FB: After a few bad years, you really found something last season. What made it click for you?
TB: Erm, in all honesty? It was probably just a lot of belief in the team really. It sounds strange, but not permanently being spilled a load of bullshit about bikes, bits and everything else that I’ve previously had to deal with really made all the difference in myself. When I’ve made my mind up about someone or something, that’s it – and I’ve had a lot of bad experiences in previous seasons if I’m going to be brutally honest. It just took away from my riding. Yeah, Wilf [Steve Moore, Moto Rapido Boss/Bike Setup) is a bit like Marmite to get on with, but it’s completely black and white with him and the team; he could’ve given me a bike that wasn’t as good as it was, and I still would’ve done well. I just feel a lot happier and more confident with them behind me! It’s always good as a rider if we’re all doing the same or close to people on similar machinery as well, so PBM have the same bike, and we were there or thereabouts. It gives us a lot of motivation as well, knowing their budget, and what those guys get paid, to stick it to ’em on a fair few occasions.
FB: It’s your second year on the V4R with Moto Rapido.What can we expect, and how much easier is it now you’ve got a base on the bike?
TB: I don’t know really! Like, I don’t know if it’s easier or not. Yeah, we have a good base, but it’s like we caught a lot of manufacturers off guard last year, showed our hand, and I think everyone will have upped their game for this season. We’re going to have to be on the ball from the offset. The BMWs will be stronger, the new Honda looks good, and to be honest, it’s going to be hard work. We’re going to be stronger, of course; we’ve got some new parts, Wilf’s constantly on the dyno, but if everyone stopped moaning about our bike and started putting more effort into going fast, then they’d probably go better! If I’m honest, I think the other guys just didn’t have the consistency; so at Thruxton Irwin wins on a Honda, then Danny is strong on the Kawasaki, etc., but they couldn’t do that every weekend. That’s where we managed to be strong, and we want to be stronger.
FB: So what was your biggest hurdle last season?
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
2020 Ducati Panigale V4S Refined Rocket
With its sexy look and raw power, Ducati’s V4S Panigale hasn’t had to try hard to get our juices going over the past few years, but when it comes to setting fast laps it’s proven as user-friendly as a bucking bronco with a sore backside. Thankfully, for 2020 it’s been given some much needed refinement.
THE TEST OF TIME
You only have to take one look at these two models to see that a lot has changed over 20 years. But what exactly does two decades of development mean for Triumph’s flagship naked bike? There was only one way to find out…
NAKED ATTRACTION
Fun but flawed, why Suzuki's naked litre bike could now be worth a second Look.
TEN MINUTES WITH...TOMMY BRIDEWELL
From not having a job to almost winning the title in a couple of years, Bridewell really has turned things around. We caught up with him to see what’s changed, how he’s prepping for this season, and get an insight into being a front-running British Superbike rider…
PROJECT MILLE: PART 1
After too many years fighting the temptation, Dangerous has finally parted with some cash and bought himself a Mille. Only, it’s a bit of a shed…
DUCATI DIARIES; SCOTT COWDRYS 899 PANIGALE
Fast Bikes reader Scott Cowdry tells us exactly what it’s like to live with an 899 Panigale.
HYPERSPORT HOOPS
High-performance hoops are all the rage nowadays, but with so much choice on the market, which brands really is the best?
HOW TO GO RACING
It may seem like a wild ride, but it’s not as intimidating as it looks. Here’s how to go racing in 2020…
MotoE: BRIGHT SPARK!
Dull, silent snooze-fest? Or the future of motorbike racing? The electric MotoGP support series MotoE has just finished its first season. Our man Alan Dowds went to watch the final round at Valencia, and find out how it’s gone.
JOLLY FAST, GREEN GIANT - 2012 KAWASAKI ZZR 1400
Ian Carson has got a handful of bikes, but when he heads off to Ireland with his son, Aiden, it’s got to be on his 2012 Kawasaki ZZR 1400. In his own words, he tell us exactly why that is…
What Everyone's Been Waiting For 2023 XL750 TRANSALP
Honda's Transalp lineage dates back to the late '80s as the XL600V. We saw the motorcycle only briefly in the U.S., and then it disappeared in the great adventure dual-sport extinction event of the early '90s. Although, some aspects have been carried over from the 700V model, like the large dash area and color options (which we'll discuss later), the all-new platform comes with a host of modern features. So, what's the 2023 XL750 Transalp all about, and how will it stack up against the competition? Let's dive in....
2000-09 What to Buy: Honda S2000
Overseen by Honda chief engineer Shigeru Uehara (the father of the original Acura NSX and the Integra Type R, two cars that embodied Japanese performance in the '90s), the Honda S2000 is a two-seat roadster we described as "the car of your dreams."
Honda Unveils First All-Electric SUV, Built on GM's Battery Platform
The Honda Prologue battery-electric SUV arrives in 2024 and will use the Ultium battery technology developed by General Motors.
2023 Honda HR-V
We liked the old Honda FitW-based HR-V, even if it was poky_ More power, a bit more rear space, and a richer-feeling interior were all it needed.
2023 MOTORTREND NEW CAR BUYER'S GUIDE - PART 3
2023 BUYER'S GUIDE
JAPAN'S HONDA SEES DECLINING PROFITS ON SEMICONDUCTOR CRUNCH
Honda’s fiscal first quarter profit fell 33% from last year as a global computer chip shortage, a pandemic-related lockdown in China and the rising costs of raw materials hurt the Japanese automaker.
IT USED TO BE SO SIMPLE
THE HONDA CRX S IS WHERE ALL THE GOOD STUFF STARTED.
SUBSTANCE OVER STYLE?
WITH OFF-ROAD-ORIENTED CROSSOVERS RESURGENT, TWO OF THE NEWEST PLAYERS CHALLENGE A PIONEER
IS THIS REALLY THE LAST GAS(P)?
There is no doubt that we are in the beginning/middle/end (you pick) of an automotive era. We have seen your letters complaining about too much electric-car coverage-they're in an overflowing postal bin marked "Angry Letters to Santa." We get it. Unfortunately, many of the new vehicles being introduced are electric or electrified. But, most isn't everything, nor does it mean the next time you head to a dealership you'll have to buy a vehicle with some variation of the following words: "Eco i Lightning tron ID Prime Dream." There are still some great gas-burning machines coming to showrooms soon, and we've carefully selected 12 that we think are worth the wait. After you buy one of these models, consider keeping it for the long run because vehicles of this ilk will become increasingly rare in the coming decades.
Can You Hear History?
A hidden mansion in Tbilisi, Georgia, has five generations of stories to tell about the strength and resilience of a region of former Soviet republics.