2008 April blog

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Done another photo shoot on the 2008 Yamaha R6 now. Got a few ok shots and luckily a bit of light in between the rain. It is spring now and as soon as the sun is out it's warmer and nicer than only a few weeks ago. Being out on the R6 now I'm not only testing the bike. I'm in all new Racing replica leathers from Alpinestars and also a brand new Spec1R lid from Suomy. The Spec1R I've used for many years already so know how good that helmet is. The new Racing Replica I'm going to use on all supersport tests and probably on a few naked sportsters too. The MX-1 Racing goes back to Alpinestars now for a refurb and refresh and to get my new logo on that too. Then that'll be my reserve suit and for supermoto. I am happy to tell you all that my arse (cracked sacrum) is getting better too! But I did try to not use any painkillers at all the other day and then do a short walk into Chorltonville. I did feel it and there's still some pain if I for instance should try to jump or run. Guess it needs a little more time before I'm 100% active again. I don't feel crippled in any way though and soon it's time to check if the mojo's still there too! Some K8 Suzuki's next. A couple of Irish saying in the end because they're good! "May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past." "May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, and never catch up." Tor

I have waited for my new custom suit from Alpinestars a while now and today it arrived! The logo was designed for me by Luca at Pininfarina the famous Italian design house. He did a great job and the Tor Viking logo features a T shaped like Tor's hammer (or Thor in US English...) The suit is a 2008 Alpinestars Racing Replica with really thick leather and supreme MotoGP derived protection. Pretty much the same suit as they use in MotoGP. It's got a snug fit, but I haven't had a chance to ride with it yet. On the Yamaha R6 I will during the weekend when it stops raining! Tor

Have done a couple of runs up the Cat & Fiddle road already which was fun. The R6 is very small and fast after 12.000rpm. So fast that it doesn't feel like the best motorcycle up here as traction becomes a problem on the filthy and bumpy A54. The R6 is hard and gets airborne from nothing it feels like. Carlos joined me up the other day on his Kawasaki Z750 and we grabbed a hot chocolate at the Cat & Fiddle pub before returning to Manchester. I have also finished all the writing work from the previous weeks launches. Now it's pretty much pictures and videos that I work on. There's plenty of really cool stuff coming. TS

Picked up the 2008 Yamaha YZF R6 in London today at Yamaha UK HQ in Weybridge. You could say that it's not the ideal bike for someone with a cracked sacrum, but I'm healing quickly! After riding almost exclusively super torque biased motorcycles for a few weeks, the R6 doesn't impress much initially. I knew this would be the case, so will keep the R6 for longer than usual to really get under its skin. It looks great though as it always did and I've got the cool white, black and red one. More pix, videos etc coming... TS

Ciao from Rome. I was whisked off from the airport to the hotel in true style in a BMW 630i Cabriolet doing 240km/h on the motorway into Rome. Loved it after having had an absolutely awful Ryanair flight from Liverpool. I took my medication on a hangover 5 O'clock this morning whilst on the way to my stupid early flight in a taxi. All that had me cold sweating feeling very sick on the flight. I got through it off course and am now writing from the press area at the hotel in the Lazio area (I think) outside of Rome. Tomorrow morning I ride the new Aprilia SMV750 Dorsoduro on a varied route around Rome. The Milagro photo team that also did the Ducati Monster launch in Barcelona have now moved to do also this launch. The difference is that we are only 15 people in each group here and will have a lot more time to get some decent and unique shots here in Rome. Whilst in Rome do as the Romans I've been told so have just downed an Espresso with a shot of Sambucha. More tomorrow including pictures and riding impressions. Knackered Tor

Whilst riding the Triumph Speed Triple from Didsbury to Chorlton today I was unfortunate enough to hit a red-light jumping car. Landed very hard on my back and cracked my sacrum (tailbone). I was in agony and couldn't stand up or walk until at the hospital pumped up on Codeine and using crutches. Bloody driver panic braked when she saw what was about to happen after cars started using their horns on her. Thanks to all of you that have sent me your well wishes! Also, big thanks to Olivia Turley for picking me up and showing some love. Much appreciated! Tor 

From thunder and rain in Spain to glorious sunshine in the south of Morocco! Mornings like this is what makes all the hassle about flying worth it. Since I missed the presentation at the hotel last night I got a brief private presentation by Hans and Dave from Yamaha-Europe in the morning. Due to my early departure (yet again...) I had to ride out with the photographers before the others and start shooting straight away. We made good headway and arrived at the location where most of the pictures were taken early. We were only stopped once by the Moroccan security forces on the way. The landscape is just big, dry and beautiful! Got some shots done by Paul Barshon, Peter-Jan Willems and his crew  before I used Peter-Jan's dust cloud after his 4x4 as my GPS through the offroad route to the lunch stop. I didn't really have time for lunch on the original plan, but since I had 4 photographers just to myself out in the desert I got a lot done really quickly! I fitted my camera onto the back seat of the Ténéré and did the onboard filming that way as there would be no quick mounting of a camera on the front. Allowed good space between the car and me and did the long offroad stretch pretty much in one go. And that was good for me as now I had time for lunch Bedouin style in a tent near an oasis. After some traditional Moroccan food I had to make my own way back to the hotel for my transfer back to the airport. Morocco definitely gave me a taste for more, but then again I got stamped out on the same day that I technically arrived so who wouldn't want more! Annoyingly I had time to spare again at Agadir airport when it would have been better spent out in the desert on the Ténéré, but then it's better to be safe than sorry despite the fact that I wouldn't have minded being stranded in Morocco for a few more days. Flew back to Casablanca, asked Sam to play it again and then a small propeller aircraft from Royal Air Maroc took me directly to Valencia. Due to another time difference I arrived after midnight again, but this time in Valencia I would have a little bit more time to chill before my next assignment, the 2008 Harley-Davidson XR1200. Oh, and the launch gift from Yamaha I don't know as I didn't get any! TS Zzzzzz

Arrived in Barcelona yesterday evening just in time for the press conference. Loved the Desmorosso red wine with dinner! Looking at both the hotel and the press conference I could see that Ducati really have invested a lot in the new Monster 696. It's a bread and butter model for Ducati, but nothing about it seem budget at all! This morning we started the ride right here in Barcelona and most of the shots are taken next to strange beautiful buildings. Unfortunately the weather in Spain isn't at its best today and it's the pictures that suffer. I had a great ride in the hills surrounding Barcelona and all in all this is exactly how I want a launch to be! Quick into a major city, short transfer to the hotel, short riding route for the photography and then free time afterwards for special photography or just riding with the hotel as base. Unfortunately I had no time for any luxuries and after a late lunch I was in a taxi on my way to Barcelona airport again less than 24 hours after arrival. I flew to Madrid first where the heavens opened up in some really heavy rain and thunder. I then had about 4 hours to kill at the Barajas airport before my flight to Casablanca in Morocco. After another shorter wait in Casablanca I flew to Agadir where I was met by the Moroccan Yamaha rep and a driver. Time now was just past midnight and the drive to the hotel in Iznit took more than an hour. The rep checked in for me and I went to bed. Zzzzzzzz The Ducati Monster 696 launch gift was a Ducati leather belt by the way. TS

Olivia Turley and I headed into the Peak District today. It was freezing, but still did the Cat & Fiddle road and stopped at the pub for a hot chocolate. Whilst having that it started snowing outside. Luckily it didn't last for long and we rode to Castleton for a nice dinner at the Castle pub. We then decided to stay the night to do a bit of a walk and to have some drinks to warm us up. I was able to keep a decent pace up the Cat & Fiddle road on the Speed Triple, but after it started snowing here and there I had to take it easy to get us to Castleton safely. Despite the cold weather it was a great day out riding and some relaxation before a very hectic week that lies ahead of me. Thanks to Martin I got some great shots of the bike yesterday. Thank you Martin! TS

First of all today, happy birthday to Jeremy McWilliams! The man turns 44 today. It's all about the 4's for Jezza today. Secondly, goodbye to Dan Lynch at Triumph as it's his last day at Triumph today. Dan now heads down from Hinckley to Milton Keynes to work for Suzuki GB. Good luck and thanks for all your support Dan! Today have been all about organising flights for next week. It's all sorted now luckily. On Sunday I fly to Barcelona for the Ducati Monster 696 world launch, then after riding the 696 on Monday I fly from Barcelona to Madrid to catch an Iberia flight to Casablanca in Morocco. In Casablanca I change to a flight that will take me to Agadir where the 2008 Yamaha XT660Z Tenere is waiting for me. I arrive just before midnight in Agadir. Then it's a 80km transfer to the hotel. 9 O'clock in the morning we start the offroad riding in Morocco and then after lunch I'm off again to catch a flight from Agadir to Casablanca and then Casablanca to Valencia where Harley-Davidson is waiting to present the long awaited XR1200. Today I also received the invitation to ride the 2008 Aprilia SM750 Dorsoduro in Rome the following week. Triumph kindly extended my test on the Speed Triple and the Thruxton 900 is still not ready so it's all running smoothly so far. This afternoon I just couldn't stay in the office any longer and went to North Wales to do some action shots of the Speed Triple. You'll notice that I'm wearing my new Suomy Spec 1R Araldic and Suomy Racing boots for the first time here. The helmet I am very familiar with and it's as good (no, even better as the visor mechanism has been improved slightly!) as ever! The Racing boots I'm not entirely certain about yet. Remember that I'm used to several generations of Alpinestars Supertech and they are just miles better. The Suomy Racing boots feels a little bit under protected, a bit like an old pair of Sidi Vertebra's but not as comfortable. Not many people have tested these boots yet so I'll give Suomy some feedback on how to improve these boots. I would need some serious comfort improvements to the ankle area first of all. Anyway, next week I'll be on both sides of the Mediterranean all week. Massive updates coming. TS

My schedule for next week is insane! That's the only word that can describe the share logistics and travelling arrangements. Just listen to this: I am supposed to swap the 2008 Triumph Speed Triple for the 2008 Triumph Thruxton 900 tomorrow. Then on Sunday I fly to Barcelona for the 2008 Ducati Monster 696 launch. Then on Monday I leave Barcelona and fly to Agadir in Morocco for the 2008 Yamaha XT660Z Tenere launch. Then on Wednesday I fly from Agadir to Valencia for the Harley-Davidson XR1200 launch. Then next Friday I can finally go back home again and write about all this! Then you have the gear that I need as the Tenere in Morocco is offroad whilst Harley and Ducati road and track. Do you think I'll make it or not? Anyway, received my new Suomy Spec 1R Araldic and Racing boots today. The Araldic paint scheme is just fantastic! Pix soon. I really enjoy riding the new Speed Triple. It's so smooth and at the same time raw. I can't wait to ride it more in the Peak district now after all the gruelling motorway miles. Tor