Table of contents for May 2026 in RiDE

‘Welcome to a more useful, inspiring RiDE’ You may have noticed that things are a little bit different in this issue – we’ve given the magazine a proper overhaul. After surveying more than 4000 RiDE readers, we’ve been working hard to deliver what you asked for: bigger bike tests, expanded gear coverage and more places to ride. So, while we still stand for the same values as before, plenty has changed. We’ve increased the help we offer when you’re choosing a bike, with additional road tests and first rides, all packed with greater depth and detail. There are extra destinations to explore – two new touring features and fresh routes, brilliant roads and inspiration for your next rideout. You’ll also find expanded kit coverage, with additional reviews and clear verdicts.…

BUYING ONE £6141 On-the-road cash price £74.22 PCP per month x 36 (£1500 deposit, 4000 miles, optional final payment £2971. 8.9% APR) The KLE500 isn’t a bike with headline-grabbing attributes, and that translates into a riding experience that doesn’t immediately blow your socks off. What it does is gradually and quietly impress by being competent in most things you could ask of a small-capacity adventure bike: comfort, ease of use and fun factor on and off-road. Much noise has been made online about the lack of ground clearance for a bike purporting to be a dual-purpose machine, but the technical reason for it is also why it makes sense in a lot of scenarios that don’t require scrambling over rocks: a low centre of gravity. The engine is low in…

BUYING ONE £11,920 On-the-road cash price £148.97 PCP per month x 36 (£3000 deposit, 4000 miles, optional final payment £5588.75. 9.4% APR) The Ténéré 700 World Raid has caught up with its small-tanked siblings by gaining a ride-by-wire throttle (and accompanying rider aids including cruise control and a speed limiter, both firsts for the Ténéré family), new forks and general tweaks. Power and weight remain the same though, with no major advances in design or spec. Consequently, it doesn’t feel like a huge leap forward, and while it is better, it’s not a better enough to make a trade-up from the old model feel like a must. It’s also going to get tougher to justify buying one over ever-advancing rivals, particularly given its £11,920 asking price. It does feel a…

Suzuki UK have confirmed a major pricing restructure across their range, building on a number of deals introduced over the past 12 months. Announced on April 1, the new pricing will be ongoing rather than simply a period of promotion, with the big news for RiDE readers being a further £1000 reduction on the GSX-S1000GT+ tourer. Adding to a £1000 reduction already previously introduced, the on the road price now comes in at £11,999 – down from £13,999 12 months ago. Even bigger savings can be had on the GSX-S1000GX+ tall-rounder, which has seen a £2900 reduction over the past year to now come in at £12,999. Suzuki have also extended a 1.9 per cent finance offer on the GSX-S1000 and V-Strom 1050, while the GSX-8T and GSX-8TT retros get…

Why it’s great Southern Scotland spoils with amazing routes, brilliant roads and breathtaking scenery, yet this run distils the best of what’s on offer into a near 80-mile blast. Keep one eye on the skies – the majestic sight of golden eagles is one of the area’s attractions. As for what’s under your wheels, the roads on offer vary from challenging rural jaunts through deep glens and over peaks, providing stunning vistas aplenty, to billiard-smooth A-roads with a continental flow. Base yourself in nearby Moffat – the excellent biker friendly Buccleuch Arms is highly recommended. When to go The back end of winter leading into early spring is when the roads are quietest. Even on a wet day they’re an outstanding ride. Summer is a better bet for weather. But…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Battlax T33 performance, with 47% more mileage. That’s what really matters. Get yours. On a map, Shropshire is the bit sandwiched between Birmingham and Wales. Centred around Shrewsbury, the county stretches from Whitchurch in the north down to Ludlow, and from Newport in the east across to Wales – with which it shares a border for 55 miles or so (turns out no one’s really sure). Geography, being unconcerned by the affairs of man, pays no respect to frontiers; much of Shropshire’s western flank – specifically the Shropshire Hills – looks like a goodly chunk of Welshness has broken off, sneaked into England and taken up residence. Someone should write to the council about it (although in a geopolitical microcosm, several villages are split down the high…

If you made a spider graph for new, big-capacity naked bikes, there will be some with more power and some with higher equipment or component specs. But if you’re looking for big power, top-drawer specs and a crazy low price – so much so it forced rival manufacturers to re-evaluate their pricing structures – you can only be thinking about Honda’s CB1000 SP. No other bike offers so much, for so little. The Hornet SP’s spec is familiar to most of us by now – ex-2017 Fireblade motor making 155bhp, running on Showa forks and Öhlins shock, stopped by Brembo Stylema calipers, weighing 212kg, with a quickshifter fitted as standard, and costing 99 quid over the ten grand mark. And if it sounds simple to explain, it’s equally simple to…

For those wishing their A2 licence experience to be an adventure rather than just a stepping stone from L-plates to big bike ownership, KTM’s new 390 Adventure R is the machine to make that happen. The Austrian/Indian concern has transformed its once awkward and confused small-capacity dual-purpose offering into a bike that’s now not only deserved of its ‘Adventure’ name, but one that’s vastly more capable than its modest capacity or A2 compliance may suggest. Unlike its previous incarnation, the new 390 R can take on big assignments and deliver. It’ll do everyday commuting with aplomb, tackle 1000-mile-plus tours head-on, and go wheel to wheel with larger, more sophisticated machinery off-road. All attributes of a bona fide adventure bike. Key to the 390’s new-found multi-skill set is a chassis freed…

The DR-Z4S’s case is very different to the CFMoto’s: while the CFMoto is from a little-known brand and undercutting its rivals, the DR-Z4S is from one of biking’s legacy manufacturers and more expensive than its rivals. But by God it is worth it. The DR-Z4S had a big reputation to uphold. It’s based on the legendary early-2000s DR-Z400S – a superb-all round trailie that hadn’t been sold in the UK for more than a decade thanks to emissions regulations. But it takes all the qualities that made people love the original DR-Z – bulletproof confidence, easy of use off-road and a friendly nature – and build on them. Heavily reworked, it’s bang on the 2026 pace when it comes to tech and execution. It has two massive strengths that separate…

YAMAHA TRACER 9 GT ● £13,954 ● 117bhp ● 69lb·ft ● 227kg Halfway between a tall-rounder and conventional sports-tourer, we actually prefer the lower-spec GT to the GT+ because you save the best part of £3000, don’t have the Y-AMT automatic transmission, and don’t really miss the radar cruise control. Fun, enjoyable, decent value. KAWASAKI VERSYS 1100 TOURER ● From £13,025 ● 134bhp ● 82lb·ft ● 255kg A bit more sensible than the S1000XR, the Versys is well loved with distance lovers, has an utterly superb engine and is good value – especially in this Tourer guise. The Versys is a motorcycle that you learn to love over time and distance – the more you do, the better it feels.…

Buying a crash helmet is a big decision, especially when you consider a range-topping model can cost in the region of £800. Your helmet is one of the most vital pieces of protective equipment you wear, so choosing the correct one can have a huge impact on your riding both in terms of safety and fatigue. A poorly fitting or uncomfortable lid can easily become a distraction while you ride, and one that constantly fogs up or has substandard ventilation can lead to serious vision and concentration issues. The number of features are important as well, with things such as an integrated sun visor and comms-ready capability selling points to many riders, especially those who tour or like to ride whatever the weather. YOUR TESTER Jon Urry Jon is a…

BUYING ONE £430 For the 4.7in version ON SALE NOW Garmin’s latest satnav looks like it should be able to deliver on many levels. The new Zumo XT3 is available in either 4.7in or 6in sizes and designed to work in every situation from dirt riding to track and touring. Built to military standards for drop resistance and IPX7 waterproofing – and boasting claims of being vibration-resistant – it comes with preloaded street maps and high-definition topographic maps. There’s also the option of premium mapping for adventure roads and trails, with turn-by-turn navigation for off-road rides. Carried over from the XT2, released in 2024, is a visual route planner allowing you to plan routes on the device. But it’s also compatible with the Tread smartphone app, for custom planning away…

Yamaha’s XJR1300 feels like it has been with us forever. Indeed, its naked, twin-shock, air-cooled architecture hearkens back to motorcycling’s more distant days. The first XJR1300s appeared in 1998, but for the purposes of this Buying Guide, we will ignore the early carburetted models to focus on the fuel-injected machines that appeared in 2007 and remained on sale until 2016. These met the Euro3 emissions standard of the day and have a catalytic converter. However, the massive motor has a long lineage stretching all the way back to the FJ1100 of 1984. For its final two years, 2015-2016, the XJR1300 (pictured here) received something of a hipster/café racer makeover. Its retro charm was undiminished, although from a practical standpoint fuel capacity was reduced by a third to 14 litres. There…

Suzuki’s GSF1200 Bandit was a hit from the off. Launched in 1996 and defined by a torque-rich motor delivering immense low and midrange drive, simple yet elegant styling, and an irresistible price – £1000 cheaper than Kawasaki’s ZRX1100 – the Bandit brought big-cc performance to a wide audience. A decade of strong sales was the reward. While the unfaired N seduced buyers with its clean, naked charm, the half-faired S added practicality and potential to the package, opening the doors to commuting, big miles and even continental touring. With a retuned GSX-R1100 motor driving the show, two-up duties were a breeze for 1200 Bandit owners, too. Suzuki treated its big GSF to a sizable update in 2000 (the first K model and focus of this guide), with a new perimeter-style…

BUYING ONE £14,995 special launch price IN DEALERS APRIL 2026 Ducati have revealed their second-generation DesertX adventure bike for 2026, featuring the brand’s latest 890cc twin-cylinder engine platform also found in the Monster, Hypermotard, Panigale, Streetfighter and Multistrada V2 ranges. It’s being launched with an initial price of £14,995 for machines ordered by June 30 and is due to arrive in dealers from April. The DesertX is the final model to migrate from Ducati’s 937cc Testastretta V-twin engine, with the new motor featuring four valves per cylinder, variable timing, and no desmodromic valves. An A2 licence restriction kit also available. Power is now a claimed 109bhp at 9000rpm, with 68lb·ft of torque available at 7000rpm – 70 per cent of which comes from 3000rpm. The first four gears are now…

Great Alpine Road, Victoria, Australia This is my BMW R1200RS at the start of the Great Alpine Road – just over 300km of great road linking the Victorian coast and the North Victorian high country. There are a couple of sections of very winding roads near two alpine ski villages, along with more open winding country roads through a variety of towns and villages of varying size. Phillip Cantwell Gara Medouar, Morocco After riding through Spain and crossing into Morocco in September 2025, we reached the remote rock formations of Gara Medouar. Standing beside the R1300GSA above an endless desert plain, this was one of those moments where the miles, heat and journey all came together – pure long-distance adventure riding. My mate Davey is with his BMW in the…

A new regular feature showing off your favourite old bikes and biking pics. Editor Matt kicks it off. “I’m 19 and trying to look cool on my 1989 Kawasaki KR-1. At £750 it was the cheapest in MCN – and came with a bizarre sticker kit from The Mask. I did so much with that bike, but the stickers stayed on MUCH longer than they should have…” SHOW US YOUR FAVE OLD BIKING PICS AND WIN AN OXFORD TOOL KIT PRO V2 Send your old bike or touring pictures to letters@ride.co.uk for fame and fortune…

THE FACTS Engine 1158cc DOHC 16v 90° V4, l/c Power 170bhp @ 10,750rpm (claimed), 153bhp @ 10,400rpm (measured) Torque 91lb·ft @ 9000rpm (claimed), 84lb·ft @ 8700rpm (measured) Transmission Six-speed chain Frame Aluminium monocoque Front suspension 50mm usd forks, semi-active damping Rear suspension Monoshock, semi-active with automatic lowering Front brakes 2 × 320mm discs, four-piston calipers Rear brake 280mm disc, two-piston caliper Front tyre 120/70 R19 Rear tyre 170/80 R17 Wheelbase 1572mm Rake/trail 24.7°/105mm Fuel capacity 30 litres Seat height 870/890mm Kerb weight 240kg (wet, no fuel) Rider aids Cornering ABS, traction control, radar-assisted cruise control, wheelie control, quickshifter, connectivity Ducati’s claim of 170bhp at 10,750rpm and 91lb·ft at 9000rpm is measured at the crank. On a dyno it made 153bhp at 10,400rpm and 84lb·ft at 8700rpm – almost identical to…

When it comes to bikes, the truth is that we’ve never had it so good. Right now UK showrooms have a huge variety of bikes to choose from - and while it’s a misnomer that ‘there’s no such thing as a bad bike these days’, the majority of them are pretty damn good. But like everything, some are always going to be better than others - and our favourites are on the next 16 pages. Some are the class leaders through performance, others offer unbeatable levels of equipment, and some are just such good value that their purchase is utterly compelling. This lot are worth putting your money on… KAWASAKI NINJA 1100SX Kawasaki had 14 years to build the perfect sports-tourer. Last year, they nailed it A big, booming inline…

The perfect motorcycle doesn’t exist, thankfully – but Triumph’s Street Triple 756 RS gets pretty close because it’s basically flawless. Most bikes are at least good, many are excellent, and a few are incredible – but very few meet their design brief so completely it’s hard to see how they could be better without making them worse somewhere else. The Street Triple is one of those. The inline triple’s 128bhp is right in the sweet spot of engine performance. Smooth, churning power, fast enough to thrill but never overwhelming, and contagiously usable – it’s the kind of engine you enjoy so much that when you get back from ride you go out again because it’s always too soon to stop. It’s compellingly seductive; you can’t stop thinking about it when…

KTM’s 990 RC R is not like other sportsbikes. Superficially, it’s part of the ‘new supersport’ class offering an alternative to peaky 600cc fours, derived from a naked bike to keep costs down and make it more road-friendly – like the MT-09-based Yamaha R9; and Ducati’s Panigale V2, built on a new platform used across four different bikes. They are both fine, but they fall between the scintillating feel of a 600 and the sensibilities of a naked. The KTM is different. It has the light, high-quality chassis you want from a ‘supersport’, but unlike any 600 (or the R9) it’s roomy with close, not-too-low clip-ons and a surprisingly good seat. It’s inviting and accommodating from the off, and in the long run. The more you ride it, the more…

Can we be nostalgic for an era we didn’t live through? We were barely out of nappies when the North Circular echoed to the thunder of Brit Iron parallel twins leaving a trail of engine oil up the Ace Café’s front porch, but it’s our motorcycling folklore. And it’s entirely legitimate to be nostalgic for that today. Enter Triumph’s Speed Twin 1200 RS. Engine fins bristling with oily intent, orange sparkle paint deep enough to drown in, exhaust headers that flare like a pair of precoital nostrils, bling suspension ready to batter your bladder into submission. It’s a beguiling blend of old-school obstinacy and modern civility, and if you appreciate a bike that needs something putting in to get something out, it’ll be right up your alley. The RS isn’t…

It may not be among the top 20 highest peaks in the Peak District, but Mam Tor is probably the most famous and certainly the most visited – with the fact it’s easy to access and climb being half the attraction. You could do it in a pair of bike boots without too much stress, although hiking up Mam Tor’s footpath in full gear on a glorious summer’s day would get a bit on the sweaty side. If you do manage it though, the 360° view from the summit is stunning – the views probably account for the other half of the hill’s popularity. Look across Mam Nick car park along Rushup Edge ridge to Lord’s Seat in the near distance, and on a clear day Manchester’s skyline is visible…

‘HJC did everything well, which is all you can ask of a helmet’ Three of the helmets in this test impressed us – and not just because of their perceived value. The HJC F71, Bell Lithium MIPS Blip and Shark Skwal i3 all gave the impression they were lids that cost more than £300. In fact, on spec sheets alone and testing them without knowing their price, you would have put them closer to £500 instead of less than £300. That’s what sets them aside from the other lids tested. Despite also being loaded with features, the AGV K3 and LS2 Challenger II all had noticeable hints at their budget nature – be it the way they felt to wear or how their various features operated. These small gripes can…

BUYING ONE £12,895 On-the-road cash price £182.46 PCP per month x 36 (£2500 deposit, 4000 miles, optional final payment £6008.75. 8.9% APR) Triumph’s new £12,895 Street Triple 765 RX takes everything we love about the 765 RS and adds even sharper handling. For the extra cash over the £11,999 RS, you get top-spec Öhlins NIX30 forks, racier steering geometry, a milled aluminium top yoke and sporty clip-ons – a spec we’ve seen used before on the limited-run 2023 Street Triple 765 Moto2 Edition. It also gets an RX-branded exhaust can and Alcantara-effect seat. Compared to the straight-barred RS, the RX’s clip-ons shift your weight further forward to load the front tyre for extra grip and stability. Mix in the plushness and control of its fancy forks and the precision of…

SAVE £2000 Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX SE Reduced price on remaining 2025 stock Where Bournemouth Kawasaki RiDE says Take advantage of remaining pre-reg stock and walk away with a fantastically well-equipped, capable sports-tourer for just £12,999. SE comes with Öhlins shock and hard panniers. Find out why it’s so good on p52. £1500 DEPOSIT CONTRIBUTION Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 New/unregistered 2025 standard and CVO models Where Nationwide, subject to availability RiDE says Enjoy a £1500 deposit contribution and 8.8 per cent finance between now and June 30. This left-field adventure bike has plenty of shove and heaps of tech – definitely worth a test ride. SAVE £1000 CFMoto 800MT-X WAS £7999 NOW £6999 Where Nationwide RiDE says This is a huge amount of bike for not a lot of money at…

THE TRIP ● 12 days ● 2100 miles ● Challenging yet memorable continental winter trek Why here? A spur of the moment winter adventure on my R1250GS Adventure. No itinerary beyond ‘head south’. Three days down, three days back, cutting through France and over the Pyrenees. I avoided motorways where possible, instead chasing flowing secondary roads that demanded constant attention and rewarded with pure riding satisfaction. Best moment? The real drama began in the mountains – relentless switchbacks, tight hairpins and sweeping descents that tested both nerve and throttle control. Each night was unplanned: small-town hotels, roadside auberges and the occasional family-run B&B found at dusk after long days in the saddle. Highlight? Riding onto the beach in Dénia for a BBQ lunch with locals. That and riding through pine…

From the tip of its radar-equipped snout, curvaceous 30-litre fuel tank and trail-ready rolling stock, to its mind-boggling array of electronic assists and ballistic 170bhp performance, Ducati’s Multistrada V4 Rally is every inch the apex adventure bike. Built to devour entire continents in luxurious comfort, yet ready to explore every route and gnarly track at its disposal, no road or trail is off limits to this elite all-rounder. At £28,821 on the road, this top-of-the-range Rally Full Adventure model has the tech and price tag to match its ambition. BMW’s R1300GS Adventure, KTM’s 1390 Super Adventure R and Triumph’s Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer sit nervously in its cross hairs. But at almost £30,000 what makes this – the Rally Full Adventure – different from the other models in Ducati’s Multistrada…

HAVE YOU BEEN STUNG BY FAKE KIT? If you’ve been on the receiving end of counterfeit riding gear, we would love to hear your experience. Email ride@ridemagazine.co.uk Getting kitted out in quality riding gear can be very expensive. The combined cost of new leathers, boots, gloves and helmet can run into thousands of pounds, so the appeal of cheaper kit is often tempting. And let’s face it, we all love a bargain. But as the adage warns, some deals are simply too good to be true. Counterfeit kit and substandard riding gear, manufactured without concern for quality control or conformity to legal safety standards, is now easily available to buy in the UK via online agents, websites and sellers. Not only is this illegal trade seducing some riders into buying…

If you want a single bike that can turn its hand to any task, the GS is by far and away the best option. From touring to sporty riding, commuting and even off-roading, BMW’s de facto adventure bike has it covered. And not grudgingly – the GS revels in any situation, effortlessly switching roles and never feeling like a fish out of water. Yes, there is undeniably a slight stigma attached to GS ownership and the R1300GS generation is smaller and sportier than the R1250GS models, but once you sample this truly outstanding motorcycle you will understand why it’s the UK’s bestselling adventure bike every year. JON URRY THE FACTS Price From £16,740 (TE: £18,725) Power 143bhp @ 7750rpm Torque 110lb·ft @ 6500rpm Weight 237kg Seat height 850mm RiDE VERDICT…

The past few years have seen a sea change in how we regard Chinese-made bikes. They were once merely miserable budget offerings, fit for a few years of commuting before being thrown away; now they are a genuine buying choice, normally with a temping list of tech that makes rivals look sparse. But the CFMoto 800MT-X is the only one that could be categorised as a class leader. Zhejiang Chunfeng Power Co. Ltd have been building KTMs for years in a joint venture – they make the current 790 Adventure, for example. CFMoto have taken all the knowledge from that collaboration and made a brilliant motorcycle – it’s the answer to years of complaints about bikes getting increasingly expensive. This does the lot for seven grand. It can tackle anything…

1 Mortimer Road, Strines to Midhopestones (10 miles) Scenery Enjoyment Mixes up plenty of character – at first open and flowing across moorland, then dropping into a series of bends at the Strines Inn – biker friendly, worth a stop. A few hairpins, some fast runs through pine plantations, views across Dale Dike Reservoir, more hairpins, then top it off with a fry-up at Bank View Café in Langsett. 2 Holme Moss, Holmfirth to Woodhead (6.6 miles) Scenery Enjoyment Out of Holmfirth on the A6024 Woodhead Road, the road spirals up to the 1719ft summit. Patchy tarmac, stunning views. Then drop into the valley on the far side of the pass – the road is bumpy and populated with speeding drivers, but the view is worth it. Mind the junction with the…

1 Look for a laminate Laminate jackets – where the waterproofing material is bonded to the outer material – are more durable, dry quicker and are less cumbersome. Gore-Tex laminate is still the last word. 2 Protection is everything Two things are important here. The first is the abrasion resistance – marked out by its A-rating. The more As, the better. AAA is the best rating – meaning higher resistance – but most textiles hit AA ratings. 3 Armour is also important Look for Level 2 protection for shoulders, elbows and the back – its impact protection is significantly higher than Level 1. 4 Airbag options Ensure that the jacket is compatible with an airbag system, if you have one now, but also for future-proofing. Airbags are getting cheaper all…