Sommaire pour May 2017 de RiDE

YOUR NEXT GREAT RIDE THE NORTH YORK MOORS 54.335184, -0.694653 THE NORTH YORK Moors is one of our favourite places to ride. This hairpin is on Saltergate Bank on the A169, by the Hole of Horcum – a vast 400ft-deep depression that legend says was created by a giant scooping out the earth to throw at his wife (geologists have a different explanation). Regardless of how the landscape was really formed, it’s a large part of the attraction of riding up here. It’s wild, windswept and, on a sunny day, utterly beautiful. The Moors are bordered by the A171 and A170 to the north and south, with the sea to the east and the A19 and A172 to the west. Within those boundaries lies a riding paradise. This A169 is…

“It’s mid-week so the traffic is refreshingly light for Kent” EVERYONE LOVES THE Great British Seaside. Who cares if there’s a risk of sand in your ice cream, gull poo on your bike seat and chips so deep-fried the potato has vaporised and left behind a fossilised exoskeleton of incinerated cooking fat? The GBS holds a special allure for riders because getting there is at least as good as, if not better than, actually being there. The year’s first run to the seaside is a regular springtime rite of passage, heralding the start of the new riding season. I’m heading off on BMW’s R1200GS – in this year’s Triple Black special edition colours (which are, predominantly, black). I bomb down from the M20 in north Kent, then veer off the…

WHY DID WE decide to go to Cologne? Well, my wife Carole and I had never been there when she had to go for work. She could have gone on her own quite quickly but I opted to tag along, making a trip of it, because I fancied a beer and a sausage. We take an evening crossing to France and stay at Béthune, an hour or so inland, ready for an early start the next day. We’re staying off the motorways where we can and the contrast between France and Belgium is a surprise – suddenly the road surface is a lot worse (this is the poor bit of Belgium - the coal mining and faded industry of Mons and Charleroi). At first, every other building is either a…

IS THERE A better way to spend a May Bank Holiday than beside the sea? Well, yes – if you’re riding this route. From the seaside resort of Porthmadog, it loops into the glorious foothills of Snowdonia, heading further inland to scenic Lake Vyrnwy, before clambering through the rugged peaks north of Machynlleth to return to the seaside at Barmouth. It’s a route that’s fun whenever you ride it – but on a spring Bank Holiday with the sun high in the sky, it’s as close to heaven as it gets in North Wales. SEE Portmeirion Sir Clough Williams-Ellis created this iconic Italian-style village, which was the setting for Sixties sci-fi series The Prisoner, just outside Porthmadog. It’s a great place to spend your morning, with potteries, shops, cafes and…

Pocket Guides #14: Touring under canvas A bike and a tent is one of the most flexible and independent forms of travelling there is. Having transport that allows you to get pretty much anywhere and the gear to let you stay pretty much anywhere means that, well, going anywhere is possible. Most of us have had a thoroughly miserable camping experience at some point and those ones have a tendency to stick with us more than the good ones, but don’t let one bad experience put you off. With well-selected camping gear, kept simple and to a healthy minimum, you can be warm, comfortable and raring to go the next day. Here’s how: THE TENT Your high street, twenty quid special won’t do. It’ll weigh a ton, take up acres…

“One of the most compelling motorcycles ever” REPUTATIONS ARE HARD to shift. To most riders KTM stands for three things - dirt bikes, rawness and aggressive excess. And yet KTM’s new 1290 Super Adventure S is none of these. It’s outrageously sophisticated and a comprehensive all-rounder that overflows with indulgence. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the most compelling and complete road bikes ever made. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First, the obvious points. Yes, KTM already has a 1290 Super Adventure – the towering white machine launched in 2015 with a 30-litre tank and a ballistic 158bhp, 1.3-litre V-twin engine. That bike continues into 2017 but changes its name to the Super Adventure T (see p48). The bike being launched today…

“While the 1090 might have no extra capacity, it does have plenty of extra poke” PLAYING FAST AND loose with names, numbers and engine sizes isn’t new. Honda’s VFR800 doesn’t have 800cc. BMW’s R1200GS isn’t quite a 1200. But KTM are particularly guilty: from old Duke 620s and 640s, through their 950 and 990 V-twins to the latest 390 and 1290 motors, the label never matched the capacity. The planets aligned for 2015’s 1050 Adventure, which did have a true 1050cc. But now the 1050 has been replaced by this new 1090 Adventure – which, despite the name, continues to use the 1050cc engine. Phew – the disorder is restored. But while the 1090 might have no more capacity, it does have plenty of extra poke. The original 1050 was…

“Pillions sit in a natural position for holding the rider” WITH A PILLION The stumpy tail unit may make the pillion seat look small, but this is a great bike for carrying a pillion. The near-perfect riding position and good low-speed balance mean it’s you hardly notice you have anyone on the back at lower speeds in town. But use the clutch to change gear, as it’s much smoother than relying on the quickshifter on light throttle openings. The presence of a pillion is more noticeable as speeds rise, but not much. There’s not a great deal of space behind the pillion, but the actual seat is ample – wide, flat and it doesn’t perch them high above the rider. There’s no grabrail but they sit in a natural position…

SEAT Touratech single seat gives more even padding and leaves more room behind it for luggage. ENGINE Exhaust system, performance air filter, airbox mods and jet-kit bring performance up GET TOUGH Under the standard sump guard is a heavy-duty 6mm alloy guard for extra protection FORK IT UP Stiffer fork springs improve a traditionally soggy front end WHEELS Excel rims are much stronger and 18 inch rear gears bike up for cruising THERE ARE PLENTY of old-model Africa Twins, but plenty won’t be in standard trim - and even if you find one that is, you might want to consider some upgrades. As a long-running model, there are lots of aftermarket accessories to make your Africa Twin exactly the bike you need. What can you do? This XRV750 RD07 is…

 It depends. And what it mostly depends on is whether it’s still on its original tyres. Pretty much every owner hates the OE Pirelli Scorpion Trail rubber. It’s not so much that they’re bad tyres, but they don’t suit this bike. Owners say they’re okay on warm, dry tarmac, but they’re unresponsive in the cold and downright scary in the wet. “Low-speed balance on both generations of bike is excellent” Brakes on the early model are linked front to rear - some owners love it, some hate it. Happily, they’re not linked from 2015-on. Low-speed balance on both models is excellent - this bike is a natural for a longer commute that takes in faster roads and a bit of clogged city traffic. And it’s fine on smooth roads in…

Service schedule The Crossrunner was one of the first modern Hondas to move away from pointless 4000-mile interim ‘services’ designed simply to increase workshop traffic. Basic intervals are 8000 miles - and that’s just an oil and filter change and a general check, tighten and inspection. Every other service sees valve clearances and spark plugs checked (and replaced at 32,000 miles), as well as the air filter replaced. Brake and clutch fluid is changed every two years, coolant every three. There’s no specific requirement for re-greasing steering head bearings or suspension and swingarm pivots, but you’d be wise to include it at a major service. Like all V4s, the engine plumbing is a nightmare, but if you’re methodical most servicing work is within the scope of a competent home mechanic…

Large tailpacks Oxford Aqua T-50 £65 www.oxfordproducts.co.uk Large, easy to use and very rugged waterproof rolltop tailpack. Massive 70-litre version is a fiver more. Bags Connection Racepack £208 www.motohaus.com Huge, well made, very stable – and very expensive. The Bentley of tailpacks. BMW Large Softbag £155 www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk Huge, versatile, very easy to use. Designed for BMW racks but works on any bike. Compact tailpacks Givi EA107B £77 www.givi.co.uk Well-made, easy to load and simple to fit. Only showerproof, so use the rain cover. BMW Small Softbag £120 www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk Solid base and sides, waterproof main chamber, high quality. Classy and flexible. Kriega US30 £109 www.kriega.com Rugged but soft-sided waterproof bag is easy to fill and simple to fit securely. Rollbags Hein Gericke 65L rollbag £15 www.hein-gericke-outlet.com Cost-effective luggage. A big, simple,…

FOR THE PAST few weeks, I’ve been living with the Suzuki GSX-S1000F, having taken the keys from my predecessor as he headed off to the world of four-wheeled journalism. “It’s the most comfortable bike ever,” Colin enthused, which wasn’t how I remembered it, having ridden one back from the south of France in one hit the year before. But you know what? When you’re not in the saddle for twice as long as is sensible, it really is comfy. We’re not talking big tourer/ big trailie levels of roominess, but the reach to the bars is relaxed, even my long legs aren’t cramped, the tall touring screen does just enough to limit the windblast and the seat is plenty plush enough for journeys lasting up to the two hours it…

#1 Look after your head The helmet is the most important piece of riding gear. It’s designed to last between five and seven years, before the outer shell gets too brittle and the expanded polystyrene (EPS) liner loses its ability to absorb impacts. Here’s how to keep your lid in top condition and make it last as long as possible: Check for damage If it’s been dropped or knocked, it may be cracked. If the exterior is scuffed, check the EPS behind it hasn’t collapsed. There’s no point working on a lid that’s too badly damaged to wear. Clean the shell Soak any dried-on filth or flies with wet kitchen roll, then wash with a soft, clean sponge. Don’t use any solvent-based cleaner or degreasers. Washing-up liquid is fine as…

Andrew Dalton’s article about a reader having trouble after meeting meeting horse riders on a trail (Legal Q&A, April) compelled me to write. I ride horses, mountain bikes and motorbikes, run, walk and drive a Land Rover Defender. I love to acknowledge waves from people sharing the same mode of transport but why do people get so short with users of a different saddle? There seems to be a constant battle between cyclists and car drivers in the south. Our local forest banned mountain bikers for years - but is now a mountain biking centre and they’ve banned horse riding. I see fast drivers get annoyed with slow drivers and vice versa, cyclists gesturing to cars and everyone swearing at tractors. Our little country is too small for any group…

IN 2005, BIG-CAPACITY sportsbikes were serious news. After a brief injection of market-leading technology into the sports 600s market in 2003, the factories returned their focus to the bigger capacity machines in 2004. Honda launched the 1000cc Fireblade and Kawasaki the ZX-10R, while Yamaha’s R1 received a substantial makeover. Arriving a year later, the revised GSX-R faced some serious competition – and not just from the other manufacturers’ machines. The GSX-R1000 was only five years old, so those with more of an eye on their bank balance suspected there was nothing wrong with the previous versions. This made every difference between the models worthy of close examination, even though there had been only two models before the newly minted K5 GSX-R. So RiDE set out to establish which version of…

“This isn’t the kind of thing most people do on a normal bike trip” “It’s easy to forget that carrying a passenger is a skill” IT’S FAIR TO say that most riders’ idea of a biking trip is about getting away from it all on empty roads in sun-drenched countryside. You know: blue skies framing a landscape traversed by an invitingly coiled line of tarmac, promising hour after traffic-free hour carving through corners and rattling down straights a bit quicker than normal, while nobody’s watching. Trouble is, that’s not always what the pillion fancies. Some days, great. Other days… well, there’s just not much to do, is there? Besides, in our increasingly urbanised island, it’s harder and harder to get to those kinds of empty landscapes. What we do…

BREST CELTIC HERITAGE CIDER AND CAKE THE END OF THE WORLD Well, more or less. The Pointe du Raz, the other side of the bay from Brest, is France’s equivalent of Land’s End - next stop America. Less than three hours from St Malo, there’s a Celtic vibe to the region, with place-names and signs in both French and Breton. Make sure you try the excellent seafood as well as Kouign Amann - the local cake - washed down with farm cider. MUST-RIDE ROAD: The D712 from Landernau to Landivisiau. NANTES FOOD AND WINE CULTURE MECHANICAL ELEPHANTS! Yes, really - as well as the Estuaire art project, which dots scupltures and installations up and down the river, the old naval dockyards are home to an ever-expanding collection of animated steampunk…

You paid. Now insurer should Q I WAS INVOLVED in a no-fault accident in France. The insurance company transported my six-month-old bike back to the UK, then scrapped it and offered me a settlement figure for it. However, they refused to offer any amount for modifications, even though their website says “unlimited modifications – let us know and it’s covered.” I had fitted about £2000-worth of accessories on the bike – panniers, topbox, engine bars, heated grips and an extended screen – as the bike was for touring. The policy I took out was comprehensive and I declared all the accessories but the insurer has refused to pay out for them. When I challenged them on this, they said that by “covered” they mean they are covered from a legal…

“A cold rider is preoccupied and reaction times slow” JUST AS THE cabin fever was taking hold of my final threads of sanity, the sun came out and nibbled a tyre-sized path through the stubborn Canadian snow and ice. It was time to jump-start the battery and get out there before the laziness kicked in! The thought of getting back on the bike after so long filled me with energy and I raced to the bedroom, where I put on my faithful old longjohns with childlike anticipation. Like my sanity, my Jofama longjohns are hanging by a thread. They’ve seen better days for sure. Three years on the road have taken their toll but they still work and, with three more layers quickly applied, I was good to go. Rhonda…

THE FIRST THING you notice about the new Ducati Supersport is its looks. It’s beautiful. From the front, it has the face of the Panigale superbike, with trick daytime running lights and no hint of road bias. But as you walk around it you begin to notice details that suggest it’s not the bike you might expect from the front view. There’s the adjustable screen, the high bars and sensible seat height – and what even looks like a pillion perch actually designed for carrying a human being. The Bologna factory calls the Supersport and Supersport S ‘road sportsbikes.’ It admits the flagship Panigale range has, through evolution, become more extreme and less friendly for everyday riding. The new Supersport range is designed to cope with everything from two-up touring…

This new S version sits alongside, rather than replaces, the existing 1290 Super Adventure - which continues into 2017 with a new ‘T’ suffix (for Touring) and a £15,499 price tag. It doesn’t benefit from the S’s new all-LED headlight, keyless ignition, colour dash and improved switchgear, nor its optional quickshifter or Bluetooth connectivity. Instead it has a 30-litre petrol tank (seven more than the S), heated grips and seat as standard, spoked wheels, and weighs 11kg more.…

“It’s sophisticated, powerful, light and aggressive” NO, IT’S NOT a typo. The new Street Triple is now powered by a 765cc engine, replacing the beloved 675cc triple that’s been at its heart since 2007. But that extra 90cc doesn’t come close to the full story of what’s changed. There’s also new suspension, brakes, tyres, electronics, gearing, swingarm and steering geometry, and a 2kg diet. But perhaps most notable of all is this brand-new version: the Street Triple RS. The RS is the lightest, most powerful, sophisticated, aggressive and most capable version of the Street Triple that Triumph have ever made – and also the most expensive. At £9900 on the road, this leaves the ‘budget middleweight’ tag far behind on both counts. As the showcase model, the RS is the…

THE NEW MT-09 is good fun and great value – it’s everything the original model was, but a little bit better in every area. If you dismiss it as just another naked middleweight, you are doing it a huge disservice – it’s flexible and (for a naked bike) practical, as happy on a quick blast on your local lanes as it is transporting you for mile after mile. And, in our experience, those miles will be fun. It does have its limitations, though, and some of the updates could have gone further. The suspension may have improved, but it could still be better. Coupled with the short wheelbase, that can create some uncomfortable pothole-crashing moments. Your left boot can rub against the swingarm if you ride on your toes, while…

Not many bells and no whistles at all, at least on first-generation models. That gives you the excellent VFR engine, frame and most of the rear end, including single-sided swingarm and wheels, but the suspension and brakes are pretty basic, with limited adjustment and crude damping. You get ABS as standard, with semi-linked brakes (the front lever operates two of the front caliper’s three pistons, the rear pedal operates the rear caliper and one front piston), HISS immobiliser system, LED lights front and rear, and a well-featured LCD dash (borrowed from the CBR600). And that’s about it. The later model has a more generous spec sheet, with a better dash, better quality, more adjustable suspension (with preload and rebound adjustment at both ends, including a remote preload adjuster at the…

“If you lose both keys, your ECU will have to be replaced” 1 ENGINE Nothing to see here, move along. Not one owner we spoke to had a bad word to say about the engine and basic running gear. And none had suffered any significant breakdown. 2 KEYS Don’t lose them! Because of the built-in HISS immobiliser system, if you lose both keys then your ECU is scrap and will have to be replaced. You can get extra keys cut and coded by a Honda dealer so long as you have at least one key and the numberplate, so make sure you get both keys when you buy a used bike, and keep the spare somewhere safe. It might be worth getting an extra spare cut just in case. 3…

 MANY OWNERS WILL hate me for saying it, but the Crossrunner really is well worth a second look, especially the updated 2015-on version. Why will they hate me? Well, because they’re mostly pretty happy to be riding something a bit unusual that’s often dismissed by the mainstream and is therefore a bit of a bargain, because that image serves to keep used prices low. “It follows hard in the wheeltracks of other overlooked Hondas” So, far from banging the drum for their chosen ride, owners tend to prefer to keep quiet about it. In that respect the Crossrunner’s following hard in the wheeltracks of other overlooked Hondas that have gained enthusiastic, loyal followings - from the CX500 to the NC700 and 750. via the Transalp, Deauville and Revere, there’s always…

YOU’RE HEADING OFF on a biking holiday, but don’t want the cost, bulk, weight or commitment that comes from fitting hard luggage. You want a more temporary solution, something that gives a healthy haul of extra carrying capacity when the mood or the opportunity arises, but with the ability to be completely removed in a matter of moments. Something that can live in the hotel room while you’re out on a daytrip, or in the garage between tours. What you want is a set of throwover panniers. Pick the right pair and they’ll swallow all the kit you need for a week or more on the road, mount snugly and securely to your bike’s tailpiece and last for years to come. But rush the decision and you could end up…

“For bang for your buck, this helmet’s very hard to beat” 1 Helmet: Shark Spartan Carbon Skin £350   www.nevis.uk.com A light, comfy helmet with a double-D-ring fastner and a decently dark drop-down sun visor - operated by a stepless slide on the top of the head (which is okay to use, but still a little fiddly). It has clever vents and spoilers that do keep the plush interior reasonably cool, and it’s impressively quiet. The visor comes with a MaxVision Pinlock and stays mist-free, as do my specs. My usual helmet is the top-of-the-range Shark Race-R Pro, which is lighter, plusher, better vented and has a far better visor - but it costs £240 more. In terms of bang for your buck, this helmet is very hard to beat.…

“As I get higher, the sun burns the fog away” THE STORY SO FAR A year of commuting, fast road riding, trackdays (including an unfortunate get-off at Rockingham) and bolt-ons culminates in a trans-Iberian blast on Suzuki’s affordable do-it-all middleweight V-twin roadster. SIX DAYS AGO I packed my 1999 Yamaha R6 and some riding gear into a steel crate in Swindon and waved it all goodbye in preparation for my first European trackday in the south of Spain. But instead of taking the short flight to Cartegena to meet with my bike at the track (like a normal person) I opted to get the ferry to Santander and ride my SV test bike on the most scenic of routes. A solo trip that would take the best part of…

IT’S A SAD day, but one that had to come eventually. It’s time for the Indian Scout Sixty to be returned and, I’m sure, find its forever home with someone who will enjoy it just as much as I have. I’ve had a great time with the bike – my first experience of living with a cruiser has been a positive and eye-opening one. There have been a few negatives: I had to have the clocks replaced, under warranty; and a new battery and horn have been fitted. I’d have liked a fuel gauge rather than just a light, and a tad more power (though I’m told this can be achieved with a new exhaust and mapping). There are so many ways to customise this bike, and I would have…

YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE Biggest ever crowds at Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show RECORDS WERE BROKEN at this year’s Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show. There were 22 manufacturers present (more than ever before) with more new models, attracting the biggest ever crowd of 39,811 visitors over the three days. As well as the production bikes, the show saw plenty of competition metal on display. There were Tyco BMW and FS-3 bikes from British Superbikes, Ducati’s MotoGP machines were fired up on the Saturday and Sam Sunderland, the first Brit to triumph in the Dakar rally, rode through London to the show on his winning KTM race bike. Indeed, racing was at the very heart of the show. In the centre of the hall, race legends John McGuiness,…

STAR PICTURE Scottish coast-to-coast I did a daytrip from Stonehaven on the east coast of Scotland to Mallaig on the west coast – 432 miles in one day. This shot was taken on the coast road from Arisaig, with the Isle of Rùm in the background – Archie Pole Wales My partner Cazz with her Triumph Street Triple, and my BMW F800, on the single-track mountain pass between Trawsfynydd and Llanuwychllyn – Josh Hoole Oliver’s Mount Me and my father-in-law, Mario Sardo, at the top of Oliver’s Mount in Scarborough. A few laps with the sun on your back, followed by a cup of tea and the best cake around. It doesn’t get better! – Ben Hawkins Mont Ventoux My mate Ian and I both have tourers but we left…

1 York  Go for: Steam trains • The Shambles • Vikings Masses to see and do in York, from the Jorvik Viking Centre to the National Railway museum - and the living history of the old city walls, the Minster, the castle and the ancient city centre, the Shambles. Must-ride road: A166 York to Driffield 2 Newcastle upon Tyne  Go for: Galleries • Angels • Drinking You’ll always have a great night out in Newcastle. But it’s not just a party city - it’s crammed with galleries and museums. Just remember that the massive Angel of the North is in Gateshead, not Newcastle… Must-ride road: A696 Newcastle to Otterburn 3 Norwich  Go for: Tombland • Modern art • Market The old town around Norwich’s huge cathedral, Tombland, is packed with…

“A car bomb went off in the town I was staying in” LEARNT TO RIDE a motorcycle in Indonesia while I was there teaching English as a foreign language. My parents were against the idea so I didn’t tell them until later. Back in the UK I bought a Triumph Bonneville and for my first trip ventured into France and rode around the Alps. I’d always been interested in seeing the world and the following year I fancied going a little farther, so I quit my job as a secondary school teacher and headed East. My destination was Iran. I went on the Bonneville because that’s the bike I had and it was the bike I liked riding. Like most people, I was carrying far too much stuff when I…

Isn’t it early to be heading to Scotland? Not a bit of it – you’ll beat the rush. Though you don’t need to go this second, as the weather is more touch-and-go in spring. But it’s worth sorting your accommodation out soon if you want to stay there this summer – particularly if you’re booking for a group. Skye’s a popular destination and leaving it to the last minute may limit your choices. Is it so small that we won’t get a bed? No. Skye’s by far the biggest of the Inner Hebrides and is one of the largest of the British Isles (apart from Britain and Ireland, only the conjoined mass of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides is bigger). But the towns on Skye aren’t large and…

“There’s a strong midrange but it kicks hard at the top end” FLAT-OUT IN TOP gear with my head behind its screen and the bright blue ocean up ahead, the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000R is well into top gear and doing maybe 170mph when it flashes past the Phillip Island pit straight’s 200m marker. I sit up and squeeze the front brake lever. As the bike slows, a black GSX-R comes past on my right, its rider wearing a distinctive white, red and blue helmet, with a name in yellow letters on the back of the leathers: Schwantz. The next turn is a fourth-gear right-hander and I’m directly behind the tall figure as he carves through the bumpy Doohan Corner. By the time I touch the brake and change down a…

“Something a bit old school and retro with a touch of fun” WHO’S THE KING Every king needs a crown and the winner of the Battle of the Kings gets one on this custom fuel tank. Paintwork is by Image Design Custom ONE-OFF PIPEWORK The complex pipework on the Beach Bobber is a one-off and was crafted by Shaw Speed and Custom DECKED OUT Santa Cruz skateboard bash plate adds a touch of fun to the Beach Bobber HARLEY- DAVIDSON SAY more than 80 per cent of bikes leaving their showrooms have some form of personalisation. To inspire even more customisation, the Milwaukee motorcycle giant created the ‘Battle of the Kings’ competition for dealers to showcase their talents. Each dealer picks a base model from the Dark Custom range, which…

“The triple provides instant acceleration and a barking soundtrack” B-ROADS A lack of fairing isn’t a burden on B-roads, where the MT-09’s triple provides instant acceleration and a barking soundtrack. The engine has three modes. The baseline is the STD mode, with A being more aggressive and B less. It remembers which mode you’re in when you turn it off. There’s little difference between A and STD at bigger throttle openings or higher revs, but A’s eagerness is often too much low down or from a shut throttle. B mode is smoother and more linear, with less chance of inadvertent throttle surges. Exit a 30mph limit in third and the MT-09 picks itself up like a pointer eyeing a rabbit. Either take the revs to the 11,000rpm limit and flick…

“Whether you choose an XRV or CRF, you’re onto a winner” I TOOK MY OLD Africa Twin RD07 down to Gibraltar,” says Dave Busby, director of Africa Twin specialists, Stafford Motorcycles. “I caught the ferry to Morocco then followed some of the original Paris-Dakar rally route from Mazurka to Zagora: 5000 miles of sand and no problems. That’s why people love the old Africa Twin.” Busby has had a long affair with Africa Twins. He sells them, restores them and has owned both an automatic and manual version of the new model, the CRF1000L. Even his better half rides an RD07A, the last of the old XRV750 models. So he’s in a perfect position to help us understand why both generations of this utilitarian machine are held in such high…

“The 916 is a high-strung, complex Italian V-twin” #20 Ducati 916 Where did it come from? Geographically, from the Cagiva Research Centre in San Marino. Mechanically, it was a development of Ducati engineer Massimo Bordi’s earlier four-valve, belt cam 851 and 888 engine. Financially, it was backed by Cagiva owner Claudio Castiglioni. But the styling came straight from the pen of a genius - Massimo Tamburini. A founder member of Bimota, he later designed the equally beautiful MV Agusta F4, but it’s for the 916 that he’ll be best remembered. What changed? Surprisingly little. The 916 ran from 1994 to 1998, before gaining capacity as the 996, then again (with a revised cylinder head design) as the 998 in 2002. There were detail changes, as well as various posher variations…

“The chap hops off on to the next bike, grazing saddles” IT’S JUST AFTER 8am on the Saturday of the Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show at the ExCeL in Docklands. There are already staff on many of the stands – particularly those for manufacturers, where bikes are being polished, ready for another day of visitors. There’s a hush across the hall. I’m feeling slightly self-conscious in an orange/white/black KTM team shirt. I’m spending a morning working on the stand and, even though I went to my first bike show 30 years ago, I have no idea what to expect. KTM’s marketing manager Ross talks me through what’s expected: talk to people coming to the stand, answer questions about the bikes, give those who are interested a brochure or sign…

Good turn with old tools You had some suggestions for what readers could do with old tools (April). Readers could also look up “old tools to Africa” in their internet search engines and find one of the many voluntary groups that takes in, refurbishes and ships tools out to poor and developing communities in Africa. Even here in West Wales there was no problem finding a local group that is delighted to have donations. Wyn Edwards Stand that also delivers A gadget I use as an alternative to paddock stands is a Wheel Spinner. It is a wedge-shaped device with two steel rollers set about 5 inches apart. You back the bike onto it so the rear wheel rests between the rollers then place the puck under the sidestand and…

Bolt-on beauty The Custom Chrome Europe stand had this gorgeous matt-finished 883 Iron (with 1200 conversion) showcasing Rev Tech wheels and bolt-on parts designed by Fred Kodlin – all of which can be bought from www.www.customchromeeurope.comcustom-chromeeurope.com French. Fancy This is the Midual Type 1 – 1036cc of flat-twinned, hand-made, high-spec, limited-run French elegance. It’s a thing of mad beauty, from the clocks in the tank to the leather seat to the beautifully finished frame. When you win the lottery, go to www.midual.com Rough and ready This Aprilia Mille conversion in the bike park showed you can make anything into a café racer Cool customer Not all the cool customs were in the show halls. We really liked this beautifully finished BMW K100 café racer in the bike park…

Competitive custom We particularly liked this Indian, called ‘Torn Up,’ from Krazy Horse. It was one of the Suffolk builder’s entries in the show’s custom competition. Any time, any place… We’d ride this Martini-Honda NX650 Dominator anywhere. Yes, it really is a Dommie, made beautiful by Dorset’s Moore Speed Racing. Heavy hitter Custom builder Colin Treleaven took an Indian Scout 60 and turned it into this stunning, muscular machine – called ‘Thor’ – for the show’s custom competition.…