Table of contents for 1 June 2016 in MCN

Bruce Anstey and his Padgett’s team face a race against time to get the Honda RC213V-S ready for the Superbike TT on Saturday. With the MotoGP-derived machine needing significant upgrades to cope with the demand that six laps of the 37.73-mile course at speeds of well over 200mph will make on it, there’s a lot of work to be done. New parts are being hand made for the lightweight, power-packed bike and many were still arriving on the Island as practice kicked off at the weekend. SEE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW IN MCN’s TT GUIDE - INSIDE…

Victory will be competing at the famous Pikes Peak International Hillclimb event with both petrol and electric-powered motorcycles for 2016. The American company took part in the 2015 event with the 1200cc V-twin petrol-powered Project 156 and a modified version of that bike will be joined by a new all-electric Empulse RR. Victory Racing’s Project 156 will be piloted by former Pikes Peak Champion Jeremy Toye while the Empulse RR racer will be ridden by last year’s Project 156 pilot, American motorcycle journalist, Don Canet. Project 156, named for the number of turns on the mountain road, is powered by a full race-prepared version of the liquid-cooled four-valve 1200cc DOHC V-twin from the new Victory Octane production motorcycle. Meanwhile, the Empulse RR is being brought to Pikes Peak to build…

How did you get into bikes? My dad had lots of old British bikes when I was growing up, and he always went to the TT every year. He got me a little Yamaha TY80 when I was eight and I just absolutely loved motorbikes from that moment on. What was your first road bike? My dad said he didn’t trust me on the road with a proper bike so I had to buy a silly little Suzuki FZ50 step-thru. It only had two gears but I could wheelie that thing all day long. I raced my mate who had a similar bike, inches apart, and that taught me a lot about slipstreaming – especially when we would follow the Number 362 bus home, just a hair’s breadth behind it…

Every season between 1971 and 1991 a race series pitted a team of American riders against a team of Brits over several rounds at British circuits. The Transatlantic Match Races introduced UK fans to the likes of Kenny Roberts, Freddie Spencer, Kevin Schwantz and Wayne Rainey. Transatlantic races? Was that like golf’s Ryder Cup, only for bikes? It was. The Anglo-American Transatlantic Match Races (or Transatlantic Trophy as it was later known) was staged over Easter weekend on various UK circuits. It pitted a team of hand-selected American titans against a team of British aces with points acquired by individual competitors being tallied up as an overall team score. When was it first held? 1971, but in that first year all riders were on identical Triumph/BSA triples. Many UK fans…

Every week, MCN prints the best pictures sent in by readers or website users. You can post your pictures onto our Facebook page or email them to mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com We want the full array of weird and wonderful images that reflect your biking life. As you can see here, we are happy to celebrate the lighter things from the world of biking.…

‘In 1969, Triumphs filled the Thruxton 500 podium’ Right from the beginning, Triumph reserved the Thruxton name for their raciest roadsters. The first Thruxtons were special factory versions of the T120 Bonneville road bike (the superbikes of their day), pulled off the Meriden production line and fettled for racing. They competed in production-based events and the prestigious 500-mile endurance race at the fast Thruxton circuit in Hampshire. In 1969, Triumphs filled all three spots on the podium at the Thruxton 500. Triumph launched the limited-edition 650cc Bonneville Thruxton production machine in 1964 (see over) and the first of the modern-day Thruxtons, built at the Hinckley factory, arrived in 2004 – again based on the Bonneville of the day. And for 2016, the Thruxton is back as part of a new…

1 Chain clean Do your chain first – you will flick greasy muck around, and the surrounding area will need cleaning afterwards. With the bike securely raised at the rear, turn the wheel by hand and douse the chain in chain cleaner then scrub each side plate and roller individually with a toothbrush, or dedicated chain brush. Rinse the chain and give it a final rub down with a robust rag before carefully re-lubing. 2 Brake scrub Remove the brake calipers and take out the pads, noting which side they came out of. Using your favourite bike cleaner and a toothbrush, thoroughly clean the caliper. Work it round the pistons, getting all the dirt out. If you like, a little silicone grease on the pistons will keep them moving smoothly.…

Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade (2009) Winner of last year’s Senior following an astonishing ride by John McGuinness to claim his 23rd TT. Honda’s evergreen Blade may not have stupendous power or the brilliant electronics of more recent superbikes (such as Kawasaki’s updated ZX-10R or BMW’s storming S1000RR) but, in TT trim, it clearly has enough to be a winner (in fact the racer is based on a 2009 version). Much of that is true as a road buy: beautifully built, refined, road-relevant and versatile – but still ballistically quick – it remains one of the best superbikes for the street. What you’ll pay today A bluff-nosed 2009 version can be had for as little as £5k. But should you? Classy, durable, fast and proven - they’re great road buys. Yamaha YZF-R6…

1 Foot-down friendly Both boots flat on the ground, no problem. Good for the inexperienced and ideal if you are shorter in the leg. 2 What gear? My other bike doesn’t have a gear indicator. I don’t miss it when it’s not there but it’s a reassuring presence on the Yamaha. 3 Embrace the darkness Yeah it does sound a bit daft as a slogan but the Yam’s dark-side styling looks sharp. I like it. 4 Big audio The exhaust note is pleasing as standard but I’ll be trying an aftermarket can shortly to see if we can make it even better. 5 Grip I’ve swapped OE Michelin Pilot Street tyres for Bridgestone RS10s. Excellent in the dry, I’ll keep you posted on their wet performance.…

‘We had to fight again – it is more rewarding when you win like this’TOM SYKES The power struggle between the big three in the World Superbike championship took another swing this weekend as Kawasaki man, Tom Sykes capitalised the recent set-up breakthrough that allowed him to ride like the Sykes of old. His double Donington wins were the latest instalments in a remarkable run of home form for the Yorkshireman that has seen him win the last eight races at the UK track. In race one on Saturday he won by nearly three seconds after a tough battle with factory Ducati rider Davide Giugliano before securing the race two win ahead of his fierce rival and team-mate Jonathan Rea. Sykes has won three of the last four races in…

Welcome to MCN’s 40-page TT preview. The guys have been busy pulling it all together and I’ve been casting my eye over the pages to make sure it’s all up to scratch! 2016 is my 20th year of racing the TT, which is pretty momentous, but I’m probably feeling more nervous than ever. I get this feeling in my guts when I even think about the TT, I’ve got it now writing this. The whole thing is like a one-way trip I’ve signed up to and I can’t turn back! The show this year is going to be amazing whether it’s your first TT or you’re a die-hard fan. You never hear anyone say they went to the TT and it was shit do you? Everyone that goes is blown…

McGuinness will also race his own EMC liveried CBR1000RR in the Superstock class alongside a Jackson Racing prepared CBR600RR in the Supersport races. With his appearance in the electric bike Zero TT race on the Mugen, McGuinness will have six chances to take a TT victory and close the gap to Joey Dunlop’s all-time record tally of 26 Mountain course victories. Whether or not McGuinness’s single-lap electric bike TT victories, against a very small and uncompetitive field, equates with Dunlop’s achievements is a topic that sparks plenty of heated debate amongst TT fans, especially in Ireland. But Dunlop’s TT record is the only significant mark left now for the Morecambe racer to pursue. “Joey won three TTs in 2000,” McGuinness says. “I am 44 and Joey was 48 and still…

‘I was riding on a bit of a crest. I was in that zone where it was all pretty sweet’ No other race in the world has a start quite like an Isle of Man TT. First and foremost, there’s more at stake here than anywhere else. Second, there’s no warm-up lap to get your eye in and your tyres up to temperature. Third, within seconds of engaging clutch and brain, you face the sixth-gear terror of Bray Hill, like a sheer ascent of Everest, in reverse. “The two hours before each race are a horrible bit of your life,” says John McGuinness. “You hear the klaxons go and the helicopters heading off to their places, so you know it’s happening: we’re on a one-way road until we get to…

To celebrate this year’s TT, we’ve teamed up with Duke to offer every MCN reader a FREE On-Bike TT Experience double DVD. Hang on tight as we join some of the biggest names in the TT’s long history, including the near record-pace lap filmed onboard Steve Hislop’s incredible Castrol Honda RC45 at TT ’94 and lots more throttle-to-stops, all-action laps of the course on awesome machinery. As well as claiming your free DVD, MCN readers can also get deals on these other spectacular road racing DVDs… NEW HUTCHY MIRACLE MAN The story of how Hutchy’s grit and determination saw him get back to something approaching full fitness after a horrific accident at Silverstone and score three decisive wins at TT 2015 – one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all…

‘The throttle delivery is much better, it’s got so much power’ Norton’s factory race team are hoping for a change of fortunes at this year’s Isle of Man TT after a breakthrough with electronics saw the British firm take a huge step forward with their V4 race bike. With an engine that started out in an Aprilia CRT MotoGP bike, Norton’s SG5 was never short on power, but a lack of suitable electronics meant controlling that power – said to be around 230bhp – was a persistent battle around the arduous Mountain Course. For 2016 Norton have introduced a near MotoGP-level electronics system for the SG5 and claim this has resulted in a major improvement in taming the bike’s aggression. “One of the biggest comments from the riders of the…

‘Jump on the featherlight Norton and it’s like hunkering down on a race bike’ Expect an instant, adoring crowd to gather any time you stop on the Triumph Thruxton R and Norton Dominator SS, the road-going version of the limited-edition Domiracer. These machines are not so much retro café racers – they’re time machines. Those iconic tank badges trigger peoples’ distant memories, whether it’s the old bikes they used to own, lusted after, or saw their Dads ride back in the day. Out of the two it’s the Norton that garners the most interest and prompts the biggest smiles. The Triumph might be a superbly-designed, brilliantly executed machine, but the artisan Norton makes it look clinical and mass produced by comparison… which, of course, it is. They might both be…

The mission The Africa Twin is the new adventure kid on the block, beating its larger 1200cc competition off road but losing out to them on the road in in the power stakes. So how does the 1000cc Honda compare to its smaller, more nimble 800cc rivals? We rode to Scotland, on and off road, to find out. The riders Michael Guy, 44, MCN sports editor. Former racer, off-road and adventure rider. Second in 2016 BMW GS Trophy James Berrill, 40, motorcycle technician. Top level motocross and enduro rider. Also second in 2016 BMW GS Trophy Oliver Twigg, 28, prestige vehicle retailer. Quality trials rider, experienced adventure rider. Yep, second in 2016 BMW GS Trophy When Honda’s long awaited Africa Twin was launched in a blaze of glory at the…

‘Thanks to Mate’s Rates I’ve got another sidecar’ Well, I’ve done it, after saying I would. I’ve bought another sidecar combo: a very clean BMW R65 mated to a single-seat chair, only 33,000 miles and in lovely condition. It’s been owned for years by a friend and he had the sidecar interior renovated by his friend Akkaphinya Hughes (who has the coolest name ever, doesn’t she?). I bought it at Mates’ Rates, so I’m not saying what I paid. There’s nothing like Mates’ Rates for buying used bikes. If you know a largish number of motorcyclists, like I do, there is always someone who’s got a surplus bike for sale or who will flog one to someone in the group, and it’ll always be cheap. The chances are you’ll know…

Lots of S1000RRs have been raced so look out for the signs: drilled sump plugs, immaculate bodywork on scruffy frames and crash-damaged radiators, which you can only really see with the fairing off. Very early bikes had issues with valve retainers breaking. I’ve seen 10 in my time, but it was never a recall and didn’t really happen on later machines. Wiring looms can chafe inside the frame. They run inside the headstock, which can make damage hard to find and repair. A warning light or fault code comes up on the dash if there’s an issue. Some early bikes also had switchgear problems. Sump plugs can corrode and seize and the only fix is a new sump pan. Fairing screws can corrode unless they’re out regularly and exhaust valves…

‘I can see where we need to improve but it isn’t going to happen tomorrow’LEON CAMIER Leon Camier celebrated MV’s best-ever weekend in the World Superbike Championship with two top five results at Donington Park, but has warned the iconic Italian marque will struggle to bridge the gap to the other manufacturers without further development. A series of upgrades, including a boost in power, ahead of the Imola round earlier this month has seen the British rider able to push towards the front, and a late-race charge in both of this weekend’s outings saw him get the better of Sepang WSB race-winner, Nicky Hayden to cross the line fourth and fifth in his home round. Despite the successful weekend, Camier remains realistic about the MV Agusta’s potential moving forwards. “I…

The Isle of Man TT is the ultimate test of both man and machine. Thirty seven and three quarter miles of public roads turned race track, consisting of mind-bending speeds and fast sweeping corners through to sections of first-gear hairpins and bumps that wouldn’t be out of place on a motocross track. As a circuit it remains an enigma, so big that weather conditions can vary dramatically over the course of a single lap. So how does a team go about building a bike to take on the Mountain course? MCN spoke to Julian Boland, John McGuinness’s Crew Chief to find out. “The main thing to consider when building a TT bike is the compromises you have to make,” explained Boland. “On a normal short circuit you’ll make adjustments for…

Two hundred and sixty eight corners, 37.73 miles and 17 very intense minutes make up a lap of the Isle of Man TT. It’s a challenge like no other where racers enter a higher state of consciousness, a zone of intense focus and concentration, in a bid to secure the greatest prizes in motorsport. MCN sat down with some of this year’s top men for an insight into what they experience at key points around the course. In their own words they describe what it means to them and the emotion generated by competing on the world’s greatest racing circuit. PETER HICKMAN From Greeba Castle to Greeba Bridge it’s quite technical, there are lots of rises, the sun comes through the trees so it goes dark and light again. The…

JAMES HILLIER Pedigree: Third fastest man around TT course (132.414mph), 2nd in 2015 Senior TT, 2013 Lightweight TT winner Preparation I’m feeling good, and the new bike is working really well. We’ve tested more than we ever have and I don’t think I’ve ever gone into a TT feeling so comfortable with the bikes, especially the superbike. Fortunately I only took a bang to the head in my crash at the North West so I was fine other than what seemed like a three-day hangover! Expectations I never go to the Isle of Man to break records and win five races. I just want to beat what I achieved the previous year. We had three podiums last year so if I can get four this time I’ll be happy but…

‘Images are final proof that the new Street will be getting a larger engine’ Exhaust While this bike is close to being finished, it’s still a prototype undergoing a lot of testing. Clearly the exhaust end can serves little purpose in terms of silencing or keeping emissions under control as it’s missing completely, but will be present by the time the bike is ready for production, and is expected to be very similar to the current model’s. Swingarm While the main chassis and subframe remain visually unchanged from the current bike, the swingarm is a new, more heavily braced design and is almost certainly a requirement of the extra power the larger capacity engine will produce. Brakes This is the Speed Triple 765 R version and that’s why this model…

New Norton rider Dave Johnson is hopeful of a marked improvement for Norton’s SG5 at this year’s TT. Having ridden last year’s bike at the Classic TT, the 131.5mph man was impressed with the latest incarnation of the bike during testing. “The bike has taken a massive step forward compared to last year’s machine,” he said. “The electronics are making the biggest difference. The throttle delivery is much better, it’s got so much power and last year it was just too savage on the throttle so it was hard for Cam Donald to do one lap let alone six, but now I think it’ll be fine. “We took it straight-line testing at Bruntingthorpe the other week and did 203.5mph from a standing start and we were down on power because…

I know what you’re thinking: they’ve done this ‘bad and black’ thing before. Remember 1995’s laughable Bad Boy? Or the 1998 Night Train? Or perhaps the 2008 Springer-fronted Cross Bones? All of those missed the mark by promising an attitude and dynamic the bikes themselves couldn’t deliver. But the new ‘bad and black’ Low Rider S is different – it doesn’t just deliver all that attitude and dynamic, it does so in spades. So much so that it’s one of the very best Harleys in years. As its name suggests, the Low Rider S is a special version of the standard Low Rider. That bike, originally launched in 1977, is arguably THE most significant Harley model of the last 40 years – yes, more than Fat Boy, more than the…

You've just got to admire the pluck of Bruce Anstey and the Padgett's squad in lining up an RC213V-S for the Senior and Superbike TTs (MCN, May 25). Sure the Fireblade is the proven TT package – just ask John McGuinness – but the race-kitted MotoGP replica will be a sight to behold on the Mountain course over the next two weeks. The question is though, can the exotic street version of the bike Marquez rides on some of the world's smoothest tarmac cope over six laps of the most challenging 37.73 miles on the planet. Mark Robinson, email Ed: Check out Anstey’s progress in the paper and online with TT updates as they happen at www.motorcyclenews.com MCN STAR LETTER If you’re looking to insure a bike, visit…

‘The Thruxton is fine-handling, fast, easy to ride, and above all, fun’ When Triumph unveiled their eagerly-anticipated Thruxton at the end of last year, it immediately captured the imagination. Dealers were accepting floods of orders before anyone outside the factory had even ridden it. The British machine (actually made in Thailand) is an intoxicating mixture of retro style with 21st century performance and technology. It might look like something out of the 1960s, but it has modern-day traction control, ABS, electronic riding modes, sticky tyres, race-inspired suspension and a quick-revving 96bhp liquid-cooled, 1200cc High Torque parallel twin cylinder engine. MCN had its first taste of the new Triumph at its world launch in Portugal in February and we quickly discovered it’s more than just a styling job. The Thruxton is…

‘The old bikes had character at the cost of reliability, but not with this’ The first Thruxtons came out in the late 50s and carried on for 10 to 12 years. They started life as standard Bonneville T120s, fettled by the Triumph factory. It was the Rockers’ favourite and the T120 engine was the one everyone wanted. That cafe racer, ‘ton-up boys’ era is inexorably linked with the Triton – a featherbed frame, which was the best handling of the time, mated to a T120 engine. If you hadn’t got a T120-powered machine you weren’t going to get anywhere. It was the best engine with the most reliable power for your average man in the street. There are always those iconic names you associate with British bikes: Thruxton, Bonneville, and…

‘These old oil/air-cooled bikes could become collectable, who knows?’ If you can’t stretch to the £11,700 for the Thruxton R or the £10,400 for the base model, you can still buy a spangly new one for £7899, if you’re quick. Some dealers still have stocks of showroom-fresh out-going model Thruxtons, like this one at Triumph dealers Jack Lilley. Jack Lilley boss Dave Lilley explains: “It’s still a fantastic bike. The nice thing with any of the Bonneville range is the fact they’re already out of date, so you’re not buying them for cutting-edge technology, it looks like an old bike and has all the charm, but there’s none of the grief. You can just turn the key, push the button and away it goes. “The Thruxton had the smaller 18in…

Scroll for control This BMW is loaded with toys and the grey button here scrolls through four riding modes. Spindle check A greased rear wheel spindle shows this S1000RR has been well cared for. Strong stoppers Brembos are still up there with the 2016 best. Like any superbike, discs can warp from hard use. Tarnished reputation Collector box tarnishes fast. Check for rattles from broken exhaust valves. What we said then “The BMW feels like it could do 10-second quarter-miles without breaking a sweat and pass the ‘gentleman’s agreement’ 186mph limit in record time. Handling in standard trim will make the other manufacturers wince with embarrassment.” MCN launch report, November 18, 2009 But what is it like now? BMW’s fiery superbike has been a big part of my life since…

There are faster routes from Builth Wells towards Llanelli, but this one gives you an hour-and-a-half of challenging riding that easily justifies the extra time. The route links two of the best riding roads in south Wales with a stint on a main road that is usually entertaining enough to be more than just a link. From Builth Wells (chances are you’ve arrived on the celebrated A483), find the B4520 by turning south from the High Street and following signs for Upper Chapel. The road is far better than the map suggests. Unless you need tea, skirt around Brecon and join the A40 west for the sway along to Llandovery. The A4069 is a famous stretch that is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Narrow, poorly surfaced in places and quite…

Alex Lowes was left devastated after his hopes of a strong result in front of a home crowd were shattered when he was ruled out of the weekend on medical grounds. Still recovering from a broken left collarbone sustained two weeks ago in Sepang, Lowes was initially passed fit to ride on Friday morning and went on to post a heroic fourth fastest time of the day. However, while he could string a fast lap together he struggled to hold on to the bike after six or seven consecutive laps and therefore took the difficult decision to withdraw from the event on Saturday morning in agreement with his team and circuit medical staff. “I’m just not fit enough to ride for 23 laps so it’s tough luck really,” he told…

‘Clive Padgett is the only person who could pull this off and if he says it is OK, I am with him 100%’BRUCE ANSTEY Bruce Anstey is very clear about his aims for this year’s TT. “I am looking for a Senior win now,” the 47-year-old smiles. “Then that will be the full set. Winning last year’s Superbike TT was the fulfilment of one half of the Kiwi’s big bike ambitions on the Mountain course, and his focus on taking a second six-lap big bike race win in the premier Senior event has been given a huge boost with last week’s sensational announcement that he will ride the new V4 MotoGP replica Honda RC213V-S. The master stroke by Anstey’s Valvoline Padgetts Honda team boss, Clive Padgett, has sent shock waves…

Two TT landmarks will most likely be broken this June – the first 133mph lap and the first sub 17-minute lap – weather permitting. Most riders believe both will be surpassed, as long as they don’t have to deal with any curved balls. The only thing that’s certain is that the 133mph record will go first, because that particular barrier stands at 17 minutes and one second. “I think we’ll see both go, but it’s all down to conditions,” says John McGuinness. “If it’s been pissing down with rain a lot it probably won’t happen. Conditions need to be perfect and you need all the guys pushing each other.” McGuinness is one of five riders – along with Ian Hutchinson, Michael Dunlop, Bruce Anstey and James Hillier – most likely…

No longer the preserve of Manxmen, the arrival of world championship stars like Tim Reeves, Ben and Tom Birchall, plus John Holden and Conrad Harrison has seen the two Sidecar TTs become as fiercely competitive as any of the other classes. However, it’s Manxman Dave Molyneux that remains the patriarch of the sidecar paddock, with only Joey Dunlop and John McGuinness having won more TT races than the 17-times winner. Last year Moly proved he is still very much on the pace by setting a new outright lap record of 116.785mph. The new mark was established on a DMR Suzuki outfit with Ben Binns in the chair, but it will be all change for Molyneux in 2016 as he switches to a Honda-powered outfit and is rejoined by former passenger,…