Sun, 25 June 2017
Welcome to Front End Chatter E59, brought to you in association with our good friends at www.bikesocial.co.uk, sponsored by Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists.
AND! What an episode we have!
Just in time for the Assen MotoGP race this weekend, Front End Chatter recaps the previous round at Catalunya (apologies for the delay, delay, delay and don’t worry, because it was so long ago we keep it brief) – and it’s worth reminding ourselves what a hilarious, thigh-slapping sit-com of a race weekend it was with riders using the wrong track (but still in Spain), other riders falling over things and some riders falling over themselves.
We also cover – unusually – a cracking World Superbike race from Misano and find it a rewarding experience. Which is more than can be said for Ducati’s Charles Davies.
We’ve a bit more race goss, including a possible return to racing for former WSB champ and ex-Yamaha MotoGP star Bens Pies, Iannone moving from Suzuki to Aprilia, why it would be cool to see Jonathan Rea switching from WSB to jump on the MotoGP Suzuki, why tyres ‘spin’ on the rim, the latest British Superbike round from Knockhill, and who is Jake Dixon and is he in the RAF? Plus a bit of natter about Hutchy’s awful Senior TT crash. Yikes.
We also read out a few of your emails, including:
We think that’s quite enough controversy for one episode, so if you enjoy FEC please a) tell your mates, b) email us with a question or a topic for discussion, c) insure your bike with Bennetts and d) buy RiDE magazine. We may be bought and paid for, but at least we’re honest about it. @Mufga anything@frontendchatter.com
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Fri, 9 June 2017
Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter Episode 58, supported by www.bikesocial.co.uk and sponsored by Bennetts – and a very special, fully employed episode it is too; featuring, as it does:
1) Mugello MotoGP goss including
2) TT goss including – in fact almost entirely – semi-informed speculation about the travails of Honda, the 2017 Fireblade, and riders Guy Martin and John McGuinness – with an attempt to understand the connection between their accidents and the road bike (if there are any)
3) Loads of your emails, on wide-ranging subjects from the health of World Superbike and a few ideas on how to make it better, cheap motorway bikes, Husqvarna Nudas, more best-looking non-sportsbikes, and tons of other chattering.
As ever thank you very much for listening, and thank you even more for downloading it from the top folk at Bike Social (that’s still www.bikesocial.co.uk). Please email us on anything@frontendchatter.com or get us on that there Twitter using @SimonHbikes and @Mufga
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Sat, 27 May 2017
Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter episode 57, which is really episode 69, powered by the mighty online juggernaut of two-wheeled infotainment that is Bike Social (that's www.bikesocial.co.uk). This time round Martin and Simon chatter in their front-endy style about:
As ever thank you very much for listening, and thank you even more for downloading it from the top folk at Bike Social (that’s still www.bikesocial.co.uk). Please email us on anything@frontendchatter.com or get us on that there Twitter using @SimonHbikes and @Mufga |
Sun, 14 May 2017
Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter, and episode 56 brought to you in association with our pals at www.bikesocial.co.uk.
This week, between blackbird interruptions, we look back at the fallout from the spectacular Jerez MotoGP race – which isn’t the same as the Corby Grand Prix – including:
Plus – a re-evaluation of Ducati’s SuperSport, the merits of A2-licence friendly inline fours or parallel twins, and news of Avon’s new Spirit ST, their ‘hypertouring’ tyre.
Plus – some of your emails, including more of your best-looking non-sportsbikes, is speeding as socially unacceptable as drunk driving, who is General Zarco, what is the Kuiper Belt, is an MOT really necessary, what is defensive riding, how to fix a heavy throttle, and how to spot an idiot bike seller.
Thanks for listening, please support our friends at www.bikesocial.co.uk, and please email us on anything@frontendchatter.com
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Tue, 25 April 2017
Welcome to Front End Chatter episode 55, powered by the good people at Bike Social (www.bikesocial.co.uk), where Simon and Martin discuss:
Thanks for listening, and please: - Visit our current official home at www.bikesocial.co.uk - Catch us on Twitter at @SimonHbikes and @Mufga - Send any thinkings, feedback, complaints, abuse and self-serving compliments you like to anything@frontendchatter.com
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Mon, 10 April 2017
Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter E54, brought to you as is our wont, by our friends at www.bikesocial.co.uk. • MotoGP from The Hot Springs Of the River Hondo circuit in Argentina – who won, who fell off, who thought they should've won, how many miles per gallon Cal Crutchlow gets from his RCV, and a whole bunch of nerdy stats including some so nerdy we can't actually work out what they mean • World Snoozerbike from Aragon where <mumble> • British Superbike from Donington Park • plus some bikes we've ridden including a thorough review of KTM's revamped 390 Duke, and a less coherent mention of Honda's new Rebel, CB1100s and CBR and CB650F • plus your emails, which is easily the best bit, including why no-one makes 750 sportsbikes, why Rea could become the most winningest rider ever in WSB this year, and why swapping a Daytona 955i for a Versys 650 is a good idea. @SimonHbikes and @Mufga Thanks! |
Sat, 8 April 2017
Welcome to Front End Chatter 53b – made possible by www.bikesocial.co.uk; go check them out! – and it’s a special FEC dedicated to answering, or failing to answer, your emails. Topics up for Front End Chattery include:
Thank you very much for continuing to listen to our ramblings and thank you even more for contributing with your emails, thoughts and questions – all are welcome; if anything pops into your head, or if we can help, or you disagree with us, please write and tell us at: Email: anything@frontendchatter.com Twitter: @SimonHbikes and @Mufga Visit our shop: www.tshirtstudio.com/marketplace/front-end-chatter FB: www.facebook.com/FrontEndChatter And don’t forget, click on www.bikesocial.co.uk – then go buy insurance from Bennetts!*
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Fri, 31 March 2017
Welcome to Front End Chatter Episode 53a, powered yet again by our friends at www.bikesocial.co.uk – and yes, it’s the first of two FECs; 53b will be along shortly. Or at least soon.
In the meantime, feast your ears on the will they, won’t they two-wheeled soap opera of Qatar MotoGP – including:
We also say farewell to Sir John Surtees, have a quick tour around Suzuki’s new and rather wonderful V-Strom 650, the less new and less wonderful V-Strom, and chatter about the launch of the least powerful, least torquey, most heavieriest and most expensive Yamaha R6 ever which neither Martin or Simon attended, but about which they have an opinion anyway. Typical.
Thanks for listening, your emails will be answered in FEC53b, and please please please get in touch via: email – anything@frontendchatter.com Twitter – @SimonHbikes and @Mufga Facebook – Front End Chatter
And, of course, please listen to FEC from our new home at www.bikesocial.co.uk
Chatter again soon! |
Wed, 15 March 2017
Welcome to Front End Chatter, episode 52 – and it’s a very special episode of Britain’s least regular but much-loved motorcycling podcast because this is the first to be brought to you by the lovely people at Front End Chatter is a podcast spoken at length by us, a right pair of motorcycle writers called Martin Fitz-Gibbons and Simon Hargreaves, and we chatter about every and any subject with two wheels and an engine: racing, news, new bikes, old bikes, and the issues that effect you, me and him (like what bike should you get next, how to ride, what kit to wear, and generally why things are the way they are). We don’t know all the answers (in fact we hardly know any of them) but we now people who do. Bike Social – and if you’re not reading this on their website, WHY NOT? – is Britain’s most comprehensive biking website, packed with road test, new bikes, old bikes, features and news. It’s like a bike magazine, but on the web, created by Bennetts, the bike insurance people. Did I mention you can find it here: www.bikesocial.co.uk And if you’re a Bike Socialist, it means FEC will be brightening-up your browsing experience. We may even have a few other bits and bobs about the place after a while. This episode may contain nuts: • World Superbike, on the other hand, is underway and the burning question is: can the WSB racing from Thailand live up to the craziness of the opening Supersport 600 race from Phillip Island a few weeks ago? • more news on the Honda Africa Twin heated grip saga • The best waterproof textile jacket and trouser combo for £400, with buying advice help from www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk • why covering your bike in aftermarket tat isn’t the smartest idea • why photochromic visors don’t go black faced with car headlights (it’s obvious) • your five dream bikes • why MotoGP bikes don’t have vacuum die-cast frames. Or do they? Please send you questions and comment to: anything@frontendchatter.com You can follow us on Twitter: @SimonHbikes @Mufga Or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FrontEndChatter Thank you for listening, thank you for your support, please listen to us and download from Bike Social at: www.bikesocial.co.uk
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Sat, 4 March 2017
Say hello to Front End Chatter Episode 51, a numerically insignificant episode that nonetheless contains much chatterage about:
Plus!
And there’s more:
We read out your lovely emails on subjects as wide and wonderful as:
As ever, we remain humbly grateful for your continued ears. Thanking youse! @SimonHbikes @Mufga And please email anything@frontendchatter.com with whatever thoughts stray across your mind www.facebook.com/FrontEndChatter Buy merch at www.tshirtstudio.com/marketplace/front-end-chatter
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