Guess I'll just post it here and it can be moved if not appropriate. Horrible news this morning. Kevin Ash, formerly of MCN and recently Motorcycle Editor for the London Telegraph and operator of the best motorcycle enthusiast website ever, Ashonikes.com was killed yesterday while participating in the press release of the new water cooled BMW 1200GS in South Africa. Having read and strongly respected Kevins comments and gentle approach to all he interfaced with, never condescending or rude to new riders or less experienced ones for example, I will am deeply saddened and in mild shock. If you have never been, check out enthusiast web discussion and reviews at their best at Ashonbikes.com

* Last updated by: Jagman on 1/25/2013 @ 10:43 AM *

Saw this on another site a couple of days ago. Never read his stuff, but he sounds like he was a good dude and a rabid rider. My first reaction was 'At least he died doing what he loved" but one of his daughters posted something on his website saying she wanted to stamp that out, that he loved his family, blah, blah, I'm sure he did, but he wasn't curing cancer or sending rockets to Mars, he was test-riding bikes and reviewing them. Better to go like that than laying around the house waiting for the end to come. Wherever he is now, I hope for his sake there's bikes to ride.

Better to go like that than laying around the house waiting for the end to come.

As for myself, I'm not looking for a way out any quicker than it comes. However if it comes any time now after 47 years, I don't feel that I have anything left undone. since I'm still here, I do plan to do a lot of things I never did on my bikes and own more of them, too. If my life ends or I am permanently disabled because of my interest in motorcycling, I have accepted that possibility years ago. I love my family too but I am going to die when God is ready for me and it matters not if it be on a bike or from a slow, debilitating decline in my health.

I have been a fit and usually fairly trim person all my life and even an avid runner and weight lifter. Now I have high blood pressure and take medication for it. I would much rather have my body destroyed in a crash than suffer a series of strokes that eventually render me a vegetable. ...but like I said, I don't go looking for a faster way out than the Lord has planned for me.

Sad news indeed.

As for myself, I'm not looking for a way out any quicker than it comes. However if it comes any time now after 47 years, I don't feel that I have anything left undone. since I'm still here, I do plan to do a lot of things I never did on my bikes and own more of them, too. If my life ends or I am permanently disabled because of my interest in motorcycling, I have accepted that possibility years ago.

I would much rather have my body destroyed in a crash than suffer a series of strokes that eventually render me a vegetable

When I was younger I used to think and question my own mortality. I started riding bikes when I was in high school, and for reasons not easy to explain, in 1994 I took a 18 year hiatus from motorcycles. About two and a half years ago one of my best childhood friends from my motorcycle days suffered a stroke and almost died. At the end of 2011 I went home to visit family overseas, and stopped by his house. That is him on this picture and his old trusty Triumph Bonneville. After the stroke, he is a shadow of the man he used to be. Two days after I returned from that trip, my sister called and said my stepbrother (we were the same age) died of a heart attack in his sleep. After my stepbrother died something clicked inside me, and that triggered me to fall off the wagon and buy the ZX-14. Like Danno said, "better to go like that (riding fast) than laying around the house waiting for the end to come."

Kofla

NINJA ZX-14 MotoVlog

Kolfa, looks like you haven't changed much. Keep living life to its fullest, mon frere.

Kolfa, looks like you haven't changed much.

Lol, I have. I am trying to find a "Blast from the Past" thread to post a couple of old pictures.

Kofla

NINJA ZX-14 MotoVlog

Yep, I agree plus I rather do some harm to myself than getting run over while walking the doggy. I could forgive myself, but I don't think I would be able to forgive somebody else, I'll just die of hanger etc.

Another fallen soldier... it's sad news but what can we do but have fun on our machines and work on improving our skills and understand ourselves better. On a smaller note, I high sided the 14 this am but this is not the place to talk about that. I will make a thread!

I high sided the 14 this am but this is not the place to talk about that. I will make a thread!

https://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=72CB5EF9-D56B-84E2-1778578D8B1D12CE

* Last updated by: Rook on 1/26/2013 @ 4:48 PM *