Simon Hancocks
Digital Content Manager
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.
3830 articles
General
06/06/24
The film features a big-name cast and focuses on the early days of a biker gang in post-war America
New Bikes
05/06/24
Reports suggesting the Honda CB1000 Hornet has been postponed until 2025 might not be 100 per cent true
Road Racing
05/06/24
He’s only been equal to his uncle’s winning tally for a few days, but in the Supertwin TT Race Michael Dunlop has broken the record that’s stood for 24-years
Viral
05/06/24
Josh Brookes makes full use of all of the road, and then some, as he mounts a kerb in Kirk Michael in what would been a terrifying incident
General
05/06/24
Niall Mackenzie is an Ex-British Champion and stood on Grand Prix podiums but at the age of 62 a UK racing return beckons in a support race for the BSB
Industry
04/06/24
The lawsuit stems from a Piaggio-owned patent that allows its leaning multi-wheel scooters to lean like conventional motorcycles
Viral
04/06/24
With cameras dotted about his BMW M 1000 RR, this whole-lap video of Peter Hickman at the TT might be the best we’ve seen yet
New Bikes
04/06/24
Triumph has returned to collaborating with the premium watch brand Breitling, for a limited edition version of the Speed Triple 1200 RR
General
04/06/24
Few bikes can match the allure of a tricolour RC30, and this one might be one of the tidiest examples around
Road Racing
04/06/24
John McGuinness has the Isle of Man Police and the ‘power of social media’ to thank for the return of his cherished leathers
General
31/05/24
Two race fans travelling from Germany to the Isle of Man TT have been reunited with their bikes which were stolen in Liverpool as they travelled to the event
Product News
31/05/24
A new Lego brick-style kit has been released by CaDA Blocks, depicting a 1:6 scale version of the Suzuki Katana
Viral
31/05/24
Fan-favourite Davey Todd has given us a rider’s eye view of the Isle of Man TT course from behind the screen of his BMW M 1000 RR
New Bikes
31/05/24
Benelli has revealed the 902S, a parallel twin-cylinder with 105bhp and a striking resemblance to Ducati’s iconic Monster
Viral
30/05/24
Not everything you see on the internet is true, and in this case, it could be conceived as idiotically dangerous
General
30/05/24
National Highways is asking motorists to ‘Think Bike’ over the next couple of weeks, as Cumbria is set to be flooded by motorcyclists
Industry
30/05/24
Two of the biggest motorcycling organisations have formally united to help improve the lives of motorcyclists across Europe and beyond
New Bikes
30/05/24
The new concept pays homage to the Spanish Grand Prix hero Jorge Aspar Martinez
Top 10s
29/05/24
With the Shuttleworth Summer Sale just a month away, we take a look at the catalogue and pick out some of our highlights
MotoGP
29/05/24
The MotoGP Kazakhstan GP has received new September dates for 2024 which confirm the cancellation of the 2024 Indian Grand Prix
General
29/05/24
From the Mountain Course to the Silverscreen, as Isle of Man TT film and docuseries, entitled The Greatest Race On Earth, gain big-name backing
Industry
29/05/24
Buell has confirmed it is to expand into new global markets, with the European Union and the UK mentioned as targets
Viral
29/05/24
The Red Bull Hardline downhill MTB has raised an interesting question, what is faster down the course, an enduro bike, or a bespoke downhill MTB
General
28/05/24
As the racing at the Isle of Man is about to kick off, Toad thinks it’s time the NW200 stepped out of the TT’s shadow