Well, stone me. www.bikesportnews.com is a success. After only 16 months in proper existence, we have managed to make some friends with some people (sorry Tom, but that's the game) and get some visitors.
I have never been one to blow my own trumpet (if I could, I would never leave the house) but YES! I will make the bold statement here and now that www.bikesportnews.com is the biggest and best bike racing news site in the UK.
OK, Crash and MCN have massive traffic compared to us, but we don't do Formula One or soft-luggage. And we don't re-publish crap press-releases because we can't be arsed. We at least change the intro...
www.bikesportnews.com, in my belief, is THE motorcycle racing site in the UK. Why? Because the paddock talks to us. We are allowed to team barbecues. We've had a wee in Scott Smart's motorhome (and not in the toilet...)
We've managed to to increase vists by 85 per cent from April-September, up page views by 119% over the same period, bump up pages per visit by 18 per cent, drop our bounce rate by 22 per cent and increase average time on site by 21 per cent (can you hear me, Bryn, Potski?).
And anyone who doesn't believe it can email me for the Google Analytics figures.
And Keith Huewen said (totally unpaid and unprompted): "I've been around bikes and racing for a long time, but am on the outside looking in at the moment. How nice it is that I can keep up with all those little stories, (and the big obvious ones of course), on your site. I love that; behind the scenes - instant rumour from the paddock - feel. And it's free! Great. More of the same please."
Come on Moody, Ryder, you can commentate better than that...
As the man in charge of this what I thought was a one-man band until I looked at the list below, I would very much like to thank the following people as, without them, it would not have been possible (and it's in no particular order, apart from Top Box and the boys in Red):
Tammy Milsom
Double Red
Dave and Bernie Stewart
Lou Cain
Phil Wain
Phil Edge
Steve Day
Tony Goldsmith
Helen Pask
Robin Murphy
Andrea Campbell
Philip Campbell
Carly Rathmell
Martin Corfe
Swaffs
Racing Line
Busy Bob @ Turn One Photography
Mike @ MJP Media
Paul Sturman
Ragged Edge
Simon Eyre
Russell Gardner
Steve Bostock
Fred @ New Era
The Real Mike Edwards
The Other Mike Edwards
Baldrick
Oli
Kate, Russell, Yousaf and the team
@ Webexpectations.com
Scott Smart
Si Andrews
John Reynolds
Craig Jones
Edgar Jessop
Carole Shellby
Wendy Hearn
Bruce Dunn
Phil Plater
Don Emde
Sean Emmett
Steve Massey
Shaun Collin
Helen Chapman
Stuart Higgs
My mum
Metallica
BSD
Carte Noir
Karla
Sir Robin Someoneorother
Rob Hull (for not paying attention)
Susie (for telling me not to give up)
Gus and Ronnie, fucking Northern Monkeys, as always
And all photographers that have contributed to this site. I thank you from the heart of my bottom and I will have the money to pay you one day.
