Table of contents for 27 July 2016 in MCN

FACT FILE Built 1979 Ridden by Fictional ‘Nick Freeman’ who was played by David Essex Actual racer Roger Marshall Released in 1980 and starring David Essex as struggling privateer bike racer Nick Freeman, Silver Dream Racer was the Rocky of motorcycle racing movies. The plot revolved around a prototype bike – the Silver Dream Racer – that Freeman inherits from his engineering brother after he dies in a motocross accident. Freeman enters the British Grand Prix and wins the race but is killed when he crashes into the pit wall after crossing the line. The bike was real and British racer Roger Marshall actually rode it in the 1979 British GP, but what became of this piece of motorcycling movie history? What was the actual bike? It was a two-stoke,…

While we’ve taken the opportunity to use Monster Energy’s series on Valentino Rossi to go behind the scenes of his world, you can also get a chance to look into it yourself by checking out their five-part videos now on the MCN website. Simply click onto www.motorcyclenews.com/VR46series to watch the hour-long season. EPISODE ONE: THE GOAT An introduction to the man and the legend that is Rossi, as told by some of his closest friends, including the man who christened him the GOAT, former teammate, close friend, and double WSB champion Colin Edwards. EPISODE TWO: MUGELLO Looking at the Mugello MotoGP round, the race he is most associated with, Rossi relates the experience of having 100,000 people chanting his name as he lines up on the grid for one of…

1. MCN machine of the year 2015 — Kawasaki Ninja H2 £22,000 What our judges said in 2015: "It’s the fastest production bike we’ve ever tested and does 0-180mph in 15.23s… and just 800 meters! Awarding the H2 our Machine of the Year is one of the easiest decisions we’ve ever made." 2. MCN Machine of the Year 2012 — BMW S1000RR From £13,850 What our judges said in 2012: “It’s the second time the staggeringly capable superbike has won the award — the last time was 2010. It scarcely seemed possible to improve on the original bike, but they’ve done it.” 3. MCN machine of the year 2014 — Yamaha MT-07 £5349 What our judges said in 2014: “There are bikes that come along every now and then that…

This eclectic bunch are the last half decade’s cream of the biking crop. They’re all fabulous in their own unique way and loved by us, dealers and owners alike. The brutal Ducati is a ground-breaker and the utilitarian GS a class act. The S1000RR amazes with its easy speed and the H2 leaves us open-mouthed after every encounter. But if you had to choose the best of the best it has to be the MT-07. It’s fun, easy to get on with and costing just over five grand is spectacularly good value for money. BMW R1200GS PRICE £15,875 (AS TESTED) Engine 1170cc (101 x 73mm), 8v flat twin Claimed power 125bhp@7750rpm Claimed torque 92ftlb@6500rpm Frame Tubular steel Kerb weight 238kg Tank size 20 litres Seat height 850/870mm BMW S1000RR PRICE…

‘Air-cooled flat twins worm their way into your heart’ I don’t want to harp on about BMW ‘airheads’ just because I’ve got a couple of them, but that’s the thing with the old air-cooled flat twins: they sort of worm their way into your affections, and now I’m looking for a third. I’m not sure which model I want, but I’m narrowing it down to an R100RS or conceivably a black/yellow ‘bumblebee’ R100GS. A dozen years or so ago I had the Paris-Dakar version and, like a fool, sold it. At that time it was worth a couple of grand. You could probably treble that now. But anyway, I already have an adventure bike in the form of a modern Ténéré, so the RS it is. Technically, this was just…

‘With a full tank it can be top-heavy so engine bars are a good idea’ “As a rule they don’t have any problems. It has a stainless exhaust and basically the motor’s the old ZZ-R1100 motor so it’s a good engine, we don’t get any problems at all. “Yes, there’s the odd bit of corrosion, but no more than any other machine if it’s not looked after or cleaned properly. “The only comment I’ll make is when you wash them I’ve noticed that, as they get a bit older, the plug caps, where they seal around the rocker box cover, can deteriorate and when you wash them the water goes into the plug cap holes. We’ve had a few come in misfiring and when we’ve looked they’ve had water down…

Honda Bros 650 Larger of the two Bros options has 26,875 miles on the clock. The 1990 model comes will have a fresh MoT before leaving grey importer D&K. Yamaha V-Max Sunny-day special that’s not even reached 10,000 miles in 20 years. The 1996 model is a full-power bike for private sale in Hampshire with new tyres and regular services. Suzuki TL1000S Many of the TL-thou’s inherrent issues have been addressed on this 1998 bike, which has nearly 27,000 miles on the clock. It boasts an Öhlins shock, Hyperpro steering damper and crash bungs as well as a Remus can. Aprilia SL1000 Falco The dealer selling this 2005 model Falco promises as-new condition (or your money back). It’s got 29,000 miles on the clock and is standard apart from the…

HONDA AFRICA TWIN £10,499 FUEL 18.8 litres @ 48.2mpg = 199 miles WEIGHT 232kg SEAT 870mm POWER 93bhp TORQUE 72ftlb MICHAEL GUY Former short circuit racer with a love of adventure riding HEIGHT 5ft 10in WEIGHT 72kg michael.guy@motorcyclenews.com After the initial buzz of getting the Africa Twin I’ve been left feeling a bit wanting in terms of the available power. It’s a great motor, smooth with a little kick at just over 4000rpm, but it’s only ever felt like it’s got just enough power – never an abundance. It also suffered from where the power sits in the range. When cruising at 70mph in top it’s below 4000rpm meaning a lack of urgency for acceleration, necessitating a couple of downchanges to complete any quick overtake – which isn’t really…

YAMAHA MT-03 £4499 FUEL 14 litres @ 68mpg = 209 miles WEIGHT 168kg SEAT 780mm POWER 41.4bhp TORQUE 21.8ftlb RIDER Simon Brown. Been riding 20 years, has a Scrambler FT in the garage at home. HEIGHT5ft 9in WEIGHT 70kg simon.brown@motorcyclenews.com The MT-03 is proving a hoot down the back roads between my village and the MCN office. My big pleasure right now is seeing if I can do the whole 17-mile journey without having to dab a foot. With no traffic lights or stop lines to spoil the fun, the MT allows me to hover at the odd give-way line and if the balance does start to wobble, the light weight and easy reach to the ground means zero topple-risk. Nice. So that’s the B-road satisfaction box ticked, next up…

Bluetooth systems keep you connected while on the move – receive calls, listen to music, follow audio GPS instructions. Twin units like these also let you talk to pillions or fellow headset-equipped riders. Autocom Kit Air-2 Dual £349 Very discreet unit that allows comms between rider and pillion and connects to Bluetooth smartphones, GPS or riders on other bikes. The system charges in two hours, lasts several days in standby mode and promises long service life thanks to spares availability. SENA 10S Dual Bluetooth Headset & Intercom £329 Slim profile unit that connects to pillions, fellow riders and Bluetooth gadgets and also has an integral FM radio. The range between riders is up to a mile in open terrain and the battery lasts 12 hours of talk time or 10…

‘The motorcycle is absolutely on the right track. We can be really proud’ALEX HOFMANN KTM have stunned the MotoGP paddock with the rapid development and speed of their new RC16 on its first ever venture on track alongside its 2017 rivals, as Mika Kallio, Alex Hofmann and Thomas Luthi joined a two-day private test at Red Bull Ring last week. Taking to a track where the trio have admittedly tested at in the past, they were nonetheless only 2.5 seconds off the pace of the fastest man, Ducati rider Andrea Iannone over the course of the two days around their home circuit – a gap that project boss Pit Beirer says is far better than expected. “Finally the day has arrived we can measure ourselves directly against our competitors and…

At the start of the 2016 season, if a Honda Racing rider was on the podium it’d be considered a momentous weekend for the Louth-based team. However, with both riders Jason O’Halloran and Dan Linfoot along with the team having upped their game in the last two rounds to take four podiums and a race win between them, a solitary second place for O’Halloran at Thruxton is now considered a disappointing result. Dan Linfoot was left distraught after a decision to go with the harder tyre in race one left him unable to capitalise on a front row start as the tyre unexpectedly dropped off before the race was stopped. With zero rear grip in the second half, he pulled into the pits from 27th place. Switching to the softer…

• While there was success aplenty for the BeWiser team, it wasn’t all smiles in the Ducati camp as Danny Buchan endured a disastrous weekend for Lloyds British MotoRapido squad, failing to finish in the points after struggling to find a set-up on his Panigale to suit his style around the super-fast, bumpy circuit. • Buildbase BMW’s young gun Lee Jackson turned heads in the first half of the weekend running in the top four in all three practice sessions before qualifying a career-best sixth. Unfortunately he was unable to follow it up in the races, with a best result of 10th. • It was another difficult weekend for the ePayMe Yamaha squad, who were already down to one man with the absence of John Hopkins through injury. Things were…

“Thruxton is unique due to its combination of aggressive asphalt, which is basically wide-spaced stone chippings, high speed corners and bumps. “The nature of the track is one long fast right-hander for much of the lap. Also, with no electronics in BSB there’s no traction control so the tyre is spinning a lot. “The trade-off is to use the medium spec SC1, the second of the two rear tyre options we have across the season as per BSB regulations, but that gives less outright grip from the start. “Riding style is an important factor, as is bike set-up. For example, one rider in each of the Honda and Tyco BMW squads was able to get the most out of the soft SC0 tyre and get podiums. On the other hand,…

The key to Be Wiser Ducati squad’s success at Thruxton was their ability to conserve the softer compound Pirelli tyre over race distance. While the rest of the field struggled to make the soft SC0 tyre work after as few as 12 laps, Byrne in particular was able to put in strong lap times on used soft tyres giving him a grip advantage throughout the weekend. But with Irwin on the podium in race two after cleverly conserving the softer option tyre, it looks as though the Ducati has the edge in the tyre conservation stakes. “The big, booming torque pulses mean we can get a bit more grip when the tyre wears at the end of the race,” explains PBM Technical Director Phil Borley. “There might be other times…

Moto Guzzi V7 II Stornello The newest kid on the block, the Stornello blends retro chic with the V7 II’s everyday practicality. Yours for £110.66 per month after £2200 up front. Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle Still one of the UK’s favourite Scramblers, the cheeky 803cc Ducati is bursting with detail and charm. Yours for just £99p/m after a £2114.60 deposit. Triumph Scrambler An old favourite, but grab one quick, it’s about to be replaced for 2017. Yours for £1828.70 in advance, and £95 per month. Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 Don’t fancy the bigger brother? How about a 399cc version for urban scrambling? This one is £79p/m with a £1517.58 deposit. Fancy something used instead? MCN Garage p41…

Nothing wrong with fashion In his road test of the Ducati Scrambler last week Jon Urry made it obvious that he has no time for bikes as fashion statements. From the very first paragraph ‘bikes are targeting the Hipster Brigade’, then ‘a cynical corporate cafe racer wannabe’. Why shouldn’t bikes look good? Can function and form not cohabit in the biking world? And given that 90% of bikes only get ridden on warm weekends and their riders barely exploit 50% of their potential, is it not reasonable that fashion should take a leading role? What fashion are we talking about anyway? How about when everyone wanted sportsbikes, and then nakeds and then adventure bikes, is that not fashion? What’s wrong with wanting a café racer or a scrambler? Paul Bredael,…

When does something go from being really rather good to being great? Initial assessment is all fine and dandy, but greatness doesn’t come overnight. It grows, seeps and creeps. Others find it and feel it too. Every year MCN awards the best bike on sale in Britain in a wide range of categories – 14 in 2015 – and then crowns the overall Machine of the Year. Choosing a class winner can be straightforward as judges compare one bike trying to achieve a certain thing, with another trying to achieve a similar thing. Of course, when there’s more than one stunning machine in a class, there is heated debate and much ruffling of sales figures, spec sheets and owner reports. When it comes to deciding the one king to rule…

‘I was sad to stop riding when it was time to head back to the hotel’ BMW S1000XR SPORT SE £17,289 FUEL 20 litres @ 45mpg = 198 miles WEIGHT 228kg SEAT 840mm POWER 160bhp TORQUE 82ftlb ANDY DOWNES Experienced road rider who loves a long continental trip when time permits HEIGHT 5ft 9in WEIGHT 80kg andy.downes@motorcyclenews.com    ‘It’s rare for a bike to be this accommodating in almost standard trim’ It was somewhere south of Calais on the return leg of a 2500-mile, four-day trip to BMW Motorrad Days in Bavaria that it dawned on me that I’d covered nearly 700 miles in one go. I’d only stopped for fuel and yet I was still completely relaxed. Of all the bikes I have ridden only the Ducati Multistrada…

BMW R1200RT LE £17,445 FUEL 25 litres @ 52.3mpg = 288 miles WEIGHT 274kg SEAT 805mm POWER 123bhp TORQUE92lbft ADAM CHILD Vastly experienced road tester who also indulges in pure road racing HEIGHT 5ft 6in WEIGHT 75kg adam.child@motorcyclenews.com ‘We have a simplesystem for touring: Sarah gets one pannier, I take the other’ My fiancée Sarah and I have just returned from a 386-mile road trip. Agreed that’s not huge mileage – not even two tanks of fuel for the RT – but it was enough to test the water as we’ve not been away on a bike together for nearly two years. With a small child it’s hard to find the time (apparently you’re not allowed to transport toddlers in the panniers). But finally we’ve had our first outing…

MCN SAYS By Tony Hoare MCN Consumer Editor “With bikes like the Scrambler and BMW’s R nineT, the look has to be right. Kriega have the credibility to pull it off and they have delivered their usual blend of subtlety and highly effective construction quality.” Luggage artisans Kriega are ramping up their association with the café racer scene with a new series of bags for owners of bikes like Ducati’s Scrambler. The Saddlebags are Kriega’s first foray into the world of panniers rather than the rucksacks and tailpacks on which they’ve built their reputation. But they use many of the materials and much of the knowhow from existing Kriega luggage. The bags are available in two sizes – 14 litres or 18 litres – and can be bought either on…

While MotoGP may be returning to Austria for the first time in two decades, there is nonetheless a long history of motorcycle racing in the small, mountainous central European state, with Grand Prix racing a feature since the early 1970s. 1971 MotoGP goes to Austria for the first time, racing at the fearsome Salzburgring circuit. Giacomo Agostini makes it his own, winning six races at the fast track in only four years. 1991 Mick Doohan begins a series of victories at the track, calling the back section his favourite of any circuit and describing it as “threading a motorcycle through the eye of a needle at 180mph while banging fairings with your competitors with armco barriers on each side.” 1996 A young Italian called Valentino Rossi, competing in his first…

MCN are offering readers an exclusive ticket offer for the Octo British GP which takes place at Silverstone on September 2-4. The offer gives a 10% discount for three-day adult admission and Sunday adult admission. 2016 General Admission (includes roving on Friday and Saturday Current ticket price £75 With 10% discount £67.50 Current Sunday adult ticket price £57.50 With 10% discount £51.75 Please use the codes below to get the discount: • Weekend tickets MCN 10% - MCN10 • Sunday tickets MCN 10% - MCN10S To book your tickets: www.silverstone.co.uk or telephone 0844 3750 740.…

The 2015 race winner Bradley Smith will miss this weekend’s race after deeming that last year’s hectic testing and race schedule compromised his MotoGP season. But with the race now upon us, the British rider admitted to MCN that he’s now wishing he’d said yes. “I got itchy feet to go back a few weeks ago, but my gut instinct back in January was that I didn’t want to do it again. Now though, having seen the guys head out there and speak about the test, I’ve remembered the good times we had last year!”…

‘We changed the head angle, weight distribution and the length of the bike – and it really paid off’MICHAEL LAVERTY Michael Laverty reignited his MCE British Superbike title challenge at the weekend with a surprise one-two at a circuit he feared wouldn’t suit the BMW S1000RR. Having suffered with a lack of edge grip at numerous tracks so far this season, Laverty was fearful the fast and flowing nature of the 2.3-mile Thruxton circuit would pose a tough challenge for the Tyco BMW due to the amount of time spent on the side of the tyre. However, after some radical machine changes for the final free practice session, the Northern Irishman was able to find a setting that not only allowed him to put in a decent lap time, but…

‘We need to make the power delivery smoother and more linear’LEON HASLAM It should have been the round where Leon Haslam reignited his title campaign, James Ellison got back in to Showdown contention and Peter Hickman ran at the sharp end – but it turned into a weekend of damage limitation for JG Speedfit Kawasaki at Thruxton. Working to identify and resolve power delivery issues that left them struggling with Thruxton’s high-speed, flowing turns during practice meant they were unable to work on specific bike set-up, leading to a disastrous qualifying for the former championship leading team with not one of their riders making it through to the final Superpole stage. A favourite to challenge for the MCE British Superbike title this year as he returned from the world stage,…

‘I’m not paid to finish second and I certainly don’t enjoy it’SHANE BYRNE ‘When the bike has worked as well as it has here, there are so many positives’SHANE BYRNE Shane Byrne fired an ominous warning shot to rivals at Thruxton where he showed that he has the Be Wiser Ducati sorted and he’s ready to dominate. Having led every session onboard the Panigale before storming to the fastest ever two-wheeled lap of the Hampshire circuit, Byrne took pole position before securing an emphatic race one victory. It could well have been a double for the four-time MCE British Superbike champion had his gear linkage not snapped as he pulled clear of the field at the start of the second race. But despite the non-score he left the Hampshire circuit…

‘Maybe I should have gone for it earlier but I’m over the moon’GLENN IRWIN MCE British Superbike rookie Glenn Irwin celebrated his debut podium at Thruxton after a charge from 14th to third in the final stages of race two. It wasn’t a completely smooth weekend for the 26-year-old, who was left to start the first race in 24th place after a crash in qualifying. Fighting through from the eighth row meant a lot of stress on his tyres, and while he showed strong pace in the second half of the opening race, he soon dropped outside the top 10. Taking a different approach in race two, he held back in the early stages to conserve his tyres before launching an attack in the later stages of the race. “I…

2012 Ducati Diavel £10,299 They say Just 664 miles, great condition and all manuals etc included in sale. We say This is virtually brand new! Factory fresh but saving you over £4000! Contact Dealer sale on MCN Bikes for Sale. 2014 BMW R1200GS £10,500 They say 8780 miles, TE version with panniers and top box We say A very high spec bike but cheap as it’s a private sale. Worth a look. 2014 Yamaha MT-07 £4200 They say 7400 miles, with a FSH, tail tidy and heated grips. We say The FSH is reassuring and the price is low due to a private sale. Not super-low miles but should be fine if it's been cleaned regularly. 2015 Yamaha MT-07 £4700 They say 3996 miles, superb bike with low mileage and…

2001-2003 Kawasaki ZRX1200S Colours Red/silver, blue/ silver, bronze/black, silver/ red Dealer £3250 Private good £3000 Private average £2850 This one 2002 model with Motad can, and crash bars. 11,000 miles, £3400 2004 Kawasaki ZRX1200S Colours Red/silver, blue/ silver, bronze/black, silver/ red Dealer £3400 Private good £3200 Private average £3000 This one 2004 model in original condition. 26,000 miles, £3491 2005 Kawasaki ZRX1200S Colours Red/silver, blue/ silver, bronze/black, silver/ red Dealer £3500 Private good £3300 Private average £3100 This one standard 2005 model showing 16,000 miles, £3390 2006-07 Kawasaki ZRX1200S Colours Red/silver, blue/ silver, bronze/black, silver/ red Dealer £3600-4500 Private good £3500 Private average £3200 This one 2006 model with full service history and 10,000 miles, £2795 Insurance Sample MCNCompare.com quotes for £4000 big muscle bikes, from cheapest to costliest, and…

“Overall it was a pretty comfortable experience, with a large padded seat and well positioned pegs. However the biggest benefit was the wind protection afforded by the fully extended screen. Instead of straining to hold my head into the wind I was able to fully enjoy the radio. So if you saw a BMW out and about over a weekend with the pillion crazily moving her head from side to side – that was me singing along to Ellie Goulding! The music mostly made up for the otherwise boring ride. It was lovely for touring but not the buzz or adrenalin rush I’d normally associate with being a pillion. But on the plus side there was plenty of room in my pannier for two pairs of shoes, wedding guest outfit,…

ClaspNew design is easy to flip out with your thumb, without feeling like you need to rub it better afterwards. ToeslidersMuch-improved design sees them hook in at the front of the slider, then fix at the rear with an Allen-head bolt. Internal sock Sewn-in tongue and draw-cord tensioning system is comfy and adds another layer of security. Alpinestars S-MX Plus £259.99 Tester Richard Newland Time tested Four months/6000 miles What’s good? I’ve worn Alpinestars Supertech R boots ever since the Italian firm released them and, despite trying several other brands down the years and boots, I’ve never found anything that could match them for comfort or protection at a similar price. Until now. These S-MX Plus jobbies are superb for all-day comfort, without relinquishing much in terms of performance. They…

‘We need to both rider value and promotional value so we can keep the series interesting’DUCATI BOSS PAOLO CIABATTI Marco Melandri is on the brink of making a shock return to World Superbikes with Ducati, as Aprilia also plan on making a full factory comeback. The Aruba Ducati squad are the only team to have come close to beating the seemingly unstoppable Kawasaki dream team, making the Panigale R seat alongside Welshman Chaz Davies one of the most desirable in the paddock. While current rider Davide Giugliano has demonstrated a clear ability to be fast, and currently lies fourth in the championship, it’s almost certain the Borgo Panigale factory will ditch the Italian, with three names in the hotseat to replace him. Eugene Laverty, Michael van der Mark and Marco…

‘This was a perfect test. All that’s left now is to ride as best we can in the race’ALEX LOWES British rider Alex Lowes will head to this weekend’s prestigious Suzuka 8-Hour as one of the clear favourites for victory. Riding for the Monster Yamaha Factory Racing squad, alongside last year’s winning team-mates Pol Espargaró and Katsuyuki Nakasuga in place of MotoGP racer Bradley Smith. The former BSB champion has impressed so far during testing earlier this month at the ultra-fast circuit – and heads to Japan ready to fulfil his dream of winning the prestigious race. “I feel really comfortable on the bike, so my motivation is high and I’m really enjoying being out there riding. I couldn’t beat Nakasuga-san’s time in the test, but for me the goal…

The source of JG Speedfit’s issues seems to be a lack of time working with the 2016 Kawasaki ZX-10R, which is much more different from the previous model than you might expect. While Jonathan Rea is still dominating the World Superbike championship this year, he’s been critical of the different character compared to the 2015 ZX-10R and as a result has made noticeably more mistakes in 2016 as he’s battled to learn to get to grips with the new machine. In BSB these changes have become even more prevalent due to technical regulations limiting electronics. “The new bike has a different chassis and the way the engine makes the power is different,” explains the squad’s Head Technician, Darren Jones. “The biggest difference in my eyes is the fly-by-wire throttle, something…