Table of contents for April 18th 2018 in MCN

2017 was another stellar year for the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes as member groups completed a record 73,617 runs. This was a 30% increase on 2016 and almost three times as many runs as in 2012. Thanks to increased support, the NABB has now expanded to over 3000 volunteers and the fleet now includes 260 motorcycles and cars. Had it not been for Blood Bikes, heath trusts would have had to pay for taxis or courier services, costing the NHS hundreds of thousands of pounds.…

Criminals picked on the wrong bikes when they snatched a pair of Zero demo machines, worth around £30k, from a van near Brands Hatch last week. The two electric roadsters were snatched from Zero UK Sales Manager Dale Robinson’s van overnight. But the bikes were safely back with Dale in less than 24 hours as one was the demo unit for Zero’s new Datatool tracker/immobiliser, and was tracked by the firm. “Datatool’s system confirmed the bike was lifted at 3.37am,” said Robinson. “A collaboration between the team at Datatool and the stolen vehicle squad at the Met then meant that the bikes (and my laptop) were located behind a timber stockyard within a metre of where Datatool said it was.” Dr Ken German, the Met Police’s senior bike crime expert,…

On any given weeknight, there’s little I enjoy more than sitting down to a chicken balti and peshwari naan down at my local curry house. Last week as I tucked into my latest Indian feast, I got thinking about how much of my Indian supper was actually Indian. My conclusion was: not very much of it. The recipe was presumably Indian, the food however was cooked by Pakistanis, using ingredients bought in England, and cooked in a kitchen in Buckinghamshire. And I enjoyed it very much. In a similar vein, I was interested to see the recent MCN article entitled ‘Rule Britannia – Why the UK motorcycle industry has never had it so good’. The piece caused some of my YouTube viewers to ponder the question of whether British bikes…

London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) comes into force next April and will sweep bikes off streets in London (see news story, p4). Other cities will also do something similar soon, for sure. The rule change means that any motorcycle not Euro3 compliant will have to pay a daily £12.50 charge, unless it’s over 40 years old and registered as historic – in which case it won’t need tax or an MoT, either. This is going to skew London’s bike market, as a mass of bikes built between (roughly) 1980 and 2007 will be essentially banned. Use an old 1990s Suzuki 600 Bandit for commuting? Sorry, not anymore (unless you’ve got £250 a month). What about that little Honda CB250 you keep as a winter hack? £3k a year please.…

Britain, Britain, big breakfast Britain! Very few things go together better than a rideout that includes a steaming hot mug of tea washing a full English past your tonsils. Not that any of us need an excuse to ride bikes and eat food at biker-friendly cafés, we’ve come up with one anyway. Welcome to MCN’s 2018 hunt for Britain’s best biker café. Over the next 25 weeks, we’ll be on a bacon butty-fuelled quest to sample a different café every week – all in the name of research. We’ll be soaking up the ambience, the local roads, the temperature of the welcome, and the addictiveness of the grub. We’ll then score each venue, and move on to the next gastronomic biking nirvana. We don’t just want to visit nice cafés…

Q Who’s in deep water for canoe drama? I was riding to west Wales in the middle lane of the M4 motorway. Quite some way ahead of me in the inside lane was a van with two canoes on the roof. The green one suddenly came loose and flew through the air across the motorway towards the outside lane. The car driver in the outside lane steered left to avoid the canoe hurtling towards him and I braked as hard as I could in my lane. If the car driver had taken me out would he have been at fault? The van driver pulled off at the next exit - not sure if he had any idea what had happened. Tony Roach, email A It sounds like you had a…

• ‘13 days, eight states, three time zones, and 2800 miles of Route 66’ There’s a hypnotic, melodic roar as sixteen thunderous V-twins fire-up in the parking lot of Eagle Rider’s Chicago HQ. It vibrates through the tarmac with a thumping insistence that will be our soundtrack for the next 2800 miles. As we head out on to the freeway in convoy I realise this is it – we really are about to ride across America on the legendary Route 66. Santa Monica, California here we come, baby! Call it a mid-life crisis if you like, but riding from Chicago to Los Angeles along the length of Route 66, the Mother Road, has to be on every biker’s bucket list. There was only one bike for the trip. It had…

Get along to a Foggy book-signing event • Sunday, April 15 WHSmith Glasgow/Edinburgh • Monday, April 16 WHSmith Chester • Tuesday, April 17 WHSmith York Monks Cross • Thursday, April 19 Birkenhead with Linghams • Friday, April 20 Ace Café with WHSmith • Saturday, April 21 WHSmith Sheffield Meadowhall and Waterstones Nottingham • Sunday, April 22 Oswestry Booka Bookshop & Café • Tuesday, April 24 Waterstones Norwich • Thursday, April 26 Waterstones Milton Keynes • Friday, April 27 Waterstones Leadenhall, London • Saturday, April 28 Waterstones Bluewater/Manchester Trafford Centre • Tuesday, May 1 Scarborough Spa • Friday, May 11 Six Acres, Tong, Bradford • Thursday, May 17 Broadway Theatre, Peterborough • Friday, May 18 Lancastrian Suite, Gateshead • Saturday, May 26 Riley Smith Hall, Tadcaster…

Oxford Aqua D WP dry bags £24.99 Tester Alison Silcox Time tested 18 months Packing my gear in these bags and removing them from my hard luggage on arrival makes touring a breeze. The bags come in 5, 7 and 12 litre sizes, have a rolltop and clip closure, and are totally waterproof. Verdict ★★★★★ Contact www.oxprod.com Optimate Din Charger £25 Tester Richard Newland Time tested 12 months This little gizmo will charge two things at the same time without any apparent dip in performance. The weatherproof seals bring peace of mind when you get caught out in a deluge and the power indicator is a nice touch. Verdict ★★★★ Contact www.optimate.com Gear Gremlin Seat Buddy £25 Tester Tim Thompson Time tested 10 months The wheels work well and the…

MCN’s resident bike whisperer Bruce Dunn, aka Dr Know, has been working, fixing, riding and competing on machines of all shapes and sizes for over 30 years. MCN now gives you the chance to book in your troublesome two-wheeler for an all-round health check (see right for details of how to book an appointment). This week, Dr Know gives MCN reader Steve Bull’s 2006 Suzuki GSX1300R the once-over. Steve’s owned the 20,500-mile first-generation 1299cc model since last summer and spends most of his spare time road riding in and around North Wales, as well as enjoying the occasional blast up the drag strip at Shakespeare County Raceway. The Hayabusa is one of the fastest bikes ever built, so it’s vital that everything is in excellent condition. And, although the Hayabusa…

Lincolnshire road racing front-runner Gary Johnson will make a welcome return to the North West 200 next month after agreeing to ride for the RAF/Briggs Kawasaki squad. The 37-year-old former supersport TT winner was forced to sit out last year’s season-opening roads event in Northern Ireland when he couldn’t get his bikes prepared in time. For 2018 Johnson will race a pair of Kawasaki ZX-10RRs in the headline Superbike and Superstock races and will also be using his own, more familiar, 675cc Triumph Daytona to mount a challenge in the two Supersport races.…

Maybe the most penetrating comment in the continuing fall-out surrounding Argentina’s Marquez-Rossi clash was one of the simplest. That if Marquez hadn’t have done that, then he wouldn’t be Marquez. There is a corollary. That if Rossi hadn’t played his ‘aggrieved innocent’ game afterwards – all laughing charm and injured propriety – then he wouldn’t be Rossi. In the same way, if he hadn’t have done something achingly similar to Sete Gibernau at Jerez (although by good fortune Sete didn’t crash), he wouldn’t be Rossi either. This is to say nothing of the fact the he actually did knock Marquez off at Sepang in 2016. I note that he didn’t accuse himself of “destroying our sport” at that time – the accusation he is making of Marquez now. Rossi somehow…

Despite a raft of updates and plenty of MotoGP personnel support from Japan, Yamaha failed to make a big impression at Aragon. Michael van der Mark and Alex Lowes were fifth and seventh on Saturday, 8.9 and 9.9 seconds off the lead respectively. On Sunday, Lowes beat van der Mark to fourth spot, but both men were still ten seconds behind the winner. “I had a good feeling, but we’re not fast enough,” said Lowes. “There’s a few things we want to improve but we only have a few days until Assen. On Saturday I struggled at the start, so on Sunday I rode calmer early on to better understand the bike. I was a bit slow but it was the best we could do. Michael and I had another…

Marco Melandri’s season-long bucking bronco woes continued at Aragon with the 5ft4in Italian suffering lurid wobbles on the Ducati. Former GP world champ and WSB commentator Freddie Spencer gave MCN his ‘take on the shake’: “Marco is very small and they want his bike as agile as possible. One way to do that is to raise the ride height so the centre of gravity is higher, making it easier to initiate direction changes. But being short, his bike must be as soft as possible for good feedback. This creates instability at high speed. “Oddly, this removes one of Melandri’s strengths: improved acceleration by being small. He got alongside Rea but was so unstable he couldn’t pass. It may not look that bad, but I’ve seen people crash like that. On…

Jason O’Halloran has said it’s just a matter of time before Honda Racing return to the top step of the podium after further progress with the Fireblade this weekend. A crash in qualifying left the Aussie with work to do in Sunday’s opening race but he fought through to finish a strong third. However, he reckons he could have gone with Shane Byrne and Bradley Ray if he’d had a better starting position. “I felt brilliant in the first race, I think I could have been closer to Shakey and Brad had I not ended up in a big scrap with Laverty,” O’Halloran said. “I was running a similar pace as them towards the end but just didn’t have the chance to catch them up. “I felt the best I’ve…

‘To all intents and purposes it is a work of art’ This beautiful, angular BMW-engined superbike is set to become one of the most exclusive, expensive motorcycles in the world after San Marino-based Tamburini Corse announced a limited run of twelve 230bhp, 154kg bikes. The T12 is the final work of Massimo Tamburini, one of the founders of Bimota and the man responsible for both the Ducati 916 and MV Agusta F4. The project was started in 2012 – hence the ‘12’ designation – but was cut short when Tamburini was diagnosed with lung cancer in September 2013. It has been down to his son Andrea to put the finishing touches to the machine. We first saw it in 2016 when development riding was done by ex-GP racer Loris Capirossi,…

Harley-Davidson have got some tempting new finance offers for their entry-level models that could have you taking home some Milwaukee muscle for less than £70 a month. With a 20% deposit you can ride away on a Street 750 for just £65 per month or for just £99 a month you can jump up to the Iron 883, the first of the proper air-cooled motors. But if you want the full 107ftlb of the shuddering big twins, then the Street Bob is for you at just £129 per month. For more info and full terms, visit www.h-d.com.…

In celebration of Buildbase Suzuki’s success in the opening rounds of the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike and Superstock 1000 championships, Suzuki are offering a free Yoshimura Hepta Force silencer worth £659 with every GSX-R1000 and 1000R registered between now and April 30. Suzuki star Bradley Ray won both superbike races at Donington Park and followed that up with a second and seventh at Brands Hatch last weekend. His team-mate Billy McConnell has delivered wins in the Superstock class, too. The stainless steel Hepta force silencer saves over half the weight of the gigantic stock unit and gives a small horsepower boost at the top end. It remains fully road legal and you should have no trouble on track either as it’s rated at 96dB. • See p88-91 for full BSB…

‘I still had the dream despite what the surgeon said’ Ten years ago Ian Ward was working in BSB as a race mechanic and had just gained his ACU licence. But two weeks before his first race, he had a huge accident when a car wiped him out. He was in hospital for four weeks and spent over 48 hours on the operating table. Despite all the grafts, nerve replacements and metal plates, it was looking like he would have to give up biking for good. “I still wanted to race,” says Ian. “Even though the surgeon said I would never use my left arm again I was determined to get out on the track.” Ian did what all good mechanics do and got to work almost as soon as…

American helmet brand 6D have unveiled a new helmet design, that boasts a unique suspension system between the shell and lining which – if it proves to be as clever as it looks – could revolutionise helmet design. Get sprung Dubbed Omni-Directional Suspension (ODS), the technology is designed to reduce energy transfer to the brain in the event of a crash by compressing and shearing in all directions. Both ECE 22.05 and ACU approved, the shock-absorbers protect the head from both direct and rotational impacts. Rising damp Elastomeric Isolation Dampers are the central component and work by isolating impact energy away from the brain. The hourglass shape and elastic tendencies provide a progressive spring rate that helps cushion the blow. Racing pedigree Available now for £699, the track-focussed ATS-1 is…

Triumph have produced a pair of special-edition Bonnies that celebrate the 1959 650cc T120. Each of the 59 T100 and T120s has a classic paint blue and orange design that follows the contours of the tank and reflects the original bikes. The T120 is £10,600 and the T100 £9000. Triumph have also teamed up with artist and biker D*Face, who has customised three bikes – and you could win one. All you have to do is test ride one of the bikes from the Modern Classics range before April 30 to be entered into the draw. Info: www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk. HJC have unveiled a new Black Panther-inspired RPHA70 helmet after the success of the film earlier this year. The helmet has a high level of spec, including an anti-fog lens, double-D ring…

There are 250 miles to go, we’ve got three full tanks of gas, 38 grand’s-worth of adventure bikes, it’s raining, I’m wearing a dark visor and… short-arse snapper Joe topples off the 1090 R before travelling an inch. Yet, though he’s embarrassed, the big KTM simply shakes it off. It’s part of what these bikes are all about, after all. With 21in spoked front wheels, long-travel suspension, optional (or, in the KTM’s case, OE) knobblies, dirt-specific riding modes plus hand guards and plenty of crash protection, they’re not just intimidatingly tall, they also tend to survive well if the worst happens. Joining the new Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports, we have the equally new Triumph Tiger 800 XCA, plus the aforementioned 1090 R, the most off-road specific variant of KTM’s…

All three bikes are brilliant yet, as our marathon test proved, very different, too. The KTM has the best performance. Its 125 horses are the punchiest, it’s easily the best off-road and, with the classiest suspension and brakes, is the best handler, too – or at least would be on street tyres. The Triumph is the best all-rounder with a typically brilliant triple and chassis bolstered by surprising off-road ability and impressive spec. It’s also slightly anonymous in this company and lacks its rivals’ presence and stature. But the new Adventure Sports is the one we all fell in love with. It’s what the Africa Twin always should have been, and it’s the one we’d cherish most. As some wag said: “You’d get the KTM muddy and jet wash it,…

“The premises Central had in the 1980s had hot and cold running rats,” laughs Hoyland. “There were five employees and turnover was £50k a year. Now turnover is a healthy £4.5m, there are 50 employees and the building is considerably better.” TRIUMPH Triumph’s retros used to have wire-spoked wheels made by Central. Triumph off-shored these and other aspects of production in 2008 knocking a £1m per annum hole in Central Wheel’s business. LIVING HISTORY They supply the National Motorcycle Museum with wheels built to exacting standards. This Vincent Rapide has coach-lined rims – another Central service. HENRY COLE When Henry Cole went to Bonneville on a Brough, Central kept his privileged posterior off the floor. See www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfFIin04Mag…

“It was a really tricky packaging challenge to get the weight distribution right while using a big V4. We had to make the whole package as small as possible, and moving to our own engine changed the game massively. That meant getting the geometry of the bike right became a huge challenge. “We’ve used a lot of engineering tricks to make our engine more compact than the Aprilia’s, and even though it’s 20% bigger in capacity, with a wider V-angle, it’s actually the same size in profile. “Ideally what we needed was a 90-degree V, so we could ditch the balancer shaft, but then you end up with really weird chassis geometry. So the 72-degree is a compromise between chassis geometry, weight distribution and engine performance.”…

Spot dangerous MoT bodge jobs I’m getting increasingly worried by the amount of bikes being sold as MoT’d and problem-free, when they’re actually bloody deathtraps. More depressingly, most of these appear to be snide dealers, rather than private sellers. Spot the difference So how can you check the real MoT history and status of a bike? Well, in a rare bit of common sense, there is an online MoT checker (www.gov.uk/check-mot-history)that reveals warts and all. BE WARY... Sense and sensibility So when should you be worried? If a bike fails for a reflector or a bulb, and then has an immediate pass, that’s not suspicious. If the work needed is extensive, and the pass date is the same, question it. Physically check the work has been done on the bike,…

25% OFF Alpinestars AST-1 shoes now £97.49 Available in a variety of colours, there are just 30 pairs of these stylish A-Stars shortie boots left in stock. You’d better be quick! www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk SAVE £35 Forcefield Pro L2k Evo now £99.99 This CE Level 2 back protector is being replaced, so the last small and medium sizes are available with 26% off, down from £134.99. infinitymotorcycles.com 30% OFF RST Tractech Evo 2 leather jacket now £210 Available in multiple colour choices, the CE-armoured Tractech Evo 2 jacket is reduced from £299.99. www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk SAVE £100 Arai Rebel now £299.99 Arai Rebel helmets are available with 25% off. Infinity Motorcycles are offering zero percent finance to boost affordability still further. It’s rare to get an Arai for under £300, so stocks won’t last…

How often do you come to do a simple job on your bike, only to find that a previous owner has made that simple job almost impossible due to a horribly ham-fisted attempt at DIY maintenance? All too often. So, imagine the life of a top bike mechanic who spends much of his working life facing such scenarios. John Birchall, of family-run business Stourbridge Motorcycle Centre, MoTs more than 1200 bikes a year and sees all sorts of mechanical misdemeanours. But when a Honda Pan European came through his doors recently he could barely believe his eyes. “The fork bolts were missing on one side and judging by the rust inside the threads, it had been like it for some time. What made it worse was that the owner had…

Two wrongs don’t make a right. And if you need proof, look no further than last week’s Argentine MotoGP as first Marc Marquez blundered his way through the field, knocking off Valentino Rossi in the process, only for Rossi to respond with a personal attack that’s fanned the flames between both the riders and their devotees. There’s no doubt that Marquez was out of control. The red mist descended the minute he was handed a ride-through penalty for ignoring race control and refusing to pull off the start line despite stalling his Repsol Honda. Running at two seconds a lap faster than anyone else on the grid, he didn’t need to attack the way he did. But while Marquez was absolutely in the wrong, Rossi’s post-race comments have fuelled the…

It was more ‘Full Monty’ than World Superbikes as Chaz Davies threw his gloves and boots into the crowd on Sunday. A second place and a win in Aragon meant he scored the same points as Jonathan Rea to move up to second in the standings. Aragon is a happy hunting ground for Davies. It saw his first podium, first career double and first Panigale victory. Sunday’s win was his seventh at the track, but only after a complete rebuild of his bike and an extremely well executed turn four pass on team-mate Marco Melandri. “We switched to the softer tyre,” Davies said on Sunday. “I expected to be on rails but wasn’t. No edge grip, not the plan. I stayed patient, tried not to force it, went forwards and…

Luke Mossey was unable to repeat his former Brands Indy success after a number of issues held him back. The JG Speedfit Kawasaki team’s struggles with the harder rear tyre – which has hampered Haslam too – meant Mossey was unable to find the feeling and confidence that propelled him to a stunning double win 12 months ago, instead finishing 15th and 13th in Sunday’s two races. “It was a really tough weekend. We made a lot of changes but I was just struggling to feel comfortable and confident,” he said. “I went with the harder tyre in race one and I know now it wasn’t the right thing to do but we had to try something. We made some changes between races and I decided to run the softer…

Pirelli banned the use of the hard 2017 tyres at Brands Hatch after top teams claimed the old tyres gave some riders an unfair advantage. Leon Haslam was one rider who complained that the 2017 tyre seemed to work better and his team had none left, despite Pirelli claiming nothing had been changed. Now everyone has to use the 2018 version and the same rule will apply to the softer tyre from the Oulton Park round, when the new-for-2018 specification soft rubber is introduced.…

Despite terrible weather and political uncertainty over Brexit, people are buying more bikes than this time last year. In the period from the start of the year until the end of March sales were up by 5.6% compared to last year, with 24,609 bikes sold. Sales of 125-650cc bikes have accelerated, but BMW’s R1200GS and its Adventure stablemate dominate the top of the chart – with combined registrations of 1049 bikes since the start of the year. The next large-capacity machine in the sales charts is Honda’s Africa Twin with 337 bikes sold.…

HIGHLIGHTS • Improved rider and pillion ergonomics • Longer swingarm • Better wind protection and updated bodywork • Adjustable screen • Integrated pannier mounts With sales topping 30,000 in just three years, it’s fair to say the original Tracer hit the mark. But some riders wanted more – more stability, more comfort and more refinement. Yamaha have listened and for 2018 they have upgraded the Tracer 900. Best of all, they have added these enhancements without significantly upping its price. Updated with the aim of boosting versatility, the new Tracer gains a redesigned screen. As well as being taller, it can be moved by as much as 50mm via a simple push-click system, improving on the old model’s fiddly adjustment that involved undoing a pair of winders. As well as…

There will be no further models in the BMW R nineT range according to an annual report. In it, BMW say the “R nineT family is now complete” and they highlight the launch of the Urban G/S, Pure and Racer. It was thought a Bobber may be on the way after the supercharged R5 Hommage concept bike was unveiled last year. However, it now seems that BMW are focusing their attention elsewhere while rivals such as Ducati continue to expand their retro range with a whole new family of R nineT-challenging 1100 Scramblers.…

Two Wheels London are holding a photo competition with a grand prize. The ‘Snap’ competition is simple, you just need to upload a photograph of a motorcycle or scooter being used in London either for work or pleasure. Photos that depict illegal riding are ineligible for the competition. The winner of the first prize has the option of two tickets to a track day at Brands Hatch or £200 of vouchers for Infinity Motorcycles. The second place entry wins a £100 Infinity voucher and third prize bags a £75 voucher. There are also a further five £25 vouchers for the pictures deemed to be the ‘best of the rest’. To enter you need to upload a shot to the 2Wheels London app, Facebook page or website by April 30. For…

As riders return to the roads after the winter break the BikeSafe campaign has been relaunched in Wales with a view to reducing the number of crashes. Running from now until October, officers are offering workshops for those who wish to advance their riding. These are free, mixing both classroom theory and on-road practical sessions over the course of two days. The first day focuses on roadcraft, while the second covers demonstration and assessment of advanced riding. For more information visit www.bikesafe.co.uk…

• It’s intended to cosset the rider more effectively 1 Light it up The new bike has a bigger protruding headlight and new fairing lowers, which also incorporate the cornering lights. 2 Screen to go faster There’s a larger adjustable screen, which should make the GT more comfortable over distance. 3 Run of the mill The new GT appears to keep its 1301cc V-twin (the naked R will be updated) but is likely to have better rider aids. 4 A very flash dash There’s now a huge full-colour TFT dash, which will pair to KTM’s MyRide media system. 5 Same frame The frame, wheels and suspension are all carried over from the current model, suggesting this is an interim update. KTM’s wild-eyed 1290 Super Duke GT is a sports-tourer with…

NEXT WEEK WEDNESDAY 18TH Honda Ron Haslam Race School, Donington Park Entry From £299 Info www.haslamraceschool.comLearn how to handle yourself on track with Ron and his expert team. THURSDAY 19TH Iron Horse Bike Night, Market Deeping Entry Free Info ironhorseranchouse.co.uk A friendly bike night round the back of a pub, what more could you want? FRIDAY 20TH No Limits Track Day, Mallory Park Entry £109 Info www.nolimitstrackdays.comSpring is in full swing, so book a day off for some trackday fun. SATURDAY 21ST FIM World Endurance Championship, Le Mans Entry From £85 Info www.lemansraces.comA huge drinking competition with some epic racing thrown in. Charity Fundraising Ride Out, Devon Info www.olive-branch-foundation.org A charity ride-out ending with a cup of tea and a local pasty – donations welcome.…

Reader John Jess The Ride Catalunya loop, starting at Matadepera in Spain When to do it Spring to autumn Miles 84 (one lap) Time required 3 hours Don’t miss this “Once you reach Tona it’s five minutes on the motorway before you come off and face 70km of sidewall action on the loop back.” GREAT VIEWS This is the Montserrat mountain range. Allow yourself time to admire the incredible views MOIA PITSTOP Fast corners keep you on your toes before dropping down to Navarcles where you head for Moià FEEL THE HEAT In the height of summer the valleys trap the heat, so I advise early morning to enjoy the ride TONA On the home run. You can catch your breath before tackling some sublime sidewall action. I live nearby…

ROLY LEES Age 40 Height 6ft2in Current bike 2017 Africa Twin Been riding for 17 years First bike Yamaha Fazer 600 Dream bike KTM Super Adv. “Back in the early 90s, before I had a motorcycle licence, I used to press my nose against my local Honda dealer’s window and stare at the original 750 Africa Twins. So when the new generation model arrived I had to have a try – and I loved it! “There are so many great things about it, from the general aesthetics and comfortable riding position to its Dakar-inspired colours. But what I love most is the utter sense of dependability it gives, that come rain or shine it will cope with whatever you throw at it. “The longest journey I’ve done on it so…

‘I was arrogant, full of self-belief. It was all about me’ Twenty years ago, Carl Fogarty was in the process of becoming the most successful rider in World Superbike history. On-board his factory Ducati he stamped his authority over the likes of Slight, Corser, Haga, Chili and Edwards to clinch his third title. The following year he took a fourth title (and a 59th WSB win along the way), before sustaining career-ending injuries at Phillip Island in 1999. It was game over and the end of an era. His passion, aggression and sheer pig-headedness won him a legion of fans, and a fair few critics. But it was the way he raced and spoke from the heart that helped him win popularity. In the 18 years since his retirement, Fogarty…

Alpinestars WR-1 Gore-Tex gloves £129.99 Tested by Michael Neeves Now spring is finally here it’s out with my bulky winter riding gloves and in with these. Made from Gore-Tex-lined soft leather, I’ve worn them in all weathers, on every kind of bike, from sportsbikes to scooters – and they are still going strong after two years. Ready to start their third year of service, there’s no signs of wear or tear, they’re just nicely bedded-in and fit me like a, well… They’re warm in all but sub 5-degree C conditions, comfortable, waterproof and aren’t too thick, so it’s easy to feel your bike’s controls. A useful rubber wiper blade on the left thumb makes clearing your visor a piece of cake. Here’s to another three years. Quality ★★★★★ Value ★★★★★…

“I bought all this kit last summer and wanted stuff that was decent quality – I didn’t mind spending a few quid on it. I wanted it to work well in all weathers and be fairly comfortable and hard-wearing. I’m not fashion conscious but I didn’t want anything too garish, so I’m happy with black or neutral colours. “I also wanted to feel safe, so needed kit with back protection and knee pads – they were the two priorities. I’m less worried about hip protection.” 1 Triumph heated grips £189 “They didn’t keep my fingers fully warm in the winter, so I’ve ended up getting heated gloves as well. In hindsight I should’ve just gone with the gloves.” 2 RST Pro Series Adventure 3 jacket £289.99 “It’s warm with the…

Road racing at Scarborough hangs in the balance after the cancellation of the 2018 Spring Cup meeting. Racing was scheduled on the Oliver’s Mount circuit, where Geoff Duke, Barry Sheene and Guy Martin are amongst the famous winners, on April 21-22. But the organising Auto 66 club was forced to cancel the event after the sport’s governing body, the ACU, refused to provide a licence for the 2.43-mile parkland track. Scarborough’s future has been uncertain since 10 spectators were injured, some seriously, in two crashes during last September’s Gold Cup meeting. The incident sparked a major review of safety standards at the Yorkshire venue, with the ACU and local Council demanding upgrades. The ACU say deadlines for the work to be carried out were missed so were unable to issue…

Despite ditching his Suzuki ride in this year’s TT in favour of BMW’s S1000RR, Michael Dunlop will still compete aboard a GSX-R1000RR in 2018 – at this weekend’s Le Mans 24-hour endurance race. The 29-year-old Ballymoney man has chosen to line-up alongside double South African superbike champion Clinton Seller and 30-year-old Frenchman Anthony Loiseau in the Team R2CL Suzuki squad. Guy Martin finished third with the French team at the 2013 event. Dunlop’s TT rivals Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison will also be in action at Le Mans. It’s a fairly unusual move as Dunlop left the Suzuki TT team a few weeks ago after announcing a move to the Tyco BMW team.…

British MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow leads the premier bike racing class – something that has not happened for nearly 40 years. He is three points clear of last year’s runner-up, Andrea Dovizioso, after taking fourth place at the opening round in Qatar and winning last time out in Argentina. It’s the first time a British rider has led the series since Barry Sheene in 1979. But with another 17 rounds to go in what will be Grand Prix racing’s longest ever season, the LCR Honda rider says he isn’t getting carried away with things just yet. He spoke exclusively to MCN from his Isle of Man home… What does it feel like to be leading the MotoGP championship? I’m not saying that it hasn’t sunk in, but I don’t think…

“I agree 100% that this is a show. Having more riders fighting to win makes the show better. In MotoGP the bikes are prototypes and everybody starts with a clean sheet of paper; the cleverest and most knowledgeable company with the best riders, best technicians, best technology and best interpretation of the rules will win. In WSB, controlling the technical rules is much more difficult; the starting point is a road bike, and every manufacturer’s road bike is different. By starting the season with rev limits closer to the standard bikes, Kawasaki and Ducati are hit hardest, but I accept this. I even agree that they could handicap the most successful manufacturers by 250 revs at certain points of the season. The organisers are in charge and I respect their…

Bradley proved he’s the real deal at Brands. The 1.2-mile Indy circuit couldn’t be more different to Donington, where the youngster stormed to an emphatic double two weeks ago, yet he was quick again. Crucially, Ray hasn’t let the pressure get to him. Since taking the series lead he’s received lots of media attention and expectation has grown, but he hasn’t let it affect him. He’s undoubtedly got the speed. Now he’s showing he can be fast at different tracks, in different conditions and knows when to settle for a decent points finish instead of crashing.…