Table of contents for 30 June 2021 in MCN

‘If you think you don’t make mistakes, you're never going to learn’BARRY STANLEY, O’HALLORAN’S CREW CHIEF BSB CHAMPIONSHIP O’Halloran delivers BSB shockwave Jason O’Halloran delivered a knock-out blow to the BSB field at the weekend’s season debut of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship. Three races, three tactical and highly confident wins. But how has he managed to go from talented contender to analytical assassin? We speak to crew chief Barry Stanley to get the inside track on Jason’s perfect start to 2021’s season. PAGE 62 COVER STORY Top Gun makes a maverick move Unbeatable genius one week – unfathomable disaster the next. Maverick Viñales has been a constant conundrum in his time at Yamaha – but that time will end at the season finale of the 2021 season, a whole…

In the June 9 issue of MCN, we wrote that Norton Motorcycle Co. Ltd (the new firm formed after the acquisition of specific Norton assets by Indian giant TVS Motor Company) had offered owners of first-generation V4SS models built by the previous Norton business a discount on a new, heavily revised model. Further to this announcement from the firm, Norton Motorcycle Co. Ltd later confirmed to MCN that they would actually offer first-generation V4SS customers a straight swap, with the new company taking the old bikes, then replacing them with new ones and dealing direct with the old Norton firm’s liquidators to recover their costs. Unfortunately, even though this information was provided in a written statement to MCN from Norton’s official spokesperson, the firm have since retracted the statement and…

The National Motorcyclists Council has begun talks with the Government after no solutions have emerged to the customs requirements for sending road-registered bikes into the EU with a third party. There was no issue transporting bikes in and out of the continent via a third party, such as for fly-ride holidays, before Brexit but since the country left the EU it has become a problem. The EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement does not deal with the matter of owner-unaccompanied movements of road registered vehicles, so the bikes would have tax and duty due on arrival on the continent. Companies that specialise in transporting road-going bikes for customers are struggling to see how they will continue trading. Another issue that needs to be addressed is the uncertainty of noncommercial transportation of…

Motorcycle racing gives us so much – drama, tension, excitement, a bit of Sunday afternoon hero worship. But even if you’re not a fan, the sport has still benefitted your biking life in many important ways. If you never ride without a back protector then you’ve got GP legend Barry Sheene to thank. In the wake of his 1975 Daytona crash, Sheene knew that racing speeds had increased so much that riders needed extra protection, so with that thought in mind, he helped pioneer the development of the modern back protector. After high-profile, back protector-wearing riders started walking away from huge impacts, the world started taking notice, and by the mid-1990s back protectors were commercially available to all. It’s a similar situation with rider airbags today; used in GP racing…

‘Smaller Ducati is a bigger bargain’ A few weeks ago, I reckoned the original Monster was worth chasing, and so I’m still looking at two-valve SOHC Ducatis. Last year, I bought an incredibly low-mile ST2, and then had the bargain aspect wiped out by a massive overhaul bill. I don’t begrudge that, but it did highlight the issues that you get with a bike that’s been parked up for years. The fuel filter looked like a teabag! Air-cooled Ducati sportsbikes are now extinct. The 900SS is already being snapped up by dealers who are putting eye-watering price tags on them. Not long ago, these were fetching £2000-2500 (more for the Superlight). Now I’m seeing double that, not all from dealers. A very clean one that needed a carb overhaul made…

YOU’RE NEVER RIDING ALONE As I write, I am listening to heavy rain bouncing off the tent, whilst various items of sodden biking kit – gloves, socks, trousers and jackets – hang from anywhere they possibly could hang, resembling something along the lines of a laundry in a shanty town. I am finally dry for the first time in 17 hours and reflecting on the day just passed and how bloody brilliant it was. I’m pretty sure the other 100 or so riders with me on this adventure would agree, despite all being at the same level of post-ride exhaustion and sogginess. There’s something wonderfully euphoric about shared suffering. If I had been riding through biblical gales and rain for 200 miles on my own, I highly doubt that I…

Q ‘Pedestrian stepped out’ I was riding home in Swansea, one lane in either direction. In the oncoming lane was a bus that had pulled over. A car went to go past the bus but as he did so this guy walked out in front of the bus. The car swerved to the right to avoid him, entering my lane and causing me to swerve left to avoid the car. I came off, was fortunately not badly injured, but the bike and my kit were damaged. My insurer is saying they cannot recover my excess as the car driver did nothing wrong. Is this right? What about the pedestrian? James, email A You did no wrong. The car driver and pedestrian did. The man should not have tried to cross…

Readers Sue & Brian Gibbons, Midlife Motorcycle Diaries The ride Snowdonia 360 How many miles? As the name suggests, the actual route is 360 miles. For us it was a 647-mile round-trip from Bedfordshire When to do it We went in June Time required We took six days with lots of coffee breaks Tell us about the ride We started with a night in Shrewsbury. From there, we rode west and followed the A493 along the beautiful coast road, having stopped for a coffee in Bala, a small town in Gwynedd. We stayed the night in Friog before setting off to Caernarfon with its famous castle and took a slight detour to visit Portmeirion. Day four took us over the Menai bridge to Anglesey. The journey then took us through…

KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday June 30 BIKE MEETS ■ Squires Cafe Newthorpe near Sherburn in Elmet West Yorks www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ The Blue Anchor Southport Merseyside 7pm Facebook: Southport Carousel Bike Meet ■ The Plough Cadsden, Bucks www.plough-at-cadsden.co.uk ■ Loomies Moto Cafe West Meon Hants Open till 9pm www.loomiescafe.co.uk ■ Paignton Seafront Devon www.bmad.co.uk ■ Ryka’s Cafe Box Hill Surrey www.rykas.co.uk ■ The Old Stores Pontblyddyn Flints 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 SPEEDWAY ■ Birmingham www.birmingham-speedway.com ■ Poole Pirates Dorset www.poolepirates.co/ TRIALS ■ Wayback MCC The Rookery Nr Basingstoke Hants www.waybackmcc.co.uk Thursday July 1 BIKE MEETS ■ Boston Bike Night Lincs www.bostonbikenight.co.uk ■ Iron Horse bike Night Market Deeping Lincs 6pm-9pm www.ironhorseranchouse.co.uk ■ Krazy Horse Bury St Edmunds Suffolk 6pm krazyhorse.co.uk/pages/events…

Ray Brassington Age 66 Height 5ft 9in Current bike BMW F700GS Been riding for 50 years-plus First bike Ducati 48 Sport Dream bike MV Agusta F4 800 “I’ve had my BMW for five years, but also an MT-09 Tracer from 2016 to 2018, then a Tracer 900 until recently, which I did 16,000 miles on. I like the appeal of a three-cylinder engine – the only accessories I fitted were a Yamaha radiator guard and extended front and rear mudguards to help keep it clean. I also had a rack, which was useful for carrying extra gear if the weather changed. “I’ve used it for my annual trip to the Isle of Man and I love going over the Brecon Beacons. “My local dealer, Hammonds of Cirencester, are great, they give…

Part 3 Hull to Brighton Coast road to Grimsby then Boston and Kings Lynn via Mablethorpe and Skegness. Hunstanton, Blakeney and North Walsham, A12 to Ipswich, a bit of London then Whitstable, Dover, small coast roads to Pevensey and Brighton. Part 4 The English Riviera, Cornwall, Devon, back up through Wales New Forest to Beaulieu, around Southampton on the M27, Bournemouth to Swanage via the Studland Ferry, Weymouth, Torquay, big roads to Lands End, tiny ones to Tintagel, A39 to Weston-Super-Mare, Cardiff to Swansea, Pembrokeshire tiny roads to Newquay, Aberaeron, A487 to Aberystywth and home.…

The Pan America Special starts at £15,500 for a plain black model with cast wheels. It’s an extra £450 for the two-tone orange and white paint you see here, an extra £400 for the spoked wheels and a further £600 for the adaptive ride height. The fun doesn’t stop there as this model has a radiator guard (£180), off-road skid plate (£419), headlight guard (£108), exhaust guard (£192), a topbox (£547), panniers (£981), luggage mounting kits (£299 & £180), topbox backrest (£98), tank kneedpads (£60) and heated grips (£204). That little lot adds up to a whopping £3268, not including fitting, which would add an extra £90 a month to the PCP cost – definitely something to be aware of.…

MCN STAFF RATE THEIR RIDING KIT ★★★★★ 2000 MILES Tested by Michael Neeves for 2.5 years/2000 miles Armoured jeans don t offer the protection of leathers, but the trade-off is they’re much easier and more comfortable on and off the bike. I’ve been wearing these stylish Italian-made Dainese denims for testing, commuting and trips for the past three summers. They feature abrasion-resistant Aramid sections and pockets for knee armour (not included) and their lightweight construction gives them the feel of casual jeans. That makes them perfect for the hotter months, but they don’t feel as sturdy or reassuring as thicker, more padded riding jeans and don’t have any in-built hip protection. On the flip side they’re cooler and less bulky to wear, the hem is wide enough to fit big-shinned…

A bike dashcam is far superior to a simple action camera. Although an action camera will record footage, it needs to be manually switched on and off. A dedicated dashcam, on the other hand, like this Thinkware M1 system (£349.99), operates automatically whenever you turn on your bike’s ignition, and is installed permanently. Some are even motion-activated. The cameras, wiring and construction are robust and weatherproof, designed for the rigours of on-bike use. Why would you want one? Well, other than entertaining your friends or YouTube with footage of your favourite roads, dashcams can be used by insurance companies or the police to support a simple claim, or as proof of bad driving that has caused damage to you or your bike. But you need to keep in mind that…

‘A lovely, professional, experienced, confident ride’ “The move at Lodge was more of a ‘last lap, got to get it done, haven’t been able to do it anywhere else’ kind of pass. However, the move at Island in race three showed unbelievable confidence. Jason had so much momentum and belief in the front to pass there so cleanly. Any pass there on a Superbike is generally a bit of a sketchy, slide-by effort but this wasn’t. It was a clean, bang, done, no return move. You’ve got to be confident to make a pass stick properly there. More often, you’ll get past, run a little bit wide at the hairpin, the rider behind is expecting you to run wide and he chucks it straight down the inside. He seemed to…

World Superbike action returns to its natural habitat at Donington Park this weekend after a year’s Covid-enforced break – and the anticipation is already building. In his 2019 visit, Jonathan Rea’s treble snatched the lead from Alvaro Bautista, Scott Redding has never raced at Donington in WSB and Toprak Razgatlioglu has never been there on a Yamaha, so it’s clear which of the top three have the most work to do. Another Donington new face, Andrea Locatelli, did a trackday there two weeks ago onboard a standard Yamaha YZF-R1. BSB’s Luke Mossey replaces Samuele Cavalieri at Pedercini, while Garrett Gerloff comes fresh from MotoGP at Assen. Last week, all manufacturers bar Ducati tested at Navarra; BMW and Honda were especially in need of mileage. For budgetary reasons, World Supersport and…

BT Sport’s technical guru unmasks secrets at the sharp end of MotoGP MICHAEL LAVERTY THE INSIDER 1 Qualifying troubles Try as they might, Suzuki have been unable to address their qualifying issues; identified as the major weakness from their title-winning 2020 season, a concerted effort went in to rectifying the problem with various solutions tried and tested. The fact remains that with a low fuel load and a fresh set of soft tyres rival manufacturers can eke out more performance from their package in time attack mode. Suzuki literally gain one or two tenths which is more likely to be the result of rider effort than machine performance gain. 2 Quick off the mark Suzuki are the only machine on the grid without a rear lowering device for starts. Relying…

Nine races in, four races won, two further podiums … and a 34-point lead over his closest challenger, compatriot Johann Zarco. Things are looking rosy for Fabio Quartararo, and the 22-year-old from France’s Cote d’Azur could be even further ahead, but for arm pump at Jerez and a wardrobe malfunction in Catalunya. But his five weeks of holiday won’t be without concern. There are ten rounds left on the calendar, and with ten races to go last year he was 36 points clear of eventual champion Joan Mir. By the end of the season, he was 44 behind. He’d bled away 80 points. WHY FABIO CAN BE BEATEN… The European bullets With Austria and other fast tracks coming up, Ducati riders can expect to reclaim the high ground. The Yamaha…

Maverick Viñales has triggered a frantic scramble to fill coveted seats at Yamaha in 2022. Logic should dictate that Franco Morbidelli is parachuted in after he was runner-up in last year’s title chase on a second-hand M1. That leaves the Petronas SRT squad with two vacancies, given the likelihood of Valentino Rossi’s exit after his seventh DNF in 15 races in Assen last weekend. Yamaha don’t lack options but a €500,000 buyout clause in his KTM contract could scupper a raid on Moto2 sensation Raul Fernandez. The hot rumour in Assen was that Fernandez has committed to a Tech3 KTM MotoGP berth in 2022. Garrett Gerloff, who replaced injured Morbidelli in Assen, and Toprak Razgatlioglu could be promoted from World Superbikes. Should Yamaha desire an experienced influence then Andrea Dovizioso…

I was sat in the grandstand at Village for the 2016 British Grand Prix when Maverick Viñales piloted Suzuki’s still relatively embryonic GSX-RR MotoGP bike over the line for the factory’s first win since Vermeulen’s 2007 French victory – and Viñales’ first in the MotoGP class. It felt like a watershed moment. If he can do that on the Suzuki, he could be a champion on a stronger bike, surely? With the move to Yamaha in 2017, an impressive debut race win under the floodlights in Qatar – followed by another in Argentina – it felt like that momentum and promise was going to surge through the season and deliver us a new champion. But it didn’t happen then – and hasn’t happened since. Instead, he’s become one of MotoGP’s…

We’ve got together with Squire to offer one lucky reader the chance to win the same motorcycle security that Nick Sanders used on his coast of Britain ride (see p44). The prize includes Squire’s Massiv lock and chain set, an Attila SP single brake disc lock, plus signed copies of Nick Sanders’ The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man – Volumes 1 & 2. Squire’s Massiv lock and chain set combines a heavyduty 50mm solid hardened steel lock and 14mm diameter, 1.2-metre-long hardened alloy steel chain. The chain comes with a soft but tough fabric sleeve to protect your bike’s paintwork. The Attila SP single brake disc lock (short pin) is the world’s first Sold Secure Diamondrated brake disc lock, which means it’s tested against an angle grinder attack. Incredibly…

Most of us learn slowly, gradually accumulating riding skills over the decades until we don’t crash much and can usually keep up. But there is another way. The Rapid Training course – Bikemaster – is split into three levels, each comprising one-to-one training on the road, plus time on track where you can really extend the lessons learned to feel the benefits in an even more dynamic setting. Almost all advanced riding techniques originate from Roadcraft, the police rider’s handbook. But one problem identified by the Rapid Training coaches (who are all vastly experienced police Class 1 riders), is that it can encourage an over-reliance on a rigid system, where every hazard has to be negotiated using a process abbreviated to IPSGA (Information, Position, Speed, Gear, Acceleration). “There is nothing…

FANTASY SHOPPING ON A REAL-WORLD BUDGET JEREMY McWILLIAMS Every week we give a different rider a wodge of fictional cash and ask them to ‘buy’ the bike that sets their soul on fire. This is Jezza’s pick... After an illustrious racing career (he’s now ‘semiretired’...) that included winning a 250GP, Jeremy McWilliams has eased into a new role as a sought-after development rider and tyre tester. He has worked for many companies and since 2011 has been part of KTM’s test team. So how would the man who has gone elbow-to-elbow with (and beaten) Rossi spend his cash? “I’m lucky because I already have a 1290 Super Duke R in my garage,” says Jeremy, “which KTM have given me to ride because I’ve helped develop the bike from its first…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews Play fair on used prices A few weeks ago you did an article on dealers not having stock of used bikes. I used to own a first-generation FJR1300. I sold it and bought a 2006 second-generation FJR last year for £4995. After much thinking, I have decided it’s not as good so time to go back to the first model. Gen 1 FJRs are listed from £3695 up to £4995 but the trade-in for a 2006 FJR in very good condition is a shocking £2500. I don’t mind paying a few hundred pounds to go backward but not this amount. I know businesses have to make money and the last 18 months have being difficult for everybody, but this is just greedy. No wonder they don’t…

1 Triumph Visitor Experience & tours Factory tours recommence on July 1. Booking online is a must. Starts from £20. www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/visitor-experience 2 Italian car and bike day Sunday July 4 in Bedfordshire, Sharnbrook Hotel. Book tickets in advance. Food and drinks included in price, from £12.50. 3 Battlesbridge Motorcycle Museum bike show Sunday July 4, gates are open at 10am. It’s free to enter, free to park and there will be music, a bar and food. www.facebook.com/ 4 Seaways ‘sell a bike night’ New bike night at Seaways with focus on selling (and buying) bikes. Every Tuesday, 4pm-8pm. www.seawayscafe.co.uk…

WEDNESDAY June 30 6pm, ITV4, The Motorbike Show SATURDAY July 3 8.25am, ITV4, MotoGP Highlights from Assen, The Netherlands 11am, EUR2, WSB Donington: Superpole. Race One at 1.45pm SUNDAY July 4 12pm, EUR2, Live Motocross World Championship 1.45pm, EUR2, Live WSB from Donington Park: Race Two KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT – DISCOVERY REAL TIME DSC – DISCOVERY CHANNEL DHD – DISCOVERY CHANNEL HD EXS – EXTREME SPORTS CHANNEL EUR1 (2, HD) – EUROSPORT 1 (2, HD) MOT – MOTORSPORT.TV CH4 – CHANNEL 4 CH5 – CHANNEL FIVE BBC BBCI – BBC INTERACTIVE ESPN – ESPN CLASSIC CHANNEL ITV DST – DISCOVERY TURBO SHED – DISCOVERY SHED INST – INSIGHT SS1 (2, 3 OR X) – SKY SPORTS 1 (2, 3 OR EXTRA) QUEST BTS1 – BT SPORT 1 BTS2 – BT…

GUEST TESTER MCN 250 MILE ROAD TEST ● THE HOTTEST BIKES ● EVERY WEEK £12,530 (AS TESTED) BMW F900XR TE ● 895cc parallel twin 8v ● 105bhp @ 8500rpm ● 219kg kerb weight £13,100 Triumph Tiger900 GT Pro ● 888cc transverse triple 12v ● 94bhp @ 8750rpm ● 198kg (dry) weight £12,202 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT ● 890cc transverse triple 12v ● 117.3bhp @ 10,000rpm ● 220kg kerb weight Yamaha’s virtually all-new Tracer 9 has raised the bar for middleweight, adventure sport-tourers. The old Tracer 900 was already a best-selling benchmark thanks to its invigorating three-cylinder engine, decent chassis and great value, while the 2021 successor added a gruntier, enlarged, Euro5 engine, allnew chassis, uprated spec and refreshed styling. But the GT takes the touring premise further still. With new…

1979 – THE APPRENTICE Slick started working for Jim Wells’ tuning business and learned his trade. “Jim was about the only tuner in the UK at that point,” he says. “He had the first dyno in the country and we used to run Barry Sheene’s engines on it.” 1994 – FOGGY “When Carl first got on the 916, he said it was like riding a Samurai sword – it was very sharp, very twitchy but we got the hang of it and things became much simpler.” 1996 – SACKED Honda bosses sacked Slick from the WSB team, feeling he was doing a little too much partying. “I was let go midway through the season and I was very upset about it at the time.” 2002 – IN BUSINESS He established…

CHIEF ROAD TESTER Triumph’s Speedmaster is low, characterful, easy to ride and beautifully finished. It’s more surefooted in corners with its new forks and the new seat is a marked improvement over the old model. It’s still a machine to be enjoyed at more relaxed pace, just like an American cruiser, so for more wind in your hair and flies in your teeth on a Sunday morning, a more roadster-style Bonneville will be a better option. That’s not to say the Speedmaster lacks performance, but its grunty engine and laid-back riding position are at their most joyful when you’re taking it easy. THE FACTS £11,850 2021 Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster…

1 Oxford Aqua T-30 roll bag £69.99 These have been my go-to luggage for many years. They are great value, totally waterproof and easy to strap to the bike safely. I also use the 20-litre version. Andy Taylor, Essex 2 SW-Motech Blaze panniers £273.71 Waterproof, look nice, and can be fitted in minutes. You can still carry a pillion comfortably, too. Sam Crafts, Lincoln 3 Ventura Aero Spada £119 It’s the best I have used and stops your paintwork getting scratched. I’ve had mine for 15 years. Stephen D Woolley, Hyde 4 Kriega US-30 Drypack £149 I’ve had this for three years and use it when my rides last more than just an overnight stopover. Denise Clark, Glasgow 5 Ortlieb dry sacks £13.50-£105 I’ve had these for two years now…

MECHANIC Bernie Roe of Zenith M/C in London The owner of this 2015 Yamaha YZF-R125 is a semi-regular customer at Zenith Motorcycles in north London. Mechanic Bernie Roe told us: “She is on a budget and gets it into us when she can. During that last service we spotted there was a millimetre or two play in the cush drive rubbers, but we didn’t replace them then, either because they weren’t in stock or her funds were low.” Cush drive rubbers look like slices of cake and fit into the wheel hub on the chain side, then the rear sprocket carrier fits into them. They cushion shocks to the system when you open and shut the throttle. But those few millimetres had grown to several centimetres in a few weeks…

Well, that didn’t take long. BMW are back fighting towards the front in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship following the introduction of the more race-focused M1000RR. The German manufacturer’s star man at Oulton Park was Peter Hickman on the FHO Racing machine. Hickman secured BMW’s first podium since his third place at Thruxton in 2019 and Faye Ho Racing’s maiden podium in only their second race. Remarkable. It’s clear that BMW have taken a massive step forward with the new bike. The wings are helping keep the front down, whilst the engine is producing more power in a linear, rider-friendly way. More than that, it’s clear that Hickman too means business and it looks like he’ll be the rider most likely to take the M1000RR even further. He achieved his…

Not even Johann Zarco predicted that he would emerge as a Ducati MotoGP title contender this season but the Pramac satellite team rider, who will be 31 when racing restarts in Austria, goes into the summer break ahead of factory stars Pecco Bagnaia, 24, and Jack Miller, 26. Although winless in all nine races, Zarco is second on 122 points to Quartararo’s 156, with Bagnaia on 109, Mir on 101 and Miller 100. “My position is better than I thought it could be and now I need to take this opportunity. My final target is to be MotoGP world champion. I hope to be stronger in the second half of the season and establish myself as a serious title contender,” Zarco said. ‘I hope to be stronger in the second…

‘He’s behaving like a complete diva’ The whole Viñales thing has left me scratching my head as to how he’s got himself in the situation where he’d want to leave the factory Yamaha team which has arguably the best bike on the grid. As a team they have got so much pedigree from Rossi to Lorenzo and now Quartararo for not just race wins, but passion and titles. His problem is that even though he’s on the best bike on the grid, he’s terrible over the first two laps and by then any chance of a top five is gone. That’s nothing to do with the bike. Racing is very fickle and you need your fans and you need your supporters. No one wants to read sh*t about themselves, but…

Kawasaki’s flagship sports-tourer, based on the ZZR1400 hyperbike, was designed to whisk you and your pillion and a shedload of assorted luggage across a continent very quickly indeed. Revised in 2010, Kawasaki added more equipment as standard, such as linked ABS brakes, traction control, a larger electric screen and heated grips. Although the 1352cc inline four-cylinder engine has a class-leading 139bhp, tonnes of torque and smoothness, the GTR is heavier and less well-equipped than rivals, the Yamaha FJR1300 and BMW R1200RT. Thanks to the bulletproof engine and excellent build quality, looking at higher-mileage examples needn’t cause you to break out into a sweat. With prices starting at around £8000, a well-used-but-well-cared-for GTR could prove to be a real bargain. However, early models have been known to suffer problems with the…

Kawasaki’s flagship sports-tourer, based on the ZZR1400 hyperbike, was designed to whisk you and your pillion and a shedload of assorted luggage across a continent very quickly indeed. Revised in 2010, Kawasaki added more equipment as standard, such as linked ABS brakes, traction control, a larger electric screen and heated grips. Although the 1352cc inline four-cylinder engine has a class-leading 139bhp, tonnes of torque and smoothness, the GTR is heavier and less well-equipped than rivals, the Yamaha FJR1300 and BMW R1200RT. Thanks to the bulletproof engine and excellent build quality, looking at higher-mileage examples needn’t cause you to break out into a sweat. With prices starting at around £8000, a well-used-but-well-cared-for GTR could prove to be a real bargain. However, early models have been known to suffer problems with the…

SAVE £1205 £9825 BMW F900XR Sycamore BMW are bundling up BMW’s Comfort and Dynamic packages free of charge. The Comfort pack features keyless ignition and a centrestand, while the Dynamic element gives you a quick-shifter and BMW’s clever adaptive headlight. ● www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/sycamore-peterborough SAVE £1054 £5495 Honda NC750S Smiths Honda in Cheshire have a blue pre-reg of the naked NC750 range with a very decent saving. ● www.smithshonda.co.uk ● Engine 745cc ● Power 54bhp ● Weight 229kg ● Seat height 830mm GET £1000 £9600 Triumph T120 range The £1000 personalisation offer here can also be used to accessorise your bike or kit yourself out in Triumph kit. ● triumphmotorcycles.co.uk ● Engine 1200cc ● Power 79bhp ● Weight 224kg ● Seat height 785mm SAVE £600 £8999 Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber You can…

The Met Police has removed over 500 illegal e-scooters from the streets of London in just one week of enforcement action. Despite popping up all over the place of late in the UK’s towns and cities, privately owned scooters are still illegal to use on public land, pavements, roads and cycle lanes. Chief Superintendent Simon Ovens said: “Riders using e-scooters on the road risk fines, points on their licence, and e-scooter seizures if they continue to use them on public road networks.” Appsolutely fabulous The MyDucati app has a new section that lets users see the service history and schedule of their motorcycle. The maintenance section shows all routine work carried out by the Ducati dealer network starting from July 2019 as well as upcoming servicing requirements and recalls or…

Dainese Bora Air £170.96 ‘Feel the breeze!’ With the summer sun now making a very welcome appearance and temperatures tipping over 20°C, it’s time to consider allowing a breath of fresh air to circulate around your riding kit (and armpits...) to help stop you getting all sweaty. And what better way than with a new set of heavily vented textiles? We’ve searched the web and spoken to suppliers to see what deals are out there on the best vented summer clothing and we’ve unearthed some huge savings. If you are after a new mesh jacket, look no further. And how about kicking your search off with Dainese’s offering? The Bora jacket is ideal for summer riding while also containing armour in the shoulders and elbows for safety. The Bora’s sporty…

The tenth series of The Motorbike Show with Henry Cole kicks off on ITV4 at 9pm on Wednesday, July 21, in a line-up of six new hour-long episodes. The shows will see Henry travel across England and Wales to his favourite biking roads, as well as exploring the highs and lows of restoring a classic – with help from the likes of Allen Millyard. Bimota land on Channel Islands Niche Italian exotica brand Bimota have branched out and established a franchise in the Channel Islands. The Mansell Collection, based on Jersey are now taking orders for the brand’s supercharged Tesi H2 and for the soon to be launched KB4, which are being sold alongside the dealer’s existing range of Zeros, BMWs and more. For more details, head to: themanselLcollection.co.uk/bimota Givi…

THE UK’S HOTTEST RIDES MCN staff and readers share their favourite routes Start with a cuppa at the Skylark Café in the Fermyn Woods Country Park on the A6116 at Brigstock. Turn right out of the car park and right onto the aptly-named Harley Way. Ride with caution because the road is narrow and the surface poor. At the end turn right onto the A427 towards Oundle. Slow down into town and take Milton Road then turn left before picking up Cotterstock Road. Stay on it towards Fotheringhay. In the village, turn left and enjoy the double humpback bridges. Turn right into Elton, pass the village green and The Crown pub to pick up Wansford Road, take a left, past Sibson Airfield, and you will hit the A47. It’s a…

The National Road Rally is back, with a few changes to make it COVID-compliant but still with 100 control points to hit! What’s happening? Organised by the ACU and BMF, and running since 1932, it’s an open-to-all event as long as you have a full motorcycle licence. You can even pick your own route. The aim of the game is to see how many controls you can meet and how many miles you can clock up – it’s that simple! There are prizes for the number of controls hit, and if you need a ballpark figure, the results from previous years are on the website. The essential stuff The National Road Rally is taking place on July 4 and 5. Entry is £30 for the ride and £9 for a…

It’s Britain’s toughest road test route. A fun but punishing mix of A- and B-roads, busy motorway, towns and villages. It’s all Britain’s road types compressed into one route. There are three sections and we combine the two that best test the bike’s character. On average we ride 450 miles per bike, per test. ROUTE 1 122.73 miles of fast-flowing A and B-roads ROUTE 2 126.94 miles of open A and B-roads and towns ROUTE 3 117.88 miles of big A roads and motorway MCN 250 MILE ROAD TEST ● THE HOTTEST BIKES ● EVERY WEEK…

GUEST TESTER ALL three bikes here are not only brilliant they demonstrate that if you want not just all-round ability but also more gizmos, gadgets (plus practical goodies such as centrestands, heated grips and adjustable screens) you no longer have to buy a £14K+, 1000cc+ adventure behemoth. The BMW F900 XR is in many ways the best bike here. It’s easy, engaging, effective, there’s nothing to really criticise and you can spec it up to any level you want. But its twin is clattery compared to its rivals’ triples, in our test bike’s spec is more expensive than the Tracer and it lacks the Yamaha’s panniers and potency. The Triumph has the most of everything. It’s the largest, most long-legged and pillion-friendly and its screen, dash and spec mostly betters…

‘Moody and mercurial’ best describes the weather on Top Scotch – the coast-hugging wiggle over the very crown of Scotland. Even in the rain it’s one of the best short sections of road in the UK. Why? World War history in all the sea lochs. Blue sky can become dark and menacing in an hour. Camp anywhere, beside burbling freshwater streams. There’s no one to bother you. Pitch-black starlit sky that’s better than the Sahara (too much dust). Roads get faster, straighter and wider, but here it’s 1950s Britain, a golden age of motoring. Look on a map and see where you are; now you know you’re on an adventure. THE ROUTE…

It’s simple, well-balanced, good-looking fun. Of all the bikes I’ve had, this has to be my favourite. It fits me perfectly and works great as an all-rounder, with the exception of two-up touring, but it’s not really designed for that. Build quality is spot on and there are no furry fasteners or rusty bolts. With soft panniers and a tent it’s good for a weekend away, so I’m off to the Brecon Beacons in a few weeks. It’s definitely a keeper. HOW GOOD IS THE RUBBER? Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp They were absolutely fine in all weathers and I basically wore the rear one out by squaring it off on the A5. Also consider Bridgestone Battlax BT46 £228.59 A significant upgrade on the evergreen BT45. Hard wearing and good in the…

Saving you money on essential bike maintenance BRUCE DUNN MCN's expert technician 1 Do the groundwork Installing a front and rear camera system on a bike needs a bit more consideration than you’d give to just bolting on an action camera. A dedicated motorcycle ‘dashcam’, such as this Thinkware system, has a rear and forward-facing camera and a separate main control unit ‘brain’ hidden out of view. Read the instructions carefully and lay the components out on the floor. 2 Find a home for the brain Next you need to make a decision on where to locate the ‘brain box’. Most bikes, such as this Suzuki Hayabusa, will have plenty of room under the passenger seat. When you’ve chosen your spot, check that the wiring harness can be routed from…

MOTOGP VIÑALES TO SPLIT WITH YAMAHA ● As Fabio Quatararo wins again, what next for Yamaha’s other star? p70 It’s fair to say that the one rider who nobody expected to struggle at the opening round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship was reigning champion Josh Brookes. He won at Oulton last year but endured a frustrating time with the setup on his PBM Ducati, securing a best result of two sixth places. The problems began during preseason testing when last year’s race-winning setup didn’t provide the same feeling for Brookes and therefore the team went down a path of trying new things before the season opener. However, the potential wasn’t there so he and the team reverted to last year’s setup, which was, in Brookes’ own words, “a disaster”.…

Spanish sensation Pedro Acosta emphatically confirmed that he is the real deal at the Dutch TT. Climbing out of a hospital bed after a crash in FP3 to claim fourth place was testament to a mental and physical strength that marks him out. A fast and flashy Acosta, 17, had hit the headlines with four wins from eight races in a stunning rookie start. With a sublime performance, Acosta started 18th and finished fourth at Assen to keep control of the Moto3 championship with a 48-point lead into the summer break. Hard-charging Acosta was cleared of suspected upper back injury after being struck by Riccardo Rossi in a terrifying FP3 pile-up. John McPhee completed the nine-race first half of the season with a sixth place in Assen, fighting back from…

‘Jobsworth or just a rules figurehead?’ Race results reflect the order in which riders cross the line, no? Not in the current Moto3 class, where the FIM Stewards are engaged in an apparently endless war with riders, who selfishly keep on just trying to win races. At Assen, for a fifth race in a row, post-race penalties shuffled top positions. This after a race where other chances had been wrecked by an astonishing six ride-through punishments (a dangerous exercise in itself) and several long-lap penalties. All imposed in the name of safety… though none of the offences bore any relation to the fatal accident earlier this season. The final results victim was Darryn Binder, dropped from a hard-earned fourth to seventh, for a couple of very minor runs over track…

MATTHEW BIRT INSIGHT Getting the inside line on grand prix racing since 1996 It was former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson who famously coined the phrase “A week is a long time in politics.” He was referencing how quickly fortunes can fluctuate and the landscape be altered by fast-changing circumstances. MotoGP’s equivalent is its ultimate enigma. The fantastically fast but fragile Maverick Viñales. Dead last and lost in Germany to a pole and podium in Assen. And then a bombshell decision to quit Yamaha’s factory squad. It’s been a week that must have felt like a lifetime. The decision to quit halfway through a two-year contract is a sad and sorry end to a relationship that promised so much but ended in divorce. From a dream start with wins in…

Kawasaki’s flagship sports-tourer, based on the ZZR1400 hyperbike, was designed to whisk you and your pillion and a shedload of assorted luggage across a continent very quickly indeed. Revised in 2010, Kawasaki added more equipment as standard, such as linked ABS brakes, traction control, a larger electric screen and heated grips. Although the 1352cc inline four-cylinder engine has a class-leading 139bhp, tonnes of torque and smoothness, the GTR is heavier and less well-equipped than rivals, the Yamaha FJR1300 and BMW R1200RT. Thanks to the bulletproof engine and excellent build quality, looking at higher-mileage examples needn’t cause you to break out into a sweat. With prices starting at around £8000, a well-used-but-well-cared-for GTR could prove to be a real bargain. However, early models have been known to suffer problems with the…