RiDE January 2018

I’M WRITING THIS the day after the clocks went back. British Summertime has ended. Rather than getting depressed about it, I’m actually quietly excited. That’s because we’re starting to see what new bikes will appear for the 2018 model year — and you’ll be able to see most of next year’s new bikes at the NEC in just a few weeks. Work out which ones you want to sit on with our guide starting on p6. Of course, riding through the next few months does make a few demands on us as riders. We not only need to be smoother as roads get slimier but also need to spend more time keeping on top of the condition of our bikes. In this issue, the members of the test team reveal how…

Martin Fitz-Gibbons Deputy editor I can’t remember the last time a new bike had a tougher year than Honda’s latest Fireblade. But are its high-profile racing issues really anything to do with the road bike? Having spent all year getting to know the 2017 Blade, Simon Hargreaves has the truth. PAGE 52 Kev Raymond Features writer I resent the thought that you have to pay top dollar to get basic quality. Why is it that waterproof boots that do the job they were designed for have to be expensive? Well, perhaps they don’t — we’ll find out with this month’s budget boot test. PAGE 86 Caroline Barrett Editorial assistant I tend to clean my bike out of necessity rather than love. But I am interested to find out whether any of the other members of the RiDE team…

It’s been a busy month with new bikes unveiled at shows in Tokyo and Milan — and you can see all of them for yourself at Motorcycle Live between November 18-26. Here’s our hall-by-hall guide to the hottest of the new machines, plus all the other attractions at the show • For ticket info, see www.motorcyclelive.co.uk Don’t miss these… Blackhorse Stage Hall 3 Former racers and TV pundits James Whitham and Steve Parrish host talks, interviews and games throughout the show. FMX Live Hall 4 Free-to-view freestyle motocross display: midday and 2:30pm on Friday; 11:30am, 2pm or 3:30pm on Saturday and Sunday. Classic bikes Hall 2 The National Motorcycle Museum displays part of its huge collection, including firing up a 500cc 1963 March and Nineties Norton racer. Custom bikes Hall 4 Cool customs and radical choppers, amazing paint and clever…

Gavia Pass, Italy View from my new BMW XR1000 at the top of a very narrow mountain pass at Ponte di Legno, Italy. Just one great ride among many, on a two-week tour to Croatia, then ferry across to Italy and back. Brian Barrett Col de la Machine, France My BMW R1200GS on Combe Laval in the Vercors Massif in France, returning from Corsica to Northern Ireland. Brendan Dowling Austria This was on the Austrian side of the Bavaria/Austria border, on a tour including Germany, Austria and Slovenia. There was a lot of interest from a large bull and I was glad of the fence! Mike Lyons Dunnet Head, Scotland We visited not only John o’Groats but also Dunnet Head, the most northerly point in the UK. Bikes were a BMW RT, Indian Scout, Triumph Thunderbird, Suzuki…

YOUR NEXT GREAT RIDE MILLAU, FRANCE THERE’S MUCH MORE to Millau than the viaduct, but there’s no doubt that it sticks in people’s minds. It’s helped make this town in the southern half of central France a popular destination, though to our minds, the worst way to experience the bridge is by riding across it on the A75 autoroute. It might be Europe’s loftiest span but the side walls are so high you don’t get gigantic panoramas as you cross it. Better to stay on the roads below, as they don’t have tolls and do have the spectacular views. You might think that having ticked the ‘seen it’ box for the viaduct, there’s not much reason to return here… But if you do think that, you clearly haven’t ridden a bike here. We…

KAWASAKI Z900 PERFORMANCE £9139 • 948cc inline four • 123bhp • 210kg (kerb) • 795mm seat The 2017 Z900 is an ‘entry-level’ hypernaked bike with sleeved-down Z1000 motor, a new, H2R-style steel-tube frame but no modes or rider aids bar ABS YAMAHA MT-09 £8139 • 847cc inline triple • 113bhp • 193kg (kerb) • 820mm seat Yamaha’s inline triple gets a restyle with a new headlight and back end, revised forks, a wider seat, slipper clutch and quickshifter added to its electronics package TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE R £9225 (white) • 765cc inline triple • 116bhp • 190kg (kerb, est) • 825mm seat The R is the mid-spec, mid-priced version of Triumph’s enlarged and evolved Street Triple and comes with traction control, rider modes and a quality TFT dash AMID-MORNING TRANSPORT CAFÉ near Humber airport: Rupert, Dave…