Table of contents for 11 October 2017 in MCN

Get On with it The Motorcycle Industry Association have extended their Get On scheme, which offers people a free 45-minute taster of riding. The MCIA have added four new dates: Saturday-Sunday, October 14-15, in St Helens and Saturday-Sunday, October 28 -29, in North London. Classic Suzukis Suzuki have announced they are to attend the Stafford Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show on October 14-15 with Barry Sheene’s RG500s. The world championship winning bikes from 1976 and 1977 will be displayed with three of Kevin Schwantz’s RGV500s. Bond dies at 59 David Bond, dubbed the Clown Prince of Wheelies at the 1987 BMF Rally, has died aged 59. Bond earned his nickname when he entered the wheelie contest and won £50, despite not pulling a single wheelie. Instead he amused the crowd by…

Crack tracker Motorcycle tracker manufacturer BikeTrac have had their busiest ever summer with more than £1.4m worth of bikes recovered. During the summer BikeTrac helped recover four bikes per week on average, with a recovery rate of 90%. Silver strikes gold The David Silver Museum have had a great first year, with over 4000 visitors through the doors and adding to that celebration, they have recently acquired one of the first ever Hondas: a Type-A from 1948. The Type-A is the first year of Honda and was only ever sold in Japan. Minor makeover Kawasaki have announced a new ZX-10RR for 2018, with minimal changes – both of which are cosmetic. There’s a change to the colour of the fork reservoir canisters (red to silver) and the fork leg top…

SUZUKI GS500F My dad Jim Waddington on his first bike, a mint GS500F. He is 77.5 years old! Graham Waddington TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T120 Taken in 1963 aged 21 outside my mother’s house. I’m still riding a Triumph to this day, 54 years later! Mick Cutts HYOSUNG GT250 My first bike in 2015 off for my first big ride Dover to Stonehenge in January – all on A-roads. Mark Boulden NORTON OUTFIT My dad’s Norton in 1956 on our yearly trip from London up the A1 to Newcastle. That’s me on the left. Mick Ray BSA A10 Me on my first bike, a Beeza A10 after passing my test on a GPO Bantam 125 D3. Frank Lane SUZUKI AP50 Flashback to 1976… Check out the flared brushed-denim jeans! John Donaldson KAWASAKI…

HIGHLIGHTS • Ape-hangered big twin gets new single shock chassis • Latest member of H-D’s wholly-new 2018 Softail family • New 107ci Milwaukee Eight engine is a big improvement • Smart LED lights, ‘hidden’ clocks and more If any one new model sums up the changes to Harley-Davidson’s big twin cruiser line-up for 2018 – it is surely the Street Bob. Introduced in 2006, the Bob has become one of the most popular models in the UK thanks to its blend of affordable minimalism. It’s the most basic of H-D’s big twins, lacking even a pillion seat, but has plenty of bobber Ape-hangered attitude. For 2018, though, as with all of Harley’s big twin cruisers (the smaller Sportster family is unchanged while big twin tourers, such as the Electra and…

‘The last NSR500 won titles for Rossi, Criville and Doohan’ 10 HONDA NSR500 ‘It went from 50 to 150bhp in just 100rpm!’ “There was nothing like riding a racing two-stroke. The NSR was light, agile, had 200bhp and was so responsive to the throttle. They were edgy. “The mid-to-late 80s was a difficult time to be racing motorcycles. The chassis weren’t very good but there was a lot of power. It came in at 9700rpm and you go from 50bhp, rise another 100rpm more and you have 150bhp. It was really aggressive and the top speed was incredible. There was a lot of engine development done – the chassis took a long time to catch up. “I enjoyed getting the bike to work. The engineers at Honda made a mistake…

‘I absolutely love it. No other bike would be better’MATT HUBBARD, MCN READER AND TRIUMPH TIGER 800 OWNER Sometimes, from unlikely origins, great bikes are born. The Gold Wing, for example, was actually launched in 1975 as a superbike. While BMW’s first GS, the R80G/S of 1980, originally drew more than its fair share of ridicule and confusion. And while not quite in the same league as those two, Triumph’s ‘junior’ Tiger, the 800, which became the first three-cylinder, middleweight ‘adventure’ bike when spawned from the 675 Street Triple in 2010, is still hugely significant. Versatile, affordable, long-legged and characterful, the Tiger 800 is not just effective and useful, its sales success has made it a mainstay of Triumph’s range, inspired a host of spin-offs and garnered a legion of…

‘The summit of Ben Klibreck looms like snow-topped whale’ If you’re after genuine solitude, you’ll need to ride to the very top of Britain. Durness is one of a number of small villages lying in the northwest corner of the Highlands. It’s on the A838, the main loop running around the top of Scotland and part of the North Coast 500 route. From an overnight stop at the Smoo Cave Hotel, head east towards John o’Groats. The road jinks and winds past incredible beaches – all snow-white sands and crystal blue sea – and low, rocky hills. These aren’t the dramatic mountains you’ll find further south, but the landscape has a tranquil sense of desolation; you’re a long way from anything resembling a city. On a clear night you’ll not…

It’s been another busy week for our determined #ride5000miles clan as everyone makes the most of autumn. This includes Sharon Mills-George, who returned home on Wednesday October 4, after 25 days touring Europe on her Honda CB500X. Starting in Bodmin, Cornwall, the journey lasted 3500 miles and took her to such places as the Stelvio Pass in Italy and across to Spain for the MotoGP. Then it was onto the Picos de Europa mountains and along to Santander to come back to the UK. Elsewhere, Barney Jacques-Grey has also posted on our Facebook page to share the fact that he has passed his #ride5000miles goal. Barney only passed his Direct Access test on July 16, after his wife paid for it as a 40th birthday present. Barney said: “It’s a…

‘Massive power figures are just willy-waving. This bike makes me grin every ride’ KAWASAKI NINJA 650 £6549 Fuel 15 litres @ 49mpg = 163 miles Weight 193kg Seat 790mm Power 63bhp Torque 49ftlb james.archibald@motorcyclenews.com I’ve been asking myself – is the 650 really worthy of being called a Ninja? On looks alone, maybe. The ZX-10R-inspired styling and Kawasaki Racing paintscheme make it look like a proper pocket-rocket. But the 63bhp parallel-twin, basic suspension and average brakes scream otherwise. The Ninja name is associated with some of the quickest machines going in their respective capacity classes – Jonathan Rea is untouchable aboard his ZX-10RR Ninja, and let’s not forget, the supercharged Ninja H2 is in a league of its own when it comes to pushing technological boundaries for production machines. It…

‘If it is the case the driver was tagging the ambulance then he is at fault’ Q Can I claim against an ambulance-chasing driver? I was on my way to work in single-lane traffic, which was travelling at about 15mph. I heard a siren behind me and when I checked my mirror there was an ambulance coming up behind with lights flashing. Naturally, I moved over to the left slightly to allow it to get by, which it did. As I was moving back into my lane a car knocked me off my bike. It looks like he wanted to follow the ambulance to get through the traffic quicker and beat the morning congestion! My collarbone was broken and I will be unable to work for a couple of months…

Great deals on Suzuki 125s Suzuki are offering a competitive 3% APR finance offer on both the Suzuki GSX-R125 and GSX-S125. The 36-month offer means the new fully-faired R model can be had for just £89.28 a month with a deposit of £1000. The naked S can be had for £108.67 a month, with a minimum deposit of just £33. www.bikes.suzuki.co.uk Time for a new Ducati? Ducati have released a new watch, aiming to capture the sporting essence of the brand. The £169 DC Power Watch features a design mimicking Ducati’s signature frames and the whole thing is waterproof to 10 ATM. Presented in a neat black box, it’s the ideal accessory for any discerning Ducati rider. www.ducati.com Kawasaki 0% finance offers Kawasaki have unveiled a host of exciting end-of-year…

JOE DICK MCN Staff Photographer – DUCATI 999 “I’d have a Ducati 999. I’ve never ridden one – I’ve never even sat on one, but I don’t care. I’m not buying a bike for practical reasons, that’s not why I ride bikes. I want something memorable that I can love. With £7000, I couldn’t afford the R version, so I’d save a bit of money and buy some aftermarket carbon bits too.” JAMIE MORRIS Freelance Photographer TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE “A 1000cc sportsbike is too fast for the road and no good for everyday riding. A tourer isn’t sporty enough for a Sunday morning blast or occasional trackday. I think the Street ticks every possible box, comfortable enough to ride daily and well sorted enough to be a weapon on a…

1995-2003 Thunderbird 900 Colours Various Dealer £5000 Private good £4400 Private average £3750 This one 1998 early model with screen and rack showing 30,000 miles. Dealer sale, £3494. 1996-2001 Adventurer 900 Colours Black/red or blue/ silver Dealer £4500 Private good £4200 Private average £3875 This one 2001 model with chrome extras showing 11,495 miles, £4695. 1998-2004 Thunderbird Sport Colours Yellow/black,orange/black or white/ orange Dealer £6500 Private good £5750 Private average £5500 This one Mint 2000 model, 15,868 miles, £6495. 1999-2002 Legend  TT Colours Green/silver Dealer £4345 Private good £4200 Private average £3800 This one 2000 model with sissy bar and other cosmetic accessories showing 27k miles, £4000. Insurance MCN COMPARE Sample MCNCompare.com quotes for £4000 retro roadsters, from cheapest to costliest…

‘We were treated like test dummies to see if our bikes could double as submarines’SAM SUNDERLAND This is the moment that Dakar hero Sam Sunderland’s hopes of becoming the 2017 FIM Cross Country World Champion ended. Competing in the final outing of the five-round series and just six points off the lead going into the race, Sunderland was in contention for glory having won the day one prologue stage. On day two, Sunderland and his factory RedBull KTM team-mate Mathias Walkner were first to arrive at one of many river crossings. Heavy rain had caused the rivers to swell and while Walkner somehow managed to make it across, Sunderland drowned his all-new KTM rally bike and was forced to retire. The stage was later abandoned. Sunderland said: “The championship is…

The 2017 MCE British Superbike Championship will reach its conclusion at Brands Hatch this weekend, and if the first 11 rounds are anything to go by we’re in for a heady mix of unpredictability and drama. Five riders could still clinch the crown, but the spotlight is focused on Leon Haslam, who leads by 32 points over Josh Brookes and five-time champion Shane Byrne who sits just a further point back. Byrne ‘I’ll not make any excuses – it’s not good enough’ Having finished first or second in the championship every year since 2012, Shane Byrne has been in a position similar to this many times before. Whether he’s been on top or chasing, he knows what it takes to win a title and ahead of this weekend, he’s remaining…

‘I fractured my right tibia close to the knee’JACK MILLER Marc VDS Honda rider Jack Miller will miss this weekend’s round of the MotoGP championship at the Japanese manufacturer’s home circuit of Motegi, after breaking his tibia while riding trials in his European base of Andorra. The Australian fell at low speed, breaking his right tibia in a crash reminiscent of Valentino Rossi’s only a month earlier. But, with Rossi making a comeback after only three weeks away, Miller says he’s targeting a similar return to action at his home race in Australia the weekend after Motegi. “Obviously I’m both disappointed and frustrated to have to sit out the Japanese Grand Prix through injury, especially as it wasn’t even a crash! We were out trials riding when I put a…

BMW’s G-series motor is a reverse cylinder design, which means its exhaust exits from the rear of the engine instead of the front and the cylinder is tilted backwards. But why have BMW done this? On a conventional motor the cylinder leans slightly forward but by tilting it backwards on the G310s BMW have created extra space under the cylinder, allowing them to use an inline gearbox and still have a short engine. Sportsbikes achieve the same goal by using a vertically stacked gearbox, but this solution raises the weight of the gearbox within the bike’s chassis. By tilting the cylinder, BMW have kept the weight low in the frame and kept the engine short and a short engine takes up less space in a chassis, so you can fit…

Incredible machines under the hammer Coys of Kensington will once again be holding an auction at the 2018 show featuring an enticing range of bikes for every pocket. Last year’s auction saw an incredibly diverse range of machines on offer with everything from flat-tank pioneer bikes to modern day race machinery up for grabs. Highlights of the sale included a 1927 Brough Superior Overhead Valve 680 that went under the hammer for a blistering £78,400 and an ‘as-new’ 1994 Honda RC45 with just 1km on the clock that sold for £40,320. Due to the phenomenal record-breaking success of the 2017 event, entries for 2018 will be strictly limited but there is still time to submit a machine for sale in the auction. The auction will be held in the main…

In addition to the new Street Bob (p21), Breakout and Fat Bob and Boy, there are four members of Harley’s all-new Softail family. These are the 1970s-styled Low Rider, the Softail Slim (a now more blacked-out, narrow-tyred version of the Fat Boy), the Deluxe and, here, the Heritage Classic. All, as before, are based around the all-new, monoshock Softail frame but with a variety of swingarms and head angles, plus uprated Milwaukee-Eight engines, along with an array of styling and detail changes. But of these final four it’s probably the Deluxe and, here, the new Heritage that have had the biggest styling makeover. In short, where the old Heritage was a 1950s-style chrome ‘n’ tassels cruiser complete with plexi-screen and studded panniers, the new goes for a more 1940s, WWII,…

“My old Suzuki RG500. It was a hell of a machine when I was 18… in 1989!” Guy Wright “I remember when it first appeared, looking like a GP bike, with its banana swing arm, stacked exhausts and upside down forks. It looked amazing.” Paul Newcome “Did my own servicing using a dial gauge in the spark plug hole and light bulb between two crocodile clips on the points. I’m still riding today.” Lewis Turner “My H2, which was purple originally. It didn’t last long, hence the rattle-can paintjob. It had drag bars and Denco chambers. Still have the gauge I serviced the carbs with! Dennis Linn “The Mito Evolution is still the best handling bike I’ve ever had. I wish Cagiva had made a 250 like they were taking…

AN ADVENTURE BIKE FOR THE MASSES OK, there’d already been the V-Strom 650 and F800GS, but the Tiger took middleweight adventure to a new level. AN OFF-ROAD TRIPLE? Yes, it’s developed from the 675 street bike, but the Tiger 800, especially in more dirt-orientated XC guise, is a truly capable off-roader. BIG ABILITY, SMALL BIKE The 800’s popularity is largely down to its huge versatility. It really CAN do it all. Except it’s not large. Or huge, either. REALLY CONFUSING MODEL NAMES Today, there’s not just the Tiger 800, but the XR, XC, XRx, XCx, XCA and XRT. Got that? Yeah, took us a while, too……

‘The S and R are very different’ The RS is certainly the most impressive Street Triple ever built in terms of outright performance, and great value in terms of spec, but unless you are a track-fiend its only real road benefits over the R are pub bragging rights. On the road it is harsher and more unforgiving, both in terms of chassis and engine response. The S and R, however, are noticeably different machines. Newer riders can grow in confidence ‘The R exceeds your every expectation’ and ability on the S, making it the ideal choice as you start your two-wheeled journey. Those with more experience under their belt could find themselves pushing its limits, which is why the R, with its adjustable suspension, improved brakes and ability to simply…

MCN’s campaign to encourage as many readers as possible to cover 5000 miles in a year is all about getting the most enjoyment possible from your motorcycle. We realise life is full of pressures that stop you biking, but there’s always a way. So #ride5000miles is all about finding time on a Sunday to go for a blast, or doing that tour or trip you’ve always wanted to do. It can even be about just riding your bike to work more often. There’s a great network set up to help you achieve this – and thousands of bikers have already signed up to our #ride5000miles Facebook group. It’s a wonderful place full of friendly faces who are happy to share routes, experiences and tips. Even if you’re not going to…

‘It took 650 miles for my backside to start aching, but even then I was still able to keep going’ ‘This road high into the sky with switchback turns and sheer drops’ Price £9900 Fuel 17.4 litres @ 49mpg = 187 miles Weight 166kg Seat 825mm Power 121bhp Torque 57ftlb joe.dick@motorcyclenews.com The plan this year with the RS was always to do a big road trip somewhere in Europe – somewhere I’d not been before and a place in which I could really test the bike in different scenarios. There was only one place for it, the Alps. I have an old school mate, Glenn, who lives not far from Chamonix, France, and it was the perfect excuse to get over and see him for the first time in years.…

2002 HONDA CBR900RR FIREBLADE £3500 Fuel 18 litres @ 38mpg = 155 miles Weight 168kg (claimed) Seat height 815mm Power 149bhp Torque 78ftlb ped.baker@motorcyclenews.com With last month’s handling issues sorted (as originally suspected, I’d just nipped up the head bearings too tight) there was one more job I’d been itching to do on the Blade, and that was to remove the alarm. I’ve nothing against alarms, except that no-one takes any notice of them, they usually go wrong at the most inconvenient moment and the beeping when arming and disarming is so loud and so high pitched it sends nextdoor’s dog up the wall. It had to come off. I’ve removed alarms from used bikes before and while the mass of wires can look daunting, it’s a fairly simple task.…

EDZ Touch Screen Gloves and Neck Warmer £30 We have a great combo up for grabs, a pair of EDZ touch screen gloves and a neck warmer. Made from merino wool they are warm and washable. Enter until October 31 Sportsbikeshop Gift Voucher £50 The UK’s biggest on-line bike retailer have given us a £50 gift voucher to spend on whatever biking goods the winner desires. Enter until October 31 Turbospoke £15 Turn your little one’s pedal bike into a noise machine with this Turbospoke exhaust system. Barrrrp! Enter until October 31 Optimate 3 Charger £56 This charger will keep your battery fully charged and it will diagnose faults and recovers dead batteries. We’ve got one to give away. Enter until October 31 Muc Off Clean, Lube and Protect Kit…

‘The tyre has a running-in process similar to a new bike’ THE EXPERT Jim Worland, 43 Jim is Metzeler UK Director and has worked for 23 years on road and race tyres. He’s been involved with in UK and international racing, product management and R&D across a broad range of rubber. There are myths around new tyres being slippery… There’s a big misconception that tyre moulds have a release agent and that needs to be worn off before the tyre will start to grip. That’s not the case with our tyres, the moulds are highly polished and the tyre comes out easily. ...but they still need bedding in When you start riding on a new tyre, it’s not just the contact patch that needs bedding in, it’s the whole structure.…

2004 Aprilia RS125, £1500 26,858 miles The two-stroke Aprilia RS125 is a genuine small sportsbike. Good ones are hard to find. Look out for Often thrashed, so look out for crash damage. 1989 Yamaha TZR250, £3690 18,646 miles At its inception, the TZR was a revolution. Well looked after examples are available, but pricey. Look out for Check the power valve is working properly, as they seize. 1986 Honda NS400R, £8500 10,700 miles Inspired by the GP bikes of the time, they ooze class and are highly sought-after. Look out for Exceptional quality, so just the usual rattles.…

1980 Suzuki GT185 £1600 Seller says 16,000 miles, very good condition, everything works. Neil says Desirable model with alloy wheels and styled a bit like the X7 250. Absolutely super for not much cash. 1996 Aprilia RS250 £7000 Seller says Totally stripped and rebuilt, including engine, maybe the best on the market. Neil says Pricey, but still cheaper than a Kawasaki H2 and it’ll run rings round it. 1990 Yamaha RXS100 £950 Seller says 5500 miles, great condition, unrestored, new battery, new MoT Neil says I love these things They can be tuned to do 85mph. Probably the best value stroker. BIKES FOR SALE  14,005 bargain bikes for sale right now!…

Yamaha’s mid-Noughties, cruiser V-twin-based, roadster odyssey was never, really, intended to go into production – but we’re very glad it did. Based on the enormous ultra-low-revving, 1900cc V-twin engine from the XV1900 ‘Midnight Star’ cruiser, the MT-01 (MT standing for ‘Masters of Torque’) was originally a concept bike at the 1999 Tokyo Show and public reaction was so great Yamaha eventually decided to put it into production. The result was on sale between 2005 and 2012. And what a bike it is! Unlike some concepts that made it to the road, virtually nothing about the MT was lost in the translation. The result is a funky art deco-styled wonder with build quality that’s simply astounding. For example…the USD forks are fully adjustable, the clocks are a glorious mix of analogue…

‘We’ve won a race – but haven’t come anywhere near that this year’SCHWANTZ ON SUZUKI With a growing role within the factory Suzuki MotoGP squad, 1993 world champion Kevin Schwantz is a regular in the paddock again. Having been there and done that, he has the ability to be able to see and understand the intricacies of racing, and the 53-year-old Texan isn’t afraid of sharing his views. MCN took a walk down pitlane with him at Silverstone to discuss his thoughts on which manufacturers have impressed him so far this season and why. This is what he had to say…. Schwantz on… Honda “At the start of the year you would have thought that maybe they were kind of lost a little bit, from where they finished the season…

‘Mika really puts some pressure on the others, but we’re sticking to Bradley’PIT BEIRER, KTM Bradley Smith is adamant that his position within the Red Bull KTM squad for 2018 remains unchanged, as rumours continue to circulate that the British racer is set to be replaced next season by the firm’s test rider, Mika Kallio. It hasn’t been an easy start to his time at KTM for Smith, with only 14 points accrued so far, and a best finish of tenth in the rain at the San Marino Grand Prix. Those results don’t compare that favourably to Kallio’s, with the Finn taking 11 points from his three wildcard appearances. Smith’s lack of decent results have led to a flurry of rumours in the paddock suggesting that Smith and Kallio will…

Nostalgia may be the sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past, but it is more accessible and socially acceptable now than it’s ever been. With digital TV and radio it’s never been as easy to watch Dad’s Army (if you really want to), or listen to music from the 70 or 80s (who can resist a bit of DuranDuran – no really?). And while some still scoff at those of us who don spectacles of the rose-tinted variety now and then – it seems vaguely normal to now spend at least a little time looking backwards. Two-strokes are the Absolute 80s of the bike world. The machines that cackled, coughed and smoked their way into our souls. And there they have remained. Not as many of…

‘If you’ve got a desire to do something just do it and enjoy it’ Q1 What are you riding? My Dakar bike is a KTM 450 Rally with a green and white finish to match my sponsors Motorex. It’s got the factory suspension, so other than the engine and ECU it’s pretty much a full factory bike. My last 450 Rally was carburetted, so the current one feels a lot more powerful. Apart from the odd bolt that has rattled out, it’s been trouble free. Q2 Which living motorcyclist do you most admire? He’s no longer living, but I most admired Fabrizio Meoni. I first got into rallying by watching Dakar when I was younger and Fabrizio was racing the big KTM 950 through the desert. I always wanted an…

‘Although there’s nothing particularly tight or technical, it will take some effort to suppress a grin’ ‘The Hawaiian Eye café is particularly popular with bikers, especially at weekends’ Stretching from The Wash to the Humber estuary, the Lincolnshire coast can be considered somewhat off the beaten track; though its seaside towns bustle with tourists at the peak of summer, the off season can be surprisingly quiet and therefore an ideal time to enjoy its roads. This special ride rolls out of Boston and traces a meandering course north, zigzagging up the coast to the promenade at Cleethorpes. The closest filling station to the start is on the dual carriageway section of the A52 through town; it’s actually on the wrong side, so will involve a loop between roundabouts before heading…

1 Southport Carousel, Promenade, Southport, Merseyside. Wednesday bike meet. www.discoversouthport.co.uk 2 Ace Café, Stonebridge, London. 6pm. Has an Italian bike night this Thursday. 020-8961-1000 or www.ace-cafe-london.com 3 The Oddballs MCC, The Haygate, Telford, Shropshire. www.oddballsmcc.co.uk 4 Tut-Hole Layby Snack Bar, A16 Spilsby, Lincs. Tuesday night meet until 10pm. 07554-987395 5 East Coast Motorcycle World, Cranswick Industrial Estate, Hutton Cranswick, Driffield, East Yorks. 01377-271200 GET YOUR MEET ON THE MAP If you have a bike-friendly venue and want to get your meet on the map , email: sam.williams@motorcyclenews.com…

49.3 MPG BEST 61.2 WORST 37.4 AVERAGE 49.3 Tyres Pirelli Diabolo Rosso III The Diablo Rosso IIIs are better suited for everyday riding, with the Pirelli Supercorsa SPs being more track oriented. Best PCP deal £113 A MONTH Triumph Street Triple RS on PCP Deposit £2500 Duration 37 Months Annual mileage 5000 Optional final payment £5409 Interest per annum 9.9% www.triumphtristar.co.uk Insurance Via MCN compare.com Quote is for a 40-year-old rider living in Hull, with xxx years no claims and no convictions in last nine years. £249.37 FUTURE PLANS • Tail-tidy • Engine covers • Exhaust system • Tank protector, • Frame protectors • Bigger screen…

BMW R NINE T RACER £11,615 Fuel 17 litres @ 40mpg = 149 miles Weight 220kg Seat 805mm Power 108bhp Torque 86ftlb THE RIDER Matt Wildee Loves ‘spirited’ road and track riding Height 6ft 2in Weight 85kg matt.wildee@motorcyclenews.com The weird world of MCN and testing other bikes means that three weeks have passed between rides. But, we were pleased to see each other again. Getting reacquainted took little time and I’ve treated the BeeEm to some new shoes. Now autumn is raising its ochre head, I’ve replaced the Pirelli Supercorsa SPs with Michelin Power RS tyres. The first impression says that they work well in the damp and have more neutral steering than the worn Pirellis. In fact, the new rubber has improved the bike so much that it’s worth…

1 It’s not rubber! There hasn’t been any natural rubber in tyres for years. Instead, there is a mix of up to 30 different ingredients, with the most common ones, carbon black and silica, which define the main performance characteristics. Carbon black is a by-product of oil combustion, while the silica is derived from sand. 2 What about compounds? To call compounds ‘soft’ or ‘hard’ is technically incorrect. In racing, soft, medium and hard usually refer to a combination of structure and compound intended to deliver specific results on front and rear tyres. These are designed to perform in specific conditions depending on weather conditions, the abrasiveness of the asphalt, race distance and the riders’ preferred ‘feel’. 3 It’s all about temperature A race compound can give very little grip…

Everyone (me especially) wants a two-stroke and the fact that the things have been all but banned only makes them more desirable. They can be fussy at times and there’s nothing romantic about pre-mix, but a well set-up stroker, wailing as it comes on the pipe, is irresistable to anyone with a heart. There are two classic problems with used strokers. Firstly, they have a tendency to blow up. Secondly, they’re expensive. Prices for the true classics are now very, very high and they’ll never come down. If you want a good Suzuki GT750 Kettle, you’re starting at £7000. If you want a Kawasaki 500 H1, that’s about the same and add a grand for the H2 750. Yamaha’s original RD350LC is also about the same and the last-gasp air-cooled…

‘Get yourself a new bike for less’ DEPUTY EDITOR RICHARD NEWLAND Personal Contract Purchase now finances 20-30% of all new bikes sold in the UK, and it’s a method of ownership that is growing fast. But it might not be right for you, so make sure you understand the ins and outs. You can have these new bikes for less than you might have ever imagined – and what’s more, you can have another new one in three years’ time, probably without increasing your monthly outlay or having to find a fresh deposit. This is how it works… • Work out what you can afford as a deposit and in monthly repayments for the duration of the contract. • You can get PCP on any amount from £1500 upwards. • Choose…

‘It’s important to show the younger generation a woman can win’ANA CARRASCO On September 27, 2017 at Portimao, Ana Carrasco became the first woman in history to win a world championship motorcycle road race when she stormed to a thrilling victory on her Kawasaki Ninja 300 in the FIM Supersport 300 race held at WSB events. While there are other female champions in other disciplines such as motocross and trials, the difference with Carrasco is that it wasn’t a women-only race, she did it against a field of 36 other riders – all of them men. Since her win, Carrasco has received worldwide recognition. In Spain, it’s obviously been big news and even in the UK she made it into the national press. And then at the recent Aragon MotoGP…