Meet our R&D Director Steven Gourlay

Hey! I’m Steven Gourlay, Ultimateaddons R&D Director 

Where to start?

Well I’ve loved motorcycles since i was a kid, my mum can vouch for that as i begged her to let me get one but was never allowed.  I only got round to doing my CBT when i was 21, i was sick of trains being cancelled or delayed and was a quick and cheaper way to commute when i lived in Glasgow.  

I booked my CBT and what can i say i was not a natural, cant remember the last time a rode a bicycle, i was all over the place but i have to admit i was not as bad as some :-).  CBT passed i bought a 125 Honda Varadero to commute, it was a good bike a big bike for a 125, im 6ft 4 and the wee Honda CGs i look like donkey kong.  

Had a couple of accidents on the 125, one was my own fault the other two were not.  First one was i was ridding in really heavy rain, heading to Partick when approaching a round about i seen the van go towards the roundabout then the next time i looked he had stopped, i hit the brakes landed half on the kerb and have on the road and ended up underneath the van, broken ribs :-(. 

Got rear ended while waiting at a red light, and then got t-boned by a taxi doing a u-turn.  

My 125 Honda Varadero (Glasgow)

 
I booked my DAS course through Ride on Motorcycles in Glasgow as i wanted to get a bigger bike, i failed my first two tests, down to nerves but passed 3rd time.  

I hunted around for a good first big bike and then opted for the Honda CBR 600FY, a great bike that done me well. 

My Honda CBR 600FY (Ullapool)

 
I then traded the CBR in and went for something a bit more nuts a 2005 Kawasaki ZX10R which i loved, but being 6ft 4 and not exactly an athlete build the bike hurt, hurt a lot.  I used to walk like John Wayne even after 1 hour of riding it was time for a change. 

My Kawsaki ZX10R (Corrieshalloch Gorge)

 I got a shot of a friends Husky Supermoto and it felt like much more fun to ride on the roads so decided to try that style of bike but a bit bigger engine for the roads up in the highlands. 

My KTM 990SM  (Stoer Lighthouse)

After having the KTM 990SM for over 8 years and loving it, i thought it was time for a change so i decided to trade it in and get the KTM 1290 SDR.  So in November 2017 i bought the bike and only really got out on a run on it in February due to the beast from the east....  

My KTM 1290 Superduke R (Kylesku)