Sommaire pour June 2019 de RiDE

London’s bikers offer a mixed response to the new scheme. Some are happy to have used it as an excuse to get a newer bike, while others have the new bike, but not the happy attitude, like Biff Tanner: “I researched it and bought a new bike as a result. Annoying, expensive, unfair and massively, wilfully ill-informed and ignorant to impose it on bikers.” Some are grateful to have managed to get exemptions for their older bikes, including Mark Lauder’s 2005 Triumph Sprint and Paul Scott’s 2006 Blackbird (“I’d already bought a new bike as well – win/win!”). Ian Aherne has simply resigned himself to changing his riding habits: “Luckily I’m outside the zone, but I used to ride in purely for pleasure. Now I won’t be able to do…

AFTER A DEGREE of uncertainty about its future, Oliver’s Mount will host two race meetings in 2019. The famous Scarborough road racetrack was forced to cancel both its races last year due to safety concerns. However having worked with Scarborough Borough Council, the Two Four Three Road Racing Association has ensured that the Barry Sheene Classic (July 27/28) and the Gold Cup (September 27-29) have been given the green light to race the 2.43-mile public road racetrack.…

1 MONTH AHEAD British Superbikes April 19-21, Silverstone, Northamptonshire By the time you read this, all the pre-season testing will be over and there’ll be just a few days to go until the 2019 curtain-raiser. And it’s a hell of a programme, with three Superbike races, Superstock 1000 and 600, Supersport 600 (now with a Moto2 class), Ducati 959 Challenge, Junior Supersport, Moto3, British Talent Cup and F1 sidecars. Silverstone always produces great racing (except when it rains, of course...) and with reigning champ Leon Haslam — who won all three Silverstone races last year — headed back to WSB, the likes of Bradley Ray, Josh Brookes and Glenn Irwin will be hoping to get their 2019 campaigns off to a winning start. They’ll also be hoping that former MotoGP…

BEST FOR: Seasonal beauty B3223 Dulverton to Lynmouth Start 51.040420, -3.550325 Distance 20.3 miles Time 40 minutes This south-to-north tour through Exmoor National Park starts in the middle of Dulverton — not the most promising place name, but this certainly isn’t a dull ride. From its centre, pick up the B3223 (also called Lady Street) signed for Lynton. Things start off tight and steady, with some nadgery single-track, a stone wall separating you from the River Barle. Patience — this quaint scenery is to be savoured slowly. There’s plenty of time to rush things later… After splitting off from the river, the road starts climbing through a dense, tree-lined canopy, with a near-180° hairpin thrown in to spice things up. Soon afterwards it opens up, the roof comes off and…

B664 Market Harborough to Uppingham 14.9 miles • Nominated by Alan Bennett Why it’s great This road has the perfect balance. It has a great combo of really tight and super wide-open corners where you can see over the hedgerows. It’s easy going, fun and quiet. It’s also great for linking up with other brilliant roads too. Watch out for The Stockerston hairpin. A53 Buxton to Leek 9 miles • Nominated by Iain Pendry Why it’s great If you head south out of Buxton, the road rises up and shows off all of the valleys interlocking with each other. While up on the moor, it’s very barren and picturesque, allowing you to gaze out for hundreds of miles as you ride. Watch out for Fast sportsbikes heading over from the…

A838 Durness to Lairg 56 miles • Nominated by Chris Layley Why it’s great The road flows alongside a loch with fantastic views. It dives around corners and makes you work hard to maintain the speed limit. It has very few turnings, so you’ve also got mile after mile of uninterrupted bends. Watch out for Sharp bends, bumpy. A830 Fort William to Mallaig 42.8 miles • Nominated by Mark McGuinness Why it’s great The road is in great condition, very quiet, twisty and great fun. It also goes past the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct from the Harry Potter movies. The scenery is just spectacular and the road is tremendous. Once you hit Mallaig, you can catch the ferry to the Isle of Skye too. Watch out for Bends can tighten. A712…

Firstly, I wore each over my daily commute — 45 miles on a combination of rural roads, dual carriageways and motorways. The later included a six-mile stretch of 40mph roadworks where I tried some music over a Bluetooth headset to see how sound came across and whether it was useable with the ear plug in. It also helped to assess what part of the sound spectrum was removed by the plugs. I used the same helmet throughout the test - a Lazer Rafale (see P91). We also measured the reduction in sound levels each ear plug gave, using a microphone mounted inside a cut-and-glued polystyrene head. The microphone was connected to an SPL meter app on an iPhone and was fed a recording of wind noise at the same volume…

Bridgestone T30 Evo GT £199 a pair Bridgestones really seem to suit the FJR — very smooth steering and reasonably hard-wearing. You should get at least 7000 miles from a pair. It’s not really worth fitting the stickier S21 Bridgestones. Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT £229 a pair Some people love them, some say they’re a bit vague and wear strangely. Most say you’ll get about 8000 miles from a set but the rear might not make it that far... Dunlop Roadsmart 3 £234 a pair Quite a few votes for these — they are smooth steering and work well in the wet. You can expect around 6000 miles from a pair. Prices are mail order. Add £6 per pair for P&P. Source SMD Tyres: 01942 604511…

Alpinestars Andes Pro Jacket £469, Andes V2 Trousers £189 www.alpinestars.com Tested by Matt Wildee, editor THIS ANDES PRO jacket and Andes V2 trousers have proven to be versatile, warm, good-looking and so far, waterproof. The Andes Pro is new for 2019 and is compatible with Alpinestars’ own £1000 Tech Air airbag system (which I’ll rate in a forthcoming issue), although it can also be used with conventional back and chest protector inserts. Whether you go for the airbag or not, the jacket comes with CE-approved armour at the shoulders and elbows. Featuring Alpinestars’ own Drystar lining, rather than a laminate construction, Alpinestars claims it offers breathability and 100% waterproofing and in the last month of riding, I have to agree. So far, I’ve used the jacket in everything from 18°C…

Given the evidence we’ve collected, it’s clear that any rider who spends even a few minutes riding at speed is exposing themselves to a potentially dangerous level of noise. “If you go out riding for a day, you’re likely well above what would be considered a safe amount of noise,” confirms Simon. “Long-term, there’s a high chance of you damaging your hearing.” “The problem is that when you ride a bike, you’re not really aware of how loud it is — partly because you’re concentrating on other things, and partly because the noise level builds up gradually. If you suddenly went from quiet to a 100dBA room, you’d find it very unpleasant indeed.” And the key question: how much difference will ear plugs make? “A good set of ear plugs,…

Removable thermal linings can transform a winter jacket into a three-season jacket, giving not only excellent versatility but also plenty more miles for your money. Dainese’s Explorer jackets all feature a removable lining. Venting allows you to let the breeze in on warmer days or shut up shop against the elements on chilly rides. Our testers were big fans of the Explorer range’s vents. Storage compartments at the hips will swallow most essentials; an internal chest pocket will take valuables like your phone, while also keep cash easily at hand for toll booths and the like. Waterproofing should be a given with textile gear, but so often we’ve seen it fall short. Dainese’s Explorer range uses Gore-Tex so you can be assured of its breathability and watertightness. Fit should be…

Alan Dowsett On opening the box and lifting out the helmet, you can feel how lightweight it is. Going from a SHARK S900 helmet to this, I found the quality is a big step up. The Spartan Carbon has a premium feel to it. Over my 600-mile ride, I found the helmet’s features work really well. In heavy rain, the visor seal held up well and never let in a drop. The ventilation was excellent; the two front inlets and two exhausts gave great air flow and with the big Pinlock, I didn’t experience any fogging up. Also, to my surprise, my glasses stayed clear. When the sun came out, it was easy to find the built-in sun-visor mechanism, even with thick gloves. A big plus for a person that…

Martin Fitz-Gibbons Deputy editor I recently let a stranger tape some microphones to my ears – p96 explains why. Having learned just how vulnerable riders are to suffering hearing damage, I’m now curious to read this month’s product test so I can see how my current ear plugs fare. PAGE 61 Jim Blackstock Product editor I’m only ever likely to have enough space/time/money/ matrimonial tolerance for one bike. So for me, it should do everything, from daily commuting to weekend scratching to summer touring. Is the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT it? Let’s see... PAGE 26 Caroline Barrett Editorial assistant I’m lucky enough to have ridden several of the 100 best roads that feature in this issue. This month though, the roads calling me are the A1 and the M25,…

The Force is strong The original bad-boy helmet, the Simpson Bandit, has grown up. The flip-front Simpson Darksome uses similar styling but with a composite main shell and polymer flip, generating a quoted weight of 1510g — light for a flip helmet. It has front and top vents, rear exhaust vents, drop-down sun visor, comes with a Pinlock Max Vision insert in the box and in a selection of solid colours or a carbon-fibre finish. Graphics cost £349.99, the carbon version £499.99. www.tri-motive.com Urbano jungle Tucano Urbano has launched its spring/summer range of clothing including helmets, jacket and gloves. Helmets are largely jet-style commuter items or open-face retro but several casual jackets have arrived in time for summer. The Pol 2g (£159.99) is a waxed-cotton traditional style while the Shellmax…

The V85 TT comes in two two-tone options — Sahara yellow or Kalahari red — or Atacama grey, Atlas blue or Vulcano red single colours. The two-tone bikes also have a suede-style seat cover, Michelin Anakee Adventure tyres instead of Metzeler Tourances and a red frame, but are otherwise identical. Three optional ‘packs’ are Touring, Sport and Urban. Touring has aluminium panniers and topbox, tall screen, crash bars, LED fogs, centrestand and Moto Guzzi’s Bluetooth smartphone integration (for turn-by-turn sat nav). Sport comes with Öhlins shock, titanium Arrow can, foldable mirrors and crash bars, while Urban has plastic panniers, centre stand, immobiliser and Guzzi’s Bluetooth integration.…

A272 Uckfield to Winchester 72 miles • Nominated by David Bysh Why it’s great The A272 is the south’s ultimate biking road! It has everything, including Loomies biker café. The undulating roads wind their way through gorgeous countryside, following the South Downs to Hampshire with magnificent views the entire way. Watch out for The odd sheep or deer. A377 Exeter to Barnstaple 39 miles • Nominated by Matt Collins Why it’s great Sweeping bends, awesome scenery and a good mix of blind bends and open corners — this is my go-to road when I’m in the area. The best section is north of Lapford, halfway along. Loads of places to stop along the way, fuel is plentiful, and links well with gems like the A39 and A396. Watch out for…

Llangynidr Mountain Nantybwch to Trefil Road 9.1 miles • Nominated by Kristian Day Why it’s great There’s a massive panoramic view from left to right and it’s always changing. Getting there is just half the fun, up the narrow Trefil Road with dicey bends and hairy steep drops! Watch out for No Armco barriers. A483 Builth Wells to Newtown 20 miles • Nominated by Geoff Blackburn Why it’s great The A483 has a great combination of different riding conditions. It’s a long route but the variety is excellent. There’s tight bits, big open sweeps and the road flits between slow and fast runs for a fun pace. And both Builth Wells and Newtown are lovely little villages with great services. Watch out for Unmarked police cars. A4086 Bangor to Gwynedd…

A RiDE Best Buy award means a product has been tested under real-world and, where appropriate, laboratory conditions to assess its performance in its field and has excelled, while at the same time offering exceptional value for money. A Recommended triangle means that a product has either done an outstanding job at a higher price or a reasonable job but at a significantly lower price. So while not worthy of a Best Buy, it still performs very well in one of these criteria. Our product tests are carried out by real bikers with years of experience and on real bikes and are combined with empirical testing developed and carried out by qualified engineers. The RiDE Recommended triangles stand for quality and value for money. Look for them when shopping.…

Finance The 2019 ca-6R comes in black, for £9642, or lime-green Kawasaki Racing Team colours, for £9842. A K-Options PCP deal for the KRT bike, with a £1000 deposit over 37 months at 6.3% APR and a maximum of 4000 miles per year, works out at £130.01 a month for 36 months with £5525 final payment and £11,205.36 payable in total. In 2013, a ca-6R 636 cost £9999 - that’s a similar £11,256.60 in today’s money. And the first 636, the ca-6R A1P in 2002, cost £6999 or £11,184 in today’s money. So if you want your 2019 ca-6R to cost 16% less in real terms than it did 17 years ago, pay cash and get a black one. Service intervals The first service is due at 600 miles and…

THE FJR HAS enjoyed an incredibly long production run. Having been introduced way back in 2001, it quickly established itself as a serious sports tourer, capable of covering huge distances in comfort but still bringing a smile to your face in the twisties when you get there. The grunty, creamy smooth engine was a revelation in 2001 and it’s still a contender today. Over the years it’s been quietly evolved, with only one really major update in 2013 bringing sleeker bodywork and modern engine management to an already well-proven package. It’s gone from pre-electronic simplicity to fully-equipped gadgetry, with the latest models having electronically adjustable suspension, ABS, linked brakes, LED lighting, cornering headlights, traction control, cruise control, adjustable seats, switchable modes, electric screens and the option of clutchless transmission. Oh,…

Honda ST1300 Pan European 2002-2016 > £3000-£10,000 > 1261cc transverse 90° V4 > 113bhp > 289kg Despite early problems with high-speed wobbles (mostly down to a top box with no pillion) the 1300 Pan had a long and distinguished career, providing a practical and reliable step between sportsbikes and full-on tourers. The looks aren’t for all but weather protection is excellent. Major problems are few: corroded water pipes; electrical gremlins due to bad connections; exhausts rotting out; brakes seizing. BMW R1200RT 2005-2013 > £4500-£9000 > 1170cc flat twin > 108bhp > 259kg Outstanding comfort, huge tank range, excellent two-up, surprisingly nimble at low speed and just as agile tackling mountain roads — despite its bulk it’s a genuine do-it-all bike. The concern is reliability. Some owners have no problems, while…

Service schedule A nice simple schedule based on 6000-mile intervals, with a very long valve clearance interval, which helps keep costs down. The 6k service sees oil (but not filter) changed, final-drive oil checked, throttle bodies balanced and head bearings adjusted/greased if necessary, plugs cleaned and gapped, air filter cleaned and general checks and lube. 12k adds a change of plugs and new oil and air filters, as well as suspension linkages greased. Valve clearances are checked at 24k intervals. On top of that, coolant’s changed every three years, brake hoses every four and swingarm bearings greased at 30,000 miles, which makes no sense — do them at the same time as the suspension linkages (or better still, once a year....). New and used parts prices OE service parts aren’t…

Alpinestars SMX Plus Gore-Tex £320 www.alpinestars.com OVER £300 IS a huge amount of money for a pair of boots, but there is no getting away from the fact that over five years and 20,000 miles, these Gore-Tex sports boots have delivered in every way. Based on Alpinestars’ mid-range SMX Plus sports boot, but with the addition of a Gore-Tex lining, I’ve used these boots for everything from fast-group trackdays, to commuting in all weathers and seasons, 1000-miles-in-a-day road trips, to just going for a blast on a Sunday when I need to get away from the wife. And they’ve been brilliant — in fact, they make a good case for being the only boots you’ll ever need. One of their greatest assets is how reassuring they are. As well as…

ONE OF THE defining features that separates Honda’s Africa Twin (and our Adventure Sports version) from the myriad other giant adventure bikes out there is, well, its relative lack of features. Sure it has variable engine modes and rider aids — and, yes, RiDE’s bike has a semi-automatic DCT gearbox — but there are several areas where the spec list comes up short next to its rivals. One of the biggies is cruise control. Despite adopting a full ride-by-wire throttle in 2018 (where the sensor is built into the twistgrip, doing away with throttle cables completely), the Africa Twin still doesn’t have cruise control — and nor is it an official option. It seems a massive missed opportunity given all the components are already there. It’s like having a cold…

NOW GO EXPLORE… Dainese’s new Explorer range features more than just what you see on these pages - there’s a whole new line of riding gear, including boots and gloves, designed especially for on and off-road adventure touring. What Dainese have set out to achieve with the Explorer range is to redefine touring kit, so woven into each item from the high-end Italian firm is the perfect blend of technology, comfort and safety. From the glacial cold of the Arctic Circle to scorching hot deserts, via twisting Alpine passes and never-ending roads to the horizon, Dainese’s Explorer products are designed to protect riders and passengers in the most extreme of weather conditions.…

If you want to become a part of a future RiDE Reader Rated feature, start by heading to our Facebook page. Click on www.facebook.com/ RiDEmagazineBauerMedia/ (or just search for ‘RiDE magazine’‚ and look for the blue tick), like our page, and keep your eyes peeled. We’ll post our calls for volunteer product testers there and explain how to get in touch. If you’re successfully selected, you’ll be sent the product to be tested, along with an evaluation form to complete. Simple! Suggest a product Got a burning desire to see a particular piece of kit reviewed by the RiDE Reader Rated panel? Send your suggestions to ride@ride.co.uk…

Products tested by RiDE readers, for RiDE readers. Complementing RiDE’s extensive kit tests, on these pages we’re turning things over to you. Each month one brand-new product — from a visor sponge to a flip-front lid to a textile suit to a set of tyres — is used, evaluated and rated by a fresh panel of regular RiDE readers. These judges are free to use the product however they like, decide for themselves how well it lives up to the manufacturer’s claims, then deliver their scores and comments. RiDE Reader Rated is unique, allowing a range of voices to be heard from across a broad spectrum of motorcyclists. If there’s an issue with something, the RiDE Reader Rated panel will find it. And if they give something a thumbs-up, you…

Zero? Interest! What a beautiful bike the cero SR/F (Month In Bikes, May issue) is. I’m delighted to see an electric bike that has a fairly conventional appearance — I’d love to test ride it. A few years ago I nearly got to ride an Agility Saietta as I was organising an electric vehicle event here in York. Although the Saietta looked odd, as a VFR rider it would have been interesting to try it out. So yes, that cero SR/F looks fabulous and I’d be tempted! Robert Walker Zero interest… No, I won’t be trying an electrically-powered bike this summer. Or a sail-powered one. Or one towed by a horse. Or anything else going down a spurious ‘green’ blind alley. Why? Where do I start? The range is piddling,…

I recently got my new Royal Enfield Interceptor and to my disappointment, found it had tubed tyres. None of the breakdown services paid by subscription will fix a puncture at the roadside — they’ll only recover you home or to the nearest motorcycle shop. What use is this if you don’t fancy leaving your bike outside the shop? And all because the breakdown people can’t be arsed to do a 40-minute job at the side of the road. RiDE contacted the AA and it confirmed while it will plug a motorcycle puncture on a tubeless tyre if safe to do so, it recommends a maximum of 50 miles on the temporary fix, so you may not be out of the woods even with a tubeless tyre fitted to your Enfield.…

WITH THE BIKING season now in full swing, RiDE-reading members of the #ride5000miles clan have been piling on the, er, miles. In the last month, the 9000 members of R5K have headed out on epic road-trips, enjoyed the early spring weather and unearthed their bikes after hibernation. Member Ian Smith was one such rider. “It was great to get out on my VFR for the first time, though I was a little bit rusty on that first ride back. But I followed the riding tips in last month’s RiDE, and that really helped. My advice is; ‘What the hell are you waiting for?’” Members have certainly been creative in clocking up the miles: Triumph America-owning Brian Eccles has been using the better weather to pay tribute to our wartime heroes;…

Each month the Star Picture will win a BikeTrac security tracker with a year’s BikeTrac subscription. As well as helping recover your bike if it is nicked, it logs journeys and gives live battery voltage information, too. How to send us your photos Email your most inspirational biking photos to us at ride@ride.co.uk with ‘Your Rides’ in the subject line. Please send us the original unedited photo file, ideally at least five megapixels in size. And don’t forget to include your full name, too.…

Price £16,799 Engine 1301cc V-twin, 4v per cyl, l/c Power 173bhp @ 9750rpm Torque 104lb·ft @ 7000rpm Transmission 6-speed Frame steel trellis Front suspension 48mm forks, 125mm travel, semi-active Rear suspension monoshock, 156mm travel, semi-active Front brakes 320mm discs, 4-piston calipers Rear brake 240mm disc, 2-piston calipers Front tyre 120/70 cR17 Rear tyre 190/55 cR17 Wheelbase 1482mm Rake/trail 24.9°/107mm Seat height 835mm Kerb weight 236kg (measured) Fuel capacity 23 litres…

Price £10,899 (single colour), £11,099 (two-tone) Engine 853cc 90° transverse V-twin, 2v per cyl, a/c Power 79bhp @ 7750rpm Torque 59lb·ft @ 5000rpm Transmission 6-speed, shaft Frame tubular steel Front suspension 41mm forks, 170mm travel, adjustable preload and rebound Rear suspension monoshock, 170mm travel, adjustable preload and rebound Front brakes 320mm discs, 4-piston calipers Rear brake 260mm disc, 2-piston caliper Front tyre 110/80 R19 Rear tyre 150/70 R17 Wheelbase 1530mm Rake/trail 28°/128mm Seat height 830mm Kerb weight 229kg Fuel capacity 23 litres…

BEST FOR Hitting the heights Bur Way Church Stretton to Asterton Start 52.542161, -2.813899 Distance 5 miles Time 15 minutes A plain back-road leading away from the smart Shropshire market town of Church Stretton gives almost no hint of the visceral, vertiginous drama about to unfold. Bur Way thrusts riders immediately up an ultra-narrow 20% ascent on the edge of the near-1300ft-tall Burway Hill. Its don’t-dare-look-down gawp into the yawning valley below is as tantalising as it is terrifying. Hold your nerve, keep your chin up and hope nothing’s coming the other way… It climbs and winds its way relentlessly into the clouds, then finally plateaus into a single-track run across vast, empty moorland. If you’ve been unable to tear your focus from the road yet, pull into the large…

B1257 Stokesley to Helmsley 20.1miles • Nominated by Kevin Valley Why it’s great It runs through the gorgeous Yorkshire Moors so the roads are quite technical, undulating and twisty. There are fast, flowing sections and tight winding parts too — everything for a fun ride. Watch out for Water running across the road from hillsides. B6277 Middleton-in-Teesdale to Alston 21.6 miles • Nominated by Russ Menzies Why it’s great It’s not great, it’s nirvana! It’s the sort of road that before you hit it, you need to stop and change your settings from ‘Road’ to ‘Dynamic’ and then just go for it. It’s a mixture of everything you need: fast, flowing bends; twisties; long straights; and perfect conditions with no potholes. Watch out for Distracting scenery. A683 Devil’s Bridge to…

BEST FOR: Fast sweepers A82 Glasgow to Glencoe Start 55.999056, -4.597779 Distance 67.2 miles Time 1h 25m There’s no finer introduction to the Highlands, west coast and islands than this run up from Glasgow — a spectacular ride that builds to a crescendo of magnificence with every turn. It gets into gear at the southern end of the Trossachs (where the dual carriageway ends) and rips north along the bonny bank of Loch Lomond. Long, lazy curves give way to tighter turns beyond Tarbet and after shadowing the full length of Britain’s largest lake, the tarmac rolls on to Crianlarich, then Tyndrum where traditional travellers halt, the Green Welly Stop, can be found. Dome-topped hills are soon outnumbered by pointed peaks on the far-off horizon and as the surroundings grow…

THE FIRST THING we found interesting was that our empirical testing, to see exactly how much each ear plug reduced the noise in our test ‘ear’, gave results which were quite close across the board yet generally, seemed to be nowhere near the figures quoted by the manufacturers. Clearly we were using different test methods to those used to rate the ear plugs but as with all our tests, this was intended to demonstrate trends. While the numbers were lower than we expected, what was obvious was the effect earplugs can have on comfort and hearing safety. This ranged from virtually no effect at all to almost completely removing unwanted noise. How you like your riding will influence whether you choose ear plugs to remove as much sound as possible…

“The engine’s incredibly tough — eventually all the other stuff falls apart around it. Change the oil on time and they go on forever. We’ve got one with 162,000 miles on it, and we’ve got one coming in for a service with 135k. Mine had its first valve shims changed at 100,000 miles! But you do need to check them just in case yours is that one bike which gets valve-seat recession. The biggest problem with them is still rear suspension linkages — they’re supposed to be greased at service time but they don’t get done because it’s so hard to get at, so the pivots seize, the tie rods snap and the rear end collapses. We strip and grease the linkages for £59 plus vat — no one else…

2001-2002 FJR1300 All-new tourer based on a water-cooled four with shaftdrive, electric screen, adjustable suspension. £2000-£3000 2003-2005 FJR1300/A Mild update, with a taller screen, uprated suspension and bigger brake discs. FJR1300A is identical but with ABS. £2600–£3500 2006-2012 FJR1300A Restyled bodywork, adjustable seat and handlebars, taller screen, hard panniers, longer swingarm, taller gearing. ABS is now standard. £3000-£6000 2006-2012 FJR1300AS New model featuring a semi-automatic clutchless gearbox. Otherwise the same as the standard bike. Same updates as A model. £3000-£6000 2013-2015 FJR1300A/AS Big update; bodywork, ride-by-wire throttle so traction and cruise control. Clutchless AS got electronically adjustable suspension. £6000-£9000 2016-on FJR1300A/AE/AS Finally a sixth overdrive gear, slip-assist clutch, LED headlights. AE has electronic suspension adjustment, AS has clutchless change. £9500-£17,500…

Kallie Parker Dainese Carve Master 2 ladies outfit As a curvy lady, the fit was spot-on. The jacket length was perfect and the sleeves an ideal length; plenty of zips for summer ventilation, and a thick quilted removable liner for winter, which was so warm I only needed a base layer beneath. The neck is quite high, which stopped the breeze getting in. The only downside was the full zip attaching it to the trousers was awkward to do up (being of a fuller chest, actually seeing the zip puller was difficult!) Also, not having any back armour was a surprise. The trousers, which again fitted perfectly, had plenty of vents and were extremely warm. Riding for eight hours in a day, I did not get cold once. And in…

If you want to become a part of a future RiDE Reader Rated feature, start by heading to our Facebook page. Click on www.facebook.com/ RiDEmagazineBauerMedia/ (or just search for ‘RiDE magazine’‚ and look for the blue tick), like our page, and keep your eyes peeled. We’ll post our calls for volunteer product testers there and explain how to get in touch. If you’re successfully selected, you’ll be sent the product to be tested, along with an evaluation form to complete. Simple! Suggest a product Got a burning desire to see a particular piece of kit reviewed by the RiDE Reader Rated panel? Send your suggestions to ride@ride.co.uk…

On Saturday morning I was watching the MotoGP highlights when my wife entered the living room with a face that would have sent Genghis Khan running for the hills. I could tell by the way she threw the toast at me that she wasn’t ready for any of my wit, so I decided this was the day to strip my FireBlade. It had been on my mind for some time so I took the coward’s way out and retreated to the garage. My bike is a 2000 model and in desperate need of a makeover prior to what, I hope, will be some good weather. I decided to get the wheels powder coated and have since spent the last few weeks exhuming every single rusty nut and bolt in order…

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