RiDE September 2016

Matt Hull Technical editor Can’t wait to ride the new Yamaha Tracer 700. Judging by Simon Hargreaves’ report from the media launch, it’s fun and practical and well priced. But let’s find out how it rates on more familiar roads at home. PAGE 42 Simon Weir Deputy editor The Alps may be the dream destination for many RiDE readers, but let’s not overlook Britain’s great roads – such as the North Coast 500. The amazing bikes we were riding there probably helped a bit…PAGE 16 Kev Raymond Features writer One of the fascinating things about doing RiDE’s Used Buying Guides is you get to talk with the people who’ve been living with these bikes for years, who get a very different perspective on them. PAGE 70…

1 The RC213V-S really was there The entry of the Padgettsprepared road-race version of the road version of Honda’s MotoGP bike into the TT caused much excitement and not a little scepticism. But there it was, looking and sounding great, performing ridiculously well for a debut. Bruce Anstey (still sore from a Fireblade practice crash) finished eighth on the V4 in the Superbike race and sixth in the Senior. The RC213V-S, along with the V-twin Buell raced by Mark Miller and the two-stroke Suter raced by Ian Lougher, brought aural variety to an event dominated by inline fours. 2 The Norton did brilliantly Built in Britain, the Apriliaengined Norton SG5 raced by David Johnson finished seventh in the Superbike, with a best lap of 130.872mph and an average speed of 127.013mph. OK, so it didn’t…

THIS RETRO BEAUTY is the final version of the bike that arguably started it all. It’s the Kawasaki W800 Final Edition, a cosmetic update of the W800 that’s been with us since 2011, and which was itself an update of the W650 launched in 1998. That was an air-cooled retro twin launched three years before the first of the retro Triumphs. It wasn’t an immediate sales success, but a cult grew around the W650, with its easygoing personality and its styling nod back to the earlier W range that began in 1966. The new Final Edition, priced at £7286, has an orange and brown colour scheme. It’s mechanically unchanged from the regular £7036 W800 and the £7236 Special Edition, which has black rims and engine cases. Kawasaki Europe’s Morihiro Ikoma said: “It’s never…

MOTORCYCLE LIVE TICKETS go on sale in August, with money to be saved and prizes to be won if you buy in advance. An adult one-day ticket costs £19.50 in advance, which is £5.50 less than the price on the door, though there’s a £1.50 admin charge per order. Under-10s get in free, and those aged 11-16 pay £1. Advance-ticket buyers are in with a chance of bagging a Golden Ticket, getting them prizes ranging from keyrings and caps to VIP race tickets. You’ll know instantly if you’ve won a prize. The show runs from November 19 to 27. Advance ticket sales end at 5pm on 18 November. Visit www.motorcyclelive.co.uk.…

Jordan Me and my mate John Landels on our Moto Guzzis on a trip to the Dead Sea in Jordan. It’s the lowest place on Earth, and with temperatures of 32°C it’s a bit sticky in leathers. I worked there for USAID and had the bikes shipped to Aqaba, then did tours around Jordan including the Dead Sea, southern desert area and the Golan Heights. I would recommend it but the roads are pretty lethal (both drivers and surfaces). The main thing is that now, because of the civil wars in Syria and Iraq and the difficulties of getting in and out of Israel, you’re pretty much landlocked. We got a lot of interest, especially with our UK number plates and Italian bikes which are pretty rare in the Middle East.…

THE PEAK DISTRICT THE PEAK DISTRICT has some truly amazing roads – the kind of rolling, scrolling, twisty tarmac that city dwellers can only imagine. The scenery is breathtaking, especially when there’s a hot sun burning from a blue sky above the heathery slopes that rise above picture-postcard villages. The beauty of the Peaks is also its curse: lots of people like to come here and sunny weekends can be busy. And there are now strictly enforced speed limits clamped on some of the best biking roads after the authorities got fed up with cleaning up after crashes. That doesn’t mean there are no great rides to be had in the Peak District any more – but it makes it important to pick your moment and ride respectfully. A mid-week run along the…