Simon Hancocks
Simon Hancocks is editor at Visordown, covering motorcycles with an emphasis on how new machines, technology and industry decisions land with real riders. His work blends technical detail, regulatory and financial context, and on-road experience, shaped by more than twelve years working in the motorcycle industry and a background as a road tester. He writes across news, reviews and longer features, treating motorcycles as products, infrastructure users and cultural objects at the same time.
Electric motorcycles and e-bike racing
A consistent strand in Hancocks’ coverage is the shift towards electric motorcycles and electric-powered competition.
In his piece on the ACU launching an electric motorcycle panel as e-bike racing gathers pace, he follows the creation of formal structures around electric racing and what they mean for manufacturers and organisers. He uses that kind of story to connect technology development with governance and safety, focusing less on hype and more on how a sport is organised and regulated. His broader electric coverage sits alongside reporting on LiveWire’s share price scare and rebound above the $2 mark after an NYSE warning, linking corporate performance to the prospects of an electric-focused brand.
Together, these threads mark him out as a reporter who treats electrification as both a technical and financial transition rather than just a novelty product trend.
Model launches, specs and manufacturer detail
Hancocks spends much of his time on new models and technical updates, producing detailed launch and specification pieces.
His articles on the 2026 Suzuki SV-7GX and the Triumph Thruxton 400 present “full spec, features and details”, foregrounding engine, chassis and equipment changes as the core of the story rather than lifestyle positioning. He covers updates to high-performance models such as the Kawasaki Ninja H2 and H2 Carbon, using homologation filings as the starting point and working through what those documents signal about future production bikes.
He brings similar attention to emerging or expanding ranges, as in his coverage of the Benda Rock 707 joining the Chinese brand’s growing cruiser line-up, where the emphasis is on how the bike fits into a developing portfolio. Technical development and aerodynamic refinement also feature, with a piece on Pininfarina wind-tunnel testing revealing the secrets of the CFMoto V4 SR-RR, showing his interest in the design work behind headline performance figures.
Industry, finance and infrastructure
Beyond products, Hancocks reports on the business decisions and data trends that sit around motorcycling.
His coverage of Bajaj selling the bicycle brand Felt to a consortium examines ownership changes in the wider two-wheeler ecosystem, treating the sale as part of a strategic reshaping of portfolios. In the LiveWire story, he tracks the brand through a period when its shares flirted with penny-stock territory, focusing on market reaction and what sustained share prices mean for an electric motorcycle specialist.
Infrastructure and risk enter his beat through data-driven stories like “Pothole claims up 91 per cent according to data”, where he uses claims statistics to illustrate the real-world consequences of poor road maintenance for riders. Regulatory and safety technology also feature, with his reporting on EU satellite speed limiter plans and the prospect of vehicles being automatically slowed in 20mph zones, connecting policy proposals directly to how vehicles will behave on everyday roads.
Road tests and motorcycle heritage
Hancocks’ long experience in the motorcycle industry and as a road tester underpins his review work.
His 2026 reviews of the Triumph Bonneville T100 and the Ducati Monster V2 show him moving from spec sheets to riding impressions, focusing on how each bike feels and functions for its intended use rather than just listing features. These pieces sit alongside more reflective journalism, such as his feature on the history behind the Norton Manx and Atlas, where he traces the lineage and significance of landmark models in the brand’s story.
That combination of practical assessment and historical context gives his coverage depth, linking contemporary bikes and technologies to the heritage that many manufacturers trade on.
Across these strands, Hancocks’ work is distinguished by a steady, technically grounded approach and a clear rider’s perspective. He moves comfortably between electric racing governance, manufacturer product planning, market and infrastructure data, and hands-on road tests, keeping motorcycles themselves at the centre of the story.
4 more automobile journalists.
Adrian Leung
Adrian Leung is a writer at Car News China who applies an electrical and computer engineering background to technically dense coverage of China’s fast-moving electric vehicle market. He focuses on new-energy models, from mainstream family EVs to concept cars, explaining battery systems, drivetrains, and on-board technology with clear numbers and straightforward descriptions. His Sunday China Drive columns look at how specific models fit real-world motoring and household budgets, balancing space, comfort, and affordability. Across launch and revision stories, he tracks BEV and EREV variants, exact dates, horsepower, range, and pricing to show where each EV sits in the broader market. He brings the same detailed focus to concept vehicles, using battery and range data plus component-level and chassis detail to treat them as complete engineering objects.
Alan Dowds
Alan Dowds is a motorcycle journalist focused on practical riding, workshop know-how and real-world bike testing. He runs Visordown while writing guides, advanced riding features and first ride reviews for road and track riders. He has more than two decades of experience, including staff roles at dedicated bike magazines, before moving into freelance work across multiple outlets. His beat covers recovery after crashes, knee-down technique, filtering, city traffic, green-laning, learner training and track riding. He also reports on production, pricing and new adventure bikes such as the Norton Atlas made in India. His workshop coverage includes puncture repairs, winter storage, chain care, engine bearings, case covers and caliper seals. He writes in direct, methodical language, using step-by-step guidance, practical testing and photos to help riders become safer, faster and more mechanically confident.
Alan Feldberg
Alan Feldberg is a fact-led automotive trade reporter who tracks how manufacturers, fleets, mobility providers and repair networks are reshaping the modern motor industry, with a particular focus on the UK car market and its supply chain. He writes concise, data-driven news for Bodyshop Magazine, having been part of its editorial team for years, including a period as Middle East editor. He covers the rise of Chinese vehicle makers, named models and market share, dealer and fleet technology, online retail platforms, leasing, remarketing and mobility networks. He also reports on repair groups, parts distributors, OEM approvals, fuel prices, employment and wider industry pressures. His pieces turn corporate announcements and market reports into clear signals for garages, bodyshops, fleets, dealers and mobility providers.
Alastair Crooks
Alastair Crooks is a senior news reporter at Auto Express who covers both new cars and the infrastructure that will support them, tying factory-scale developments to driveway-level reviews. He focuses on electric cars, mainstream launches and UK pricing, reporting on new and electrified models entering the market, their spec, positioning and what they change for buyers. His road tests of SUVs and saloons assess ride, range, interior space, value and running costs, with clear, sometimes blunt verdicts backed by specifics rather than general impressions. He writes news, reviews, features and occasional opinion columns on driving behaviour and in-car tech, drawing on his background as a car salesman, his degree in journalism and his enthusiast experience at car shows and track days. Some of his work also appears in magazine-style formats.