Table of contents for 24 November 2021 in MCN

‘I was nearly getting my knee down at 280mph’GUY MARTIN TALKS SPEED RECORDS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Guy’s back, and faster than ever... Guy was back on our TVs on Monday night with his new Channel4 show, Guy’s Garage, but what else has the loveable speed freak been up to? We caught up with him to delve into his new book, new TV work, his 300mph Hayabusa speed record challenge, and his helicopter-powered 400mph streamliner, and find out what happened when he nearly died in the desert. Hold on tight... PAGE 38 TOP STORY New bike explosion in full effect The big European EICMA motorcycle show kicks off this week, and that means there’s already a huge tide of new metal emerging blinking into the sunlight. And there’s some right stunners in…

The revised supercharged Ninja H2 SX will become the first Japanese machine to adopt Bosch’s advanced radar electronics. Already boasting 200bhp, the H2 SX, first introduced in 2018, along with its even higher spec SE brother, boasts a catalogue of updates for 2022. The highlight of these is the new radar-guided electronics but there’s also a more sophisticated TFT dash, new front fairing to house both the forward radar sensor and new display, revised ergonomics, sophisticated keyless ignition, uprated brakes and more. The Bosch-developed ARAS (Advanced Rider Aid System) employs radar sensors front and aft which give both the SX and SE an array of new aids including Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Blind Spot Detection (BSD) systems. On top of that there is also a…

The Oxford Oximiser 3X, worth £99.99 (RRP), is the ideal piece of kit to keep your batteries in tip-top condition all year round. It has three automated charging programs for differing battery sizes and works for bikes and cars. So-it’s the only battery optimiser you are ever likely to need – and we’ve got five up for grabs! It even has a two-year warranty included as standard. How to enter Enter your details at www.motorcyclenews.com/winoxfordoximiser3x to be in with a chance of winning. Terms & conditions 1. The prize draw closes at midnight on December 21, 2021. 2. This competition is open to UK residents aged 16 and over. 3. There are five prizes consisting of an Oxford Oximiser 3X Advanced Battery Management System RRP £99.99 4. The winners will…

Aprilia have brought out two new versions of their popular Tuono 660 and RS660 sportsbike, as well as an all-new 125 and 200cc scooter. The Tuono 660 is now available in ‘Factory’ trim, which includes fancier suspension, a 2kg weight saving and a small power boost to 98bhp. It’s also got shorter gearing for more zip on the road, as well as better electronics as standard, including an IMU for cornering ABS and ‘bending lights’ to help you see round corners. Meanwhile, there’s a limited edition RS660 that comes with a stars and stripes paintjob to celebrate Aprilia’s success at the MotoAmerica Twins Cup. As well as the yankee doodle paintjob, the 1500-machine limited run also gains a single seat cover, oversized top fairing and the ability for riders to…

Met Police consultant Dr Ken German believes ‘Jeff’ had a lucky escape: “These scammers have developed clever ways to make it look as though the money is in your account when it can actually still be withdrawn. If this happens after you ship the bike, you end up with nothing. In this particular case, since the buyer had asked Jeff to send freight costs to another account he could have ended up without his bike and be £500 worse off. Remember that if anything feels suspicious when selling your bike online, walk away.”…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR KTM are readying their biggest fully-faired sportsbike since the full-on RC8 V-twin left production in 2015. Having dived head-first into the superbike market with the RC8 in 2008, the company have since entered – and won races – in every MotoGP class, transforming KTM’s image from a dirt bike manufacturer to an all-round bike brand. However, KTM CEO Stefan Pierer has been vocal in his belief that out-andout superbikes are too fast for road use. The RC990 seen here, shows how KTM could appeal to sportsbike fans without returning to the extreme superbike market. Back in July, KTM revealed the RC 8C, a track-only bike powered by the 890 Duke’s LC8c parallel twin, based on the Kramer GP2-R trackday bike that was developed by former KTM engineers. Even…

Discounts of up to 50% are now being offered on selected official Yamaha gear and giftware via the online store. Around 50 items have had their prices slashed by half and include men’s watches, replica team wear, men’s and women’s casual wear such as this ‘Faster Sons’ retro sweatshirt (was £48.30, now £24.15), urban riding wear and even Christmas decorations. Burberry’s £25,244 electric dream High-end French electric bike maker DAB have teamed up with fashion brand Burberry to create this €29,900/£25,244 concoction. Based on DAB’s 125-equivalent bike, the ‘Concept-E RS Burberry’ will be limited to just 20 units and be displayed in Burberry stores. It also has bespoke paint, leather seat and grips, customised rims, Öhlins suspension and Beringer brakes. Ready for sub-Zero Premium clothing brand Turcano Urbano reckon they’ve…

Ride further in 2021 with a little help from our one-stop event guide Ride out to Britain’s best biking cafés HOLE IN THE HEDGE CAFÉ • Monday-Friday 8am-2.30pm • Find out more / www.holeinthehedge.com, www.facebook.com/Hole-In-The-Hedge-394692614404694 • Wisteria Greatworth Hall, Banbury, OX17 2DH Hole in the Hedge has been part of Greatworth Hall sheep farm for three years now. Owner Rebecca Marais always wanted to run a café, and when the farmer suggested she open one on his land, she couldn’t say no. “We love meeting people. We get a lot of regulars and because it’s very central people meet here,” Rebecca explains. Although most of the customers come from nearby business parks, it’s also a big hit with bikers, who revel in the chance to sit inside and take a…

1 Pit Stop Diner bike meet Every Tuesday, the Pit Stop Diner hosts bike night from 7pm-9pm. As it’s only two minutes from the A66 in Stockton it’s an ideal meeting spot. www.thepitstopdiner.co.uk for more info. 2 Bootle Trial On Sunday, November 28, you can take part in a trial in Bootle, Cumbria. You can enter online at acu.org.uk, but you need to enter before 6pm on November 25. www.facebook.com/Bootle-Scramble-Club-736585369806077 3 Harley night On November 25, Ace Café is playing host to Harley night from 6pm with the aim of filling the car park with American chrome. But if V-twins aren’t your thing, then on Friday November 26, it’s bike night for all from 6pm. london.acecafe.com…

The Devitt MCN Festival of Motorcycling is one of the UK’s largest outdoor motorcycle shows and the only event where you can book multiple test rides from all the major manufacturers, making it the perfect start to the riding season. With thrilling stunt shows, live music and acres of retail stands it’s a packed weekend away so onsite camping is recommended. BLACK FRIDAY OFFER • Book two standard day tickets for only £13.50pp • Book two weekend with camping tickets for £27.50pp Get your tickets now at www.mcnfestival.com…

GARETH EVANS Age 38 Height 6ft Current bike Trident 660 Been riding for Three years First bike Suzuki GSX-S125 Dream bike Ducati Panigale V4 “Having only been riding for a couple of years when I started to think about swapping my Enfield Interceptor, I wanted something solid but not intimidating. And after reading reviews of the Trident 660 and seeing it in the flesh at a dealer’s I knew it was for me. Now after over 3000 trouble-free miles, I am still smitten. It’s so easy to ride, so approachable and yet has enough about it to be fun. “I really liked the Interceptor and it was a great first ‘big’ bike for me, but the Trident feels like a big step up. Not just in terms of power, but in…

We interviewed Guy the day after he turned 40. And asked the man, initially made famous for revelling in the ‘near-death thing’ that the world’s most dangerous motorcycle races served up, about how that feels. He was as blunt as ever. “What do you want me to do? Hold a party? I’m not getting excited about it. It’s better than not reaching 40, and there have been plenty of people who didn’t, but if I hadn’t have made it I know I’ve had a good time. “I’ve said it no end of times, I do all these stupid things, but I must have done something right if I haven’t killed myself. I know when enough is enough and when to call it a draw. And that’s where the book title…

FREELANCE ROAD TESTER The Superveloce is typical MV Agusta – hard, uncompromising and yet undeniably beautiful and when let off its leash immensely enjoyable to ride fast. The three-cylinder engine’s acceleration is ferocious, the exhaust note intoxicating and when on the gas the whole package is enthralling. However, at slow speed the Superveloce is challenging and has supersport 600 levels of comfort – which isn’t much. A price of £18,550 is a lot for such a limited-use bike but on that special day it certainly delivers on looks as well as performance. THE FACTS £18,500 MV Agusta Superveloce Engine 798cc 12-valve DOHC inline triple Frame ALS steel tubular trellis Suspension (F) 43mm Marzocchi USD forks, fully-adjustable (R) Sachs monoshock, fully-adjustable Brakes (F) 320mm Twin discs, 4-piston Brembo monobloc radial calipers.…

☆☆☆☆☆ Kriega Overlander system for Yamaha Ténéré 700 £307 (for two 12-litre panniers incl seat harness), £89 (one 12-litre tail pack) ‘Totally secure and waterproof’ Tested by Michael Guy for one month/850 miles The latest offering of adventure luggage from Kriega continues to deliver on their reputation for high quality and truly fit-for-purpose equipment. The OS (Overlander System) comprises a harness that goes over the rear of the bike, on to which the individual panniers attach. It means you don’t need to fit any sort of metal rack and on the four-day predominantly off-road trip I used them on the kit proved to be easy to fit and secure. The panniers come in varying sizes: 6, 12 and 18 litres. I fitted two of the 12-litre panniers which were big…

Winters in this country are often so mild that even the most cold-hating riders will sneak out for a few hours here and there. So, for those of us who just have a solitary motorcycle that we don’t mind subjecting to the winter roads, long-term storage isn’t necessary. But, if you’ve got a couple of bikes, one of which is a classic or special that won’t see the light of day in winter, properly hibernating it is essential, especially this year with the arrival of E10 petrol. I’m not a petro chemist so won’t go into the science of E10, but all I know is, as an end user, I absolutely do not want to risk any expensive problems that could be attributed to the probable rapid degradation of E10.…

SUZUKI New engine for more speed, new aero, modified swingarm, carbon bonded section in the new chassis. DUCATI New engine, exhausts, aero package, and some narrower bodywork. YAMAHA Updated engine, not much of an improvement from Quartararo’s point of view. New swingarm and revised anti wheelie strategies. APRILIA Smaller front wing, new exhaust, revised chassis. Viñales felt he improved his braking performance with new electronic strategies. KTM Testing many variations to put the bones of a different package together for Sepang test in February.…

Most five-year-old kids will send a shorter Christmas wish list to Santa than the requests Fabio Quartararo and Joan Mir have despatched to Yamaha and Suzuki for the 2022 MotoGP season. More power, more rear grip and less wheelie topped current World Champion Quartararo’s upgrade list for Yamaha. While Mir begged Suzuki for better aerodynamics and electronics after he not only failed to win a single race in 2021, but he didn’t even lead a single lap over the line. Quartararo and Mir are acutely aware of the danger posed by Ducati in 2022 and Frenchman Quatararo appeared distinctly underwhelmed by the absence of any tangible progress in Jerez. He said: “We tried many things, but I don’t feel any improvement. We didn’t make a step and Yamaha need to…

Rookie of the Year Andrea Locatelli grabbed fourth in the championship as Michael Ruben Rinaldi crashed in front of him on the final lap of the season. Ducati’s Rinaldi had held the position by eight points heading into Lombok but was only 12th in Race 1. Yamaha’s Locatelli was fourth in Race 1 while his lack of wet-weather superbike riding meant eighth in Race 2, but overall a 17-point swing in his favour. De Rosa does it! On his 89th attempt, Raffaele de Rosa (Orelac Kawasaki) won Saturday’s World Supersport race as he beat champion Dominique Aegerter by one tenth; it was the only non-Yamaha win of 2021. From 13th on the grid, Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) rectified a gearing issue for a Sunday win. WSS moves into a new…

‘World class. No doubt about it’ What an incredible final round of WSB and what a way for Toprak to win it by going all in. When you see riders on the brink of a title, some go out and do just do enough, but it’s easy to make a mistake. When you just do enough to win I think it always tarnishes it a bit. To win a world title is incredible, you don’t get them in a Christmas cracker – you have to earn them and that’s what Johnny will respect. Johnny and Toprak have raced hard, fought hard, but they haven’t smashed each other to bits – it’s not been like Rossi and Biaggi when there was no respect. Johnny took the No.1 off his bike and…

ROUND | 1 MotorLand Aragón, Spain It’s a strange feeling as the championship starts at MotorLand in May instead of Phillip Island in February. Rea does the business as only a six-time world champion can, winning the opening two races from pole position. Redding triumphs in the third encounter thanks to a tyre gamble which pays off, confirming the pre-season predictions of a Rea versus Redding fight. Razgatlioglu is third in Race 1 and sixth in the next two. ROUND | 2 Estoril, Portugal Toprak jumps the start of Race 2 and receives a double long lap penalty. However, Race 1 winner Redding is then penalised after Kawasaki protest that he also moved before the lights went out; Redding’s Ducati is duly demoted after the race. This leaves Rea with…

GREG HAINES INSIGHT Reporting from inside the World Superbike paddock Following a truly scintillating finale at Indonesia’s all-new Mandalika circuit last weekend, Toprak Razgatlioglu has been crowned the 18th World Superbike Champion since the production series was inaugurated in 1988. It was a true nail-biting climax to an incredible season. This year’s WSB campaign was just the sort of escapism necessary for trackside fans and an ever-growing global television audience desperate to forget the stresses of Covid-19. They couldn’t have hoped for a better season than the spectacle of three of the sport’s most naturally gifted riders going head-to-head in a championship full of intrigue, theatre, excitement, controversy and some of the most brutal on-track battles WSB has witnessed. And at the end of it, race fans are celebrating the…

It’s interesting how fortunes ebb and flow from one manufacturer to another, and back again. Some years it seems that everything a single marque touches turns to gold, other years they might struggle to catch a cold. This year has certainly been a golden one for Yamaha. Incredible, really. Winning the World Superbike title at the weekend is an impressive result in itself. To do it with one of the series’ newer talents is even more impressive. But that’s just a third of the clean sweep that Yamaha have delivered on track in 2021. Just a few weeks ago Britain’s own Tarran Mackenzie emulated his father’s British Superbike dominance from a quarter of a century ago to put Yamaha back on top with a BSB title, too. And, of course,…

Honda have revealed a 350cc version of their X-ADV 750. The new machine mixes the sophistication and practicality of a conventional, mid-range scooter with rugged styling. Derived from the Forza 350, the ADV350 uses the same liquid-cooled, 330cc four-stroke four-valve single producing 29bhp but in a chunkier chassis featuring blocky 15/14in tyres, 37mm USD forks, remote reservoir twin rear shocks and disc brakes front and rear and X-ADV-influenced styling including twin LED headlights. There’s also Honda Selectable Torque Control traction control. Practicality, meanwhile, comes via under-seat storage space (Honda say it will take two full-face lids), a USB charger in the glove box, four-way height-adjustable screen, keyless operation and a Smartphone compatible LCD digital dash. Price and availability yet to be released.…

Pressure group FairFuel UK have called on motorists to use supermarket forecourts rather than those of the big oil firms in protest at what they are calling ‘rip-off pricing’. They say research has shown supermarkets to be 4p-6p per litre cheaper. “It’s time for the Government to get back to reality and to stop this profiteering by the greedy fuel supply chain,” said founder Howard Cox. Extra protection Oxford Products have unveiled their latest range of CE Level 1 and 2 armour including new small protectors for elbows, shoulders and knees. Level 2 inserts for your shoulders cost £12.99 while a pair of Level 2 dynamic protectors for hips knees or elbows or a Level 2 back protector are £29.99. To find out more visit www.oxfordproducts.com. Star-spangled lid This cool…

Oxford Heritage Tech 1.0 Textile Jacket £99.99 Time for the Black Friday bonanza! Retailers adore something that creates a bit of a buzz, but love it or hate it, the US import that is this week’s Black Friday always yields biking bargains and we’ve helped out by digging out some highlights. SportsBikeShop have stacks of deals and promise to price match like-for-like items with other UKbased retailers, subject to certain terms and conditions. With a very useful 50% reduction, you can grab yourself this retro-style jacket from Oxford products for a penny under £100. Made from dry waxed cotton, it has a fully waterproof and breathable membrane plus a removable thermal lining. There’s CE-approved armour at the elbows and shoulders, and space for a back protector, which can be purchased…

Fire it up and ride (well, hopefully...) As an owner of several older bikes, I have mixed views on the ‘historic vehicle’ laws. For those not in the know, once a bike passes the rolling 40-years-old milestone it is exempt from both tax and MoT. What that means in practice is that you can just drag it out of your garage, fire it into life (well, hopefully...) and away you go – no checks on roadworthiness and no need to pay HMRC any more cash. The bad side to this rule is obvious. Anyone who has had a bike fail an MoT on something horribly dangerous will well-know things are easily missed and putting the onus on owners to ensure their bike is safe is a worry. But for classic…

YOU’RE NEVER RIDING ALONE Throughout 2021 MCN has been working in partnership with Royal Enfield and the Campaign Against Living Miserably, as well as a whole host of guest bloggers, to raise awareness of mental health issues amongst the biking community. Many of us feel that biking is our perfect antidote to the pressures of real life, but it isn’t a magic cure, which is why we’re supporting the Campaign Against Living Miserably to ‘Open It Up’ and increase the number of conversations we all have around positive mental health. CALM was set up to help people struggling with mental health, particularly men for whom finding support can be a struggle – not least because of the highly damaging societal pressure to ‘man up’ and ‘get on with it’. Not…

Q ‘Car turned across me’ I was filtering along the outside of a row of slowly-moving traffic just on the inside of the central white line at about 5mph faster than the cars I was passing when the car I was just drawing up to turned right across me. He did not indicate and I had no chance to avoid the crash. The police report accurately records what happened and even though the accident was not my fault my solicitor said when these cases go to court each side shares the blame equally. I’ve been told that the car driver is denying liability. This does not seem right to me. Mitch, London A The police report and witness statements will be useful in order to correctly apportion liability. There may…

Readers Simon Jordan and friends The trip Dorset-Land’s End-John O’Groats in 24 hours How many miles? 1000! Tell us about the trip… I had planned to ride from my home in Dorset to Land’s End, up to John O’Groats and then take in the NC500 but my R1150GS Adventure shredded its alternator belt just 10 miles in. Fast forward three days and I’m in a supermarket and see a woman collapse. I find out she’s 28 and terminally ill and her seven-yearold daughter is her carer. The lady is in need of a mobility scooter. That night I hatch a plan and decide to do the ride again and raise money for her. Just over a month later at midnight on September 23, I set off on the GSA with…

CHIEF ROAD TESTER Think of Ducati’s superb new Streetfighter V2 as a modern take on the brilliant old Streetfighter 848 with performance somewhere between a middleweight sports naked and full-fat super naked. It isn’t cheap, but it’s well equipped and beautifully made. Low-speed throttle manners can be choppy and we wish it had a bigger dash, heated grips and cruise control for the money. It’s unashamedly sporty on the road and capable on track, but it’s also friendly and comfortable, although wind protection is obviously non-existent and it can lack playfulness. It’s cheaper, nimbler and more exciting at normal speeds than its V4 sibling, too. The bike arrives in dealers in the New Year and Ducati are expecting to reveal their PCP finance details towards the end of November. THE…

1 Bell MX-9 Adventure Mips £189.99 This is a really good helmet for the price. It is comfy, feels solid, and has good visibility. The only downside is that’s its fairly loud. Sam Crafts, Lincoln 2 LS2 Rapid £49.99-£59.99 My wife and I have matching blue and yellow ones and at under 60 quid each, they have been bargains! Ray Hully, Kendal 3 Scorpion Exo-Tech £249.99-£289.99 Being able to rotate the chin bar back and still have the visor down is great. A huge improvement over a flip-up. Malcolm Kinsley, USA 4 Givi 40.5 X-Fiber £249.99 This helmet fits lovely and was sub-£150 at J&S Accessories with a Pinlock included. David Roberts-Griffiths, Wrexham 5 HJC i70 £159.99-£179.99 The flip-down sun visor is ideal at this time of year. It’s also…

When this Piaggio X Evo 125 came in for a pre-MoT service at Doncaster Motorcycles, the rider knew that his tyres, brakes and swingarm bushes were potential failures… but was blissfully unaware about a potentially fata crack in a fork leg. In common with a lot of larger-capacity bikes, the front wheel spindle passes through a clamp at the bottom of one fork leg, and is secured by a nut where it passes through a hole in the other leg. Because it’s not held rigidly at both ends, this design allows the front wheel assembly to align itself as it’s tightened up, so the front wheel and front disc are aligned with the caliper and the fork legs can move up and down freely without stiction. The torque settings for…

SPORTS WRITER It’s incredibly difficult to improve on perfection, but not impossible. Proof was provided by Ducati’s all-new prototype Desmosedici and Pecco Bagnaia after the firm ominously dominated the opening MotoGP test for 2022 in Jerez last week. An end-of-season blitz from Bagnaia saw him storm to five poles and four wins in the last six races of 2021. And the Italian picked up where he left off with a performance during testing in Jerez that threatened a winter of discontent for the likes of current World Champion Fabio Quartararo and Suzuki star Joan Mir. Equipped with a new GP22 that featured a revised engine, fairing, air intake and distinctive long exhaust, Bagnaia believes Ducati technical guru Gigi Dall’Igna has improved a package that the 24-year-old described as ‘perfect’ in…

‘Friends? Never’ “Deadly rivals on the track. Best of friends off it.” Back in the day, this daft caption to a cheesy PR photo of Kenny Roberts and Freddie Spencer posed together made me and my more cynical colleagues laugh. Still does. They were about as friendly as a pair of ferrets fighting over a particularly fetching female. Stand by, three decades later, for more of the same, as two more deadly rivals/best friends move up to the same team in MotoGP, where – as in all racing – the first person you have to beat is your teammate. The pairing has historical echoes. Remy Gardner and his Moto2 teammate Raul Fernandez are both being promoted to MotoGP with KTM. Remy’s world champion father Wayne had a similar deadly-rivals teammate…

SENIOR WRITER MV Agusta have dived headfirst into the adventure bike market for 2022, revealing two models inspired by the Dakar Rally success of the Cagiva Elefant. Called the 9.5 and 5.5, the bikes are the Varese firm’s first true adventure offerings and sport liveries reminiscent of the ‘Lucky Explorer’ design used by Cagiva in their heyday – made possible by MV belonging to the same group. Both bikes share a similarly styled front end, which bears more than a passing resemblance to the current Honda Africa Twin and share the same blacked-out finish above their LED headlights. Other features seen across the range include front disc brake covers with vents for cooling, as well as handguards, bash plates, and a seven-inch colour TFT dash with Bluetooth connectivity and Wi-Fi…

SAVE £2800 £14,195 Suzuki GSX-R1000R Raw and hungry, the GSX-R1000R might have been around a while, but it’ll still give its latest rivals a run for their money. The R-model here is already cheaper than a top-spec BMW S1000RR, Yamaha R1M, Honda Fireblade SP or Aprilia RSV4RF, and with another £2800 lopped off it’s a real steal! ● www.wheelsmotorcycles.co.uk SAVE £1650 £7999 KTM 890 Duke The 890 Duke is nicely balanced, reassuring, agile and accurate. Seat height is a short-rider-friendly 820mm. And this is some deal! ● www.motocorsa.com ● Engine 889cc ● Power 113bhp ● Weight 169kg ● Seat height 820mm SAVE £1205 £8495 Aprilia Tuono 660 The Tuono is instantly intuitive and one of those bikes that you can enjoy from the moment the road opens up. A real…

Voxan have revealed an improved version of the Wattman – a high electric speed weapon on which ex-GP star Max Biaggi hopes to smash even more records. The latest version of the French operation’s streamlined electric speed contender will be making a string of record attempts next year. Sporting the former GP and World Superbike champion’s race number, the latest version is lighter and more powerful than the original Wattman which cracked 11 world speed records at Chateroux, France last year. New batteries have brought the weight to under 300kg, allowing it to compete in more categories, while an updated version of the Mercedes EQ Formula E electric powertrain has raised power from 270kW/362bhp to 320kW/429bhp. In addition, the wheelbase is longer than before, the seat higher and it can…

Kovix Brake Lever Lock £94.99 This very eye-catching, heavy-duty zinc/steel alloy lock features a built-in 120dB alarm for an audible warning. Lighter and more compact than chains and U-locks, the Brake Lever Lock is easy to transport. The zinc/steel alloy body is more resistant to attack than plasticbodied alternatives, while the heavy-duty steel key barrel should ward off picking and drilling. www.thekeycollection.co.uk Touratech Luggage Plate XL for Ténéré 700 £153.76 This robust-looking aluminium fitment takes over the pillion seat and luggage rack area of Yamaha’s adventure all-rounder. An aluminium adapter plate with stainless steel hooks snaps exactly into the original locking mechanism of the pillion seat. shop.touratech-uk.co.uk Wunderlich Handlebar Muffs £129 Made from water-repellent and windproof Cordura, these cuff muffs are built to block out rain and wind, allowing the…

FANTASY SHOPPING ON A REAL-WORLD BUDGET 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 Steve’s pick... Bricklayer turned extremely rapid racer, Steve Plater managed to cram an incredible amount into his relatively short career. Only starting racing at 26, Steve racked up two TT wins, three British titles, eight NW200 victories and two Macau GPs. Still very much involved, Steve now instructs on trackdays, commentates on TV and does development riding for Norton, Avon, and Bilstein Suspension. So, what would be Luton’s fastest (former...) bricky’s choice of used road bike? “I ride about 20,000 miles a year on the road, split between my work as a development rider and for pure…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews It was the enemy within In last week’s letters a guy had a small socket extension puncture his tyre. I had the same thing happen to me straight after two new tyres were fitted, the only difference being that the item that wrecked my tyre was a 6mm bolt and nut with a large washer and it was on the INSIDE. Turns out the fitter had managed to get the bolt inside the tyre when fitting and it had punched through as I was riding. Hugh Taylor, email Just imagine the party In this age of media tutored corporate MotoGP robots trotting out the company line, how wonderful to see Jack Miller in his base layer with no shoes and a bottle of beer, bantering with…

MCN staff and readers share their one-hour routes As the name suggests, there are plenty of opportunities for local delicacies like crab and of course the ubiquitous fish and chips on this run in Norfolk so you won’t need to stash sandwiches or grab a Ginsters. We start at Harry’s Fish Bar in Hunstanton, before taking in the twin sights of the town’s cliffs and beach. Our route takes very little navigating, as it’s a single road that heads east and skirts the coastline through Thornham and past picturesque Brancaster Beach – an ideal place for a photograph by the sea. Continue on the A149 to Bellamy’s Lane, and then on through Holkham Nature Reserve and then you’ll find Wells-next-the-Sea – a quaint old fishing town with great places to…

SENIOR WRITER • THE HOTTEST BIKES • EVERY WEEK £7395 AS TESTED Triumph Trident 660 • 660cc liquid-cooled, 12 valve, DOHC, inline triple • Power 80bhp @ 10,250rpm • PCP £107.18 x 36 £7850 AS TESTED Kawasaki Z650RS • 649cc Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke parallel twin • Power 67bhp @ 8000rpm • PCP £99 x 37 Triumph’s Trident 660 may well have a name that throws you back half a century (to the 1968 740cc Meriden model), but the reality is that’s it’s not all that retro. In fact, lined up against the likes of Kawasaki’s new Z650RS, the Trident feels a very much more modern proposition. But the pair draw parallels nonetheless, with similar engine capacities and an identical 47.2lb.ft of torque. The Triumph’s triple pips the Kawasaki’s parallel twin in…

SENIOR WRITER The Trident is a dynamic roadster, while the Z650RS is a beguiling retro, enjoyable both for a Sunday cruise or a faster backroad blast. Both were comfortable for the whole 250 miles and, with the exception of the chilling wind, would be fine to keep going for longer. But when it boils down to it, the Trident is the bike I’d choose. The engine is more exciting – and for the £455 that you’d save over buying the Kawasaki, you could always upgrade that rear shock. Bruce was on the same page. “You know how some bikes have a sweet spot, the Triumph’s sweet spot is from zero to whatever pace or type of conditions that you wanted to ride it to.” Plus, the Trident is just that…

Saving you money on essential bike maintenance BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician 1 Don’t leave it dirty… Like a bath before bed, give your bike a comprehensive wash before storage. Use a brush to get behind exhaust downpipes and into awkward places. Rinse it thoroughly twice before drying. An airline or bike dryer will make it easier for you to blast out hidden pockets of water. Finish up by rubbing the bike over with a soft drying towel. BRUCE’S TIPS Don’t forget to wax – it adds an extra layer of protection 2 Location, location, location… Find the best place in your chosen storage location, away from foot traffic, and away from leaks or draughts. Ideally you should put the bike on stands so front and back wheels are raised…

Marc Marquez will undergo crucial medical checks around Christmas to gauge his recovery from double vision issues that ruined his comeback campaign in 2021. The problem not only ruled the Repsol Honda rider out of the last two races but crucially sidelined him for the vital first test of Honda’s 2022 machine at Jerez. HRC boss Alberto Puig said: “He understands that what he needs now is to be resting and to be patient.” Dovi powers on A horsepower upgrade and braking improvements buoyed Andrea Dovizioso after his 2022 factory Yamaha debut in Jerez. The Italian ended 2021 riding a two-year-old M1 but his full-time return to MotoGP will be on the latest-spec works machine. After finishing 15th fastest in Jerez, Dovizioso said: “We have more power, and you can…