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.

Yamaha YZF-R1 2020
Top 10 Sportsbikes of 2020
Fast, fun and more accessible than you think, Sportsbikes get our hearts racing in all the right ways - these are the Top 10 Sportsbikes of 2020
Kawasaki ZR900
Coronavirus | How can motorcyclists help?
Here are the best ways that the motorcycle community can help during the Coronavirus pandemic
Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sports Review
Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin – your questions answered!
We’ve been spending some time with the new 2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin to answer your questions
Motorcycle Maintenance
Top ten motorcycle jobs to complete in self-isolation
With it looking more and more like the UK population will be placed in lockdown in the coming days, here’s some ways you can spend the time productively
Tesla Dash
TOAD TALKS: Surprise surprise – TVs in cars are bad…
With the news that a study has found in-car infotainment systems distract drivers, Visordown wonders why it took this long…
Kawasaki vs suzuki Ninja Thumbnail
Head to head: Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX vs Suzuki GSX-S1000F
If you’re looking for a sports-tourer from the old-school mould, the big GSX-S and the revised Ninja 1000 SX are two bikes in a small pond to choose from
Triumph Rocket 3 Review
Top ten bikes of the last twelve months as voted for by you
The last 12 months has been a bit of a bumper period for new bikes, here’s the top ten as chosen by you