RiDE September 2019

THERE IS NO getting away from the fact that motorcycling is an expensive game in every respect. Nothing about being a biker is ever really cheap – if it is, there’s usually some kind of catch. This issue of RiDE isn’t about cheapness for the sake of it. It’s not about riding around on aged, knackered bikes while wearing wellies and a 30-year-old lid when you don’t have to. Instead, it’s about getting the most from your hard-earned biking pound. To help with this, we’ve spoken to experts throughout the motorcycling community to uncover the best deals and the secret hints and cheats that help you get more from all aspects of biking — and for less dosh while you’re at it. And remember — for any money you save, we want 10%...…

Martin Fitz-Gibbons Contributor I’ve seen – or rather heard – the difference an aftermarket screen can make when I was part of an experiment measuring hearing damage (RiDE, June issue). So, which screen is best for the UK’s most popular sports-tourer, the Kawasaki Z1000SX? PAGE 80 Jim Blackstock Product Editor I rode MFG’s Yamaha Tracer 900 GT test-fleet bike last year and really enjoyed its combination of practicality and fun. However, I — like Martin — found it wanting and I’m keen to see how long-term owners have dealt with its shortcomings. PAGE 32 Simon Hargreaves Contributor Triumph’s Scrambler 1200 XE promises retro-styled adventures. Ever the optimist, MFG puts it to the test in Rallymoto’s Welsh rally — 300 miles of forest trails, mud baths and river crossings. Place your bets on who goes the distance... PAGE 100…

TF YOU’VE NOT heard of the case of Darren Emanuel, then take a moment to hear his plight. Darren was your average biker with a VFR800 for weekends, who decided to start commuting to his job in central London. So he bought himself an R1200RT for comfort and ease of maintenance, then stuck a hi-viz Polite vest on to stay safe. One day while riding home from work, a copper on a bike pulled him over, claiming that, in his bike gear, on his bike, he looked like a police officer. He wrote him up for it and sent him on his way but not before contacting his insurers, resulting in Darren’s cover being cancelled. Months later it went to court, where Darren was convicted. Various news outlets got hold…

“Of course, there are a number of key differences between a ‘Polite’ over- jacket and a real police jacket but as a road user, I’ve been mistaken before – and I’m sure others have too. “My first moment of confusion was when I stumbled on a rider on a white VFR800. I was abiding by the speed limit in an urban area so there was no panic but it’s not surprising if others have been confused. After all, there is only one letter’s difference... “Many bikers have an opinion on these vests — good and bad and I can understand why riders feel the need to be seen. The rise of flouro kit in recent years is testament to that, but wearing one of these isn’t the way forward when there are…

‘No valid reason for wearing one’ “I see no valid reason for wearing one of these ridiculous vests/jackets other than to look like a police motorcyclist. Wear hi-viz if you believe it will improve your safety but I think anticipating other people’s moves, reading the road and being prepared are far better options.” Dave Wilmot ‘I stopped wearing hi-viz’ “I stopped wearing hi-viz vests after I had three people pull out in front of me at junctions. I found learning to ride the IAM way, you move about on the road more and aren’t stuck in the middle.” Jonathan Dorward ‘Nearly 40 years and no accidents’ “I wear a white crash helmet sometimes on a police-style bike wearing a hi-viz yellow jacket identical to the police one. My life and the use of what still works of…

DUCATI’S NEW STREETFIGHTER V4 has broken cover at the Pike Peak International Hill Climb. Although this machine is a racer version for Carlin Dunne, Ducati has admitted that it will form the basis of the final production machine. The naked beast uses the same stonking V4 Panigale motor but with different internals to give more midrange at the expense of top end. The 1103cc engine should still put out around 185bhp with 90lb·ft of torque. Its new Streetfighter’s bodywork — what little there is of it — echoes that of the Panigale too, with its headlight matching the superbike’s aggressive ‘eyes’ plus a pair of ‘wings’ that are not dissimilar to those of the racing V4 R, which are designed to reduce lift and improve stability. Given that the bike replaces the Multistrada as…