Table of contents for 17 November 2021 in MCN

BECOMING THE GOAT We reveal the 46 steps that took Vale from pesky grand prix rookie to the greatest GP racer of all time EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Valentino in his own words, as he talks about his astounding career TOP 10 GREATEST RACES Mat Oxley picks the ten race wins that have come to define Rossi’s grand prix genius, and dominance INSIDE YOUR SPECIAL ISSUE The end of an era Grazie Vale, ciao! It felt like the day would never come, but it was inevitable that even MotoGP’s Peter Pan would have to stop one day. That day was Sunday, and the outpouring of affection and emotion from the paddock, the fans and even his past rivals was unprecedented. In celebration of a career that spanned 26 years of game-changing evolution,…

BMW are running three epic motorcycle adventures next year aboard their mighty R18s. The missions will cover Costa Rica, Portugal and the USA and each mission of distance destruction includes eight days of riding on various R18 models, a tour guide, hotel accommodation and meals, support vehicle and an extensive social programme off the bikes. Each adventure costs just under £6k and does not include flights, but every other base is covered with loads of extra curricular activities (axe-throwing anybody?), keeping things even more interesting along the way! With a maximum of 12 riders per tour, the 90-100-mile daily stages guarantee relaxed progress on the road. The Costa Rica trip is planned for March, the Portuguese mission will take place between April and June and the American adventure is scheduled…

A Honda RC213V-S has set a new record for a Japanese motorbike sold at auction by fetching over £177,000. The example of Honda’s ‘MotoGP bike for the road’ had just 191km on the clock when it went under the hammer. The selling price beats the previous record for a Japanese bike of £157,500 which was achieved in 2018 by one of four Honda CB750 pre-production prototypes used by the firm to promote the model in the ‘70s. Motorcycle deity A new film about the real-life events that led to a motorcycle being revered as a deity in India has been released. Dug Dug is a satirical comedy inspired by a shrine in Jodhpur, where hundreds turn up every day to pray to a Royal Enfield Bullet 350 for a safe…

Oxford Mondial Long Gloves £79.98 Cold hands can wreck your ride Keeping your hands warm when you are out on the bike is more than just a comfort thing – it’s a full-on safety issue. Not only do cold hands lose dexterity but the chills will distract you from the 1001 other things going on around you. The good news is that there are plenty of options out there. We set a budget of around £100 and went digging for value. With a broad range of gloves on offer, SportsBikeShop, have some tempting deals, including these Mondials from Oxford Products. Made from laminated leather these are a promising pair of gloves for year-round wear. They have a waterproof and breathable lining, accordion stretch panels for comfort and moulded knuckle and…

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 Paul’s pick... Inventor of the V2 Sponge Visor Cleaner, Paul Berryman, is a life-long motorcyclist who came up with the idea of his easy-to-use sponge in 2004 while struggling to see through a fly-encrusted visor on his way home. Having researched the best solutions, he created the V2 Sponge in 2005 and has since sold over three-quarters of a million worldwide. So what would the man who has ridden on the road since he was 16, held a National-level ACU race licence, instructed at the Ron Haslam Race School and even partnered The Prodigy’s front man, the late Keith Flint, in an endurance…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews Anyone help a GP fan? Due to an unfortunate sequence of events (including my bike breaking down en route) I attended the Silverstone MotoGP event more than a day later than planned. As many will remember the event was totally sold out and as a result the programmes had been snapped up before my arrival. As a life-long collector I have race programmes from every event I have attended – so my plan was then to try and obtain one after the event. So far, I have drawn a blank but wondered if anyone had a spare copy and is willing to sell. Maybe someone who bought a copy for the event or subsequent reading but is not such an avid collector / anorak as myself?…

MCN staff and readers share their one-hour routes This is a superb area to explore by bike and one of the finest aspects is the fact that the roads are both sensationlal and pretty quiet in terms of traffic. Fill your tank and head on out. We leave Coldstream on the A6112 – a crazy road that’s all short straights and 90° turns. Stick with it through Duns, towards Preston, then peel off to the left on the B6355 to Gifford. This is my favourite stretch of the route – an amazing, deserted ribbon of tarmac flowing out across the moors around the Whiteadders Reservoir. Go through Gifford and pick up the B6368 to Petersmuir. Turn left at the A68 – there’s a café right there for a much-needed drink.…

GUEST TESTER Reinventing the Sportster was a big gamble for Harley. Taking one of their most recogniable and best loved models and making it fit for the 21st century was never going to be easy, but in doing so they’ve created a bike that can open Harley to a whole new audience. Purists will take some convincing. It doesn’t sound, look or feel like a traditional H-D but what it does offer in performance, sophistication and sheer presence goes a long way towards backfilling any lack of heritage. Indeed, the positive reaction we experienced out on test proved that its appeal could cement the Sportster in Harley’s range for many years to come. It’s there in terms of price, too. Starting at £13,995 the Sportster S isn’t cheap, but at…

• Fit and comfort rated • Design, construction and tech rated • Each helmet worn for more than 1000 miles RATINGS Exceptional★★★★★ Very good ★★★★ Good ★★★ Average ★★ Poor ★ Arai Quantic £599.99 ‘Excellent but pricey’ Tested by Jordan Gibbons for six months/1000 miles The Quantic is Arai’s latest sports touring lid and their first to pass the new ECE22.06 standards, which include rotational impact testing. Borrowing aero tech from their top-of-the-range RX-7V, the Quantic features a spoiler for highspeed stability. As a place to keep your head all day long, the Quantic is excellent. Like all Arais the interior is pure luxury and the finish is quality. On hot days you can open up six intake vents, including a forehead vent (another Arai first), which does help keep…

If you use your bike in all weathers then you will be well aware of the perils of winter. To date, we’ve have had pretty good conditions for the time of year as far as cold temperatures are concerned, and we’re all grateful for this somewhat extended autumn. But whether you believe those alarmist Daily Mail news stories about sub-zero temperatures ready to ‘send Britain back to the ice age’ or not, you can guarantee that road salt will be deployed at some point soon, so protecting your bike now is the best way to mitigate its damaging effects. Completing a timely prewinter clean and anti-corrosion application is one of the things that, if done correctly, will genuinely help keep a bike in good condition. It’s also worth mentioning that…

It’s one disaster after another for Honda. Just after the Repsol factory team’s first 1-2 finish since 2017 promised a chance for recovery from an unprecedented slump, fate played not one joker, but two. The first is more threatening. An apparently minor training accident for Marc Marquez turned nasty when concussion triggered the recurrence of potentially career-ending vision problems. The second came on Saturday – a brutal high-speed highside that put teammate Pol Espargaro out of the race, and at best still walking wounded at this week’s pre-season tests of 2022 machinery. It’s an ill-timed double blow to HRC’s hopes for a return to winning ways next season. Marquez first suffered double vision (diplopia) in 2011, after a free practice crash at the Malaysian GP in his first year in…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR Ducati gave an object lesson at Valencia – how to win, and win massively, when you’ve lost. The Bologna Bullets’ first-ever dominant podium lock-out added the teams’ title to the constructors’. But when history looks back at 2021, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo will be the one who is remembered. Hardly fair. But Ducati have only themselves to blame. Too many strong riders, enabled by the best racing bike in the world. In 19 years in MotoGP, Ducati have won only twice at Valencia. Tight corners and no long straight were a recipe that didn’t suit the fast but understeering bike. That has totally changed over the past two years. A combination of adventurous innovation and solid engineering has wrought what Sunday winner Pecco Bagnaia called “a perfect bike”. It…

It’s a shame that Dennis Foggia won’t be moving up to Moto2 with Pedro Acosta next season because it means that a potentially high-profile rivalry will be put on ice for a year. This year’s title contenders clashed on Sunday, with Foggia running Acosta wide and then knocking him off. The incident was rather reminiscent of past rivalries, namely Rossi vs Gibernau, or Pedrosa vs Lorenzo, and Foggia was penalised. This comes after Acosta played mind games with his rival at Portimao and gave him a long stare over the shoulder on Sunday. This game is on pause, for now. ‘The mind games are on hold… for now’ Xavi Artigas benefited to secure his maiden Moto3 victory.…

There won’t ever be another Valentino Rossi. There can be only one. Others will make their mark and tell their own tale of course. New champion Fabio Quartararo is fast becoming the new poster boy for MotoGP, but in the same vast way that Elvis changed music, Rossi changed bikes. He took an established, rebellious sport and made it box office. He created a show that enticed millions to take a look and they stayed for the 26-year-long heady party. Everywhere I go on my travels I’m reminded of the Italian demi god. I see the ubiquitous 46 emblazoned on just about anything, from tuk tuks to transporters in the most surprising of places, his inimitable stardom has left a global impression. Even the ‘Doctor’s dangle’ a biker’s thank you…

Grown men cried. A daft barometer for anything, really – but they were amply joined by kids and women doing exactly the same. And if that isn’t a good sign that something momentous has happened, then I don’t know what is. The entire weekend goodbye spectacle was extraordinary, as if the whole world, its dog, and the horse they all rode in on had suddenly, simultaneously, realised how much Rossi meant to them. I couldn’t tear myself away from the TV, and spent the majority of the weekend wishing I’d taken a gamble on travelling out to be there in person. We won’t see anything like it again in my lifetime. But away from all the excellent planned tributes and emotion-swelling monologues, it was actually Rossi’s never-ending slow-down lap that…

Team Classic Suzuki have turned the clocks back to 1996 to create this gorgeous GSX-R750 SRAD racer, ready to compete in future international classic events. It’s based on a former factory endurance racer and will replace the team’s XR69 F1 machines previously campaigned by the likes of Michael Dunlop, John Reynolds and even MCN’s own Michael Neeves. Wrapped in a livery inspired by Kevin Schwantz’s RGV500 GP racer, the bike features a close ratio six-speed gearbox, full Yoshimura exhaust, K-tech suspension and Brembo brakes. There’s also a longer swingarm for more stability and a pair of OZ lightweight wheels shod with Dunlop slicks. Zero tolerance Officers from West Midlands Police used this special Zero SR/S at the COP26 summit last week. The bike was kitted out in police livery to…

Tucano Urbano Nano Rain Zeta jacket £72.99 This jacket is made from a breathable, windproof and waterproof Ripstop material with taped seams and a storm trap on the collar. In good weather it can be stored in a pouch that can be attached to backpacks or luggage by means of a Velcro strap. It’s available in dark blue or fluoro yellow, from XS-3XL. www.tucanourbano.com Keis G701 Bonded-Textile heated gloves £190 The Keis G701 gloves are now available in a more streamlined shortcuff version, designed to sit easily underneath jacket cuffs. The gloves use a Ballistic Spandex outer shell for protection against the rain. The controller is positioned on the back of the hand for easy operation and power can come from a 12V socket or directly from the bike’s battery…

Electric scooter and bike specialists Super Soco will unveil a new, premium sister brand – Vmoto – along with the first Vmoto machine at EICMA in Milan at the end of this month. The new machines will be targeted at the European and US markets with a range designed entirely in Europe and will feature a new logo – teaser image above – created by legendary British mtorcycle designer, Adrian Morton. Kymco on show Taiwanese scooter specialists Kymco will be showcasing their new Adventure crossover DTX360 and 125 maxi scoots at Motorcycle Live at the NEC, Birmingham, next month and are also promising the premieres of two all-new electric scooters. The DTX was unveiled last year and Kymco say they’ll be gauging public response to determine whether to officially bring…

A gigantic celebration of military vehicles will take place this Sunday at Brooklands Museum. What’s happening? The Brooklands Museum Military Vehicles Day is going to showcase over 100 machines used in conflicts throughout history. With armoured cars to motorcycles, the Paddock and Motoring Village will be packed full of historic motoring and topped with reenactment groups to immerse you in the action. Plus, you could even have a crack at the renowned 4x4 course and Test Hill. With the iconic Willys ‘Jeep’ celebrating its 80th birthday, there will be an epic display of its versions through the years on the finishing straight of the infamous track. The essentials The Military Vehicle Day is taking place at Brooklands Museum on Sunday November 21. The event will run from 10am until 4pm…

• THE HOTTEST BIKES • EVERY WEEK MCN GUEST TESTER Sportsters have formed the backbone of Harley-Davidson’s range since the 1950s. Over the decades numerous models have used the name, however the basic recipe of an air-cooled, 45° pushrod V-twin cradled in a basic yet capable (for Harley) chassis remained unchanged. Until now. The bike that bears the tag in 2021 – the 1250 Sportster S – is new from the ground up to the point that it isn’t simply another page in Harley’s story, or even a fresh chapter. It’s a whole new book. Ever more stringent noise and emissions regulations have forced the Milwaukee giant’s hand – relying on heritage to win customers is no longer an option. Harley has had to evolve to survive, and the Sportster…

Wayne Kirman (#ride5000miles Facebook page) “I’ve been riding four years, starting with an F800R then a Gen 2 S1000R and now S1000R Sport with M Package. I’ve done 4000 miles this year and love the handling which is much lighter than the old. The turning circle is better, cornering LEDs a big bonus and it’s comfy. “The engine delivery is progressive and not too extreme but has a nice burst of power and the TFT dash is full of tech and easy to read but I’ve had problems with the Bluetooth. It sometimes cuts audio and the app stops collecting data. A lot of BMW owners find similar issues.”…

1 ACF-50 Corrosion Block £15.99 I apply ACF-50 to the engine block with a paint brush and then put the grease on everything that’s likely to get furry or rusty. The grease stays on a lot longer than the spray – even after washes. Luke O’Mahony, Cork 2 Unlimited Passion Thunderbolt cleaning wipes £32.99 I like the fact it leaves a hydrophobic layer. I ride all year in Scotland, so it works! Chris Smith, Edinburgh 3 XCP Rust Blocker £14.99 (400ml) I find it easier to use than ACF-50, as it doesn’t overspray, and it holds up really well. I ride all year round on all my bikes. Kim Michelle, County Durham 4 Scottoiler FS 365 £10.99 (1 litre) If you wash your bike regularly over winter (after each wet ride)…

The young lad who dropped off this pale blue Suzuki Bandit 600 Streetfighter at A55 Motorcycles in North Wales looked very proud of his new purchase. A55 boss Paul Knight said. “He’d brought it in to have the forks overhauled and new seals fitted, which he’d already bought. Apart from that the bike looked very clean with a powder-coated frame, 1200 Bandit swingarm, brakes and forks fitted.” Paul did his usual walk round the bike while the owner and his dad looked on, but when he came to the right hand side frame downtube he noticed a couple of holes. “When I pointed them out to the lad, his response was ‘I thought they were for bolting accessories onto’. When I told him they were part of the engine mountings…

Danilo Petrucci also waved goodbye to the paddock after ten years as a MotoGP rider. It was an emotional weekend, with the Italian in tears before any racing had even taken place. It was further proof of the warm and friendly human being that Petrucci is – a man who has worked, perhaps even harder than those around him, to make it to the top in Grand Prix racing. While he doesn’t command the accolades that Valentino Rossi holds, Petrucci has performed miracles when you consider his career path, moving directly from Superstock to the CRT class on the uncompetitive Ioda and Aprilia machines, and his size – “1m 80cm and 83kg naked,” he said in his final debrief. Despite the disadvantages, Petrucci dug deep, scored points, and was eventually…

After 26 years of racing at the top it’s time to finally say goodbye to Valentino Rossi. It doesn’t matter if you’re his biggest fan or someone that thinks he should have retired years ago, the now 42-year-old Italian has changed motorcycle racing and crossed boundaries like no other racer in history. Working on this 32-page supplement alongside some of the very best MotoGP journalists in the business has brought into focus just what an incredible career he’s had. The list of rivals he’s raced against, fought with and beaten over the decades is insane – as are the number of bikes, tyres and technical advancements in racing he’s had to overcome and learn to prosper from. And while you’d be a fool to think for one minute that he’s…

‘Maybe someday we can find ourselves together smiling in memory of those moments’ Max Biaggi – Five time world champion “Valentino and I have animated one of the most beautiful rivalries of motorcycling, without ever pretending to be friends. We were simply two bitter rivals, fighting to achieve the same goal. I believe this is why it was naturally impossible to be friends... I want to wish a good life to a great opponent of mine with the thought that maybe someday we can find ourselves together smiling in memory of those moments.” ‘Valentino is at the level of Jordan, Woods, Ali or Senna’ Jorge Lorenzo – Three time MotoGP champion “End of an era. On track the four of us [Lorenzo, Stoner, Pedrosa, Rossi] were just as fast, but…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR If you ever fancied a true replica of a BSB championship-winning machine – now’s your chance! A special run of 10, one-off replicas of Tarran ‘Taz’ Mackenzie’s 2021 BSB-winning Yamaha R1 are to be built, each commemorating different race wins during the season and all featuring not just McAMS team replica paint but also top-spec Brembo brakes, Öhlins suspension, Akrapovic race exhaust and more. And, despite a price tag of nearly £30,000 each they’re already selling like hot cakes, with five of the 10 planned bikes already snapped up! The machines are being built to order by official Yamaha GYTR (Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing) Pro Shop, Raceways Motorcycles in Fleetwood, Lancashire. All are road legal but bristling with high-spec racing components and each is unique with a customised…

£14,794 Suzuki GSX-R1000R A superlative sportsbike, the GSX-R is fast, fun and refined. Its 199bhp VVT motor is packed with so much grunt you can go a gear higher through corners. It might need a bit of a heave to make high-speed direction changes, but its superb electronics package is right up there. And now you buy one a pretty hefty discount... ● www.fowlerssuzuki.co.uk £6999 Suzuki V-strom 650 The V-strom is an immensely versatile package that is brilliant value for money, even before you save a grand with this bike. ● www.youlesmotorcycles.com ● Engine 645cc ● Power 68bhp ● Weight 214kg ● Seat height 835mm £4320 BMW G310R Bahnstormer have got deals on Polar White, Limestone Metallic and Cosmic Black versions of this excellent single-cylinder city bike. ● www.bahnstormer.co.uk ●…

ASSISTANT EDITOR, MOTORCYCLING With the increasing sales and popularity of scooters and small-capacity bikes in the UK comes a corresponding need to keep these bikes safe and out of the reach of criminals. So far in 2021, one in every four powered two wheelers sold in the UK has been a scooter with a total of 28,500 hitting the streets. This figure is up almost 20% on the previous year with an increasing number of commuters shunning public transport and moving to life on two wheels. But a brief scan of the motorcycle theft social media pages shows that these models are also often targeted by thieves as they are lightweight, easy to ride and the vehicle of choice for getaway riders and phone snatchers in UK cities. On top…

Kawasaki are poised to reveal an anniversary retro naked model to mark 50 years since the introduction of the Z1. Although the company will not be drawn on anything concrete at this stage, a 21-second teaser video has appeared on YouTube entitled ‘Z50th Celebration’ complete with a new ‘Z50th’ model logo – draped over the original 900 logo seen below the seat on early Z1 machines. A further image has since appeared on social media further claiming a ‘Z50th Celebration’ is coming in 2022, suggesting a special-edition version of the Z900RS. It’s fairly safe to assume it will be based on the current Z900RS retro model – a 110bhp, 948cc four-cylinder 70-inspired roadster, which first arrived back in 2017. We would also expect plenty of nods to the original Zed,…

Basic instinct (but no money shot…) Currently my inbox is full of emails from manufacturers announcing new arrivals for next year. Usually I brush over them but one got me thinking – the 2022 Versys 1000. What’s so special about this bike? Just last year the Versys 1000 was dropped from Kawasaki’s range, replaced by the Versys S. The S is an SE minus its electronic suspension and Kawasaki basically tried to create a Euro5-compliant base model with minimal effort. But there was a problem, the S model’s extra tech (TFT dash, cornering lights, etc) upped the price by £1699. I’m really glad to see the Versys 1000 reintroduced as not only is it great value, but the reduced tech on this base model means less to go wrong in…

YOU’RE NEVER RIDING ALONE Keeping life on an even keel is about having the ability to intervene at an early point to keep yourself at a good level, rather than having massive swings in emotion and energy. I’ve learned to do that, and found that it’s all about positive micro actions that you can create throughout your day, week, month, year that become entrenched and embedded in your daily life. It wasn’t until I had cancer, aged 26, that I realised the impact of mental health. I had testicular cancer and was depressed for a year after that, but all the way through – post diagnosis, post operations, at home – I was still oblivious to my mental health. No one talked to me about it. I’d had lots of…

Q ‘My bike wasn’t in the way’ Last week I got my hair cut and parked on the pavement outside. I was under the impression that this is allowed so long as the bike doesn’t create an obstruction. Mid haircut I was being issued with a ticket. I asked the parking intendant about my interpretation of the law and he disagreed. I’m not going to appeal it but just wondered if you might clear the issue up as I struggled to find anything definitive online. Ralph Gurrey, email A Rule 244 of the Highway Code states that: ‘You must not park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it. Parking on the pavement can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people…

FRIDAY November 19 3am, EUR2, Live WSB from Indonesia: Superpole and Race 1 SATURDAY November 20 8.25am, ITV4, MotoGP highlights from Valencia, Spain 4pm, QUEST, The Hairy Bikers 3.30am, EUR2, Live WSB MONDAY November 22 9pm, CH4, Guy’s Garage 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 SPORT 2 TVL – TRAVEL UK…

Nathan Skyrme Age 30 Height 5ft 10in How long have you been riding? 5 years Current bike 2010 1200 Sportster Custom First bike Kawasaki Eliminator 125 Dream Bike Harley Low Rider S “I’ve always loved cruisers. I started on a Kawasaki Eliminator 125 before passing my test and buying a Vulcan S. However, something about it never really tugged at my heart strings, so I saved up and got myself a Sportster. “The Harley gives me joy I didn’t get from the Vulcan: a raw, stripped-back experience full of drama. On paper it comes up short – it’s low on power, there’s no tech and it has 1980s parts, but all is forgotten on board. “Not much about the new bike appeals. I like the tracker look, but it’s lost…

NEWS EDITOR Husqvarna’s new Norden is very well made, comfortable and has good performance. But who is the bike for? If you just ride on the road then you’re better off with a Triumph Tiger 900 GT or BMW F900XR, and if you want to go off-road the KTM 890 R, Tiger 900 Rally or F850GS are nicer. To me, the Norden doesn’t have a defining purpose. We don’t know the price yet, either. Husqvarna are being very coy about it. Will it be cheap or expensive? My gut feeling is it’ll be the latter. They’re hinting at around £1000 more than a KTM 890 Adventure meaning the Norden will be around £12,000, which feels seems a bit too much. THE FACTS Price £12,000(tbc) Husqvarna Norden 901 Engine 899cc, DOHC,…

CHIEF ROAD TESTER Honda’s NT1100 is a hugely competent tourer – soft, friendly, comfortable, well-built and generously equipped. It takes the spacious, upright stance of the Africa Twin and mixes it with more road-focused handling and a low seat to help shorter riders feel more comfortable. Power delivery is spritely, if not outright sporty and although the DCT gearbox works well enough, we’d go for the manual version and save a grand. It’s stable, light steering and its tyres are excellent in the wet. It may be too sensible for some and the screen can be noisy, but it’s a great value all-rounder. THE FACTS £11,999 (£12,999*) Honda NT1100 Engine 1084cc 8v parallel twin Frame Steel semi double cradle Front suspension 43mm USD, preload adjustable Rear suspension Single shock, preload…

Saving you money on essential bike maintenance BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician 1 Expose hidden areas First, clean your bike – and we mean clean it, not just a quick whizz over with a cloth. You’ll need to remove all the road dirt to reveal the bare surfaces of the engine and chassis as well as the faces of all exposed components. Depending on the type of bike you have, this may mean you’ll need to remove fairing panels to gain access. BRUCE’S TIPS Store fairing panels in a soft, safe area to prevent damage 2 Refresh the parts you can’t reach With the fairing panels removed you will be able to clean the parts of the bike that have been covered. In most cases, the bodywork on fully-faired bikes…

GREG HAINES INSIGHT Reporting from inside the World Superbike paddock This weekend will see the closest motorcycle competition of 2021 meet its long-awaited conclusion. Can the inimitable Toprak Razgatlioglu honour his late stunt-riding father ‘Tek Teker’ Arif by going down in history as Turkey’s first World Superbike Champion? Or can Jonathan Rea MBE delight Ballyclare yet again by pulling off a remarkable comeback for a seventh straight title? Only adding to the drama, the scene is a brand-new circuit set on an island in Indonesia. It’s a real coup for WSB to be hosting the first race at the new circuit. Indonesia is a massive market for bikes, hence the reason Repsol Honda constantly took Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa there for team launches as did Yamaha with Valentino Rossi.…

I honestly think that the entire weekend was one of the most emotional things I’ve ever seen in motorcycle racing. It was incredible. Obviously the weekend was all about Rossi, but what about Petrucci balling his eyes out on the start line before a MotoGP race? Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve. I was glued to the telly all day and my eyes were that teary people must have thought I’d been chopping up onions. I reckon I must be getting soft in my old age! There have been so many interviews. What more can you say about Valentino that hasn’t already been said? But at the end of the day, he changed our sport and changed it for the better. He opened the door for so many…

16 A Marquez 70 17 Morbidelli 47 18 Rossi 44 19 Marini 41 20 Lecuona 39 21 Petrucci 37 22 Bradl 14 23 Pirro 12 FINAL POSITIONS MOTOGP FINAL POSITIONS MOTO 2 11 Nagashima +9.420 12 Luthi +10.355 13 Manzi +11.898 14 Ramirez +12.088 15 Syahrin +12.361 16 Dixon +13.982 17 Aldeguer +14.022 18 Baltus +14.145 19 Chantra +17.111 FINAL POSITIONS MOTO 3 11 McPhee +2.791 12 Fenati +2.461 13 Foggia +3.819 14 Fernandez +13.298 15 Alcoba +13.348 16 Rossi +13.369 17 Toba +17.249 18 Migno +45.581…

“It was the 2019 Grand Prix at Mugello, and I thought I would stop. I don’t mean retire right away, but I thought that the moment would really come. Then Covid changed things and for once I took a step back. I got out of the bubble I was living in and I realised there was more than GPs around in life. I thought about a future untethered from the rhythms imposed by races, the pressure, my constant hunger for performance and wins. It’s like I woke up from a dream – or maybe a nightmare. Trying to win was so important that it was like I was in a parallel universe. So it’s leaving me with the pressure – that feeling that you don’t feel good, but you miss…

1996 1 Start of something When Rossi rolled out of pitlane at Shah Alam circuit in Malaysia at the age of 17, no one knew what the next 26 years would bring. But the signs were there with the Italian finishing sixth in his maiden race. 1996 2 First of many Rossi would have to wait until round ten at the Zeltwig Austrian GP before securing his maiden podium and then two weeks later the road to greatness began with his first GP career win at Brno. 1998 3 World Champion! Having finished ninth overall in 1996, Rossi’s 1997 was a masterclass in speed, consistency and race craft as he completely dominated. He won the opening race in Malaysia and after a blip of a no score in round two…

10 2015 QATAR GP (Losail) Ducati came out swinging with their first Gigi Dall’Igna-designed Desmosedici, which put Andrea Dovizioso on pole, while Jorge Lorenzo and teammate Valentino languished in sixth and eighth. On Sunday Vale pulled the rabbit from the hat. Dovizioso, Lorenzo and Iannone led, with Vale closing fast. “When I did a lap alone, a 1:55.2, I said, ‘Wow, not so bad’.” After trading blows with Dovizioso he inflicted the coup de grace on the final lap to beat his fellow Italian by 0.174 seconds. “That was one of the best races and one of the best battles,” grinned Valentino afterwards. “My bike was well balanced for the end, but I was close to crashing two or three times.” But perhaps he had been lucky: Lorenzo was with…