I’ve been crazy busy like usual but that’s no excuse! I’ve been in Physio a lot with Isla and the hyperbaric chamber over in the Isle of man along with the final stage of living with my trainer up in Newark which was to iron out some of the aches and pains that I get from testing….Oh yeah I’m riding a bike again. Most you will already know that but we had a pure test at Snetterton before heading to Bol D’or and then Cadwell park to adjust some chassis issues.

The leg is working really well on the bike which is the best way round to be but the down side is everyone watches me waddling around and thinks its worse that is. I can race which is all I care about and don’t need to walk good for now.

I’ve had great feedback from the Racer17 app so can’t thank you all enough for all your support and downloading it. I promise to keep you all updated more now we have the app out! Also a big thanks to my brother who built and designed it. We have an update coming around the TT races also a new blog gallery specifically for the app.

I popped down to Brands Hatch for the start of the British Superbikes on Sunday which was nice to meet and see everyone! This will be my first season out of it since the start of my racing but it’s easier to sit on the side when is wet and cold like it was!

I stayed after Brands as next morning the team gathered and we headed into Paris for the Motul press launch for a few hours before continuing on down to the circuit. It’s was nice to meet Honda Europe and the Motul people as most will be at the race.

Testing has all gone well with me being the fastest out the team. I’m currently sat in the truck at Magny Cours after final qualifying. I was p1 and p2 in my session which would of put us 6th overall but my time doesn’t count as I’m the fourth rider. Our rider line up will be announced in the morning so it’s going to be a long night as I want to achieve completing a 24hr race. Hanging out with Plater and Steve Martin they take great delight in telling me it’s complete hell and like nothing I’ve done before with the pain a sleep deprivation let alone the scheduled rain and cold temperatures that are being predicted!

Right I’m off for some physio and back to the hotel for a hot bath! I’ve got a 40hr day of racing tomorrow if I get picked!!!….oh shit!

Have fun
X

This month has be strange! It began at the MCN Excel show down in london which is a good show and a little less manic than the NEC. On the friday Honda released their rider line up for the world which included the TT Legends. After doing some BSB press shows the evening was spent speaking to everyone about the deal which all went well. A few days later to my surprise I received a call from the team releasing me from my contract. We still talk and get on well so maybe we will do something later in the year or next season as would be great to do some BSB races with these rule changes and beat Haga.

PSI leathers came to mine the following week to finalise leather specs. I’ve not used PSI since riding for Jentin Yamaha. The leathers were good before but the technology in these new ones since PSI entered motogp are amazing with great attention to detail so I will have some great looking suits coming soon.

The next day I was invited to drive a couple of Aston Martin v8’s I had a good few hours with manual and sport shift. These new v8 engines rev really high which took some getting used to as so different to using the punch off a turbo. Great day.

Last week was a friends birthday so we organised dinner for 18 of us in a nice restaurant/late bar in Birmingham followed with after party. We eventually arrived in style after I had been for a play in my friends Maserati Grand Tourismo5 with the birthday boy. The evening was a great success I even managed to be the last one to leave the afterparty at 6.30am! Normally I sneak off shattered early but had an easy day arranging everyone and wasn’t drinking much as chatting to new guests along with driving next day and didn’t want to feel rubbish for the drive home….tactical orange juice.

Training has been going really well up at UTC, M10 Fitness and since weight lifting with the leg my whole body has transformed with the way I walk. Three days ago the cage came off and the swelling has reduced so much you wouldn’t recognise the leg from previous! I’m now flatout race training and heading to Isla Scotts who has sponsored the Physio and rehab of my leg which is a massive help as she is one of the very best Physiotherapists. Il also be using the hyperbaric chamber, Joey Dunlop foundation providing accommodation and a big thanks to IOM for getting me over and helping me get a few laps in at the same time! Amazing people all wanting to help me back to racing which I can’t thank enough!

I’ve got a few weeks training now before my first Honda test which is the end of March. I also have a meeting with Ron Haslem race school and for now just like my ex team boss John…lots of short wearing! Hopefully chicks like scars haha

Have fun

Si
Xxx

Honda Motor Europe has revealed a four-strong rider line-up for the Honda TT Legends team as it prepares for an all-important second year of competition in the FIM Endurance World Championship and at selected road racing events. The team will launch its assault on the world’s toughest track and road races aboard the 2012 version of the CBR1000RR Fireblade as Honda celebrates the 20th anniversary of the legendary machine.

Seventeen-times Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness and road racing ace Cameron Donald will remain with the Honda TT Legends for 2012 and will be joined by British Superstock and road racing star Gary Johnson and 2011 fastest TT newcomer Simon Andrews. All four riders will contest the 2012 Endurance World Championship while McGuinness and Andrews will make up a two-man team for the Isle of Man TT and the Northwest 200.

Donald and Johnson will remain in the Honda family at both road racing events, competing for Wilson Craig Honda and Padgetts of Batley respectively. Johnson will also contest the 2012 British Superstock Championship with Honda (UK) Racing.

Neil Tuxworth – team manager

We went into the 2011 EWC as a novice team and it was very much a development year – not just for the riders but for the whole crew. Honda was keen to showcase the Fireblade in a different environment to that of short circuit racing – the festival-type atmosphere enjoyed by thousands of fans at the Isle of Man TT and the 24hr endurance races has to be experienced to be believed! We had a good first year, but now the focus is on improvement with the ultimate goal being the podium. We have the 2012 Combined ABS-equipped Fireblade, two riders with a year of EWC under their belts and two new and enthusiastic riders who can’t wait to get stuck in so we’re very positive about the season ahead. When it to comes to the TT, what better line-up than the fastest man around the course and the 2011 fastest newcomer? It’s going to be an exciting year.

John McGuinness

Last year was definitely a learning year for the team and now it’s time to up our game in EWC. We did a lot of development on the bike last season, particularly at the last couple of rounds with the introduction of Combined ABS. We were knocking on the door of the podium and this year we’ll hopefully go one step further and get up there. We’ve got a great crew and after year one we all know what we’re doing and what the aims are for 2012 so things are looking good. The fact that’s it’s the 20th anniversary of the Fireblade makes it all the more exciting. Each time Honda brings out an updated model it’s a big step forward so I’m looking forward to racing it. I’ve had some of the most memorable career moments on the Fireblade and with any luck we’ll be adding to the list this year.

Simon Andrews

I am genuinely excited about the year ahead. To be asked to join the Honda TT Legends team is a real honour and I can’t wait for the season to get started. I have done a couple of endurance races – one being the Le Mans 24-hour – so I do know what to expect but I’m sure the full championship will be a real challenge. I’m a rider that rides better with miles under my belt, so the endurance side of things will without doubt help with the road racing. To be riding alongside the legend that is John McGuinness at the Isle of Man TT is big business and I’m hoping he’ll have one or two pointers for me! There is no better person to learn from.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a great New Year celebration.

After flying back from the Joey Dunlop Foundation, I landed in London and headed straight to hospital for X-rays… finally good news! A change in my nutrition, training and rehab on the Isle Of Man set the wheels back in motion and the bone was repairing well.

I’m arriving at the seven-month point of having the cage on and even though I’m ahead of most people who have these, I was still cutting it close to being fit to the start of the race season
and Ben,my surgeon, already knew this.

He gave me two options: bone graft or plate and screws. This was a really difficult decision as the graft would take longer to heal with no guarantee it would work but the plate would be me fixed
and no cage but a higher risk of infection which would stop me racing this year! I really wanted the cage off but that was the easy but risky option.

Once the leg was open it looked a lot better than X-ray had shown and I chose the bone graft so that was some more good news!

I came out late Christmas Eve and spent then six days in a lovely but painkiller-induced haze! Somehow I managed to gather myself, along with half of a pharmacy, to watch two good friends Howie and Paula get married on New Year¹s Eve.

I’m apprehensive about going back to training full on until the next X-ray in February which will be my last along with my final blood test the end of this month meaning the treatment for my multiple blood clots has has worked. This almost feels like the end, which is strange after so long.

Monday I’m off to M10 Fitness for a new schedule then next three months of training, working on walking, rehab, race fitness (which is good) and looking forward to getting a little normality back along with focus. I started walking lessons last week again on the antigravity treadmill and some cycling but only to get function and try to get of the crutches.

I’ve finalised all my racing and have some great things coming off this season so really excited and wish I could tell you all but we have to wait! Now I’m also the face of PSI Leathers for the UK which is great as I used their leathers a few seasons ago and were really good.

Now racing is over and the show season begins it gives you time to prepare to see people youve spoken to throughout the season and hopefully tie up a few sponsor deals. The Motorcycle live show is great for that you may seen me crutch passed as fast as possible trying to get to or from stage show, autograph session, photos shoot to business meeting! I was frazzled after the show and still had meetings the following week which finished on the Thursday after with a big 14hr sleep!

It was a good show this year and my time was spent on the TT stand and with Kawasaki. Mad Sunday was mental we had security moving and directing people which I hear was Guy Martin’s fault for being too popular on the previous weekend.

I needed to do a photo for the team launch one early before up in Liverpool so grabbed a lift with Gary this was the first time I’ve been to team HQ….nice cosy set up, great coffee shop and our car didnt get nicked so was a successful trip. I hadn’t seen the boys for a while so nice to catch up after the pics were done.

I’m all set for next year apart from leathers which are becoming rarer every season especially if you need them in full team colours so that will be my task until Christmas along with a new business.

On Saturday I managed to make it the CJ Dinner awards which was great as its black tie! All the guys were black from tuxedos rather than oil. At the last minute…well 10min before I had to it I was asked to present a new award to the BSB medical staff which was great to asked and proud.

I’m currently over in the Isle of Man doing a few laps and getting physio (many thanks) along with seeing Milky’s little pocket rocket machine he’s building….all super secret…

The hardest thing about travelling is eating! Being away and not being able to cook when your eating for injury is frustrating but thankfully to the Joey Dunlop Foundation here on the island I have a lovely apartment to cook in and use as I like which is going to be a massive help financially and health wise as can’t live on restaurant food whilst fixing injuries.

Time for me to crutch like a tool around the supermarket with my basket hanging before heading over to Isla Scotts (physio) then finish off  the lap at the hotel as I only drive the island in race direction due to it freaking me out the other way!

Have fun

After a mental 2 months I final arrived at knockhill for my last week before having a well deserved week off.

The weekend was good fun even with intermittent rain shower we were top 6 every session which was a nice and felt normal to be back around the top teams. With a few big crashed by other riders finishing both races was a result!  We left with 2nd and 1st so as a team were very pleased and as a rider I couldn’t see the fuss with leaving the roads to adapting to short circuit.

I drove straight back after the race and arrived home wired on Madcroc at 4am! I spent the time off recovering catching up with family and friends along with lots of post! For once nothing extreme that’s how shattered I must of been.

I knew it was going to be a slow start to the race season with no testing but knew the later half of the season is the most import as the championship settles. I arrived at Snetterton with a clear goal win or keep beating Glen who was leading the championship.

At the start of lap eight, leading Evo rider Andrews had his sights on his second podium finish of the afternoon, mirroring his P2 and P1 results achieved at Knockhill, just two weeks earlier. Andrews hit an oil patch that was dumped on the track moments earlier sending himself and former PR rider, Steve Brogan, crashing to the ground at one of the fastest turns on the new circuit. The impact was so severe, Simon’s Kawasaki ZX-10R broke in two, hurtling the front-end of his machine over 30 feet in to the air before hitting the ground.

After the red flag incident, team principle, John Jameson commented, “I have just left Simon in the medical centre, where he is awake, but in a lot of pain after sustaining a break to his right leg. After the medics stabilised him, he was taken to hospital, where they will operate. All our thoughts and best wishes are with Simon and his family at this time, and we hope he makes a speedy recovery.”