RiDE July 2019

IF THANOS (evil space-Goliath from the Avengers films) rode a bike, it’d be this: the 2019 Triumph Rocket 3. Packing a brand-new, bigger-bore, shorter-stroke 2458cc engine, this titan claims 168bhp and a gut-curdling 163lb·ft of torque. This is the enlarged heart of Triumph’s new Rocket 3 TFC or Triumph Factory Custom. This means while it’s a production bike, it’ll only be made in limited numbers (just 750 worldwide) and cost a whopping £25,000. Components, as you might expect, are pleasingly posh. Brembo’s Stylema front brake calipers are as on the Ducati Panigale V4. Showa suspension (fat 47mm forks, new monoshock rear) is fully adjustable. The round TFT dash comes from Triumph’s Scrambler 1200. Hill-hold control, two-way quickshifter, cruise control and lean-sensitive rider aids are standard. And yet the Rocket’s trademark touches are…

Scarborough, North Yorkshire Looking forward to the racing once again at Oliver’s Mount. That’s me with several layers on (honest) with my BMW K1300S on the start line just before the 200+ mile trip back home. John Barber Picos de Europa, Spain This is my son’s and my ride through the Spanish Picos de Europa. We spent six days going around the Picos and a chunk of Northern Spain, covering 1400km with the sat nav set to; ‘avoid motorways’. Nick and Andrew Knight Scottish Highlands Thought I’d share my trip to the highlands for Your Rides. This photo was taken next to Loch Leven and I rode across to the A82. The best roads I’ve ridden in the UK for a long time. Eno Van Oost Algarve, Potugal March in the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e…

WE TOTALLY GET the mindset of little or no planning — just load up the bike and see what you can find. But if you want your ride to be memorable, for the right reasons, you need to do your homework. Dirt v tarmac The first thing to think about is the kind of riding you want to do: are you a dirt junkie and want the route less travelled, or do you want bend after bend of smooth mountain Tarmac? We think a mixture of both is the key but that doesn’t have to mean tight, rocky enduro trails. Some of the best adventure riding can be found by using unpaved public roads — some countries have roads that just don’t make sense to tarmac. Budget If you don’t have much,…

KTM also offers an R version, designed for more extreme off-road use. It uses the same engine, chassis, gearing, clocks, tank and bodywork but 100mm more suspension travel, a taller seat, a shorter (but still adjustable) screen and a tall, motocross-style mudguard. Rally mode allows the traction control to be tailored for different surfaces. I sampled the R at KTM’s Sweet Lamb Adventure Bike Experience, and its abilities allow an off-road novice like me to brim with confidence, but at the same time allow dude-ish off-road experts to do unspeakable things with it. Like the stocker, the key is perfect balance, meaning the R feels much lighter than its real 210-odd kilos and an engine that works as well at 2,000rpm as at 10,000rpm. The suspension means you can hit obstacles hard and…

Price £11,099 (£11,796.76 as tested) Engine 799cc parallel twin, 4v per cyl, l/c Power 94bhp @ 8000rpm Torque 65lb·ft @ 6600rpm Transmission 6-speed, chain Frame tubular-steel trellis Front suspension 43mm forks, 200mm travel, no adjustment Rear suspension monoshock, 200mm travel, adjustable preload Front brakes 320mm discs, 4-piston calipers Rear brake 260mm disc, 2-piston caliper Front tyre 90/90-21 Rear tyre 150/70-18 Wheelbase 1509mm Rake/trail 25.9°/107.8mm Seat height 830/850mm Kerb weight 214kg (measured) Fuel capacity 20 litres…

Price from £11,215 (£15,145 as tested) Engine 1254cc flat twin, 4v per cyl, l/c Power 134bhp @ 7750rpm Torque 105lb·ft @ 6250rpm Transmission 6-speed, shaft Frame tubular steel Front suspension 45mm forks, 140mm travel, no adjustment (optional semi-active) Rear suspension monoshock, 140mm travel, adjustable preload and rebound (semi-active optional) Front brakes 320mm discs, 4-piston calipers Rear brake 276mm disc, 2-piston caliper Front tyre 120/70 cR17 Rear Tyre 180/55 cR17 Wheelbase 1515mm Rake/trail 27.7°/125.6mm Seat height 820mm Kerb weight 248kg (msd) Fuel capacity 18 litres…