Author: Alan Cathcart

Born in Wales, married to Stella, with three children (two sons, one daughter), lives in southern England on the north side of the South Downs National Park, in Hampshire. Law degree from Cambridge University, speaks five languages, formerly worked in travel industry as Sales Director of UK’s largest specialist incoming tour operator, before becoming full-time syndicated freelance motorcycle journalist in 1981, with articles published today on a regular basis in a total of 29 countries, with a combined readership of more than 18,000,000 people. Frequently requested by many leading motorcycle manufacturers such as Ducati, MV Agusta, KTM, Aprilia, Bimota, Norton and Triumph to evaluate and comment on their significant new models before launch, both as test rider and industry observer, and to write detailed feature articles on their development to coincide with their public debut. Only journalist permitted since 1983 by all major factories in Japan and Europe to test ride their works Grand Prix and World Superbike machines. Has ridden motorcycles since age 14, but first raced cars before swapping to bikes in 1973. During 25-year racing career won the Australian TT twice at Bathurst, Daytona ProTwins three times, Daytona F750 once, and twice finished runner-up in the European Supermono Championship run alongside the World Superbike series, as well as fourth, fifth and ninth in the Isle of Man TT, and eighth in the Manx Classic GP. Winner of 1997 Sound of Thunder World Series (for Yamaha) and British Supermono Championship (Ducati); 1996 BEARS World Series (Bimota); 1993 Dutch Open and Japanese Supermono Championships (Ducati); 1979 British Single-Cylinder Championship (Aermacchi Harley-Davidson). Founder with wife Stella of the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club, and International Historic Racing Organisation - each currently the largest organisation of their kind in the world - and today Honorary President of each one. Winner of the Guild of Motoring Writers ‘Pierre Dreyfus Award’ in 1992 and 2009 as Journalist of the Year covering both cars and bikes. Winner of the Guild’s ‘Rootes Gold Cup’ in 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1997 in recognition of outstanding achievement in the world of Motorsport. Winner of the Guild’s Aston Martin Trophy in 2002 for outstanding achievement in International Journalism. Hobbies are classic cars, travel, films, country rock music, wine, and good food.