81 to 90 of 130 blog posts
'Absolutely no wheelies for pictures. OK?'
So with an afternoon of sightseeing completed (a rare luxury on most launches) it's back to the hotel for the press conference. These are you usually long winded, tooth pulling affairs with Japanese technicians insisting on speaking their bestest engrish which only serves to elongate the proceedings. Nothing kills a presentation ... Continue reading
Tags:
Bloody cyclists, ruining the pure racing line...
This road (the one in the video) was a previously unseen, super-steep mountain pass which needed first gear for the hairpins and second between them with an occasional grab at third on the quicker sections. It was the sort of road that pumps up your forearms and makes you crane your ... Continue reading
Unusually, we've got a whole day to kill
So, we meet at Luton at 4am on Wednesday morning. The flight gets us in to Palma, Majorca for 9.30 Spanish time. Weather's overcast and it's just rained. Warm, though.
After a trundle down the road for ten minutes in a minibus we're at our hotel base. But there's nothing going on ... Continue reading
Glamour? The jet set? Er, no.
For the nosey amongst you, you might be interested to know what goes on during a 'press launch'. The phrase is used in passing in new model reports as if you should all know what it is. Like some kind of given. An assumption.
New bikes tend to be launched to the ... Continue reading
Honda CBR125 and Rieju RS3 125
It’s a funny thing being 17. Just as life is teaching you that looks are everything, mother nature chucks acne at you.
The rapidly increasing value of independence is not to be ignored either. Our eldest boy (boy number one) is of this critical age. Despite being surrounded by bikes all his life, ... Continue reading
How not to launch your Harley
Ten points for staying on. Nil points for damaging the christmas tree...
Continue reading
And how it nearly all ended in a massive fireball
A long time ago a man – some would say living legend – taught me how to ride a speedway bike. In Scandinavian tinged English he told me that the heart of riding a speedway bike was the relationship between my heart and the centre nut of the top yoke.
Like a ... Continue reading
Damn, it's still cold out there...
Here are some hastily scribbled notes. It's first impressions stuff. Stay with me on this one...
- Horrible clicking feel at the clutch after you pick up the slack from deceleration - trait of nearly every slipper clutch mechanism I've ever tried. Great from track use (essential) but not sure slipper clutches are ... Continue reading
Or bits of it, anyway
Well, after several months of eager anticipation, that day has arrived. My 2011 Repsol Blade has finally rocked up. She'll be accompanying me this year on a voyage of track days, real road racing spectating and on my 200 mile commute between the office and home. Come on spring!
I opted for ... Continue reading
There may be troubles ahead...?
There's often more lurking within a seemingly innocuous press release than first meets the eye.
The latest communication from Ducati's MotoGP spin doctor would, at first, lend you to believe that the team are buoyed with steely optimism and are hopeful that their hard work ethic and diligence will get them to ... Continue reading
81 to 90 of 130 blog posts
