In a world of instant communication via the social networks, it has become a common sight when a tragedy happens that there are great outpourings of grief. This comes from many sources and mainly from people whose only contact is via watching a sport on TV or listening to a CD. But recent events on a BMW launch in South Africa have seen tributes pour in from people who knew him, worked with him and top dogs in the industry who knew how skilled a writer, rider and commentator he was. Never frightened to have a pop at “the man” or hold back on matters affecting the future of our industry or the effects legislation and myopic opinions from outside our little club will affect our sport, hobby or if lucky enough, our work.

This is not a about someone we knew personally but about CAP reaction to the sad news. Like most people I start the MCN at the back and read the sport news. Then continue from the front, sometimes flicking through the articles looking for what interests me, but always reading his column for his opinions, sometimes using seeds of his thoughts to expand on with our opinion and include in the monthly Green Book editorial. The technical insight he passed on was for me un-missable. His website was on my favourite’s bar.

There was a copy of MCN on my desk that I was dipping in and out of while waiting for IT processes to do their thing, flicking through I stopped at his column for later to give it my full attention as the early news started to filter onto Twitter. That cold feeling. Within minutes our “top dog” was passing my desk at a pace quicker than normal, obviously on very important CEO things, I mentioned what had happened and it stopped him in his tracks and we exchanged complimentary words about the quality of his work, the sad events and the loss to motorcycling. Amongst a few at CAP who are riders, this was the typical reaction.

Kevin Ash. Rider and sad loss.

By Alan Elsworth

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