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Moto blog

Kevin Ash, one year on

I’ve lost dozens of friends in bike racing over the years, and while each death was a shock and incredibly sad, I’ve always had some kind of internal coping mechanism that allowed me to carry on relatively unaffected.  Maybe it’s because I was always extremely passionate and committed when taking part in my dangerous sport so was also prepared to pay the ultimate price should things go wrong.  Rightly or wrongly I’ve taken comfort from the fact that these unfortunate racers have checked out while doing something they love.   I’ve also lost a few journalist friends in bike accidents over the years but for some reason these have hit me harder.  The worst and possibly as it is the most recent is Kevin Ash who was killed last January while on a BMW launch in South Africa.  Starting in 2001, over a period of ten years, I was in Kevin’s company on countless new bike launches in pretty much every corner of the world.  At times he was cocky and occasionally irritating but always entertaining with a wicked sense of humour.  He was many things but no one can deny he was a brilliant journalist and his technical knowledge was second to none.  I always appreciated his complete enthusiasm to all things biking as he would ride through any weather on a daily basis to jobs or airports and seemed to always be tinkering with winter projects (mainly Ducatis) at home.  I also admired how much work he got through as he had columns in more than one weekly publication plus all his launch and web work. He was a competent safe rider who was certainly quick enough to evaluate any new bike thrown his way.  Kevin also drove a Porsche but then none of us are perfect!   I looked to Kevin as a wise Owl so not long after I started working with TWO/ Visordown, I asked him on an R1 launch in Australia he thought the motorcycle industry was currently in a good place.  His reply was, ‘we’ve just been flown here business class, been taken by speed boat to our five star hotel under Sydney Harbour Bridge, Yamaha have wined and dined us and furnished us with expensive gifts each day, what do you think Niall?  How times have changed.  On the subject on air travel he once told me, ‘when travelling business or first class it’s not about the pampering, comfy beds or fine dining, the important part is looking smug as you walk straight past all the people lining up at the cattle class check in! On more than one occasion I had food or drink spurt out when Kevin would deliver unexpected one line funnies at the dinner table.

New: BMW GS Dry adventure clothing

BMW has launched an all-new adventure suit and gloves called the GS Dry, designed to complement its GS range of adventure motorcycles, and has also updated its adventure boots and off-road helmet for 2013. Here's the skinny from BMW:   GS Dry Suit: The all-new GS Dry Suit is ideally suited to new and younger riders; offering traditional BMW Motorrad design, comfort and safety and, above all, fantastic value for money. Crafted from breathable, tough Cordura 500 fabric, the GS Dry Suit is ready to take on any weather and terrain, featuring a wind and waterproof C.A.R.E Climate membrane and BMW Motorrad’s own NP protectors. Further small, but welcome, design touches include stretch inserts, air vents, reflective panels, leather paneling on high-wear areas on the legs and a selection of internal and external waterproof pockets. The GS Dry Suit, available in a selection of colours and sizes for both men and women, costs £750.  GS Dry Glove: New for 2013 is the GS Dry Glove, a hybrid textile/leather blend with the outstanding Gore-Tex X-Trafit membrane. Offering protection from the elements on and off-road, the GS Dry Glove features abrasion-resistant SuperFabric on the hand and memory foam for impact protection. The GS Dry Glove, available in a selection of colours and sizes for both men and women, costs £85.

2014 BMW K1600 GTL Exclusive Revealed

When it comes to moto-touring in the lap of luxury, BMW’s K1600 GTL Exclusive, the latest iteration of the K1600 lineup, promises the kind of high-class riding experience BMW is known for. The K1600 GTL Exclusive takes luxury touring to another level, both visually and functionally. As with the rest of the K1600 line, the lynchpin of the model range is the uber-sweet 1649cc inline-Six capable of 129 ft.-lbs. of torque, 70% of that is available at just 1500 rpm.