Inhoudsopgave van 03 May 2023 - MCN

‘This race wasn't easy mentally. It is not easy to be calm’ BAGNAIA ON THE STRESS OF GETTING BACK ON TOP MOTOGP Bagnaia goes all in for the win It would be all too easy to ignore Pecco Bagnaia's victory in Jerez as little more than the expected talent of the current MotoGP champion – but it was much more significant. With both KTM riders showing that the Austrian package has taken a stellar leap forward this season and Brad Binder and Jack Miller putting their new-found advantage to good effect-and off the back of two disastrous races for the reigning champ, his ballsy charge to the front was nothing short of a grand prix masterclass. Was this Pecco's season turning point? PAGE 70 THIS WEEK You've been (covertly) framed…

SAVE £2000 £17,995 Honda CBR1000RR-R There's purity of purpose with the Fireblade that makes it an eye-opening, sense-frazzling, life-affirming riding experience. If purchased on Honda low rate finance the three-year service pack and tracker are included. GT Motorcycles in Plymouth have a similar offer on a RR. www.farnhamhonda.co.uk SAVE £1100 £12,499 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ The GT+ is sports tourer that's effortlessly quick, comfy and exciting. The Plus has panniers. www.bulldogsuzuki.com •Engine 999cc •Power 150bhp •Weight 226kg •Seat height 810mm SAVE £2601 £15,499 Aprilia Tuono Factory The Tuono superbike fast and comes with the best chassis and electronic goodies around. www.onyerbike.net •Engine 1077cc •Power 178bhp •Weight 209kg •Seat height 837mm SAVE £850 £8499 KTM 690 SMC-R The 690 SMC is a hilariously entertaining supermoto with agile handling. www.amsmoto.co.uk • Engine 690cc •Power…

THIS WEEK Yamaha have begun using a new greener recycled polypropylene plastic to manufacture bodywork for their 2023 commuter models in some Asian markets. The latest step in the firm's bid to ensure carbon neutrality across their entire supply chain by 2050, the material forms the main exterior panels of many practical scooters. From here, there are plans to use it more extensively across the motorcycling range. The recycled bodywork uses materials with a traceable manufacturing history, with Yamaha stating there is no inclusion of environmentally damaging substances such as purging compounds (products produced during a process called resin synthesis) and scraps. Yamaha say that polypropylene materials make up around half of the exterior bodywork of their motorcycles – making it a key resource for the firm. Consequently, the use…

May 5-6 Northern Rockers Rumble With a disco, live rock ‘n’ roll band and a ride to Scarborough on the Saturday, West Yorkshire venue Squires has a fun-filled weekend for you. www.squires-cafe.co.uk May 7 Ripon Clubs and Classics To mark the coronation, vintage vehicles will descend on Ripon Racecourse (HG4 1UG) for a motor show and jumble. www.greatbritishmotorshows.com May 7 Romney Marsh Bikejumble Complete with a rock soundtrack – live of course – it's time to browse the bargains. It's £5 for a standard 10am entry, you can enter from 8am for £10. www.elkpromotions.co.uk May 7 Spring at Sammys Sammy Miller's Motorcycle Museum in New Milton, Hampshire is celebrating spring with an autojumble out in the courtyard. From 10am. sammymiller.co.uk…

What's happening Unfortunately, this will be the last ever You've Been Nabbed Rally (although there will be other events in the future) so make sure you make it a good one. Hosted by the National Association for Bikers with a Disability, there will be live music from 15 bands, stand-up comedy as well as competitions, games and plenty more. The essentials Celebrating their 30th anniversary at the Cheshire Showground (WA16 OHJ) from May 5-7, you know it's going to be a big one. It's too late for advance tickets, but you can still get them on the gate for £45 for the weekend. If you need a car or van pass, check out the website. For more information visit www.nabd.org.uk…

‘Day out on the MT-09s’ EMMA HEY WOOD Girls’ day out riding with my friend Vicky on our Yamaha MT-09s. More smiles adding to my total! ‘Welsh tour’ LEE EVANS AND CHRIS JACKSON Day four in Wales, having a little potter around Anglesey. Found a lovely little café in an old bank with the bank vaults still downstairs. We covered 136 miles in total. ‘Running-in time!’ KEVIN FOX Running in time in preparation for an eight day Scottish Highlands tour in July and a 15 day tour of the Italian Dolomites and Lakes Garda and Como in September. ‘Enjoying the light evenings’ CLAIRE MORRIS I covered 250 miles this week, not bad considering I had the grandchildren and have been working, i squeezed in three trips on the bike and…

£11,900* Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid £13,299 KTM 890 Adventure R…

‘Truly the ultimate’ Is it worth £50,677? There are two answers, I'm afraid. On the one hand: objectively, dispassionately, sensibly, probably not. The standard Road Glide Limited starts at £28,995, making it more than £21K cheaper and, although I can see the extras you get, no-one really needs them. But the terms ‘objective, dispassionate or sensible’ don't apply here. Harley set out to build ‘The ultimate ride to the 120th Homecoming’ and they've done just that. It may be OTT, but it's also The Most and that, to some – and it only needs to be some – is priceless. THE FACTS £50,677 H-D CVO Road Glide Limited Anniversary…

TRIED & TESTED MCN STAFF RATE THEIR RIDING KIT 11 months ON TEST I have always tinkered with my various motorcycles, doing pretty much all my own repairs and restorations, so tools are key for me. Naturally I have built up quite a collection which allows me to carry out most jobs, but if I had a problem with a thread, I would have to take it to my local engineers and get them to do the job. This has cost me a few quid over the years, so with a few bike restoration projects on the go, I bit the bullet and invested in a set of taps and dies of my own. This 76-piece Sealey set is an impressive piece of kit, enabling me to tackle most problems…

V2 Sponge Visor Cleaner 4-pack £14 If there's one problem that unites all bikers, it's the eternal struggle for a clean visor. From spring to autumn our window to the world is a killing ground for flying insects, and in the few months we get relief from that, it's a magnet for toxic road gunk. But carry one of these nifty packets in your pocket, and clear vision can be restored in an instant. The awardwinning Visorvision V2 sponge has been around for almost 20 years, and I've been relying on the product for about as long. It comes in a resealable bag with a washable drying cloth, and each one has a lifespan of around six months (with heavy use). I never leave home without one! Quality Value visorvision.co.uk…

Road, off-road and adventure rider The latest KTM 1290 Adventure R is the Austrian manufacturer's flagship adventure bike. It's an uncompromising and unapologetic approach that seeks out ultimate performance in favour of creature comforts, but what's it like in the real world? It's early days but with just over 600 miles on the clock these are some first impressions…. 1 In-your-face performance Nearly 160bhp and 101lb.ft of torque are big numbers in anyone's book – especially on an adventure bike that is designed to be used both on and off-road. But it is the way the 1290 delivers those numbers that means it's hard to keep the smile from your face. KTM have a proud history of hard-hitting performance and the 1290 is no exception. Yes it's smooth, yes it's…

It's the season for new model releases and, with it, discounts on obsolete models. But the biggest potential bargains of all come on dealers’ ex-demo bikes. Why are they bargains? Because they're not only used, they're last year's model and dealers are keen to move them on. And why are they a good choice? Because they're generally barely used (most only log a few hundred miles), fastidiously maintained and unlikely to have seen rain. Any downsides? Not really. Novice dings and scratches are likelier than the bike's mileage suggests; they'll be on a year-old plate with the corresponding loss of warranty and you'll be the second owner of last year's model rather than the first of a brand-new bike. But when, as currently at Wigan Yamaha, you can get £1495…

The owner of a nineyearold, 40,000-mile BMW K1300S was experiencing some hairy handling and turned to Lukas Tetich of T-Tec Suspension, who tracked the issue down in just a few seconds. Lukas explained: “BMW introduced Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA) way back in 2004 on the K1200S. The electronic adjusters in the top of each shock are controlled by a motor that sits in a plastic cup outside the shock. The assembly is vulnerable to corrosion over time, especially if a pressure washer has been used, or the protective rubber boot has split. “On any ESA-equipped model that rust will accelerate internal wear. The guide bush for the internal shaft goes first, usually at about 25,000 miles. 5000 miles later it's lost its Teflon coating and starts scarring the shaft which…

Getting the inside line on Grand Prix racing since 1996 TOP STORY The last rider on earth you'd accuse of having an over inflated ego is the reigning champion, Pecco Bagnaia. Brash and cocky are not words normally associated with the mild-mannered Italian. But the reigning World Champion couldn't resist bigging himself up having issued a timely reminder of why his factory Ducati carries the number one plate in 2023. A sprint second and win in a thrilling fight with Brad Binder and Jack Miller in Sunday's Grand Prix was an emphatic rebuke to his critics after he'd thrown 45 points into the gravel in Argentina and America. A string of high profiles DNFs has meant concerns about Bagnaia's ability to keep his cool and composure have been a constant…

Yorkshire based legal experts Chadwick Lawrence have looked into the legalities of unmarked speed camera vans, dispelling some of the myths surrounding their use on our roads. The purpose of unmarked speed camera vans is claimed to encourage consistently safe driving rather than the yo-yo effect that can sometimes occur when drivers slow down for marked vans. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a legal requirement for the police or local authorities to warn motorists about the presence of speed cameras ahead. Although most static and mobile speed cameras do come with a sign warning drivers to keep their speed down, advance warnings are more of a deterrent than a legal requirement. The use of unmarked speed camera vans is entirely legal. The use of unmarked speed camera vans…

LiveWire have announced two limited-edition colourschemes for their incoming electric S2 Del Mar which will be limited to 100 UK and European customers. Officially launched back in 2022, the Del Mar is the company's second model following on from the original LiveWire One (previously badged up as a Harley-Davidson), but comes in with a significantly smaller price while retaining all the performance of a large electric. The 100 examples of the S2 Del Mar European Launch Edition will feature an exclusive wheel design, striped graphics and white paint, which is applied by hand and takes five days to complete. The release of the special edition is planned for this September however customers can reserve one with a €100 fee at the livewire.com website with the 100 bikes costing £18,990. Weighing…

SAVE 30% Knox Handroid Pod Mk4 £124.99 Give yourself a helping hand There is a glove for almost every occasion, from riding off road to tearing up a racetrack, enduring the commute or bimbling about on country lanes. So with summer just around the corner we've been scouring the web for deals on short gloves suitable for warmer weather. We'll start with the Knox Handroid Pod Mk4, a truncated version of their award-winning Terminator-esque sports glove. Packed with innovative details, such as the external finger spines, scaphoid protection system and gel lined metacarpal armour, the Handroid Pod boats highquality leather, with 0.8mm abrasion-resistant kangaroo hide on the palm. To top it off there's a BOA system at the wrist, which uses a microadjustable dial and lightweight laces for a perfect…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews ‘Don't panic about police drones’ People shouldn't get carried away with fears about the police using drones – it's not like there are squadrons of them hovering over every road! They do use drones, yes, but there are not that many available, they need a specific officer able to fly them, and generally they will use them to track things like stolen dirt bikes ragging round fields or an estate with a group of yoofs. They are unlikely to be lurking over the Cat & Fiddle waiting for you to creep over 51mph. Chris Sheridan, Milton Keynes STAR LETTER Write something that spikes our interest, and you could get selected for the Star Letter slot. Each week one lucky reader will receive an MCN T-shirt in…

THE UK'S HOTTEST RIDES MCN readers share their favourite one-hour routes Forget the big roads with the fancy numbers: this is all about the back road, the quiet roads well away from the hurly burly of traffic. Start by heading out of Pickering, past the castle, to Newton on Rawcliffe… and keep going. If it's rained a lot, there are some shadow fords to splash through, so keep your eyes peeled and take it steady. When you reach Egton, get to the top of the hill and turn left opposite the pub on the back road to Glaisdale. In Danby, turn right then left to Castleton and head out across the moors. This is my favourite bit of the route-though I'll stop fora coffee and a breather at The Lion…

With the exception of waxed cotton, most textile motorcycle clothing is made from Nylon of one sort or another. It needs to be fairly heavy duty for abrasion resistance, so look for a thickness of around 600D. ‘D’ stands for ‘Denier’, which is the unit of measurement for the thickness of the fibres used in the material. One Denier is equivalent to a single strand of silk. Cordura is a tougher variety of Nylon, widely used for soft luggage and backpacks, as well as premium motorcycle clothing. Originally developed for air crew flak jackets in the Second World War, Ballistic Nylon is durable and resistant to cutting, and can be found reinforcing elbows, shoulders and knees on bike wear. Ripstop is another version of Nylon, with a stronger yarn woven…

UK'S TOUGHEST TEST THE MCN TEST ● THE HOTTEST BIKES ● EVERY WEEK £11,900* Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid ● 689cc liquid-cooled parallel twin DOHC 8v ● 72.4bhp @ 9000rpm ● 220kg kerb weight £13,299 KTM 890 Adventure R ● 889cc liquid-cooled parallel twin DOHC 8v ● 103.2bhp @ 8000rpm ● 216kg kerb weight Everyone dreams of exploring the globe… and if you want to do it on two-wheels, you need to be armed with a bike ready to take on any challenge. At this point most will default to the BMW GS Adventure, but a GSA is nudging 270kg, which is a lot of bulk to take up a trail. If you are serious about heading off into the wilds – or just a weekend away – something a bit more manageable can make…

‘Do you want an easy time or a thrill?’ Despite both of these bikes being targeted at serious adventure riders, they approach the task in very different ways. The World Raid is a bike that ensures that you can tick off the tarmac miles before you reach your adventure in total comfort but to achieve this it is softer, less thrilling and a bit bulkier than the KTM on fun B-roads. Also, when you are attacking a challenging trail, you just know that the Adventure R is the more capable off-road bike simply down to its heritage, lighter weight and lower weight distribution – not to mention its far more advanced tech. And as user-friendly as the Yamaha is, the KTM is simply more exciting to ride and also looks…

My left pinky finger is the last to go. The rest of my digits gave up hours ago. The cold makes quick work of my knock-off North Face jacket and laughs at our open face helmets as it tickles our snotty noses. We're an hour and a half short of our destination in Ha Giang, but night has fallen and, after riding for seven hours with no gloves in 5°C, it's time to stop. Alissa, cleverly, bought a pair just before we left Hanoi but I said I'd find some along the way. We passed a shop that looked like it might have sold them about four hours in, but by that point I was paradoxically too cold to stop and warm up my hands. We spot a motel in…

RATINGS Exceptional ★★★★★ Very good ★★★★ Good ★★★ Average ★★ Poor ★ Kriega R25 £169 One hundred and sixty nine quid for a rucksack?! Well, yes, actually. My go-to rucksack for the last two years, the Kriega R25 is exceptionally well made and comfortable to the point you barely know you're carrying it. The 25-litre capacity is easily enough for commuting with a laptop and lunch, or carting extra layers and other gubbins for day trips. Kriega's Quadlock harness is well known and the plaudits completely justified. It does up easily across the chest with two heavy-duty plastic clips, and distributes weight evenly around the body. The design is bottom-loaded, making it aerodynamic so it reduces fatigue from drag, while the padded straps are comfortable and don't create any pressure…

Seeking the perfect blend of superbike performance and road bike comfort As a benefit of the job I do, I'm lucky enough to have had access to some seriously fast machines. I've ridden several versions of Ducati Panigale V4 including the SP, I've done trackdays on BMW's S and M1000RRs and I spent a whole year running a Kawasaki ZX-10R on this fleet in 2021, to name just a few. And it's not just superbikes, either, I've been the support rider on road tests with MT-10s, Tuono V4s and S1000R super-nakeds, too. I'm not telling you this to show off, but rather qualify myself to say what I need to say about the BMW M1000R which I will be riding this year. It is devastatingly, mind-bendingly, pant-wettingly fast. But before…

BRUCE DUNN MCN's expert technician Judder no more! Does your front end shake when you brake? It's time for new discs 1 Time to make a stand A problem with your brake discs can often be felt as a judder at the brake lever, front or back. This juddering symptom is often the result of a warped disc, caused by wear, or damage. To check the condition of the discs you need to put the bike on its mainstand or paddock stands so that the wheels can be freely spun for a visual check. 2 Free the calipers Next you need to undo the brake calipers so, using a suitable tool, unscrew the bolts that secure them to the fork leg. When the bolts are free, gently slide the caliper off the…

Racing at Oulton Park this weekend is actually a difficult one for all the road guys racing in the British Superbike paddock because it's a double-edged sword. We all want to be here getting the laps in, but we don't want to get injured. But it really was like a roads meeting as we're all here, myself, Conor Cummins, Jamie Coward, Davey Todd, Michael Dunlop, James Hillier, Hicky, Lee Johnson, Dean Harrison, Brookes and my teammate Nathan Harrison. We're all here putting the work in, putting the effort in. And fair play – respect to everyone for doing it. I was 40th on the grid for the Superstock race, got a bit of a bad start but I just kept digging away and I finished 20th. Everyone seems to be…

MotoGP returned to Europe with a bang on the weekend. Several bangs, in fact. Some contributed to spectacular racing, others caused interruptions and penalties. And at least one ended in hospital. At a track where overtaking is reckoned almost impossible, both Saturday's Sprint and Sunday's GP had passes aplenty. It was cracking good racing. However, several swaps were by the stewards’ decree… that authoritative body whose continued meddling once again saw their leader Freddie Spencer roundly excoriated by riders and team managers, and his panel flayed for blatant inconsistency in their decision making. Sunday's winner Pecco Bagnaia did so after being obliged to lose one position, for a sideslamming pass on former teammate Miller's KTM, leaving Jack waving his fist. Maybe fair, Bagnaia later agreed. But if fair for him,…

Electric firm Zero are knocking up to £3500 off the price of their bikes, in an attempt to boost sales and make up for the loss of the Government's plug-in electric vehicle grant that came into being at the end of 2021. “We were very disappointed when the UK Government withdrew the plug-in electric vehicle grant last year and there's no doubt that it has had an adverse effect on the adoption of electric motorcycles over the past 12 months,” UK Country Manager Dale Robinson told MCN. “The UK is not the only country to have been affected by this kind of Legislative change, which seems at odds with the drive for net zero on carbon emissions.” The Department for Transport announced changes to the plug-in grant scheme on December…

Emerging electric brand, Caofen have announced pricing for their F80 models, one road legal the other just for the trails, as they hit the UK market. The road-ready F80 Adventure will retail for £5995, while the F80 Off-Road costs £5495. Adam Bowen, brand manager for Caofen UK, said: “The bike brings fierce competition to the market.” Visit caofen.co.uk for more info. Winner rides away with hot new Ninja Kawasaki have announced the winner of their 2022 Motorcycle Live competition to win an A2-compliant Ninja 400 sportsbike. Thousands of people entered to win the prize, which also included the first registration fee, 12 months tax, and insurance worth up to £250. The winner was picked at random, with the bike going to a chuffed Jason Evans, who has been riding for…

Brough Superior have taken delivery of a new Hurco 5-axis CNC machine which they say will boost precision, efficiency and customisation. As its name suggests, the cutting tool no longer moves across three axes, but in five directions instead. The three usual linear (up and down, left and right, forward and backwards) as well as an additional two rotational axes (B and C) around which the tool in question rotates. Thus, in a single operation, it is able to process a part on five sides, making it possible to produce elements with very complex shapes and to carry out machining operations at angles that are difficult or even impossible to achieve with a conventional three-axis machine. “We are able to go even further in the customisation of the bikes for…

‘Have I missed the classic R1 boat?’ I just got a worrying email from a mate saying: ‘Have you seen prices for classic R1s have dropped?’ My heart sank as I've been planning on offloading my 1998 R1 as I'm a bit done with sportsbikes on the road and I thought prices had remained strong. So I did a bit of checking. To be fair, my mate has the less-desirable second generation R1 (2000-2001) but his is nonetheless a nice tidy bike. In 2020 he was offered £4500 for it, which he agreed upon but the buyer never turned up. Now he reckons it is worth £3000-£3500, so a drop of £1500, which sucks. But I'm not convinced prices are down, more that the bikes are advertised for what they…

Q ‘How do I sue a cyclist?’ I was riding along the King's Road in London when a cyclist came out of a side road to my left without stopping. I did my best to miss him but lost control and came off. I ended up with some leg injuries and am still on crutches. Although the cyclist did not stop, a witness caught up with him and called the police. He is being prosecuted for failing to stop and the police have provided me with his details for a compensation claim. What if he has no money? Cyclists, unlike motorists, don't have to have insurance. Jonnie, London ‘Some home polcies will payout’ A While motorists must have (at the very least) third party liability cover, it is not compulsory…

Send your trips to yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Readers Keith and James Anderson The ride This is the second trip abroad that I've taken my son James as pillion. As we had left it too late to book the Bilbao ferry we had to ride through France which was only 2°C. As we got closer to the Pyrenees the sun came out and things warmed up. I picked a route by using a Tourist and Motoring atlas as it clearly shows the twisty, scenic routes. Tell us about the trip We were on the road for nine days, two travelling through France. Then west through the Pyrenees to the east coast at Roses returning to Bilbao. Some our stopovers were Lourdes, La Seu d'Urgell, Roses, Lleida, Jaca and Bilbao. Best time to go…

KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday May 3 BIKE MEETS ■ MFN, Seven Oaks Inn, Stanton By Dale, Derbyshire 5pm till late Facebook: MFN Bike nights ■ Outkast Co, North Parade, Matlock Derbyshire 6-9pm www.facebook.com/outkastcompany ■ King Billy Rock Bar, Northampton Facebook: The King Billy Rock Bar ■ Huggys Speedshop, Mallory Park, Leicestershire. From 10am www.huggysspeedshop.co.uk ■ The Old Stores, Pontblyddyn, Flints 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 ■ Park Road Cafe, St Helens, Merseyside 01744-808440 ■ Squires Cafe, Newthorpe, West Yorks www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ Seaways, Fridaythorpe, East Yorks 4pm-8pm mike@seawayscafe.co.uk ■ Hook Bike Night, Pembrokeshire. 6pm hook.bike.night@gmail.com ■ Paignton Seafront, Devon Facebook: English Riviera Bike Night ■ Loomies, West Meon, Hants. www.loomiescafe.co.uk ■ The Pathfinder Cafe, Blackbushe Surrey From 10.30am-1pm Facebook: Pathfinder Cafe ROAD…

FRIDAY May 5 9.20am, EUR2, Live World Superbikes from Catalunya, Spain: Free Practice 1.1.50pm Free Practice 2 10pm, BSB Highlights from Oulton Park, Cheshire SATURDAY May 6 8.30am, EUR2, Live WSB: Supersport 300 Superpole. 9.20am Superport Superpole. 10am Superbike Superpole. 11.15am Supersport 300 Race 1.12.45pm Superbike Race 1 SUNDAY May 7 9.30am, EUR2, Live WSB: Superbike Superpole. 11.15am Supersport Race 2.12.15pm Superbike Race 2. 2pm Supersport 300 Race 2. 3.15pm, EUR2, Live MX World Championship from, Spain: MX2 Race 2.4pm MXGP Race 2 MONDAY May 8 2pm, EUR2, Motocross World Championship, Arroyomolinos, Spain: MX2 Race 1.3pm MXGP Race 1…

The obvious place to start is with Triumph's Tiger 900 Rally range, which consists of the stock £12,795 Rally and the £14,195 Rally Pro. Both are powered by a 94bhp triple and come with angle-responsive electronics, TFT dash, Brembo brakes, heated grips and cruise control but the Pro adds even more, including heated seats and extra power modes. Ducati's DesertX has been a huge hit and its £14,795 asking price bags you a full electronics suite as well as an off-road targeted chassis that is remarkably adept on-road and a 109bhp V-twin. It has the option to extend its tank range further via an accessory auxiliary tank. The Africa Twin costs £13,049 (£13,949 with DCT) and although it lacks a big tank, it has a high spec level and is…

BIKING LEGENDS People who have shaped our world Bill Davidson is the latest ‘face’ of Harley-Davidson. He's the son of now retired former styling chief, Willie G. Davidson, who came up with the Super Glide, Fat Boy and others, great grandson of one of the company founders and Vice President of the Harley-Davidson Museum and Factory Tours. “William A. Davidson, was my great grandfather. Then there were his brothers, Arthur and Walter, and their good friend Bill Harley. “I didn't know William A. but my father did and my grandfather, William H., who was president of the company from 1942 to 1973, knew him very, very well. In fact, when I was racing motocross in the late 70s early 80s I kept a couple of my race bikes in his…

The route for the main Ha Giang Loop is: Ha Giang – Yen Minh – Dong Van – Meo Vac – Du Gia – Ha Giang. It's approximately 300km (around 180 miles) and is typically ridden in three to five days with some route alterations dependent on your timeframe. Give yourself plenty of time so you can stop to admire the view, take photos and chat to local people. Plus, you won't want to rush mountain roads where you are contending with traffic and sheer drops. KEY – Ha Giang Loop – Andy and Alissa's route…

‘Still fun and charming’ Ducati face more competition of greater quality than they did when they launched the Scrambler in 2014, so it's high time it got some tweaks to keep it relevant in 2023. It's more fun, with better kit and comfort, but it hasn't lost any of its easy-going charm either. If we had to pick fault, the conventional shock and dashboard style has taken away a little bit of the model's individual detailing, but that's a minor criticism. We'll be keen to see how the changes feel against rivals such as the Triumph Scrambler 900, and Fantic's new MT-07-powered Caballero 700 in particular, which promises to give the Ducati a hard time. THE FACTS £9995 Ducati Scrambler Icon…

The vast majority of street bikes have stainless steel discs. Stainless steel performs well, but the main reason for using it is that it does not rust, and therefore retains a good appearance throughout the life of the disc, plus they are relatively cheap, due mainly to the large quantities they are produced in. Race bikes generally have steel or cast-iron discs. Both of these materials provide a 10% improvement in friction over stainless steel and also dissipate heat better. Both corrode, but this is less important on a competition machine which is not continually out in bad weather, and may have the discs replaced more than once per season. The ultimate competition discs today are made of carbon-fibre. These are extremely light, which helps reduce unsprung weight, and are…

Reporting the bank holiday racing action in BSB Paul Bird's PBM squad are a force to be reckoned with once again in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship. Silverstone showcased the team's return to form, but that was Silverstone, a circuit which can often give a false indication of the season ahead. Oulton Park proved that PBM are truly back. A podium for Glenn Irwin on Sunday was followed by Tommy Bridewell's first victory for the team for the now nine-time BSB race winner. Bridewell controlled proceedings under pressure from Leon Haslam before pulling the pin with two laps to go. Not one to be outdone by his teammate, Irwin was the one to spray the bubbly from the top step in the finale, he too withstanding immense racelong pressure from…