RiDE May 2019

IF THIS IS the month that you have vowed to get back in the saddle, this issue is full of hints, tips and inspiration. If you’re like me, the start of the biking season proper is the most exciting time of the year. You might have ridden though winter, gritted your teeth through the bad weather and found joy in the good stuff or you might have hunkered down and left the bike in the garage. There’s nothing wrong with either but whatever you did, the thoughts of dry roads, sunshine and events are compelling. But as returning bikers, we must be aware of the risks — and many come a cropper in those first miles back. I’ve done it myself and therefore I urge you all to read our riding…

Martin Fitz-Gibbons Deputy editor According to a statistic I’ve either read or made up, the average British biker spends £101 on a pair of gloves. Given they also face a 101% chance of rain each year, which set of typically priced gloves is best for surviving a British summer? PAGE 68 Jim Blackstock Product Editor The unusual warm spell in February gave me a taste of summer and made me think about an odyssey of my own. I wasn’t sure where but the stunning images from Nathan Millward’s American Garbage Run should give me plenty of ideas... PAGE 104 Caroline Barrett Editorial assistant I’m looking forward to seeing what Simon thought of the new Honda CB500X. An A2-licence-friendly adventure bike for new riders can only be a good thing. He also rode the cheapest and most practical Honda,…

WHATEVER YOUR VIEWS on Brexit, it could potentially have an impact on our travel plans in the future — and as RiDE goes to press, that future is still up for grabs. None of this will affect you if you never leave these shores, but if you’re planning a foreign tour this year, it is important to know the ramifications and pre-empt potential problems of a no-deal Brexit. Of course, if we leave with a deal, not much will change to begin with, thanks to a transitional period and if we delay leaving the EU for a while, things will stay the same, at least for the short period of the extension. However, things start to get more complicated if all negotiations break down and we leave without any deal — if…

Richard Millington of Motorrad Tours runs up to 50 tours a year, many of them in Europe and he also provided much of the background for this story. “No-one knows what is going to happen imminently and no-one can plan with any certainty for the unknown. What will NOT happen is that the tunnel to France gets bricked up and travel is banned. The ferries will sail, the trains will run and the Alps will remain a great place to ride.” Neil Leigh from Ardenne-Eifel Adventures organises road and track holidays, many of them focussed on track time at the Nürgburgring and Spa circuits. “My biggest concern is needing holiday insurances instead of the EHIC. This could be a potentially expensive hike and motorcycling is probably not perceived by the insurance…

THIS SPORTY AIR-COOLED streetfighter makes 110bhp, weighs less than a Kawasaki Z1000 and looks like it came from an Italian factory. It has a tubular-steel trellis frame, fully adjustable Showa suspension, four-piston radial brakes and supersport-size Pirelli tyres. Cutting-edge electronics include a colour TFT display, smartphone connectivity, and Bosch cornering ABS and traction control. Practical touches include belt final drive, no need to change the oil or check valve clearances, and no need to visit a petrol station. Ever. This is the Zero SR/F and, yes, it’s electric. But it’s no distant dream or convoluted concept — this is a real production bike arriving in May. And while it’s far from cheap (from £16,490 after the £1500 UK government grant) it’s still cheaper than rival electric roadsters such as Energica’s Eva…

AT A TIME when new bike prices seem to climb ever skywards, some relief: Honda has cut nearly two grand off its pair of CB1100 retros. Powered by the same 88bhp, 1140cc air-cooled four, the CB comes in racy RS and classic EX versions. The RS, with its chunky Showa forks, radially mounted brakes and sporty 17in tyre sizes, was £11,899 last year; it’s now £9999. The EX has more chrome, spoked 18in wheels and higher handlebars and has dropped from £11,499 to £9799. If PCP’s your thing, either can be had for £119 a month. Great news for buyers, less for owners watching their residual values tumble……