Team GB athlete, freestyle BMX star, and Olympic hopeful Declan Brooks has swapped pedal power for horsepower, passing his motorcycle test using Suzuki’s SV650.
Brooks – who finished third in the FISE Chengdu BMX World Cup event in China last November – passed his CBT last year, as he took the first steps into gaining his motorcycle licence. Now, with nearly a year’s worth of experience under his belt, the 21-year-old has passed both his module one and module two assessments, thanks to Shires Motorcycle Training, and can finally remove the L-plates as spring arrives.
Declan Brooks, “I’m used to feeling nervous ahead of world championship competition, but it didn’t stop the apprehension for each part of the test, so it was a huge relief to be told I’d passed. I really enjoyed learning, doing my CBT, and getting some miles in on the GSX-S125 last year, but I was keen to keep going and go through my full test. I definitely enjoyed having more power on tap and a bigger bike with the SV, too. This has come at the perfect time as well; it’ll not be long until the clocks change and the weather warms up, and I’m now excited to get on the road and plan some rides this coming summer.”
Brooks is currently competing in world championship around the globe, with the aim of representing Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the first time freestyle BMX will be included in the games. He is also from a motorcycling family and background, his father racing before Declan got his first taste of a motocross bike at four.
He added, “I think having a bicycle and two-wheeled background definitely helped. Even though there are obviously massive differences, you’ve got a feel for balance, how to use your weight, things like that. My dad will be pleased too!”
Riding a GSX-S125 to pass his CBT and gain experience, Brooks will now use Suzuki’s user-friendly SV650. However, due to his age, the 74bhp machine uses a restricted ECU to bring it down to the 47bhp limit, available through authorised Suzuki dealerships.
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