Front End Chatter Podcast Archive – Episodes 140 - 149

We've had a rummage in the back of the cupboard and pulled out all those old editions of Front End Chatter that get pushed back there when the new one lands, brushed them down, tidied them up a bit and put them all together into one bumper page - the Front End Chatter Archive (Part 11 of… er lots).

Front End Chatter – Episode 140

Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter Episode 140 – in which Martin Fitz-Gibbons and Simon Hargreaves (supported and nurtured by Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists, and BikeSocial, the world of biking on the web) natter at length about:

• the Dutch TT at Assen and very much about the future of one Maverick Vinales – and where *is* his head at?

• BMW’s new R1300GS and why it might not be what everyone thinks it might be

• news of Mufga’s SV650 renovation

• which sporty middleweight twin for the larger gent and costing around £8000

• which regular commuter middleweight

• what’s the best way to park a bike upright that isn’t a paddock stand?

• when do you tell a mechanically incompetent friend not to touch his bike?

...and much, much more...

 Front End Chatter – Episode 141

On this episode we have:

• how Suzuki's Hayabusa is still the go-to bike for old-school performance

• how Suzuki's revamped 2021 GSX-S1000 is much, much better than the previous version

• why WSB might be worth watching

• how Norton are still getting it wrong

• does Harley-Davidson's history of 'breakout' models bode ill for the Pan America?

• are UK bikers more conformist these days?

• do riders from different countries ride differently?

All this and much, much more!

Front End Chatter – Episode 142

Here's what's in store on FEC this week: 

• Isle Of Wight Races are back on – or are they?

• Triumph's plans to race enduro and motocross

• Cal Crutchlow subs for Morbidelli at Silverstone and Austria x 2

• who's done more for motorcycling: Keanu Reeves or Tom Cruise?

• when are you too old to ride an MV Agusta?

• when are brakes too good, and how do you make them worse?

• why isn't more love given to Kawasaki's 2004 ZX-10R? 

Front End Chatter – Episode 143

On this episode of Front End Chatter:

• The GOATI (Greatest Of All Time Ish) announces his retirement: not a moment too soon, or wailing and gnashing of teeth?

• All the spills and thrills... yes, count them... from the Styrian MotoGP, let’s call it Austria #1 between friends

• Aprilia’s new Tuareg 660, the third model in the popular parallel twin series, picked apart on paper

• If you could buy your first bike back now, would you restore it to its original condition or put it back to how you last rode it?

• What's the best sportsbike to buy now as an investment?

• Weren't the 1990s great?

Front End Chatter – Episode 144

On this week’s episode we have:

• what year would Kenny Roberts Snr have retired if he’d had Rossi’s career longevity?

• excerpts from the Secret Diary Of Maverick Viñales, Age 14 and a half, and does he need sympathy or a stiff talking-to, or possibly both?

• ...but if you think Viñales’ behaviour is odd, wait until you hear what Miguel Oliveira’s been up to

• ...and we finally get an explanation as to why Rossi’s not come first for ages

• plus, the will-they/won’t-they Isle of Wight road-race saga continues

• ex-Norton boss Stuart Garner is in the dock

• Triumph’s new half-faired sporty-ish Speed Triple 1200RR...

• ...and Triumph’s also new Tiger 660, based on the Trident

• speculation about Yamaha’s sporty MT-09, the R9

• can we put E10 fuel in our tanks? Mufga has the answer (for SV650s)

• plus your FEC sack queries and thoughts...

Front End Chatter – Episode 145

On this week’s moany, miserable-ass FEC we have:

• on-the-scenes goss from the British MotoGP at Silverstone, including why Mufga loved being there on Saturday and Simon hated it

• Dorna’s race feed going down just before the race

• Marquez crashing out *again* and why he’s the crashingiest rider this season

• Aprilia’s... we can’t call it a resurrection so let’s just call it an erection...

• WSB gets a mention with some fab racing from Magny Cours – and some scandalous losing

• more new bikes from Triumph with a teaser for the all-new Tiger 1200 and leaked shots of the new Speed Triple RR

• ...and the new Moto Guzzi V100 – all-new water-cooled engine, with fins, with fairly *interesting* looks... 

Plus the FEC sack, including:

• changing pads to change braking character

• re-setting the quickshifter on an S1000XR

• a touching story about becoming emotionally attached to items of bike clothing

• when is a tubeless tyre not a tubeless tyre? Answers please, because we don’t know...

 Front End Chatter – Episode 146

On this episode of FEC we have:

• Bagnaia and Bastianini go big in Misano, plus a bit of wow from Aragon the week before

• A look at the career of Chaz Davies, who’s called WSB a day, so... see you at Darley Moor

• Suzuki’s new GSX-S1000 GT – is it good value or not, and should we be excited or not?

• Ducati’s Desert-X – a Multistrada in an off-road frock? Or an entirely new ‘middleweight’ adventure bike (we don’t invent these categories... oh, hang on, we do)

• Triumph’s new Tiger 1200, with a T-plane crank, and how it’ll fare against BMW’s R1250 GS – featuring the return of the Mufgulator and some educated guesses on the Tiger's actual capacity, bore x stroke, and a prediction on its power output

• Plus more of your thoughts, musings and questions from the FEC-sack

 Front End Chatter – Episode 147

So, on this episode of Front End Chatter we have a trundle on about:

• a new MotoGP champion, a retiring MotoGP champion and a MotoGP champion returning to form

• why are there no mean, moody bastards in racing any more, and do we miss them?

• WSB's knobbled Kawasakis and does it undermine the legitimacy of Yamaha's success? 

• Ducati's shock entry into the MotoE world cup

• new bike news including Honda's NT1100, Suzuki's GSX-S1000 GT, Ducati's Multistrada V2 and Triumph's Tiger 600 Sport

• good lids for oblong heads

• what are the best and worst adventure bikes to take on a track? 

 Front End Chatter – Episode 148

And on this week’s episode Simon and Martin blather about:

• goodbye and farewell to you-know-who, managing to make the very last lap of his career one of his most impressive
  • what’s his legacy, what was his finest moment, and what was his worst?

• more MotoGP farewells from Petrucci and Mr Steve Day

• Marc Marquez’ eye injury – what does it mean long term for Marquez, Honda and Repsol?

• Jack Miller racing a Panigale V4 R in the Australian Superbike Championship

• the passing of Paul Smart, Ducati legend and all-round great bloke 

Plus a bunch of new bike reviews:

• Ducati’s Multistrada V4 Pike Peak

• Honda’s NT1100 tourer

• Ducati’s ‘new’ Multistrada V2 S

• Aprilia’s Tuareg 660

 Front End Chatter – Episode 149

On FEC this week Simon fails to understand much about anything, leaving Martin to soldier on nattering about:

• EICMA No-Show – the big Italian bike show normally flush with new bikes... but minus some big names this year...

• new Bimotas, Hondas – including the resurrection of the Hornet, by name at least – Kawasakis, Moto Guzzi and MV Agusta

• Toprak Razgatlioglu finishes the WSB season in dominant style by losing the final two races but winning the title 

Plus samples from the FEC-sack, including:

• what would a bi-directional track day be like as a way of teaching on-road rider training?

• what bike would we love to ride but never want to own?

• what bike would we love to own despite there being more exciting rivals?

• what bikes were ahead of their time, failed, but would be a success now?

• what are our best, or closest, near misses?

Until next time!

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