What next?

2020 has been a year of huge change, but where do we go from here?

So far, 2020 has been a year like no other, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. As I write this, it looks like the UK is finally starting to open up again after the lockdown – shops are trading again, the hospitality industry is welcoming customers back, and even the borders are opening for tourism. Sure, it’s all rather different to how it was before the pandemic changed everything, but it feels like a start of life getting back to something more recognisable, more active, and more fun.

For us motorcyclists this is a big change. Anyone who went for a ride during the lockdown or immediately after the restrictions were lifted will know how strange it felt to ride around on quiet roads, through empty towns, and past boarded-up cafés. Although it was great to ride with so little traffic on the roads, the overall experience wasn’t all that great — you know that things are not right when you can’t find an open chippy in Whitby (see page 83 for the whole story).

For many of us, lockdown was the perfect time to spend some time fettling with our bikes. I wish I had done more with my bike before the roads opened. Instead, I waited until the end of lockdown, wheeled it out ready to hit the road, and discovered a catalogue of problems with it… You can read more about that on page 76.

Anyway, at the moment it feels like we’re almost back to normal. If you go for a ride on a sunny weekend, you will see plenty of bikes around, cafés are open (at least for takeaways), and hotels are available should you wish to go for a longer ride.

Judging by the many messages from our readers, most riders are still staying fairly local, enjoying day rides on roads they know well. This made me wonder whether our riding habits will change for good, and that in turn made me wonder if this ‘new normal of riding’ will have an impact on the popularity of electric bikes… If people are riding shorter distances then maybe the limited range and sometimes long charge times become less of an issue? If that's the case, have a look at the new electric Zero SR/S on page 20.

But whatever the changes to riding that are forced upon us, there are still plenty of people wanting to go for good old-fashioned touring rides — we all know that. The majority of MSL readers enjoy touring either in the UK, Europe or further afield. So, for anyone looking for tips on a new tourer, we tested three sporty ones that could be high on many riders’ wish lists. The full story starts on page 44.

Finally, as the world is slowly becoming more accessible again, we have a look at one of our favourite riding destinations, Morocco, on page 70.

It’s a spectacular country that has dealt well with the pandemic and looks ready to welcome riders very soon. It’s highly recommended!

As we enter this brave new world, I would love to hear how you feel about it all: Has the pandemic changed your attitude to bikes, riding and travel? Let us know how you feel, and what you would like us to put on these pages. It’s your magazine, and we want to make sure you continue to enjoy it after the Covid-19 dust settles.