Table of contents for 25 May 2016 in MCN

‘Give the Fireblade some gas and it develops a bit of a mean streak’ Back in the day the underseat pipe Fireblade was scorned for not being as exciting as the ZX-10R or GSX-R1000, however after a blast on this used example I’m starting to think we were all being a bit harsh. Blessed with comfort levels an Aprilia owner can only fantasise about, the Blade is a genuine real-world superbike that in typical Honda fashion quietly goes about its business with devastating efficiency. Not to mention a surprising amount of character. Compared to the latest generation of turbine-smooth Fireblade engine, the 2006/07 model’s inline four is a real eye opener. While still being velvety at low revs, which makes it an easy machine to ride at a gentle pace,…

There really isn’t a bad machine here. Some have qualities the others don’t, and vice versa, but overall the Tiger Sport 1050 has to come out on top. Over long distance, or if touring two-up (especially if you and your pillion have a penchant for pork pies), I can see the advantage of choosing the Kawasaki over the Triumph, and it’s the second best bike on test by almost every measure. If you’re a less experienced rider, or also need your bike for the daily commute into town, then the user-friendly V-Strom is very viable, and cheaper, alternative to both – but when you add up all the scores, it comes third in this company. TRIUMPH TIGER SPORT 1050 £ 10,300 Engine1050cc in line triple liquid-cooled Power124bhp @ 9475rpm Torque78.2ftlb…

Honda’s CBR500R was already a class-leader and continues to impress. Upgrades for 2016 aren’t a huge step forward, but then it wasn’t exactly broken to begin with. It’s the perfect commuting tool and a bike to have fun on at weekends, too. HONDA CBR500R £5599 Engine 471cc, 8v, parallel twin Claimed Power 47bhp@8500rpm Claimed Torque 32ftlb@7000rpm Bore x Stroke 67 x 66.8mm Frame Diamond type tubular steel Suspension 41mm telescopic forks and single shock, both adjustable for preload Brakes (f) 320mm disc, twin-piston caliper (r) 240mm disc, single piston caliper Kerb weight 194kg Tank size 16.7l Seat height 785mm…

‘Every crest becomes a kicker, bouncing the front wheel skyward as I try not to giggle too much’ HUSQVARNA 701 SUPERMOTO £7999 FUEL 13 litres @ 51mpg = 146 miles WEIGHT 145kg SEAT 890mm POWER 65bhp TORQUE50ftlb LIAM MARSDEN all-weather commuter happy on any type of bike HEIGHT 6ft 1in WEIGHT 75kg liam.marsden@motorcyclenews.com The distance from my front door in Peterborough to my dad’s in Yorkshire is 105 miles. On a good day it can be done in about 90 minutes. Straight up the A1. No fuss. No fun. That ride is not so easy on the 701, but rather than endure the dual-carriageway slog I’ve decided to change it up – it’s almost doubled the journey time, but it’s much more enjoyable. The arrow-straight A1 has been replaced by…

TRIUMPH STREET TWIN £7350 FUEL 12 litres @ 63mpg = 166 miles WEIGHT 198kg SEAT 750mm POWER 54bhp TORQUE59ftlb THE RIDER Ped Baker, enjoys tinkering nearly as much as riding. HEIGHT 6ft 4in WEIGHT 95kg ped.baker@motorcyclenews.com As you may already know, Triumph’s Street Twin isn’t made in the UK. It’s built in Chonburi, Thailand. You may also already know that Triumph has more factories abroad than it’s ever had in the UK – but should you be worried about the quality of the bikes that come from these factories? People can be very sniffy about bikes not made in the country a particular brand is associated with. It’s the same with all large American and European brands. There’s often a suspicion that manufacturing technology and workmanship is going to become…

Missing vent The top vent went AWOL after a tussle with some trees on an early outing Dish the dirt Lining is filthy from the GS Trophy but is easy to remove and clean Arai MX-V motocross helmet from £379 Tester Michael Guy Time used 18 months/1500 miles What’s good? While fit, weight, look and price are key when it comes to buying a new helmet, ultimately the most important single factor is its ability to protect your head in a crash. Racing in the Hafren Rally last year I tested the primary function of any helmet when I launched myself off the side of a Welsh mountain at 40mph. Luckily I only dropped about 20ft before stopping on a grassy ledge, but it was a crash that certainly ‘rang…

‘Failing to issue a claim within the time limit is prima facie negligence’ Q Has lawyer’s lateness ruined my injury claim? I had what I thought was a fairly simple accident claim albeit with serious injuries that have affected my job as a junior doctor, but from a liability perspective should have presented little difficulty. However my solicitors, who were appointed by my insurer and not me, have missed what I understand to be an important deadline – the point at which action must be taken to progress a claim by issuing a claim form at court. They say they are trying to sort it out and not to worry about it. Surely this is a big problem and it’s like me missing a time-sensitive diagnosis? Edward Beale, Salcombe You…

Get your advance tickets NOW as they go off sale at 5pm today (Wednesday). Prices start at £10, with free admission for children aged 13 and under. Visit www.donington-park.co.uk. You can still buy tickets on the day if you can’t get one in advance. Weekend timetable Races for the Superbike class get underway at 3pm each day, the first on Saturday and the second on Sunday. World Supersport kicks off at noon, Stock 1000 FIM Cup at 1.15pm. Hurry! Enter now to win free tickets MCN has teamed up with official sponsor Alpha Romeo to giveaway 20 pairs of tickets for Donington WSB. To have a chance of winning head to motorcyclenews.com and enter your details. But be quick as the competition closes today (Wednesday).…

Tommy Bridewell showed Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 has still got what it takes to compete at the highest level by taking the Japanese marque’s first podium since 2014 at Brands Hatch this weekend. Able to make the most of a second row start, a series of hard passes saw him chase down race leader James Ellison in the closing stages of Sunday’s first race before losing out to Leon Haslam on the final lap. “For a number of reasons we’ve had a hard start to the year with weather and a few issues with settings,” he told MCN. “We tested at Anglesey last week and realised we’d been going in the wrong direction and changed a few things with the chassis for this weekend and the bike felt fantastic. After the tough…

Aside from the action taking place on track, Silverstone will feature a range of attractions, including some great entertainment on Friday and Saturday night on the big stage, as announced in MCN last week. Headliners include: The Rebel – Europe’s best Elvis tribute act – will have Friday night rocking. Then on Saturday the stage will see Rick Astley – the chart-topping 1980s star – headlining as part of his tour, which coincides with his new album ‘ Rick Astley 50’ which will be released on June 17, and last week’s release of his new single, ‘Angels on my Side’. Also appearing on stage on Saturday night will be Stooshe.…

Two-time BSB runner-up Chris Walker began to ruffle feathers as he continued to settle in to his new home in the British Sidecar Championship. The veteran racer came to blows with rival Rupert Archer in both of the weekend’s races as he gets to grips with his new three-wheeled challenge. A battle with Archer in the first race culminated in the two outfits colliding at Clearways before the pair also ended up scraping fairings in Sunday’s second outing. Happy with his 13th and 10th place finishes in the two races respectively, Walker said: “I’ve definitely learned a lot about sidecars this weekend. I feel it’s the first time that I’ve had a good go at racing one. “I know we got a decent result at Oulton Park but it’s here…

The incredible venture to race a production version of Marc Marquez’s Repsol Honda on the 37 ¾ mile Mountain course is the brainchild of Valvoline Padgetts boss, Clive Padgett. So secretive has the canny Yorkshireman’s RCV plans been that he has had a special room built at his Batley premises to hide the exotic V4 away from prying eyes. “We keep it under lock and key,” Padgett smiled. “Bruce came up to the showroom for an Africa Twin open day a few weeks ago and I took him in to see the RCV. He was speechless when I told him it was going to be the bike he would be racing at this year’s TT!” The Valvoline Padgetts announcement will send shivers of fear down the spines of Anstey’s TT…

Brad Binder once again showed the maturity that many believe will take him to the Moto3 world championship, by keeping his head to set up a win in one of the closest races Grand Prix has ever seen. Leading a chasing pack of over 20 riders over the line, Binder took his third consecutive victory of the season by only 0.038 seconds – with an incredible 0.077 separating only the top five riders! “The whole race was crazy. I went to first to eighth or ninth on the straight with two laps to go! I knew it was so important to position myself well, and I was able to ride the last lap well. I knew I needed really good drive out of the last corner – and I was…

Dani Pedrosa was able to make an impressive return to something approaching his previous form, battling to fourth place at Mugello. “It was a similar race to some others this year in the beginning when I lost touch with the first group. But I was able to up my pace to catch Dovizioso and fight with Iannone.” Suffering with the same acceleration issues as the other Honda riders, Pedrosa effectively ruled out any chance of beating Iannone and his ultra-powerful Ducati for the final podium place. “I think we learned about the positive and negative points of the bike today, and that meant I could focus on the positive points of my riding. Now that I know where we have an advantage we can take some small steps to try…

‘It takes balls to pull that pass off there and it made for a great show’ When you have been leading all the way like Jorge and someone attacks on the final lap it is not easy to counter-attack. But Jorge’s move on Marc into the final chicane was not anticipated by Marc – and I love seeing the fight come out in Jorge! It takes balls to pull that pass off there and it made for the great show at the finish. Jorge got into the chicane so fast that Marc got back ahead on the run to final corner. But with Jorge diving down the inside Marc had to close the door, he cut off Jorge’s nose and stayed tight on the inside of the final turn but…

Pirelli Diablo Rosso III, £272 What do they do? Pirelli’s Diablo Rosso III tyres are all-purpose sports tyres that fit bang in the middle between a high-mileage, winter sports touring tyre and road-compound trackday rubber. The Rosso III is built with new compounds, profiles and tread patterns, all designed to improve wet and dry grip, agility, durability and, above all, confidence. The rear tyre is dual compound and features more areas of ‘slick’ for better grip in the dry. The front is single compound. What are they like? Riding a BMW S1000R, we tested the new Rosso IIIs on dry roads and Pirelli’s wet-weather test track, which features different grip levels of tarmac and mid-corner puddled sections, where a good tread pattern shows its worth. You can use them all…

KTM Super Adventure If you want sportsbike-eating performance and global levels of comfort, this will deliver it all. And it’s yours for £169 per month after a £5481.30 deposit. Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro The big surprise with the new Multistrada Enduro is that it’s absolutely cracking off-road. A go-anywhere Ducati for £195pm after £3529.73 up front. BMW R1200GS Adventure TE The father of the lot, it’s one of the most versatile bikes ever made. £3246.20 gets you on board. Triumph Explorer XRx Back in the game with lots of updates for 2016, including semi-active suspension, at £159pm after a £2934.18 deposit. Looking for a used bike? Head to MCN Garage p46…

EU need looking after I’ve read articles about how the Eurocrats are imposing restrictions on mods and how this will have a devastating effect on the accessories market. I live in Spain and the custom and modification industry is doing just fine. The difference is that any mods have to be assessed by an engineer for safety and if they pose any environmental impact. Any clothing sold for motorcycles also has to reach an approved standard. All this is for the benefit of the consumer. So well done EU for looking after our interests. Kevin Knight, Spain Pipe down, don’t be a clown In trying to drum up support for leaving the EU, N Bence-Jones (MCN Letters, May 11) looks every bit as small-minded as all the other single issue…

The brake lights blink on in front of me. They soon turn from a scarlet twinkling to a wall of red as progress grinds to a halt. Once down to about 30mph I start to pick my way past the static traffic. Most drivers afford me plenty of room to pass safely. A few disgruntled tin-steerers veer into my path, seething as I brush their wing mirrors with my elbow as I ease my way past with a few gratuitous blips of the throttle. There are few things more frustrating than spending four hours in a car on a journey that should only take two hours of our lives. Riding a bike lessens the likelihood of that happening. We put that theory to the test this week (see page 36)…

Honda VFR750R RC30 Championships: Fred Merkel 1988, 1989 A true homologation special in every sense of the word, the gorgeous RC30 was a bike you could buy on Friday and race on Sunday. A jewel of a V4 superbike, but one that has rocketed up in value due to its rarity and reputation. Ducati 888 Championships: Raymond Roche 1990; Doug Polen 1991, 1992 The 888 appeared in 851 as well as 888 Strada format as a production bike but it was only the 888 that raced. While the SP versions command big money, the Stradas have yet to hit these heights. Kawasaki ZXR750 Championships: Scott Russell 1993 While Russell won on a 1993 model, it is the original 1989 ZXR750 H1 (above) that collectors are searching for, or the ZXR750R…

If you are riding a bike that has won a WSB title you want everyone to instantly recognise the fact and that’s where the Ducati 1098 wins. Not only does it ride beautifully and sound tremendous, it looks every inch a race winner. The Blade is a brilliant road bike, but lacks a bit of exclusivity in this company, while the RSV4 is thrilling but perhaps a little too much for the road; one for the dedicated race fan only. DUCATI1098 Price:From £6500Engine:Liquid-cooled, 1099cc8v desmo V-twinClaimed power:160bhp @ 9750rpmClaimedtorque:90.4ftlb @ 8000rpmBorexstroke:104 x 64.7mmElectronics:Inbuilt dataloggerFrame:Tubular steel trellisSuspension:43mm inverted forks andmonoshock, fully adjustableBrakes:2 x 330mm front discs withfour-piston Brembo radial monobloc calipers,245mm rear disc with two-piston caliperClaimed dry weight: 173kgTank size: 15.5 litresSeat height: 840mmColours: Red, black HONDACBR1000RRFIREBLADE Price:From £4300Engine:Liquid-cooled, 998cc 16v…

“I’ve had my SP-2 for about three years now and I absolutely love it. I was so lucky as I got it from a guy who cherished his bikes and it was totally standard. Full service history and original pipes? I had to have it, and at £5000 it was the right money, too. “Life with the SP-2 is wonderful; it’s a great bike. I’m not that tall and it actually has quite a low seat height and the handling and sound is brilliant. Everyone stops and wants to talk about the SP-2, which is nice, and it’s not that impractical. I find the riding position comfortable and it is totally reliable and actually cheap to run. “The SP-2 needs a big valve clearance service at 16,000 miles, which costs…

The Senior TT trophy has been presented to the winner of the blue riband race every year since 1907, and is one of the longest serving original sporting trophies in the world. The names engraved around its base read like a who’s who of road racing greatness; Hailwood, McGuinness, Agostini, Dunlop, Hislop, Surtees, Woods, Bennett, Daniell, Duke, Jefferies, McCallen, Archibald, Amm, Davies, Dodson, Grant, Guthrie, Herron, McElnea, Applebee, Armstrong, Bell, Brown, Burnett, Carpenter, Crosby, de la Hay, Findlay, Fogarty, Frith, Godfrey, Handley, Hocking, Hutchinson, Hunt, McIntyre, Plater, Pullin, Read, Sheard, Simpson, and Wood. The trophy, a replica of the Montague trophy used for the original TT car race, is named after Joseph the Marquis de Mouzilly St Mars, the English president of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) who donated…

1 Forward planning Get the basics planned as far ahead as possible. Book the date itself, and a day off work – plus the day before if you need to travel and stay the night. Book accommodation and van hire if you need them. If your bike requires servicing or parts (which we’ll come to), do it a minimum of a fortnight before. Dealers and other specialists are busy in summer, you don’t want to get caught out. And make sure your kit fits. 2 Vital servicing Your bike will see two hours of full-throttle hammer, so make sure it’s in good shape. Ensure it’s well within major service intervals for jobs like valve clearances, and its vital fluids are in good condition as well as filled sufficiently. Be confident…

2003 Honda XL1000V Colours Black/ silver, red/silver or silver/black Dealer £3200 Private good £3200 Private average £3000 This one 2003 bike with pannier rails and crash bars. 25k miles, £2999 2004 Honda XL1000V Colours Silver/black, gold/ black or blue/black Dealer £3500 Private good £3400 Private average £3200 This one 2004 model with pannier rails. 11k miles, £3300 2005 Honda XL1000V Colours Black or blue Dealer £3650 Private good £3500 Private average £3400 This one 2005 reg with panniers, top box and heated grips. 13k miles, £3650 2007 Honda XL1000V Colours Silver, black Dealer £4500 Private good £4300 Private average £4000 This one 2007 model with high screen, top box and LeoVince cans. 13k miles, £4499 Insurance Sample MCNCompare.com quotes for £4000 used adventure bikes, from cheapest to costliest, and where…

There’s only 30 miles difference between the A1 and B-road routes, but those 30 miles take a lot longer, and, most importantly, they’re much more fun. The longer route skirts round Stamford, before heading to the west of the A1 towards Wymondham, a recently discovered favourite. Back on the east of the A1 the route heads towards Grantham on a road test favourite and up towards Lincoln before turning back west for the final stint. I’ve yet to tackle the B-roads to the west of the A1. But there’s plenty of time left in this summer yet!…

DUCATI XDIAVEL S £18,395 FUEL 18 litres @ 44mpg = 173 miles WEIGHT 247kg SEAT 755mm POWER 156bhp TORQUE 95ftlb RIDER Emma Franklin, 125GP racer with a love of sports and performance I feel like a bit of a Luddite; I’ve never owned a bike as techno-packed as the XDiavel S and I have to admit that I’m taking a bit of time to get to grips with some of its features. I’ve so far managed to set the bike in the power mode I want (Sport), lock in the amount of cornering ABS and traction control intervention I require (some, please). But the other features like the Bluetooth smartphone link, cruise control, lap timer, and launch control system remain a complete mystery to me. I need to set aside…

1 Sidi Vortice £299.99 High-tech race boots with Tecno VR closure system that allows flexibility for a wide range of calf sizes. The toesliders are partially ceramic for extra durability. 2 TCX R-S2 Evo £299.99 CE-certified race boots with an elastic tensioner inside to keep them secure. There’s a wealth of padding and reinforcements, plus TCX’s ankle bracing system. 3 Alpinestars Supertech R £379.99 Top-of-the-range boots with a combination of an inner boot with a brace for the ankle and an outer boot that carries shin, heel and toe protection and the slip-on toesliders. 4 Daytona Security Evo 3 £829.99 These have sturdy hinged inner boots to brace the ankle and protect the shins and toes. Then there’s a kangaroo outer with reinforced high-grip soles. 5 Dainese Axial Pro In…

‘With Rea still getting to know his bike he is not unbeatable’GORDON RITCHIE The World Superbike circus rolls into Donington Park for what promises to be an intense and highly entertaining weekend of on and off track action. With British riders dominating the championship it’s set to be a great gathering for UK fans who will get to see their heroes up close throughout the three-day event. From the first practice and qualifying of Friday, to the triple treat of final practice, Superpole and race one action on Saturday and then the final climax of race two and support class races on Sunday, Donington is one seamless party venue for worshippers of on-track thrills and spills. Factory Kawasaki man Jonathan Rea is the reigning champion and current series leader. Now…

‘I’ve raced here before and it was close then but it’s even closer now. I love that challenge’LEON HASLAM Leon Haslam came into the third round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike championship expecting a tough weekend. At 1.2 miles long the Brands Indy circuit is the shortest on the British Superbike calendar and couldn’t be more different to the vast, open international venues he’s become accustomed to over the past eight years. But, despite struggling through practice and qualifying, the 2010 World Superbike runner-up came through to steal a surprise victory from the arms of JG Speedfit Kawasaki team-mate James Ellison on the last lap of Sunday’s race and leaves the weekend on top of the championship standings. “In my head coming here I knew it would be tough,”…

‘Being Shakey Byrne everyone expects you to win straight away’SHANE BYRNE When four-time MCE British Superbike Champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne announced a switch to Ducati for the 2016 season he was immediately put on the back foot. The Italian marque hadn’t won a race since 2010 and the Panigale, introduced to the series in 2012, only took its first podium last year. After missing out on victory by 0.01 seconds at the first round, it began to look as though Byrne could clinch the Panigale’s elusive first win early doors, but a nightmare weekend at Oulton Park cast a cloud over whether it’d be all plain sailing for the BeWiser Ducati squad. However, a dry weekend at Brands Hatch allowed the team to make decent headway with Byrne going on…

‘It’s taken Byrne just five races to take the Panigale to the top’ Now we’re three rounds in to the 2016 MCE British Superbike Championship we can begin to see how the year might pan out. The first round of the season can always throw up surprises and the wash-out at Oulton Park opened the doors for anything to happen. But this weekend saw the first fully dry, warm weekend of the year and the cream rose to the top with the two race winners the pre-season favourites of Haslam and Byrne. Asserting their authority by taking first and second in the championship standings, with Haslam leading Byrne by just three points, both riders have fired a clear warning shot to the rest of the grid by claiming their bikes…

Preparing the RCV for the rigours of the world’s toughest motorcycle race has been a huge challenge for Padgett. “It has been a very difficult project to pull together,” he admits. “We have had to beef the bike up for the TT and we can’t get anything off the shelf so everything has had to be made bespoke. Things like the wheels, the K-Tech forks, the yokes and the radiator guards have all had to be made specially.” Turning the RCV into a TT bike may have been draining on the Yorkshireman’s wallet but Padgett says it is “ballpark” with what he has had to spend on building his Fireblade-based superbike. The Yorkshire bike dealer still has several RCV replicas for sale and he says the TT project will benefit…

‘But we can’t open the engines and check what the problem was’VALENTINO ROSSI Valentino Rossi saw his hopes of ending his eight-year Mugello win drought go up in smoke when a rare engine failure on his Movistar Yamaha robbed him of the chance of fighting for victory in front of 100,000 adoring fans. Showing strong pace all weekend and stunning the paddock by securing pole position for the race, Rossi was clearly on classic form and looked capable of more than sitting behind team-mate Jorge Lorenzo when disaster struck on lap nine. The high-profile and costly engine failure is the first for the Yamaha team since 2012, but it came only hours after similar misfortune befell Lorenzo during morning warm-up. “What can we say about it? It’s difficult to talk…

“I felt after two or three laps that I had some sort of issue with a part of the bike but in the end I’m just happy to finish.” CAL CRUTCHLOW STARTED: 16TH FINISHED: 11TH “After a difficult weekend, we salvaged three points after we struggled to find a direction after my crash on Friday.” EUGENE LAVERTY STARTED: 18TH FINISHED: 13TH “I was happy with my performance until the red warning lights all came on – and I didn’t want to risk blowing a fresh engine.” SCOTT REDDING STARTED: 10TH FINISHED: DNF “We’ve been consistently closer to the front group. I’m a lot happier with the bike and we’ve proven we can be closer.” DANNY KENT STARTED: 18TH FINISHED: 14TH “It was a really difficult weekend and it’s hard to…

• With a flurry of contracts finalised in the week leading up to Mugello, the grid for 2017 is now starting to look a lot more certain. Andrea Dovizioso is set to remain at Ducati to partner Jorge Lorenzo, as reported last week by MCN, while Andrea Iannone will replace Maverick Viñales at Suzuki. • Frenchman Loris Baz was the unfortunate victim of a first lap crash at Mugello, after Alvaro Bautista tucked the front of his Aprilia and wiped out both the Frenchman and Jack Miller. Baz broke two bones in his foot, and underwent surgery to have them plated. • He isn’t the only MotoGP racer to have gone under the knife this week with Tito Rabat having a plate inserted onto his collarbone after breaking it during…

Reigning MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo stunned the 100,000 Italian fans crammed into Mugello on Sunday by taking a breath-taking victory from Marc Marquez by only 0.019 seconds. With Lorenzo spending much of the race out in front after the demise of Rossi’s Yamaha M1, Marquez was able to catch him in the closing stages. But, despite a valiant effort from the Repsol Honda rider, he was let down by the performance of his RCV on the run to the chequered flag. “Normally it’s not easy in MotoGP to pass the rider in front by slipstreaming. But we got lucky that our rival was Marc and his Honda in front, because this year they are struggling with the exit. I got a good drive out of the last corner, and…

AVON COBRA AV71 Front & AV72 Rear £241 Aimed at the power cruiser and touring market. AVON VENOM R AM42 Rear £188 (each) Super-wide rear tyres for special customs. BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA MAX EA1 RADIAL £291 Radial that keeps the traditional look of the bias-belted Exedra Max. BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA RADIAL (G701, G702, G704, G709, G852, G853) £260 Original equipment tyres for big cruisers and touring bikes, in sizes not covered by the new Exedra Max Radial above. BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA MAX EM1 £225 Non-radial version of Bridgestone’s tyre for heavyweights. BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA BIAS PLY (L301, L303, L309, G515, G525, G526, G702, G721) £223 Original equipment tyres for cruisers in sizes not covered by the new Exedra Max (above). CONTINENTAL Milestone CM1 (front) & CM2 (rear) £242 Revised in 2012 to improve wet…

This stunning Barbour International inspired Triumph Thruxton R special will be unveiled at the Bike Shed London event this weekend, May 28-29, in celebration of the two firms’ continued collaboration. Built by British custom bike gurus Down and Out Café Racers, in Yorkshire, it features hand-beaten bodywork and unique Barbour International inspired livery. The build combines classic, custom and contemporary styling, with blacked-out rims wrapped in huge Firestone Champion tyres, hand-crafted aluminium fairing, and dropped handlebars an off-centre endurance style headlamp, and lots of Barbour-inspired style references. Dubbed the BIT2, it will make its debut in the metal at the Bike Shed London (thebikeshed.cc), held at Tobacco Dock in London.…

Despite mainstream manufacturers being obsessed with building ever bigger adventure bikes, the majority of riders actually embarking on serious overland travel don’t use them. Instead, serious round-the-world riders are using smaller-capacity singles including favourites such as the ancient-but-capable Suzuki DRZ400, Yamaha XT660 or the current KTM 690 Enduro R thanks to their light weight, manageability and off-road ability. Now there’s an alternative, following the re-launch of Italian brand SWM and their RS650R. Some of MCN’s more off-road focused readers might remember SWM for their trials, enduro and MX exploits during the 1970s and ’80s. After going into liquidation in 1984 the name has sat dormant, but now under the guidance of former Aprilia, Cagiva and Husqvarna engineer Ampelio Macchi they have been resurrected, having taken over the old Husqvarna factory…

‘For reliability, CBR600s are simply supernatural’ What you’ve heard is true – supersports bike sales are falling. New registrations are down by 13% for the first quarter of this year and Honda is even rumoured to be ending production of the CBR600. As a new bike class, supersport machines are virtually dead. Some of you won’t know the CBR600’s history – it’s been around for two decades, after all. It was one of the finest all-round motorcycles anyone has ever built. Staggering build quality, supernatural reliability (well, except for the reg/rec), and the ability to commute, tour, scratch, or race. You even got a centrestand. The bikes got sportier as they developed, until in the end Honda had to offer two models – the cooking version and the sportster. The…

‘If the camchain fails you’ll bend the valves on the front cylinder’ The first things to look out for with the Varadero are, like the FireStorm which uses the same engine, the noisy camchain tensioners. If they do fail it will bend the valves on the front cylinder. The way to listen out for it is when you blip the throttle, and once the throttle’s been closed on the over-run, if you hear a rattling noise that’s a sign that the camchain tensioners are on the way out. It can be fixed relatively easily, though. You just need to change the pair of them. The retail price for one tensioner is £89.05 and you’d be charged two to three hours labour. So that’s not too bad really. You also need…

Ducati Multistrada 1000 Original Multi with only 5000 miles and recent belts. Low price, and professionally lowered suspension. Ducati Multistrada 1100 This is top money for the nicer 1100, but it’s a dealer sale in good condition with a full luggage set and only 11,170 miles in its seven years on the road. Ducati Multistrada 1200S First of the water-cooled 1200s has the electronic suspension and is a Touring model so it comes with centrestand and panniers. Only 9267 miles. Ducati Multistrada 1200 Save a grand over the price of the high-spec S (and get a 2012 bike rather than a 2010), but lose out on the electronic suspension adjustment and have 23,700 miles on the clock.…

‘The F800GS eats miles like a buffalo at a buffet’ BMW F800GS £10,055 FUEL 16 litres @ 51mpg = 180 miles POWER 85bhp TORQUE 61ftlb WEIGHT 214kg SEAT 880mm THE RIDER JamesArchibald,long-distance commuterwith four years ofexperience HEIGHT 5ft 11in WEIGHT 80kg james.archibald@motorcyclenews.com The GS and I are getting along nicely and it’s proving to be a proper workhorse that transforms my weekly slog from Cambridgeshire to Devon into an effortless cruise. The 800 eats the miles like a buffalo at a buffet so I can spend hours in the saddle without an ache or pain; thanks to its relaxed, upright riding position. I just stick the electronically adjusted suspension into Comfort mode to soften it up and get on with the job. So far a lot of my riding has…

James Ellison left Brands Hatch bursting with frustration after missing out on what he believes could have been a double victory. One of the fastest and most consistent men across the weekend, he was left seething after team-mate Haslam pipped him to the line in race one after a tank-slapper forced him to roll off the throttle on the exit of the final turn. Having improved the bike for race two, he thought he could pull away from the pack as he took the lead on the 10th lap but his dreams were shattered when an electrical problem ruled him out of the race. “It’s been a really frustrating weekend,” he told MCN after the race. “I thought I was safe for the win in race one so to miss…

• Having headed to Brands Hatch as championship leader, it was a weekend of damage limitation for Tyco BMW’s Christian Iddon who suffered with a persistent lack of front-end feel. Walking away with an 11th and seventh place, he’s now slipped to third in the title standings. • Young gun Luke Mossey was unable to convert two pole positions into strong results after struggling with tyre degradation late in the race. The Quattro-Plant Kawasaki rider was forced to make do with fifth and 10th positions despite having confidently led the pack in both of the day’s races. • Team WD40’s Jack Kennedy was ruled out of action after breaking his wrist and ankle in a highside at Graham Hill bend in Saturday’s qualifying session. The tight left-hander claimed a number…

‘When I needed to makes passes I could, but it was risking a lot’SAM LOWES Sam Lowes ran an exercise in damage limitation at Mugello to take control of the championship back from Alex Rins, after a chaotic Moto2 race saw him lose his chance of victory. Clearly one of the fastest of the pack in the first laps of the race, Lowes was able to comfortably manage the race up until a crash from Xavi Vierge deflated the trackside air fencing and brought out the red flags. Running the hard Dunlop rear tyre option after failing to get to grips with the softer variant over the weekend, Lowes was left struggling in the 10-lap restart. With a set-up for a longer race distance he wasn’t able to run the…

‘It was a very unusual day, and we’re very sorry for Valentino’LIN JARVIS Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo’s failed engines are being sent back to the firm’s Japanese R&D headquarters for analysis. Speaking to MCN, Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis admitted that the fault came as a shock and that they’ll have to move heaven and earth to have it fixed for the next round in only two weeks time. “It’s very unusual to have one, and it’s extremely unusual to have two in a day. The materials will be sent back to Japan and analysed in detail, and for sure before Barcelona we will have the analysis and feedback. “We lost the golden opportunity to come away with a one-two. But bad luck and good luck goes the same for…

‘I forgot about the championship and old-style Marc came out and said ‘attack’’MARC MARQUEZ Marc Marquez has once again pulled off the seemingly impossible, missing out on a win by just 0.019 seconds at Mugello – a circuit that by all rights should have highlighted just how much the 2016 Honda MotoGP machines are suffering. Struggling since before the season even kicked off with a chronic lack of top speed and acceleration, most were expecting that the Repsol Honda duo of Marquez and Dani Pedrosa would suffer even more than usual at the fast Italian track – but were promptly proven wrong once again by the double champion’s genius. Hunting down eventual winner Lorenzo from half distance in the race, ultimately it was that crucial lack of acceleration that caught…

Maverick Vi–ales may have just signed for Yamaha in 2017 but he had a great chance to stick his Suzuki on the podium at Mugello. Starting from second on the grid, Vi–ales looked likely to be able to upset the usual Honda/ Yamaha pecking order, but the young Spaniard was hampered with an electrical problem from the moment the lights went out, leaving him unable to turn his potential into anything better than sixth. “We had a problem with the electronics, the bike started to cut out. I made quite a good start, and then it was like the pit lane limiter came on. I’m angry about it, because I think we could have been fighting for the podium again today.” The day went even worse for team-mate Aleix Espargar—…

‘The pressure as you brake forces your foot to change down’JORGE LORENZO Jorgeo Lorenzo and Marc Marquez were lucky to get away with a huge moment in the final stages of Sunday’s race, after a tiny mistake from Lorenzo saw the two make contact at over 200mph on Mugello’s main straight. Lorenzo said: “At the end of a straight normally you put your foot on the gear level before closing the throttle so you can shift down as you throttle off. But you can’t do that in Mugello, because the pressure as you brake forces your foot to change down too early. “But maybe on that lap I put my foot in the wrong place, went into fifth gear, and Marc was very close. We were lucky, because it could…

If you’ve read technical stories about tyres in the bike press over the last 10 years, many of them will have benefited from the contribution of one man – Mark Sears. Mark started his career with Dunlop’s motorsport division in 1988 and helped develop a host of race tyres before switching to the company’s marketing department in the late 2000s. That’s where he became involved in helping spread the gospel about the technology, knowledge and skill that goes into developing motorcycle tyres. As well as unrivalled knowhow, he had the rare ability to communicate his passion without boring people. Sadly, Mark lost his life last month following an accident while riding an enduro bike in Spain. He is a true loss to biking and MCN dedicates this tyre guide to…

AVON ROADRIDER AM26 Front, Rear & Universal £168 Modern compounds and traditional carcass construction to offer handling and grip for owners of older bikes. AVON STREETRUNNER AV83 Front, Rear & Universal £140 New offering for owners of smaller bikes, released late in 2015. AVON ROADRUNNER UNIVERSAL AM9 £89 (each) AVON SPEEDMASTER AM6 Front £78 (each) AVON SAFETY MILEAGE MKII AM7 Rear £102 (each) AVON AM20 Front & AM21 Rear £187 (each) Classic tyres to complement the large Roadrider range offering a tyre for most classic bikes. BRIDGESTONE BT45 £173 Venerable old bias-ply tyre. CONTINENTAL ContiGO! £159 Crossply tyre for middleweights that promises all-weather grip. CONTINENTAL TWIST SM/ CONTITWIST SPORT SM £136 Twist SM for road, Sport SM for track CONTINENTAL TKV 11 & TKV 12 £179 Conti’s classic bike tyres.…