Press

George Formby may not be top of your list as a celebrity motorcyclist, but he was quite a keen and capable rider. His cheeky chappy image, singing his ditties whilst leaning on a lamppost was far removed from the adventurous side of his nature.

Formby married Beryl Ingham in 1923, a fellow performer who became his manager and transformed his act. Although it appeared a loveless marriage, she was certainly the driving force behind his success, making him one of the top paid entertainers of his time.

Back In the saddle of a Norton Commando

Back at the time of the millennium I was fortunate enough to be given a 1972 750cc Norton Commando by the husband of my wife’s friend as a thank you for some favours I had done for him. This on the face of it would sound like an incredible piece of good fortune but in truth the bike was far from that. 

Ducati describe this bike as unconventional, unique, and unmistakeable.

Originally launched at EICMA 2010, the second-generation Diavel 1260 remains faithful to the original spirit of that incredibly special bike, drawing on its key styling elements yet bringing them decidedly up to date.

Now, the Diavel has more assertive outlines and higher performance, is more fun on mixed-road routes and even more comfortable, for rider and passenger alike. Its sport naked Testastretta DVT 1262 engine that combines breath-taking acceleration with the smooth low-rev power delivery magnifies soul that is ideal for everyday rides or longer-lasting tours.

William Dunlop will be posthumously inducted into the Irish Motorcycling Hall of Fame at the sport's annual awards ceremony on 18 January.

The 32-year-old from Northern Ireland paid the ultimate price for the sport he loved. William Dunlop died last July in practice after he crashed on the race route near Skerries with his younger brother, Michael riding behind him.

Honda brings a fresh new approach to the ultra-competitive naked middleweight arena, with the Neo Sports Café styling of the CB650R. 

Honda has always thrived on exploring new boundaries – in design as well as engineering. In 2018, the new CB1000R, CB300R and CB125R trio brought a fresh identity to its naked motorcycle line-up, mixing café racer inspirations with an ultra-minimalist look under its ‘Neo Sports Café’ design theme.