Simon Hancocks

Simon Hancocks's picture

Simon Hancocks

Head of Content

Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!

Prior to Visordown, Toad worked in the motorcycle insurance industry, before creating a role at a small motorcycle website and starting his journey as a journalist and road tester.

Since then Toad has launched bikes on all of the world's continents that aren't permanently frozen, covered hundreds of thousands of road test miles and always maintains that a bad day on a bike is better than a good day in a car!

Toad is happiest when touring through Europe, hammering a big adventure motorcycle up a trail, or riding around a race track, his favourite is Jerez, accompanied by a Panigale V4! He had a go at trials once, but it'd didn't go terribly well - his ambition definitely outweighed talent!

Now Toad is working through the restoration of a classic Ducati sports bike, and yes, it's taking much longer than he planned.

Articles by Simon Hancocks
Triumph is launching headlong into the single-cylinder market in 2024, as the new Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X hit the road - here’s what they are both like
UK pricing has been announced for the 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator 500, which will be available from under £6,000 when it lands in dealers
The advice from the DfT lays out the pros and cons of motorcycles using bus lanes, and for once they seem to get it right!
A person from the West Midlands has had their bike pinched after agreeing to meet the would-be buyer only to be met by a gang of thieves
Germany’s biggest motorcycle show returns for 2024, with the promise of a new annual schedule and a new December date
Voge has revealed patents that should mean shorter riders can handle bigger ADV bikes with a little more confidence
The Honda XL750 Transalp is back and we flew out to Portugal for an on and off-road test of the middle-weight adventure bike
The MV will be joining big names like Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell and legendary swearer Samuel L. Jackson
The new Italy-only Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE Djebel features a retro paint scheme and a host of off-road accessories
Lego has announced a new kit allowing fans to build their very own Kawasaki Ninja H2 hyperbike
We’ve been testing the Richa Atlantic 2 GTX laminated all-weather textiles, and for the price, there’s a lot to like
The animal strayed onto the road as the motorcyclist was out for a ride, causing him numerous injuries and leaving him out of pocket too!
The action camera giant GoPro has acquired the connected helmet company Forcite, with the deal expected to close in Q1 2024
Purpose Built Moto has crammed a whopper of a turbo onto its latest creation, a boost-hungry Yamaha MT-10
The government is holding a discussion on the Pumpwatch scheme this week, but what is it and how can it help drive down petrol prices?
riding a motorcycle in ice and snow might not be advisable, but sometimes there isn't another option. Here's how to ride a bike in winter conditions safely
The former MotoGP and WorldSBK rider, Anthony Gobert, has died at the age of 48, shortly after it was announced that he was in palliative care
The Red Hot Chilli Peppers will join Jelly Roll, HARDY, The Offspring, Warren Zeiders, Cypress Hill and many more at this year’s event
WorldSBK start and winner of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Carl Fogarty is set to start in a new reality TV show alongside his wife Michaela
The Harley-Davidson Pan America looks to be getting the CVO treatment, as documents filed in the USA name the bike
It was Carles Falcon’s second entry into the Dakar Rally, but a crash 280 miles into the stage has tragically ended his life
The ‘PRIME’ road markings trialled in West Scotland have been hailed a success - here’s what they mean
The NMC has joined a new partnership that is going to help improve the UK’s growing pothole problem
The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 feels a bit like an accidental performance cruiser, and Visordown flew out to Los Angeles to test it!
Anglesey looks to be the first UK circuit to outlaw any EV or hybrid vehicle from taking part in a track day, two operators have said