Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

self-service with a smile

Does everything have to be done by machines? I have found myself asking this question at an increasing frequency. Mostly as a result of my failure to deal with non-human operated systems, from physical self-service desks to their online equivalents, all of them designed to do what people do, only better. Of course, I can see how this must have seemed like a great idea on paper. No more boozy Bob bunking off with a sore head after whatever sports club it is that he supports has lost another game. And no more big mouth Brenda spending valuable work time gossiping about why Bob’s pulled a sickie again. A ruthlessly efficient super-computer will do the job better, faster and entirely without any need for time off, social interaction or any other human-related hurdles…

motorcycle sport & leisure’s contributors...

Alan Cathcart Alan Cathcar t has been writing about bikes for more than 30 years, and riding them for even longer. He’s regularly given the keys to factory prototypes and being on first name terms with the bosses of bike companies around the world allows him to bag many scoops. Roland Brown A bike journalist for more than 30 years, Roland has contributed to countless publications worldwide and authored a dozen books on bikes. He has tested machines ranging from Rossi’s YZR-M1 to a 1923 Douglas, but still can’t decide which type of bike he most enjoys riding. Chris Moss Mossy has made a living from bikes since 1985 – first as a motorcycle courier in London, and then as a journo from 1995. He’s raced, ridden and tinkered with hundreds of different bikes, but…

motorcycle sport & leisure

EDITOR: Mikko Nieminen mnieminen@mortons.co.uk DESIGNERS: Charlotte Turnbull and Fran Lovely PRODUCTION EDITOR: Mike Cowton PICTURE DESK: Paul Fincham and Jonathan Schofield PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Dan Savage PUBLISHER: Tim Hartley GROUP KEY ACCOUNTS MANAGER: Steff Woodhouse: swoodhouse@mortons.co.uk 01507 529452 / 07786 334330 GROUP ADVERTISING MANAGER: Sue Keily DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER: Zoe Thurling zthurling@mortons.co.uk 01507 529412 ADVERTISING SALES: Charlotte Mountain cmountain@mortons.co.uk 01507 529538 SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER: Paul Deacon pdeacon@mortons.co.uk CIRCULATION MANAGER: Steve O’Hara sohara@mortons.co.uk MARKETING MANAGER: Charlotte Park cpark@mortons.co.uk COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Nigel Hole ARCHIVE ENQUIRIES: Jane Skayman jskayman@mortons.co.uk 01507 529423…

triumph’s £7900 street triple s

Following the launch of the Thruxton RS (see the launch ride report on page 18), Triumph has announced the new 660cc, A2 licence compatible, Street Triple S naked sportbike. The big news is that the Street Triple S has had a visual overhaul for 2020 – much like its RS sibling. It comes with new LED headlights, new bodywork (including a new fly screen, air intake, side panels and rear unit), new mirrors and a new paint scheme. It looks smart, don’t you think? Away from its styling, the S has also been brought in line with Euro 5 emissions regulations. But don’t worry, despite the increasingly stringent rules there’s been no loss of performance. The A2 restricted version kicks out 47bhp and 60Nm of torque, while the derestricted model offers 95bhp…

kawasaki sign john mcguinness for 2020

Road racing legend, John McGuinness will contest the 2020 Isle of Man TT and International North West 200 road races for Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki. McGuinness, who celebrates his 30th year of racing in 2020, will ride Ninja ZX-10RR machinery in the Superbike and Superstock classes at both events. It will be the first time McGuinness has ridden a Kawasaki at either event. However, the now 47-year-old has previous experience on a green machine from the 2004 Ulster Grand Prix Superbike race. John McGuinness said: “I’m delighted to announce my plans for the 2020 International road racing season and equally delighted to be riding for Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki. Their record on the roads with James Hillier, in terms of both results and reliability, along with their reputation within the bike industry,…

estonia trials speeding time out

Think speeding will get you to your destination quicker? Not in Estonia it won’t. The Police have been trialling a new kind of speeding penalty – and rather than receiving a fine or points by default, if you get caught you’ll be given a choice between paying a fine or taking a time out. So how does it work? Well, if you’re caught breaking the speed limit by 20km/h (12mph) or less, you’ll be given a 45-minute time penalty, and if you break the limit by up to 40km/h (25mph) then you’ll receive a 60-minute time penalty. Simple. The trial comes as a response to an increase in road incidents and fatalities in 2017. It’s an intriguing approach.…