Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter E142, and right up front please accept sincere apologies for the lousy sound quality – the usual recording room at Chatter Manors has been flooded by an unfortunate incident involving a blockage in the sceptic tank and Ron, the missing handyman, who, it transpires, is in fact the blockage. Thus Simon and Martin have been forced to squeeze into the only room in Chatter Manors that isn't knee-deep in effluent – which is, ironically, the downstairs toilet complete with its unfavourable podcasting acoustics. It might have an echo but at least it's not swimming in raw sewerage. Although some might suggest the two have a lot in common.  

None of this is the fault of Britain's best bike insurance specialists, Bennetts, nor indeed BikeSocial, who both are blissfully unaware of the infernal plumbing irregularities plaguing Chatter Manors. Anyway, assuming you can tolerate the infuriating slapback delay, here's what's in store on FEC this week: • Isle Of Wight Races are back on – or are they?  • Triumph's plans to race enduro and motocross  • Cal Crutchlow subs for Morbidelli at Silverstone and Austria x 2 • who's done more for motorcycling: Keanu Reeves or Tom Cruise? • when are you too old to ride an MV Agusta?  • when are brakes too good, and how do you make them worse? • why isn't more love given to Kawasaki's 2004 ZX-10R? 

All this and lots more on this week's Front End Chatter, brought to you from the echo chamber. Please keep your thought, ideas, mad plans and questions coming to: [email protected] Get Simon and Martin on the socials @SimonHbikes @Mufga