Just about to set off .....

For this - All the best, Jim.

If you don't marvel, understand, or support, then you probably will never understand.

Simon Andrews died yesterday following an accident at the North West 200 race last Saturday. Simon had made super human efforts to recover from three previous accidents, and died as a result of the injuries he sustain in this latest "off". My thoughts are with Simon's father Stuart, mother Dee, girlfriend Lisa, and his mate "Breakers" all of whom were at Simon's bedside in The Belfast Royal Victoria Hospital yesterday. To quote another great rider who is sadly no longer with us as a result of a crash in Moto GP, Marco Simoncelli, ‘You live more for 5 minutes going fast on a bike than other people do in all of their life’. All the best, Jim.

Makes my toes curl!

All the best, Jim.

Sometimes we only truly value something once we have lost it.

Just back from three excellent days @ Cadwell Park, the UK's most technical and rewarding track, (Anglesey runs it close, but can be complicated by gusting on-shore winds), wall to wall sunshine, good mates, eager and "open to learning" clients, helpful MSV circuit staff, (fixing noisy exhausts, providing both Gaffa tape & cable ties for us instructors too senile to remember to bring our own), no "offs" on the last day and only one on Wednesday, (no damage done to bike or rider - try that on an ordinary track day!), and unremitting good humour, (seasoned by some apt banter), all contributing to the usual "Hopp Rider Training Better Riding Day", and the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership, Performance Plus" day. However, our collective enjoyment of proceedings was brought down to earth with a jolt at yesterday's lunchtime briefing when Martin and son Richard Hopp told us that this might be the final BRD/LRSP event of the year! Bookings were low for the July sessions, (2nd & 3rd), and almost nonexistent, (ten to date), for the September outings, (10th & 11th). Despite being by far the very best track based training outfit in the UK, (safer - less than one "off" per day, the average for a track day is two doz +), cheaper, (when you factor in the cost of repairs & lost track time due to sessions being red flagged), and with an experienced, qualified, and diverse instructor team, (who can both instruct and coach), Hopp Rider Training are looking at the prospect of shutting up shop at the end of this year. Should this happen we will lose the cream of the crop, and once lost it will be almost impossible to reinvent, (level of trust built up with Cadwell marshals, circuit administrators, (Hoppy is allowed to run customers on circuit wearing textile outfits such is the confidence of MSV in Hopp Rider Training's safety and level of training expertise)), canteen staff, fellow instructors, police, and most importantly, clients. So, if you want to experience the very best, safest, most rewarding and useful track riding, have a look at Hopp Rider Training's website -- www.hoppridertraining.com -- and book yourself onto one of their remaining courses this year. Leaving it to next year will be too late. All the best, Jim. " Ps - attached are some before and after photos of the Mutley.

Ouch!

All the best, Jim.