the pits down towards Paddock Hill Bend. Last time I was here, it was February and about 3 degrees. Thankfully today it’s May and nearer 20. The new surface is noticeably darker and feels good but you can still see some of the rubber that has been laid down in anger. Up Paddock Hill and into Druids, tipping it in the bike feels good, but my confidence level are still low, which isn’t being helped as the riders in front of me are swerving around the track wanting/trying to get heat into their tyres. I choose just to ride as I know that these three warm up laps will be more than enough to heat the tyres for what I intend to do. Greame Hill Bend, Cooper Straight, Surtees, Mclaren, Clearways and into Clarke Curve. The bike is leant over and the needle is pushing past 40 towards 50 as the group fires down the famous cambered Brabham Straight. The group starts bunching up and the rider in front hits the anchors. Shit! Wasn’t expecting that! Pay attention Brown, pay attention. Back to Paddock Hill, which is my, and probably a great deal of other riders favourite corner, over to the left, look right, aim for the apex and the world just falls away from my front wheel as I head down the slope. It’s like a one-man roller coaster. Around ninety seconds later and I’m back, but this time we’re going faster. Much faster. The instructor has starting waving riders past, giving us carte blanche to give it the berries. Nice and easy Matt, don’t try too much too soon. Manoeuvring around Druids, my left ankle is already feeling sore, but the shoulder is good. I remember coming here as a child with my father to watch the endurance cars from the other side of those fences. I can still remember the noise, the smell, the sights and those ear defenders that I had to wear. Bright yellow and a little too big. Second flying lap and all is going well. I’m keeping up, but I still get mugged a few times by some seriously fast guys. I thought this was supposed to be a novice group. I come barrelling out of Paddock Hill and I knock it down into second, which is followed by a horrible crunch from the gearbox and no engine braking. I’ve hit a false neutral and I’m heading for the gravel! After some frantic prodding of the gear lever and a bit of luck I find a gear and manage to brake for the tight right-hander. I breathe a sign of relief and head down towards Graham Hill. Before I know it the first session is over and just in time too as I was starting to feel tired and thirsty and I felt glad to be pulling into the pits. I go a grab a coffee, some water and a Mars Bar, sit down and take stock of where I am. I call Sarah and she thinks I’m mad. So much so that she spends the next 20mins berating me down the phone but it doesn’t stop me loving her thou as part of me can see her side of the argument. She took that call back in March which I’ll never be able to forgive myself for. My next and final session of the evening has just been called and I make my way back to the bike, fire her up and make my way to down the pit lane. We go out and I’m really looking forward to this one. I let the tyres warm over the first three laps and then start pushing a little harder. I keep struggling to change up into fourth coming out of Clearways onto the main straight and have to contort my leg to make life a little easier for my ankle. Back at Druids again and I’m leaning further and further with every lap, but nothing touches down. This bike feels like it will lean forever and it’s over twelve years old. Time passes but I’m getting really tired now. My left leg is shaking and my ankle is telling me to stop. Just as I’m thinking of calling it quits for the day the chequered flag comes out and I cruise around the rest of the lap knowing that it was good to be back. Was it too soon to be back on a racetrack? No! I wanted and needed to know that I could still do it. I park the bike and get off. I can hardly walk and my ankle isn’t best pleased with me. I pack my stuff into my tailpack and I make my way out of the circuit with the screaming sound bikes ridden in anger filling the air. As I ride back into London along the A20 I feel tired and sore, but content. The Ron Haslam Race school
I had dropped enough hints leading up to Christmas, but on Christmas day I realised I didn’t drop enough. I didn’t want new jeans or Closer to the Edge on Blu Ray, okay I did, but what I really wanted with a day at the Ron Haslam Race School. Over the last few years I have ventured onto the track a few times, but always left the track feeling that I had much more give. As soon as they opened in January, I called the school and booked myself a place at the school in late June. Should be great weather and I start counting down the days.
The fateful day comes and the weather man is practically laughing at me through the TV. Rain, rain, rain and more rain. I get my kit on, including some waterproof socks (genius) and head out to the M1. It rains all the way as predicted and I eventually get to Silverstone a good two hours early. I sit around looking out the window drinking coffee watching the rain. Whilst making a phone call I look outside and notice the rain has stopped. Minutes pass, then the final hour before I have to sign on and in that time, the sky has retained its angry demeanour by the track has dried. After the safety briefing, I realise there is a good mix of riders here. Some are less experienced than me, but others look like they are here just to polish some already established skills. We get a mini bus down to our base of operations and I am given my bike number and introduced to my instructor Andy who seems more like a Maths teacher than a racer, but a racer he is and doesn’t he show it. It’s dry as we roll out the pits, but that sky. Just hold off another two hours and I’ll make you a shrine under the stairs when I get home. We pick up the pace and start passing slower riders and after ten or so laps and a being overtaken by some blistering riders on the Fireblades we pull back into the pits for a debrief. Andy gives me great words of encouragement after I say that the rider felt amazing. He said ‘you seem very comfortable on the bike’ and asked me what I really wanted to work on. I explained that I wasn’t here to get my knee down, but I wanted to learn to improve my body position to make me faster and safer. ‘No problem, come and have a sit on this bike’. We go over to supported CBR600RR and after explaining hanging off whilst gripping the tank with my thighs, it was time to head out again. On track Andy is actively giving me hints and about three quarters through the session I enter the tight right hanger Chapel when I feel the feintest of scrapes from my knee slider whilst heading onto the Hanger Straight. Well would you look at that, I just got my knee down. The session draws to a close and Andy and I have another chat. I get lots of information, maybe a little too much and my mind is full of ideas and theories as I head of for the final of my three sessions. Five minutes in and that sky, that has threatened for so long, finally gives in and showers the circuit, but not rain. No not rain, hail. Hail in June, you’ve got to be kidding right? I back well off and plan on going straight to the pits and thankfully Andy has the same idea. Another rider wasn’t so lucky as he looses the front in Farm Curve and fires the bike into the gravel. He’s unhurt, but there will be a form waiting for him when he gets back. The hail quickly turns to rain and it all stops within twenty minutes as we head back for the final debrief at the visitor centre. I’m tired but very happy as the school delivered all it promised. As I get on my bike to ride home the heavens open again and it rains during each of the ninety miles home, but I don’t mind. I got the best of the day, got my knee down after all and ended the day wiser than I started.    |
A day with rapid trainingThe entire bike is in the air and I’m still doing 90mph. I'm
out of control, but I don't even know it. Three hours ago I was sitting in the
McDonalds on the outskirts of Aylesbury eating my Big Breakfast, which is tasty
in a 'once a year' kind of a way. Sipping my coffee I gaze out the window to an
somewhat grey and overcast morning. The nose of my 1098s is peaking out from
behind a silver VW Golf. I had read about Rapid Training from numerous articles
in the Bauer magazines that I read and when I attended a trackday at Rockingham
earlier in the year I got talking with a few of the instructors and decided
that I would be a good idea to spend a day having my riding analysed by a
category one Police rider, when riding naturally and without the worry of a
bollocking at the end of the ride. When I booked I had the option of taking
some one-to-one training for £285 or to go for the cheaper option of £170 where
there could be two pupils to one instructor. When I booked I tried my luck,
picked a day that was free and paid the cheaper price.
I watched my instructor Mark Edwards arrive shortly after on his 900 Hornet and over coffee we had a chat about what the day will involve. He asks me what kind of rider I am and how I feel that I ride. I tell the truth, which is although I'm a Rospa Gold rider, I have no problem and in fact relish getting a move on when the conditions are right. When he mentions Rutland, I realise the size of the ride and although I feel it’s a long way, I really start to look forward to the day. We finish our coffees and suit up. I follow for a bit and then Mark waves me past and we head out onto the A413. We turn off and after about fifteen minutes we stop in a little car park in Great Horwood. ‘That was really good Matt, I was worried that you were going to be some sort of lunatic’, which makes me smile. Do I really give other people that impression? I’m glad Mark is pleased with my riding and he explains what he likes and his initial thoughts are. I think he’s glad that my riding is of a good quality as this means we can head further North towards Uppingham. The ride continues in a similar vain for most of the morning with Mark and I changing places leading and following. We head up past Stoney Stratford and towards Northants and we stop at the garage to refuel bikes and grab some snacks. I find Mark to be a very interesting man and he doesn’t seem to mind me asking questions about his riding history and Rapid Training themselves. We continue North riding through Market Harborough and we get onto the B664 towards Uppingham. I’m feeling confident and really enjoying the ride. I have tried to take on board the comments that Mark has made about my riding and I’m feeling good astride my Ducati. Along the B664 there are three hump back bridges, the first two of which pass without a hitch. The third however, is a different matter. Being a City-boy the only bridges I really know are huge and span the Thames so they rarely prove to be a problem. I see the third and think that I might be able to pop a wheelie over it. I don’t slow down and I feel like ‘attacking’ the bridge will be the best course of action. I know what speed I’m doing, but I don’t know the scale of the risk I’m about to take. The next thing I know, the entire bike has bottomed out. The suspension that has been set to slightly stiffer track settings has been fully compressed as both wheels and the sump guard drop onto the ground after what Mark referred to later as a ‘Ducati Airways’ moment. When we stopped for lunch in Uppingham we were both all smiles, mine more nervous than anything else. Mark said his thoughts were something along the line of ‘He’ll slow down in a bit’ ‘He can’t approach the bridge at that speed’ Oh my God he approaching the bridge at that speed’ ‘OH MY GOD’ Mark recons that I had the entire bike at least three whole feet in the air and that when I landed I created a huge dust cloud on impact. The rest of the day remains eventful as Mark was nearly taken out by a car driver blindly reversing out of a field. I nearly head butted a pheasant and I thought that I’d got nicked for speeding coming into a thirty zone by a unmarked Police van. Which I didn’t for the record. During the final part of the day we saw a sobering reminder of just how risky riding a motorbike can be. As we were riding down the A5 towards Towcester, we got lots of flashes from drivers coming the other way. This usually means there’s a speed trap further ahead, but when we got to what was our final stop of the day at Jack Hill Café we realised what the drivers were warning us of. A lorry driver pulling out of the car park on the southbound A5 for whatever reason hadn’t seen a biker coming northbound. When we got there the rider was lying in the road being treated by Northamptonshire finest after he and his bike struck the fuel tank on the right side of the lorry. Speaking with the Police and witnesses the rider survived, but had it been a foot further left he would have gone under the wheels and the outcome would have been a whole lot worse. The dangers of riding filled our penultimate conversation over a cup of tea and Mark explained the route back to Aylesbury. Thirty minutes later after one final dash down the A421 we were parked up in a layby on the A41 just south of Aylesbury. As cars and some bikes screamed down the dual carriageway Mark and I had our final chat of the day. We talked about riding and we talked about Rapid Trainings role and relationship with the Riders at Bauer, which I have a very keen interest in as I would dearly love to be one of the few lucky enough the ride and write. After a long day in the saddle we said farewell and I made my way home back down the A41. I felt the day was a great success and I read with great interest and pride the report that was sent a few days later. If you ever read this Mark, thank you for a truly great experience. You helped me more that I could ever explain. Oh and yes, I’m never approaching a bridge, humpback or otherwise with the same level of enthusiasm again. This is a copy of the rider debrief, which I am very proud of. Rapid Training Advanced Motorcycle Course Report General Comments Matt is an experienced rider and already has a Rospa Gold riding qualification. His initial ride was well delivered with a good balance between speed and safety. Matt interacted well with other traffic and used his road space well. Road positioning was good and always appropriate. Overtakes were handled well and Matt was sympathetic towards other road users employing a good follow distance. Generally I found Matt's riding to be of a very high standard and certainly he has maintained his Rospa Gold standard comfortably. Areas for Improvement Firstly approach hump back bridges a little slower! Matt's 'take off' on a hump back bridge on the Uppingham Road was spectacular but not recommended on a daily basis!! On occasion I felt Matt could convert his follow position to overtaking position a little more effectively. There is room to blend the following position into the overtaking position on the final approach, this may enable you to overtake carrying less speed which can make the return to the nearside easier particularly on multiple overtakes. Move out early when overtaking as this will enable you to apply most of the power in a straight line and keep the overtake efficient and neat. It also makes forward vision easier to maintain in case new information comes to light. Summary Matt rides at a high level and any changes or developments will be small adjustments to already sound technique. Strive for overtaking perfection with neat unobtrusive passes. Oh and thank you again for the Ducati Airways demonstration – a moment I shall savour!! Instructor: Mark Edwards Course ID: 10783 Silverstone - A New take on the trackday
There are many ways to enjoy the wonder of riding your bike on a track in this country. Companies like Club MSV, No Limits and Focussed Events all provide a forum on which you can explore the potential of your bike, where schools like those run by Ron Haslam, Chris Walker and the California Superbike School, give you the chance to thrash somebody else’s bike around a circuit and learn a few tricks along the way. Now the legendary Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, seen by many as the home of Motor Racing in the UK, have stepped into the fold and have started to run their own trackdays under their own banner.
You have been able to ride your bike around many different circuit formations at Silverstone for some time now. The new full GP circuit, that replaced the classic Silverstone layout in 2010, is often split into two further layouts known as the National and International, each with its own pitlanes and garages. The National uses the old start/finish straight and the International uses the new multi million pound Wing that was officially opened last year. My girlfriend, who follows Silverstone on Twitter, won a competition for me to attend this initial trackday, which was to use the International circuit and which was split into three different groups. The first two groups Street Sport One and Street Sport Two were run like any normal trackday, with riders split into the two groups by ability and each receiving up to seven 15 minute sessions split evenly across the day. The third group, which was designed as the hook, and what Silverstone described as the Ultimate Sport, cost more but it gave you a little more track time. As a result there was a good mix of abilities, but as the track was so wide, it really wasn’t a problem. Being in this Ultimate Sport group also gave us a constant access to several instructors who stayed with the group all day. Made up of the regular instructors from the Haslam Race School, it included two legends of British motorcycling, namely ex multiple BSB champion John Reynolds and Ron Haslam himself. In the time between sessions you could ask them anything from ways to improve your line, body position, braking or gear choices to even asking them about previous racing glory. All were very approachable, knowledgeable and easy going and they were happy to discuss what you wanted and then if needed, would show you out on the track and debrief you when you got back to the garage. Basically it was free instruction. We had stayed the night in the Holiday Inn on the outskirts of Buckingham on the Saturday night, which although not the most exciting place in the world, did allow us a quick twenty minute ride to the track. I rode on ahead, with Sarah following in the car and I was struck by how peaceful and pleasant it was gliding along deserted roads on a sunny summer morning. After a brief top for fuel, we arrived at the circuit and were directed towards The Wing, which now dominates the Silverstone skyline with its unique angular silhouette. After riding around the inner network of roads, past the Experience Centre that is used as the base for the Haslam School, we rolled up to the gate and were directed towards our garages. The Street Sport groups were to share a garage, with the Ultimate group getting one to themselves. There was no static noise test and the signing in process took mere minutes. We grabbed some complementary coffee and waited for the obligatory safety briefing. There was a nice mix of bikes in my group. My Ducati found itself next to bespoke track bikes, a Polish racing team riding two KTM supermotos, a few GSX-Rs, Fireblades and some lovely Ninjas including a sparkling Zx9r and a big Zx12r. The atmosphere inside the garage was very positive, which was helped by glorious sunshine that had been bathing the pits all morning. As we sat in the corner of the garage, with the sounds of bikes nearby warming up, Rocket Ron explains the rules of the day. We are told that the sound testing was 105db and it would be taken down the pit straight. The standard flags speech followed, which is done in such a way as to not be patronising or boring. Usually the ‘fast’ group goes out first on trackdays, but the Ultimate group are sent out last, which didn’t really affect things. The biggest difference to the day was that there was to be no passing on the inside leading into and during a corner. Non. Zip. Nada. Normally this is advised against, but today, it’s an outright ban, with a three strike rule in place. Personally I agree with the rule as today was all about fun and safety, but some of the other riders thought it was a bit draconian and unnecessary. Horses for courses I guess. It’s soon time to head out on track for the first time and I take my place pretty much at the front of the line. The only two riders ahead of me are John Reynolds and Ron Haslam. I’ve met famous riders before including Tommy Hill (a real gentleman) and Jamie Witham (a real storyteller) but it’s still a very weird feeling riding behind two real legends of bike racing. I’m familiar with the track and am initially surprised at how slowly we take the first sighting lap. My bike only briefly sees third gear on the Hanger Straight, but as the three laps counted down, the speed was increased and soon we get released to complete the session. I’m quickly waved past by John Reynolds and I’d have been a fool not to accept it as I doubt I’ll have many opportunities to overtake a former multiple BSB champion on track, no matter how easy it was. As I buzz around the track Sarah is up on the third floor in the Media Café, which although a little on the small side, has a great view of the start finish straight and throughout the day it served up some seriously nice food and a seriously good quality of coffee. The only downside was it was over a fiver for a Sausage baguette! It was nice thou. After a brief heavy shower before lunch pretty much put a stop to the final morning session, we took advantage of the twenty minute tour of The Wing. I felt sorry for our guide as she was losing her voice, but as we squeaked around the almost empty building, she still expressed a great knowledge and a passion for Silverstone. The media room is huge, there just isn’t another word for it and race control is proper hi tech. They were both quiet, but you could easily imagine the organised chaos of a race day. For the final part of the tour, we ventured onto hallowed ground. From race control you walk down a simple flight of carpeted stairs to a non-descript external door. When outside you bare right and there ladies and gentlemen, is the Silverstone podium. Cue a stupid pose and an even dumber expression for the obligatory photo opportunity. I doubt I’ll ever be there again, so technically that’s one to tick of my bucket list. 
The track hadn’t quite dried by the time the afternoon session started, so it was a fairly relaxed few laps when we got back out onto track. I was semi-glad about this as I was having real problems with the ground clearance from my feet, especially on my right hand side. I’ve got size 46 feet, which is UK 11 or 12 depending of the boot maker and I was suffering, especially around the awesomely fast right hander at the end of the 150mph plus Hanger Straight, Stowe. My bike was running standard pegs and no matter what I tried I couldn’t stop my magnesium toe slider scraping away on the tarmac. I’d destroyed a brand new one in the morning and was really worried about damaging the boot itself. I found Rocket Ron and had a little chat and I basically had three options. 1) Toes on the pegs 2) ball of my foot on the pegs, encouraging of more flexible leg position 3) go slower. Option three wasn’t something I really wanted to so, and I had been trying the first for most of the morning, but with little or no luck, so option two it was. For the next session, the wind and the heat of now re-appearing sun had dried and warmed the track. After two laps of the two mile circuit my tyres were up to a good temperature as I barrelling down the Hanger Straight. I got my body into position for Stowe Corner and I tipped it in with my new found knowledge and …….sccrrrrrraaappeee as my toe sliders get yet another violent introduction to the Silverstone tarmac. I kept trying to re-position my feet throughout the session trying to find something, but my options quickly become clear and I concede and finally take option 3. 
For me this trackday had it all. It had highs; getting my knee down all the way around Stowe Corner. It had lows; I ran out of fuel on track in the afternoon, needed to be pushed back to the pits and had to ask an unhappy girlfriend to give me a lift to the petrol station, but the day had a really special feel to it and I left the circuit filled with some good memories of the people I met and a really positive feeling about the progress that I am making as a rider. I even have the photos to prove it. Speaking with some of the organisers, Silverstone say they will be expanding these days, hoping to run many more next year and even using the full GP circuit at least once. This year they only have one more planned, which as it’s in October it could be affected by cooler conditions and suspect weather. Would I go again? Absolutely! Although I ride a fast sportsbike and ride on the track as often as time and money will allow, I still get a little intimidated at trackdays. I’m normally far more comfortable at ‘road bike only’ trackdays such as the Reclaim your Trackdays series sponsored by Bike magazine, but there was something very relaxing about the environment that Silverstone provided. I, along with many of the other riders in my group really thrived out there and you could see it plastered all across their faces when it was time to go home. They all looked happy and isn’t that why we ride our bikes in the first place.    |