As a child Bertie (well, Robert back then… blame his sister for the nickname) was exposed to motorcycles thanks to his uncles. They would show up at his house with a lovely lady as pillion throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
After a naughty time on field bikes (it’s what we did back then) Bertie passed his test in the early 1990s and became a reporter for MCN in 1995, moving to the sports desk and covering World Superbikes in 1996.
With a change to Bike Magazine in 1997, he stayed until 2000 as news, features and road test editor. Moving into PR with Cosworth, Bert was bored with cars and returned to bikes in 2001 with Two Wheels Only, becoming editor in 2002 and leaving to be freelance at the end of 2004.
With almost a decade freelancing, Bertie joined Mortons in 2013 and became editor of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics, a post he’s desperately clung to, to this day. And no, he’s never had a pretty girl on the back of his bike.
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These two may look alike, but do they supply the same emotions? It’s a battle of the classic four-cylinder Kawasaki Z650 versus it’s twin-cylinder doppelgänger – the modern Z650RS ‘retro’. Game on! Words: Bertie Simmonds
Oxford Products is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023 and has a full calendar of celebrations to mark this special year. Imagine all the stuff we bikers have thanks to the motorcycle and push-bike firm,
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After 10 years of faithful service, my ABBA Superbike Stand has been retired. Well, sort of… it’s gone to another home. It’s fair to say that this has been the stand of choice, despite having
Let’s have a shout-out to the National Motorcycle Museum as – with the country finally opening up – they need our support more than ever. With the pandemic and recent ‘pingdemic’ the museum and foot
Sealey’s new Hand Tool Promotion is out now and valid until October 31 2021. It contains over 35 new lines as well as savings of up to 55% off list price! What are you waiting
We think these are dead saucy… Each Moto Culture watch represents a particular team that we may have supported during those halcyon days of the late 1980s/early 1990s. Yes, this was a true golden age
Here’s a deletion from the current diary dates at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough. Following the Borough Council’s detailed inspections, surveyors have found several serious issues with many of the old buildings at Oliver’s Mount that make
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Salon Privé will be welcoming some beautiful motorcycles to the fabulous surroundings of Blenheim Palace when it returns the first week of September – maybe you’d like to be there? Whether in the Concours d’Elégance