Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter Episode 87 #Remy Gardner... it’s only just occurred to me, but what kind of name is Remy? Is he named after a cognac or something? Anyway, welcome, one and all, to surreal bantz supported, enabled and triggered by the meaty skinbags at www.bikesocial.co.uk – the best resource for all things motorcycling on the interwebs – and under the munificent auspices of Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists.

This week we have:

• why Suzuki Hayabusa mirrors remind Simon of Rosa Klebb’s shoes
  • a timely review of the 2002 Assen MotoGP, back in the days when races could be won by a two-stroke or a four-stroke, and when one four-stroke in particular appeared to be so much faster than the others it was like cheating...
• ...and how a last lap manoeuvre foreshadowed a more notorious coming-together 13 years later...
• a mini-review of the new Honda CBR650R and CB650R and is it a ‘new’ CBR600F? And how does the CB compare to a KTM 790 Duke?
• ...and why does no-one makes a Dakar replica?
• effective anti-rain visor solutions
• why do we wear the kit we wear?
• more on police/scooter tactics
• an inverse game of ‘what bike should I buy?’, with ‘what bike have I bought?’
• have some bike magazines may have lost their sense of humour, and is there a correlation with the demise of sportsbikes?
• ...and much more natter chatter...

...and if you’re interested in attending a FECstravaganza in August in Lincolnshire, let us know!

Many many thanks for listening, please continue to download FEC from www.bikesocial.co.uk.

Email your thoughts, queries, questions, observations and comments to:

anything@frontendchatter

....and catch us on Twitter

@SimonHbikes

@Mufga

Happy New... oh, is too late for that?

Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter, Britain’s most enduring motorcycling podcast (much to chagrin of Les343) presented by me, Simon Hargreaves and him, Martin Fitz-Gibbons, and supported by the humanoids at www.bikesocial.co.uk and Bennetts, the bike insurance people.

And this month, FEC sinks its teeth into:

• the Greatest Grand Prix Of All Time, aka the 1990 Australian 500cc Grand Prix, feat. Sir Mick of Doohan, Lord Wayne de Rainey, Baron von Gardner and the Marquis of Schwantz going at it hammer, tongs and forceps
  • the 125cc side-spectacle of Hans Spaan aiming a punch at Fausto Gresini and Loris Capirossi winning his first world title
• the year of 2019 in review, as FEC jumps into the Chatter Tardis and zooms 12 months into the future – including the best bike of 2019, the Brit GP from Donington, and some shocking new Suzuki news – yes, you read that right
• a deep dive into the FECsack with contributions on topics as varied as
• buying used instead of a new bike on PCP,
• the mechanics of trail braking and why it’s a good (and bad) idea,
• how tightly controlled the Triumph 765-powered Moto2 series will be,
• the reliability of KTM electrics,
• how odd is it that Marc Marquez’ dad is STILL hanging around his pit box,
• bike community garages in the US,
• a FEC track day in August,
• how to make MotoE more of a spectacle by using an accountant from Bromley,
  • why is insurance so bloomin’ expensive?

Thanks for listening, please keep emailing your thoughts, ideas and questions to:

anything@frontendchatter.com

Also remember to download this podcast from www.bikesocial.co.uk, and nip out and buy RiDE magazine!

You can catch Simon and Martin on the Twitters:
@SimonHBikes

@Mufga