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Front End Chatter

Simon Hargreaves and Martin Fitz-Gibbons

Britain's best biking podcast, with Simon Hargreaves and Martin Fitz-Gibbons

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  • 224 episodes
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Episodes224

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  • Aug 19, 2023 · 2 hr 6 min

    Front End Chatter #180

    Hello and welcome back to Front End Chatter, Britain's most durable motorcycling podcast, with Simone Hargreaves and Marion Fitz-Gibbons – a pair of ye olde worlde motorcycle journalists like wot they had off them magazines they used to have, talking about bikes, talking about riding them, talking about remembering what it was like to ride them, talking about dreaming of riding them, and talking about other things as well. Or even better. There's more to life than bikes – you might think that's what you came here for, but bikes are just the start. Anyway, thank you to Bennetts, the marvellous bike insurers, and BikeSocial.co.uk, the best place on the web to locate all your motorcycling news, views and reviews. And check out their YouTube channel, whydontcher? On this mighty organ of FEC we have: • a chat about the BikeSocial group test of the Suzuki GSX-8S, Honda Hornet, KTM 790 Duke and Yamaha MT-07 • Yamaha's Tracer 9 GT+ with added radar soup • a bit of natter about manufacturers using throttle mapping to define the power delivery of their bikes • KTM's upcoming 1390 motor, and what size it might actually be • ...and do we really need more capacity, and is that what really sells new bikes? • plus some of your FECsack emails, including what bike best sums up the 1990s? Thanks again to everyone for your ears, and please write with your questions, thoughts, queries, jokes, funny experiences, and that time you met and he tried to get off with your girlfriend, to: anything@frontendchatter.co.uk @SimonHbikes @Mufga

  • Jul 12, 2023 · 2 hr 38 min

    Front End Chatter #179

    Hello everyone and welcome to episode 179 of Front End Chatter, Britain's Chattiest Motorcycling podcast with him Martin Fitz-Gibbons, and him, Simon Hargreaves – underpinned, as ever, by Bennetts, Britain's best bike insurer and BikeSocial.co.uk, the place to go for your biking info. And on this week's FEC we have: • EXCLUSIVE details of a special ADDITIONAL FEC tour THIS YEAR! Yes, we've teamed up again with our friends at MCI Tours to bring you a FECin Welsh Weekend. When's that, I hear you ask? I'm glad you did – the FECin Welsh Weekend is taking place from the afternoon/evening of Friday 22nd September, riding on Saturday and Sunday, departing Monday 25th September. JOIN US – on the best roads in Wales, officially selected by the Cannes Jury Of Mint Roads in Wales, Bach. Visit bit.ly/fecwales and get involved. Also in this honestly massive episode of FEC (because bigger is better, right?) • Ivan Cervantes, multiple enduro world champ and Triumph test rider speaks about his world record endurance ride on a Tiger 1200, doing 2493 miles in 24 hours – and also updates on the progress of Triumph's forthcoming range of enduro and motocross bikes Plus! • all the info on two new technologies coming up on BMW's R1300 GS – radar-powered front collision warning system and a new suspension system with variable spring rate (haven't we heard this before? – Ed) • details of Triumph's new 400 Scrambler X and Speed 400 • how to ride in the wet ...and if that's not enough, there's more of the same. Blimey. Please keep your emails coming in – queries, thoughts, musings, amusings, funny stories, nothing too heavy if you don't mind, keep it light – to: anything@frontendchatter.com Aye. Youse brilliant, youse are. @SimonHbikes @Mufga

  • Jun 27, 2023 · 1 hr 2 min

    Front End Chatter Bonus Episode

    Hello everybody and welcome to a Front End Chatter FECsack special. Special you say? Yes, very special indeed, thanks for asking. Why so special? Special because in a change from FEC's (un)usual format, we've devoted a full hour to answering one single, solitary, lonely, individual question sent in by a listener. Well, you know, after 170-odd of these things, we figured it's about time we did one properly... And as such it is the unbelievably enormously magnificently humongous pleasure of Britain's best bum-lickingiest biking podcast to welcome the one and only Adrian Morton - Britain's best bike designer - to the deepest deep dive (too soon?) you'll ever hear on: what it was like to work with (and then take over from) Massimo Tamburini - how the Cagiva, sorry, MV Agusta F4 750 came to life, and whether it can ever be repeated - how many designs does it take to get a footpeg right - who really designed the F3, despite what Wikipedia says - and much, much more, including the future of motorcycle design... We hope you love this detour from our usual FEC waffling as much as we do. And if you'd like to contribute to our bulging FECsack of listener questions, please fire your ponderings through to anything@frontendchatter.com

  • Jun 17, 2023 · 1 hr 54 min

    Front End Chatter #178

    Hello and welcome one and all to Front End Chatter, Britain's cakiest motorcycle podcast with she/him, Martina Fitz-Gibbons and it/blimey, Simone Hargreaves. As the country's leading formerly employed but subsequently jettisoned motorcycle journalistas, now freelancing for anyone with a gold sovereign and a glint in their eye, we're proud to be supported and stimulated by Bennetts, Brian's leading bike insurers, and BikeSocial.co.uk, more motorcycling news, reviews and blues clues on the web than the web really deserves. And on this mightily magnificent episode we have: • the NC500 and why it's not a Honda parallel twin, but a blummin' ace ride around the top of Scotland • BMW's new M1000XR • Kawasaki's new ZX-6R • the price is announced for Kawasaki's ZX-4RR • Michael Dunlop and Peter Hickman dominate the 2023 TT • how Triumph's Tiger 1200 is the fastest bike ever over the longest distance in 24 hours • details of Bennetts High Performance Awards for bike clothing, taking the complexity out of bike kit protection ratings and why you should look out for it • FECsack musings including why isn't cruise control fitted to smaller bikes, the best small-bore track bike, why bike modern bike seats don't always fit and much more... Thanks for your ears, please keep your musings and queries and general thoughts coming to: anything@frontendchatter.com @simonhbikes @mufga

  • Jun 9, 2023 · 6 min

    Front End Chatter #SnettertonTrackDay

    Hello everybody, and welcome to a quick but exciting FEC cordially inviting you, dear FEC listener, to the Bennetts Snetterton Track Day on Thursday 13th July. We're going, and we'd love you to be there with us for a chin-wag and a cup of coffee. Bennetts BikeSocial trackdays aren't like other trackdays – they're WAY better. As well as 7 x 20-minute track sessions, with novice, intermediate and advanced group options, you'll also get FREE action shots taken by a professional British Superbikes photographer, and be able to meet and ride on track with Mr John McGuinness. An onsite BSB mechanic will offer set-up advice, a team of instructors will offer riding tips, and Yamaha track hire bikes are available to book. If you're a novice, this is the perfect introduction – there's an extended safety briefing if it's your first time, plus two free classroom sessions offering advice on body position and circuit riding. And all of this costs just £139 – an absolute bargain. Normally Bennetts trackdays are only available to BikeSocial members, but we've swung a deal to allow FEC listeners to come along too, even if you're not a BikeSocialist. We'll be there, and we'll have a garage put aside exclusively for the use of FECers. Obviously you will need all the usual trackday safety kit (ACU approved full-face helmet, full one-piece or complete zip-together two-piece leathers, proper boots and leather gloves and all the rest) plus a full length back protector, and a front brake lever guard or hand-guards, and your bike will need to meet the noise limit (102DB static / 92DB driveby). To book, you'll need to head to the link below: https://rewards.bennetts.co.uk/rewards/snetterton-trackday-13072023-discount-voucher-code You'll find all the info you need, the terms & conditions, plus a link to take you through to book your place, at Snetterton, on Thursday 13th July. See you there!

  • Jun 3, 2023 · 2 hr 1 min

    Front End Chatter #177

    Hello, good morning and welcome to Front End Chatter, Britain's best general-purpose biking podcast (apart from racing podcasts, of which there are many and excellent). This is Episode 177 of nonsense, the first since the FEC Grin Up North tour. And it's been a while because Simon and Martin have been busy eking a living from the dry, dusty soil of freelance motorcycle journalism. Thanks as always to Bennetts, with whom you ought to be insured for so many reasons – they're actually motorcyclists, for a start. And they support www.bikesocial.co.uk and its associated YouTube channel, where you can find road tests, launches, news, proper consumer advice and loads more genuinely useful, and entertaining, stuff. Check out becoming a BikeSocial Member, because the money-off offers alone are more than worthwhile – not to mention the competition offers. Anyway, on this episode of FEC Simon and Martin natter about: • The FEC800 Grin Up North Tour • Martin's impressions of Suzuki's GSX-S1000 GT+ • Simon's impressions of Honda's Gold Wing • Honda's DCT system and why it's taken 13 years for Simon to get over himself • why Ireland is SO NICE! • speculation about BMW's M1000XR • some truths about the hydrogen as an alternative fuel, and why the Japanese manufacturers have got together to find out it's probably not the answer • your FEC Sack questions and queries including why changing your tyres is a Good Thing, why there's good riding in the south of England if you go looking for it, is Ducati's Monster defined by a trellis frame, and riding bikes before you were born. *From* before you were born, not actually pre-womb. Thanks for listening, send your questions, thoughts and lunatic ravings to anything@frontendchatter.com Get me and Martin on the socials @simohbikes @Mufga This episode is dedicated to the memory of Boz.

  • May 9, 2023 · 1 hr 16 min

    Front End Chatter #176

    Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter E176... LIVE FROM THE 2023 GRIN OOP NORTH TOUR! Yes folks, after a lengthy absence due to life, the universe and everything, Front End Chatter is back – and not only back, but back LIVE. Recorded in front of a hand-picked audience of FEC friends from a hotel in Lancashire, your hosts Simon Hargreaves and Martin Fitz-Gibbons talk a load of nonsense including: • guff about the new Suzuki GSX-S 8S and why it might be better than Honda's Hornet • guff about the new Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ and how it helps you brake • Mufga goes trials riding with Inch Perfect Trials • plus questions from the audience, including: • how to set-up, or not, a GSX-S1000S • why pillion seats are so small • how to save motorcycling • who will build the last petrol engine ever And a bit more. Thanks as always to Bennetts and BikeSocial.co.uk for their enduring and endearing support. Thanks also to Paul at MCI Tours (www.mcitours.com) for organising and managing the FEC Grin Oop North Tour. Thanks to the staff of Crooklands Hotel, Kendal, for their hospitality. And, more than anything, thanks to our friends on the FEC Grin Oop North Tour 2023: Matt, DJ, Peter, Jamie, Owain, Dale, Paul, Jono, George, John, Iestyn, Fazer John & Pamela, Andy & Carol, Stuart & Leonie, Stuart & Jenny, PJ, Connor, Matt, Avi and Jake. @SimonHbikes @Mufga

  • Mar 21, 2023 · 1 hr 58 min

    Front End Chatter #175

    Hello and welcome to Episode 175 of Front End Chatter, Britain's funkiest motorcycling podcast, presented by Simon Hargreaves and Martin Fitz-Gibbons, supported as ever by Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists, and BikeSocial.co.uk, the best place to get your motorcycling news and other two-wheeled resources. And on FEC175 we have: • Simon becomes one of a handful of humans to ride both Suzuki's V-Strom 800DE and Honda's Transalp at their respective launches – find out what he thinks and which one might suit you • KTM and MV Agusta re-organise their dealers (which only matters to the half of the podcast who owns an MV Agusta) • Irish road racing is back on after securing £90,000 from crowdfunding and a renegotiation of their insurance premium, which is good news – although is this now going to be an annual issue? • the first two races from World Superbike at Phillip Island and Mandalika • plus more of our emails, including: - the when and where of throttle snatch - why can't I go round right handers? - how come Sikhs don't have to wear helmets? - recalibrating quickshifters – urban myth or actual thing? - why does my bum ache? ...and much more... Thank you very much for listening, and please send your thoughts, queries and random comedy motorcycling moments to anything@frontendchatter.com @SimonHbikes @Mufga

  • Feb 21, 2023 · 1 hr 52 min

    Front End Chatter #174

    Dearest FECers, welcome to episode 174 of the long-running – well, it's our ninth birthday, apparently, Happy Birthday to us etc – motorcycling podcast brought to you by Simon Hargreaves and Martin Fitz-Gibbons, and ably, nimbly and elastically supported by Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists (and if you haven't yet, you really should) and bikesocial.co.uk, the world of wokecycling on the web. And on this episode of FEC we have: • Martin making his spring comeback on his MV • top tips for getting back into it after a winter lay-off • the current state of play on the roads in Ireland • Simon rides BMW's R1250 RS and gets confused by Triumph's DRLs • plus a bunch of FECmails including naming your bike, which Guzzi, does your confidence dip, and what a compression and why is it ratioed? Thanks for listening once more, please spread the word, and please keep sending your thoughts, ponderings, musings, anecdotes, jokes, questions and offers of, well, anything, to: anything@frontendchatter.com @SimonHBikes @Mufga

  • Feb 12, 2023 · 2 hr

    Front End Chatter #173

    Hello & welcome to Front End Chatter with him, Martin Fitz-Gibbons, and me, Simon Harararargreaves. This is episode #173 of a long-running saga, in which we are as ever indebted to Bennetts, the only bike insurers who actually invest a shed-load back into British motorcycling culture to promote the British Superbike series, create an ocean of free content at www.BikeSocial.co.uk, planted the seeds for a rich and fertile YouTube channel, and allow FEC to come in your ears once a fortnight. That's gotta be worth the entry fee. And on this fortnight's FEC we have a new bike blitz with the return of the sports 400 in the unlikely shape of Kawasaki's ZX-4RR, the return of the sports touring supermoto with KTM's 890 SMT, and the debut of Suzuki's V-Strom with a 21in front wheel. We also dive into the FEC sack – and, in a break with tradition, we harvest it from the top down, responding to the most current emails first (mostly commenting on FEC172's rather depressing message about the end of life as we know it). Anyway, we're still here, you're still here, and bikes are still awesome. So we're good. Please keep the questions (bike choice or existential), plus any other queries, comments and funny stories, coming to us at: anything@frontendchatter.com Catch us on the socials at: @SimonHBikes @Mufga Aye.

  • Jan 28, 2023 · 1 hr 48 min

    Front End Chatter #172

    Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter Episode 172, hosted by Simon Hargreaves and Martin Fitz-Gibbons and supported in their noble endeavours by Bennetts, the bike insurance gurus, and bikesocial.co.uk, the world wide web of wokorcycling. Bit of a special episode of FEC – c'mon, keep it light – as we visit the Motorcycle Industry Association annual conference and speak to the head of the MCIA, Tony Campbell, to find out what the great and the good of the British motorcycle industry are doing to prepare for the UK government's proposal to ban the sale of new petrol-engined bikes in just over a decade from now. It's not all bad news, but some of it might be. Thanks for listening, and please email your thoughts, reactions, questions and opinions to: anything@frontendchatter.com Get us on the socials: @SimonHBikes @Mufga

  • Jan 12, 2023 · 2 hr 1 min

    Front End Chatter #171

    Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter E171 and I'm a bit short on time this week so here's a condensed version of the usual word salad: FEC is a motorcycling podcast created by Martin Fitz-Gibbons and Simon Hargreaves, a pair of motorcycle content creators (I wrote a load of other stuff here about crumbling ivory towers but thought the better of it and pressed delete). Meanwhile, FEC is truly, deeply, madly proud to be supported and fertilised by the good people of Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists, and bikesocial.co.uk, the best motorcycling website in the world. Pay them a visit, check out what's going on, and get involved with Bennetts Membership with all its offers and discounts. And there are many. Bit of a slow news week for this episode, so in the absence of actual news worth repeating we have a deep dive into the FECsack instead, covering so many topics you might as well listen than have me type them out here, if that's ok? Ta. Please keep your thoughts, queries, musings and mumblings coming in to: anything@frontendchatter.com And thank you for your continued aural appreciation. @SimonHBikes @Mufga

  • Dec 22, 2022 · 1 hr 58 min

    Front End Chatter #170

    Hello and welcome to episode 170 of Front End Chatter, the UK's finest motorcycling podcast with Simon Hargreaves and Martin Fitz-Gibbons (other finest motorcycling podcasts without Simon Hargreaves and Martin Fitz-Gibbons are available). FEC is, as ever thus far, supported and ported by Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists, and BikeSocial.co.uk, the greatest motorcycling website on the, er, web. And on this episode, we natter about: • birthdays, and why BMW are celebrating theirs like a death in the family • prices for Suzuki's GSX-8S and P-Strom, and why maths isn't their strong point • KTM's spy-shotted RC990, and possible the origins of its motor • last chance for an exclusive place to the FEC tour 2023 (It's Grin (and indeed, Gin) Up North) before we spread the love on the internet • our memories of ex-motorcycle journo John Cantlie • plus loads of next bike recommendations, too late as usual but no-one ever does what we suggest anyway Thank you for your listening ears throughout 2022, and 'ears to a similarly audible 2023. Please keep your thoughts, ponderings, musings and questions coming to anything@frontendchatter.com @SimonHBikes @Mufga

  • Dec 7, 2022 · 2 hr 3 min

    Front End Chatter #169

    Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter, Britain's best biking podcast even if we – 'we' being Martin Fitz-Gibbons and Simon Hargreaves, a pair of motorcycling ne'er-do-wells who once had an opinion and now just have onions – do say so ourselves, which is just as well because no-one else does. Front End Chatter is as ever supported like a great surgical truss of benevolence by Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists, and their media empire of bikesocial.co.uk, upon which one can find all the news, reviews, new bike and consumer tests one could wish for. And check out their YouTube channel too. On this esipode of Fnet Rund Chasser we have, for your aural delectation: • a bit of goss from that Motorcycle Live they had recently • a thoroughly in-depth chat about Honda's new CB750 Hornet • why World Superbike will be worth watching in 2023 • the return of KTM's 790 Duke and Adventure, only made in China and as we predicted ages ago • details of the FEC Tour 2023 – It's Grin Up North! • plus a stack of your emails from the FECsack Thank you for listening, and please keep your thoughts, queries and ponderings coming to: anything@frontendchatter.com @SimonHbikes @Mufga

  • Nov 13, 2022 · 1 hr 49 min

    Front End Chatter #168

    Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter, Episode 168 in the long-running series of Great Motorcycling Podcasts – yes, we're back after a late summer break in which one of us got married and one of us didn't. Thanks as ever to Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists, and BikeSocial.co.uk – supplying quality motorcycle news, reviews, videos, launches and consumer product tests longer than anyone can remember. No, not the consumer tests themselves; how long BikeSocial has been aro... oh never mind. Right, 168 is easy to describe: • a big chatter about the finale of the MotoGP races of the season, who won, are the Japanese factories on the way out, and why it will be our last for a while • tons of new bike news, including Honda's Transalp & Hornet 750 slugging it out with Suzuki's P-Strom 800DE and impossible-to-pronounce GSX-8S, plus a bit of green news from Kawasaki (geddit?), the most advanced radar system ever on the new Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+, revamped Triumph Street Triples and loads of stuff we forgot to mention. Thanks again for listening with your ears, and please send thoughts, questions and offers of pretty much anything to: anything@frontendchatter.com @SimonHbikes @Mufga

  • Oct 6, 2022 · 1 hr 58 min

    Front End Chatter #167

    Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 167 of Front End Chatter, Britain's poddiest motorcycling cast, supported as ever by nos amis at Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists and bikesocial.co.uk, not only the web's most informative and enlightening motorcycling website, but also refreshingly free of the nasty, irritating ads and pop-ups you get on other websites. So let that be a lesson. And on this FEC we rabbit about: • the new Ducati Multistrada V4S Rally • BMW's uprated S1000RR • Honda's new CB750 Hairnet • ...and which of those is the most important for the future of motorcycling • the action from MotoGP in Thailand, including how Ducati are actually managing to beat themselves • 42 MotoGP races at 21 MotoGP rounds next year, including one in Kazakhstan (why?) and India • Plus more ruminations from the FECsack • details of FEC at the NEC – yes, on the Black Horse stand talking with Jamie Whitham on Thursday 24th Nov Thanks for your ears, and please send your thoughts, ideas, disputes and questions to: anything@frontendchatter.com Get us on the socials: @SimonHBikes @Mufga

  • Sep 23, 2022 · 1 hr 27 min

    Front End Chatter #166

    Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter, Britain's chattiest motorcycling podcast with him, Simon Hargreaves and him, Martin Fitz-Gibbons, and supported as ever by the wonderful folk at Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists, and BikeSocial.co.uk, the best biking website, er, on the internet. And on E166 we have for your aural delectation: the fallout and the fall-offs from Aragon, son of Arathorn, including Marc 'Mayhem' Marquez a farewell to Dovi, the new Dani Pedrosa speculation around the new Honda Hornet 750 parallel twin and Transalp more speculation around Suzuki's forthcoming parallel twin adventure bike and roadster, including why it could be an 800, not a 700 a whole thing about the future of motorcycling if there's anyone left, a bit of FECsack including Suzuki power modes, Groms, and how crash recovery isn't the same thing as breakdown recovery. Thanks for listening, please send thoughts, questions, contributions and other scribbled notes to anything@frontendchatter.com @SimonHbikes @Mufga

  • Aug 25, 2022 · 1 hr 53 min

    Front End Chatter #165

    Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter, Britain's best biking podcast, and episode 165 featuring him, Simon Hargreaves, and him, Martin Fitz-Gibbons. Front End Chatter is, forever and day, sponsored and supported by Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists and www.bikesocial.co.uk – the best website on the planet to get your fix of news, views and reviews. Hot news – FEC will be *briefly* be on stage at the NEC at 11am Thursday 24th November at Motorcycle Live! Be there, and come prepared to FECkle! And also on this week's FEC we have: • MotoGP's plans for an additional Sprint Race in 2023 • Marc Marquez's Honda ultimatum • the long-term future of Yamaha and Honda in MotoGP • oh, and there was a race in Austria • meanwhile, we take a guess at Ducati's seven new 'products' in 2023 • plus the usual deep dive in the FEC sack - your questions, queries, comments and thoughts - please send them to anything@frontendchatter.com Thanks for listening! @SimonHbikes @Mufga

  • Aug 15, 2022 · 2 hr 3 min

    Front End Chatter #164

    Hello and welcome to Episode 164 of Front End Chatter (or 'FEC' as it's also known around these parts) – a motorcycling podcast, ish, supported by Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists and bikesocial.co.uk, the world of biking on the web. And on this episode of FEC we have: • a round-up of Silverstone MotoGP, for the benefit of the 26,000 people who went last year but didn't go this time. • Energica Experia – in a genuine ooo, Mufga test rides the best electric bike, by a mile, so far. • Royal Enfield make the UK's best-selling big bike. • Triumph's Enfield Meteor rival, built by Baja . All this and more, including ruminations from the FEC sack of listeners' emails. Thanks for listening, keep the emailed questions coming to: anything@frontendchatter.com @SimonHBikes @Mufga

  • Jul 31, 2022 · 1 hr 50 min

    Front End Chatter #163

    Hello and welcome to Episode 163 of Front End Chatter, Britain's most flavoursome motorcyclistic podcast with Simon Fitz-Gibbons and Martin Hargreaves if you're listening in black & white. Front End Chatter is supported by Bennetts, the bike insurance specialists, and BikeSocial.co.uk, the best place on the web to keep up to speed with all things two wheels (and don't forget the Bennetts' YouTube channel wot has tons of good stuff on it). And on this week's FEC we have: • testing jackets for RiDE magazine on the hottest day EVER • the splendour of a Bennetts' track day at Cadwell on an SV650 • World Supers from Donington • running over cats and dead piglets • does MotoGP visit democratic countries? • why boots squeak and how to fix it • how much better is a Tracer 9 GT than a Tracer 900 GT? • should we experiment with cornering ABS? All this and much more, or less, depends on your point of view and the orientation of your ears. Thanks to everyone for listening, please keep your emails coming in to anything@frontendchatter and see you soon! @simonhbikes @mufga