Table of contents for April 25th 2018 in MCN

Canadian-based Resurgence Gear have developed a protective motorcycle hoodie, ideal for urban riding. Complete with CE-approved Knox armour in the shoulders, elbows and back, the hoodie is lined with Pekev, which they say is 200% stronger than Kevlar and 15 times stronger than carbon steel. The cotton exterior has also been treated with Teflon for added breathability, water resistance and dirt protection. The hoodies are £240 and come with a soft liner for additional comfort.…

• ‘There are some great deals for overnight ferries’ #RIDE5000MILES MEMBER CHRIS HOOD If you’re planning a road-trip to clock up the miles this year, getting out of the UK has never been cheaper – thanks to competition between the ferry and Eurotunnel providers. The result is that you can cross from Dover to Calais for just £30. Ride5000miles member Jonathan Tatton is on holiday right now on his BMW GS, having booked a five-day ticket return ticket using the booking comparison website www.aferry.com. “There are some very cheap deals going on cross-channel ferries at the moment,” he said. “I wanted a break and booked a crossing for Monday returning on Friday, Dover to Dunkirk. It was just £35 return. I’m in the Black Forest at the moment, riding the…

 A group of riders are looking raise over £100,000 for Cancer Research in June by riding from Land’s End to John O’ Groats in 24 hours on bikes worth less than £300. • To make it even harder you can’t use motorways “The Longest Day Down started as just a few mates on an internet forum,” said series organiser John McAvoy. “Riders set off from Land’s End at sunrise on the longest day, to ride to John O’ Groats before sunrise the next day. You get a strange mix of bikes – crash-damaged sportsbikes, mega-mile commuters and Chinese 125s.” To make things more difficult, the riders are not allowed to use motorways, or deviate from a route that includes a series of pit stops. For more information on the event…

The motorcycle industry is as guilty as any tabloid rag when it comes to negativity surrounding biking. Doom and gloom seems ingrained, along with that ever-tiresome adage regarding an aging two-wheeled population. A few years ago, a Motorcycle Industry Association survey revealed the largest insured biking demographic was aged 20-30 years old. The second largest is 50-plus, probably skewed by so many coffin dodgers owning more than one bike. It’s a similar narrative to the ‘sportsbikes are dead’ drivel. But a journey through your local town/city will reveal an onslaught of nippers on L-plated machinery. And a shit-load of sportsbikes. New bike stats are one thing, but not everyone rides a bike registered in the last 12 months. However, with just 958,857 motorcycle tests taken over the last 20 years,…

I’ve bought a scooter. Not a Vespa or Lambretta, nor a powerful 500/650, nor a cheap and possibly short-lived Chinese mail-order brand, but something called a Suzuki FL125 Address – a sophisticated thing in the style of the Honda PCX125. Why? Because I commute in London and my other bikes just don’t cut the mustard. They are either too big (H2 Ninja, BMW K1600GTL), or require lots of gear-changing (KTM 390 Duke) or won’t be allowed into the Ultra Low Emission Zone from next year (my Honda CD200 will fall foul of this). They are also too valuable to risk. My Honda CB400 Four, Ninja and K16 are too thirsty (all except the CD200) or are being readied for sale (78-miles-from-new 1978 Honda CG125 and 1976 C90 and a 1981…

Ivan Mauger, the Speedway star from New Zealand who won six World Championships in the 1960s and 70s has died aged 79. Born in Christchurch, Mauger made his way to England when he was 17, first riding for Wimbledon while earning his keep assisting the groundsman. He next raced for Newcastle Diamonds and in 1966 he qualified for his first World Final, finishing fourth. He returned in 1968, when he won his first World title. After his win he moved to Manchester in 1969 to race with the Belle Vue Aces and it was here he would achieve his greatest success winning the 1970, 71 and 72 world titles. In 1973 he moved to the Exeter Falcons, claiming his record-equalling fifth title in 1977, before moving to the Hull Vikings…

Alpinestars have teamed up with 1993 500cc GP champion Kevin Schwantz to create a limited-edition Supertech R boot. Finished in red, yellow and black, complete with Kevin’s distinctive 34 just above the toe slider, only a limited number of pairs of the CE-certified boots will be available in the UK. Prices are expected to be in the region of £400 to £500 and features include replaceable heel plate sliders, external shin protection and aluminium toe sliders which help improve feel. www.alpinestars.com…

Kawasaki’s new Z900RS might have swept the best of its retro rivals to one side this year, but before I’ve even swung a leg over its scooped-out saddle I’m worried this Cafe version could be a huge disappointment. The naked straight-barred Z1 lookalike RS has already beaten Triumph’s Thruxton and BMW R nineT Pure in MCN tests – and that’s no mean feat. But when a manufacturer decides to café racer a bike by throwing on a nose fairing and fitting droopy bars it can sometimes prove to be a complete disaster. Take BMW‘s R nineT Racer. It’s one of the most beautiful-looking machines on sale and is a blast to ride, but its bars stretch out like a medieval torture rack. A couple of dozen miles draped over it…

“You’ve heard the term pitching it in? That’s what you do. “You can ride straight and brake, but nothing’s going to happen. It’ll just be like skidding your pushbike. Pitching it in is when you initiate the turn really early, taking the bike off the centre of the tyre and bringing it to the edge. That’s when that steel shoe comes into play. You have your foot on the floor and you’re initiating the turn early on. “The best way to slow down for a corner is to pitch it in sideways. It scrubs off so much speed and gets the bike pointing in the right direction. “At some point the wheels will go back into line. Or occasionally you’ll be in that deep you can go straight from backing…

Brian Milton Newmarket to Coggeshall, 48.5miles “Head out of Newmarket on the B1061, a lovely stretch of tarmac that dips and swoops between tiny villages. At Steeple Bumpstead pick up the B1057. The next bit to Great Dunmow is one of the best roads in the county. Rather than jump on the new A120 at Dunmow, I prefer the old road (now the B1256) as it’s far more interesting than plugging along the dual carriageway.” TH E ROUTE • Super-twisty • 1 ½ hour ride • Tea & cake stop Tony Collins Aberystwyth loop, 28 miles “Head south from Aberystwyth on the A487 then take the A4120 to Capel Seion. It’s a great road with a few really tight corners. When you get to Devil’s Bridge, take a look at…

Arai RX7-V Spencer Replica £789.99 Tested by Matt Wildee, 10,000 miles, two years This is Arai’s top-of-the-range race helmet – just like the one used by Cal Crutchlow in MotoGP. It has been my go-to helmet for the last two years and the RX-7V has acquitted itself very well – as you’d expect for a helmet that’s worth more than my car! With a composite shell, plenty of venting and a large visor aperture, it is a wonderful track helmet, which I trust implicitly. I’ve used the RX-7V countless times on track and raced in it and it’s been faultless every time. It’s pretty good on the road, despite being one of the heaviest I’ve used. It’s also extremely stable and thanks to the removable chin curtain it’s snuggly in…

“I chose my kit on whether or not I can use it on track and, being vain, I like everything to match my bike. “My kit doesn’t need to be waterproof, but I do look for the safety certification. For example, my helmet has to have the ACU gold sticker because they check that on trackdays and at race meetings. “Cost comes into my decision-making to some degree, but I’d rather spend money and have something that’s better and safe, rather than just looking good.” 1 Arai Chaser V £380* “I’ve tweaked it by replacing the innards with those from the more expensive RX-7 range. I know the RX-7 is louder but I haven’t noticed it being too noisy.” 2 RST Race Dept sliders £24.99 “They wear well. The right…

Decorator’s heat gun Perfect for gently heating stubborn nuts and bolts I’ve not touched since last year – like caliper bolts or spindle nuts – to help free them off. Also handy for applying decals, or fitting shrink-wrap. My magic thumper Soft-faced hammers, like this Thor, are invaluable for gently but firmly drifting out slightly reluctant wheel spindles, getting a caliper to budge, or giving old discs a tap if they’ve become stuck on the wheel hubs. Wrench monkey If you’re going to undo bolts, you really should have the correct means to do them back up again. You need a torque wrench. If your bike has a single-sided swingarm, it’s also crucial for nipping up the pinch-bolts, so you don’t oval the hub by over-tightening them. Follow the rules…

 Tyco BMW duo Michael Laverty and Christian Iddon joined forces with Danny Webb to claim a podium in Sunday’s Le Mans 24 Hour race. ‘I actually did my best lap time in the dark’ CHRISTIAN IDDON The trio took a S1000RR to third for Rico Penskofer’s German Wepol squad despite a series of issues. The FCC TSR Honda France squad of Freddie Foray, Josh Hook and Alan Techer were the race winners. French trio Gregory Leblanc, Sebastien Gimbert and Erwan Nigon were two laps behind as they claimed runner-up spot for the British-based Honda Endurance Racing team. “I’m really happy to get on to the podium at a circuit as iconic as Le Mans and it makes up for all the hard work during the night,” Laverty smiled. “But I’m…

Honda’s run of incredibly bad luck is dragging on. In Aragon Leon Camier broke three ribs and punctured a lung before team-mate Jake Gagne was forced out of both Assen races following an enormous highside on Friday, damaging his spine. The timing of these incidents couldn’t be worse, as they will both miss the Brno test, only satellite Honda rider PJ Jacobsen will attend with Triple-M. Camier is hoping to race at Imola, but MCN understands the team wants him to wait.…

In classic Jonathan Rea fashion the triple WSB champion scored more points than anybody else at Assen, managing 45 from a potential 50 thanks to his race one win and second in race two. He extends his championship lead to 30 points over Chaz Davies. “Starting from ninth in race two I had to use a lot of tyre and energy to get to the front,” he said after pulling off more spectacular moves. “Congratulations to Tom, his pace was very impressive, but I’m still very satisfied.”…

Cal Crutchlow says he’s not too concerned to have conceded the lead in the MotoGP title race after crashing during Sunday’s race in Texas. An unlikely championship leader after his stunning win last time out in Argentina, the expectation seemed to sit heavily on the Brit’s shoulders at the weekend – and with the pressure lifted, it might be the best thing that’s happened to him. Admitting that he crashed after making a mistake trying to get away from Johann Zarco and Andrea Dovizioso, Crutchlow says that heading to Jerez in fourth place in the championship instead of leading, means that he can ride the coming races more the way he wants to. “I know I had the pace to be second, but I made a mistake, plain and simple.…

Bike racing is dangerous. It says so on the back of every ticket and on big signs at every circuit. While it’s getting safer, people still get hurt, badly sometimes. That’s why it’s not acceptable for fans to boo racers. Racers who are putting it all on the line. The booing directed at Marc Marquez after he secured an emphatic win scaled new, disappointing heights in Texas. The 25-year-old Spaniard brushed it off, but even though he doesn’t ride like one, he is human and should not have to put up with such loutish behaviour.…

HIGHLIGHTS • XSR900 base bike • Öhlins suspension • Handmade alloy bodywork • BST carbon wheels • On sale later this year Yamaha have a long history of custom motorcycles through their Yard Built project, which spawned the XSR production bike series. Now they’ve teamed up with Southend-on-Sea builders Auto Fabrica to produce two of their wildest machines yet. To create the bikes, Auto Fabrica co-founders Gaz and Bujar Muharremi teamed up with designer friend Toby Mellor. They wanted to blur the lines between classic and modern style. They decided to make the first bike, the Type 11 Prototype One (above), a track-only machine, so they weren’t held back by road regulations. Auto Fabrica stripped the stock XSR900 right back to the engine and frame, swapping the suspension for custom…

Ducati have announced that they will release a bike by 2020 with front and rear radar as part of their goal to help improve rider safety. The rear radar will have two functions: to detect other vehicles in the rider’s blind spot and to warn the rider of vehicles approaching from behind at speed. It is expected to work in a similar way to technology used by Volkswagen. Audi owns both Ducati and VW, so this sharing of tech makes perfect sense. A warning light will flash in the wing mirrors to alert you of the presence of vehicles in the blind spot or approaching from behind. The forward facing radar will work as an Adaptive Cruise Control to keep the bike in a flow of traffic. The rider can…

The Qwart Phoenix is an all-new, fully-customisable retro helmet designed to appeal to the custom and café racer scene or those that just like to stand out from the crowd. The outer shell is carbon fibre, so as you might imagine it’s very light, tipping the scales at just 1190g. As you might also imagine it’s rather expensive, priced between £595 and £639 depending on fit and finish. Fit and finish? Yes, Qwart helmets can be modified using a single Allen key, which allows you to unscrew and replace certain parts to achieve many different design combinations – or you can just leave it how you like it. The helmets are ECE 2205 approved and can be bought with a visor (called Standard) or without one for goggle-wearers (known as…

A new BMW C400 scooter could be in the pipeline, according to patent drawings. The machine appears to be based on the CB400X, sharing the same engine, transmission and wheels but it has new bodywork that doesn’t look like a crashed GS. With that in mind, the new model could follow the C650 range, which consists of the GT and the Sport, and become the C400 Sport. Assuming it shares the same running gear, performance will be the same 32bhp mated to a twist-and-go transmission built into the swingarm. BMW say they’ve invented a rubber mounting system that kills vibes without spoiling the handling. We expect it later this year, however the C400X still hasn’t hit dealers, so pricing is unknown.…

NEXT WEEK WEDNESDAY 25TH Spalding Bike Night Entr y Free Info www.facebook.com/groups/1564390120531207/Head to the Fisherman’s Arms for a mug of tea, hearty food and great bike chat THURSDAY 26TH California Superbike School, Silverstone Entr y £439 Info www.superbikeschool.co.ukLearn from some of the best in the business while riding your own bike FRIDAY 27TH MSVT General Trackday, Snetterton 300 Entr y £99 Info www.msvtrackdays.comMulti-group trackday at Snetterton, which includes the half-mile Bentley Straight SATURDAY 28TH Cookstown ‘100’, Co Tyrone Entr y Free Info www.cookstown100.com Nip over the Irish sea for hair-raising road racing without the mad crowds Squires Cafe Autojumble, West Yorks Entr y Free Info www.squires-cafe.co.ukMonthly autojumble that regularly attracts a variety of sellers Steve Parrish’s Mad Tour, Stamford Entr y £21 Info www.madtour.co.ukAn evening of hilarious stories and japes with…

If you’re the sort of person that likes to stand out from the crowd, Dainese might have just the thing for you. They’ve just unveiled their Custom Works experience, which all hinges around a new 3D configurator on their website that lets you design your own leathers. It all works live and at the end of it all you upload your design before booking an appointment to be measured up. All you do then is hand over your hard-earned and sit patiently by the front door waiting for it to arrive. Prices depend on options, so to find out more visit www.dainese.com…

Reader Chris Harwood The Ride Lovely loop from Plymouth to Cornwall and back When to do it Spring to autumn Miles 100 more or less Time required 2hrs 45mins Don’t miss this “When you’re done, head back out of Bude but instead of riding out back to the A39 take the coast road to Lynstone for stunning views.” THE ROCK INN This is the star/finish point. It’s the Rock Inn at Yelverton which has great food and great beer. ICE CREAM STOP Crooklets Café in Bude. Ace pasties and ice cream plus parking and public loos for midway relief. RED POST The end of the B3254 where you turn left towards Bude on the A3072. Good photo spot! TAVISTOCK Part of the B3362 just out of Tavistock with my beast…

‘Valuing this claim is an art rather than a science’ Q Am I missing out on compensation? I had an accident in September 2016 and have just had the updated report from the orthopaedic surgeon as instructed by my solicitor. I now have a final prognosis for my fractures and other than scarring and some sensitivity in the cold, I should be fine. I am back at work and he said my employment won’t be affected. I had several broken bones, psychological issues, scarring and soft tissue damage. My solicitor has explained that I will receive compensation for the injuries, but I don’t understand why I am not being compensated for all of the injuries rather than just a sum for all of them. Am I missing out on compensation?…

Kawasaki have made its superb Z900RS even more brilliant and all for just a few hundred quid more. It’s spacious, smooth, grunty, sweet-steering and has a beautifully solid feel at maximum lean. The racy bar position is natural, but the seat will get to you after a few hours, so this is more Sunday blaster than big-distance mile-muncher. Ride quality is superb on smooth roads, but slightly harsh on bumpy terrain and those missed gears are a worry, but that could be down to our test bike’s lack of miles. But the way it looks, sounds and cruises is fantastic. This is undoubtedly one of Kawasaki’s best bikes.…

Judging by the crowd it attracted at Brands Hatch, the 959 Panigale Corse edition is worth the extra £1900 for its wow factor alone. It’s still the 959 Panigale we still know and love as it is so easy and nonthreatening to ride fast. A lap at a deserted Brands Hatch borders on being spiritual. The Öhlins are a small step up in performance and adjustability, but it’s not huge and there’s no power gain from the new end cans. Tot up the cost of the Corse’s extras and it adds up to a lot more than the £1900 premium, but for a whole heap less you can buy a used 959, or even an 899 and upgrade it for less. Tech spec What it costs £15,895 On the road…

‘I started sliding, but once you do it’s addictive’ Dave Bent “I’ve never ridden off road. I started riding at 14 and now I’m 67 I wanted to try something different. I thought the day was excellent: it took me out of my comfort zone and pushed me somewhere I didn’t think I’d want to be. It’s an eye-opener on how much traction there is on damp soil. I was amazed the tyres could grip like that. It was quite a long time before I started sliding, but once I did it was addictive.” ‘It looked dangerous, but I was enlightened’ Oliver Winbolt “It looked really dangerous. I’ve generally been terrified of sliding motorcycles since I started riding in 1983. Also, most people I know who’ve gone from tarmac to…

Few things wreck your day more than getting stranded at the roadside with a flat tyre while you wait for the recovery truck to show up – which is where this exclusive reader offer comes in. It’s an emergency tubeless tyre repair kit which includes everything you need for a temporary fix. It’s suitable for repairs up to 6mm on the treaded part of the tyre and is safe to use up to 40mph. This kit is worth buying because: • It’s very easy to use • It’s safe at speeds of up to 40mph • It saves you from being stranded • Includes everything required to get you back on the road: instructions, tools, rubber solution three canisters, insulator and plugs NOTE: This kit isn’t suitable for repairing a…

Bikers often get that nagging feeling in the back of their minds about a job they know needs doing, but they can never quite find the time to get around to it. This week’s Workshop War Story goes to show why putting off a job for too long is never a good thing. Doncaster Motorcycles’ joint owner and top mechanic Kevin Hollingsworth, aka Dr Tepi, has been fixing bikes since he left school 23 years ago, but even he still gets surprised by some of the frightening sights he sees in his workshop. He was recently asked to investigate a Honda CG125’s handling issues. The owner told him he’d noticed that the bike was ‘snaking around a bit.’ Dr Tepi said: “The bike had several snapped spokes and the wheel…

American innovator Erik Buell is back designing motorcycles, this time as part of a trio behind the electric brand Vanguard Spark. Buell wound down his own venture, EBR in 2017, but is now back with new partners Vanguard Motorcycles founder F-X Terny and Spark Racing Technology, who make Formula E race cars. The plan is to produce two models: a battery-assisted bicycle called the SpeedBike and an electric motorcycle called the Commuter. The name might not get the blood pumping straight away but the Commuter is intended to be a low-powered and practical machine for city-dwellers rather than thrill-seekers. So far the partnership have only released a sketch but interested parties can register on the website: www.vanguardspark.com…

A campaigning mum who lost her son in a bike accident is fighting to get motorcycle awareness included in the driving theory test. Nick Brisland was 19 when he died in an accident while riding to a local bike meet. He was killed instantly when he swerved into oncoming traffic as he tried to avoid a driver who had pulled put of a drive. However, the Crown Prosecution Service declared that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute in this case. His mum Ria said: “The way in which he was killed could have been so easily avoided. That’s what spurred me on to help other riders. How many times have you heard someone say: ‘Sorry mate I didn’t see you?’ I want to reach the masses with this campaign and…

Scottoiler have released a new model of auto chain luber, promising to be the ‘easiest and most user-friendly yet’. What’s new about the xSystem is that it features an accelerometer, meaning it only directs oil towards the chain when you are moving. The new unit has five flow settings, which can be adjusted on the reservoir unit itself, to suit different riding conditions. The xSystem can be fitted to any type of swingarm, with either a left or right-hand chain drive. The reservoir can also be mounted wherever you like on the bike (within reason) using the 3M adhesive tape provided. The new Scottoiler is due to be launched on April 30 and costs £199.95. For more information visit www.scottoiler.com…

Two alleged bike thieves have been arrested after a high-speed chase involving officers on the ground and in the air. It all started when police tried to apprehend a pair of suspicious scooter riders at King’s Cross. They failed to stop and escaped but were spotted by the police helicopter trying to angle-grind the locks off bikes in Old Street, 2.3 miles away. Again, the police attempted to apprehend them. This time a police chopper followed one bike, which made a high-speed escape that included running through a red light at 80mph before ending up in a traveller’s site in Essex. Two men, aged 22 and 24, were arrested for failing to stop, aggravated taking and driving away and attempted theft of motor vehicle. The Met’s Inspector David Hay said:…

• Honda wants to fit DCT to its sportsbikes Smooth shift ing With two clutches operating together, the engine power is always being transmitted to the rear wheel. Weight penalty The extra equipment adds weight to the bike and can give the sensation that the engine spins up slower Worry-free changes Electronic actuators do the job of selecting the gears and engaging the two clutches, making stalling impossible. Speed of light By alternating clutches, the computer can preselect the next gear meaning shifts can be completed in half a second! The new Gold Wing, which is landing in dealers shortly, brings a host of innovations with it including the first seven-speed DCT gearbox on a bike. It begs the question: what on earth is DCT and how does it work?…

Designer Ashley Watson has produced the merino wool Orkney Baffle. It’s his solution to the problem of a chilly neck. To achieve a seamless construction when worn under a helmet, Watson used a 1962 Wildt Mellor Bromley RTR twelve-inch circular knitting machine of which only 30 are still at work in the UK. Watson says it took six months and ten prototypes to fine-tune the stitch density, retention and panel construction for the perfect fit. It’s £65 from ashleywatson.co.uk…

‘We’re on a bacon butty fuelled quest’ The word ‘Big’ goes with ‘Breakfast’ so well that these two words alone are enough to get most red-blooded bikers digging their keys out and heading out on the road in search of a café. Not that we need an excuse to ride bikes and eat food at cafés that welcome their visitors arriving on two wheels, we’ve come up with one anyway. This is MCN’s 2018 hunt for Britain’s best biker café. We don’t just want to visit nice cafés that tolerate bikers, we want to tour the ones that really welcome us. That doesn’t mean they have to have a bike night, or organise special events – they just have to welcome bikers with open arms, rather than folded ones. Over…

‘Treat the throttle like it’s made of glass’ Take cont rol Throttle control will improve as you react better to what’s happening beneath you. Use your arms Keep elbows and arms up, so you don’t run out of lock. Use the bars to push the bike down. Body beaut iful “The biggest change for road riders is body position,” says our expert. Learn to turn Stick your leg out, supporting the weight of you and the bike as you go into a turn. We’re all used to motorbikes feeling like secret magic, but this is another world: I’m leaned over so far the footrest is dragging on the hard-packed clay soil. My left leg is juddering up and down over the bumps, skating with remarkable ease thanks to a steel…

Fake listings on sites like eBay, Gumtree, Facebook and other pop-up websites are on the up, but increasingly they’re targeting your details so they can use your identity, not trying to sell you something that’s been nicked. Spotting the scammer The best fake listings are obviously the ones that look compellingly real, but the signs are almost always there if you turn on your crime-dar. The listing is often a partial clone of a real one that was BE WARY...  live at the same time, or the week before, and there are tell-tale signs that unmask prowling scammers. Be wary of listings with one pic and a super-short description, followed by a prompt to ‘send me your contact details if you want to know more’. If the item is listed…

1 25 % OFF Oxford Aqua T50 Roll Bag now £44.89 Reduced from £59.99, the T50 Roll Bag remains a current model in Oxford’s range. It’s a bargain. w w w.spor t sbikeshop.co.uk 2 30% OFF RST Tractech Evo CE boots now £99.99 Down from £149.99, these CEapproved perforated boots are ideal for the sporty rider and are available in multiple colours. w w w.spor t sbikeshop.co.uk 3 35% OFF Belstaff Brooklands jacket in navy blue now £340 With sizes available across the spectrum, this stylish jacket is down from £525. Why not grab a steal? www.urbanrider.co.uk 4 SAVE £258 Spidi Track Wind Pro leather suit now £699.99 This one-piece is on clearance at Infinity. It’s down from £957.99. w w w.infinit ymotorcycles.com…

MoT time is always stressful. I invariably get the jitters in that strange void somewhere between the pit of my stomach and my danglies when the MoT tester is prodding my bike – even though I know it’s absolutely perfect. Actually, that’s a bit of a lie. One of my bikes has a fruity set of carbon Termignonis sticking out from under its iconic bottom, and I know they’re not legit. As MCN’s Bruce says (below right), there are a couple of rules you need to know. And a sneaky workaround, too. The noise thing is all about the tester’s discretion. So first job is: find a deaf tester. The ‘not for road use’ tip is important – that’s an instant fail. But you don’t need an angle grinder and…

BSB stars offered soft option Pirelli will introduce a new-for-2018 specification softer (SC0) rear tyre for Bennetts BSB teams at this week’s Oulton Park test. While the compound of the tyre remains unchanged, the structure has been strengthened in case they are run below the pressures Pirelli recommends. No such problems have been encountered in BSB, but the changes have been implemented globally following recent issues on the world stage. Given the differences in specification, only the 2018-spec soft tyre will be made available to teams from the Oulton Park round of BSB onwards. Brookes on track The McAMS Yamaha team were back on track at Silverstone last week as they look to solve the grip issues that have hampered series favourite Josh Brookes since the start of the year.…

 Dorna’s US ambitions had another wobbly weekend at Austin. The MotoGP moguls have been trying to conquer the US since the 1990s. After false starts in Florida, California and Indiana, this latest Texan trial is looking a bit tarnished. ‘The track was so bumpy it was ridiculous’ This is not because of a lack of effort from the Circuit of the Americas, nor even a dire lack of spectators. No figures this year, but last year’s 47,000 was more than in Australia and (obvs) Qatar, though half the number of at least six European races. COTA has a fine and varied long lap, good weather, and is close to a great city. Sadly, however, GP racing just doesn’t figure for enough of the vast population, leaving COTA strapped for cash.…

Sam Lowes has come away from the third round of his return to the Moto2 class frustrated, after crashing out of Sunday’s race. Exasperated almost to the point of tears after the crash, he’s insistent that he just needs to find the missing ingredient before he can start fighting for the title and adding to his paltry three-point tally in 2018. “It’s just not happening for me. I’m not crashing all weekend then it comes to the race and boom – I’m on the ground. I just made a mistake. Last year was hard, I got a lot of shit for crashing so much, and that’s still always there mentally – and I just need one good result to prove to myself. “But I’ve moaned all weekend about no front…