 ITV's Amazonian ex-Gladiator BSB presenter talks bikes, racing, nights in jail and, er, more bikes |
1. If you were a bike, what would you be?
A Super Blackbird. Ha!
2. Describe yourself in one word
Enthusiastic.
3. What's the most embarrassing bike you lusted over in your youth?
I only had one 'bike' in my youth, a Puch Maxi.
4. What were you riding and where when you first did 100mph?
In France on a '97 CBR600 about six weeks after passing my test.
5. What should the speed limit be on a clear and empty motorway?
Er, I think about 80/85mph seems reasonable-ish.
6. What's the fastest you've ever ridden on a public highway?
Pyjamas with arrows on aren't a good look on me, so I'm not sure I should say. I don't think I've ever ridden above 160mph anywhere.
7. What's your favourite road?
Any that twists, that's smooth and has a mountain beside it. I like roads I've not been down before. They become my favourite until I move on to the next one.
8. What's the most you'd spend on a bike?
Depends how flush I am. Whatever I needed to get the bike I wanted.
9. Who do you admire in biking?
Rossi. I admire his mental strength as much, if not more than, his skill.
10. What would you do with your last gallon of fuel?
Ride to another petrol station.
11. What bikes would you like to own if money were no object?
A tricked up K6 would be nice, and an RSV Factory with a full Evo 6 system. No wait, a GSX-R750 and a 999. An off-road toy, maybe a CRF250X. An '06 Tuono but with an '05 engine... Some kinda drag bike just for kicks. A CVO Fat Boy, a Speed Triple. My Blackbird, my old Thunderace (I loved that). If money were no object we'd be here forever, but ask me in a month and I'd tell you something different.
12. What's the maddest thing you've done on a bike?
Steam down the strip at Santa Pod on a 320bhp Pro Stock drag bike.
13. Ever spent a night in jail?
Nope.
14. What's on the horizon in your field of work?
Hopefully more of the same, with bells and whistles on.
15. What are you reading at the moment?
Total Control by Lee Parks
16. What's your proudest achievement?
Earning the respect of my peers in the motorcycle industry.
17. Do motorcycles inform your work, and if so, in what way?
As a bike journalist I ride for a living really. With the ITV job I spend race weekends at the circuits, and I'm also a qualified RoSPA instructor. Bikes are 100% my work.
18. If you could switch careers, what would you do?
At this stage in my life I wouldn't want to do anything else. I couldn't have planned it better if I'd tried.
19. Are you paid enough?
I'm certainly not complaining.
20. What would you like your epitaph to be?
Pass. It's more important that people remember me with thought and emotion rather than by staring at a slab of chiseled granite.
