My big passion is for sportsbikes from the 1990s and early 2000s, but I also have a real soft spot for big bikes that handle well and can take me to far-flung places. Tell me that I’ve got 24hrs to get to somewhere 1000 miles away and a Ducati Multistrada V4S to get there on, and I’ll be gone before you’ve finished the sentence. I have a worrying penchant for big days in the saddle, and once stupidly rode from Land’s End to John O’Groats and back again without stopping (that was 1703.5 miles in 30 hours 4mins, in case you were wondering).
In my own man cave there’s a 2007 Honda VTR1000 SP-2, a 1998 Ducati 996, a 1986 Suzuki GSX-R750 ‘Slabby’, a 1998 VFR800FiW and a 1975 Honda CB750 SOHC Dunstall. Previous ownership highlights have included a Kawasaki Z1000, Ducati 900SS, Yamaha TRX850 (bought brand-new in 1997), Sherco 2.5 trials bike, a Kawasaki ZXR750H1, Suzuki T500 classic racer (which I never actually raced it, ahem), a KTM LC4 Supermoto, and many others…
I usually rack up between 15,000 and 20,000 miles every year – in all weathers, all year round – testing new bikes. You’ll only find me in a car when there’s simply no way of travelling by bike – or if it’s a classic car or Land Rover. The rest of the time, I’m sat behind a Mac helping to make MCN, Bike, Ride and Classic Bike, as just one cog deep in the very best teams in motorcycle journalism.
