RiDE August 2016

Simon Weir Deputy editor I loved the Yamaha FZ1 Fazer - a great all-rounder that is no more. But now Yamaha have a new road bike built around an R1 sportsbike motor, the MT-10. I’m eager to see what Matt made of it on the launch. PAGE 58 Matt Hull Technical editor As a fan of road racing, there’s one event that somehow I still haven’t visited – and it’s time to put that right. Thankfully, this month we have a guide to the Ulster GP so I’ll get the best from the race when I go. PAGE 26 Kev Raymond Features writer After a career road-testing bikes I’ve always favoured full-face crash helmets. I do see the benefits of a flip-front but I just don’t know which ones are any good. Like you, I’ll…

“A 500cc boxer from an R5 plus a supercharger” WHILE WE WERE pounding the highways of France on two of BMW’s heavyweight tourers for this month’s cover story, the ever-questing German company were unveiling this minimalist retro custom. The R5 Hommage, which was one of the stars of the annual high-end automotive swank fest at Villa d’Este in Italy, is ostensibly to mark the 80th anniversary of the R5. That bike was a big leap forward in the 1930s, thanks largely to a lightweight frame that helped it perform way better than other 500s. The new show bike isn’t about high performance – rather, it’s bridging the retro-custom divide, in much the same way as a previous Villa d’Este bike, the Concept 90, which became the R nineT production bike. It was crafted by…

Spain Lee, Simon, Kev and me with our Honda CBR600RR, two Suzuki GSX-R600s and my Honda FireBlade at Boltaña, just off the N-260 in Spain. Who needs a GS to go the distance? Loved the tour – we did 1800 miles in six days –Jord Cowley Austria This was taken at the top of the Timmelsjoch pass, on a trip I did with my missus on our BMW K1600GTL. The weather was excellent –Ian Cooper Morocco Kamran on his Suzuki DR-Z400S and me on my Honda Africa Twin on a three-week tour of Morocco. This photo was taken on the gravel road between the Dadès and Todra gorges. It’s a beautiful country with fantastic people –Paul Webb Spain After an 11-day trip to Spain we left Soria on the N-111 to Bilbao. At Castañares, by the Río…

MID-WALES WHEN THE SUN shines on Wales, it shines on one of the most beautiful countries a motorcyclist could ever visit. The only motorway in the land hugs the south coast, and there are precious few dual carriageways. Instead the rolling hills and low mountains are crossed by miles of flowing roads that deliver brilliant riding from dawn to dusk. Now, some riders are wary of visiting Wales. They’ve been scared by stories of virulently anti-biker police – but the reality is that anyone who treats the roads and residents with respect is welcome. Besides, Wales is a big place and there simply aren’t enough policemen for one to be hiding behind every hedge with a speed camera. There are roads to suit all tastes: fast and flowing, like this one, the A483;…

BMW K1600GT SE £20,085 1649cc inline six 158bhp 332kg 24L tank 42mpg The big one: six cylinders of hi-tech tourer Triumph Trophy SE £14,599 1215cc inline triple 132bhp 321kg 26L tank 46mpg The British one: three cylinders, one World Cup, etc BMW R1200RT LE £17,445 1170cc boxer twin 123bhp 274kg 25L tank 47mpg The popular one: the biggest selling tourer in the UK Yamaha FJR1300AE £14,936 1298cc inline four 144bhp 292kg 25L tank 45mpg The new one: updated for 2016, now with six gears Kawasaki 1400GTR £13,836 1352cc inline four 158bhp 305kg 22L tank 41mpg The sporty one: higher pegs, bigger attitude, smaller fuel tank Honda ST1300 Pan European £14,699 1261cc V4 125bhp 329kg 29L tank 43mpg The long-running one: launched in 2002 and barely changed since THROWING BACK THE curtains, I see the sun is already climbing into a cloudless blue sky. Bees are buzzing in the…

The Trophy SE offers a lot of features as standard for just £14,599: a stereo; electronically adjusted suspension, cruise control; sockets for heated kit or accessories… Plus it’s comfy, has a good screen and great low-speed balance and of course it’s blessed with that sublime three-cylinder engine. Better still, it handles, applying its 132bhp to the road with light-footed precision but a reassuring level of stability. It is sensitive to suspension settings: a solo rider with the springs set for two is in for an unpleasant ride until the correct settings are selected. For us, that’s the weak point of the Trophy: the menus aren’t intuitive or easy to navigate; the switchgear is oversized and ergonomically poor; and the dash is functional but not beautiful. But even though this crucial rider interface…