Table of contents for 20 September 2017 in MCN

‘The V4 RR frame is identical to the SG6 TT race bike’SIMON SKINNER – NORTON Just ten months ago Norton revealed their first prototype V4 SS to the world through the pages of MCN. It looked utterly incredible – a British superbike for the modern era, a stunning blend of mechanical engineering excellence and top-flight electronics, wrapped up in a bold silver livery that dazzled as blindingly as the spec sheet. And now it has been built with near-finished prototypes undergoing extensive road and track tests. Within days of the V4 being revealed late last year, the limited edition of 200 V4 SS models was already sold out, and almost 300 more RR versions have joined the order book since. With chassis testing essentially complete, and the final stages of…

Honda Endurance Racing secured their first podium at the Bol d’Or endurance race this weekend aboard the 2017 Fireblade SP2. The team qualified fifth and it wasn’t long after the start until the three riders (Gregory LeBlanc, Sébastien Gimbert and Yonny Hernandez) were taking turns battling at the front. With 578 laps completed, the bike began to suffer from an electrical problem but Gimbert put in a huge push in the final 20 minutes to claim third place with 673 laps (just under 2500 miles) completed in 24 hours.…

‘Kawasaki trusted me. The goal was to create a unique motorcycle and I hope people appreciate it’ So far the Europeans have lead the way in the modern retro game with Japan lagging a little and Kawasaki the furthest behind, especially after the demise of the supremely cool W800. They’re starting to catch up now though with the imminent release of the Z900RS and to keep us satisfied until the official release in November they’ve unveiled this new Z650 based flat-tracker. Custom outfit MRS Oficina were commissioned by Kawasaki France to do something special with the Zed, and the end result is this flat-tracker that packs bags of character and style. Although Indian have dominated this year’s flat-track racing season, there have been a few 650 parallel twins battling it…

Sport can be a cruel mistress and bike racing arguably the cruellest. One accident could end a promising career, an ever-so-slightly sub-standard bike could stop an otherwise brilliant racer shining. To win a race at national or international level requires a lot of planets aligning at the right time. To win a championship at the top level requires planets, stars, clouds, trees and the cracks in pavements to align at precisely the right moment... for a whole season! And that’s never quite happened for Leon Haslam. Supremely talented, the son of much-loved Ron Haslam, has always just missed out on BSB or WSB title glory. Despite shining from his early teenage years – he’s managed some incredible performances along the way with wins in BSB, WSB and the Suzuka 8-Hour…

Fans of the now deleted V-Rod may be lamenting the demise of one of Harley’s drag-style bikes, but they needn’t worry: with the arrival of the all-new 2018 Breakout, Harley have a ready-made replacement. The newcomer uses Harley’s new lighter, stronger Softail frame and is powered by the punchy, Milwaukee-Eight V-twin. It also has a host of other improvements including revised bodywork and LED lights. So the new Breakout doesn’t just handle and go far better, it looks meaner than ever, too. The chassis is the standout news: an all-new steel double cradle with a single monoshock under the seat (complete with natty remote preload adjuster) rather than the rather crude, dual items below the gearbox on the old Softails. On the Breakout, to deliver its drag bike poise, this…

After 20 years of skewed physics and blown minds the R1 is an icon and it is here to stay. It is a bike that’ll carry on at the cutting-edge of technology for as long as we want it and has already earned its place in history. Yamaha view the R models as their flagships and while the R1’s rate of development has slowed over the last few years to mirror the reduced demand for sportsbikes, there is no desire at Yamaha to see them stopping production. In fact, it’s entirely possible that we’ll see some more development for 2018. Don’t expect the world, but small electronic updates and a restyle of the current platform look a strong possibility. As for the original bike, prices are climbing as it reaches…

2000 R1 £2995 “2000 W Reg, 27,604 miles, blue, tail tidy, crash bobbins, double bubble screen, two keys. Comes fully serviced, great value, three months warranty. Part exchange welcome. Dealer sale.” 1998 R1 £5999 “An original R1, first generation model. It has had some restoration paintwork, looks superb. Starts and runs great, fresh tyres, Yoshimura silencer and dark screen. Fully serviced.” 2009 R1 £6999 “Complete with Akrapovic exhaust and rider modes this really is a superb motorcycle. The bike also comes with a factory fit immobiliser adding electronic security.” 2017 R1 £11,995 “Great example. Finished in the blue colourscheme and running just 6779 miles from new with service history. Comes with all three keys inc the red master key and all manuals.” MCN BIKES FOR SALE These bikes and many…

A TRUE INNOVATOR Erik Buell was and is Buell personified: engineer, innovator, dogged entrepreneur and more. Motorcycling needs more mavericks like him. UNDERSLUNG EXHAUSTS Ever since the 1994 S2 Buell’s have had underslung pipes. Nowadays everything from Z650s to Panigales to Honda 650s and KTMs have ’em. THE RIM DISC The worth of the single, rim-mounted front disc may be disputed and they never caught on, but you’ve gotta admire Buell’s doggedness. FUEL IN FRAME Buell’s XB family debuted in 2002 and featured an all-new twin spar frame, which, radically, also acted as the fuel cell. The oil, meanwhile, was kept in the swingarm……

‘Watch a wet MotoGP race. It’s a masterclass in smoothness’ See clearly Make sure your visor is clean and pick one with an anti-fog insert such as a Pin-lock. You should aim to keep the visor closed so you don’t get raindrops running down the inside and wrecking your vision. Keep it smooth Modern sports-touring tyres offer brilliant wet weather grip but keep it smooth with acceleration and braking and feather the clutch if you have a jerky throttle. I sometimes wonder whether it helps to be a bit obsessive about riding a bike. Obsessive people think about every detail, and test the smallest little things to see if they make an improvement. Nowhere is that mindset more useful than when it’s pouring with rain. The critical problem with rain…

MCN’s campaign to encourage as many readers as possible to cover 5000 miles in a year is all about getting the most enjoyment possible from your motorcycle. We realise life is full of pressures that stop you biking, but there’s always a way. So #ride5000miles is all about finding time on a Sunday to go for a blast, or doing that tour or trip you’ve always wanted to do. It can even be about just riding your bike to work more often. There’s a great network set up to help you achieve this – and thousands of bikers have already signed up to our #ride5000miles Facebook group. It’s a wonderful place full of friendly faces who are happy to share routes, experiences and tips. Even if you’re not going to…

‘My eyes are popping as I try to bring the crazy speed into focus’ ‘The GSX-R1000R is at home on this 12.8-mile, 73-corner roller-coaster’ Price £16,099 Fuel 16 litres@47mpg = 165.4-mile range Weight 204kg (measured, full of fuel) Seat 825mm Power 188bhp@12,500rpm Torque 87ftlb@10,500rpm michael.neeves@motorcyclenews.com Welcome to the Ring There’s nothing quite like the soul-shaking rush of the Nürburgring’s pay-and-play Nordschleife, to kick off a summer of trackday fun. I’ve been addicted to the Nürburgring since I first came here in 2001. That was the same year the GSX-R1000 K1 was launched and here I am now, 16 years later on my L7 model, with the kind of power and electronic rider aids that old Gixer thou could only have dreamed of. Every Ring experience starts with the ritualistic visit…

I didn’t want to go too extreme with suspension settings or change geometry (Hawk Racing raise the front on Richard Cooper’s superstocker for more rear grip and less front tyre squash) as I ride on the road most of the time. Adjustment is easy with a screwdriver and socket set, but the rear shock preload collar is near impossible to get to with a C-spanner. 30 minutes of swearing skinned knuckles, a cut wrist and some missing shock paint equals one complete turn. All settings start from standard (I’ve also shown settings from the 2017 Phillip Island GSX-R1000R launch with Bridgestone RS10s). FORKS • Preload: + 1 turn (std) • Compression: + 1 turn (+ 0.25 turn) • Rebound: – 0.5 turn (std) SHOCK • Preload: + 1 turn (+…

This was the 21st year that the Dunedin Chapter of the Harley Owners Group have brought riders from all over the world to the picturesque Scottish town of Aviemore for the August Bank Holiday weekend. Thousands of riders turned up to take part in a parade that heads through the town and out through local, winding roads. The whole town gets into the spirit of the event and the roads are lined with miles of cheering spectators, which shows just how welcomed bikers are by the local community. On top of the parade, there are various other rideouts and Harley test riders, plus plenty of bands for evening entertainment. If you fancy going (and I thoroughly recommend it) registrations open in January 2018 at www.dunedinhog.com…

Spada Performance Skins 2 Base Layer £69.99 This machine-washable, one-piece base layer comes with contrast stitching and the ability to trap a thin layer of air for added comfort. It’s wicking and snug but not restrictive. RST Tech X Multisport One-Piece £54.99 This breathable suit is lightweight and durable and can help maintain the wearer’s core body temperature, keeping you warmer for longer in these increasingly cooling conditions. It can draw perspiration away from your skin to help keep you dry and comfy on the bike. EDZ Mens Undersuit £49.99 This men’s undersuit is a lightweight wicking base layer with good thermal properties – perfect for hot and cold conditions. It’s easy to wash and quick-drying and prevents uncomfortable chaffing. Rev’it Excellerator Undersuit £79.99 With a four-way stretch material construction,…

‘People who’ve had one accident are more likely to have another’ Q No-fault accident has still seen my insurance rise I have fully comp insurance and was recently hit by another driver. I was not hurt too badly and the bike had some damage. He admitted it was his fault and his insurers fixed my bike. I told my insurers about it as I was getting quotes for my car and now they are quoting more than before because of this non-fault accident. I have been riding 20 years without a claim and my licence is clean. How’s this fair? Bruce, email A The amount that you pay for your insurance is determined, firstly, by the risk that you present as a rider. A percentage reduction is then made to…

2007 Honda CB600F Hornet £3050 Seller says 10,000 miles, only dry use, aftermarket fly screen, Hornet colour seat. Neil says Absolutely gorgeous condition. High price justified, and these are cult bikes, too. 2008 Kawasaki GTR 1400 £3049.99 Seller says Cat D damage, 29,000 miles. Neil says Early GTR1400s are a bit ponderous, but the damage appears very light and the price is right. 1994 BMW R100GS £3100 Seller says 52,000 miles, progressive springs, uprated alternator, big front disc mod, panniers, new MoT. Neil says Wish I’d seen this. Right bike, right mods, and low price. I’d have had this like a shot. MCN BIKES FOR SALE 13,803 bargain bikes for sale right now!…

Bimota’s star has faded, and many under the age of 40 won’t have heard of the marque, but they will have heard of Massimo Tamburini, who designed the Ducati 916 and whose name is represented by the last two letters of Bimota (the others are Valerio Bianchi and Giuseppe Morri). For about 15 years Bimota’s frames were the finest in the world, cradling Japanese engines whose original chassis couldn’t handle their power, and finished with exquisitely-made components. Try to imagine the effect a Honda RC213V-S chassis would have had if time-transported back to 1975, and you’ll get the picture. The KB3 took the air-cooled Kawasaki 1000cc engine from the Z1000R, making it another reason to buy one as, when the bike appeared in 1983, the GPZ900R was ready to go…

‘You should always factor in some budget for a complete strip and rebuild’ Eric has been selling and racing all manner of stink wheels since 1976. Back in the 90s, St Neots Motorcycles sold scores of KR-1Ss and still restore and sell one or two today. “Be prepared to spend as much time caring for it as you will riding it. “We’ve sold hundreds over the years, but the last one I sold recently went for over £6000 – which is incredible when you think that they were only £2500 new! If you’re thinking of buying one today you should always factor in some budget for a complete strip-down and rebuild, unless the bike comes with solid proof of a recent engine refresh. “A specialist will probably charge you between…

After months of speculation moves to rein in the factory Kawasaki and Ducati bikes are finally underway – with series bosses holding a meeting with teams just before last weekend’s racing in Portimao. The proposal is for a rev limit rule, restricting each bike to a defined level of revs over its stock bike redline. Nothing has been signed and sealed but as Championship Director Dani Carrera indicated in Portugal, the plan is now well advanced. He said: “The FIM and Dorna are quite decided but we do not want to impose something that we know will create problems. This is why we are analysing things deeply before introducing a rev limit next year.” Level playing field The new ruling will require each machine to rev no further than a…

Jonathan Rea has tried to put the brakes on the persistent rumours that he will replace the struggling Andrea Iannone in the Suzuki MotoGP team in 2018. He said: “I will go to MotoGP when Kawasaki go to MotoGP. Right now my contract is with Kawasaki for next year – and there are no plans for them to go to MotoGP next year or in the future. “The Suzuki story is a little bit sensationalised, but there were some talks in the middle of the season when Iannone was touted to go to Aprilia to replace Sam Lowes. My manager was speaking to some people but in the end Iannone has a two-year contract and I have a two-year contract.” But Rea then went on to state, intriguingly: “Contracts are…

 Eugene Laverty finally had something to smile about at Portimao this weekend after some fast times in practice and a strong second race pace that saw him finish a season best fourth. ‘We have some good reasons to be optimistic for the future’ “The bike is coping with the bumps here a little better than it did in January,” said Laverty, who has struggled to get the Milwaukee Aprilia on the pace at times in 2017. He added: “Race two here at Portimao was definitely better for us. I was worried about the rear grip dropping off after a few laps like in the first race, but we put up a good fight and fourth place was a good result in the end. “The steps we made overnight were huge…

It’s been an up-and-down year for the new Honda Fireblade, but team boss Havier Beltran was thrilled with Dan Linfoot’s win on Sunday. He said: “This is exactly what we’ve been working towards. Dan has ridden superbly this weekend in both the wet and the dry and that’s what everything has been about. “The guys have been working hard. The big thing for us with the new bike has been getting the riders confident with the flyby-wire throttle. It’s our first year with it on the Honda and it hasn’t been easy. I don’t want to stand here and make excuses, but it’s been a tough year. “Both Dan and Jason are capable of more and have wanted more, but this championship is bloody hard. The machine has been in…

 For a long while now, Leon Haslam has been known as the ‘nearly man’. Three times he’s finished runner-up in the British Championship and he even finished second in the world back in 2010, but for whatever reason he’s never been able to clinch a title. ‘Leon’s speed is undoubted, as is his talent’ His speed is undoubted, as is his talent, so the reason for Haslam’s lack of title success is largely unclear. Heading into the final five races of the 2017 season with a 22-point advantage over Josh Brookes and 23 points over Byrne, this has to be Haslam’s best chance yet to lay his hands on the MCE British Superbike crown. While Byrne pushed him hard at Assen last year, Haslam beat his rival twice to go…

MCN When will the V4 be ready? SG The new V4 will be ready when it’s ready, but we originally said the second half of 2017, so we’re going to be at the end of the second half, but we want them out prior to year-end. It’s really important that we don’t rush it out, that would be a disaster. We want to put it out refined and calibrated, and ready – the real deal. The scars of 2010, 2011, 2012 are still deep, and we’re not going to make those mistakes again. It’s the most technical and high-performance British superbike for a generation, and if it takes a few months more to perfect it, we’ll take that time. MCN How fast can you build them? SG We’re aiming to…

Cheap thrills Piaggio have announced that any new MP3s registered before October 31, will come with one year’s fully comprehensive insurance at a fixed price of £199. The MP3 range consists of four bikes (two 300s, two 500s) priced from £6499 to £8699. R nineT recalled BMW have issued a recall for all bikes in the R nineT range built from 2014 to 2017. The recall is for the swingarm pivot bolts, which may loosen, although BMW say there have been no reports of accidents. Dealers will remove, clean, and reinstall with a locking compound. The name game Due to ongoing legal issues surrounding the Hesketh name, some Hesketh hardware (including frame, forks and engine) is to reappear in a new bike brand called Mirus. Reworked by Tony Scott of…

Yamaha have updated the X-Max 125 for 2018 to bring it in line with its larger-capacity siblings. At the heart of the new scoot is a Euro4 compliant 125cc single attached to twist-and-go transmission. Yamaha say the fuel injected engine is nippy enough to get away from lights quickly, while remaining economical and quiet. Keeping that engine in check is a new traction control system, which comes as standard along with ABS which has filtered down from the 400 model. The handling has taken a step up too with motorcycle type forks offering 110mm of travel, which Yamaha say give a confident ride in the city with help from the 15in front wheel. Yamaha have also boosted the practicality, so the 125 gains keyless ignition as well as new bodywork…

GIVI Junior 4 helmet £94.90 What’s good? The Junior 4 has been designed for young children and uses an appropriately sized shell, along with a lining that wraps neatly around the wearer’s face. Weighing just 1190g, the helmet is light enough for a child’s weaker neck and comes in a cartoon design, perfect for this age group. What’s not? It is more expensive than some other children’s helmets on the market. www.givi.co.uk XCP Professional Rust Blocker £14 What’s good? XCP Rust Blocker can be used to penetrate seams and other hard-to-reach places on your bike. It can be sprayed, wiped or brushed on to protect all steel, metal and alloy parts. It can be applied to such surfaces as engines, forks, shocks, fasteners and chrome. What’s not? It is slightly…

Ben Hall’s super-cute garage creation is hauntingly named 28 Days Later... and it’s a post-apocalyptic bitsa. “It started life as an unloved Moto Guzzi V50,” says Ben. “The headstock and downtubes were rescued from the original frame as the basis of the new bike. Then a GasGas 270cc two-stroke motor filled the hole in the middle, while a home-made girder front-end dealt with holding a Triumph wheel in place. A new tank was made up and painted in a deep purple/ gold candy finish, with a bottle of Moet kindly providing the filler cap! The chain run was eased with a skateboard wheel to match the BMX foot pegs, and the electrics were housed in a 1953 biscuit tin with ‘By Royal Appointment to the late King George V’ proudly…

The Carole Nash hunt for Britain’s most remarkable motorcycling hero has been gaining pace over the last couple of months and the stack of nominations have been whittled down to the final 20. Now it’s your turn to have a say by voting for the person you think deserves this prestigious new accolade. Voting for the top ten opens on September 20, on the Carole Nash Facebook page – www.facebook.com/ insidebikes. Voting for the top ten closes on October 4. To vote for your favourite just choose who you think deserves to win in the insidebikes biking heroes poll. The top ten heroes will go through to the next voting stage, where you will decide how to place the top three favourites. All three, plus the people who nominated them…

‘I’d make it illegal for people to buy a house near a track then complain’ QUICKFIRE ROUND • Fast,intermediateornovice group? Fast • Mudortarmac?Tarmac • Four-strokeortwo-stroke? Ooh, I do like a two-stroke • Darkvisororclear?Dark • Glovesinorout? Out • GPSorMap?GPS • DealerserviceorDIY? Get someone else to do it Q1 What are you riding? A BMW S1000RR for Smiths Racing in MCE British Superbikes and on the roads, as well as a Triumph 675 in Supersport on the roads. Sometimes BMW will give me a bike so I’ll ride a bit more but I don’t have one at the minute, I’m usually driving the motorhome! Q2 Which motorcycle racer do you most admire? Valentino Rossi, for what he’s done for the sport. And the range of bikes he’s been competitive on is incredible.…

FIRST SPY PICS MCN June 25, 1997 “These are the world’s first pictures of the stunning new YZF750 superbike which will storm into showrooms next year. The long-awaited machine has been four years in the making, and is the bike Yamaha hope will dent the enormous sales of the CBR900RR FireBlade...Yamaha refused to comment and WSB star Edwards said ‘I’ve been told to say nothing’.” MORE DETAILS MCN August 13, 1997 “Ultra-sharp new sportsbike will put Yamaha in the running for the fastest production bike title. Sources say the bike will make a whopping 150bhp and weigh just 177kg. That’s 10bhp more and 21kg less than Yamaha’s ThunderAce, which will continue to sell as the sports tourer option.” FIRST TEST MCN November 5, 1997 “Yamaha’s R1 is the most…

‘It’s an insane descent of dizzying switchbacks’ We’re all guilty of a shameful lack of imagination at times. The trip of a lifetime beckons, the world is your lobster, and so you sink hours into planning the fastest way to despatch the dull flatlands of France to arrive at the foothills of the Alps. Famous Cols and passes stretching out before you like the playground of the riding gods. Or we book fly-rides to the States, New Zealand, Australia, or South Africa, where the landscapes will change your perception of scale forever. But there is somewhere where you can ride for 2000 miles in one direction without ever touching a motorway, seeing a traffic jam, or discovering a poor road. Somewhere the vistas are so enormous, so dramatic, and so…

Kielder Forest is an interesting place; its man-made woodland is the largest of its kind in Europe, its reservoir the biggest artificial body of water in the UK and its village the most remote in England. As part of the Border Forest and Northumberland National Parks, it lies in what was once the Middle Shires, bounded by the Anglo-Scottish border to the north and Hadrian’s Wall to the south – this special ride takes a spin around the region to explore some of the fantastic roads that run thereabouts. The filling station on the A7 at Langholm makes an ideal place to start – from there head south towards England. At the traffic lights before the bridge over the River Esk turn left onto the B6138, which at 61 miles…

1 Revved Up Teabar, 133 High St, Walton-on-the-Naze CO14 8AT. Open daily. 07947-408542 2 Kilham BIkers, Bay Horse, Kilham, East Yorks. Wednesday night meet, 6.30pm. www.kilhambikers.co.uk 3 Iron Horse bike Night, Market Deeping, Lincs. 6pm-11pm, 01778-346952 or www.ironhorseranchouse.co.uk 4 Oasis Snack Bar, Monmouth Road, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. Saturday meet. 01873-855375 5 Vic Bikers Pub, Coalville, Leics. 6pm-11pm. Regular motorcycle meet and events. 01530-814718 or www.vicbikerspub.co.uk GET YOUR MEET ON THE MAP If you have a bike-friendly cafe aenue w and nt wan et yo get r mee you on tmeet monthe comap tact,ema sonl: mcn sam. @ williams motorcyclenews.co.uk@motorcyclenews.com…

‘As the day progressed, my confidence grew… as did my smile’ KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S £14,299 Accessories £4409.40 – Total £18,708.40 Fuel 23 litres @ 49mpg = 247-mile range Weight 238kg Seat 860mm Power 160bhp Torque 103ftlb michael.guy@motorcyclenews.com The KTM 1290 Super Adventure S has already blown me away with its 160bhp and road prowess. But, while it has the same power as a 1000cc sportsbike of just a few years ago, it is still classed as an adventure bike and in my world adventure bikes need to be able to go off-road. I love riding off-road so I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to take the KTM for a day in the dirt. And while my S model is definitely the more road focused version, it is a…

KAWASAKI NINJA 650 £6549 Fuel 15 litres @ 49mpg = 162-mile range Weight 193kg Seat 790mm Power 63bhp Torque 49ftlb THE RIDER James Archibald Big-mile rider who enjoys being on a bike whatever the weather or season Height 5ft 11in Weight 82kg james.archibald@motorcyclenews.com After returning the Ninja 650 to Kawasaki for the third time now, I’ve realised that the service intervals for this machine are ridiculously close together – which could get a little expensive considering that one of the primary uses of this motorcycle for most riders will be as a commuting tool. The intervals for servicing the 650 are a paltry 3750 miles apart, meaning that with the mileages I’m doing and the use I’m getting from the bike, it will soon amount to a fair few trips…

THE EXPERT Si Martin Si has a TEC Diploma in motorcycle engineering, Merton College and has 30 years’ experience building, modifying and repairing motorcycles from supermonos to café racers. Myesteries of the bottom end Out of sight, out of mind, the goings on inside the bottom end of an engine are generally regarded as purely functional; converting the up and down motion of the pistons into the rotary motion required to turn the rear wheels, but it is also where an engine’s character and feel are developed.…

Free extras for Suzuki V-Strom Suzuki are offering customers £750 worth of free accessories on both the standard and XT variants of the V-Strom 650 and 1000. Running throughout September, the free extras include a centrestand, engine bars, tank pads and heated grips. www.bikes.suzuki.co.uk New superbikes sound good Exhaust experts Akrapovic have released a YouTube video celebrating the litre sportsbike class. Acting as a demonstration of the company’s range, the short film shows the current crop of superbikes riding around a track, all equipped with their accompanying Akra pipes. Sounds good? See it here... https://goo.gl/JVp4bQ Money off for Zero effort As summer comes to an end and the autumn starts to take hold, electric motorcycle firm Zero Motorcycles are offering up to £1400 off their line of dual sport machines…

Back in control Kenan Sofuoglu won his fifth World Supersport race of the year for Kawasaki Puccetti and in doing so he secured the championship lead for the first time. Amazingly, he missed scoring in the opening three rounds through injury and another rider’s crash. Superstock hots up Turkish Stock1000 rider Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti) won his third race of the year and cut Ducati rider Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s title lead to eight points with two rounds to go. Consistent Marco Marco Melandri scored big at Portimao, with two third place finishes on his works Ducati, while many other top names lost ground. He is fourth overall, but still a meaty 46 points adrift of third-placed Chaz Davies. Lowes leaves empty-handed Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha) left Portimao with nothing but…

Jonathan Rea Kawasaki “If they take some revs off of us, for example, I do not think it is the be-all-and-end-all of the championship. It may mean that will revert back to my flowing style that I had in the past, to carry momentum, which is how I won the championship in 2015.” Chaz Davies Ducati “If you look at it on paper it could hurt us, Kawasaki and Aprilia. But there are clever people in Bologna who can find a way to put power in different places. If it is what I have seen, a 700 or 800rpm drop, there may be a way to achieve power in different places.” Leon Camier MV Agusta “I think it will help even things out in terms of having a single gearbox…

‘If we can get on the first few rows we can fight with the top boys more often’BRADLEY RAY The year of the young gun continued as the MCE British Superbike Showdown got underway at Oulton Park this weekend with the series’ youngest rider, Bradley Ray making his podium breakthrough. The 20-year-old Buildbase Suzuki star came out of nowhere to challenge the front-runners towards the end of the dry second race and looked set to fight for the win at one point before he began struggling with arm pump and decided to settle for third. Ray has impressed this year, consistently beating Suzuki teammates Sylvain Guintoli and Taylor Mackenzie, and has been steadily pushing towards the top six since relatively early in the year. Tipped as a star of the…

Farmer fights on Keith Farmer missed out on two chances to secure the British Supersport title at Oulton this weekend, having to settle for third in Saturday’s sprint race before crashing out of Sunday’s feature battle. Aussie Ben Currie was victorious in both wet outings, keeping the title fight alive. Superstock sizzler The Pirelli National Superstock 1000 championship will go down to the wire at Brands Hatch with one win apiece for Danny Buchan and Richard Cooper this weekend. Buchan leads the standings by 15 points with two races remaining at Brands. Stamper is champ Dan Stamper was crowned Superstock 600 champion with a seventh place finish in Sunday’s race making him an unassailable 27 points ahead of closest rival Jordan Gilbert. The only rider to have finished every race…

John Hopkins returned to the podium to clinch MotoRapido Ducati’s best result of the season in second place in Sunday’s wet opening race. The former MotoGP star mastered the conditions and was embroiled in a hard battle for second place with Leon Haslam and Christian Iddon while leader Dan Linfoot was 10 seconds up the road. With Iddon crashing, the two-way battle for the runner-up spot became the battle for the lead when Linfoot blew up and Hopkins looked set to take it to Haslam. But the race was red-flagged due to potential track contamination from the stricken Honda. Hopkins said: “I’m mega pleased with that result as we thought the race was going to be dry and sat out morning warm-up! It was just about riding to the conditions,…

‘I honestly think it’s a good package. It feels special, I’d buy one on looks alone’JOSH BROOKES While most superbikes are designed for the road first, then modified to become race bikes, Norton’s V4 was born on the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course, the product of relentless 37.73-mile laps of brutal testing and development. The ballsy riders who have taken on the various SG race bikes have all been critically important contributors to the development of the V4 RR, none more so than Josh Brookes, and ex-racer Steve Plater. Beyond riding the latest SG6 in anger to an incredible sixth at this year’s Isle of Man TT, Josh Brookes has also been riding the new V4 production bike – so what does he think of it? “It’s different, of…

On a standard valve train, the valves are opened by a rocker arm, acted on by a cam, and then closed again by a spring. While this is simple enough, early engines struggled with valve springs breaking. Also, at very high rpm, such as on a race bike, it’s possible for the momentum of the valve to overcome the spring’s ability to close it before the piston comes up, so the valve floats. In a desmodromic valve train, there are two rocker arms per valve – one to open the valve and another one to close it. With no spring to rely on, valve float at high rpm is eliminated. Ducati first used the desmodromic design on the 1956 125 GP. Desmo valves then made their way into production bikes…

Ride to the Wall  Where National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire When Saturday, October 7 Entry £10 Info www.rttw.org Thousands of riders will gather to remember the 16,000 personnel that have died in conflict since WWII. Classic Bike Live  Where East of England Arena, Peterborough When Sat-Sun, October 27-29 Entry £9 Info www.classicbikelive.co.uk A classic bike enthusiast’s paradise that includes a loads of classic bikes, concours, fire-up paddock and more. MotoGP Valencia  Where Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Spain When Sunday, November 12 Entry From £40 Info motogp.com Valencia is the final race of the MotoGP season, so it’s worth going for the party atmosphere alone.…

‘It will sit at 70mph all day but starts to struggle when pushed further’ HIGHLIGHTS • 248cc SOHC parallel twin • 17.3 litre tank means 220-mile range • Learner-friendly 800mm seat height • Claimed 88.38mpg Sitting below its 650 and 1000 stablemates, the DL250 V-Strom is Suzuki’s first offering in the mini adventure bike class. At its heart lies the same nonthreatening, 24.7bhp, 248cc parallel twin as the new GSX250R. Based on Suzuki’s ageing Inazuma engine, its easy-going nature is ideal for new riders. A low seat height, lightweight clutch and fantastic MPG figure make it the perfect machine for travelling in and out of the city centre for minimal cost. And although I am a complete novice off road, I found the bike well balanced and perfectly capable travelling…

1998 Wins British Production Cup with GusScott 1999  Wins senior TT, F1 with David Jefferies 2000 2002 Makes debut in BSB, but struggles for outright pace 2002 Wins Senior TT and Production TT with David Jefferies 2003 Steve Hislop joins Virgin Yamaha as BSB champ, but is sacked mid-season 2004 Wins Senior TT with John McGuinness on board 2005 Wins Senior and Superbike TT with John McGuinness 2005 Virgin Yamaha introduce big-bang BSB R1. A taste of the future 2007 R1 wins WSB manufacturers’ title, Haga second in WSB 2009 Ben Spies (right) takes the WSB crown. Yamaha scoops the constructors’ title 2011 Tommy Hill on his R1 sneaks BSB title from John Hopkins 2010 Yamaha sign Ian Hutchinson but he is hurt before the TT 2015 Josh Brookes dominates…

‘They are giants in the technology aspect of US sportsbikes’PAUL WALKER BUELL OWNER AND MCN READER BUELL FACT FILE 1983 to 2009 Mostly 883/1203cc V-twins + 120-130mph + 84-100bhp Contacts www.ukbeg.com, www.buellxb.com Want one? £3500 (scruffy M2) to £5900 (mint XB12) No brand has a more chequered history, introduced so many innovations nor crashed and burned so spectacularly, as Buell. No wonder, then, that the now-defunct manufacturer, which married old school Harley-Davidson V-twin powerplants with radical, sporty chassis, engenders such strong emotions among owners. XB9SX-owning reader Andrew Statter is one of them. “I love the impracticality of this bike,” he told MCN. “I could have had any Yamaha, Honda or Suzuki but it was the rare, noisy, twitchy Buell that became my first bike in seven years. This untamed…

Anglesey may not be the UK’s most famous biking island (hello Isle of Man and friends), but it does have a lot to offer the discerning motorcyclist. As soon as you’ve crossed the Menai Bridge in Wales, exit the A55 and jump onto the A5025 (anti-clockwise round the island). And that’s pretty much it for directions; the road hugs the coast the entire way round the island. It’s not a fast sweeping road, more of a tight, nadgery and twisty stream of tarmac. Forget about trying to ride fast (unless you’re visiting the track), this is all about comfortable cruising and enjoying the views. Keep going until you reach Holyhead. From there, you can either shoot upwards to explore the largest town in Anglesey, or once you’ve crossed the A55…

Early Autumn is proving a great time for R5K-ers with some epic road trips as readers chase the sun. One trip that caught our eye was Russ McQuinlan’s adventure with 15 other Honda Blackbird owners for the 9th Annual Scottish Blackbird meet on some of the fastest, most flowing roads north of the border. “Guys came from the West and North of Ireland, North and South Wales and the New Forest, so we are doing our bit to promote riding 5000 miles a year. It was a great weekend, good craic and even the weather stayed dry,” said Russ. MCN’s staff have been piling on the miles recently too. Our Web Producer James Archibald clocked up 600 miles last weekend, while Senior Editor Matt Wildee hit 1800 miles in three…

We spoke to Hawk Racing boss Steve Hicken to find out his top-three trackday mods for your GSX-R1000R. The team runs Richard Cooper in National Superstock, Michael Dunlop on the roads and the BSB team of Taylor Mackenzie, Sylvain Guintoli and Bradley Ray. 1. “Fit a race shock. We use a Bitubo XXF31 across all our racing bikes. We’ve been developing them for the last four years.” 2. “After that you’d have to say maybe a set of Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SC2s for trackdays. With a shock, tyres and brake mods, Richard Cooper could lap within a second of his race bike.” 3. “If you’re going to do a lot of trackdays fit race bodywork and engine protectors…”…

HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE £21,245 Fuel 22.7 litres @49mpg = 245-mile range Weight 376kg Seat 685mm Power 88bhp Torque 110ftlb jordan.gibbons@motorcyclenews.com Although I’ve logged a lot of miles on my Street Glide, I hadn’t gone away on it. I’ve always loved Scotland, so I set the sat-nav for Aviemore and headed to Thunder in the Glens, a Harley Owners Group event. With all sorts of roads between my home in London and the event in the Cairngorms, I knew it would be a great test of the bike’s long-distance comforts and handling when loaded. I cruised up to Glasgow on the motorway and had no real complaints. The seat was comfortable, the cruise control a god-send and the batwing protected me well from the wind blast. Picking up my passenger, we…

Alpinestars Oscar Charlie Leather Jacket £489.99 Tester Simon Relph Time used 2500 miles What’s good? I’m of an age that remembers the Oscar range first time around, and am still the proud owner of a pair of original Alpinestars Roger De Coster boots – still going strong after 37 years. This Oscar Charlie leather jacket is in the same vein as my old boots: built to last. It oozes quality just looking at it, then, when picked up the weight and quality of the full-grain leather is obvious. It’s not only soft and supple, but thick too. The design is understated, with subtle branding, in the form of embossed leather patches. The feel is classic and simple, with two white stripes down each arm. It is also neatly detailed with…

Q Where can my daughter get some teenage kicks? I’m trying to get my daughter to go pillion, but at 17 she’s pretty style-conscious so I need a bit of an incentive to get her on there. Rick, Hampshire A Answered by Daisy Bell, www.ladybiker.co.uk Many manufacturers are designing boots with female pillions in mind and have a focus on the overall looks and style. However, this doesn’t mean you should take your eye off the essential safety requirements such as ankle and shin reinforcements as well as essential comfort elements like waterproofing and well-fitting linings. For those avoiding the ‘biker look’ altogether, the Forma Slam Dry boot offers offer CE-protection cunningly disguised in a pair of trainers, while the Falco Misty is a great-looking, chunky boot with…

Connecting rod The conrod connects the piston to the crankshaft via the crankpin and needs the strength to cope with massive loadings as the piston reverses its direction at the top and bottom of each stroke. The length of the rod, relative to piston stroke, dictates the rate at which the piston accelerates toward and away from the top of its stroke. A longer rod lingers near top dead centre, improving combustion efficiency with the benefits of increased torque and top end power. A shorter rod whips the piston away faster, which has the benefit of improving cylinder filling and performance at slower engine speeds. Crankshaft In the case of a single cylinder engine, the crank is turned by the power stroke of the piston, but the engine would stop…

Every now and again, a bike comes along that carves its own niche in the market, usually because it turns out to be a sales success and nobody else makes anything like it. In the viciously competitive 125cc market (which is a global market, after all) that’s rare. Honda did it with the CG125; a mechanically indestructible, ultra-simple, low-tech bike (I mean, pushrods? Really?) and more recently with its CBR125R. Yamaha seem to have done it with the MT-125, although the new Suzuki GSX-S125 follows the same path, as does KTM’s 125 Duke. There are no secrets to this – Yamaha took its brilliant YZF-R125 sportster, which toppled the CBR125R, stripped off the bodywork and turned it into a naked bike. It’s exactly what Triumph did to make their seminal…

GRAHAM ROBINS, GRAPHIC DESIGNER AT MOTOLEGENDS TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T100 “I think you can get a Triumph Bonneville T100 for about seven grand. It’s very retro and there are loads of bolt-ons for it. It’s also plenty fast enough, has a decent engine size and new ones are injected rather than carbed, which makes them easier to keep in tune. My dad’s had Bonnies most of his life, and I’m not sure there’s one you can’t like!” NIGEL EVERETT, RACING RESTORATIONS SUZUKI GS1000 “I’d probably go with a Suzuki GS1000, in order to build an XR69 race bike. I’ve recently built about half-a-dozen of them and they are relatively easy to work on. I’d then add a close-ratio gearbox. You end up with a £30,000 motorbike, but £7000 would be a…

1988-1989 Kawasaki KR1 Colours Firecracker Red, Polar White Dealer £3500 Private average £2750 Private good £3000 This one Imported from Japan, this bike is showing 4759 miles and is ready to be registered. £3495. 1988-1989 Kawasaki KR1 Colours Firecracker Red, Polar White Dealer £3500 Private average £2750 Private good £3000 This one A 1988 import, this bike has done 6226 miles and has some age-related marks. £4295. 1990-1991 Kawasaki KR-1S Colours Ebony, Metallic Zeus Blue Dealer £6000 Private average £4500 Private good £5000 This one £3400 buys you this recently restored early KR-1S. Has a daytime MoT only, due to lack of lights. 1991-1992 Kawasaki KR-1S C3/C4 Colours Lime Green, Blue 24, Pearl Alpine White, Firecracker Red Dealer £6000 Private average £4500 Private good £5000 This one 17,103 miles, immaculate,…

Pata Yamaha man Michael van der Mark made the almost perfect preparation for his dream ride on Valentino Rossi’s M1 this weekend by finishing second in race two – his first podium since he left Honda last winter. “I think we have now finally found a good base with our bike. And we only changed small things this weekend. This result was important for the team and me,” said van der Mark. He’s now getting mentally prepared for the challenge of filling in for the injured Rossi. “I think I won’t sleep for the coming week,” he grinned. “It should be an amazing experience. Yamaha told me to just enjoy it!”…

 Jonathan Rea moved closer to a dream third WSB title in a row with an emphatic display in Portugal last weekend. The 30-year-old Brit bagged pole position, two race wins and the fastest lap at Portimao. ‘My lead is massive. It would be brilliant to take the title at the next round’JONATHAN REA His charge to title number three was also helped massively by what can only be described as disastrous weekends for the only men that can possibly stop him – Tom Sykes and Chaz Davies. For Sykes it was over before it began following a horrifying crash in practice (see story, above right) while Davies crashed out of second place in the closing laps of race two. It means that Rea now has a 120-point advantage over Sykes…

‘I’m keen to stay with Honda but I don’t know if they feel the same’RACE-WINNER DAN LINFOOT Dan Linfoot backed up his wet weather win at Silverstone with a stunning race two win at Oulton park this weekend and it could have been three wins in a row had his engine not let go in Sunday’s opening race. The Honda Racing star says his maiden victory last time out didn’t feel like a win with just six other riders finishing the wet race, so there were still question marks over his performance coming into the Oulton Park round. Linfoot soon answered those questions with sublime pace in the wet. he quickly established a 10-second lead in the opening race before his Honda Fireblade SP2’s motor blew with just three laps…

Mossey misses out Luke Mossey decided to sit out both of Sunday’s races as he continues to struggle with injuries from Thruxton. Having broken his back in four places, the JG Speedfit Kawasaki man was keen not to further aggravate that injury in Sunday’s challenging conditions. Iddon unable to transform pace Christian Iddon was unable to transform his quick pace into race results this weekend. The Tyco BMW star crashed out of second in the opening wet race before dropping back to ninth in the dry second outing. Irwin seals a deal to stay at PBM It might have been an uninspiring weekend for Glenn Irwin who finished 12th and 11th in Sunday’s two races, but it was announced on Friday that he’ll remain with the Be Wiser PBM team…