Latest / JUSTRIDE Podcast / Lamb Chop Rides: Bikes, Builds & Life Behind the YouTube Channel | JUSTRIDE Podcast Ep.13

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Lamb Chop Rides: Bikes, Builds & Life Behind the YouTube Channel | JUSTRIDE Podcast Ep.13 · JUSTRIDE Podcast

• Main: welcome back to just ride where we talk all things motorcycling from the roads we ride to the people who make the community what it is today's guest is someone who probably doesn't need very little introduction With more than 150,000 subscribers and over 46 million views on YouTube, John Bennett, better known as Lamb Chop Rides, has become one of the UK's most respected motorcycle content creators. Whether he's reviewing the latest bikes, testing gear, building incredible custom machines, or simply sharing honest opinions about life on two wheels, John has built a loyal audience by being authentic, relatable, and unapologetically bike mad. thought I was to struggle with that word. Away from YouTube, he's still a rider at heart. Owning everything from a KTM 1390 Super Duke R to a Ducati Hypermotorrad, a classic Yamaha A1, and even the poster bike he never thought he'd own, a Kawasaki Ninja H2. Recently, he's also experienced the darker side of motorcycling, following a serious crash on his Triumph Trident 800 launch. A reminder that all of us how quickly things can change. John, welcome to Just Ride. Chops: Wow, thank you very much. What an introduction. I'm having to wipe the tears away here. I that was flimier. I've never heard such a thing. Was that sure that was about me? Yeah. Main: Who are you? are you? We tried something last year didn't we and I think if everything could go wrong it probably did didn't it you know? Chops: It didn't quite go as we had hoped really did it? As soon as we hit the roads where we had all the loose chippings coming up and hitting the bikes we should have just turned around and gone to the pub then shouldn't we really? Main: Well, I think it was when you were telling me about this route that we were going to do, it's the most amazing route that you do, I was like, all right, and you were on the S1000RR, weren't you? Chops: I was, Main: Yeah, and I was on the R1300RR thinking, I'm just going to try and keep up. Calm down now, just calm down. I Chops: You Main: mean, it had fins on it and everything, and I was thinking, how fast is he going to Chops: Ha ha ha ha. Main: be going today? And he literally gets round this corner and he was like, you just went, oh, Lord, and I was ready. I was ready, John. was in... Chops: It's all primed, ready to go, yeah. Main: I was tucking in ready to go and you just went and there was loose chippings and just be laid and I went you are joking and anyway Chops: You Main: so we managed we had to ride down that road we managed to do a bit didn't we and then and then we we we stopped at a pub I remember now we had some not that stopped but I'm in serving Chops: That's right, that's right. Stopped there only like five minutes before. If it been for the gravel road, we might have actually got there on time and made lunch. Main: Yeah, so he's absolutely ruined my ride. He's not Chops: You Main: been able to feed me and then the cameras didn't work properly and then we went into your garage and I took my memory card out and it fell down the mat in your garage and I was thinking at that point, I think I need to go home. Chops: I've had enough, yeah, yeah. Nah, it was the end of the day. I was all right about that gravel road because I was on a press bike, so it wasn't mine. You shouldn't have come in front, Andrew, and then would have been you getting covered in the stone chips. Main: Yeah, so I had to replace me helmet visor. I've got tips all Chops: You Main: of me brand new. I remember it was a brand new bike as well. This is just great. It was a bit of a nightmare, but we are going to do it again. We are going to Chops: Yeah. Main: do it again. And I think I might choose the roads and check the highway maintenance. Is it possible that it could have been that ride that your radiator got punctured by? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Chops: I don't think so. No, no, I don't think that was the case at all. Main: Don't follow him down the T.P. right. I'd only just got that bike as well. put a bit of chipping. I didn't even get chance to put the radio guards straight in. was like, excuses. Well, you know, so it's. Chops: Why don't they come with radiator guards? But I suspect that's the topic for later. Main: It's so they can keep R &G and like, you know, plenty of business. So tonight, we're going to delve into the real. lamb chop rides aka John Bennett or John Bennett aka lamb chop rides. But before we get into that, before YouTube, before the subscribers, before lamb chop rides, Chops: Hahaha! Main: who was, who is John Bennett? Over to you. Chops: Oh wow, what a question. Oh, we're getting deep. That's the first question. We're getting a bit deeper already, aren't we? Main: I'm ready for that! Chops: Where's the, what's your favorite bike? Where's that one? Main: we're gonna come to that. Chops: That's a good question. I was sort of, well as I still am, sort of an IT career really. So was moving between different jobs. at the time, this was when the kids were born, was the only time I didn't have a bike. So at this point I had no motorcycles. So it was quite a different. was really quite a different life. And then of course, I got another bike, didn't have much money at the time, you we were always struggling, we weren't in pots of money, so I couldn't afford a new bike, so I bought the old Fireblade, but I really liked all the modern stuff, you all the new machines, I couldn't afford. So then I just thought, I don't know what, I'm gonna modify my bike so it looks more like a modern machine, you know. So that is Main: Yeah, thanks. Chops: where it all started really, and yeah, it was very different to, well obviously before I started, very different. Main: Yeah. And when you're filming those bike when you're doing all that at the time, were you, Chops: Yeah, that's where where that's what they started the YouTube channel because at the time I was on a couple of like forums. It was all forums, wasn't it? Before YouTube and all that, everyone was on a blade forum or GSXR forum or whatever. So I so Main: Yes. Yes. Chops: I did a couple of restorations. I did read that bike every winter. Really, I did a few modifications to it. And a couple Main: Yeah. Chops: of those were just on forums. I take loads of pictures, you know, and loads of people got loads of questions. People really Main: Yeah. Chops: liked it. It was all that sort of connecting with other people who've got the interest in the bike and other modifications these people have done. Because a lot of the mods which I did on my CBR, if it wasn't for forums, I wouldn't have done it. I knew it because it does work. Someone's done it somewhere in the world. So if they got it working, I must be able to get it working somehow. Main: Thank you. Chops: So yeah, the first two were on forums. But then I did an engine transplant from the 900 carb engine to the 1000 food injected engine from the 2005 bike. That's when I started recording it on the, just a GoPro in the garage, you know, just, but what Main: yeah, yeah, yeah. Chops: I realised, I really enjoyed like the creative process of editing all the videos because Main: Yeah. Chops: I've all, did art as a, I did art A level and I've always been quite creative and drama as well, you believe, so art and drama. Yeah, I've always had quite a creative side, you know? Main: a bit of drama. like Predator. Different type of drama. Chops: Like to bit of drama. Jazz hands. Main: sometimes do it. I've had a few beers and I get on a microphone in the karaoke, but I Chops: You Main: can't help it. We have videos. Chops: You're excused for that one. Main: So yeah, so you did the art, you did the kind of, you like the creative and then Chops: Yeah. Main: where that whole thing just... Chops: It was, yeah. So it was, I think it was about 20, it's still on the channel, 26 episodes of doing that original sort of blade rebuild. Main: Yeah. Chops: And I had a YouTube channel slightly before that just to do random stuff, like a lot of people did, you know. But that's Main: Yeah. Chops: when it sort of started and it wasn't even called Lambchops Rise at the time. I can't remember what it was called. just, can't remember what it was called. It's really, really sad. But yeah, I did all Main: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Chops: that. I got up, they got about 700 subscribers by the time this sort of series had finished. Main: Yeah. Chops: And... And people had started doing stuff like that behind me from Grumble, started doing like this sort of motorcycle vlogging. And I thought, you Main: Yeah. Chops: know what, what I'll do, I'll just record the first ride on the bike. You know, I a mic on my helmet and I'll sort of talk you through the first ride of the bike of the rebuilt machine, you know? Main: and Chops: And people seemed to quite enjoy that. And I did another one. I said, this is my second ride on my newly restored machine, you Main: Thank Chops: know? And then, yeah, and I said, I really enjoyed the creative side, the editing side, because Main: Yeah. Chops: if you didn't enjoy editing... Forget it, there's a lot Main: Yeah. Chops: of editing in this game. So you've got to least have some interest in it. And yeah, and that's went from there, really. Main: I like the fact that Tom likes producing, Tom likes editing because I just throw my phone to him and he looks at me and Chops: Yeah Main: goes... Yeah, we have seen Andrew's TikToks, like they are the usual type of Chops: Ha ha. Main: style, don't they? Somebody likes to use every single filter going and every single special effects at all, you know. Sorry, that's what they're there for. Chops: I used to love that as well. When I first started editing, sort Main: you Chops: of going back 2015, something like that, there's some Main: Yeah. Chops: really crazy videos on the channel. There's one to me and my mate Womble in our leathers, green screen Main: Yeah. Chops: behind us, dancing to a ha, what one is it? Sun Never Shines on TV or something like that. And there's all flames and I was there for weeks editing this video. So it's on the channel somewhere. It's on the channel somewhere. Main: No. Guess what, we're all going to be watching this. I think that's probably going to be the intro to this episode. think it is, yeah. You don't have to tell me the first big date. Chops: Why did I mention these things? Why do I mention these things? Quick, Asby's getting YouTube Studio and I'll just take that video down quickly. Main: Yeah, that's really, really nice. I think you what year was the Fireblade, John? What was it? What year was it? Chops: Mine was on a G plate, so was like 89. Was it an 89? Yeah, think it was an 89. Yeah, 89 G Main: wow. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Chops: plate. Yeah. And the CVR 1000 engine was from 2005. So it was quite a big upgrade at the time, you know. Main: It's funny you say that because obviously when John did those videos like many moons ago, now people are buying second hand bikes, older bikes, but like Chops: Yeah. Main: there's nothing out there to show them what to do. So they're looking at old YouTube videos. Chops: Yeah, yeah. Main: Follow out to repair these. And they're all watching John dance on the back of a green screen. That's good that. out. Chops: That's the problem with having a YouTube channel that's been going for so long. Some of the Main: You Chops: really early videos are like, my goodness, it's like it's from the 1970s or something now, you know. The camera technology in the last 15 years, I mean, wow, you know, it's incredible, really incredible. Main: Yeah. And you do love your bikes, don't you? Because you actually, Chops: do you, Main: you're in your own words, you're bloody bike mad. And I don't know Chops: Yeah. Main: whether I've given a Northern accent, but is that the description of yourself? We think that sums you pretty well. But has it always been that way then, John, in terms of your love of bikes? Chops: It has. I've always had bikes since I was sort of 16. Main: Mm. Chops: And so the only time I was without a bike was when the kids were born and we were skinned and it was just like, unfortunately, Main: Yeah. Yeah. Chops: when you're tight, your burst rings are pulled, you know, how can you justify Main: Yeah. Chops: having something for fun like a motorcycle? So exactly. Yeah, yeah, exactly that. Exactly that. it was, and the kids were young and my wife really Main: It's called priorities, John, that's what it is. Chops: didn't, you know, so you know how goes. A lot of people do it, don't they? Yeah, exactly. So that's sort of a 10 year period. then I got into sort of fast forwards and stuff like that. then Cosworths. So I've always, I'm always very focused on one hobby which I really get into. And I've been into RC car racing quite, that's for about three years doing that. That was really good fun. of off road, there's a track local to me. And I was really into that. I invented a little, heater to preheat the little two-stroke engines and I Main: I'm the video. Chops: sold a few of them. So I've always had sort of things on the side, know, things going on on the sideline because Main: Yeah. Chops: I get really obsessed with what I'm into and I think bikes are just the same. I'm into bikes and I'm just really obsessed with them again at the moment. Main: So you mentioned there about your first bike so can I ask a question? What was it was the Honda wasn't it the MBX 50 was that the first one? So Chops: Yeah, exactly. Yeah. That was... Main: what do you remember about that? Chops: Yeah, I remember when I picked it up, it wasn't standard. It was fully modified, of course. My first bike was a fully modified machine. was a 50cc, covered in stickers, and it had the tiniest rear sprocket. The guy had regeared it so it would do 70 miles an hour. And I thought, yeah, wow, 70 miles an hour when I was 16. Rode it, didn't realise, me weighing probably 16 stone at the time. I just couldn't get it over 20 miles an hour. I just wouldn't pull the gearing at all. you know, was always a laughing stock between all my friends with this bike. And I had a friend who had a DT50, which is like the dirt bike one. And Main: Yeah, yeah. Chops: he said, I'll do your swap because everyone wanted a 70 mile an hour, 50cc motorcycle, didn't they? So this guy had a much newer DT one, D250. And I said, all right, let me just do a straight swap. So I had that MBX about two days. So then Main: No. Chops: I had the DT, which was my second bike. Main: wonderful, so you mentioned there about taking that break as well, taking a break away from it. Did you generally think at that point that maybe the biking days were over and done with or was always that passion was always there? I'm going to go back to it at some point. Chops: I always said I was going to go back to it at some point, but Main: Yeah. Chops: as the time went on and me and Triffs were diverted elsewhere, like radio controlled cars, flying, I'll see helicopters at one point as well. I Main: Wow. Chops: thought, I actually thought I probably wouldn't get another bike again. And it was actually my brother-in-law, Greg, who sort of saying, you know, got to get another bike, you got to get another bike. And in the end I thought, yeah, had bit more money came in, you have a little bit of spare cash, think I two and a half grand, I think I managed to squirrel away to buy a bike. And I said, I'm going to do it. And the Mrs. was like, yeah, OK, you know, it's time. And well, the rest is history, as I say. Yeah. Main: That's the old days. Let's bring it back to the present. So John, I love watching your videos and am I right in thinking you've currently got five bikes in your garage at the moment? Chops: What, that are mine or other people's? Main: there's more, there's more. Five that yours. Chops: Five that are mine, yeah, I think so. Yeah. It's terrible, isn't it? It's terrible. Main: Can you name them all? That's the question. Chops: And if I use my hands, probably. So I've got the KTM 690 SMCR, the Ducati Hypermotard. It shouldn't be a difficult question, this should not be a difficult question. Main: You have special since I read it out at the beginning. Yes. Chops: Yeah, that's right. The Super Duke, course, the Super Duke, the R1, and yeah, an old ZXR750. Got there in the end. Main: So which one gets ridden the most? Chops: Well, certainly not the ZXR because that's a restoration project. So that just sits in the corner looking very sorry for itself. I think probably the Super Duke because it's, yeah, I absolutely love it. Absolutely love it. And it's the new bike in the stable, I suppose. That doesn't help, yeah. Main: Because you're a hooligan, isn't it? That's what it is. We only know that because you talk about it you're telling them, you know, you're like, oops. Chops: Yeah, yeah, I am a bit of a hooligan. A sensible hooligan these days, I'd Main: Yeah. Chops: like to think that. Main: Unless there's chippings on the wall. Chops: Well, when we came back from that ride there, we had a little bit of spirited bit here and there and Main: it. Chops: I looked in the mirror and Andy was right there, he was in the mirror, he was, there you had a good bit of pace on, good bit of pace on. Main: I was worried I was going to lose you. No, actually no, I remember that. But yeah, yeah. we'll do it again. yeah, we'll, yeah. Is there plans to do more for the restoration for the ZXR? Chops: Yes, I keep saying it's going to be a winter project, but luckily I haven't said which year so far. It will be a winter project at some point. I think it's probably Main: Thank Chops: going to be this winter. I say that every winter, I really do Main: I think. Chops: think it's going to be this winter because I've got my friend Adam who lives around the corner now who's been in the garage Main: Hmm. Chops: helping me with a lot of videos. We've had a good fun on a Sunday morning. If it's raining, then we do mess about with something in the garage and that sounds questionable, but you know what I mean. So yeah, I think the ZXR will happen this year because long as I don't do anything stupid and buy another new bike or anything like that, which I'm sure that won't happen. I'm sure. I haven't ridden Main: that would be possible. Yeah. Look at this. Look. Chops: that new hypermotard, the new one yet, the new V2 version. So I won't speak too soon. It's always room, always room. It's not in my garage anymore either, no. That's part of the problem. Main: There's always room for another bike. Not in your garage. One the favorite bikes I love seeing on your channel was the Ninja H2. Chops: Yeah. Main: I remember when you got that and I mean, tell us about it. You know, was that a bike that you'd, you know, you've been after for a long time, you know, tell us, tell us about the day you finally bought it. What was that like? You know, how did that feel? Chops: Yeah, it was pretty special actually because it was one of those bikes that when it came out, everybody else was like, it's incredible. Look at this thing, shiny paintwork. And it was, think they're around 24,000 or something like that when they came out. Main: Yeah. Chops: And that was in 2015. So that was a lot of money in 2015 with bike prices back then. So I never, it was like a halo bike. I didn't ever think I'd be in a position to ever purchase one or be able to run it with the running costs of it as well and the insurance and all the rest of it. But I was quite lucky, you I had a couple of bikes which ended up selling. had a GSXR 1000 which I'd sold and I'd recently sold a Supermoto planning to buy another Supermoto. So I both these bikes sold. So I had a little bit cash lying around and I did a dangerous eBay, I think it was one evening, you know. What could I buy with that money? Let's just assume I'm not buying another Supermoto. What could I get? Anyway, and this H2 came out. It was up. country somewhere, up your way, T-side somewhere it was. Main: yeah. Chops: And it said one mile on it, you know, it was a pre-reg basically, that had been sold to make the numbers one year. And it had been sat in a dealer for a year just as a display bike. It had one mile in it, on it, and it was a really good price. It was under 20K, you know, and it was basically a brand new bike. And I it was only a couple of grand short, so I was like, mm, I can't. Main: you Chops: Hang on a minute, I could get a loan for 3,000 and put 1,000 Main: Thank you. Chops: towards the exhaust I'm going to need immediately, obviously. So anyway, just the stars aligned and yeah, Main: I don't know. Chops: at the next moment I've got my dream bike, you know, out of nowhere. Main: It was a lovely bike and I do remember that very sad video where you dropped it at the junction. Chops: Yeah, had nothing but trouble with that bike, which is one of reasons why I got rid of it. It's one of those things, you know it's so expensive. You know Main: Yeah. Chops: that that silver finish on the bodywork is really fragile and can damage really easily. And the panels, you can't buy the, it's not paint, it's silver, is chemically processed onto the plastic. So there's no one in the Main: I'll hop on the tape. Chops: UK who even does it. And for one side panel, it's like 3000 pounds, you know. So you're thinking, so all in the mind you're thinking, oh, I don't want to knock this or scratch it, you know. And the night I bought it, the night, it was delivered, I hadn't even seen the bike. I didn't see it. I just said, I'll have it, you know, and they delivered it. Main: Thanks Chops: So they wheeled it out and it was just covered in grease where it had been sat in the showroom. Anyway, but I put it away in the garage that night. And this is before we moved. had a single garage crap everywhere in there, basically a little open sort of loft area with dog cages up in this loft. And I pushed the bike in. put it to bed, and it would come down in the morning and the dog cage had fallen. Landed Main: Noooo Chops: on the bike, I can't think where it landed, but it must have hit, I was really lucky, it put a tiny little scratch in the back and I thought, what if that had hit the tank and it fell down? It must have hit the seat and so I was like, oh, so that was the first night I had the bloody thing. I got the scratch on the back of it and then I something else fell out the loft. I should have my lesson. the first time with the with Main: It was trying to tell you something. Yeah, clear your loft. Chops: Although I remember what it was. I had got an ABBA Skylift, you when you pump them up and it lifts the whole bike up. Main: yes, yeah. Chops: And I didn't quite attach it properly and I hadn't attached it at all and the bike fell away from me against the wall and I couldn't get it and it hit the wall and then it dented the tank. So that tank I'd just luckily not put a dent in the tank. And I'm like, my God. New tank is, I think it was something like four and a half grand for a new tank. Of course, as I say, you couldn't get it repainted. So obviously it was fully comp insurance, but I really didn't want to have to claim on my insurance. So I thought I've got to sort that, it's a massive ding in this thing. So I did a bit of research, realised that you can't repaint it, you know, have to buy a new one basically. But I was doing a little bit with Wheels Motorcycles at the time in Peterborough, and they were a Kawasaki dealer. So I rang Main: Yes. Chops: up the sales guy there I dealt with with the reviews and said, I don't suppose you could get me a price for a new... Ninja H2 petrol tank and he goes well that happens. We've got one Because I got a guy bought a brand new one and add a hairline scratch on top of the tank But he refused the bike the brand new bike, you know, he's not having it with a hairline scratch on it He says we've got one you can have it for 600 quid I said done. Where do I send the money? So I Was incredibly lucky and then of course I did drop it that day when and the junction Main: Yeah. Chops: and then it So I just thought, you know what, let's sing. Main: Just to say that the best of us have dropped our Kawasaki's. Yeah. Yeah. Chops: Yeah. okay. So yeah. Main: I did it a few weeks. I've got the, the Ninja 1000 SX and a very similar experience, but it is gutter. Chops: Oh have you? Oh have you? Yeah. Yeah. Main: Yeah. Chops: yeah. Only real bikers drop their Karazakis then obviously, don't they? Main: Exactly. Yeah. Some of us might throw them on the floor. And I did throw my ZXR 750 on the floor when I was trying to put it in the back of the garage one day. And I used have the car in the garage and I was trying to put the bike along the back of the car. And I used to suffer really badly with the arm pump having rode it. And I came back Chops: does he? Okay. Main: and I was lifting the bike, the back wheel round. and I was just full of like lactic acid, you know, and in my abs really aching and I just went, oh, and I threw it on the floor and as soon as I the floor, I thought at that moment of what on earth are you doing? I'm sure you're Chops: You Main: not explaining it. Yeah, what on earth are doing? I was lucky I had the, obviously the grommets in the side, so I didn't do any damage thankfully. didn't, Chops: Yeah, you're lucky. Main: I was really lucky, but yeah, so yeah, some idiots sat around the table of throwing theirs on the floor. And it's the only bike I ever regret selling. It's the only one I've ever regret selling. Chops: Yeah, yeah. I'm not regretting selling the H2 yet, but it was a special thing. It was a whole experience to actually take it out and go for a ride. The Main: Yeah. Chops: noises the bike makes with the whistles and I had this blow off valve for the supercharger. It pshhh. So, somebody shut the throttle under a bit of revs, would go pshhh. Main: Yeah. Chops: To ride it, was like, a thing, you know? What a Main: day. Chops: thing, but yeah, it's just too fast, too fast, crazy. Main: John, you mentioned earlier, obviously you couldn't afford to get the latest bikes. So obviously you bought older bikes and then modified them. Where did that obsession come from to modify a bike? Chops: I've always been a bit of a tinkerer, so I can't keep my hands off things. if I think. Tinker away, tinker away. You can only see one hand on the screen at any one time. Did you notice that? So, yes, I've always messed about my bikes and. took stuff apart, know, and tried to do my own maintenance. Mainly driven, I guess, really because I couldn't really afford to have anyone else do it, you so I was forced to Main: you Chops: have them to do my own maintenance. And it was the same with the cars as well, you know, with the Cosworths and stuff. did all the work. And what I realised was I enjoy, well, not so much now, but I did enjoy working on the bikes as much as I enjoyed riding them. That was all part Main: Hmm. Chops: of the ownership experience for me, you know, when you've been out for a ride, come back, clean it all up, polish it all up, do the jobs on it, you know. Main: Yeah. Chops: I think the more bikes you get, obviously that takes harder to keep on top of. And I think maybe that's why I don't quite enjoy that as much as I did Main: lot more to do. What makes a motorcycle special to you? Chops: It's got to be something about it, isn't there? The bike which has got something about it, which is not like anything else, I guess. it either does something incredibly well, know, it's like really fast or whatever, it's always iconic. It's renowned for an event in history in some way. I think it's got to be something when you get on it, it's a bit of an experience. It's not just drum, Main: Amen. Chops: you know, and you're like, there's something a little bit special about this. You can't always put your... finger on what that is, but you just know that there's something a bit special with this one. But I love bikes and I had a comment this morning saying, I'm getting fed up watching your videos because you just like every bike you ride. I was like, it's a motorcycle. Main: You're not too tall. Chops: Is there a bad motorcycle? You you could point Main: It was not last night. Chops: out little things which could be better, but at end of the day, it's a motorcycle. It's inherently great, you know, so, yeah. Main: So if you ever had a motorcycle that you've gone, really like to look at this and then when you've written ridden it you've gone, I'm actually really disappointed. Chops: I don't think so because I think I've always set my expectations, I think. One of them was the new Norton Commando and Main: Yep. Chops: I didn't get it. Everyone else had had it and everyone had gone, yeah, it's all vibey, you dear, dear. It's like, well, it's not a new bike. They've just rebuilt an old design. What were you expecting? Main: Yeah. Chops: It's not a new machine. know, this design was from back in the day. They've just remanufactured it. Main: Yeah. Chops: So I rode it and I was like, yeah, this is, yeah, so even that one, was like, you know, if you think what you're gonna be riding before you get on it, I guess a lot of the stuff is, haven't ridden, I've got some dream bikes, maybe this is a question for later, but I have got some Main: Mm-hmm. Chops: dream bikes which I've never ridden, but it might be, that might be one of those times where you go, oh, I was expecting so much, Main: What about a favorite build out of all the bikes you've worked on? These Chops: Good little gosh. Main: are big questions for you, John. Chops: Yeah, big questions, aren't they? Big, big questions. I think it's gotta be the original Fireblade because I took that so far compared to any of the other builds I've done. All the other stuff was just bolt-on bits, you know, you just buy something and you bolt it on. Whereas that was, we're gonna remanufacture the subframe, we're gonna put bodywork on it from a GSXR from 2005. I know what, let's put on that VFR 800 single-sided swing arm, you know, while we're at it sort of thing. So, yeah, that's... That's the ones I really enjoyed. Main: think it's one of those things, isn't it? We're talking about a bit of a project bike at the moment. I mean, between the team, we've got, I think a fair bit of mechanical sort of knowledge, apart from one. Chops: You Main: Yeah, got, it's definitely got the best garage. It's got all the tools. But I have all the gear and all the idea. Chops: Hahaha! Main: But I think you do learn so much, as you said earlier, John, about, you know, working on your own bikes and tinkering on them. It does teach you a fair bit. And I know we're excited to enter that sort of arena. Chops: Yeah, and and this day and age, I mean, you got the internet. You can't really go wrong, to Main: Yeah. Chops: be honest. You know, this is not a reason again for the forums, because if you come up against a problem, well, let's speak to other people who may have had the same issue, you know. So that was where it all started. But before that, we had to go down the library and try and find see if they had the Haynes manual on the ZXL Main: Yeah. Chops: 750. But now the information is out there. Like I say, if I knew one person had done put the VFR Main: you Chops: 100 swinging arm on the Fireblade. If one person's managed it, I must be able to it somehow. Main: I know it's a bit of a challenge, Sean, but I'm still not going to try. know there's lots of videos that show me how to go, no. We don't even trust Andrew with a chain, he has to have a shaft. No, I just Chops: I probably don't recommend putting a different swing arm off a different bike and then just going out and trying it anyway. You shouldn't do such things. Main: like, if service sake, take it in, if it needs doing anything, I've just not, I'm probably just, not interested, but... think if I did it I'd probably do more damage and I think that's a lack of confidence kind of thing. you know what saying? Yeah, I've seen you. Chops: Yeah, yeah. Main: They've all seen me. say, no, I'll just, no. We've Chops: Yeah. Main: all got lovely new motorbikes. All of those motorbikes now have got fabulous features on them, know, with traction control and all various different things. But there is still a real passion for what I would call, you know, the older day super bikes. you know, the early fire blades and things like that. I it's a real passion for all of that things. And there are many people on YouTube doing various different bits and pieces, but I just think there's something special about riding an old super bike. just think with like modern bikes now, they're very clinical. So there's not much you can do to them unless you've got a full on computer system. They are fabulous. Chops: Yeah. Main: They are fabulous. Yeah. So speaking of the internet and the YouTube channel then, so how did lamb chop rides? begin what what was six we've all been they've all asked me why is is he called long chop rides and where's the name come where's the name come from how how did the transition feel like lamb chops Chops: It's, no, it's one of those things where when I first did it, and you think, and then about five years in I thought, this is a bit silly, Lambchops, right? I want to get bit more serious at this YouTube thing. Maybe I should look at changing it, you know? And people said, no, you can't possibly change it. But yeah, I used to be a bit of a gamer when I didn't have the motorcycles. Main: Bye. Chops: I've always been a bit of a gamer. Not so much these days, but from a kid, I've always loved tech. I've always loved new computer games, you know? been well into that and I can't remember the question, what was the question again? Main: Just say where, because obviously we're going to talk about YouTube channel, which I'm really interested in. Yeah. And, Chops: Sorry, yeah, the Lamb Chucks ride, yeah, sorry. Main: you know, that whole thing, where does that come, come about? mean, you mentioned gaming there, but where did it come from? Chops: Yeah, it was a gamer handle basically from back when I was... Main: Okay, yes. Chops: Me and my mates had about four five really good mates into our PC gaming. Main: Hmm. Chops: Well, before the internet, we used to have to drag all our PCs around to people's houses, like LAN parties. And then you drag all your PC around, massive great CRT monitors, know, not Main: wow. Chops: little flat screen things, great big tower cases under your arm like this. Main: Yeah. Yeah. Chops: And you would spend half of the evening trying to get the network working. So all these PCs would talk to each other. And then you spend Main: Yeah. Chops: the other afternoon like racing touring cars or playing Doom or so I was well into all of that. And anyway, I used to have great big sideburns like this coming down before the beard. And it's almost like lamb chops. And it was like, that could be my username while we're nerding out on the computers. So yeah, so that's that's where it came from. Yeah. Yeah. Main: That makes a lot of sense. Chops: And then when I started YouTube channel, I know, bit of a nickname, was Baron Von Grumbel, of course, you know, the time, I thought, I can't just be John Bennett, you know, or I'll go Lambchops, Main: Awesome. Chops: because all my forum logons were Lambchops as well, just for the same reason. So yeah, it was obvious, suppose, Lambchops, yeah. Main: Yeah. And obviously lamb chop and you like riding so it just kind of all fit together. And the channel Chops: Of course, yeah, it wasn't rocket science, was it? No cryptic message. Main: and the channel has obviously started building and obviously you've got some videos, questionable videos, which we are going to hunt out and utilize. But Chops: Yeah, yeah. Main: what was the, what do you think was the particular video that you did that kind of changed? What was the video change? Everything that was a pivotal moment where you suddenly started to really remember what's enough Chops: There wasn't one. There's never been one, Andrew. It's always been steady growth. There's never Main: Yeah. Chops: been a video which has got, I've never had that, I had that like blow up video, you know, it's got millions of views. I've never had it. I'm still waiting. One day, one day I may have that blow up video, but yeah, so it's always just been very, very steady, regular, Main: Yeah. Chops: it's very boring, regular uploads, you know, and just keep grinding at it, basically. It's consistency. Main: its consistency there wasn't it? Chops: And yeah, I mean, I've been doing it. can't even think when, I think about 2015-ish, it's got semi-serious, know, semi-serious. Started to work with a few manufacturers. They'd send me kit to put on the bikes and stuff, you know. So when Main: Yeah Chops: you realize, hang on a minute, this could actually go somewhere, doing this YouTube thing, you know? And then a few Main: Yeah. Chops: manufacturers sort of said, you know, do want to test our bikes? Or I know, said begging letters out, saying, I've got this YouTube channel. Can I come and ride your Main: Thank Chops: motorcycles? Because I've just done it by going into local dealers and saying, I'm interested in an Aprilia Toronto. Do you mind if I take it out for a ride for an hour and put the cameras Main: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Chops: on when I got outside of the showroom? Because they would be horrified the thought of me taking their bike for a ride around the Main: you Chops: streets videoing it. That wasn't the done thing. No one would want that. So at that point when I was approached, they said, yes, come and ride this. Test this exhaust out on your bike and let us know what you think. It was then really, that's when I realised this could go somewhere. Main: Yeah, and that must be a lot of validation when the manufacturers start asking you. I mean, how did that feel? Chops: Yeah. Main: How did that feel when they were knocking on your door and saying, do you want to come and test this? Chops: Yeah, it's quite nice. mean, because I was one of the, well, probably one of the early YouTubers who started doing bike reviews, really. Main: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Chops: So, know, so the PR teams at that time didn't have a clue YouTube, you know, they were getting their adverts done in MCN, you know, and that Main: Yeah. Chops: was it, you know, with bike magazines, obviously. So, Main: Hmm. Chops: you know, it was actually Katie M, well, one of the first ones who I sent my letter to and said, I've got this YouTube channel. I must have had about nine, ten thousand subscribers at the time, something like that. I can't, can't unless you remember, it may have been a lot less than that. I remember reaching ten thousand thinking, ten thousand people? Imagine ten thousand people all together, you like you do. And, yeah. Main: Yes, we imagine. We remember getting our tenth subscriber. We'll be able to make it up. Chops: Yeah, yeah. I could fill a stadium! Main: Or the local village hall for us. Chops: So they were the first ones who said, they must have thought, well, why not? Let's have a punt on this. Let's see Main: Yeah. Chops: where this can go. What harm could it do? The issue is, course, the thing which was stopping a lot of them was insurance. Because I wasn't covered to ride a manufacturer's bike. They wouldn't let you on the bike unless you had insurance. So that was always the big stumbling block. You need insurance. But then KTM actually looked at, well, let's see how much it would cost just to put these people on our insurance, you know. And that's where that came from. So they were the first ones to actually Main: Yeah. Chops: do that, put their hand in their pocket, put me on their insurance and lend Main: Yeah. Chops: me a bike for a couple of weeks. And it was always two weeks was the maximum because of the insurance. And that's sort of the thing now actually, still, even still when you Main: Yeah. Chops: borrow bikes. But yeah, so KTM were the first. And it was like, wow, you know, that first video and I, here's the link to the video I did, you know. Main: nice one. Chops: And then once you've got a couple of course in the bag, then you use those, Main: Yeah. Chops: oh, Mr. Suzuki, I've been working with KTM. I'm one of their preferred people. I was wondering Main: Thank you. Chops: if I could ride one of your motorcycles, you know, and obviously the more you get, the more the keen they are to, and they can see the sort of stuff you're doing because a lot of people would go out putting massive wheelies, you know, that's not the sort of content they're Main: Yeah. Chops: looking for, you know. So I was also doing something which they thought, yeah, this is good benefit us and. Obviously magazine sales were reducing, YouTube was growing, so they jumped on the bandwagon earlier, I suppose. Main: And what for people who don't really know what is what is one of the hardest things of doing what you do and running a successful YouTube channel whilst still doing your day job because there was an article wasn't there? Was it? We might not talk about that. You became famous for all the wrong reasons and you were everywhere. And you were like, oh, they found out. Chops: No, you can do it. I'm very joking. You can definitely talk about it. dear, yeah. Main: how? Yeah, because that must be quite difficult managing all of that. Chops: Yeah, it is quite difficult. It's a lot, Main: Mm. Chops: because it's not only, you know, not only if you've got to ride the bike, do a video and upload it and all of that business, you've got to organise getting the bike. You might have to go and collect the bike, you know. There's a lot to it. You've got to think, well, what do I want to ride? You know, I like to do a comparison test. That's what I really enjoy doing now. So you've got to then try and organise two bikes. You know, what bikes would go, would you do a So that's all the planning, I suppose. There's a lot of... a lot of planning and you know if I wasn't didn't have a day job and I could pack that in and do it full time it must be lovely just to have time just to think because you know I'll be trying to then I'll get interrupted with that bloody day job you know what I'm trying to be creative here I'm trying to create masterpieces on YouTube and I keep getting interrupted by these Main: I can see it. Chops: people on my laptop Main: We've all guessed that you get about 300 days annual leave each year to do what you do. Chops: Yeah exactly yes exactly and do do very days. Main: So what's the turnaround then John? if you've got a bike and you're the shooting of the test ride, what's the turnaround then from the editing? Are you trying to get that posted within a particular timeframe or is it just when you get round to it? Chops: It all depends on the bike. If the bike's sort of hot news at the time, or it's an early ride, or if it's a press launch for a new bike, of course, as soon as you can get it done, get it out straight away. What a lot of the manufacturers are starting to do, because they staged their launches over a week, and then they have media from each country coming in on different days, they've started putting embargoes that, you know, it'll be a week, the Monday week until anyone can release a video on this bike, because it was just like a mad rush to who can get the first video out. So... Obviously with my sort of format where you, it takes a lot more editing than these people who just stood in front of the bike and talk about it for 10 minutes, know, flashing up the clips, which the guys have recorded for them all day anyway, and there's no effort. Mine's, so I struggled to get those out to be as quick as like the quick guys. No names mentioned, no names mentioned. But Main: I'm Chops: yeah, so that's annoying. But now they've got these embargoes, that works better for me, because everyone's got a fair chance. It's worse Main: Yeah. Chops: for the viewers because they get inundated with all the same videos about a bike at the same time. So it's great for us 10 or so people who are doing it. It's rubbish for the 20,000, 30,000 people who want to watch it. Main: And it's always the same stretch of road on the same corner. yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Chops: Yeah exactly, same clip. Oh there he is again. Oh, haven't I seen a video of this guy in it already? Main: But the thing is, if you What content do you like making the most then? Is it the comparison for the bikes or what is it? Chops: I enjoy recording the comparisons, the actual editing of those is quite tricky because I end up with four camera feeds and you're talking over each other sometimes. You've got to then split the audio tracks. That's the only one. So it's a bit more faff to actually edit Main: Yes. Chops: them, but I really enjoy recording them. Main: It's the time, isn't it? It's the time it takes. Yeah. But if you've got three Chops: Yeah, and it's. Main: days off like John, you'd be fine. Yeah. Chops: That's right, no problem at all, is it? And of course you get into, because sometimes when you're a video, this is the creative part of me talking now, but you've got to watch it a thousand times because you need to get a flow for it. So first you've got to watch the raw Main: Yes. Chops: footage, pick out the bits you want to include, the good bits, Main: Yeah. Chops: so you end up with a video which is like an hour long, well that's no good. You've Main: Yeah. Chops: got to watch it again and think, well I've repeated myself there, which one was the best out of two? That one, delete the other one. That bit's a bit rubbish, delete that, delete that. Then you're left with... This is the bit I really enjoy when you're left with that bit, your project, and think, right, what are we going to do with this? Where are we going to fade this? Where are we going to do that? So just getting Main: Yeah. Chops: to that point is a bit laborious and chopping it all through. But then you've got to watch it through to see how it's flowing. then someone will ping me on Teams. Those annoying people in my laptop again will ping me on Teams and stop me. I've got to go back 10 minutes and watch that from the beginning now. Do you mind? Main: I remember where you're at too. Chops: Yeah, yeah, it's like that. yeah, but that's the bit I love when you've got the laborious bit done, then you can get creative with it. Main: Yeah, I think I think that's the same for producer, doesn't it? Because you really do it. You've always enjoyed the editing. He's worked in creative for a long, time and you'll just go over and over and over and you're saying for yourself, isn't it? Go over and then when you see it, you're like, ah, right. Yeah, it just all makes sense. it flows. You Chops: Yeah. Main: don't want to watch it. You're like, again. were live Chops: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Main: and I said, Tom, should we go and watch it? Really? Chops: And the other problem is though, you've watched it so many times, can't... you think, is this any good? This is in my head that this is any good because I've seen it so many times now, I'm not even talking Main: Yeah. Chops: English, you know, it just sounds like gibberish now coming out my mouth. But yeah, that's the tricky bit. Main: I think there may have been one episode that we recorded three times and I don't think it's even been released yet. Chops: You Main: We just gave up on that. And then the audio didn't work and it just... Chops: Yeah. the technology, I mean, that is so annoying when you're doing it on a bike because you don't know it's the camera's stopped bloody recording or the sound's Main: Yeah. Chops: not recording anymore. And the more cameras you have, the more chance of something going wrong you've got. So I did a comparison with Adam on the 990 Duke R and the new Street Triple RX. I've Main: thanks. Chops: got home and towards the end of the video, Adam's camera's all squiffy, it's all gone like this. It's like, my God. Main: you Chops: You know, the audio's all right, but thankfully I had a camera on the handlebars so all of his was just on the point back from the handlebars. you know, if I'd been on my own test ride and that camera happened after I'd been out and I got home and checked it, you're like, my mate Andy, the Mr. Flyer, he once did four Main: Thank Chops: takes reviewing one bike because he had technical issues and the sound didn't work, the camera didn't Main: yeah. Chops: work. It's like, this is the fifth time lucky here, you know, they're actually going to be able to get something recorded. But yeah, that's the worst, isn't it? Technical gremlins. Main: I don't think you want, I don't think we want that episode to be released. It was one of the early ones and we're all a bit wooden. Chops: Ha ha! Main: I watched one earlier today. He was the very first one and Andrew goes, I am your co-host. Chops: Hahaha! Main: thing is we were talking, we were talking helmets, so it took about 10 minutes for him to stop laughing. Chops: Helmet. Main: dirty helmets, helmets, jewellery, wash out and I don't think we were doomed really. Yeah, yeah. good or bad. Just just writing for does it you know, does it give you a form of escapism? Does it? Do you get to ride for pleasure, for stress relief? I know for a lot of us that's quite important in today's world. So do you get time just to ride for the pure pleasure of riding? Chops: Not as often as I'd like to believe it or not. You know, it seems crazy to say it with the amount of times I'm riding a bike, but it's hard not to think, why aren't I recording this? I'm riding, I should be recording this. I could be making Main: Yeah. Chops: a video out of this. But more and more so, more recently, I've realised that sometimes you've just got to go and you've just got to meet up with your mates, you don't take any cameras, you just have a laugh and you Main: Yeah. Yeah. Chops: just ride the bike. And also riding solo as well, just to go out and clear your mind because... We all know as bikers, there's nothing that clears your mind or enables you to think. Main: Yeah. Chops: Just switch off, I think, isn't it, from the world? Because you're just concentrating on that road where you're turning in. All your concentration is going just right in the bike and your brain is just focused on that and you're not mulling over that thing with work constantly in your head. It's a great way clearing your mind, I think. Main: we went over, there's a stretch of road over the moors towards like sort of the course. What's it called? It's called Lakey Ridge. Lakey Ridge. And on my sides were actually hurting. from the laughing because some hidden bumps and you know, it's the new bikes and your traction controls are lit up, you know, because you've been able to see, Chops: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Main: you know, and the sheep in the middle of the road just looking at one anyway. And you were just absolutely laughing. We got all the way over towards Saltburn to go and have an ice cream and on some of his sides of hurting. And I think that's really because that that makes you feel amazing. You know, Chops: Yeah, it does, Main: you think We've got waterbikes. It's so cool. It really does. And to be honest, after footage when we record with the audio of us talking on com, you couldn't do it YouTube anyway. can't share it. It is Chops: Yeah, yeah, yeah. The amount of stuff you'd love to put on YouTube, but you just can't. like, you know, it would be amazing, wouldn't it? Main: that escapism, isn't it? I ceased to be a middle-aged overweight man on my bike because as soon as put my leathers on, I put my dark visor down. Nobody knows it's me. Chops: Yeah, Main: 1780. Valentino Mossy under that. I know. Chops: Yeah, exactly. You'll never guess, would you? You'll never guess. Main: Tom recently got a full Alpine stars a leather suit didn't you for his birthday and he like says, honey, where's my super suit? And he just come out with that. And it Chops: You need to get some custom RST ones done as Mr. Incredible. know, the full red. Can you imagine? The big eye on the back. it'd be awesome. Main: I it. do need to get some fill... I've been trying to go to the gym and trying to beef, but I think what I'll do is I'll cheat and get it piled out, you know what mean? Chops: Yeah, yeah, yeah, to get it sewn in like Batman's Batman's suit basically, yeah. Main: Yeah, Mrs. Last taking it. Chops: When I had my, because I do have a custom RST suit, but when they did that for me, I was thinking Main: no. Chops: I'll just get it done as a big guy. I'm never going to be a little skinny thing. I just want it as a bear suit or a gorilla suit. I said, can you just make it all like gorilla hair? Because you get custom gloves, Main: Thank Chops: just make the fingers like claws. And I'll have like claws Main: Yeah, cool. Chops: and I'll just be a big gorilla. But I thought, well, the manufacturers might not be too happy with be turning up riding their bikes as an overgrown Main: No. Yeah. Chops: gorilla you know so I thought better of it. better of it. Ah I love it. Brilliant. Main: Sorry, they'd probably go ape. He's been waiting on life. And obviously, no capes. No capes. capes. John, I'm going to change the subject and I want to talk about Chops: No, I can't see her. Go on. Main: the Triumph crash. you know Kill Lo. I'm just following the script. I'm following the script. Chops: right yeah. I was just going to say talk about killing the mood. my goodness. Main: Tell us about what happened that day. Chops: do you know what? It's, I when did it happen? I can't, it's a bit of a blur, honestly. It is a bit of a blur. It's like a bit of a bad dream now, if I look back on that now. I think it was end of February, I to say something like that. Mid February? Yeah, Main: I've kind of say I thought it was around about much. Yeah. Yeah. Chops: something like that. And it's been a horrible winter and it's been really grubby. And I knew this Trident launch was coming up in Main: Hmm. Chops: Cyprus. thought, oh, Cyprus, not been to Cyprus before. Yeah, that'd be interesting. But it's Main: Yes. Chops: nice out there at this time of year. So I was really looking forward to it. it was the first, I don't know what group we were, but I think it was a group before us. And they had all the rain. The weather's a bit shit. There's nothing worse than going on a launch. You check what the weather is and you're like, it's bloody raining in Spain again. So, so I saw it could be rain on this trip. Bloody hell. Don't go all the way to Cyprus to get wet. I can do that at So Main: Hahaha Chops: anyway, so I was, I was looking forward to a good day ahead and it was quite a sedate ride. I've been on a lot of launches where the pace has just been crazy, quite frankly, Main: Yeah. Chops: but this was nice and sedate. You know, was like, enjoying this. It's having a bit of fun, you know, getting into the flow and with We'd stopped for some cake and tea at the first little stop off and we were just on our way to the first set of photographs. So it was quite early and I hadn't even had the pictures taken yet, you know, or any video or anything. So I was on the route there and I was, you know, on these roads, very similar to what it's like in Spain, know, quite tight mountainous roads and they've got a bit of a flow, you know, they choose them for a reason, you know, they're decent. And they did warn us in the morning, to be fair, there's always a little briefing before you go out and they said be really careful up in the mountains, the road surface isn't brilliant in places, there's dogs that can run out, know, all the usual sort of be careful, you know, you could dirt yourself here. So it was quite a sedate ride compared with some and come around this corner, I'm sure everyone's seen the footage a thousand times, Main: Yeah. Chops: but there was a van parked on the left because they drive on the left and so it was like they're doing the UK. said, was a surprise. It almost seemed weird to be riding. Main: Hmm. Yeah. Chops: on the correct side of the road in foreign country. Main: Thank Chops: So straight away you're a bit like, this is something weird here, what's going on? Anyway, there's this Main: Hmm. Chops: van parked on the left. Didn't know if the guy was in it or not. So we're doing about 50 KPH, think, about 30, maybe more than that. Maybe more like 50 miles an hour, actually. think it's 50 miles an hour-ish. Just coming on the throttle, just sort of coming off the throttle because there's this van here. But went wide in case the door flung open or something. Anyway, I went across the side of the road. Grace Webb was in front of me and I saw she hit some sort of pothole in the road and she got fired out of the seat and I saw she landed again and I was like, oh God, no way I can avoid it. I'm going to hit it. Main: Yeah. Chops: I just sort of come off the throttle, didn't pull the brakes or anything, but just, I'm just going to coast over it. Main: Yeah. Chops: The front of the bike rode over it, no problems. But then the rear just kicked like that and I was basically shot out of the seat, landed on the handlebars, like around my waist, the handlebars around my waist. And I remember thinking, I think I got this. Main: Yeah! Chops: I seemed to be on the bars for ages and I thought, I need to scrub off some speed. So I remember reaching for the front brake and starting to slow very gently, scrub off a bit of speed while I'm laying on the handlebars thinking, I might have this here. And then all of sudden it started Main: Yeah. Chops: to do this business and I went over the handlebars and the bike hit me in the side, the front tire hit me in the side. Obviously went tumbling and... Main: Yeah. Chops: Yeah, and then couldn't breathe. Obviously you're like, you know, you came around and you sat on the ground thinking, am I right? Am I right? Or while I'm Main: Yeah. Chops: riding the handlebars, I'm thinking, this is going to really hurt in a minute. You know, and it all happened so slowly. I've got it all on video. Main: Yeah. Chops: So, you know, that seemed at least five seconds. It was two seconds. Main: Yeah. Chops: So yeah, I come around and everyone comes running over. You're all right. You're all right. And I'm thinking, am I right? I was really worried about my back because I suffer from a bad back. I've got... degenerative disc disorder, so I quite often put my back out. So thought Main: in. Chops: I've definitely screwed my back up here because I've just been fired out Main: Thanks. Chops: of the seat. But I'm saying I had this funny pain, well, it wasn't that funny, but pain in my chest thinking, that hurts. I a few little road rash things, but because of the adrenaline's flow and you think I don't know if I'm hurt or not because I don't think I'll be, if I could look down and my leg was hanging off, I wouldn't feel any different, you know. Main: Yeah. Chops: So I sat, I got my breath, a lot of people came over, know, take your time, take your time. helped me to the feet and I was really lucky because the bike where it had come to a stop there was a gap in the armco like there's a cliff edge here more or less and if I'd carried on 10 feet to the right I'd have been through this gap in the armco and gone Main: Wow. Chops: plunging straight over the edge so the fact that I didn't keep riding the bike on the handlebars was probably a good thing in the end because I might have just gone straight down down that bloody ravine you know so but yeah Main: Yeah. Chops: it's You know, I've heard myself on bikes before. As soon as you hit the tarmac, you think, I remember this feeling. You know, I remember this feeling. But yeah, Main: Yeah. Chops: so that was it. So, and then basically, am I right? I've got a pain. And then I said, do want to jump in the van? Let's jump in the van for now and see how you feel. We go up to get the first photo shoot. They put the bike in the van, obviously as well. The bike was, the good view was the bike crashes very well. So the bike wasn't too bad. It was actually back out again the next day. They turned it around and got it out again. So when I was in the van and all of a sudden I'm thinking, oh, this is not right. This is really starting to hurt now. And the guy I spoke to later said, you went as white as a sheet. One minute you were talking, minute he said, I just went white as a sheet. And I said, I think I better go to the hospital because it just was getting worse, this sort of pain. Main: Yeah. Chops: Anyway, yeah, so I went to the hospital and they said, I've got seven broken ribs. I was like, I can't possibly have seven broken ribs. So then of course, because you're a cyclist, Main: Yeah, scary moment. Chops: you said you can't fly for a month. I'm like, I'm going be going home tomorrow. I I mean, I can't fly for a month. So I said, and then I said, you've got to stay in overnight. Because also, they said, you have to pay for the hospitals here. You can't use your global health card or anything. You're going to be chargeable for this. So I'm thinking, oh, god, how much is this hospital going to cost me? You know what I mean? Main: Yeah. Chops: Yeah, was all, but the worst thing about it all was, because I've got this live 360 on my phone, the Mrs. sort of knows where I am, because she really worries when I'm out, so she can see I'm going along, I'm happy. But on Main: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Chops: the way to the hospital, I'm like, I can't let her look at it and see I'm at the hospital. So I thought I'm going to have to call her and tell her something's happened. Main: you Chops: Because obviously I was playing it down, I wouldn't have told her at all if it hadn't been nothing serious, you know. But I thought... Main: Yeah. You think you would have known after a month, He's Chops: She might have caught on, yeah, she might have caught on. Main: liking Cyprus a bit too much. Did you Chops: Yeah. Main: try and just say to her, how would you fancy a holiday in Cyprus for a few weeks? don't you come on here? is it? Wow. Chops: That's basically what happened. Yeah, that's basically what happened. Yeah. Main: Well, we're pleased that you will. And are you fully recovered now? Chops: Yes, yes, but it's, I'm fully recovered now, yeah. I honestly thought, you know, those first couple of weeks, the first couple of weeks in Cyprus when you can't sleep, it's absolute agony, you know. I Main: Yeah. Chops: caught a cold three days after breaking my ribs as well, so that was like, oh, that's marvelous. So I had a cold, which I think helped again, because it helped you, you to sort of use your chest and, because that's one thing they're worried about, you know, having fluid on your chest, you couldn't fly if you had anything like that, so you had to be really careful. But yeah, was the first couple of weeks was awful. Then we came back to the UK, was still, first three weeks was agony and then every day you thought, I'm a little bit better today, I'm a little bit better today, I'm a little bit better today, until you were okay. Main: So would you like, when can I get back on my bike? When can I get back on my bike? Chops: Yeah, I was a bit and I did ride before I was fully healed and I just thought, don't come off, don't come off now. know, just the thought of coming Main: Thank you. Chops: off when you weren't healed properly was awful. And that first ride I had to put on the kit I crashed in, because all the gear held up really well. So I put on the same trousers, putting the same boots on thinking, last time I ripped these off was in hospital, you know, and was just, so that was a bit of PTSD and I thought, hmm. Main: Yeah. Chops: So those first couple of rides were a bit tentative. And I had to really ride, I probably wouldn't, but I needed to get out and do that. Main: Yeah. Chops: But then, yeah, a few more weeks went by and it got better. And then now I'm 100%, wouldn't know it happened. The only problem Main: Good, thank you. Chops: was I put a bit of weight on because I just sat about, nothing you can do, just eating, watching the telly more or less for three weeks, you know. So edited. Main: Yeah. Yeah. Editing. Yeah. Chops: I'd no bloody videos to edit so I was like, come off the bloody edit here, you know. Main: Can I ask about Cyprus then? Would you go back and ride in Cyprus again? Chops: Ow. Main: Well, just when you mentioned about the PTSD there and I'm just, yeah. Yeah. Chops: Probably not. We might go back for holiday with the misses, because we did really like Cyprus, but I've now got no desire to ride there again, I don't think. Main: Yeah, understandable. There are better places. Yeah. Chops: Yeah, it's not great. It's not that great for a rising one. Main: There's Wales and there's the North East of England where you're always welcome. Chops: Yes. Main: no, it's good to hear that you're okay and you're back on the bikes and which, you've got that kind of passion then you do, don't you? Chops: Yeah, I was a bit worried, you you think, am I going to be a bit too careful? Am just going to ride around if we're at 10 miles an hour now? You know, but Main: Yeah. Chops: yeah, was a little bit, couple of rides, but then I just got into it and it's as if it didn't happen now. So yeah, Main: Hmm. Chops: fantastic. Main: Just looking at sort of your motorcycle opinions then, John, because obviously you're very experienced, you probably rode a lot of bikes, but you mentioned some of your hatred of scramblers with knobbly tyres. I looked at that and I thought, what's he going with that? Chops: I was really struggling to think what to put for that one. What was the question again? What bike do you to noise you with? Main: Explain your hatred of scramblers with novelty tires that never leave the road. Just Chops: Hahaha! Main: like a GS right? Chops: Now, I really struggled to think of something which I really got my go. So that was like, it's not, yeah, it does a bit. know, people who just have the look of a knobbly tyre, just... hey but I'm not here to tell anyone can do whatever they want to do right you know so if you want that and it makes you happy do it you know you're not going to get any objections from me but yeah to try and think of something that was probably the only one then why compromise Main: But you wouldn't. Chops: your safety because you are really on the road for a Main: Thank Chops: look so I guess I could never advise anyone to compromise their safety for having a certain look to a bike so it's the man with tiny little wing mirrors on his bike Main: So if a bike manufacturer approaches with big knobbly tires, you're not going to turn it down. Chops: Well no, yeah, exactly, yeah. Yeah, it's a brilliant bike. those tyres are fantastic. What a great choice. Main: the Pyrenees ride with Wumble sounds incredible. Why does that sound Chops: Pyrenees, yes, yes, yes. Yeah, Main: loud? Chops: So. I really wanted to go touring on some bikes. I wanted to ride through the Pyrenees. I wanted to do that. And without, you know, take me own bike. It's all very well going on these launches. They get you there and back. You'll spend a day riding. Half of that taking photos and doing videos and selfies. But I wanted to Main: Yeah. Chops: go and do some miles, the mountains, you know. And so we thought, I know what, let's do a bit of a video series on his Toronto, my Super Duke. again, this was the time when... It was getting semi-serious, so I contacted P &O. I can't think who does the ferry down to Santander. P &O? Maybe not P &O. Santander? I don't know. But I contacted the ferry company and said, I've got a YouTube channel. I'd also done a little bit of work with performance bikes at this point in the magazine. I was a contributor to performance bikes for about eight months or so until they went under. So I knew some contacts. So I'd got some contacts from those guys. So I contacted the ferry company and said, look, there's about a grand for like a cabin down to Santander. Managed to blag that, nice one. So we had a free trip down to Saint-Hon-Dame. We thought, we'll ride back. So we ride across the Pyrenees. We come up through France. We go to Baden-Baden, do the B500, and then Main: Love it. Chops: ride home. This is about four days. So we gave ourselves four days to do this. I think we got to Bilbao, I think we came into. The ferry was late. We were an hour behind. Come off of the ferry, starts tipping with rain. This is great. We were staying in France, we were going back up into France, which I think it was about 150 miles. We thought, yeah, it'd be fine, 150 miles. Anyway, we got there about one o'clock in the morning to this place. The second day, we had about 500 miles to do. So all across the Pyrenees, then up to Baden-Baden. It was from the West Coast Pyrenees to Baden-Baden in Germany. That was our Main: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Chops: day. But we weren't going to go direct. We wanted to go all the way along the Pyrenees and then go up. So we spent all day, a fantastic day, going around the Pyrenees on the super tubes, one of the best days ever. About six o'clock at night, getting rather sore arses by this time, for the riding, I used to do that. We Main: Yeah. Chops: pulled over, thought, outside this hotel and thought, you we could just check in there but we couldn't because we had another 500 miles to the next day so if we did 750 miles to the next day if we did that check the sat nav it was 6 p.m. another 300 miles until we arrived at the at the Main: no. Chops: lodgings for the evening we arrived there at 1 p.m. at night and then had to you know another 500 miles to the next day so this is sounding horrific at this stage isn't it but because you Main: Yeah. Chops: went through that and don't know, it's just a bit of an endurance thing as much as anything. I've got really fond memories about it and I'm tackling Main: Yeah. Chops: something exactly the same in two weeks' time. We're riding Main: wow. Chops: down to Mizzano in Italy in four days and back Main: Thank you. Chops: for the World Ducati Week. So we're taking three Ducatis, me, Adam and Womble, ride into Mizzano. So we're going on the Friday, bad and bad in for the first night. Then Main: Nice. Chops: Italy for the second night, so we'll be doing across through Switzerland. through the Alps but again 500 mile days spending the Sunday at Mazzano the circuit and then same on the way back on Monday Tuesday so yeah Main: Yeah. Chops: really looking forward to it. Main: think they've spoiled to be 500? No. Chops: Absolutely ruined it. I went there a couple of years ago after the trip we did with Womble which we had loads of fun on it. Main: Yeah. Yeah. Chops: 30 mile an speed limits everywhere, it? All across this racetrack Main: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Chops: basically is a 30 mile an speed limit. It's absolutely ruined. Everyone says if you come off the actual B500 you better find in one of the local digital's good. The road's off of it now which haven't got the same city speed limit and Main: Is it somewhere you've not ridden John that you'd love to go and try out? Chops: There is, but again it comes back to being able to go away for... Main: I know. Chops: I'd love to do sort of Ride Across America, know, Route 66, some Harley's Main: Yeah. Chops: with some mates and it's probably really boring because it's just about a straight line, red hot, Main: Ha ha ha. Chops: dusty, it's probably awful, but just the thought of Main: you Chops: it, it sounds cool, doesn't it? It sounds cool. Main: It does. does. A few people mentioned that, don't they? think Ed was saying Chops: Yeah. Main: he wants to ride across there and I think he wants end up Las Vegas and he likes Las Vegas. Chops: Yeah, a small point, isn't it? Any excuse to go to Las Vegas? Well, actually, saying that, you you said you asked me question earlier on, it must be nice when you get manufacturers reaching out to you. Well, Main: Yeah. Chops: Harley-Davidson reached out to me today. I've never had any dealings with Main: no. Chops: Harley. Today I get an email from their PR team saying, we want to work with you. What bikes do you want to ride? I said, well, that happens. Route 66. Can you make that happen? But the missus doesn't have to be on the back. Main: so let's get on the quick fire because I know if you're good at these same, hey, John. Come on, you need me a cup of tea. get off that in our podcast. Chops: You Main: So John, if you've had an opportunity to watch any of the pods, you'll realize that these, we say they're quick fire, but they go on for about three hours. So I apologize Chops: You Main: for that now, but if money was no object, what bike would you buy? And you've teased us little bit already this evening. Chops: Yeah, I would buy now money no object. Probably the RC Honda MotoGP bike they released. They're like the 300 grand to a 50 grand. I can't really see it, the RC V13, I don't know, whatever it is. If it's a 90 no object, it'd be one of those. But one thing which is sort of affordable that I'd really like is a Yamaha RD500. a four pot two stroke, that's what I really want. But I've left Main: Yeah. Chops: it too late, they're all too much money now and I'm not willing to spend that much money on a bike which I know I'm never gonna have the ride, so yeah. Main: I'm trying to think of as one of those in some, it'll be one in the National Motorcycle Music. Yeah. Chops: Oh, I've never ridden one. That's the dream bike. That's the bike. That's one of the bikes I really want to ride. Because if my uncle had one, he's dead now, but he had one for years. I remember him coming around my house and I saw it and I was like, I had my Main: There must be some... Chops: little DT50 at the time or something. RD500, you know. Main: There must be some people watching tonight. Come on, somebody make this happen. Chops: Yeah, I'd love to ride one again. I did ride an RG 500, which is similar to the Suzuki version. And Main: Yeah. Chops: the one I rode, a guy, it was a subscriber and he was like, you can ride it. And it was tuned, and that was a mate, the sound of it was incredible. Main: Yeah. Yeah. Chops: So, yeah. Main: I think I know the answer to this, but I just want you to say it loud pipes. Yes or no. Chops: Ooh, it depends how loud. I'm not a fan of really loud exhausts. Main: I Chops: Like you get the lads on the 125s with a bean tin on the end. I think Main: Yeah. Chops: if it's so loud, you have to wear earplugs because the bikes are loud. It's too Main: Yeah. Chops: loud. It's too loud. Main: Yeah. We've tried it with with Scott renders. Yeah, yeah. Chops: We've all done it. We've all done it. I've done it. You know, it's time yet. It's time yet, Andrew. It's time yet. Main: I don't know if we're the exhaust off, Jon, so probably not. Chops: I think I've got an old bean tin that might fit your bike when you come down next time. Main: When I come down put it on. So I've got one for you. Who is your motorcycling hero? Chops: Ooh, think, that's a very good question, isn't it? I think Mark Marquez, that's a really sort of boring answer, but I'm more of a Mark Marquez fan than a Rossi fan. Rossi did most of his stuff in that 10 years, I didn't have a bike. So I missed all the Rossi classic, because that was when I didn't have a bike and I wasn't watching. So Marquez was when I sort of started watching MotoGP and I've watched it ever since. Yeah, I think he's just something absolutely special. what he's gone through with his injuries, the passion he's got for doing it. He doesn't need the money, let's be honest, he doesn't need the money, he's doing it just because he's got that passion to be the best and yeah, that's, I think Mark Marquez. Yeah. Main: Yeah, he's extraordinary. He really is. What a super, super rider. So, John, favourite motorcycle accessory? Chops: apart from a fantastic app, apart from a fantastic app. probably a tail tidy, think, is the, every bike needs a There's not many bikes don't need a tail tidy. So I think tail tidy. After a fantastic Main: Mm-hmm. Chops: navigation stroke safety app, course. Main: Yes. What's it called? And sports bike or supermoto. Chops: god, these are good ones. Main: Hahaha. Chops: It depends where you're going to be riding it. Main: Hahaha. Chops: It's never a straightforward answer with bikes. That's the problem. There's different bikes with different things, isn't it? So it's really, really difficult. I'd probably say at my age, supermoto out of the two. Main: Yeah, yeah, and it's probably fortunate as well to have a garage the size of yours, John, where you can have a few bikes and a few different bikes. Chops: Exactly. You always said you need five bikes at a minimum. You need Main: Yes. Chops: an off-road bike. I need six bikes at a minimum. Yeah, and the ones I've got. Main: Yeah. we'll wrap up on one final question then, John. One bike you'll never sell. Chops: Oh, never say never. I don't Main: Yeah. Chops: think I could got a bike I could say I'd never sell. I sold that Fireblade which I spent 10 years working on. Main: Mm-hmm. Chops: So I know I can sell that. So I know I can sell anything. Main: Depends what's in the showroom next. Chops: It does. It depends what someone's willing to give you as well, doesn't it? No, it's probably if I had to pick one which would be right down the list of the ones I really didn't want to Main: Yeah. Chops: it would be probably, I don't know, might get rid that as well. Yeah, at the moment it's a Super Duke, I love it. I've got no plans whatsoever to get rid of that bike. Main: Yeah. Yeah. is there something that you want the viewers to know that you're working on next that you're really excited for people to see? Is there something coming? Chops: It's probably that Mizano trip I mentioned where we're going over the Alps and we know it's going to be tough. So Main: Thanks. Chops: we've all bought padded underpants. We've got sheepskin seat covers to go to because I suffer with a sore ass at the best of times. And recently it's been really bad. I spent a day riding the Super Duke and the 990 Duke, two days back to back, about 10 hours Main: you Chops: over two days. when it was really hot and sticky and horrible. Like 34 degrees, I was out having to ride up the A34 and my arse is in tatters. It was like, Main: The hell? Yeah. Chops: a week for my arse to stop being sore. So I'm really a little bit worried about how I'm gonna get on with this trip. Main: Yeah. So, well, I think on that note, you asked really, so I think what we'll do is Chops: You Main: we'll wrap it up there. And honestly, I've enjoyed having you on show, John. mean, you are a legend. We all know that. And you're a great guy. We all love you. And we cannot wait to where, I mean, so many road trips we're going to have to do, like, we're going to, you know, all Chops: Yeah. Yeah. Main: we're going to be doing is that. But there you go. But no, honestly, on behalf of us all, really thank you for coming on the show. And if anyone else is watching, which it will be. Don't forget to like, subscribe, add a comment. I always forget that. And hi, I don't even know what that means, but thank you. Chops: And hype, don't forget hype, for hype, yeah. Main: But no, genuinely, genuinely thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come on the show. And we very much look forward to seeing you very soon, John, very soon. Yeah, excellent. Chops: Thank you. Thank you. I've had a really, really good time. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Main: Thanks, John, Chops: Cheers guys.