Just read that. Always a worry when a pro rider like him dies in an accident, especially when the event is organised by BMW.

My least favourite biking journalist. I found his writing style arrogant and very irritating. So much so I would generally read adverts rather than his column

That said, it’s still a shame when these things happen

You would imagine that something very odd must have happened for a guy with his biking experience to be killed riding. Especially on a new bike launch.

Mass migration of Harley riders again-out to get their own back on sports bike riders?

Perhaps our South African correspondent can shed more light?

That's massively sad. A huge loss

I've read so many of his reviews - always seemed even-handed and enthusiastic about the subject.

Sad loss

He has a lovely way with words:

What is your favourite journey?

Crossing the Alps on any number of routes. If anything clarifies why bikes are so much better than cars, it’s this. You experience the journey through the fall in temperature, feeling the chill of the air, the closeness of the edge of the road on perilous corners. You’re always aware of the road surface, you get damp as you ride through the clouds, cold at the peak of the pass, maybe stopping to add warm clothing, then as you descend you feel the warmth returning, the increasing humidity, the smell of the vegetation changing from fresh pine to heavy scented pollen, insects start to hit your visor again. You’ve been involved in a journey and the environment you’re in, not merely observed a trip through a screen in a climate-controlled comfortable box to the smell of your petrol station sandwiches.

http://www.bikeexif.com/kevin-ash

May he rest in peace.

Was only the other day that this

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

bought up this

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motorbikes/942...

article which lead me to read some of his others!

To echo what other have said, this is a truly tragic occurance.
However, it needs some perspective. The death toll on SA's roads in December was in excess of 4000.!! Thats just one month. And thats not a seasonal spike. It's that every month
As others have said here, there are a ton of 'special conditions' that make driving, and especially riding here a challenging game.
Taxi Buses. If you can imagine the most random thing in the universe, multiplyit by infinity and you won't even come to 10% of the randomness of these fkers! 90% of the buses are unroadworthy, driven by unlicensed drivers who typically come from a neighbouring Arican Nation and have the spacial awarenes of chair.
Pot holes. Yes, there are lots of them, some so huge you can see peopl emining at the bottom. However, given that they are a known quantity, they tend to do more damage than physical harm. I hit a real biggy at 230+ and just skipped over it, Barnes Wallis stylee.
Pedestrians. Now these are truly scary. This is not a racist comment, bu tthe indiginous population seems to have a total lack of spacial awareness and depth perception. Some say it stems from spending their formative years in a blanket wrapped to their mothers back so all they see is 2 inches in front of them.
However, whatever it is, make no mistake, the vast majority of the road deaths here are people wandering around on the roads, crossing highways and such not realising they maybe need to move a little faster until just before they get hit. Sadly, i can recount several occaisions where i have passes the scene of a RTA where the coroner is walking along the highway picking up body parts that have been dragged and torn apart along a 1km stretch of road.
Another massive hazard is the general appalling standard of driving. A friend girlfriend was killed on her GS just beofre Xmas where a guy just pulled out on her, knocked her into the oncoming traffic where she went head to head with a truck. Again, it's the spacial awareness and depth/speed perception.
So whilst it is truly the best place to ride, you need to do so understanding that the locals are a bit scary. Add in the high speeds we usually ride at and you need to ride with your eyes on stalks. My simple mantra here is blind corners, back right off. Side junctions? back right off. Car on the side? Bck right off. Pedestrians,, yep, back right off.
But when it's clear, go 260+
So until the info is released, who knows what happend here. But whatever it was, someone has lost their life, a wife is widowed a son or daughter is fatherless and nothing will change that. But don't believe all the hysterical Saffa's hype, especially the ones who have fled. It's Africa, with African challenges. Still an amazing place.

What can I add? Horrible news, my thoughts are with the family.

I always enjoyed his writing.

A sad loss. RIP