Judging by the site traffic on the previous articles, my lowly V-Strom is a surprisingly popular motorcycle. I was impressed when I reviewed it, so much that I bought one with my own money. I delivered an update after a year and 23,000 miles, then detailed the extensive suspension, brake and electrical upgrades I’d made…
Originally published in Slipstream magazine, July 2018. I think I can safely assume that all of us have ridden our bikes in the UK, and many have pushed beyond our borders to explore the untamed wilds of Europe. Out there await wide, open stretches of dusty French countryside, verdant German forests and snowy alpine mountain hairpins.…
Originally published in Slipstream magazine, May 2018. Motorcycle travel can mean different things to different people. It’s not just our choice of bike and destination; the very reason we travel and what we hope to get out of the experience can vary dramatically from person to person.
Originally published in Slipstream magazine, April 2017. Welcome to the third and final part of our series examining the state and future of the motorcycle industry. Congratulations if you’ve made it this far, and hopefully some of the facts, figures and arguments put forward in the first two-part have resonated somewhat, or at last made you…
Originally published in Slipstream magazine, March 2016. Welcome back for the second part in our three-part series analysing the State of the Motorcycling Industry. Some of you let us know last month that you were surprised at how opinionated the piece was, and you know what – you’re absolutely right. It’s my opinion that the motorcycle…
Henry Ford is said to have opined that, should he have asked people what they wanted from a future transport solution they would have simply requested a faster horse. Apple famously made its fortune delivering products that nobody knew they wanted, and it’s arguable that the original BMW R80GS did the same thing. Journalists at…
Originally published in Slipstream magazine, February 2018. It’s been another year of launches, announcements and behind-the-scenes news from the global Motorcycle Industry. Some of it is business as usual, still more represents continuing trends, but beneath it all lies evidence of growing bewilderment and panic amongst the world’s top manufacturers that evidences itself in almost everything…
Originally published in Slipstream magazine, October 2017. While there are an increasing number of examples to the contrary, the vast majority of all motorcycles ever made have shockingly poor headlights. My indignant rage towards the pantheon of motorcycle manufacturers is tempered by the fact that most people don’t often ride at night, allowing the humble headlight…
Originally published in Slipstream magazine, September 2017. I opened my wardrobe recently to discover that I owned more pairs of motorcycle boots than I did normal shoes, and significantly more motorcycling suits than formal wear. Don’t even get me started on gloves, base layers, and heated vests – I seem to collect them. This may sound…
Originally published in Slipstream magazine, July 2017. Regardless of whether you have ever taken an extended, long-distance tour by bike or not, everyone has their own idea of what a “motorcycle trip” looks like. It’s even possible that many of us never consider that others might plan and execute their two-wheeled vacations in a completely different…
Originally published in Slipstream magazine, July 2016. Along with power output and brakes, a motorcycle’s suspension is the component most often discussed in any new review, yet it’s the part most often ignored by riders. Suspension doesn’t work on-demand like brakes or throttle, doesn’t make any cool noises, and is usually tucked away out of sight.…
Originally published in Slipstream magazine, May 2016. Scotland is one of those tour destinations that’s often overlooked, particularly by those of us in the southern parts of these British Isles. There are plenty of reasons for this: it’s still in the UK, and so it doesn’t feel like you’re really going on holiday, yet it’s far…
