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.
3829 articles
Gear
10/05/21
We been putting some miles on the latest sports touring motorcycle helmet on the market - the Arai Quantic
New Bikes
06/05/21
Yamaha has released an R/World teaser video that talks about a track and street motorcycle, could it be confirmation of the MT-07-based R7?
General
04/05/21
With NIMBY type people becoming ever more vocal, Toad ponders how the onset of new technology might actually make things worse
New Bikes
04/05/21
The E-BOOST name is likely to relate to an incoming hybrid or all-electric Kawasaki motorcycle
General
04/05/21
As Suzuki rings the changes this month with an updated GSX-S1000, we take a look at how the GSX model came to be
WorldSBK
30/04/21
World Superbike legend Jonathan Rea has received the honour of the Freedom of the Borough by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
General
30/04/21
A petition has been launched to ban motorcycles from Ludlow town centre causing noise monitoring to be put forward
New Bikes
30/04/21
The Zongshen Cyclone RX6 is a Chinese build sports adventure motorcycle powered by a Norton-derived parallel twin-cylinder
Industry
30/04/21
Brembo has signed an agreement to acquire a 100 percent stake in the Spanish brake manufacturer J.Juan
Industry
29/04/21
The share capital increase is said to support MV Agusta with the Italian firm’s 5-year business plan and continued worldwide growth
Industry
29/04/21
The new portal gives new and existing motorcycle riders essential safety advice and advanced riding tips
General
29/04/21
To find out if KTM really could improve on what we thought was the best middleweight ADV motorcycle, we went to Sweetlamb to try it out the new KTM 890 Adventure
First Ride
28/04/21
To find out if all Jonathan Rea’s hard work has paid off, we went along to Bedford Autodrome to test the new 2021 ZX-10R and ZX-10RR. 2021 ZX-10R
General
28/04/21
MotoGB has launched a Coronavirus Charity Appeal to help the Indian nation as they battle the COVID-19 pandemic
General
28/04/21
Visordown talked with Energica’s top brass to get an idea of how the premium electric motorcycle brand is evolving in these changing times
BSB
28/04/21
Triumph has pulled the wraps off its Dynavolt Street Triple 765 which will compete in this year’s British Supersport Championship
Industry
28/04/21
The DVSA has investigated more than 2,000 fraud reports in the last year leading to a country-wide MOT clampdown
Industry
26/04/21
Honda has unveiled its ambitious path to electrification, with three new electric motorcycles released by 2024
General
26/04/21
This week sees the 75th anniversary of one of the best-known names in, if not exactly motorcycling, then certainly ‘powered two-wheelers’ – Vespa.
New Bikes
26/04/21
Aprilia has bolstered its urban mobility range with the launch of the new SXR 50
General
23/04/21
Apex66 is giving away a brand new KTM 890 Duke R in its latest competition and Visordown readers can get money off their first entry
MotoGP
23/04/21
The first seven series to be included in the new Road to MotoGP programme have been revealed with MiniGP cups in UK, America, Spain, and more
Product News
23/04/21
Happy bike, happy life? The Motul External Care motorcycle cleaning range will have your steed looking its best
General
23/04/21
Guy Martin is coming out of lockdown fast, as he aims to break 300mph riding his modified Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle