| 11/06/2008     Returned the 2008 Yamaha R6 yesterday. A bit sad to see it go, but not too sad as there's a K8 Suzuki GSX-R750 waiting for me down in Milton Keynes. I have decided to stay away from the 600 as last time I tested both a Gixxer 600 and a 750 back to back I found it difficult to say enough about both on an individual level. After a couple of weeks on the GSX-R750 I'll swap for the new 'Busa. But first, I'm going to fly over to Milan and make my way to Varese to ride the MV Agusta Brutale 1078RR and F4 312 RR. Lots of in-line fours in June and July in other words. I am also still really enjoying dealing with the Bimota DB7 material. As no one from Yamaha or Star have approached me yet regarding any Vmax ride, I have plenty of time to make the Bimota DB7 stand out more. Suits me just fine that, and presumably Bimota too. I have learned a thing or two over the years and one of them are that confidence feeds your competence and visa versa. Some people often confuses confidence, or extreme confidence with arrogance. Particularly those that know they are competent in their job, but lack the confidence to combine the two together. I know what I am doing in this business of mine now. My job is to write and produce material about motorcycles. In that I am very confident and I have the experience to go with it too. At the same time, I am neither the fastest nor the sharpest journalist around a racetrack. But I am still confident and competent enough to be able to give you the low-down on the bikes there too. It amuses me each time various journalists, or more like pure road testers, races each other on track fucking up each others photos. For the most exclusive of the exclusive I have a partnership with Jeremy McWilliams. But he's a very decent writer too and will always get the   good shots because he'll be faster than everyone else around a circuit. Jezza has got extreme confidence and an extreme ability on two wheels. It's been proven countless times what he can do. The problem with getting Jezza on the most exclusive Italian bikes now has been the fact that the factories are very small and simply can't afford bringing McWilliams over with me to the launches. The KTM RC8 launch cost me around £1000 and having contracts with most of the magazines that I work for I can't hope for any direct fruitions on that particular investment. KTM of course can go smiling all the way to the bank having received very good reviews from reputable people like ourselves. But the fact that that KTM PR cost me £1000 isn't going to go away from my mind very easily. I'm more likely to say no thank you to a launch with KTM than any other manufacturer as a direct cause. I am not in the business of forking out from my hard-earned cash to ride a new bike from a factory as big as KTM. Most other factories pay for all the hassle it is to travel and stay away from home. Some PR people seems to think that it's this enormous treat for journalists to get to ride their new bike in an exotic place. It is an enormous privilege I admit, as soon as you get to where you can do that... It truly isn't that exiting chatting to US customs after queuing for an hour, or being stuck at various airports, delays, Ryanair hassling you for overweight, and did I mention queuing, queuing, queuing to speak to some arse that wants you to take your shoes and belt off. But when you do arrive at that posh 5star hotel and can get your leathers on and actually ride, there's nothing better. Blimey, have I actually said something today? Maybe it's because I'm going out with this awesome woman, or maybe it's just because I'm a happy and a lucky guy. Summer is great! Tor
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