Hello everyone, two, three here we go and welcome to Front End Chatter episode 190 in series one of Britain's best (or at least longest-running) podcast-flavoured semi-occasional long-form motorcycling nattertainment, no thanks to him, Simon Hargreaves, and even less to him, Martin Fitz-Gibbons.

FEC has been FECing for a whole FECing decade now, mostly thanks to two things: not knowing when to quit; and the tireless support and encouragement and assistance of Bennetts, easily Britain's best bike insurers. You need some of that motorcycle insurance they have these days? Actually, that's not really a question. You need some of that motorcycle insurance they have these days! And you should head directly to Bennetts.co.uk to get it, or at least get a quote for it. Not only are they wonderful people who put back in the bike industry (like, cough, this load of free ear-muck), but if you buy your policy direct you'll get a year's free BikeSocial membership, which unlocks all manner of exclusive discounts, competitions, offers and experiences like some kind of cheat code for your wallet.

And in this episode, we have:

- Honda's new E-Clutch, ridden and rated - have Honda finally figured out a way to overthrow the manual transmission after nearly 70 years of trying?
- Triumph Tiger 1200 - only two years old and already updated, well a bit, but also a hell of a lot.
- BMW R1300GS - what's it like compared to the R1250GS, and what will BMW do with the Adventure?

And a hearty shuffle through the bulging FECsack, including
* Street Triple - standard or R?
* Guess the shaft-drive, garage-wood inducing tourer
* How long do helmets really last, really?
* The Biking Ladder - is it a load of tosh?
* Fun bikes for occasionally taking a pillion (who may or may not be fun)
* Best tyres for a Tenere
* Credit where Viva FECspana credit is (over)due

Please keep topping our FECsack up by emailing your thoughts, wonderings, ponderings and observances to anything@frontendchatter.com

And it's not too late to join us on a 10-day biking tour of a lifetime! Viva FECspana takes in amazing best roads in France and Spain, fab company and lush hotels. Don't miss out on the highlight of your summer - bit.ly/fecspain

And, as ever, find us on the socials: @SimonHbikes and @Mufga

Welcome ladies, gentlemens and ornithologists, to Front End Chatter – episode 189 of Britain's favouritest motorcycling podcast presented by him, Simon Hargreaves, and him, Martin Fitz-Gibbons.

This pod is, as ever, nurtured and natured by Bennetts, the gorram best bike insurers in 'verse, with their wealth of offers, discounts and competitions – and BikeSocial.co.uk, the website & YouTube channel with all the latest news, views, road tests and consumer info.

And on this episode of FEC we have:
• Martin's experience riding the Triumph Daytona 660 at its recent launch
• Simon's experience riding the Moto Gutzi V85TT at its recent launch
• Norton victims get some of their money back
• KTM assume control of MV Agusta
• and lots more – I mean, if I list it all here it's a bit of a plot spoiler so download the pod and have a listen, is the idea

Please email your thoughts, queries and general comments – in fact anything at all, even poetry – to:
anything@frontendchatter.com

Please have a think about coming on tour with us: FECspana will be a glorious ten-day ride across France and Spain with a select group of FECers riding the finest roads, tasting the finest wines and eating the finest food. We'd love to have you along.
Go to www.bit.ly/fecspain for more info.

Reach us at:
@SimonHBikes
@Mufga

Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter, the motorcycling podcast presented by Simon Hargreaves and Martin Fitz-Gibbons, a pair of bike journalists who've been riding and writing about dem motorbikes they have these days for bleedin' ages.

The pod is, as ever, supported and enabled and ennobled by Bennetts, the bike insurance gods, and BikeSocial.co.uk – the brightest and best biking website and YouTube channel rammed with motorcycling goodness content. Including lots of new bike reviews. Oh yes.

So on this long-awaited return to pod action, Martin and Simon talk about:
• the new bikes they've been riding, such as:
BMW's R1300 GS
Honda's Africa Twin Adventure Sports
Triumph's Speed & Scrambler 400s
Suzuki's GSX-8R
Yamaha's MT-09
Moto Guzzi's Stelvio
Harley's Road and Street Glides
Kawasaki's Eliminator 500

Phew! No wonder there's not been a pod for over a month!

Plus the lads natter about Yamaha's defunct-or-is-it R1, what is Euro5+ and why World Superbike might be making a comeback to a podcast near you soon.

Please like and subscribe, no, hang on, that's videos innit, getting me content mixed up... please download and tell your mates about the pod, what do you mean you haven't got any mates, tell you mum then, I dunno.

Compose questions, queries, ideas, perverted thoughts and musings, offers of free stuff, recreational and/or procreational pharmaceuticals, and send them electronically to:
anything@frontendchatter.com

Bless ya, we're all in it together x
@SimonHbikes
@Mufga

Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter, the UK's most flexible motorcycling podcast with him, Martin Fitz-Gibbons, and him, Simon Hargreaves – a pair of disreputable motorcycle journalists who have yet to find a block around which they have not been.

We are supported in our endeavours as ever by the estimable Bennetts, the UK's most bike-friendly bike insurers (a higher standard than some meet), and their multi-media wing on the web at bikesocial.co.uk

Right, on this episode we have:
• all the deets on the new Triumph Daytona 660 brought to you from a meeting with the bike itself – listen here, or watch us wrestle with words in realtime on FEC TV – search Front End Chatter on YouTube or go to
bit.ly/fecdaytona
• Simon's been to Scotchland on a Suzuki V-Strom 800DE and mighty cold and mighty comfy it was too
• he still also chuntering about a bike he'll never buy, and now can't decide between not buying a BMW R1200RT or a Triumph Trophy 1200 SE – but is leaning towards the Triumph at time of recording...
• plus a pile of FECers emails including not watching racing in 2024, are fast, fun, lightweight bikes gone forever, will anyone be building specials with engine swaps in the future, and much much more.

Thanks for listening, please check us out on YouTube, please email questions and queries and thoughts and musings to anything@frontendchatter.com
And it's goodnight from him, and goodnight from me.

@SimonHbikes
@Mufga

Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter, the UK’s most flammable motorcycling podcast with him, Simon Hargreaves, and him, Martin Fitz-Gibbons. This is episode 186, a gentleman’s agreement of an episode, in which we thank Bennetts, Britain’s best bike insurance experts, and BikeSocial.co.uk, all your two-wheeled needs and nerds catered for on the web and on YouTube – before once more diving into a couple of hours of chatter.

And on this episode we bring you a FEC first – our inaugural (but not last) new bike launch – yes, Front End Chatter was privileged to be invited to the first ride of Triumph's 2024 Tiger 900 range in Spain – the new Tiger 900 GT Pro and Rally Pro, on road and off. The fact the bike's a corker is entirely coincidental, and we can confidently state the launch gift of a dose of Covid didn't sway our opinion even it it ruined Xmas at Chatter Manors.

In this episode we also sling a leg over Suzuki's GSX-S1000 GX which at a slightly compromised launch that didn't let us really get under the skin of the bike and left us with more questions than answers – which gives us an excuse to put more miles on the bike later in the year, and which is no bad thing.

Also in this episode, Mufga and a crew of ne'er-do-wells win a historic trophy by riding a pair of Zero electric bikes through thick, but mostly thin, the length and breadth of Britain.

Thank you very much for listening, please email your thoughts and musings and questions to anything@frontendchatter.com, and get us on the socials (when we're feeling up to it) at @SimonHbikes and @Mufga.
Have a splendid Christmas and see/hear you/us in 2024.

Hello and welcome to FEC185, the new-bikes-for-2024 special version of Front End Chatter, Britain’s fave motorcycling podcast with him Martin Fitz-Gibbons and him Simon Hargreaves.

But WAIT! Before you move on, thinking “Oh, I’ve already endured that pair of idiots nattering about the new bikes for 2024 in their EICMA Show review on the Bennetts BikeSocial YouTube channel they have these days,”... (to watch it, go to www.bit.ly/feconfilm)

...well – yes, that’s what you’re getting here; the audio version of the video, but one you can take on your travels while you’re raking up fallen leaves on the lawn, walking the dog (or dogs if you have two of them), spannering in the garage (not heard it called that before) or even dogging on the treadmill in your local gymnasium. Jogging. I meant jogging.

But there’s more! Because we’re also revealing details of something far more important than the tired old toot the manufacturers are trying to foist on you in 2024. Because, dear FECers, we have details of not one, but TWO FEC Tours in 2024 – both flawlessly organised, as always, in conjunction with Paul from MCI Tours.

For the first tour, and to celebrate the 10th birthday of Front End Chatter (aka A Decade Of Drivel), FEC Tours is going international with a 10-day FECstravaganza – riding for two days across France down to the Pyrenees, spending three days exploring the sensational mountain passes, then another two days across to the fabulous Picos range in northern Spain before heading back to Santander and the leisurely cruise back to Plymouth – with a live podcast recording on the boat.*

*subject to sailing conditions and Brittany Ferries playing ball, which we’re sure they will.

Viva FECspaña promises to be a spectacular motorcycling holiday and the trip of lifetime. The dates are: Sunday 2nd June (depart Portsmouth) to Tuesday 11th June (return Plymouth). Find more details here:

www.bit.ly/fecspain

The second tour is a little more modest in scope and commitment, as we FEC Up The Borders. Long overlooked by passing tourists, the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway are regions of stunning riding and gorgeous scenery. FEC has (literally) taken over the Buccleuch Arms Hotel in Moffat, a legendary motorcycling establishment dedicated to serving the needs of hungry motorcyclists. We have an extensive ride-in and ride-out either side of two days exploring both areas including Britain’s second-longest B-road, the birthplace of Steve Hislop (plus riding some the roads he surely cut his teeth on), a suite of border passes steeped in tribal history and legend, and the desolate splendour of the Galloway National Park. It’s some of our fave riding in the UK.

The dates for FEC Up The Borders are: ride-in on Tuesday 30th July, ride-out on Friday 2nd July. More info here:

www.bit.ly/fecborders

STOP PRESS – the FEC Up The Borders Tour is almost sold out already, so get your enquiry in pronto to secure a place!

Only after putting up with all that – hope you enjoy the FEC Guide To 2024’s New Bikes (well, the ones we’re really interested in!).

Thank you for listening/watching, if you appreciate what we do please get your insurance from Bennetts and become a BikeSocial Member, email your thoughts and questions to anything@frontendchatter.com (normal service will be resumed next episode) and catch us on the socials:

@Mufga (wry commentary and nerdy tech stuff)
@SimonHbikes (drunken passive/aggressive shit-posting and paracord/bass guitars)

Aye.

Hello and welcome to Episode 184 of Front End Chatter, Britain's Bestest Biking Bodcast with him, Martin Fitz-Gibbons, and him, Simon Hargreaves – with thanks as ever to our patient and perfect partners Bennetts, the bike insurance specialisms, and BikeSocial.co.uk, the most informative and entertaining motorcycling website on the, er web. Is it still called the web?

Anyway, check out the offers, discounts and competitions available should you choose to become a BikeSocial Member (free to Bennetts customers, £60 a year if not) – seriously, if you're planning on spending a few quid this year on tyres, kit and accessories, chances are the shop you'll buy them from has a discount offer with Bennetts – so sign up, ya fool!

Right, on with the show and today it's a bit of a FEC-sack Special because we're getting a bit behind with your emailed questions and queries – so it's all you today:
• whose leathers are on the wall of a hotel near the Nürburgring?
• great biking reassessments, such as Harley are technically advanced and Honda do think they can change gear better than you after all: with mandatory DCT and, now, Honda's Eclutch – another auto transmission. Honda really don't like manual gearboxes, do they?
• plus, Martin recalls having to reassess adventure bikes after it became clear they were taking over the world
• how to regain a biking mojo
• how will BMW's front collision warning cope with 'progressive' riding in traffic?
• best bike for long range commuting?
• is the SWC300 any good?
• do we grow out of modifying bikes?

And much much more...

Thanks for listening, please spread the word, please ring-fence a couple of dates in your diary – we have a FEC tour of Spain coming up in early June 2024, and a FEC tour of the Borders in late July 2024! YOU HAVE TO BE THERE! It's such a good time.

Also – keep your emails coming in to:
anything@frontendchatter.com

@SimonHbikes
@Mufga