Inhoudsopgave van 31 May 2017 - MCN

BMW have once again revealed a radical motorcycle concept at the annual Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este event on the shores of Lake Como, Italy, over the weekend. In previous years, we have seen bikes that have become reality quite quickly – such as the Concept Ninety (which became the R nineT), and the Concept 101 (which became the K1600 Bagger), while we have also seen more conceptual creations, such as the supercharged R5 Hommage. This year BMW have presented the Concept Link, an electric bike that is inspired by their self-balancing Vision Next 100 concept. Electric avenue At the heart of the new Concept Link is a compact electric motor that’s powered by large, flat batteries in the underfloor area of the bike. This not only allows BMW to place…

For some, bolting on a pair of mini-indicators and swapping the airbox for a foam filter is shed-built enough, but for 25-year-old mechanical engineering student Charlie Green, no job is too big – even tranforming an £800 wreck purchased after a boozy evening. “A drunken university night out led to a friend convincing me to buy an old, basket case for £800,” says Green. “After convincing said friend to collect it in his van, I set out on trying to make my own mark on the bike. It’s been rebuilt three times but I’d say this is the best, and final, iteration.” First job was to sort out the handling, so Green stripped the bike to the frame, before seam-welding the whole thing as well as adding some stiffening braces…

Colour me good Triumph have added Cranberry Red and Frozen Silver colour options to the new Bobber. The Thruxton R will now be available in Crystal White and Jet Black, while the Thruxton will get a Korosi Red option. The Bonneville T120 will come in Cinder Red Competition Green and Fusion White, and the Street Twin switches to Crystal White. All will be available from June 2017. Taste for travel If you’ve got a taste for Triumphs and travel, international record-setting globetrotter Rhys Lawrey (otherwise known as 2mororider, despite only actually riding ‘today’), will be rocking up to Peterborough Triumph’s new premises at Kingston Park to talk about his 56,854-mile Tiger travels on the evening of June 8, from 6pm. The record-setting bike will also be there. Bangers & thrash…

It doesn’t matter how much you plan for something, Mother Nature has a knack of throwing a spanner in the works. And when you’re trying to hold a fortnight of motorcycle racing on an island in the middle of the Irish Sea, you can almost hear her chuckling. The TT is a race like no other and while motorcycling is inherently susceptible to changing conditions, the two-week festival on the Isle of Man brings in even more variables than usual. At a place where it can be raining heavily on one side of the island while the other is bathed in sunshine, the frustrations can come thick and fast. The good news for 2017 is that it looks set to clear by the middle of the week and in plenty…

NORTON DOMINATOR This 1959 Dommie was my mum and dad’s first bike. Dean Waddilove YAMAHA DT125 Me and my two little lads on my new DT125 back in 1980. Mike Slater MAICO 490 My first bike in 1983. I used to give the park-keepers hell! Paul Caruana SACHS 125 Riding at Sawley tip near Long Eaton. I bought the bike for just £80! Garry Matthews HONDA CB92 My first bike, a 1960 Honda CB92 which I got for my 16th birthday in 1968 – it’s still in my shed today. Davy Johnston GARELLI TIGER My first bike – a 50cc Tiger – in around 1986. Steve Gray Readers share amazing motorcycle memories and pictures send pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com…

Honda have brought their best-selling SH125i bang up to date by making it more refined, practical and economical to ride for 2017. They’ve added an Idle Stop System, LED lights, Smart Key technology, a larger underseat compartment and a 12V power socket. Instead of using turning a key before you thumb the starter you give a quick blip of the fob and turn a dial on the dash to be rewarded with a flash of blue lights on the dash that indicate you are ready to roll. The same dial operates the steering lock and enables access to the under-seat storage compartment, which stows a full-faced lid with ease. Honda have hidden a 12V socket in a glove box that’s so well designed to blend in with the cockpit it’s…

‘The decision has been made out of respect for John’ The Honda Racing squad will not replace 23-times TT winner McGuinness as he continues to recover from his injuries, despite rumours and speculation that Lee Johnston would step in to the gap left by his close friend. “The decision has been made not to replace John, purely out of respect for his long-standing relationship with Honda,” Honda confirmed to MCN. However, while McGuinness won’t be replaced on his Superbike, stand-in riders have been announced for both his Supersport and TT Zero machines, with Josh Brookes taking on the CBR600RR at Jackson Racing while 2016 race winner Bruce Anstey makes his return to Mugen in the electric bike race.…

‘It’s got amazing character – and makes a brilliant sound too’ STREET TRIPLE RS Price £9900 Fuel 17.5l @ 43mpg = 164 miles Weight 166kg Seat 824mm Power 121bhp Torque 57ftlb JOE DICK Lifelong motorcycle lover with five years road riding experience Height 5ft 6in Weight 68kg I’ve chewed through over 2000 twisty miles on the Triumph Street Triple 765 RS and I’m loving every minute. From its beautiful handling to the refined looks, I just can’t get enough. Another aspect of the bike that I’m really enjoying is the engine. Up until now, I’d only ever ridden one triple in my several years of road riding, ironically a Speed Triple a few years back. It’s been singles, twins and four-cylinder machines for me and until recently I’ve not had…

Types There are three types of supercharger: centrifugal, roots and twin-screw. In theory, you can use any of them, but a centrifugal design is the only one that isn’t the size of a couple of breeze blocks, with a more rider-friendly performance. The two makes of centrifugal chargers that fit bikes reasonably well are Procharger and Rotrex. The Rotrex uses a planetary gearbox which uses the oil as a driving force in the charger, so needs an oil-cooling system. The Procharger has a gearbox to drive the impeller with an internal lubrication system. Feel One of the fallacies is that superchargers boost early. If you take into account the transmission losses and the fact the impeller needs to get up to speed to push air into the engine, they don’t…

I’ve got to sell another bike or two. I’ve been clearing stuff out over the last couple of months but I’ve still not got all that much space, so something’s got to go. First off is my classic BMW R60/6. I bought this off a mate three years ago, when values were around the £2500 mark for one as clean as this. I paid £2200 on mates rates and he got my Guzzi California cheap in return, so all was fair and square. It’s now worth around £3500, and I think it’s time to cash in. Besides, I’ve still got my tuned BMW R100RS, and nobody needs two old airhead BMWs, do they? Then there’s the 75-miles-from-new 1978 Honda CG125 I bought a year ago. I’d get my money back…

2013-2015 KTM 390 Duke Colours Black/orange or white/orange Dealer £3200 Private good £2900 Private average £2750 This one 2013 private sale with pipe and cosmetic mods, 4000 miles, £2850. 2013-2015 KTM 390 Duke Colours Black/orange or white/orange Dealer £3200 Private good £2900 Private average £2750 This one 2014 dealer sale with topbox and heated grips. 2000 miles, £3099. 2015-2017 KTM 390 Duke Colours Black/orange or white/orange Dealer £3600 Private good £3250 Private average £3100 This one 2015 model gained 20 updates including slipper clutch. On sale at Wheels, 1400 miles, £3495. 2015-2017 KTM 390 Duke Colours Black/orange or white/orange Dealer £3600 Private good £3250 Private average £3100 This one Our 2016 test bike, completely standard and showing just 234 miles, £3795. Insurance MCN COMPARE Sample MCNCompare.com quotes for £4000 used…

“The best race I’ve ever ridden,” that was the way Alex Lowes summed up his brilliant home round podium in race one after fighting his way back from dead last on the opening lap. The PATA Yamaha rider was victim of an aggressive lunge from Leon Haslam who dived up the inside at turn one, pushing Milwaukee Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty wide and into Lowes who subsequently ran off the track. Re-joining the field last, Lowes picked his way through the pack until he found himself scrapping with Aruba Ducati’s Marco Melandri for fourth place. However, a crash for Jonathan Rea on lap 18 meant the duo were elevated to third and fourth and a mistake by Melandri at the final corner saw Lowes snatch third and repeat his 2014 home…

‘He has beaten his rivals at their favourite tracks’ ‘Rea ups the ante again’ After race one at Donington the WSB world had dared to dream that the championship fight was back on. Sykes had moved to within 50 points and Rea had crashed three times. But it was short-lived optimism with Johnny Rea getting back to his winning ways in style with an emphatic win in race two. What must be really worrying for his rivals is that Rea has beaten Davies at his best track – Aragon – and now Sykes at Donington. Chaz and Tom must be left wondering what they can do to stop Rea taking another title. His latest-generation Kawasaki ZX-10RR is made more in his own image than in Sykes’ and he has the…

 Bruce Anstey had his first ride on the 2017 Mugen Shinden electric bike that he will ride in this year’s Zero TT at Jurby on Sunday. The 48-year-old, who won last year’s zero emissions race, had been dropped in favour of Guy Martin but with John McGuinness sidelined after his North West 200 crash, the 11-times TT winner has been recalled to the team. ‘I didn’t think it had changed… until they turned the power up to full’ “I didn’t think the bike had changed that much until they turned the power up to full,” Anstey said after the test. “It feels really fast, a lot more powerful than last year. “It also feels narrower and in the last couple of sessions I was starting to get into the swing…

 Unlike modern bikes that can quite happily sit for a length of time, leaving the magnesium race bikes of this era stood for even a few weeks can spell disaster. As part of his Racing Restorations business, Everett is well versed in keeping the bikes tip-top. ‘In six months time it will need another tear down’ “I built the bottom half of the engine up and filled it with water on the bench, just to make sure it was going to stay in there but it didn’t – it poured straight out! We filled a couple more holes and sat it overnight and it was fine. The magnesium is less likely to corrode now as Motul do a coolant that has an additive in it, which prevents corrosion. “Storing these…

WUNDERLICH LEATHER SEAT BAG £219 Compact and easy to mount, this seat bag for the R nineT is designed to fit over the pillion perch without interfering with the rider. www.nippynormans.com WEISE BRUNEL JACKET £239.99 Weise say the Brunel jacket combines the stripped back classic look with the latest impact protection including CE Level 2 armour in the shoulders and elbows. www.thekeycollection.co.uk BUILT MAGAZINE £4.99 For those who love customs, there is no other mag like it. With BMWs to Harleys, café racers to urban scramblers, there is something for everyone. www.builtmag.co.uk…

WHO’S THIS? 1 Who’s this young race ace getting some advice from Serge Rosset? WHAT BIKE? 2 Don’t get confused – it’s the front end, not the back... But which bike? WHO’S THIS? 3 Who’s this famous racer; father to an even more famous racer? NAME THE BIKE 4 It’s a Swedish-Austrian mud-blood, can you name the make and model? WHAT BIKE? 5 This hand-crafted limited-edition road bike is pure British beef. WHAT CC? 6 It’s all Scrambler, but is it all there? Why’s this one different? WHICH TYRE? 7 It’s one of the most recognisable tread patterns ever – which tyre? WHO’S THIS? 8 She married one of Britain’s best-loved racers – what’s her name? WIN AN MCN MUG! Get them all right and you could win an MCN…

‘The Fazer was my first ‘big’ bike. It ticked all the boxes’FAZER FAN, CRAIG BRAY FAZER FACTFILE 1998 to 2009 599cc four-stroke inline four 95bhp + 130mph Contacts www.foc-u.co.uk, yamahaclub.com Want one? £950 (ropey original) to £3200 (mint 2009 S2) ‘We rode it to countless race meetings as well as wedding receptions and all sorts…’MCN READER ANDY KENNEDY If Suzuki’s Bandit 600 was the bike that began the boom in budget middleweights, it was Yamaha’s Fazer 600 that took the class to a whole new level. In fact, though only arriving in 1998, the more powerful (95bhp), better-handling and more versatile Yamaha, was so good it instantly became a best seller which survived through four incarnations over 10 years and spawned a whole family of Fazers. Reader Dave MacDonald…

Senior Road Tester Adam Child commutes 90 miles each way from his home in Goole, Yorkshire to MCN HQ in Peterborough. So who better to grind out the seriously big miles in a quest to discover what our all-rounders are like on a long run? BMW F800GT Average MPG 67 Miles to reserve 177 Theoretical tank range 221 At 75mph or below it’s an uplifting place to spend many hours. Large screen and bodywork offer the best protection, the seat is comfy, plus it has electronic adjustable suspension. The twin is frugal, but above 75mph a little vibey. DUCATI SUPERSPORT Average MPG 42.1 Miles to reserve 130 Theoretical tank range 149 You sit very much in the bike rather than on it, the bars are an easy reach but pegs…

The rivalry heading into this year’s TT is more intense than ever before, but it’s not just Michael Dunlop and Ian Hutchinson going head to head as they set off on the Mountain Course. The tyre war between Dunlop and Metzeler has only been heightened after both Ian Hutchinson and Guy Martin switched from Metzeler to Dunlop this year, with Hutchinson stating his switch to Dunlops is what he considers a necessity if he’s to beat Michael Dunlop in the Superbike and Senior Races. However, Metzeler head to the TT on a high after a clean sweep of victories at the North West 200. In 2016, Metzeler locked out the podium in both the first Supersport TT and Superstock race, but with Hutchinson having now left the marque, their hopes…

Lee Johnston and Jackson Racing parted ways just days before the 2017 TT got underway, but the Northern Irishman has secured eleventh-hour alternatives. He’ll ride a third CBR600RR for Clive Padgett alongside Bruce Anstey and Conor Cummins, while campaigning his East Coast Construction BMW S1000RR in the Superstock and Superbike classes. “Padgett’s have a great TT pedigree so I am really looking forward to riding for them,” Johnston said. “I will race my East Coast Racing BMW in the Superbike and Superstock races. Hutchy did a 133mph lap on a stocker BMW last year and I haven’t gone that fast yet, so the bike is still faster than me.” Johnston will also race a Ryan Farquhar-built KMR Kawasaki in the Lightweight race. Having already announced Josh Brookes as a replacement…

Although the scenery may not be all that dramatic, the East of England can provide more than a surprise or two when it comes to a great ride out. The relatively flat terrain, so favoured by RAF Bomber Command for airbases in the 1940s, lends itself to the open road and this route takes in a handful of those historic locations to create a circuit of the Lincolnshire Wolds that’s both entertaining and thought provoking. Start off from the filling station on the A153 to the east of RAF Coningsby, the only operational airbase en route. Take the A155 from the roundabout and enjoy a meander across open farmland to East Kirkby, where you’ll find the restored aircraft and buildings of the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre – well worth a…

• Standard Rallye Sport (£14,625), PLUS... • Premium Package, £1645 The ‘Sport’ spec is already extensive, with: Cross Spoke wheels, DTC, LED headlight, DRL, Hill Start Control, Gear Shift Assist Pro, Dynamic and Enduro Pro riding modes, Chrome exhaust, Heated Grips, Tyre Pressure Control, hand guards, LED indicators, ABS Pro and pannier mounts. The Premium Package adds: Dynamic ESA, Keyless Ride, On-board Computer Pro, GPS preparation, and Cruise Control. • Vario Panniers, £627 The tough, off-road-suitable, side-loading rigid panniers are expandable, meaning they’re as unobtrusive as possible with a light load, and seriously capacious when you need them to be, ranging from 50l to 68l total capacity. • Vario Top-box, £348 Using the same system as the panniers, the top-box is also expandable, growing from 25l to 35l by simply…

KAWASAKI NINJA 650 £6549 FUEL 15 litres @ 48mpg = 160 miles WEIGHT 193kg SEAT 790mm POWER 67bhp TORQUE 49ftlb THE RIDER James Archibald. Big-mile rider who enjoys being on two wheels whatever the weather/season HEIGHT 5ft 11in WEIGHT 80kg james.archibald@motorcyclenews.com The sporty attitude of the Ninja means that it comes without a centrestand. This makes chain maintenance a little tricky without the use of a paddock stand. Thankfully, R&G have brought out a comprehensive list of bits for the new Ninja so while ordering a set of cotton reels (£20.50) for the bike, I also ended up getting a set of crash bungs (£68.99) and a tail tidy (£79.99) too. All are relatively straightforward to fit and I personally think that the set of bungs and cotton reels are…

‘If there is not enough of a gap to safely overtake, you should wait’ Q Who’s to blame for country lane collision? I was riding my BMW R1200 down a typical English country road; a 60mph single-carriageway with the odd farm turn-off and 30mph zones in villages. Ahead of me were two cyclists riding side-by-side, taking up most of my lane. The road ahead looked clear so I went to overtake the cyclists, but as I did a car appeared in the oncoming lane. He had to swerve to avoid me and I had nowhere to go because if I pulled left I would have knocked the cyclists off their bikes. The driver’s insurer is claiming from my insurer for the damage to his car as he swerved into a…

‘A Gold Wing costs £25k new but you can get a used one for £6k – bargain!’ There’s no replacement for displacement, certainly not when it comes to getting massive value for money on the used market. Biking behemoths like Triumph’s Rocket III, Suzuki’s Hayabusa and Honda’s Gold Wing between them pack 5466ccs of pure mechanical brilliance, and what’s more... they can be picked up for not a lot of cash. Triumph’s Rocket III holds the honour of being the largest-capacity production motorcycle ever made. Its 2294cc triple-cylinder engine is a giant of a powerplant, generating an astonishing 147ftlb torque at just 2750rpm. The Rocket also posts an impressive 0-60mph time, taking just 3.3s to complete the task. Although these well-built beasts retailed for £12,000 when new, you can now…

Honda hits Lincs Honda has opened a new off-road dealership in Market Deeping, Lincolnshire. Operating out of the existing premises at Gear4, the team have added the world-beating Japanese range to their existing offerings from KTM and Husqvarna to form the new Honda Moto4 dealership. Check out the latest offers at www.moto4.co.uk Stoke of genius Hugely successful northern Ducati dealership, Ducati Manchester are adding to their Sale and Preston-based showrooms with the acquisition of a third premises in Stoke-on-Trent. DMC Stoke showcases the full range of 2017 Ducati models and merchandise, and also offers full servicing facilities. They’re also running a trip to the Ducati UK trackday at Silverstone on June 29. Find out more at Vespas get extra Fancy a new Vespa to scoot around on this summer? Wheels…

 “It’s done well for us and outsold the RC sports version. It’s been a steady seller. We’ve had buyers both going up from a 125 and more mature guys coming down from larger bikes after something more manageable to ride. It’s not all kids, definitely not. ‘Paying for a full service is sometimes a bit daunting for younger lads’ “Service intervals are OK – 4500 miles – but it’s something the younger generation can shy away from. Having a major service done for the first time can be a bit daunting for younger lads. Whereas more mature buyers will stick rigidly to the schedule. So you need to double check what sort of ownership it’s had. “With early ones, if they hadn’t had their valve clearances checked at 9000 miles…

Chris Froome Tour de France yellow jersey winner So sad. Rest in Peace Nicky... Lewis Hamilton F1 world champion Dear Nicky, you will be missed. May God hold you high, you are forever in our hearts. My thoughts and prayers to you and your loved ones. Rex Chapman Retired NBA player I knew Nicky was big in about 2005, when @Michael Jordan asked me, “Nicky Hayden is from your hometown, right?” I nodded yes and MJ said, “He’s a bad boy.” Jack Miller MotoGP racer This is how cool this guy was - he sent me this when I went to the premier class. Mark Cavendish Tour de France green jersey winner Someone so full of positive energy. An amazing person. An amazing rider. Rest in peace Nicky. Thinking of…

Superstock star Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) pushed on to win his second Superstock 1000 race of the year to take the championship lead by nine points, over Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing Ducati Junior Team who crashed out. Small but stunning The fourth WorldSSP300 race of the season was won by Alfonso Coppola (Yamaha SK Racing). Mika Perez (Wilsport Racedays Honda) was second and Marc Garcia (Halcourier Racing Yamaha) third. Scott Deroue (MTM HS Kawasaki) finished fourth and still leads the championship by two points. Superpole Sykes Tom Sykes claimed his 39th Superpole – at Donington – thanks to a new track best of 1m 26. 641. Sykes is now another step closer to catching Troy Corser’s record career total of 43 pole positions.…

 Leon Haslam reignited his world championship aspirations with a stunning podium at Donington Park onboard the Puccetti Kawasaki. ‘I knew I could run with the best, I didn’t leave WSB because I was slow’LEON HASLAM Making a one-off appearance for the Italian team with whom he tested at Portimao earlier this year, Haslam was on the pace throughout the weekend. Not even a crash in qualifying that left him eighth on the grid for race one was enough to slow him down. The 33-year-old was soon fighting at the front before benefitting from the crashes of Chaz Davies and Jonathan Rea to eventually finish the race in second. With the days of fast local wild-cards mixing it with the big boys in WSB supposedly a thing of the past, Haslam’s…

Spirit of Munro It’s 50 years since Burt Munro’s final visit to the Bonneville Salt Flats – setting a class record for the under 1000cc class of 183.59mpg. Now his great nephew, Lee, will attempt to set a new record on a modern Indian Scout called the Spirit of Munro Scout. Pay and play KTM have announced bike rental and service packages for the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France from August 28 to September 2, 2017. Rental plans include a range of bikes and cost from £2500. The order deadline is June 30, 2017. Braap. Kiddie bike ban Small children are now banned from riding pillion on motorcycles in the Philippines unless they can reach the footpegs, get their arms around the rider, and wear a crash…

The MV of F1 Lewis Hamilton got publicly teased by his own team on Twitter this week for cluttering up the Formula One race paddock in Monaco with his eponymous LH44 version of MV Agusta’s Dragster RR. “Errrr… Lewis, you can’t leave that there mate,” read the post, as the F1 champ wheeled the bike away. Where’s my ride? Tracking gurus BikeTrac have launched a new app for its service on both Apple App and Google Play stores. Available free of charge, the app offers true mobile management of BikeTrac with location mapping that shows a bike’s precise location. If you’re got a unit (£299), download the app now. Dusty Huskys Husqvarna have revealed their 2018 TC and FC motocross machines – a line-up of eight two-stroke and four-stroke models,…

Bimota were formed in 1966 and specialised in heating and air conditioning systems. The original founders were Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri and Massimo Tamburini with the first two letters of their surnames creating the company’s name – BiMoTa. In 1972 the company was split into two separate concerns, Bimota would still do air conditioning while Bimota Meccanica, with Massimo Tamburini alongside Giuseppe Morri, made motorcycles. The company opened its first frame-building factory in 1973 in Rimini, Italy, and was soon also producing rearsets, adjustable bars, tanks and even tail units. Bimota’s first complete motorcycle was the Honda CB750 SOHC-engined HB1, a track-only offering, before their first production bike in 1978, the KB1, using a Kawasaki Z900 engine with the K in its name signifying the motor’s manufacturer, a trend that…

‘I was doing powerslides on the VMAX but it slid too much and I was off’ Q1 What are you riding? My Yamaha MT-07 Super 7. It’s our latest scrambler. Q2 Which living motorcyclist do you most admire? Valentino Rossi. Q3 What’s your worst habit? I have a tendency to pull too many wheelies [see Question 6 – ed]. Q4 If you could have one riding super skill, what would it be? I’d like to be able to ride like the flat track pros. Hanging it out for fun. Q5 What’s the fastest you’ve gone on a bike? I’m not really into super-fast riding. Around 170mph, or something like that. Q6 When were you last scared? Not so much scared but surprised when I flipped my Yamaha MT-07 custom bike…

Awful news – it’s Monday evening, and I thought I’d check in to see how Nicky Hayden is doing after his cycling accident in Italy and I learn that he has passed away. Unbelievably sad – I can’t believe it’s true. Nicky Hayden came across as a wonderful man - courteous, decent, humble - a truly nice guy. This fantastically gifted motorcycle racer has been taken from us far too soon. It’s a terrible way to go, and my heart goes out to the Hayden family and all of Nicky’s friends. RIP Nicky Hayden 1981 – 2017. MotoGP World Champion and hero. Ian Macfarlane, email Ed: MCN extends its condolences to Nicky’s friends and family at this horribly difficult time. Turn to page 76 for our six-page tribute to one…

‘Blasting up the impossibly big hills, the drive is incredible’ Who says two-strokes are dead? Sure the introduction of Euro4 and its stringent emissions controls looked to have struck the final nail in the stroker coffin but where there’s a will – along with huge market share and financial gain to be had – there’s a way. It’s taken 13 years of development but finally, here at the notorious Erzberg off-road venue in Austria, KTM are letting us ride their new Euro4 compliant fuel injected two-stroke enduro bikes – the KTM 250EXC TPI and the 300EXC TPI. Gone is the need to pre-mix fuel, instead there is an oil tank which holds 700ml of black gold, which runs to the combustion chamber at an average of 80:1 fuel to oil…

ANOTHER NEW NAME That’s right: Fazer – except it wasn’t. Yamaha was reviving a name it first used on the ‘baby VMax FZX750 in 1983, then on a 250 sportster in 1985. GREAT HANDLING A decent steel tube chassis and reasonable suspension made the Fazer the best-handling of the Bandit/Hornet/Fazer class. ‘BLUE SPOTS’ FOR ALL The one-piece, ‘blue-spot’ calipers from the R1 and Thunderace raised braking’s bar; their use on the Fazer brought them to the masses. A BEST SELLER The original FZS600 was bestseller in class in 1999. By 2002 it had notched European sales of 83,000.…

‘Close call, but Tracer takes it ’ Yamaha hangs on to its ‘best allrounder’ title with a mix of easy performance, comfortable fun and affordability, but its wayward high-speed handling, a hard seat and wind buffeting means it’s not perfect. The Ducati doesn’t give you such an inspirational motor, ‘The Tracer is comfortable, fun and affordable’ but it’s just as comfy, handles better and is built to a higher standard. But that all comes at a price. The Beemer surprised us all with its solid handling, excellent ergonomics and perky engine. In standard trim it’s the cheapest here, but it doesn’t ooze the character of its rivals. WHAT HAVE THEY GOT?…

As well as the red-hot solo action, the two Sidecar races at this year’s TT look to set to be action-packed, with multiple TT winners gunning for three-wheeled glory. The Birchall brothers – Ben and Tom – will be setting off down Bray Hill from number one as they chase their fifth TT victory. But it won’t be easy with 17-times TT winner Dave Molyneux and passenger Dan Sayle chasing them down from the second starting slot. The winner of last year’s first race, John Holden, will set off third with passenger Lee Cain, ahead of Conrad Harrison and Andrew Winkle. Tim Reeves sets off fifth for Klaffi racing with Mark Wilkes, ahead of Peter Founds and Jake Lowther.…

‘Given the right people, I could win on anything’ MICHAEL DUNLOP Bennetts Suzuki/MD Racing Wins 13 Podiums 22 Fastest lap 133.962mph 2016 Superbike 1st Supersport 1 DSQ Superstock DNF Supersport 2 2nd Senior 1st The man to beat in recent years, Dunlop isn’t going to be any less of a threat this year, even though he’s riding a brand new bike. Like he said: “Given the right people, I think I could win on anything. People always talk about the last time I rode a brand new bike but they forget the year before that I was on a new bike that had never really done the TT before, and I won.” JAMES HILLIER JG Speedfit Kawasaki Wins 1 Podiums 9 Fastest lap 132.414mph 2016 Superbike 11th Supersport 1 3rd…

 If you’re one of the top competitors at the TT, then there’s certainly a huge financial benefit from a highly successful TT. Ian Hutchinson earned something in the region of £75,000 in prize money alone for his incredible 2010 season – probably the highest-paying week left in motorbike racing as other series slash their actual winnings – or get rid of them altogether. ‘Prizemoney is only paid to the top 20 finishers at the TT’ On top of that, there’s start money from the organisers (probably in the five-figure ballpark for a rider of Hutchinson’s standards) and probably a healthy bonus scheme built into his contract from BMW and Yamaha this year. He’ll get a salary as well, but that probably falls short of the six figures that a champion…

While most head towards the heart of the Lake District, this route takes a different path and instead joins up with the A686 as it climbs to Alston. This road is popular with local bikers and many know it like the back of their hands – so don’t get baited into following them. Although it looks fairly innocent on the map, the A686 is a tricky road that has its fair share of blind corners as well as hazards. For example, if it has rained recently rivers of water are known to run across the road, bringing with them loose gravel. When you reach Alston, which is 300m above sea level, take the A689 towards Carlisle. This is another exciting road to ride with some great views, and while it’s…

‘When I first clapped eyes on the Rallye, that dizzy lustful sensation crept up from my stomach’ Price £16,270 Fuel 20 litres @ 47mpg = 206-mile range Weight 244kg (kerb) Seat 850mm-870mm Power: 125bhp Torque: 92.2lbft RICHARD NEWLAND Sportsbike addict with a love of big miles. Rides all year in all weathers. Height 5ft 11in Weight 111kg Some bikes just get under your skin, and for me the R1200GS is one of them. I’ve done a lot of miles on GSs over the years – including a Land’s End to John O’Groats double, a lap of the coast of Ireland, and covering over 15,000 miles in six months on the first liquid-cooled version in 2013. The highlight of my time with that bike was a three-day blast to South East…

‘The Bobber is no touring machine, but a 9.1-litre tank is a little silly’ TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE BOBBER £10,500 Tank 9.1 litre at 55mpg = 110 miles Weight 228kg Seat 690mm Power 76bhp Torque 78ftlb LIAM MARSDEN All-weather commuter, happy on any type of bike HEIGHT 6ft 1in WEIGHT 75kg The first two weeks with my long-term Bobber have gone incredibly fast and the odometer is already reading over 1300, so the Triumph is well on its way to reaching the #ride5000miles goal. Within this relatively short space of time, I’ve been able to draw some initial observations… Observation one: it’s beautiful. I think the Bobber is by far the best-looking bike on MCN’s 2017 fleet, and when you consider the line-up also contains the stunning new BMW R nineT Racer…

Rukka Armaxion Jacket £899.99 and trousers £649.99 Tester Simon Relph Time tested 8000 miles/ two-and-a-half years What’s good? It’s pricey but this suit is top-notch – easily my number one choice when the temperature heads towards zero. It’s super-warm with the lining in but for me the best technology is in the outer shell which is made from Gore-Tex Pro 3-layer laminate and stops the water penetrating the material, instead causing it to run off. This shell is strengthened, where needed, by Armacor. The suit comes equipped with Rukka’s D30 Air armour, which is very light flexible and very comfortable. The jacket and trousers can be zipped together, perfect for keeping wind and rain out on long journeys. The collar is made from soft neoprene so it is very comfortable.…

2002 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing £6500 Ad says: 28,000 miles, mint condition, 6-disc CD changer and radio, centrestand, heated grips. No service history. MCN says: Low mileage, but the lack of service history is worrying. 2008 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa £4000 Ad says: 43,000 miles, fastidiously maintained. FSH lots of extras. Very fast and smooth as silk. MCN says: Yes the mileage is high, but this bike appears to have been loved. Great performance. 2004 Triumph Rocket III £4500 Ad says: 48,000 miles, two owners from new, Corbin seat and loud pipes (originals included). FSH. MCN says: A diamond in the rough. Keep it clean and it’s a true traffic stopper at a low price.…

EUGENE LAVERTY Q 6th R1 13th/R2 DNF Laverty and the Milwaukee Aprilia team walked away with just a handful of points after two tough races. Struggling with the bike in race one, he made a step forward on Sunday but had a lowside at Coppice. LEON CAMIER Q 10th R1 6th, R2 6th While Camier was unable to repeat his solid top five results from last year, the MV Agusta star felt he couldn’t have done much better than the pair of sixth places he took from the weekend’s two races with the package they have. LUKE STAPLEFORD Q 4th Race 4th It was Stapleford’s time to shine in the Supersport class, with the former British Champion getting his new Profile Racing Triumph dialled in and getting the better of…

 Tom Sykes joined Jonathan Rea and Chaz Davies as the only riders to win races so far in 2017 with a history-making race one win at Donington Park. His victory meant that he had secured nine consecutive wins at the track, eclipsing Carl Fogarty’s longstanding record of eight. ‘The fans came here to see a big, big battle, but the reverse grid totally p***ed on that bonfire!’ But, unlike the previous four years where he was able to claim victory in race two, Sykes had to yield to his high-flying team-mate Rea, but not without putting up a fight. Although graceful in defeat, Sykes cited the new-for-2017 reverse grid rules which sees race one’s top three line-up on the third row of the grid for race two as an issue.…