W ith the usual lack of ceremony I received a brief note - “ Wanna go to the Yamaha launch and ride the new MT range ?” Well , hell yes ! I ’ m always up to ogle a new bike and snarf a sausage roll . Nothing says ageing more clearly than when I turn up to a wet winter ’ s-night bike launch , surrounded by Yamaha riders , and I ’ m in a heated seat in the trusty SUV . But my age was clear - the building that the launch was hosted in turned out to be my old bank . Gutted , and so was I . But this evening was a treat . It was set up superbly ; bikes gleaming , mounted on sloped rails allowing enough height to peruse in , around , and under . The building was filled with Blu-Cru lighting , a great sound system , and , if I wanted a sausage roll , we had full sumptuous buffet style sliders . There were platters of cheeses and pate ’ s , olives and cured meats , great beers and wines , and an excellent speaker in Chris Dobie - the Australian group marketing technician - who had snuck in between quarantines . The room was a perfect size for the handpicked gathering of journos , Yamaha aficionados , catering staff , and dealership dudes .