Simon Hancocks
Editor
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
Prior to Visordown, Toad worked in the motorcycle insurance industry, before creating a role at a small motorcycle website and starting his journey as a journalist and road tester.
Since then Toad has launched bikes on all of the world's continents that aren't permanently frozen, covered hundreds of thousands of road test miles and always maintains that a bad day on a bike is better than a good day in a car!
Toad is happiest when touring through Europe, hammering a big adventure motorcycle up a trail, or riding around a race track, his favourite is Jerez, accompanied by a Panigale V4! He had a go at trials once, but it'd didn't go terribly well - his ambition definitely outweighed talent!
Now Toad is working through the restoration of a classic Ducati sports bike, and yes, it's taking much longer than he planned.
Industry
16/09/20
The Competition and Markets Authority claim that the sale of Bennetts could lead to less choice and higher prices for consumers
General
16/09/20
Voting is now open to find the winner of the 2020 Triumph Bonneville Build-Off competition
WorldSBK
15/09/20
WorldSSP300 star Ana Carrasco will sit out the remainder of the 2020 season due to injury
Industry
15/09/20
The UK’s biggest motorcycle show will be an online event this winter as Motorcycle Live 2020 goes virtual
First Ride
15/09/20
With electric bikes on the road sometimes leaving riders with more questions than answers, could the Electric Motion EPure be the perfect antidote?
New Bikes
15/09/20
The Peugeot P2x was first unveiled at EICMA 2019 although until now there was no official plan to build a production version
General
15/09/20
Falklands veteran and charity fundraiser Simon Weston is looking realise his lifetime ambition of riding a motorcycle
General
15/09/20
Many UK cities are looking to ditch rental e-scooters after widespread dangerous misuse
General
11/09/20
2020 has been a bumper year for all-new or updated super nakeds. We pitch three of the best against each other
Gear
10/09/20
We’ve been testing the Sena 10C Evo motorcycle Bluetooth headset for most of 2020, here’s our full review
New Bikes
10/09/20
The legendary, race-bred supermoto, the KTM 450 SMR, is making a return to the range in 2021
General
10/09/20
The Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC has been rounding up the herd as a tribute to part of the untold story of The Great Escape
General
09/09/20
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is being called a ‘super-spreader’ after a study found it could have caused 19% of the US total for last month
General
09/09/20
The UK Government is on the verge of placing further COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings which could result in motorcycle events being affected
Product News
08/09/20
RST has officially launched a range of motorcycle gear with integrated airbag technology for road, track, and adventure motorcycling
General
08/09/20
China continues to march on in the motorcycle manufacturing sector, as plans for an inline four-cylinder come to light
Industry
08/09/20
In an interview with an HRC boss, water is poured on the idea of a V4 sports bike from Honda
New Bikes
08/09/20
A Chinese firm has released a small capacity clone of the BMW S1000RR and we cannot understand how they have got away with it!
Road Test
07/09/20
Is the Triumph Daytona Moto2 765 a one-trick pony, or is the carbon fibre wonder as capable on the road as it is on the track?
General
07/09/20
The Kawasaki ‘Team Green Army’ rewards programme will pay cash rewards to the top finishing Kawasaki mounted riders!
New Bikes
07/09/20
The Honda CBX concept from EICMA 2019 could become the CB1000X using the CB1000R as a base for the sports touring machine
Industry
07/09/20
Highways England has unveiled plans for a £27.4 billion investment in the UK road network which is claimed to support 64,000 jobs
General
07/09/20
Choosing a motorway over the more enjoyable B-road should mean an improvement in your journey time, but not if you choose one of these slowest motorways in the UK
Road Test
04/09/20
We have taken the Honda CB500 X into uncharted depths, with a full and thorough on and off-road review, here’s what we found out...