‘A real insight into the way Rossi thinks’
MCN Editor, Richard Newland, talks about how the completely immersive nature of bikes saved his soul
Valentino Rossi has dominated the MotoGP headlines for two decades – usually for his titlewinning dominance, but more recently for his slide towards inevitable retirement. He’s been written off more times than a banger racer and come back more frequently than a phoenix with a penchant for playing with matches. But what he rarely does is give frank interviews that reveal his true thoughts on his personal battle with time, his motivation to race, family relationships or his new deal to be a MotoGP team owner. He does all that in his interview with us this week – see page 42.
Also new this week is our partnership with CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) and Royal Enfield. You might think that’s an odd thing for MCN to be supporting, but suicide is now the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and 75% of all suicides are male. The statistics match the average UK biker so closely that we felt compelled to support the campaign. Biking is a life-affirming joy, but it doesn’t have all the answers – sometimes we all need a little help. CALM can give it,
Health is a multi-billion pound business. Whether we’re being sold magic potions to kill the germs in our toilets or washing machines, or being saved from Covid by incredible vaccine-inventing scientists, our physical health is something we’re bombarded about 24/7. But serious taboos still exist when we talk about mental health. Not long ago I would’ve struggled to even relate mental health concerns to my own life. Stress was just something that you deal with; bad days were just something that happen; depression or feelings of worthlessness just jarring potholes along the highway of life. But the reason none of these things felt extraordinary to me was that I’d been processing them all my life, self-medicating with motorcycles, and taking great strength from lifelong friends, family and exceptional colleagues. Perhaps ironically, it’s the current threat to our physical health that’s opened my eyes to the power of these influences on my own mental wellbeing. Not being able to ride bikes every day has hit me hard – while being unable to see family and friends and working in isolation at home have added further pressure. But time in my workshop tinkering with projects has been hugely cathartic and every single time I press the starter button on one of my bikes and nose out onto the road it’s like jumping on a time machine. I feel all the thrill and privilege of riding bikes with the same euphoric fervour I first felt as a kid. It’s medicine to my soul, the soap with which I wash away the stress and doubts of life. I’m lucky to have it – and to have people to talk to. Not everyone does. And the biggest group of people who reach rock bottom and choose the most final solution available are middle-aged men: your average UK biker.
If you’re struggling, please know that you are not alone – there is a positive way forward. The first step is calling CALM.