Table of contents for 10 June 2020 in MCN

The gradual global easing of lockdown measures has thrown us some fantastic sports news this week, as well as a very disappointing curve ball. Let’s dwell on the good stuff first. After the most frustrating false start to a race season in living memory, it’s great to hear BSB guru Stuart Higgs confirm an 18-race calendar to get the action back on track. It’ll be intense, too. Six triple-headers will be a serious test of rider resilience and should deliver some incredible fireworks. I can’t wait. MotoGP, too, has had its diary out and this time they’re not just Tipp-Exing out all the entries. Instead, they’ve been pencilling in a 13-round season to create a meaningful championship for 2020. And WSB is sure to follow along in its wake. With…

Bike shops throughout England are opening for business once again as dealerships move forward in line with the Government’s plan to ease lockdown restrictions. New measures introduced on June 1 have allowed businesses to implement a similar strategy to that which has become the norm in supermarkets, but given the ‘hands-on’ nature of buying a motorcycle MCN was keen to see how this would work in practice. We paid a visit to two very different firms to ask what the guidelines meant to them and how they’re adapting to a life after lockdown. “Things have changed quite a bit,” says Mike Blomfield, Dealer Principal at the UK’s largest Harley dealership, Newmarket Harley-Davidson. “Two-metre distancing throughout the dealership, a hand sanitising station, tape on the floor and signs everywhere. We’ve erected…

Ride5000miles members from across Europe have been hitting the road as a family – adding to their annual totals and sharing the thrill of riding across the generations. Many have turned to motorcycling to keep the kids occupied during the Covid-19 restrictions and inspire the next wave of two-wheeled enthusiasts at the same time. Mark Nichols, 43, from Wisbech, said: “It gives you the chance to spend the time with just one of them!” Mark has ridden with bike-mad son, Alfie, 13, since he was eight, exploring local roads and bike dealerships together, as well as spectating trackday action at Snetterton. “If anything, he gets me out on the bike more, because he’s always pushing for a trip,” he continued. “During the lockdown, the idea of going out on the…

TRIUMPH T120V My second bike, first was a Bantam, and my girlfriend Sara on the back. I still ride and Sara is my wife! Marcus Aldren HONDA VFR750 My son Sam wishing this 1988 immaculate Honda VFR750 was his first bike (he actually has a scooter). Jez Briggs YAMAHA RD This beauty was my first ever brand new bike. I do wish I still had it or the Yamaha RD500 I traded it in for. Alan Murphy MONTESA Me on a hired Montesa 1981 in Mallorca, sadly with my late son Craig having a sit on the tank. Colin Munro DERBI GPR50 On my 16th birthday I did my CBT and collected my very first road bike, this 2006 Derbi GPR50. Haydon Gibson HONDA VF500FIIE When you could borrow your…

1984 Yamaha RD500LC special • Power 83.4bhp • Torque 49.5lb.ft • 500cc two-stroke 50° V4 When it was first revealed to the world in late 1983, Yamaha’s RD500LC was the raciest race replica ever built. Sportsbikes were still a new concept, yet here was a machine with a direct Grand Prix connection. There were no apologies and no half-measures: Yamaha were promising to deliver a road-legal version of the OW70 as raced by Kenny Roberts. Today, however, the big Elsie feels about as radical as a sports- tourer – to sit on, at least. With its handlebars mounted above the top yoke and footrests that don’t require yogic positions, the RD’s riding position feels a fine place to be. But any notions of sports-touring are shattered by the menacing…

Honda Benly J “This Japan-only bike was designed by Mr Honda in 1952 and was such an innovative machine with a monoshock and swingarm-mounted engine.” Honda CB750 “You ride a CB750 today and it just does everything well.” Honda CB400 Four “Hugely popular and we sell more 400 Four parts than anything else.” Honda SS50 “Mine was a 1977 model, so the last of the derestricted ones but they were horrendously slow. Our museum has James May’s SS50 on display.” Honda C100 Cub “It was built for noodle delivery riders but went on to be a big hit.” Honda CZ100 “The first ever Monkey bike was only sold in a few countries in 1963.”…

It was murder, plain and simple. Murder by committee. The victims were some of the most beautiful racing motorcycles ever made. The V3 Protons, created by a legend and crafted by engineering artists, were cut short in their prime. Not before, however, one of the lithe, lightweight triples claimed a final pole ahead of the new MotoGP monsters at Phillip Island. Jeremy McWilliams set the fastest-ever lap at what was then the fastest track on the calendar. That achievement was a final high point, confirming its status as the fastest two-stroke GP bike ever. A fact backed up with best two-stroke laps and race times at several other circuits in that 2002 season. In that race, as elsewhere, McWilliams and teammate Nobu Aoki were bullied out of the way by…

1986 Yamaha SDR200 • Claimed weight 101kg • Seat height 770mm • Mileage 9500 • Bought for £1400 • Servicing work to date£1800 • What’s different? Performance Fabrications exhaust and carbon can, paintjob. Yamaha heritage paint The paint was faded and scratched, so it all needed redoing. I wanted some sort of Yamaha heritage scheme but was reluctant to go down the cliched yellow speed block route. An old paint-sprayer mate sorted it out and it’s exactly how I wanted it. Handlebars These cheap clip-ons are a temporary fix. The bike came with an awful flat handlebar conversion, which I lobbed and set about trying to find a pair of original clip ons. As of yet I haven’t scored any. If anyone out there has the originals, please give me…

The top-of-the range Street Triple model has been updated for 2020, making what was already the class leader even better. And at £129 a month, this simply superb middleweight naked bike is exceptionally tempting and the perfect cure for any post-lockdown blues. Boasting a sharper look than before, the main update to the RS is the modified 765cc triple engine that gains a bit of mid-range drive, curing an area that was left a touch lacking on the previous generation. As a result, the 2020 Street Triple RS is now even more rewarding to ride on the road while retaining its ability to be a remarkably competent track bike. As well as a full electronics package which includes a TFT dash, five riding modes, traction control and cornering ABS, the…

KTM1290 Super Adv S MY19 1301cc | 215kg | 160bhp | 860mm Cash price £12,499 Deposit £3007 Mileage 5000pa Rate 4.9% APR Optional final payment £7160.63 Targeted at road riders, with the R version aimed at those who like to get dirty, the 1290 Super Adventure S comes with cast and not spoke wheels and less travel in its suspension, helping firm up the ride and making for a better bike on the tarmac. With 160bhp and a full electronics package, this is grown-up adventure machine. Suzuki V-Strom 1050 1037cc | 236kg | 106bhp | 855mm Cash price £10,147Deposit £2286.46Mileage 4000pa Rate 5.9%APROptional final payment £5482 Updated alongside the XT version for 2020, the base model V-Strom adds extra poise and power to what was already a competent package. And…

Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight* 1202cc | 252kg | 65.7bhp | 710mm Cash price £9995Deposit £149Mileage 4000pa Rate 7.9%APROptional final payment £5771 The Forty-Eight is one of Harley’s best-selling models thanks not only to a very reasonable price tag, but also some truly classic looks that are combined with bags of attitude and a whole heap of Milwaukee heritage. It may be lacking somewhat in practicality due to its peanut-sized petrol tank, but that has never dented its appeal. And you can own one this year after a deposit of just £149! Based on the running gear of the Sportster 1200, and powered by the same 1202cc air-cooled V-twin, the Forty-Eight is distinguished by its fat balloon tyres and ‘bulldog’ stance which when combined with wide forks give it a look all of…

This year’s Motorcycle Live has been called off due to the coronavirus pandemic. The show was scheduled to take place between November 21 and 29 at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre, but organisers this week decided that ‘people had to come before pennies’ and made the incredibly difficult decision to call this year’s event off. The show has been at the NEC since 1981 and last year attracted more than 104,000 visitors over nine action-packed days. It’s been a constant in the biking calendar and the only blip in nearly 40 years came in 1990 when snow saw the show shortened. ‘We had to put safety first. It’s a huge responsibility’FINLAY McALLAN Managing Director of Motorcycle Live, Finlay McAllan, told MCN: “We had to put people’s safety first and as organisers…

The Imps Motorcycle Display team has been given a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in its 50th year. The Imps grew out of a charity that arranged holidays for underprivileged children from inner city London. While on one of these trips, some of the kids found an old motorcycle and the rest just snowballed from there. “We are delighted to receive this award,” says Roy Pratt MBE, founder and Team Director of the Imps. “I thank The Queens Awards for this recognition on behalf of so many volunteers who have given so much of themselves throughout our history. It is a real honour to be recognised for doing what we love to do, particularly in our golden anniversary year.” ‘It is a real honour to be recognised’ROY PRATT MBE, IMPS…

I’m hoping to get a Ninja 1000SX soon, but I don’t have it yet so I got out on my Africa Twin last week which I’ve really enjoyed. I haven’t ridden on the road and the bike hasn’t been started since I broke my leg in 2016. I had to put a new battery on it, but that was it. ‘WE HAVE TO TAKE IT EASY AND TRY NOT TO BE A TW*T’ It felt weird to get out on a bike – something with a bit of power between your legs. I rode on some of my old favourite roads and yeah I stretched its legs a little bit, but not to the point where I was doing anything silly. I adhere to the rules in 30mph and 40mph…

•‘I took a chance, bought as much stock as I could’ If you own an old Honda you will know the name David Silver, in fact his company’s phone number is probably on your favourites’ list. Established in 1986 David Silver Spares is the go-to place for off-the-shelf, hard-to-source and reproduction classic Honda parts. The Suffolk-based operation has grown to a £5million per year international business that now even incorporates its own museum, housing the largest collection of publicly displayed Hondas outside of Japan. And it all started with Honda’s humble SS50. “When I was 16-years-old in 1977 I bought myself an SS50,” David remembers, “which being slower than my mate’s Yamaha FS1-E, broke down a lot. After that I stuck with Honda and bought a CJ250 to pass my…

With the Suzuki GSX-R750 now a distant memory and Triumph’s new Daytona Moto2 765 just a limited run, it’s been left to Ducati to bang the ‘mini superbike’ drum. And praise the lord they have because their new £14,995 Panigale V2, which replaces the 959 (and 899 before it) not only now looks as sensational as its V4 sister, it’s actually more engaging and flattering, making more sense than a tyre-shredding, brain and body-battering superbike. We’ve already ridden it on track at the world launch at Jerez and on the road around the MCN250, but you wanted to know more. These were your most-asked questions… Will there be a Streetfighter version? Mike Harrison A Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali hinted at a Streetfighter V2 when MCN spoke to him last year.…

What was life like, in the sometimes 24-hour Banbury sweat shop where Kenny Roberts built his GP bikes? For Tom O’Kane, “they were the best years of my career.” At Kenny’s insistence, everything was bespoke. “For example, choosing a power-valve motor. You could go to your local Yamaha racing spares shop and buy the ones for the YZR250. Trouble is they would look identical to the Yamahas’, and it would look – at the very least – like we’d copied them. So I ended up designing them from scratch. We had a carbon housing, some Swiss DC motors, and everything was custom made. “The electrical generators … most of the parts for them came from a company in England making disc brakes for mountain bikes. I went to them because…

Trick exhaust The stock exhaust on an SDR200 is ugly, not to mention extremely heavy. Plus, the one I had was in poor condition with dents and scuffs. I contacted Mark Dent at Performance Fabrications to see if he made one. He didn’t at the time but was happy to make a one-off for me in stainless steel with a carbon silencer. Not only does it look cool, it also sounds great. He’s since supplied a few more to SDR owners around the world. Rolling back the years While I was waiting for the engine’s internal parts to arrive, I sent off the Millyard-repaired cases, along with the cylinder and engine covers to be vapour blasted. The result was absolutely perfect and all signs of oxidisation and aging had been…

What we said then Despite what its name might suggest, the H2 SX is neither a supercharged H2 with added panniers and screen nor the best-selling Z1000SX with the H2’s 197bhp engine wedged in. No, the H2 SX is much, much more than that. Although the H2 SX’s tubular trellis frame is similar to that of the H2, its engine is mounted two inches further forward, its headstock is shallower, tubes thickened and its wheelbase is stretched by 25mm for added stability. Plus, the subframe has been strengthened to take a pillion and luggage, too. Engine-wise, the H2 SX is 998cc just like the H2, but inside the crankcases it’s an entirely new motor created with the goal of balancing performance and economy. At low speed there’s a natural equilibrium…

1 Weapon of choice Your bike’s brake fluid needs replacing every two years. Now, unless your machine is religiously dealer serviced, chances are the golden stuff in your brake lines is well past its best and needs replacing. It has the potential to be a horrible, messy job but there’s one piece of kit that makes things easier: a vacuum pump. Here’s how to wield it… 2 Check the wear A decrease in the reservoir fluid level can indicate that your brake pads have worn below the specified service limit. Remove the caliper and turn it upside down to get the best view of the pads, replace them if they are worn below the service limit. As a general guide there needs to be at least 1mm-1.5mm of…

When a big KTM came in for a service Jason McCullum at JDL Motorcycles had few concerns, despite the bike racking up more than 20,000 miles in just 18 months. ‘It could have failed and been unrideable’ It’s what the 1290 Super Adventure Special Edition was made for and it looked in good nick. It needed minimal valve adjustment and a set of new plugs, but when he took it out for a test ride he noticed the clutch was slipping in fifth under full load. He said: “The owner is an older gent and I couldn’t see him ragging the clutch in traffic light GPs or doing 100-yard wheelies, so I did some digging. My research threw up a similar issue with early Super Dukes where KTM changed the…

Racing in MotoGP may have been brought to a standstill by Covid-19, but the 2021 premier class rumour mill clicked into overdrive last week. Dominating the gossip columns is the shock news that Repsol Honda will prise Pol Espargaro away from KTM’s factory project to partner reigning World Champion Marc Marquez in 2021 and 2022. HRC had not made a formal announcement when MCN went to press on Monday, but multiple sources say the surprise deal for a rider with just one podium in 104 MotoGP races is done. A telling sign came pre-weekend when Repsol Honda team boss Alberto Puig denied a deal had been agreed. But the Spaniard, famous for his no-nonsense approach, crucially didn’t deny Espargaro was a prime target. While perfectly happy at Red Bull KTM,…

‘We have to be optimistic in terms of timing’ The 2020 Bennetts British Superbike Championship will finally fire into action at Donington Park on August 7-9. With the original calendar hit by Covid-19, series bosses have worked tirelessly with teams in a bid to get the championship off the ground with confirmation of a six-round series of triple-headers making it a credible 18 race championship. MCN spoke with series boss Stuart Higgs for an insight into how, where and when the series will re-start in eight weeks’ time. What can we expect at each BSB round? It will be a standard format which will see Free Practice on Friday and Free Practice on Saturday morning. We will then run a slimmed down qualifying session before race one on Saturday afternoon…

While we used to save up for years, or take out a personal loan or straight finance, the greatest number of financed new bikes are now bought on PCP. Why? MCN readers who’ve done it mainly cite one of two reasons: cost, or ease. The overall outlay is certainly less with PCP; as long as you don’t pay that final balloon figure (which means you never actually own the bike). Equally, if you want to change bikes during the contract period or even swap brands during the process, that’s pretty easy, too. This flexibility and low monthly outlay makes PCP about as close to a win-win situation as you’re ever likely to get where motorcycles and bank balances are involved. But it might not be right for you, so make…

Styled in Honda’s ‘neo sports café’ image, the CB1000R is a class act and at just £99 a month and with a tempting bunch of finance incentives, this could be the bike for you. The CB is powered by a 2006 Fireblade-derived motor with a ride-by-wire throttle system. At lower throttle openings, the system takes the edge off the motor’s performance, resulting in a sweet throttle connection that makes the Honda wonderfully compliant and user-friendly. It’s keen to accelerate but not intimidating or fierce. And here is the best bit, once the motor gets spinning the ride-by-wire releases a whole extra whack of power that transforms the bike’s character and turns the CB1000R from a cool looking naked that isn’t very memorable to ride into a seriously impressive machine with…

1 Sitting comfortably New aluminium subframe will help offset the increased weight of new electronics 2 Wheely good The R has 21/18in wheels and conventional suspension. The S, also spied, gets electronic suspension and 17/19in rims 3 Stiff and light The bike has a new swingarm, which appears to be significantly larger than the old model’s to increase stiffness 4 Power on We don’t expect a huge change in the engine, so it’s likely to stick around 160bhp – more than enough to make progress 5 Pricey endeavour New tech comes at a cost – We’d expect the new R to cost £14,000 while the S will be nearer £16,000 KTM are testing a 1290 Super Adventure with all-new styling and cutting-edge tech as these…

Police in Hull discovered a treasure trove of stolen motorbikes after forcing entry to a property in the Holderness area of the city. Included in the haul, which was part of an investigation into reports of stolen bikes being stored, were two bikes taken in 2017. The discovery of a total of five pilfered machines comes against a backdrop of zero tolerance in Humberside as Chief Constable, Lee Freeman, vowed to create a hostile environment for criminals during lockdown. “People have been staying at home and they have lost the opportunity to commit offences because of that,” he said. “We have a responsibility to respond and tackle criminals who will be looking for opportunities to commit crime.” Although the force’s five-week period of action, called Operation Galaxy, is intended to…

I read with great interest your feature on the off-road schools, which reminded me of my visits to the Yamaha off-road centre. I thought I’d offer a couple of helpful dos and don’ts: Don’t travel up the night before and sample the local pubs and curry houses as a volatile stomach and off road riding are not happy bedfellows. Don’t expect your legs to function normally the next morning (I remember the first time I went to Geraint’s, I woke the next morning and got out of bed only to find myself doing the dying fly on the bedroom floor). Do some training before you go, cycling or jogging, as you will never be so tired in your life if you don’t! Do, do it! It’s the best fun and…

You’d be forgiven for being unfamiliar with Yamaha’s SDR200. Made for just one year, this Japanese-market-only model never officially made it to UK shores. The little single-cylinder two-stroke first came on my radar in the early 1990s after I read a road test by Rupert Paul in Performance Bikes. I was struck by its uniqueness and simplicity: that diddy trellis frame, narrow fuel tank and single seat. The SDR wasn’t trying to be anything other than a simple, lightweight, stylish roadster. And I liked that. I also liked the idea of owning a piece of Yamaha’s two-stroke heritage, as well as giving me a healthy dose of nostalgia from the late 1980s when I worked as a mechanic in a bike shop. After missing my chance to buy one from…

•‘It took six rounds before I could relax and enjoy the racing’ In 2019, Triumph took over from Honda as the engine supplier for the Moto2 World Championship. The first time a British motorcycle manufacturer’s engine had lined up on a GP grid since the 1950s*, in their debut season the Triumph-engined bikes broke 16 lap records out of 19 rounds and set Moto2’s first top speed of over 300kph. A project that sees the firm’s contracted engine builder, ExternPro, race-preparing 160 Moto2-specification 765 Triple motors a year to satisfy the 32 riders on the grid, it is by no means a small undertaking for Triumph. And it is all done in front of a worldwide audience, so the risks involved replicating Honda’s CBR600RRbased motor’s reliability record under harsh race…

Marc Marquez will launch the defence of his MotoGP crown in Jerez on July 19 in a behind-closed-doors European 2020 season featuring a maximum of 13 races. A provisional calendar is set to be unveiled this week and as expected a Jerez double-header on July 19 and 26 will get a schedule disrupted by Covid-19 finally underway. Brno will keep its original slot on the calendar on August 9 and will be followed by another double-header at Austria’s Red Bull Ring on August 16 and 23. The season could then hit a run of action on five successive weekends between September 13 and October 11, with back-to-back races in Misano and Motorland Aragon followed by the French GP in Le Mans. The France date though is still to be finalised.…

When the Panigale V4 was released, many assumed (with good reason) that Ducati’s legacy of V-twin sportsbikes would end when the 959 Panigale had run its course. But this year Ducati decided to inject fresh life into the 959 and in doing so ensured that future generations of Ducatisti would be able to sample the delights of a booming Bologna V-twin. And we are very glad they have because the Panigale V2 is a beautiful machine to ride. An evolution of the 959 Panigale, the Panigale V2’s engine makes a very respectable 152bhp, which is more than enough power to thrill yet thanks to a superb throttle connection and lazy torque-laden nature it makes for a chilled-out ride that the firm’s bigger V-twin sportsbikes always lacked. You can relax on…

BMW F900XR 895cc | 219kg | 104bhp | 825mm Cash price £9825 Deposit £1911.79 Mileage 5000pa Rate 9.9% APR Optional final payment £5285.60 New for 2020, the F900XR is billed by BMW as a bike that combines athleticism with genuine long-distance performance and is a fun-filled adventure bike that is a hoot in the bends as well as very practical and comfortable. And all this for just £129 a month. Powered by the new larger-capacity 895cc parallel twin engine, although the XR’s 104bhp and 68lb.ft of torque doesn’t make it feel that dramatically fast, the motor’s free-revving nature and flexibility ensure it is very easy-going and fun. Not only that, the deep rumble from the 270-degree crank is a welcome delight and the throttle response excellent. Better still, it…

KTM1290 Super Duke GT 1301cc| 209kg | 173bhp | 835mm Cash price £17,199Deposit £4205Mileage 5000pa Rate 9.9%APROptional final payment £6564.38 KTM’s take on a sports-tourer is typically bold and brash. However, it’s a really practical machine that is loaded with the very latest electronic assists and powered by the firm’s thumping 1301cc V-twin. Fun, fast and practical, the Super Duke GT is a great machine for those wanting a sporty bike that can also cover big miles in total comfort. Harley-Davidson Road Glide 1868cc| 371kg | 87bhp | 695mm Cash price £22,695Deposit £825Mileage 4000pa Rate 7.9%APROptional final payment £13,200.18 Big, brash and more than happy to devour the miles, the Road Glide Special is a very impressive machine from Harley that is loaded with premium features. You get H-D Connect,…

Honda Gold Wing Tour ABS* 1833cc | 379kg | 124bhp | 745mm Cash price £27,899Deposit £6026.66Mileage 4000pa Rate 5.9%APROptional final payment £16,717.95 The Gold Wing is a two-wheeled institution and while this behemoth won’t appeal to everyone, it still has a huge worldwide fan base. Updated in 2018 with an all-new motor and chassis, not to mention loads of tech, it remains the ultimate in two-wheeled touring comfort. But at a hefty price, which is made easier on a PCP plan. HOT OFFER Honda are offering a £500 test ride incentive from Gold Wing specialist dealers. Kawasaki ZZR1400* 1441cc | 269kg | 197bhp | 800mm Cash price £12,747Deposit £3019.86Mileage 4000pa Rate 6.3%APROptional final payment £6000 A bike that was once Kawasaki’s flagship, it is easy to now overlook the ZZR1400…