RiDE July 2018

AND IT’S ALL the better for it. Whether you want a hi-tech, high-speed sports tourer or a traditional roadster, big on charisma but free of unnecessary frills, there’s a bike for you — on one hand the supercharged H2 SX SE (p50), on the other the elegantly retro Z900RS (p16). And that’s just within the Kawasaki range. Elsewhere in this issue we have everything from the stunningly sporty Honda Fireblade (p80) to the great-value, no-frills naked Yamaha MT-07 (p70) and the bargain used Suzuki V-Strom 1000 adventure bike (p86). Hugely different machines but each one perfectly suited to the right rider. Finding the right bike among so many options is important but it’s even more crucial to find somewhere great to ride it. For inspiration, the Great British Ride Out continues on…

Martin Fitz-Gibbons Deputy editor Spray-on cleaners often feel like rinsing money down the drain. But I’ve just tried one product that won a RiDE Recommended triangle in this month’s test. I was amazed: the bike almost scrubbed and dried itself. Read this before buying another bottle. PAGE 102 Kev Raymond Features writer I haven’t had a chance to ride the Kawasaki H2 SX SE — yet — but as a mile-munching former owner of ZZ-R1100 and ZZR1400 missiles, it’s on my radar. Are we about to find out how much is too much for UK roads? I’m itching to know more. PAGE 50 Caroline Barrett Editorial assistant I love travelling and seeing new places — especially by bike. Would I like to ride around the world, though? That’s what Steph Jeavons did. Now she’s back, reflecting on her…

CHANGES IN THE LAW Nice to CE you THE LAW ON bike kit has changed. From April 21, any gear sold as motorcycle apparel is classed as personal protective equipment (PPE) so has to meet a quality standard and get a CE mark to prove it. Older readers may remember the BSI kitemark, showing a product had passed tests with the British Standards Institute. The CE mark — standing for Conformité Européenne (calm down, Mr Farage) — indicates a garment has been tested to the current standard, common across the European Union countries. Where it gets complicated is that there are different CE standards for different things. For example, in the past it’s been common for the armour in jackets to be tested to a CE standard while the rest of the jacket…

SAM SUNDERLAND After becoming the first Brit to win the Dakar Rally in 2017, KTM rider Sam Sunderland received the prestigious Segrave Trophy from the RAC. It makes him only the ninth motorcyclist since 1930 to receive the prize, awarded for “outstanding skill, courage and initiative on land, water and in air — the Spirit of Adventure”. SUZUKI ADVENTURE TRIPS Suzuki has launched a new range of aluminium luggage for its V-Strom 1000 (see p86 for how to buy a used one). The three-piece kit offers 112 litres of carrying capacity. Including fitting, it costs £1195 — which is substantial but saves more than £300 over buying the elements individually. If you’re in the market for a smaller, A2 adventure bike, the V-Strom 250 comes with free panniers (worth £625) until the end…

WEATHER Look, we all know it’s rubbish. Never mind the hottest April day for 70 years and one scorching weekend… by May Day we were scraping ice off the saddle in the morning and there were yellow rain warnings across virtually all of the country. If this is climate change, you can just keep it… TAX Yes, road tax has gone up again — to £88 a year (or £64 for 401-600cc, £42 for 151-400cc and £19 for sub-150cc). That’s ironic given the steadily deteriorating condition of the road network in the UK. According to a recent survey by the European Commission, the UK wasn’t in the top-ten countries for road quality by mid-2017 — with worse roads than Cyprus, Croatia and Finland. The best roads were in Holland, France and Portugal.…

Erg Chebbi, Morocco That’s me stuck in the sand when I went to Morocco with my friends Stuart and Harry. Most of the desert pistes we rode were pretty good. Charlie Cook Brecon Beacons, Wales Graham, me and Jos at the A4069 viewpoint during our long weekend in Wales — stunning scenery and empty, winding roads. Jerry Hayes Scarborough, England This is Oliver’s Mount in Scarborough on our tour of North Yorkshire — me with the BMW R1200RT, Mark on the Suzuki 1250 Bandit and my dad, Peter, on his BMW K1300GT. Simon Burgess Skye, Scotland Diverted from the North Coast 500 for a couple of days on Skye. This was taken on the A855 near Staffin. Roger Brydges La Rochelle, France Went to La Rochelle — the girls (Andrea and Michelle) wanted a beach holiday. All Pete Heap…