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2026 CFMoto 1000MT-X

Alan Dowds

Alan Dowds

Alan Dowds has been writing about motorcycles since 1994, when he launched his own Scottish bike magazine in Glasgow. Next stop was Motorcycle News in 1997, where he spent two years in the newsprint mines before slacking off to an easy life on glossy monthly motorcycle magazines: first at RiDE in Peterborough as road test editor, then SuperBike in Croydon as deputy editor. After a decade at the latter, Alan went freelance in 2011, writing for a wide range of bike magazines, including SuperBike, Fast Bikes, Classic Motorcycle Mechanics and Motorcycle Sport and Leisure, as well as major websites like Visordown, DriveTribe and FastBikesMag.com. He has also written several books on motorcycles, including BMW Motorcycles – 100 years, Superbikes: Street Racers Design and Technology, Superbikes: the World’s Greatest Bikes, Classic Superbikes and Cool Wheels – Superbikes. Al’s ridden everything from Hondas RC211V V5 MotoGP bike through MotoE racers, WSBK machines and classic TT racebikes, to electric commuters. He can even spin a spanner when needed. His current project garage includes a restored 1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer, and a turbocharged 1997 Kawasaki ZRX1100, complete with Öhlins suspension and Rotobox carbon-fibre wheels. It’s been proven by science that he’s more Scottish than anyone you know. Despite that, he lives openly in London with his wife, kids and cats – and he still loves writing about motorcycles.

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