Jim Lindsay's review of 2016

By Jim Lindsay

jimlindsaybikes Lifelong bike fan. 12 month a year rider. Does not own a car. Former Editor of Motorcycle News. Fixes computers for a living. Rides a KTM RC8 R, Ducati 996, 1985 Yamaha FZ750. Likes spannering almost as much as riding.

Posted 29/12/2016 08:56 UK

In the run up to the new year, we've asked the BikeSocial team to take a look back at 2016. Today it's the turn of our industry expert Jim Lindsay to tell us his highlights from the past 12 months...

Best bike I rode

My newly purchased KTM RC8 R. With a bike as my primary transport, comfort is a big consideration and my Suzuki GSX-R750, which I’d owned for eight years, was getting too small for me to wrap myself around. I still wanted a sportsbike though. The KTM is a revelation – all day comfortable, blisteringly quick, great handling and brakes, fabulous V-twin engine.

Best sporting moment

Tough one. Cal taking his second victory of the year just edges it for me though. What a great performance.

Scariest moment

Two weeks waiting to see if that speed camera in Lincolnshire was really switched off (it was).

Low spot

Discovering that my Ducati 996 had been partially fitted with some truly wretched Chinese body panels.

The KTM is a revelation – all day comfortable, blisteringly quick, great handling, fabulous V-twin engine

Jim Lindsay

Product of the year

Two in one here – Knox All Sports Waterproof Jacket plus Knox Urbane armoured shirt – style, comfort, practicality and safety at affordable prices.

Best BikeSocial moment

Almost too many to list but in the end it has to be meeting chassis and suspension guru Ron Williams at Maxton (pictured). He is an amazing man, so clever, so modest.

Looking forward to…

Seeing KTM competing in all three Grand Prix classes in 2017.

Ambition for 2017

To finish rebuilding my Ducati, get my Triumph-engined one-off running, make a start on my FZ750 Yamaha, ride lots of miles.