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.
General
01/05/20
He was riding Otay Mountain and had been reported to be missing for four days
General
30/04/20
The Yamaha Sports Ride was the closest that Yamaha came to launching a genuine sports car – sadly for us, it never came to be…
Industry
30/04/20
Electric car maker Tesla has been sued over the first death of a man killed by a car using the ‘autopilot’ feature
Industry
30/04/20
Harley-Davidson has effectively rewound the ‘More Roads to Harley’ program in favour of a more back to basics strategy
MotoGP
30/04/20
The Yamaha Petronas SRT team have said they have a place for Valentino Rossi in 2021 but that he needs to confirm his plans
General
30/04/20
A Yamaha flat track motorcycle powered by an MT-07 engine has ended Yamaha’s winless streak in the top class of American Flat Track
New Bikes
30/04/20
A possible new A2 licence challenger from Suzuki has been revealed in the form of a possible GSX-S 300
New Bikes
30/04/20
The XP Zero is a custom-built electric motorcycle based on the Zero SR/F and was created by the Anglo-American builder Unlimited Motorcycles
New Bikes
30/04/20
The Royal Enfield Himalayan adventure motorcycle has gained a host of useful updates for off-road riders
New Bikes
30/04/20
More information regarding the incoming mid-weight naked from Aprilia is being unearthed
New Bikes
30/04/20
Indian Motorcycle has begun teasing the motorcycle world with a new, carbon fibre version of the FTR1200
Industry
30/04/20
New ‘Ducati Cares’ programme outlines key social distancing and hygiene steps dealers will have to take before being able to reopen to the public after the COVID-19 lockdown
New Bikes
29/04/20
With Jawa showcasing their new 300 model to the public in Europe, we ask if this is the most authentic modern classic we’ve seen…
New Bikes
29/04/20
The clearest and most complete images of the new Royal Enfield Meteor have been found
New Bikes
29/04/20
Honda has filed patents for what could be the much talked about smaller capacity Africa Twin or a new NC model
Workshop
28/04/20
With manufacturers getting switched on to the idea of the V4 engine configuration, Visordown takes a deep dive into the layout
Industry
28/04/20
The new owners of Norton Motorcycles have announced the interim CEO to help steer the company out of the mire
Workshop
28/04/20
Triumph Chief Engineer, Stuart Wood takes on a deep dive into the chassis of the new 2020 Triumph Rocket 3
Industry
28/04/20
Motorcycle protection firm, GBRacing, is helping to fight COVID-19 with specially made face masks
Top 10s
28/04/20
China is globally known for not having much respect for copyright laws, and that also extends to the nations motorcycles builders
General
27/04/20
Motorcycle racing legend Phil Read is reported to have recovered from the COVID-19 virus
General
27/04/20
The 43rd running of the event was due to take place in July although due to the COVID-19 pandemic the date has now been changed
General
27/04/20
She’ll be joined by Maverick Vinales, Danilo Petrucci, Michael Laverty, and Julian Ryder as they talk about all things MotoGP
Industry
27/04/20
As parts of Europe begin to see a drop in the number of new COVID-19 cases, some factories are beginning to wake up