Hello one and all, and welcome to Episode 193 of Front End Chatter, Britain’s best motorcycling podcast and winner of the coveted Wooden Microphone at the 2015 International Podcast Awards.

Thanks as ever to Bennetts, Britain’s Best Bike Insurers – hey, “It’s insurance by the people, for the people!” (you can have that for free, Newbs) – and bikesocial.co.uk, the website with all the news, reviews, twos, blues and clues. For youse. With lots of lovely YouTube content to digest too.

Right, on this episode of FEC we have:

• deets of BMW’s R1300 GSA including its built-in coffee cup stand

• riding impressions of Yamaha’s blingy MT-09 SP hooligan compared to Triumph’s Street Triple RS

• Kawasaki’s rad new H7 Hybrid with the acceleration of litre sports, the performance of a 650 and the fuel economy of a 250 (it says here)

PLUS a deep dive through the FEC sack where we chat about all things great and good, such as:

• should you buy a bike with your heart or your head?

• are auto transmissions the future and can motorcycling be *too* easy?

 • our thoughts on the KTM chocolate camshaft issues, and can history teach a manufacturer how to manage a reliability problem?

• how much do bike videos cost to make?

• is there any point to wings on road bikes? ...and much much more. Please like and subscribe, tell everyone you know about the pod, and if you want to ask us a question, comment on any of the issues we’ve raised, start a new topic, ask for bike buying advice – get in touch and send us an email:

  [email protected]

Thanks for listening, and see you again soon!  @SimonHbikes @Mufga