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Rider Rants Discussion Blog
In this sections we will talk all things riding related from legislation, licencing and insurance to maintenance and security. Grab a cup of tea and join the conversations


Honda, V4's, and a Fireblade Reset We’ve All Been Waiting For
Honda patents hinting at a V4-powered superbike feel.
Nothing’s confirmed, of course — but if Honda really is looking at moving the Fireblade away from the inline-four that’s defined it for over 30 years

Ben Grayson
Dec 17, 20253 min read


Why the EV Ban U-Turn Matters — And What It Means for Riders
In a stunning policy reversal that’s shaking up the automotive and motorcycle world alike, regulators in Europe are stepping back from one of the most ambitious climate measures of the decade: the planned 2035 ban on new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

Ben Grayson
Dec 13, 20254 min read


🔥 The Death & Rebirth of the 1000cc Superbike Class — And Why Manufacturers Are Building Them Again
Why did the 1000cc superbike class die in the UK and Europe? Was it price? Was it too much power? Are there issues with licencing or insurance? Or are sports bikes just irrelevant on todays roads?

Ben Grayson
Dec 12, 20253 min read


Honda CB1000GT – A Game-Changer That Forces Us to Ask Some Big Questions
The Honda CB1000GT launched at the NEC show in 2025 at a price of £11,999 OTR which is amazing value. So why have we all been paying so much more for so long?

Ben Grayson
Dec 12, 20254 min read


Chinese Burn – And Why It Hurts So Bad
As a motorcycle content creator, my inbox and news feed are permanently overflowing with updates from every motorcycle manufacturer, distributor, and media outlet on the planet. But lately, there’s been one theme dominating everything: the explosion of new Chinese motorcycle brands entering the UK market.

Ben Grayson
Dec 11, 20254 min read


2025 Honda CBR650R E-Clutch — Price, Specs & How the E-Clutch Works
A detailed, real-world look at the Honda CBR650R E-Clutch system — how it works, how it rides, and whether it’s worth choosing over a traditional manual clutch. This in-depth review covers usability, performance, benefits, drawbacks, and who the bike is best suited for.

Ben Grayson
Dec 11, 20253 min read


Electric Motorcycles: Why My Early Experiences Felt Like the Future… and Why I’m No Longer Sure
Electric motorcycles seemed to boom in the UK in 2020/21 but brands like Zero and Energica who were market leaders have struggled since.

Ben Grayson
Dec 9, 20254 min read


🏍️ Ducati V2 vs Ducati 749R — Has Ducati Finally Built a Better Twin?
I ride the classic Ducati 749R and try to decide how it compares to a more modern Ducati V2 what wins? Tech or nostalgia?

Ben Grayson
Dec 5, 20253 min read


Why the Japanese and European Motorcycle Giants Need to Watch Out for CFMOTO
Why the Japanese and European motorcycle manufacturers need to pay attention to CFMOTO.

Ben Grayson
Dec 5, 20254 min read


The Top 5 Stupidest Mistakes I’ve Made in 25 Years of Riding
Recently, while reminiscing over my questionable biking history, I started thinking about the sheer volume of stupidity I’ve managed to cram into 25 years on two wheels. So I thought I’d share my Top 5 Stupidest Things I’ve Done on Motorbikes, and hopefully hear some of yours too.

Ben Grayson
Dec 4, 20257 min read


🏍️ How to Get the Best Deal From a Motorcycle Dealer
Negotiating the purchase of your new bike can be easy So… you’ve finally convinced your other half that they will benefit enormously from the joy created by you buying a new motorcycle. A few glasses of wine, a couple of “life’s too short” speeches, and here we are. Nice work. That’s half the battle. Now comes the bit that can be exciting, infuriating, and expensive in equal measure: dealing with dealers . This isn’t a dry, legal guide. It’s years of personal and profession

Ben Grayson
Dec 3, 202512 min read


Bike Therapy - The Antidote To Modern Life
Are motorcycles a form of meditation and therapy? Whats the mental affect on a rider? I look into it.

Ben Grayson
Nov 28, 20253 min read


🔊 Why Aftermarket Exhausts Might Just Save Lives (If We Use Them Properly)
Are louder aftermarket motorcycle exhausts a way of saving lives or a pointless anti social racket?

Ben Grayson
Nov 27, 20253 min read


How Speeding in Switzerland nearly ruined my life.
What happens if you are caught speeding excessively in Switzerland? Well I will tell you how it nearly ruined my life!

Ben Grayson
Nov 26, 20256 min read


Why Do People Hate Chinese Motorbikes So Much?
By GetBenRiding Intro: Time to Talk About the “C-Word” in Motorcycling Chinese motorbikes. Few topics trigger quite as much eye-rolling, forum arguing or pub-expert lecturing. Some riders swear they’d never touch one. Others ride them daily and wonder what all the fuss is about. Meanwhile, the industry has quietly been changing underneath everyone’s feet. So let’s cut through the noise and talk honestly about why people really hate Chinese bikes — and why a lot of those reas

Ben Grayson
Nov 21, 20254 min read


🏁 Why UK Motorcycle Trackdays Are Struggling (and Why You Should Still Do One Anyway)
By Ben Grayson – Get Ben Riding Trackdays used to be the thing .You ’d rock up at stupid o’clock, armed with a flask of coffee, a van full of tools you wouldn’t touch, and a sportsbike that you swore would “just stay standard this year.” But lately? It feels like the UK trackday scene’s on life support. A few organisers have folded, attendance is down, and yet — Euro trackdays are booming. So what’s going on? Why are UK trackdays struggling when blasting around a racetrack on

Ben Grayson
Nov 12, 20254 min read


🏍️ Dealers Are Dropping Like Flies Post-COVID
The scene all over the UK, small and large motorcycle dealers closing. By Ben Grayson – Get Ben Riding Say what you want about COVID — it was a brutal time for most people — but it wasn’t bad for bike sales. During lockdown, bikes were flying out of showrooms faster than dealers could uncrate them. Suddenly, everyone wanted two wheels and freedom. As a result, loads of small dealers popped up overnight, Chinese manufacturers flooded in, and the used bike market went absolutel

Ben Grayson
Nov 12, 20255 min read


💸 Why Motorcycle Insurance Winds Me Right Up
Insurance renewal time can be a stressful experience. By Ben Grayson – Get Ben Riding My first proper road bike was an Aprilia RS125 — the teenage dream machine back in the day. I still remember paying £300 for insurance on it, and that was eye-watering at the time. You couldn’t even pay monthly back then — it was pay up front or forget it. But £300 now? You’d be lucky to insure a set of brake levers for that. Fast-forward to 2025 and the same 125 would cost you £1,500 to

Ben Grayson
Nov 12, 20253 min read


🏍️ Why I Think the Current Licence Laws Are Killing the Motorcycle Industry
By Ben Grayson – Get Ben Riding It's been a while! 🚦 The Red Tape That’s Choking Our Passion I get that the government feels it has a duty to stop us from killing ourselves (because that’s how they like to frame it), but in just my lifetime (I’m 42) I’ve watched the goalposts for getting a full bike licence move further and further away — making it more expensive, more complicated, and way more discouraging than ever. When my grandad started riding, you basically rode around

Ben Grayson
Nov 12, 20254 min read
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