Full Chat podcast: Baron Von Grumble on why manufacturers add EU safety systems to bikes
Journalist and YouTuber Baron Von Grumble joins hosts David Prutton and Iwan Thomas on motorcycling podcast Full Chat to discuss his career.
The motorcycle influencer, whose real name is Chris Eades, is better known by his internet stage name Von Grumble and has built up a cult following of fellow riders and bike enthusiasts from around the world.
He spoke to the boys about how he reviews motorcycles for some of the world’s biggest brands and his burgeoning YouTube channel.
Von Grumble details how riding made him feel after passing his test
During the episode, Von Grumble explained how his love for bikes began and the complications manufacturers have when making new bikes.
“All of the premium brands, nobody makes a bad bike anymore,” he declared. “They’re all fantastic. All of the top-tier brands make amazing bikes.
“Most of the ‘problems’ with modern motorcycles are restrictions, EU (European Union) safety features and ABS (anti-lock braking systems) systems.
“We were doing a track day at Castle Combe, and the amount of danger that those ‘safety systems’ put into a motorcycle is quite high.
“But the manufacturers have to conform; they have to do it. It’s the same with everything. A new bike will come out and it’ll have a whacking great exhaust on it and a lot of the consumers are like ‘oh that exhaust’s disgusting, why would you put that on it?’ Well, they have to.
“They’re in a situation where they totally understand that the consumer may want that more organic feel, but because of emissions, you’ve got all this stuff going on inside the airbox and all of this stuff that you cannot do with a manual throttle for example.”
Thomas was also keen to know how Von Grumble felt initially after passing his test all those years ago. “To me it was life-changing because my life then went down a route which I had never even conceived of before, and led me to some amazing experiences,” he answered.
“When you first get out there on the road, and you realise all the things that make motorcycling great, it’s things you can’t pick up on when you’re in a car.
“You’ll go through a little wooded area and the temperature drops. Or you’ll smell the fields you’re riding through. You’re so connected to the environment, and realising that on the first few rides, you realise this is for me.”
Plenty more episodes of Full Chat to enjoy
Series four is off and running, but we’ve got a host of episodes for you to listen to if you’ve missed the previous three series of our motorcycling podcast.
You can listen to Full Chat on Spotify, Apple, YouTube or various other platforms if you want to see what all the fuss is about.
