Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Motorcycling is a sociable thing to do. I have no idea why, but that’s just how it goes. Even if you prefer to ride on your own rather than in groups, whenever bikers stop for a brew, conversation soon starts between complete strangers. Could you imagine the same happening with car drivers? I can’t. I have tried to talk to people I don’t know in the past, and only had limited success in drawing a reply, unless they were bikers. There’s definitely something about bikes that makes people more approachable. But sometimes the force is even stronger than normal. And sometimes it seems to affect people in the vicinity of bikes too. I recently witnessed this in the most unlikely of places, London. And I was on the most unlikely…

Ross Mowbray Ross works across several motorcycling magazines. That means he gets to ride all manner of two-wheelers, from Monkey bikes to trikes. Don’t let his youthful appearance fool you, he’s a seasoned petrol-head, respected test rider and a handy off-roader, too. Dave Manning As a self-confessed motorcycle anorak, Dave’s particular two-wheeled penchant is for customised bikes – in each and every modified form they come. He’s a strong believer that every single bike ever made is worth trying, whether they have been customised or not. 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 he’s the first to admit there’s still…

The final prototype test results have just been released after an extensive live testing programme that involved numerous assessments of the bike’s performance on the rolling road and on track. Daytona 200 champion racer Brandon Paasch participated in this last phase, both in engine performance evaluation and also with the TE-1’s eventual set up. “The throttle response is kind of incredible,” he said. “It’s very torquey and when you first touch the throttle it is instant power, which is obviously what I love as a motorcycle racer – I love when it’s super-torquey and picks up right away, so for me it was a really great experience. “I got to peg this thing all the way from zero to 100% throttle and it’s unbelievably quick; it pulls like crazy. I…

The all-new BSA Gold Star will be available to order soon, with first deliveries expected mid- to late-August. We will have the first riding impressions in the next issue of MSL, but in the meantime, here are the pricing details. The Highland Green Edition is the cheapest option at £6500, while the Insignia Red, Midnight Black and Dawn Silver Editions will cost £6800. The Silver Sheen Legacy Edition, which features chrome-finished fenders, mirrors and levers, polished engine covers, a white beaded seat, and a gloss black finish on the instruments, headlight cover and footpegs, and let’s be honest, is the one that most will want to have, is priced at £7000.…

The Piaggio MP3 three-wheeled scooter has been treated to a revamp that promises higher levels of comfort, safety and equipment. The Piaggio MP3 first entered the market in 2006, the first three-wheeled scooter in the world. Sixteen years on and with more than 230,000 sold, it’s proved popular with not only motorcycle riders but also car drivers (it can be driven with just a car licence). The models in the new Piaggio MP3 range that will be sold in the UK are the Piaggio MP3 400 hpe Sport (£9,800) with 35HP output, and the Piaggio MP3 530 hpe Exclusive (£11,500) with 44HP. New features include a new sports design, a 7-inch TFT instrument panel, keyless start, connectivity with navigation and, on the 530 hpe Exclusive version, cruise control and reverse…

Zero Motorcycles is offering a range of 0% and low deposit finance options on its full range of electric motorcycles this summer. Administered by finance provider MotoNovo, buyers of a new Zero will be able to take advantage of either a 0% hire purchase offer over four years, or a £99 deposit PCP deal with a manufacturer contribution of up to £1100 against the retail price. The offer runs until the end of August, and covers all models in the range, from the FX dirt bike through to the learner-legal FXE, S and DS, and the range-topping SR series.…