5Four Motorcycles - For the few, not the many…

Classic Motorcycle YouTube at the NEC

chris@lucidsynergy.com (Chris Witham) — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 16:02:41 GMT

Honda CB 1000R 5Four Launch

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 08:47:41 GMT

We are delighted to announce the launch of our second 5Four motorcycle…
The Honda CB1000R 5Four.

As soon as we saw this bike we knew we could create something special. Here in his own words Guy explains what we have done:

“The CB1000R was an already fabulous bike crying out for the 5Four treatment. An obvious starting point? The rear. The 5Four tail tidy has no exterior bracketry so the lines are clean. We’ve also fitted a slim LED rear light enabling the number plate to be mounted as high as possible revealing the whole of the rear tyre.

The 5Four composite fairing has been designed to flow with the existing lines of the bike and offer some respite from the elements for the rider and carries an individually numbered Limited Edition badge.

Each bike comes with a fantastic Racefit Titanium Growler-X Exhaust to enhance the single sided swingarm and beautiful new for 2021 spoked wheels; we’ve also fitted black adjustable dog-leg levers with anodised red adjusters and billet mirrors.

The supple leather seat has been hand-stitched in the trademark 5Four diamond-padded pattern and, for the paint, we’ve brought the Works Hondas of old bang-up-to-date with stunning candy red, blue and pearl white. The tank also wears a lovingly hand-painted Honda racing logo. We’re so proud of the CB1000R 5Four – and it’s as good to ride as it is to look at!”

The base for the CB1000R 5Four is a standard 2021 CB1000R with quickshifter fitted. Each will be one of a limited production run with every bike individually numbered. There is an option to have Guy’s signature painted on the tailpiece. The OTR price is £16,954.

Ordering a CB1000R 5Four is easy. A call to a local Honda dealer with a deposit secures a place in line; Honda will then confirm an estimated delivery date with the dealer as well as the number of the bike.

Honda Finance can also offer finance in the form of a Hire Purchase, Vehicle Purchase Loan or Personal Contract Purchase agreement with Honda Finance Europe Plc; full terms and conditions are available from the Honda dealer.

Prototyping something new…

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 11:42:32 GMT

The wonderful Gez, working his magic on the new prototype seat cover. Spec at the moment is black leather, embroidered 5Four logo and red diamond stitching. Guy says, if it ain‘t broke don‘t fix it!

Trying different sizes of 5Four logo for new prototype seat cover. It all takes time and we cannot wait to see the finished item.

5Four and Racefit

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 08:54:03 GMT

Working together…

10 Things we wish we knew when we started riding Motorcycles

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 09:30:02 GMT

Everybody loves a list. The 10 favourite movies of all time and all-time top 10 songs are great conversations to have with friends over dinner. Chat Show host David Letterman made Top 10 Lists a feature of all of his Late Shows following the incredible success in 1985 of his first list entitled “Top 10 Things That Rhyme With Peas”. Yet why do we love lists so much? Furthermore, why do so many lists contain 10 items?
Renowned Psychology Professor Walter Kintsch believes we are attracted to lists because we can process information more easily when it is presented in a list format, lists are more intuitive and simply “feel better”. Maria Konnikova, author of the bestselling book Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes, suggests that any article written as a numbered list catches our eye and is totally captivating.

People love lists because they know the content is finite as this has been agreed up-front [normally in the title] and thus a list makes for an easy reading experience. This argument is supported by the Harvard Business Review. In the fast-food information world of Facebook Instagram and Twitter, click throughs on content are important and Top 10 lists are at the top of the tree when it comes to attracting readers. Top 10 lists are easy to write, easy to read and easy to re-tweet.
There is a shedload of lists out there for motorcyclists and in this Blog Post we have created one of our own: 10 Things that we wish we knew when we started riding motorcycles. As well as the 5Four Team chipping in, we asked 5Four owners and the wider 5Four social media community for their tips too.

We have not named the contributor against their contribution. A list of contributors is however included. The list is in not ranked in order, all 10 are included on merit. In true rebellious fashion – that is how Guy and I roll - we picked our Top 10 from the many suggestions that we received. We also took the liberty of combining all of the tips on cornering into one list item. We’re 5Four Motorcycles and we’ll do what we want!

So here, in all its glory is the inaugural 5Four Motorcycles List of 10. Read it and weep and stay safe!

Check your motorcycle for road worthiness every time you go out. Particularly chain tension and tyre pressure [a few psi makes a big difference].
Buy a good set of tools and understand as much as you can about your motorcycle. It is very fulfilling to be able to tinker a little [Adrian] or a lot [Guy].
To quote E.M.G Stevens: know thy beast. Read the manual, ideally the original workshop manual [not Haynes – good as they are].
Try different tyres and different grips. Remember everything that comes as standard is just that: standard i.e., standard for everyone on the planet who owns that model. We however are not standard and thus little personal tweaks will make a whole heap of difference.
Manhole covers, white lines and the black shiny stuff used to repair carriageways are all slippery. Very slippery. Light rain after a long, dry period also makes roads very hazardous and the build-up of oil and petrol on the surface can catch you out. Be careful.
Never assume a car driver looking to pull out from a side road has seen you.
If you think you can make the overtake you cannot, so don’t go for it. Only go when you know you can make the overtake. Remember the throttle goes both ways and always consider the speed differential between you and other road users.
Spend your money on training and honing your skills. Carbon fibre will not make you faster. Competence will. Spending time and money in race schools is a great investment. What you will learn about suspension set-up, riding technique, braking and throttle control will be worth every penny.
When cornering, remember slow in fast out every time. It is surprising how much force the front brake can apply to slow you down. Learn how to counter-steer. Cornering will never be the same again once you know what counter-steering can do. Make sure you understand how your bike behaves in corners, how it brakes, how fast you can go to avoid over cooking things and finally, remember positioning is everything. Be in the best position possible in relation to the actual and potential dangers existing at any given moment. More often than not, it is not the apex of a curve – that is for track days!
When filtering on dual carriageways, through stationary traffic, watch out for driver's right shoulders lifting, it could be a sign they are taking off their seat belt to get out to see what's going on or to stretch their legs if there has been a long hold up.
Know your limitations, ride your own ride and do not attempt to keep up with someone more skilled than you.

Contributors
Many thanks to the following people who contributed to this list:
Mike Woodhead
Chris Nicolaou
Ed Cosker
Phil Bellwood
Chris Wright
Keith Hubbard
Robert French

References
Letterman D. The Late Night With David Letterman: Book Of Top 10 Lists. October 1st 1990. Pocket Books. ISBN: 978-0671726713
Kintsch W. Recognition and Free Recall of Organised Lists. June 1968. Journal of Experimental Psychology. 78:481-476. DOI: 10.1037/h0026462.
A List Of Reasons Why Our Brains Love Lists. Maria Konnikova. December 2nd 2013. www.newyorker.com
Top 10 Reasons For Top 10 Lists. Thomas H. Davenport. June 1st 2008. Harvard Business Review. www.hbr.org
Stevens E.M.G. Know Thy Beast: Vincent Motorcycles. Vincent Publishing Co. June 1972. ISBN: 09050418684.

Lone Ranger Or Posse?

adriangiles@5fourmotorcycles.co.uk (Adrian Giles) — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 09:17:30 GMT

Lots of Bikers like group rides – It would be great to know why…

Most sunny Sundays I am out on a motorcycle “early doors”. There is nothing like riding when the roads are clear and the only powered vehicles around have two wheels. Quite often I will stop for breakfast at an American Diner style café for some scrambled eggs and a cup of coffee. There are plenty of other motorcyclists doing similar, although a lot more bacon and sausages are destroyed in their brekkies! This popular venue happens to be the meeting point for a local motorcycle club and members trickle in between 8:00 and 9:00. Then at 9:30 on the dot they head off in a pack to the coast. I enjoy chatting to fellow bikers over breakfast and looking at the vast array of machinery in the car park. There is no better way to pass the time, well, maybe just one! Yet the car park chat is where the story ends for me. I say my goodbyes and shoot off for another solo blast and the club members head off in a posse to the seaside.

I’d rather eat my own hair than go out in a large group. Yet sometimes I wonder what an organised group ride would be like. The vast number of motorcycling clubs across the UK and array of organised group rides that take place each weekend, indicate that this is an incredibly popular activity. Maybe I don’t know what I’m missing. Always willing to discover more about stuff I do not know or understand, the search for group ride evangelists began. Try as I might, I could not find any articles on the Interweb from anyone telling the world what a jolly good time they had on these trips. Maybe the participants and organisers are too busy enjoying their riding to put digit to keyboard to share their experiences. This is fascinating as there is a glut of information on the pleasures of solo riding verses riding in a group. There are also plenty of great stories of group rides in foreign lands and stacks of tips on how to ride in a group, yet none (that I could find) that extol the virtues of organised group day riding in Blighty.

In his great article 10 Reasons to Ride Solo, Mark Hinchliffe lists stopping when you want, going where you want and the absence of any peer pressure as key reasons to ride alone. I agree and could list many more. Bill Melvin writing in Quora Digest suggests that riding in groups is typical of many other human experiences. We are sociable animals and often feel more comfortable and safer in a group. Bill believes that sharing great experiences with others creates a bond and on a group ride there is always someone there to help if a problem arises. Dr Paula Durlofsky shares this viewpoint. She believes that shared experiences offer many psychological benefits and suggests that even experiences shared with total strangers can have a positive effect on our emotional wellbeing.

At 5Four HQ Guy is pretty clear: group rides are not for him. His most memorable experience of such an event was on a day trip from London to Brighton. The outward journey took most of the day, mainly due to fuel stops, waiting for someone to pay for a coffee with a dodgy credit card, breakdowns and toileting. As soon as he reached Brighton Pavilion, he did a 180 and headed back to Dodge City. He didn’t even dip his toes in the ocean, he’d had enough and didn’t fancy a repeat of the same traumas on the return journey. Like me, he wants to go where the wind takes him and not be limited by the needs or proclivities of others.

Chris however often rides with small groups of friends. He has also been on some organised group day rides and enjoyed them. Chris believes there is however a different vibe when motorcycling with people you would not normally ride with. When with regular motorcycle companions you know how each other rides, the day flows easily and there are no surprises. Guy and I are intrigued by Chris’s tales. Riding with half a dozen friends sounds great.

Never say never, we are open to persuasion and maybe one day we will consider joining an organised group ride. For now, it is me and Guy doing what we please – for us two’s company. Lone Ranger and Tonto if you like. Though perhaps, and particularly during these times of social distancing, Tonto should be binned and just the Lone Ranger is the way to go. Stay safe!

References
Top Ten Reasons For Riding Solo. Mark Hinchliffe. Motorbike Writer. Updated March 20th 2020. www.motorbikewriter.com
It’s Not Boring to Ride Alone. Bill Melvin Quora Digest. August 24th 2019. www.quora.com
Shared Experiences Offer Psychological Benefits. Dr Paula Durlofsky. November 21st 2019. www.mainlinetoday.com

Photo Credit: www.stevedixonlaw.com

Naked, Retro, Adventure, Newbie, Bambi or Lifer…

adriangiles@5fourmotorcycles.co.uk (Adrian Giles) — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 13:16:59 GMT

Forget the category we’re all Bikers.

Running out of talent [again] and sliding along the tarmac, shedding most of the skin from my leg was one the reasons I stopped riding motorcycles for many years. One. Having children, the loss of a friend in a motorcycling accident and one of my besties being in a coma for months following another off, were also contributing factors that led to the leathers being hung up. Over the years though, the lure of riding a motorcycle gnawed at me. I still went to the odd race meeting, enjoyed watching the TT on television and many of my friends still rode motorcycles. Finally, the desire to return to two wheels was impossible to ignore and it was time to make a purchase.

Walking back into a motorcycle showroom for the first time in eons was an incredibly exciting experience, like being a kid on Christmas Day. I was however surprised when the salesman said, “so you are a born-again biker then, a Bambi”. It was the first time I had heard the term and after he had explained the Bambi bit [Born Again Middle Aged Biker] I was not sure whether I liked it. Type the phrase into any search engine and plenty of articles appear; most of these make pretty depressing reading and link the term to accidents involving bikers of a certain age who have recently returned to motorcycling.

My great pal Carl started motorcycling last year. He loves the freedom, friendship and camaraderie motorcycling provides and, having an interest in engines and fast cars, two wheels seemed a natural progression. He was bemused to hear the term “Newbie” used to describe him; particularly as he will not see sixty again! At 5Four HQ, Guy and Chris have not had a break in their biking. A motorcycle has been a feature in their garages for the last five decades and thus the boys fall into the category of lifelong bikers or “Lifers.” We certainly like to put people and things in boxes and name them and there would appear to be a category for us all!

During my motorcycle sabbatical I returned to horse riding for my thrills. Whilst the sense of speed was missing, there were many similarities: me with something dangerous between my legs against the terrain for long hard miles. Interestingly no term or group name was given to me as a returning equestrian. So why is it we feel the need to categorise so many aspects of motorcycling? Café Racer, Naked, Tourer, Streetfighter, Middleweight, Retro, the list goes on. At the end of the day, we are all bikers no matter what motorcycle we ride and no matter when we started doing it.

Reassuringly, it is not only in the world of motorcycling that we like to categorise. According to Psychologist Alfred Caramazza at Harvard University, our brains have always been wired for categorisation. Humans had to distinguish between living and non-living things and this wiring enabled our ancestors to know when to run away from possible predators. Metacognition Specialist Jocelyn Campbell believes that finding patterns, making connections, and categorising things are all part of “association thinking”. The unconscious part of the brain processes everything associatively rather than logically or analytically. Associative thinking is fast and nonlinear, and we always have access to it. This is a good thing as it brings order to our world.

The danger of categorising things into groups is the tendency to apply stereotypes to these groups. Like the horror headlines on BAMBIs being responsible for many motorcycle accidents, Newbies being best avoided until they know how to ride, Lifers being set in their ways and Italians drive flashy red cars and live at home with their mothers. No one likes to be thought of as a stereotype; nor do we want to see ourselves as treating others that way. In his book the Ego Trick, Julian Baggini suggests that “Human beings think in terms of stereotypes for good reasons. Without mental shortcuts, we simply couldn’t get by. There is just too much information to process, and we often have to be quite crude as to how we filter it”.

So, there it is, we cannot avoid categorising and stereotyping as this skillset has been hardwired into our brains by evolution. Whether we can hide behind the evolutionary excuse or not, putting bikes and bikers into certain boxes annoys the hell out of Guy and me. We have no desire to label any motorcycle or place it in a certain named group. We will continue to view each machine on its merits. As for motorcyclists, let’s forget about the moniker, Newbie, Bambi or Lifer, when on two wheels, we are all bikers and that is a very cool category to be in! Stay safe!

References
Are Our Brains Wired For Categorization? Nicole Branon. January 1st 2010. www.scientificamerican.com
Why Do We Categorize, Stereotype, and Label Each Other? Jocelyn Campbell. www.farthertogo.com
Baggini J. The Ego Trick. ISBN 978 1 84798 273 2. Granta Publications. London 2011

Photo Credit: www.supersausagecafe.co.uk

Bulging Pockets, Boxes & Lumpy Saddlebags:

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:00:02 GMT

Why sometimes less is more on a Motorcycle

I hate anything bulging in the pockets of my jeans. It is not a cool look; jeans should look like jeans and not like a cowboy’s lumpy saddlebags. Anyone who thinks a mobile phone, wallet and set of keys stuffed into their trouser pockets is a good look should think again. I believe the same rules should apply for motorcycles – they should look like motorcycles and not pack mules traversing the Himalayas.

It is a mystery to me why so many bikers feel the need to load up their bikes with all kinds of boxes, bags and paraphernalia. Understandable if headed for the next frontier, not so much for a short blast to a café. When discussing motorcycle luggage with Guy and Chris our opinions diverge rapidly. Guy and Chris seek to defend their array of boxes, bags and assorted bungees by claiming these things are required for camping trips and ramble on about summers past and fabulous motorcycle trips to Le Mans or Bol d’Or, loaded with their tenting gear. I just don’t buy it. I have not been able to venture under canvas since an unsavoury incident on a cub scout camp in 1972. Whilst this unfortunate experience might be clouding my judgement, until recently, unlike Forrest Gump and Jenny, I have been of the belief that motorcycles and camping do not go together like peas and carrots.

Guy’s stories however are slowly changing my opinion and research tells me that this camping malarky is far more popular than I realised. In her Blog on motorcycle camping Sheila Kiggins reminds readers that back in the 1960s the Camping and Caravanning Club was famous for never turning a biker away. Fifty years later they continue to welcome two-wheeled campers and are proud to state that “bikers are welcome on all of our campsites”. According to the Great Britain Tourism Survey [GBTS] over 15 million camping trips are taken each year. If, as the Department of Transport inform us, motorcyclists make up 2% of the motoring population and if only 10% of those motorcyclists like to camp, the barrack room mathematician in me has calculated that over 30,000 camping trips are made each year on a motorcycle! That is a big number and one that requires a lot of baggage to move that stuff around.

Remaining in statistician mode the global market for luggage and travel bags was $23billion in 2019 and is expected to grow to $31billion by 2025. The global backpack market alone is worth $19billion. We buy a lot of baggage and some of us more than others. Thus far my only concessions to motorcycle luggage – a cool little Kriega tail bag and a hard-shell backpack are overshadowed by Guy’s array of leather panniers and various animal hide pouches and the assortment of luggage Chris has at his disposal. Whether this kit be for camping or not we certainly like to buy a lot of luggage for our motorcycles.

My question is this: if not camping or lugging a load of gear for work and if you are not a despatch rider, why not leave the bags off a motorcycle? Like unsightly bulges in our strides, it is not the image of a rebel. Well not mine. In the past at BSB or on occasion at Wheels & Waves you would have been able to spot Guy easily. He was the fella hunched over, burdened by the weight of his overnight impediments, all strapped up around him and his ride looking like a good night out in a S&M den. I would have been easier to locate – at the bar, unencumbered with any packaging. Yet my head has been turned, maybe the Pandemic has contributed to my changing viewpoint, maybe Guy has worn me down. Whatever the reason, once the latest Lockdown ends and COVID rules allow, the great outdoors beckons. This summer you are likely to find me with a set of sling over panniers (so I can revert back to stripped down cool after the trip) on the back of my 5Four, singing songs around the campfire with Guy! Stay safe!

References
Forrest Gump. Motion Picture. Release Date July 23rd 1994. Paramount Pictures. www.paramount.com
Motorcycle Camping: Why The Forest Is Biker-Friendly. Sheila Kiggins. www.camoingintheforest.com
Great Britain Tourism Survey: January To December 2015. www.gov.uk
National Travel Survey 2016. July 27th 2017. Department For Transport. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-travel-survey-2016.
Luggage & Travel Bags Market Research Report By Type, Product & Distribution Channel. July 2020. www.reportlinker.com
Photo Credit: Lonerider Motorcycle. www.lonerider-motorcycle.com

Is A Bell Necessary On A Motorcycle?

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 09:30:01 GMT

I never cross anyone on the stairs. Any stairs, anytime, anywhere. It’s my thing and it infuriates the hell out my wife, especially in busy departmental stores when I wait for the stairwell to be clear before making my move. Sometimes the people I have waited for say “thank you” and I smile and say “never cross on the stairs” or some such like. Sometimes people just look bemused and probably think I am a little strange. It is my one nod to superstition and, as we tiptoe into 2021, I might be coming around to another – am considering a bell for my motorcycle. A Gremlin or Guardian Bell to be precise.

Since I have known Guy he has banged on about his “Guardian Bell” – he has owned one for years – and despite my continuing reticence he has promised to buy one for me. You see, these Guardian or Gremlin bells should be bought for a motorcyclist by someone who cares for them (isn’t that lovely) and should not be purchased for oneself. Guy’s wife Jules bought his. Further research has revealed that the tradition of Guardian / Gremlin bells on motorcycles goes back a long way.

According to Bike Bandit the Guardian Bell (also known as Gremlin Bell or Spirit Bell) is a lucky charm for motorcyclists and is there to protect the rider on their travels. Legend has it that evil spirits and gremlins loiter on the highways and look for passing motorcyclists to latch onto and cause mischief. A Guardian Bell should be attached to the lowest point possible on a motorcycle and wards off the gremlins by capturing them in the body of the bell. The continual ringing annoys the gremlins so much they detach themselves, fall off and thus the motorcyclist will come to no harm.

In the article Gremlin Bells: Digging Through Fact Fiction and In-Between, Get Lowered Cycles offer perhaps a more believable history of the gremlin/guardian bell that originates from aircraft bomber crews in the Second World War. Sleep deprived and cold, airmen would often see “gremlins” in the corner of their eye, outside the plane windows over the wings. Amphetamines were regularly used by bomber crews to keep them awake and it is thought that these pharmaceutical stimulants contributed to the appearance of imagined gremlins. The gremlins were of course not little green creatures, it was a term given to broken pieces from other damaged planes flying through the air. Very dangerous if these lumps of metal were to strike a wing or smash into an engine. Pilots had to keep their wits about them to avoid any damage and thus amphetamines became commonplace to keep airmen alert. Overtime some aircrewmen did not like the effects of the stimulants and started to attach small bells to parts of the aircraft cockpit. These “gremlin bells” would ring continually and keep the crew awake to ensure they kept a look out for flying debris. The bells became guardians for aircrewmen safety and after the war, the veterans who were motorcyclists attached the gremlin/guardian bells to their bikes.

The WWII story is supported by numerous articles on the “Gremlin phenomenon” experienced by fighter pilots. The author Roald Dahl, an ace RAF pilot, wrote a book called Gremlins about little creatures who flew on Spitfire missions that Walt Disney wanted to make into a movie after the war had ended. The film was never made.

Whether you prefer the superstitious or historic version of the legend of Gremlin Bells matters not. What is interesting is how big a deal these little babies are amongst bikers all over the World. Time will tell whether Guy follows through on his promise to buy a bell for me – his pockets are deep and his arms notoriously short, so will not hold breath. Should one be forthcoming, maybe, just maybe it will be seen hanging from the undercarriage on my 5Four motorcycle in the future. Furthermore, having discovered so much about these little bells, Chris and I are coming around to Guy’s desire to create a beautiful billeted 5Four version and make a limited number available for the 5Four family. Watch this space. Stay safe!

References
The Legend Of The Gremlin Bell: A Bikers Tradition. BikeBandit May 4th 2018. www.bikebandit.com
Gremlin Bells: Digging Through Fact Fiction and In-Between. Get Lowered Cycles www.getlowered.com
Gremlins! Robert O. Harder. September 2019. www.history.net.

Why Motorcyclists Are Better Drivers

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 14:26:14 GMT

Most blokes believe they are great drivers and equally fabulous when it comes to all things in the “bedroom department”. Sorry guys let me disabuse you of these misapprehensions. Nothing could be further from the truth and this I might add, is based on considerable feedback received over the years! Special thanks should be recorded here to ex-wives and girlfriends on the latter and, thank goodness, to my motorcycle pals on the former. To save any further embarrassment for the author, the focus for this Blog will be on riding skills and my belief that motorcyclists are better and safer motorists.

Knowing your own limitations and not making the same mistake twice are great lessons for life and for riding motorcycles. Self-awareness is a vital ingredient for continual improvement. In her book Pressure Is a Privilege, former World Number 1 and multiple Grand Slam winning tennis player Billie Jean King states that self-awareness is “probably the most important thing in becoming a champion”. World renowned psychologist Abraham Maslow believes that “What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself”. On a motorcycle I am self-aware enough to know I will run out of talent quickly and thus adapt my riding accordingly. Most motorcyclists do the same. Being self-aware and situationally aware of everything around us is critical to safety on a motorcycle and this awareness translates to car driving. For example, I am sure I am not the only biker/motorist who always looks over their shoulder when changing lanes whilst driving a car.

I am very keen to learn from my great motorcycling buddy Mick – a far more skilled rider and ex-racer who is always honest enough to help me improve my riding techniques with little tips here and there. Guy is a great teacher too, after all, remember [how could we forget] he covered over 1 million miles as despatch rider in London back in the day and that is a dangerous game that requires a whole new set of motorcycle safety skills. Just following Guy on a ride has helped to improve my skills – he covers the ground so effortlessly. I could not wish for two better tutors, yet what about our hapless, fellow road users on four wheels? What continuing development do they undertake I wonder? Very little based on what us motorcyclists experience I would wager.

Most cars are computers on wheels and drivers of these tin boxes have no concept that it is the electronics working behind the scenes that keeps them safe. Probably a good thing as so many drivers appear to be in a daze, on a mobile phone, or both. Motorcyclists are fully aware of everything their bike is doing, the ever-changing contact with the road, the workings and the limitations of the machine. Motorcyclists are, as Chris from 5Four describes “in the moment”. They are at one with their bike, continually making adjustments to ensure the rubber remains planted on the road and the motorcycle avoids making contact with any fools on four wheels. Furthermore, motorcyclists are vulnerable, no safety cage or seatbelts to lull us into a false sense of security or reduce injury for us. We have to anticipate what is likely to happen next in terms of road conditions and the activities of other motorists and it is this constant acuity combined with our skills, wits and reflexes that makes us great riders and indeed better motorists.

This belief is supported by two surveys conducted by two different insurance companies. In 2013 Equity Red Star conducted a study on historic motor claims for car drivers and motorcyclists who were also car drivers. Their conclusion was motorcyclists who also owned a car were 23% safer behind the wheel compared to car drivers who did not own a motorcycle. A study conducted in 2015 by insurance brokers Carole Nash found that when it came to road knowledge, motorcyclists were far safer than car drivers in 76% of cases. Commenting on the study results, Rebecca Donohue Head of Marketing for Carole Nash said “Motorcyclists scored highly because they must have their wits about them at all times” Donohue added that “More importantly our study revealed that a considerable proportion of car drivers still do not know how to interpret and react to certain everyday road situations involving motorcyclists”. It is interesting to note that the study led to Carole Nash introducing a Bikers only Car Insurance policy. The company guarantees to beat car insurance renewal quotations for motorcyclists based on the premise that motorcyclists make safer road users.

So, there you have it: we motorcyclists are better drivers. Yet we should not rest on our laurels. Practice makes perfect and I commit to continue to improve my riding skills, self and situational awareness and thus will become a better motorist. On the trickier topic of bedroom athletics - still in need of much attention according to the current Mrs Giles - I look forward to the next lesson! To misquote Paul McCartney and the late Michael Jackson, evidently, I’m a biker not a lover. Stay safe and Happy New Year!

References

Pressure Is A Privilege Lessons I’ve learnt From Life and The Battle Of The Sexes. Billy Jean King. September 21st 2008. Lifetime Media. ISBN: 100981636802.
A Theory Of Human Motivation. Abraham Maslow. Psychological Review 50 (4), 430-437. 1943.
Motorcyclists 23% Better Behind The Wheel Of A Car. Steve Farrell 12th November 201. www.visordown.com
Motorcyclists Are Safer Road Users: Survey. Mark Hinchliffe. 30th June 2015. www.motorbikewriter.com
The Girl Is Mine. Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney. Thriller Album. Epic-CBS Records, April 1982.

Image: www.carthrottle.com

Casual Cool or Power Ranger:

adriangiles@5fourmotorcycles.co.uk (Adrian Giles) — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 11:42:41 GMT

What to wear and what not to wear on a motorcycle…

How many of us have turned up at an event wearing the wrong clothes? I once went out to dinner in casual clothing and every other gentleman was in black tie and the ladies were resplendent in long evening gowns. Embarrassing to state the least! My outfit was all I had on that trip and there was no going back once I entered the main hall on that unforgettable night. Apart from suffering 4 hours of awkwardness and frequent looks of disdain from fellow diners, no long-term injuries were sustained.
Sadly, this would not be the case were I to make the wrong clothing choices when riding a motorcycle and crashing. Bad things could happen. Seriously bad things.

A balance needs to be found between looking cool and being protected and this is a lot easier to type than achieve. Let’s first examine what the regulators guide us to wear on our motorcycles. The Highway code states that motorcyclists and pillion passengers must wear a helmet that must comply with the Regulations. Furthermore, the Highway Code advises that motorcyclists should also wear eye protectors and that “strong boots, gloves and suitable clothing may protect riders in the event of a collision”. Wise words indeed, yet it may be a surprise for some readers to learn that apart from wearing a helmet, it is not a legal requirement to wear any other protective clothing whilst riding a motorcycle in the UK. The term ‘suitable clothing’ is pretty ambiguous too.

The motorcycle insurers Bennetts provide a raft of helpful advice to motorcyclists who are unsure of what constitutes ‘suitable clothing’. Interestingly, since July 2011, motorcycle test examiners have the power to halt a test if the rider is not wearing ‘suitable clothing’. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency [DVSA] definition of this is as follows:

Motorcycle boots or other sturdy footwear that provides support and ankle protection.
Textile or leather motorcycle trousers, or heavy denim trousers.
Textile or leather motorcycle jacket, or heavy denim jacket with several layers underneath
Motorcycle gloves

Bennetts also explain the tricky issue of contributory negligence: “a person’s negligence in looking after their own safety”. Bennetts make it clear that should a motorcyclist be unfortunate to be involved in accident and not be wearing ‘suitable clothing’, the opportunity is there for the other party to look for a reduction in any claim due to contributory negligence. In essence, every motorcyclist is expected to have read the Highway Code and be aware of the potential hazards of not wearing protective gear. If they are not wearing protective clothing, they may lose out on the full entitlement of any insurance claim for their injuries. Something for us all to ponder perhaps before straddling our machines with our lid ‘normal jeans’ and a t-shirt for a quick run to the 7-11 on a warm, sunny day.

Now that the hot and heavy legal stuff is out of the way, what about our personal choices on motorcycle apparel? Guy and I discuss the subject often at 5Four HQ and this leads to a lot of banter. I once ‘fessed up’ to owning a Dainese white leather jacket and trousers only for my wife to tell me I looked like a Power Ranger. Guy has not let that one go and claims I am a fashion victim in terms of my motorcycling attire. I give him plenty of abuse for his favoured checked shirt [fully armoured] and DM boots because to me he resembles a Canadian lumberjack. Chris, ever the voice of reason, has a range of suitable clothing and decides on his outfit on the motorcycle he is riding.

This brings us to the interesting question of whether there is a dress code for different types of motorcycle? Full racing leathers for a Sunday blast? Not for me, yet I do not ride a sports bike. All kitted out in a technical adventure suit? No thanks – I would look like the Michelin man, yet I do not ride an Adventure bike. Black leather biker jacket, blue Kevlar jeans and sturdy Rokker boots is my look. Those boots deserve special mention: after 4 years and a shedload of blisters I believe they are now finally broken in. Those bad boys will outlive me! Maybe Guy is right – I am a victim of fashion. Style over substance? Most definitely. Guy and I do agree one thing however on the issue of what to wear: we want to look good, be comfortable and safe on and off our motorcycles. In a nutshell, understated yet never under protected.

The first rule of fashion and styling according to The Fashionista is to always be yourself no matter what you choose to wear. This is a maxim Guy and I live by. As motorcyclists we want to be rebels. Safe rebels that is! I must be old and frail as even a papercut hurts these days. I certainly do not like the thought of parting company with my motorcycle without the protection of proper gear. We should all wear what we want, when we want without judgement and on a motorcycle what we wear should protect us. I will continue to wear protective clothing every time I ride a motorcycle. Just don’t expect to find me in full Power Ranger costume with knee sliders and race boots at the Super Sausage any Sunday soon! For Guy, Chris and me, it is casual, cool and protective all the way. Stay safe

References
The Highway Code Rules For Motorcyclists [83 To 88]. www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk
Do You Have to Wear protective Motorcycle Gear? UK Law Explained. www.bennetts.co.uk
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. www.dvsa.gov.uk
How To look Stylish While Riding Your Motorcycle. Style Guide. www.thefashionisto.com

Image: Deposit Photos

Motorcycle Rule 101: Don’t Be A Blanker

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 10:30:02 GMT

Nod Or Wave To Fellow Motorcyclists

Christian was the elder brother of a dear school friend. He was such a cool dude – good looking, always surrounded by girls, forever the centre of attention and a part time model for emerging New Wave clothing stores in the Kings Road, London to boot. He had an immense impact on my sad, little world in the mid- seventies. Thanks To Christian his brother and I were wearing drainpipe jeans with safety pins and zips in the summer of 1975 [we thought we were the business] and this was a year before the infamous TV appearance by the Sex Pistols and the “launch” of Punk Rock.

One day, I saw Christian in town with his cool looking friends, I waved and said hello and Christian blanked me. He saw me, he chose to blank me and I was gutted. At the time it was simply the worst feeling in the world. In the words of Nobel Peace Prize winning writer Elie WieseI “the opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference”. Euan Elder writing in The Record quotes George Bernard Shaw “The worst sin to our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that is the essence of inhumanity”. Euan argues that a nod or smile is connected to our sense of worth and that being ignored activates the same part of the brain as physical pain. I agree and feel that pain today when I nod or wave to a fellow motorcyclist and receive nothing in return. Supersensitive? Maybe. Of course, I have ultimate control over how this blanking behaviour makes me feel, nonetheless, it remains a most infuriating thing. So why does it happen?

At 5Four HQ, Guy, Chris and I discuss nodding and waving often. Earlier this year we recorded 18 podcasts for our first season and this subject, that featured in episode 8, received the most responses. It is a hot topic and what is clear from the feedback we received is that “non-nodders” irritate a lot of bikers. To be clear, there will always be a reason when a nod or wave might not be possible or safe to deploy. For the purposes of this debate, we examine the greeting we may or may not give to fellow motorcyclists as we pass each other on a carriageway with no hazards or dangerous manoeuvres preventing the potential to make a greeting gesture. On this matter Guy, Chris and I are aligned for once: we nod or wave to all bikers we pass. Guy is passionate about this as he loves the camaraderie and sense of belonging motorcycling provides. Guy believes that greeting a fellow member of the motorcycling world is a way of acknowledging the fact that “we are all in this together and should look after one another”.

As the volume of comments on the subject increased Guy, Chris and I started to keep a tally of our individual experiences out riding and compared notes. Some interesting themes emerged: Harley Davidson riders do not nod or wave back. Over our four week “study period” only 1 HD rider nodded to me and such was my excitement I wanted to turn around catch him up, embrace and thank him! This is kind of ironic as according to Graham Swan in his excellent article The Motorcycle Nod Or Wave: The Facts, the two people credited with being originators of the wave were a certain Arthur Davidson and William Harley, who would wave when passing each other way back in 1904.

The tally study became an obsession and certainly caused a brouhaha when Guy and I were on a ride together. Guy had remained a fierce defender of HD riders – he rides one himself – and refused to believe the tally stats that practically zero nods come from HD riders. Whilst out Guy and I nodded and waved at all fellow bikers we passed and the only 2 non- responders were riding HDs! It was all we spoke about on the return to 5Four HQ.

During our study we also learnt a lot about customs in other countries. For example, the two fingered sign favoured by bikers where they ride on the right – easier to do with your clutch hand - is not as I thought a “V for victory” or “Peace” sign. It is in fact to signify “keep the rubber side down” and is a way of wishing fellow motorcyclists to stay safe and ride safe. It is the coolest thing to experience and perform when riding abroad. Jorg from Frankfurt emailed to tell us about his experiences in Germany where motorcyclists nod and wave at each other and also to drivers of classic cars. Interestingly, he also commented that GS riders are often the exception to this custom. For the record, GS/Adventure bike riders were second bottom of our study, followed closely by any motorcyclist riding with a pillion passenger.

So, what did we learn from our nod and wave summer project? Nothing really, it was just fascinating to keep a record and to discuss the results over a cup of tea at 5Four HQ. Maybe Harley and GS riders only wave to riders of the same brand. Who knows? My great biking buddy Mick summed things up beautifully when asked for his thoughts on this matter he replied: “anyone who does not nod back is not a proper motorcyclist”. At the very best let’s assume the no-nodding gang have never been taught Motorcycle Rule 101 – to nod and wave at fellow motorcyclists. Perhaps this “Rule” should be included in the list of information imparted when budding riders take their CBT test.

Chris, Guy and I will continue to nod and wave at anything and everything we pass on two wheels. Any gesture to acknowledge that we are all part of the dangerous and exciting motorcycle community and to wish fellow riders to stay safe is good for we three, so please nod or wave and don’t be a blanker! Stay safe.

References
Wise Ways To Respond To Indifference. Marty Nemko Ph.D. May 1st 2014. www.psychologytoday.com
Why It’s Bad To Be A Blanked. The Record Euan Elder. May 7th 2018. www.standrewsradio.com
Motorcycle Nod or Wave: the Facts. Graham Swan. November 21st 2020. www.gsmotorcycletours.com

Image: relateamoto.tumblr.com/post/17732179607/two-finger-salute-whats-your-hand-sign-to

Motorcycle Crashes: Slips or Spills or Running out of Skill…

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 09:58:44 GMT

A Bruised Ego Is No Bad Thing

Regrets. Like many of us, I’ve had a few, yet I firmly believe dwelling on such things is a wasted emotion, far better to learn from the experience and not make the same mistake twice. I once decided to pull a wheelie in front of hundreds of people queuing for the cinema and exited my motorcycle via the back door with very little grace. The humiliation of that walk of shame to pick up my bike, past so many people laughing and gesticulating, hurt more than the damage to my back and the bite through my own tongue.

Karl Rove former Deputy chief of Staff to President George W Bush once stated, “when we act our actions create our own reality’. In short, we create our own world. I certainly did that day in front of an audience of moviegoers. Ego caused my crash and the damage to that ego is what kept me awake at night in the weeks that followed. Only the passage of time [some 40 years] has helped me reflect and to realise that a bruise to the ego, particularly in the world of motorcycling is no bad thing. It may help us become better, safer riders. It helped me - I have not attempted a wheelie since 1979.

Guy’s first crash involved him stuffing his BMW 800 under the back of a car near Cavendish Square in London and Chris’s first spill occurred when he parted company with his Honda Dominator on a left-hand bend near the Embankment. Poor car driving for the former and diesel for the latter were mitigating factors offered by the boys during a lively exchange on historic crashes at 5Four HQ. We often seek to explain a slip or spill on external factors rather than consider the possibility that we could have done something differently to avoid a crash in the first place. Whilst I am now happy to admit that my lack of skill has been to blame each time my motorcycle and I have gone our separate ways, at the time, I too have looked for other reasons [excuses] to protect my damaged ego.

Team Earpiece in their article Attitude Over Ego – How not To Be A Squid suggest that most motorcyclists have dumped their bike and hurt themselves at least once. The Earpiece team argue that not everyone can or should ride a motorcycle because they cannot or will not learn the skills needed to ride safely or exercise proper judgement. A good motorcyclist learns from their experiences, avoids risky behaviours and becomes a “lifelong motorcycle learner”. Jacob Moss writing in Ride Apart decided to analyse his first motorcycle crash with his friends and motorcycle trainer. Jacob admitted that his ego took a bruising and by discussing the crash and examining the sequence of events leading up to it helped him conclude that the crash was his fault. This reflection inspired him to produce a list of “take home messages” to help fellow motorcyclists avoid potential accidents. Jacob also references an editorial entitled “10 Things I’ve Learned From 10 Motorcycle Crashes” which is far more brutal in its assessment that when it comes to crashes, “it is always the motorcyclist’s fault, no matter what”.

We all hope never to have a crash on our motorcycle. If we do, our egos will most certainly take a hit, yet before we look to blame the gravel, ice or a car driver texting, perhaps we might want to consider anything we could have done better to avoid the incident. Motorcycling is an inherently dangerous activity that requires skills, and those skills need to be maintained, developed and honed every time we ride. Irrespective of what causes a crash, maybe a bruise to the ego is no bad thing. If that is all the damage suffered, we motorcyclists should consider ourselves very lucky. Like any bruise, our ego will heal over time and perhaps we can learn to be better riders as a result of the experience. Stay safe.

References
What I Learned From My First (And Hopefully Last) Motorcycle Crash. Jacob Moss. December 2013. www.rideapart.com
10 Things I’ve Learned From 10 Motorcycle Crashes. HFL Staff. October 25th 2013. www.rideapart.com
Motorcycle Safety Course 401: Attitude Over Ego – How Not To Be A Squid. May 24th 2020. www.earpiece.com.

Image: www.motorcyclelegalfoundation.com/how-to-crash-a-motorcycle-safely/

Should I Stay or Should I Go…

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 08:55:36 GMT

Overtaking Fellow Motorcyclists

We are all a sum of our experiences – right? I believe a punch to the head whilst stationary at traffic lights from a guy on a Kawasaki Z900 some 40 years ago helped shape my belief that there are some unwritten rules all motorcyclists – especially those new to our wonderful world - should know. My crime was to have overtaken that “gentleman” on my faithful steed – a Suzuki GT185. I cannot recall what was shouted at me following the strike – my ears were still ringing – safe to say my assailant was not happy about my move! That harsh lesson has led me to believe that a certain etiquette should apply when overtaking a fellow motorcyclist. A protocol if you like.

In their Blog 10 Rules to Make Riding More Fun For Everyone, Pekin insurance argue that when you are on a motorcycle you are a representative of every other motorcyclist. Bad riding behaviour makes every other motorcyclist look bad in the eyes of those watching. Rule #6 in Pekin Insurance world is to “pass courteously” and that if there is room for another motorcyclist behind you to pass, you should wave your fellow motorcyclist through. Furthermore, in Harley Davidson land, before passing another HD rider, it is customary to ride along with them [provided it is safe to do so] or a little way behind them for a while before going past and then giving a wave. Logan Reed in his article on The Rules Of Motorcycling Etiquette urges motorcyclists to avoid “sneak attacks”. He argues that to simply blast past another biker is impolite and that riding behind a motorcyclist you find in front of you for a while, before making a move is the way to go.

Guy, Chris and I do not agree on this subject. Chris is a little more in my camp and will ride behind another motorcyclist for a while and pass only when that motorcyclist is clearly slowing his progress. Guy thinks I am overthinking things and rides past other motorcyclists regularly. Chris and I agree that flying by another motorcyclist could be interpreted as an aggressive move and escalate into a tear-up should the “red mist” descend. This is a tricky topic – try having the debate over a coffee with your motorcycling friends and see how opinions diverge. I will continue to ride behind fellow motorcyclists that I happen across, and should they wave me by, I will pass and wave back. Old fashioned? Maybe. Over analysing? Probably. Each overtaking occasion will be different and perhaps we could all help our fellow motorcyclists who appear in our mirrors from time to time by waving them on. You never know they too may share my dilemma on this matter. In the words of the Clash: “One day it’s fine and next it’s black, so if you want me off your back, well come on and let me know, should I stay or should I go”.

References

Motorcycle Etiquette You Absolutely Must know Before You Ride. Pekin Insurance Blog July 26 ^th 2017. www.pekininsurance.com

Brain bucket: The Rules Of Motorcycle Etiquette. Logan Reed. April 12 ^th 2019. www.brainbucket.rumbleon.com

Image: https://www.lazymotorbike.eu

First Loves First Bikes

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 16:25:44 GMT

Argentina had just beaten the Netherlands to win the FIFA World Cup, Grease was the movie we all wanted to watch and Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta were top of the UK singles chart with “You’re the One That I Want”. What year was it? 1978 – June to be precise and it is a moment in time that will be forever etched in my memory because I had just purchased my first motorcycle – a gleaming yellow Yamaha FS1E- DX. Yes, those last two letters were vitally important. The disk brake version was the one to have – just ask anyone who had the standard “Fizzie” and watch them attempt to explain away their envy! For the princely sum of £220.00 I had my dream machine. Freedom and adventure beckoned; well immediate freedom was limited to the length of the path in my grandfather’s orchard – where I had to ride the Japanese wonder until I turned 16.

40 years later, after a poor track day I almost lost my mind in the car park at Donnington and came very close to purchasing a yellow, minter FSIE-DX for £8,000.00 yes EIGHT THOUSAND POUNDS! What lunacy was this? What made me even consider such a purchase? Why did my heart ache for something so old, so much? Was it just for the memories? Was it the fact that this yellow beauty was just like my first motorcycle? Was it because I wanted one day to point and tell my grandchildren “Yup, PopPops had one of these back in the day”? The answer is probably all of the above.

Guy, Chris and I discussed [argued] our first motorcycles at 5Four HQ back in the summer. Guy admitted freely that he loved his Gilera Enduro and Chris became misty eyed about his Garelli Tiger Cross. Imagine those two beauties lined up with my Fizzie – what a glorious trio that would make. Given the chance and finances permitting we all would buy our first motorcycle again in a heartbeat. We loved them and I bet we are not alone with that emotional attachment to our first motorcycle.

Reassuringly, we are not going soft, there is a body of evidence to support that a strong bond is often formed between an object and its owner [Belk 1988]. Kimonas Konstantelos and Nicolas Christakis published a paper in the International Journal of Motorcycles Studies that suggested objects give us a sense of origin, identity and direction; where we come from, who we are and where we are going. We develop emotional bonds with our belongings in three ways: mastership, the actual acquisition and the imagery and meaning that acquisition creates. That great feeling when you can control the thing, the purchase provides a sense of creation – the equivalent, according to Sartre [1943] of “building something” and the meaning, now you own one, of joining the cool motorcycle fraternity helps make sense of those feelings we have towards our first motorcycles.

I still feel a warm glow whenever I see a yellow Yamaha FSIE-DX. Like any first love – that first girlfriend met again after many years, the heart races, the gut somersaults and the lips move without the brain’s first gear properly engaged; “You look fabulous! Haven’t changed a bit, whatever happened to us? Why didn’t we stay together forever?” The answers are the same for motorcycle and girl; I wanted something faster, stronger and more sophisticated. That girlfriend would probably answer the same about me, yet damn! I wish that Fizzie and I were still together.

References

Emotional Management On Two Wheels. International Journal of Motorcycle Studies. Volume 14. 2018. www.motorcyclestudies.org

FS1E-DX image thanks to Dave’s Bike Brochures.

Gilera Enduro image thanks to The Marquis website.

Garelli Tiger Cross image thanks to mondo50cc website.

Why Do We Ride Motorcycles?

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 08:30:02 GMT

Who can forget their first ride on a motorcycle? That pure sense of exhilaration, freedom, speed and the feeling that you are on your own flying machine! Once I experienced that assault on my senses in the autumn of 1977 on my friend’s CZ400 trail bike, I knew I was hooked. Maybe that was the first sign of an addictive personality – who knows, who cares? I simply knew I wanted to experience that “high” again and again - I had to buy myself a motorcycle.

Whilst I am sure I am not alone in that experience; we all ride motorcycles for different reasons and these reasons are infinite. Motorcycles.org believe that being on two wheels “opens us up to whole other worlds of fun, adventure and possibilities, that all of our senses become engaged; we feel the temperature change, smell the world around us and our relationship with the road changes”. None of that happens on four wheels.

Kate Afanasyeva writing in Ultimate Motorcycling suggests that when asked why we ride, many of us attempt to be really creative in our responses because sometimes the real reasons do not make compelling answers. Not everyone rides to experience that “high”. For many, the reasons are much simpler, and Kate believes that there are “no wrong reasons to ride”.

Closer to the 5Four workshop, Guy says he rides because it “puts a grin on my face, I forget about every other stress I have and am at peace with myself”. Chris rides because “being on a motorcycle is one of the few places I can be where nothing else matters except for what I’m doing in the moment, it’s almost meditative in a strange kind of way!”

Is Guy finding peace with himself, Chris’s meditative state and my highs some form of mindfulness – that basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we are doing? Science would support this suggestion: Earlier this year, Smartmotorcyclingguide.com published an editorial on this very subject and referenced Dr Ryuta Kawashima, author of the Nintendo game Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training. Dr Kawashima conducted a study in 2009 at the University of Tokyo that found riders aged 40-50 had improved levels of cognitive function after riding their bikes daily to work for just two months. The study asked participants to ride on courses in different conditions while he recorded their brain activities. He found that riders used their brains in different ways, and the current riders had a higher level of concentration because specific segments of their brains (the right hemisphere of the prefrontal lobe) was activated.

In another scientific study conducted by Dr Kawashima, in partnership with Yamaha and Tohoku University concluded that riding a motorcycle requires a high level of alertness and rapid problem-solving. According to Kawashima, “the rider’s brain gets activated by riding motorbikes” and incorporating motorcycle riding into daily life “improves various cognitive functions and has positive effects on mental and emotional health such as stress reduction”.

So, there you have it: motorcycling is good for us. We all love doing it and each of us do it for different reasons. We’d love to hear why you ride so please let us know in the form below and we’ll give you a mention in an upcoming podcast episode.

REFERENCES:

Why We Ride www.motorcycles.org

Five reasons why we ride motorcycles August 30 ^th 2017 www.ultimatemotorcycling.com

The mental health benefits of riding a motorcycle – the ultimate guide April 26 ^th 2020

www.smartmotorcyclingguide.com

Study says motorcycling is good for your brain, says NY and PA motorcycle lawyer March 27 ^th 2013

https://www.zifflaw.com/ny-biker-law/study-says-motorcycling-is-good-for-your-brain-says-ny-and-pa-motorcycle-lawyer/

Research Findings on the relationship between motorcycle riding and brain stimulation March 4 ^th 2009:

https://global.yamaha-motor.com/news/2009/0304/research.html

We’re in Built Magazine!

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 16:11:12 GMT

Built Magazine - Issue 32

We were delighted to feature in the latest edition of Built Magazine . It is an honour to feature in such a cool, well respected publication and to be mentioned amongst some fantastic handcrafted motorcycles from all around the world.

We will be chatting about motorcycle magazines in a future Podcast and Built is a staple in our reading list. If you haven’t taken a look before, do – it is the coolest motorcycle magazine out there and looks great on the coffee table long after the reading is finished.

The Monkey is complete!

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 09:50:49 GMT

Guy finished working on Adrian’s Honda Monkey and it looks fab. New seat, bars, grips, mirrors, shorty levers and a trim tail. Oh… and a fabulous sounding Akrapovic exhaust! What a great little motorcycle, Guy was pretty sad to let it go.

Road Trip Luggage…

chris@lucidsynergy.com (Chris Witham) — Fri, 22 May 2020 06:33:05 GMT

Will Walker’s set-up

Further to my previous post regarding Will’s luggage set-up he very kindly sent me a few more images.

I thought it might be useful for other 5Four owners to see how people are dealing with the proverbial problem of getting gear on the bike.

If any of you have solutions you might like to share please send them in and I'll add them here.

Who knows, may be one day we’ll make some bespoke 5Four luggage of some sort!

5Four CB1100RS with luggage!

chris@lucidsynergy.com (Chris Witham) — Tue, 19 May 2020 08:11:05 GMT

Owner Will Walker goes further than the local shops, now we are allowed!

Will Walker made the most of the relaxed lock down rules with a quick 500 mile trip from Kent to Derbyshire on his new Honda CB 1100 RS 5 Four – loaded with his saddlebags.

The Monkey Bike gets some 5Four TLC

chris@lucidsynergy.com (Chris Witham) — Fri, 01 May 2020 09:23:54 GMT

Keeping busy…

To stay on the safe side, Guy has remained at home for another week. He cannot keep his hands off a motorcycle though. He has been giving Adrian’s Honda Monkey “the treatment”. The new end can, Renthal bars and removal of rear scaffolding has made all the difference. Will keep you posted as this great little motorcycle receives more modifications.

Guy and the 5Four team have also recorded the first of their weekly motorcycle Podcasts – a few fellas shooting the breeze about motorcycles – what’s not to like?

Each Podcast will be available on the 5Four website and we will let you all know when the first one is ready for a listen.

Stay safe!

Welcome to the 5Four Website

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 12:46:09 GMT

New website launched…

We are delighted to welcome you to the 5Four Motorcycles website.

If you are interested in beautiful, handcrafted motorcycles, then this is the place for you.

5Four is the realisation of a lifelong dream for Guy Willison – one of the UK’s finest motorcycle builders – to create the first motorcycle company to produce limited runs of hand-crafted, cool machines in partnership with global motorcycle manufacturers. Our first model has been developed in partnership with our friends at Honda and you can read all about it here .

For the motorcyclist seeking a little more than “run-of-the-mill” we offer extraordinary motorcycles that will make each owner feel special whether they are riding to a meet or merely gazing at their 5Four in the garage.

In addition to our limited-edition motorcycles – no more than 54 of each model will be produced - we will be launching an on-line store for objects of desire for the discerning biker and producing a regular newsletter for customers and our wide audience of family and friends. If you would like to be added to the newsletter circulation list and want to receive information on our forthcoming events and offers, please click here and fill in the form.

Let 5Four tease out the rebel in you – keep in touch and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and FaceBook – 5Four, for the few, not the many.

Watch Guy and hear how he builds the fabulous 5Four Honda

chris@lucidsynergy.com (Chris Witham) — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 08:35:03 GMT

Honda CB1100 RS 5Four build process…

A great video from MotoBob showing Guy explain his build process for the Honda CB1100RS 5Four. If you're lucky enough to own one already or have one on order you're going to find this pretty interesting, well worth a watch.

Guy presents keys to new owner Keith

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 23:04:58 GMT

New owner Keith Hubbard takes delivery of his new 5Four Honda CB1100RS

Guy recently visited Grafton Honda, Milton Keynes, to present new owner Keith Hubbard with his limited edition 5Four Honda CB1100S. Keith had this to say about his recent aquisition:

As a 13 year old boy, mad on motorbikes, I first saw a Honda 750/4 and it was an absolute revolution compared to the then British bikes around.

At the youth club I would just sit and stare at it, dreaming one day I would own one.

Well now in my 60s, and I have never owned one of those, but I have many other motorbikes of all Marques including Honda.

When I saw the media launch of this bike marking the 50th anniversary of that 750/4 in 1969 I just knew I had to have one.

Since ordering it I have had the pleasure of meeting Guy Willison the bke designer and sole builder and I now have a real insight into the passion and care that has gone into this bike. I am now very proud, thanks to Grafton Motorcycles to own number 5 of just 54 bikes.

5Four Motorcycles - For the few, not the many…

Classic Motorcycle YouTube at the NEC

Honda CB 1000R 5Four Launch

We are delighted to announce the launch of our second 5Four motorcycle… The Honda CB1000R 5Four.

Prototyping something new…

5Four and Racefit

Working together…

10 Things we wish we knew when we started riding Motorcycles

Lone Ranger Or Posse?

Lots of Bikers like group rides – It would be great to know why…

Naked, Retro, Adventure, Newbie, Bambi or Lifer…

Forget the category we’re all Bikers.

Bulging Pockets, Boxes & Lumpy Saddlebags:

Why sometimes less is more on a Motorcycle

Is A Bell Necessary On A Motorcycle?

Why Motorcyclists Are Better Drivers

Casual Cool or Power Ranger:

What to wear and what not to wear on a motorcycle…

Motorcycle Rule 101: Don’t Be A Blanker

Nod Or Wave To Fellow Motorcyclists

Motorcycle Crashes: Slips or Spills or Running out of Skill…

A Bruised Ego Is No Bad Thing

Should I Stay or Should I Go…

Overtaking Fellow Motorcyclists

First Loves First Bikes

Why Do We Ride Motorcycles?

We’re in Built Magazine!

Built Magazine - Issue 32

The Monkey is complete!

Road Trip Luggage…

Will Walker’s set-up

5Four CB1100RS with luggage!

Owner Will Walker goes further than the local shops, now we are allowed!

The Monkey Bike gets some 5Four TLC

Keeping busy…

Welcome to the 5Four Website

New website launched…

Watch Guy and hear how he builds the fabulous 5Four Honda

Honda CB1100 RS 5Four build process…

Guy presents keys to new owner Keith

New owner Keith Hubbard takes delivery of his new 5Four Honda CB1100RS

We are delighted to announce the launch of our second 5Four motorcycle…
The Honda CB1000R 5Four.