Table of contents for January 10th 2018 in MCN

It might surprise you but brake cleaner is bloody clever stuff as it’s designed to remove dirt, dust and any contaminates from a brake system without leaving behind any residue that may interfere with the brake’s components. To achieve this it is made from a blend of fast drying chemicals, which is why it evaporates so quickly (and why it smells sweet). Most brake cleaners have perchloroethylene (but you also know it as tetrachloroethylene…) as their main components. First discovered in 1821, perchloroethylene is also the liquid used in dry cleaning because it’s an excellent solvent of organic material and is also nonflammable – which makes it safe to use. Some manufacturers blend perchloroethylene with other solvents such as methlene chloride, which is also used as a paint stripper and…

Alpinestars Equinox Outdry Glove £129.99 What’s good? The Alpinestars Equinox glove is the ideal companion for the road. Made using waterproof Outdry material, the gloves are littered with safety and comfort features, making them a must in a variety of weather conditions. What’s not? Not available in size XS. www.alpinestars.com Wunderlich BMW R1200GS and Adventure lowering kit £15 What’s good? Easily lower your R1200GS’ seat height by 10mm with this rubber grommet kit from Wunderlich. The kit can be removed and installed in seconds with no special tools and the reduction in height is designed to ease the strain on your knees and hips, as well as help give you a better footing on the bike. What’s not? Only available for the 2013-onwards BMW R1200GS and 2014-onwards R1200GS Adventure models.…

RSD SOLO SCOUT ENZO SEAT $419.95 (ABOUT £310) The Enzo seat bolts directly onto the Scout and has extra padding to keep your rear nicely cushioned those long days in the saddle. RSD SCOUT PULL BACK RISER $250 (ABOUT £185) The stock seat, handlebar and foot positioning are not aggressive enough for racing. The Pull Back Riser improves control, bringing the handlebars 1.75in higher and closer to the rider. RSD SCOUT MID CONTROLS $675 (ABOUT £500) Not cheap, but a massive improvement over the stock foot positioning. Improved ground clearance allows for a higher lean angle and the solid pegs give more feedback and feel from the bike. All available from w w w.rolandsands.com.…

Yamaha YBR125 • 10bhp • 113kg Budget small-capacity biking at its best Check for learner crash damage. KTM 125 Duke • 15bhp • 137kg The most stylish learner on the market Check for cracked switchgear. Honda CBF125 • 11.3bhp • 128kg A fantastically frugal purchase Check for flaking paint on the forks. Suzuki RV125 VanVan • 12bhp • 120kg The ultimate in retro learner cool Check for drops and oil level. MCN BIKES FOR SALE 1000S OF USED BIKES ONLINE…

KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S £14,699 Fuel 23 litres@49mpg=248 mile-range Weight 238kg (wet) Seat height 860mm Power 160bhp Torque 103ftlb ‘By the time I was in Wales my cross-country ride turned into a blast’ First of all, I have to admit that I’m not a fan of riding with panniers. I consider myself to have pretty good spatial awareness on a bike thanks to years of trials riding as a kid and a spell working as a courier. But this same awareness seems to disappear the moment my handlebars have cleared the object, meaning I have no consideration for the back end of the bike. And when you’re riding with hard panniers, this can be a problem. While I don’t want to embarrass myself unnecessarily – it’s fair to say…

Q Trackday tyres are blunting my Blade The rear tyre on the 2017 Honda Fireblade SP is a 190/50 ZR17 and nobody I have found makes a trackday tyre to suit this size. If you change it to a 190/55 ZR17 (plenty of tyre choice at this size) the bike’s electrics will play up. It’s so bad I thought the back wheel was loose! What’s the solution? Scott Wills, email A Answered by Chris Dabbs, MCN No tyre manufacturer currently makes a 190-width track tyre (slick, rain or treaded) with a 50% aspect ratio. As soon as tyre designers started making 55-aspect ratio 190s and racers discovered that they gave more side grip and drive traction, that was it for the 50-aspect ratio trackday/race tyre and that was quite a…

THE EXPERT Martyn Waterhouse, 33, is the Technical Director at Rock Oil and has been with the company his whole career – starting in the lab as a technician 16 years ago. Oil is the lifeblood of your engine and it doesn’t just stop all those furiously rotating metallic parts from welding themselves together. It also prevents corrosion, transports particulates to the oil filter, neutralises the acids produced by the combustion process and cools components. Bike oils are a blend of base oils, detergents and dispersants. A mineral base oil is the bottom rung, so we use a type of synthetic compound of polyalphaolefin (PAO) molecules, linked with esters (derived from the reaction between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid). Viscosity modifiers (VM) are long chains of synthetic polymers. When…

Have you noticed how used bikes seem to have more miles on them these days? The average three-to-four-year-old bike (the ones I see anyway) all seem to have 20k-25k miles on the clocks. I know that’s not a lot, but a decade ago you’d usually expect half that sort of mileage. I think one reason may be the change in what people ride – we’ve moved away from sportsbikes towards more practical bikes; like the new breed of nakeds and sit-up-and-beg, half-faired bikes and adventure bikes, of course. These are more versatile than sportsbikes, so see more use. In the case of adventure bikes, I see a lot more of them on the roads in winter than I see sports 600s, too. Another reason is that people have at last…

GARETH ASHMAN MCN’s Commercial Director 2011 YAMAHA FZ1 FAZER “With five-and-a-half grand, I would buy this one-owner, 12,000-mile Yamaha Fazer 1000 in this really cool blue and white colourscheme. It’s an A AB BS S model d l and from a reputable dealer with a good warranty too. As a model they were often overlooked and are still extremely underrated. It’s not just about the gold wheels, honest!” ROB FAIRBURN Group Sales Manager YAMAHA XT660Z TÉNÉRÉ “I’ve always felt like there’s a real motorcycling adventure within me and the Ténéré would be a great bike to do this on. Having one in the garage might just be the th incentive i ti II need. Reality, however, says it would more likely be used for day trips in the UK and…

2011 – 11th in 125GP Kent’s first full year in Grand Prix racing after finishing runner-up in the Red Bull Rookies, he had a strong debut season with the Ajo squad to finish just outside the top ten thanks to a number of strong top six finishes in the second half of the season. 2012 – 4th in Moto3 The opening year of the replacement for the 125 class, Kent shows that he’s got what it takes by taking his debut Grand Prix wins at Motegi and Valencia, and he finished just one place behind Maverick Viñales in the championship standings. 2013 – 22nd in Moto2 An ill-fated move to Moto2 with the Tech 3 team, replacing fellow Brit Bradley Smith, ends with disaster for Kent. He struggled to find…

As one of the most successful Dakar competitors in history with five wins, Marc Coma knows exactly what it takes to conquer Dakar and the skills needed by the riders. In his role as Dakar Race Director, the 41-year-old Spaniard has helped the race evolve with even greater challenges for each and every competitor. Speaking to MCN, he said: “The aim for Dakar has always been the same – it has to be the hardest race in the world. Yes, it is about speed, but also navigation. You need to handle the race, have the right tactics and in the end it is a big game. “The bike riders are the heroes of Dakar and in my opinion the first week is very interesting and very tough. We know that…

Confirmation of Josh Brookes and Tarran Mackenzie at McAMS brings the 2018 British Superbike grid one step closer to being finalised, with just a handful of riders still to be confirmed. As it stands, 20 riders will line-up on the grid next year from 12 teams but more additions are expected before the season kicks off at Donington Park on March 31. Currently absent from the roster is the MotoRapido Ducati squad, who could well keep John Hopkins on board for 2018, Team WD40 and Martin Jessopp’s Rider’s Motorcycles BMW squad. PR Racing BMW are yet to confirm their plans for the season ahead. Two-time BSB race winner Tommy Bridewell is currently unconfirmed while Taylor Mackenzie has also revealed he is out of a ride after the Build-base Suzuki squad…

Feeling tyred? Metzeler have announced that the Metzeler village campsite is returning to the TT. Situated next to Quarterbridge, it allows easy access to the paddock and grandstand. It costs from £22 per night. Visit: www.metzelervillage.com. New Beezer? Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the company that owns the BSA name, posted a suggestive tweet on Christmas day. In the tweet he apologies to Santa that he’s not had a BSA to ride of late but that they’re working on getting him a new one. Joined-up plan Circuito de Almeria have joined forces with the neighbouring Andalucia circuit to create the 5.9-mile Circuito de Espana. After turn 3, Almeria connects to Andalucia before rejoining at turn 5. The combined track will become one of the longest in the world. A Beatle &…

See some of the most successful and influential Grand Prix machines ever built in the Michelin Grand Prix Icons paddock at this year’s Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show. This impressive collection can ONLY be seen at the MCN show at London’s ExCeL venue on February 16-18. So don’t miss this little lot! 1979 Barry Sheene Suzuki XR27 The machine that nearly won Sheene the ’79 British GP at Silverstone, after an epic battle with Kenny Roberts. After swapping paint and hand gestures during a monumental race, Sheene missed out on the last lap. 1983 Spencer replica Honda RS500 The RS500 was the customer version of the three-cylinder NS500 – the factory prototype that Freddie Spencer claimed his first 500 title on in 1983. 1992 Wayne Rainey YZR500 OWE0 This…

Buying a bike is full of excitement and though we don’t like to admit it, is sometimes a bit worrying too – especially if you’re buying used. With any purchase there are moments of doubt. “Did I buy the right bike? Have I got bought a dog? Have I got a good deal?” All these questions and more go through your head. But our used bike special is designed to take that worry out. Using the search data from MCN’s Bikes For Sale website, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular used bikes and spoken owners, dealers and industry insiders to help you choose which is right for you and arm you with the facts and tips you need. But not all buying decisions are as thought-through. This year…

Q1 What are you riding? A Ducati Scrambler with a Watsonian Squire sidecar, a Kawasaki Z900 for commuting to the shop and a ZX-10R for when I’m instructing on trackdays. Q2 Which living motorcyclist do you most admire? Rossi, 100%. I shared a track with him during the 2001 season and ended up in the same gravel trap in Mugello… Q3 What’s your worst riding habit? Speeding! I don’t speed in 30-limits or built-up areas, but if the road is dry and clear and you can see what’s ahead, the thought of sticking to limits just doesn’t appeal to me. Q4 If you could have one riding super skill, what would it be? I’d love to backflip a bike – I half did one once when I got it all…

Honda CB600F Hornet • 97bhp • 179kg A dependable bike perfect for all. 2007-onwards models are best. Check for corrosion and carb balance. Suzuki GSR600 • 88bhp • 183kg A detuned, more upright GSX-R600. Check for snatchy throttle when cold. Yamaha FZ6 Fazer • 90bhp • 186kg Versatile, fun and engaging do-it-all. Check for gearbox issues, changing down from second to first gear. Suzuki GSF600 Bandit • 78bhp • 204kg The bike responsible for creating the budget naked class. Check that the brakes have been appropriately maintained. MCN BIKES FOR SALE 1000S OF USED BIKES ONLINE…

Neil Murray MCN’s resident used bike expert. Neil has a weekly column in MCN, telling you what’s hot and what’s not. He’s devoted a lifetime to buying and selling motorcycles. Ciaran Perrin Has been buying and selling bikes since he was 17. He runs eBay store Extreme Trading UK Ltd and specialises in rare and collectable four and two-stroke machines, with over 570 in stock. Ian Cooper Used motorcycle expert Ian founded www.webuyusedbikes.co.uk in 2000 and Cooperb Motorcycles, in Northamptonshire, in 2003. Dan Sutherland MCN’s Acting Consumer Editor Dan looks after the Garage section of the paper, speaking to people in the industry on a daily basis.…

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…

Price £22,385 Fu e l 22.7 litres @49mpg = 245-mile range Weight 376kg Power 88bhp Torque 110ftlb ‘I rode pretty much non-stop from Scotland to London and could have kept going’ ‘Hell, I even grew a moustache – although I did stop short of buying some chaps’ It doesn’t take much pressure for me to admit I quite like Harleys, even though on paper they’re a bit rubbish. Almost without exception, if you tallied up all their bikes on a spreadsheet against all their rivals, they would lose on most aspects. Every aspect except one: cool factor. Harleys are just bloody cool. For every one of the 16,000 miles I covered on the two Street Glides I tested (the first was damaged when I was rear-ended) I felt great. It…

Dainese Torque D1 Out Gore-Tex boots £ £299 299.95 95 Tester Dan Sutherland Time used 6000 miless/five months What’s good? These boots exude quality after 6000 miles. The ffinish is excellent and the Gore-Tex membrane has kept my feet dry in even the most torrential of downpours. They are also extremely comfortable and offer a snug fit around both my RST and Furygan leather trousers. The plain black design looks sleek and the combination of the glossy plastic external protection and slightly duller black leather creates a finish worthy of the near £300 price. Th he boots are CE certified a and offer plenty of protection, including a nylon inner hull, reinforced nylon toe and a sturdy outer shin guard. Replaceable magnesium toe sliders are also good and create minimal…

Suzuki does slick business Suzuki have teamed up with oil firm Motul to make them their officially recommended lubricant partner. This means Suzuki will now recommend Motul on all their road bikes, ATVs, four-wheelers and marine products. Clearly a very slick partnership... w w w.bikes.suzuki.co.uk Premier’s lifts lid on new helmets Premier helmets have unveiled their 2018 collection. The range includes the new Vyrus full face helmet (pictured) and the XTrail flip-up peaked touring helmet. Premier also now offer a five-year warranty on their helmets, subject to registration on the www.premier.it website. Cleaning up Motorcycle transport and logistics firm WMB Group are running a competition to find Britain’s proudest bike owner. Entrants must explain why they deserve the award, and show a picture of their bike. The winner will receive…

PRICE NEW £6790 PRICE NOW £1600 IN A YEAR £ 2000 • 1164cc • 16v transverse four • Five speed • 790mm • 223kg The new Kawasaki Z900RS is the Japanese firm’s fourth attempt at a retro. First was the Zephyr series, second was the ZRX1100/1200 and third the W650/800 twin. After a lukewarm reception, the Zephyr 750 is now hugely sought after, especially the wire-wheeled one in Z1 colours. The W800 is also a cult bike. The ZRX series is still affordable, and it’s the 1200R you want for looks (with the little bikini fairing) or the S for better weather protection. It uses a re-tuned ZZ-R1100 engine (the usual thing – less top end, more mid-range torque and so on) in a long chassis, styled to look like…

‘I had turn around and then climb them again. There must have been 30 cars stuck – it was chaos’ Sam Sunderland got his 2018 Dakar off to a perfect start by winning two of the three opening events of the 14-stage race, but knows only too well that the real fight for glory has only just begun. Twelve months ago Sunderland made history by becoming the first ever British rider to win Dakar and he started this year’s race as one of the clear favourites. But unlike in the previous generation of Dakar when there were only two or three riders truly capable of victory, in 2018 the list of potential winners exceeds ten. This has been helped by the influx of factory teams with full factory projects from…

 Brookes’ move into the factory-backed Yamaha team is hugely significant for the 2018 BSB title fight. ‘13 victories saw Brookes storm to the BSB title’ On paper, it might not have been a surprise to see a former British Champion finish second in the championship as he returned to the series in 2017, but Brookes’ achievements last season cannot be underestimated. Riding for a small, private, family-run team with absolutely no support from Yamaha, Brookes was handicapped from the off. Not only did the teams behind Shane Byrne and Leon Haslam benefit from significant manufacturer backing, they also boasted a vast amount of BSB experience compared to the Anvil Hire squad which only stepped up in 2015. Cast your mind back to Brookes’ title winning year, when he and the…

Michael Neeves Chief Road Tester Aprilia have cleverly priced the RR bang in the b ballpark of its Japanese rivals, so what would you rather have: a stock R1, ZX-10 0R, Blade, GSX-R1000R or a jewel-like, exotic Italian V4? It doesn’t have the higher spec and lightweight wheels, the real world you’d never really notice. The lack uetooth dash or carbon s won’t keep you up at either – and everything still here. It’s one of ’s greatest engines, with GP exhaust howl, cutting lectronics, flawless handling, eye-popping brakes and Tron-like agility. The RR’s more subdued black and red paint really does it for me, too.…

Brembo have issued a recall for some of their OE radial master cylinders after a problem that can lead to front brake failure. It’s possible for the piston in the master cylinder to crack when used on race tracks or with frequent ABS intervention. Brembo have identified two pistons (both 15 and 16mm) and are issuing a replacement made from a different material. The big problem isn’t really for Brembo however, it’s for all the bike manufacturers who use their products. The master cylinder is commonly used with a pair of Brembo M50 mono-bloc calipers, which feature on many high performance bikes. So far Aprilia have issued a recall for the 2016-2017 RSV4 and 2017 Tuono. Ducati too have issued recalls for the 1299 Panigale (including the Superleggera and Final…

Kawasaki Z1000 • 125bhp • 221kg A proper hooligan of a naked bike Check for Seized brakes, flaking engine finish. Yamaha FZ1 • 150bhp • 199kg Inline four naked aggression Check for accident or theft damage. KTM 990 Super Duke • 120bhp • 179kg V-twin with attitude Check for issues with water pump and clutch slave. Aprilia Tuono V4 • 167bhp • 183kg Insane performance, great value Check for fork seals and valve clearances. MCN BIKES FOR SALE 1000S OF USED BIKES ONLINE…

Honda VFR800F • 108bhp • 208kg First generation bikes are strong, cheap and sound amazing. Check for rotting exhausts. Kawasaki ER-5 • 48bhp • 179kg A perfect winter hack that won’t let you down. Check for signs of a hard life. Triumph TT600 • 108bhp • 170kg Ugly, with dodgy fuelling, but a great-handling supersport bike. Check for starting issues. Yamaha FZS600 Fazer • 95bhp • 189kg A wonderful, fun and practical commuter – and a total bargain. Check for widespread corrosion. MCN BIKES FOR SALE 1000S OF USED BIKES ONLINE…

‘The forks just bottomed out’ Steven Hemphill, 45, riding bikes for 26 years “I bought a Kawasaki GPZ750 in 1994 – the one with the anti-dive forks. On my first weekend trip away to my parents, a branch blew off a tree in front of me. I grabbed a handful of brake, and the front just washed out. I slid up the road at about 65mph, but I was thankfully left with no injuries. I found out later that the previous owner had rebuilt the forks, but had put the spacers back in upside down, meaning the anti-dive didn’t work, and the forks just bottomed out under even mild braking!” ‘I was stitched up like a kipper’ James Savery, 45, riding bikes for 25 years “I bought a clapped-out Yamaha…

YAMAHA XMAX 400 £5999 Fuel 13 litres@65mpg=185-mile range Weight 210kg (wet) Power 33bhp Torque 27ftlb Seat height 800mm Until last month, the KTM’s 125 Duke was my main mode of transport. It was lovely, but after I passed my test, the urge for more power took over. And to be honest I needed it – my 62-mile round trip commute is mostly on motorways and the KTM struggled to sustain 70mph. But Yamaha’s XMAX 400 offers enough poke for my commute, but can also carry shopping and has the potential to keep me warmer during the slightly colder days. Hailed as a “long distance sport scooter” by Yamaha, the XMAX is powered by a liquid-cooled 395cc single and kicks out 33bhp. My main worry was how well it would cope…

Q Will wrong trousers hit my payout? A car pulled out on me back in the summer and left me with an injury to my left leg. Fortunately, it was nothing too serious. My solicitor is now telling me that his insurer wants to reduce my compensation by 25% because I was wearing trousers that were not protective. They say my injuries would have been less serious. Is this right? Harry, email A This is not right, no. Bikers are legally required to wear helmets. There is nothing requiring bikers to wear protective clothing such as gloves, boots, jackets or trousers. The Highway Code advises that ‘strong boots, gloves and suitable clothing may help to protect you if you are involved in a collision.’ The Highway Code does not say…

‘You can have a new bike for less’ Personal Contract Purchase now finances 20%-30% of all new bikes sold in the UK, and it’s growing fast. But it might not be right for you, so make sure you understand what it is and how it works. 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 your new motorcycle (or a…

Danny Kent knows that 2018 is likely to be his last chance to prove he can cut it Moto2 after a couple of disastrous seasons. The former Moto3 world champion has signed a career-saving two-year deal with the Speed Up team that Sam Lowes last took to podium success in 2014 and 2015. And he’s been working hard on his physical and mental approach to ensure he can get back to battling for race wins this season. The 23-year-old walked out of the Kiefer Racing squad after only two races last season, which left many questioning his motivation and commitment. His decision to quit the team that took him to Moto3 glory looked like it could have been the end of his Grand Prix career, but Kent insists that it…

Tarran Mackenzie will join title favourite Josh Brookes in the McAMS Yamaha team for the 2018 British Superbike Championship. One of the worst kept secrets in the paddock, it has finally been confirmed that 2015 British Champion Brookes will move to the factory-supported Yamaha effort after a sterling year with the privateer Anvil Hire squad saw him miss out on a second British title by three points. “It was a logical step,” Brookes told MCN from his home in Australia. “I’ve had a good run with Yamaha so it made sense to pick the best Yamaha out there now and go with that. “My bike last year wasn’t the best on the grid, but we were able to achieve what we did with it because we believed in what we…