The clocks have sprung, the outdoor heating’s been cranked up a few notches and every which way I look there’s a motorbike. This is the best time of year. That part of the season where you’re gagging to get out and ride just for the sake of it… or typically for the tea and cake at the other end of a blast (I’m not here to judge). We’ve been pretty manic the last few weeks, eating a lot of cake, riding all kinds of bikes in all kinds of places and generally having the best of times, and if the ‘You and Yours’ pages are anything to go by, so have you guys. It’s great to see your antics and hear what you’ve got planned, so keep the correspondence coming. Perhaps Boothy’s won the award for ‘most travelled’ this month, being the jammy git who got to take Aprilia’s new RSV4 1100 Factory for a blast at Mugello. He clocked over 200mph on it, which is some feat when you take his mass into account – what an engine that must be. You might not be surprised to hear we was rather fond it, but I’ll let him talk you through the reasons why. Funnily enough, he was also quite fond of the 1098S he got to spank. That bike right there is a true gem of Italian engineering, showcasing the best of Ducati pre-Panigale… but you’ll need to have a proper rummage down the sofa if you’re hoping to afford one, and maybe a spot of Yoga would aid you in the comfort department. At the other end of the spectrum, Mr Bean has been sampling some of the most sensible sportsbikes on the market – the kind of bikes that you can ride all day long, not cost you your mortgage in fuel and won’t leave you deformed after a day in the saddle. Sounds like heaven, right? Actually, heaven to me is the Smallboy 765RS hire bike I took for a blast at Cadwell Park. I’m never going to make it on to the Moto2 grid, but taking the track-fettled, Daytona- esque 765 for a spin ticked more than enough boxes. Getting out on track is brilliant, but when the bike’s next level, life doesn’t get much better. Have you ticked off any trackdays yet? If not, make sure to get one in the diary. In fact, get our Fast Bikes Trackday in the diary. It’s on the first of July and you can read more about it in the Upfront section of this issue. It would be great to see you there… and Carl’s always after riding tips, so he’d appreciate any help you could offer him. We’ll see you there. Enjoy the mag.
