Table of contents for 30th January 2019 in MCN

You know you’re getting old when... a flip-front helmet seems like a really good idea, heated grips are a necessity not a luxury and your fuel stops are regulated by your bladder and not your bike’s tank size. Motorcyclists tend to be at the ‘more mature’ end of the age demographic these days... and there’s nothing wrong with that. But this grown-up community demands certain things. That’s one of the main reasons supersports bikes, big and small, have seen sales decline dramatically in the last ten years. But those riders fondly remember screaming two-strokes and the advent of razor-sharp 600s. So while many, me included, prefer a more upright riding position and a few creature comforts, there’s still a passion for performance and style. That’s why bikes like Kawasaki’s Z1000SX…

This stunning Panigale V4 streetfighter could be the shape of things to come with Ducati promising more models with the MotoGP-derived engine. Italian design house Officine GP Design are building ten of these power-packed machines. One of its most striking features is the front end with the USD forks replaced by a girder fork from FG Racing made from solid billet aluminium with an Öhlins shock. But equally striking are the custom spoked wheels from Jonich SX, which not only look wild but provide the performance expected from modern tubeless tyres. The tank and frame have been re-covered with a specially-made textured copper skin. The lights are from a Ducati Diavel while the dash is standard model but on a special 3D printed mount. There’s a leather saddle by Foglizzo…

After the huge success of last year’s awareness campaign, the Nick Brisland Trust have organised another ride-out in their quest to improve awareness of bikers and improve emergency facilities. Ria Brisland set up the trust after her 19-year-old son Nick was killed on his bike when a motorist pulled out in front of him. One of her aims was to raise awareness of the problem by campaigning to have the theory test include a specific element about looking for bikers. It was such a success Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling MP, invited Ria to meet the DVSA’s Chief Examiner, Mark Winn, with a view to improving the test. The trust are also aiming to install roadside defibrillators at popular biker meeting points with the first already having been installed at Loomies…

‘Plan in stops so you can get warmed up’ Temperatures have plummeted, but that’s not stopping #ride5000miles members from having fun. As Billy Connolly once said: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing,” and that’s definitely the case here. With a regular year-round daily commute and time spent as an IAM Observer, Kawasaki ZZR600 rider Richard Bentham clocks up over 10,000 miles a year. He said: “My top tip is to use thermal base layers and wear a motorcycle-specific balaclava with flat seams and a windproof throat. “My thermals are a mixture of brands with bits from Go Outdoors and I have an Aldi own-brand merino wool jumper that’s warm and doesn’t bulk up under my jacket. “Helmets need a Pinlock insert so you can keep…

‘It gets around an unfortunate legal hiccup’ With bike theft soaring more and more people are fitting bike trackers. These often do a great job and recovery rates are up to 90% with some brands. But now Datatool have released a new model that, as well as beefing up security, gets around an unfortunate legal hiccup. The new Trakking Adventure S5 does this through the innovative use of a ‘Rider ID’ tag, an RFID tag that lets the bike know the owner is present. When the ignition is switched off, the bike creates a ‘geo-fence’ around itself and begins to monitor for unauthorised movement. If the bike leaves that area without sensing the Rider ID tag, it goes into alert mode and Datatool will contact you. This also means users…

YAMAHA FS1-E My first bike was a 1974 Purple Popsicle FS1-E. It’s September 1979 and another 16-year-old is ready to take to the road. Where is JLX 224N now? Andy How SUZUKI TS50ER Me at 16 in 1981 messing around on my Suzuki TS50ER. I still haven’t grown up. Andy Cole SCOTT FLYING SQUIRREL This is my dad Pete on his first bike; a 1948 Scott Flying Squirrel. He currently owns a 1948 Ariel VG 500. Sue Borrell DUCATI HAILWOOD REP Here is my daughter having her first bike experience on my Hailwood Replica in 1983. Yes, it is in the dining room. Mike Harris BSA BANTAM I got my first bike in 1975. It’s a BSA Bantam and my sister is on the back in Glen Auldyn, Ramsey, Isle…

SEE FOGGY RIDE HIS CCM SPITFIRE LIVE AT THE SHOW! WSB icon Carl Fogarty will be on the CCM stand and parading his Spitfire Foggy Edition every day in the Michelin Thunderdrome arena. Only 300 of the special-edition CCMs will be built, so this is a unique chance to see and hear the bike in action and witness Foggy ride the bike he helped create. Based on the Bolton firm’s tubular-framed, single-cylinder 600cc Spitfire platform, the Foggy Edition is inspired by the Blackburn rider’s illustrious WSB career and includes many unique carbon fibre and billet aluminium parts. Foggy will be interviewed on stage and parading this very special machine around the arena at 11am on Friday, 2pm on Saturday and 11.45am on Sunday. Don’t miss it. MICHELIN 70 YEARS OF…

● ‘I’m a lot more mature, you need that in road racing’ Ian Hutchinson was forced to make up the numbers at last years TT due to the extensive injuries sustained when he crashed fighting for the lead in the 2017 Senior. It’s been another brutal and courageous comeback, but one Hutchy himself says was never in doubt. Remaining with Honda for 2019, the 16-time TT winner says he’s back to fitness, wiser than ever and ready to pick up where he left off. How’s the recovery and how do your injuries compare to 2010? “In 2010 my injuries were all from the knee down, whereas this time it was my ankle, but my tibia was broken to lengthen it and my femur was smashed to bits. I lost a…

Fuel Exhausts may not yet be a household name, but with an ever-growing base of loyal customers, they’re certainly getting there. Run by husband and wife team, Damian and Louise Turner, this Kendal-based firm produce top-quality exhausts that are still within reach of the average biker’s pocket. The story began back in 2001 when Damian, armed with £1000 of savings and a Prince’s Youth Business Trust loan of £3k (along with a bucket-load of encouragement from Louise), moved into his first business premises: an old shed on a chicken farm that had previously been the egg room. Perhaps a fitting location for the birth of his new business. “It was pretty basic,” laughs Damian, “we didn’t even have our own toilet. It helped get us started though. One of our…

Honda are billing the CB650R as a new member of its CB family, while the truth is closer to it being an updated CB650F that has been given a fresh set of clothes and some new jewellery. But in turning their back on the traditional naked bike look and instead turning to what is proving to be a hugely popular neo sports café aesthetic, Honda have played something of a master stroke. No longer is Honda’s middleweight ‘just another bland naked bike from Japan,’ it now stands out as a cool-looking street bike with bags of easy-going charm and a surprisingly sporty side when poked. 1 A sportier stance Honda have given the CB a more aggressive riding position by pushing the flat bars 13mm further away from the rider…

Cutting a dash The new all-LCD dash looks great, but doesn’t work great. At night or on dull days it’s fine, but when the sun is shining brightly, you can’t see it. The sharper face of CBR The CBR650R has shed 6kg and gained 2.6bhp over the CBR650F, but crucially it also looks lighter, fitter and sharper. A true Baby Blade. Pleasing the fun police If you’re not an A2 licence and think that limits you to the CBR500R, don’t despair. The 650 is legal with an ECU remap and restricted intake funnels.…

THE STUDENT Ken’s riding problem ‘I get left behind on corner exits. Even my mate, two-up, leaves me for dust. I don’t feel confident enough to open the throttle.’ THE TUTOR Mark’s action plan ‘Although Ken has a powerful bike, he still needs the right gear in corners. I’ll show him how the correct cog can improve everything.’ THE LESSON 1 Quick change Riding behind, instructor Mark notices Ken is short-shifting straight up to top gear then staying there. Mirroring his gearchanges, Mark experiences exactly what Ken feels as he tackles a twisty road in sixth gear. 2 Your flexible friend Despite the ZX-10R having enough torque to pull sixth, Mark suggests Ken rides the next section of road using third gear only. For most bikes, the middle gear is…

A passion for keeping unusual fish turned into a passion for Fireblades for MCN reader Phil Aspinall who told us about his unconventional route into owning this stunning, Padgett’s Racing tribute Fireblade SP. “The stingray thing was a proper labour of love and I’d spent hours every day tending to them,” he said. “Then I started my own business and found I didn’t have the time so I sold them and bought a 2007 Repsol Blade. I wanted something to remember them, something that gave me as much joy as they did.” Since then, Phil’s honoured them with numerous Blades, including a 2008 model, then a McGuinness replica 2011 version. “I was more than happy with my 2011 Blade because it was signed by John and I didn’t really want…

Back in the late 90s and early 2000s Britain went supermoto crazy with hardcore crossers fitted with sticky road tyres indulging in wild races involving track and dirt sections. The machines here draw their inspiration from those heady days but they’re far milder mannered and combine backroad thrills with a degree of practicality. Decent residuals mean you shouldn’t lose too much money on the deal. £3591 KTM 690SM 654cc | 65bhp | 875mm seat height • Dealer up to £4500• Private up to £3995• This one £3591, 2007, 4529 miles KTM’s supermoto models hold their money well, so only the earliest SMs that came out in 2008 will be around the £4k mark. It’s a 654cc engine, not a 690, but with 65bhp on tap and a pared-down chassis it’s…

Spain is MotoGP country. Always has been, always will be. Early last decade the nation saw a boom in interest in Formula 1 thanks to Fernando Alonso hitting the big time and becoming world champion. And now MotoGP refugee Alvaro Bautista hopes to do the same in World Superbikes. Now 34, the piercingly-blue-eyed Bautista brings a wealth of experience to the factory Aruba Ducati WSB squad as new teammate to Briton Chaz Davies. The Spaniard was 125cc grand prix world champion in 2006, has a total of 157 MotoGP races behind him and has shared a podium with Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi. Most recently he made the headlines when he led October’s Australian GP at Phillip Island for Ducati while deputising for the injured Jorge Lorenzo. “Superbikes isn’t followed…

Among a crowd of famous and rare machines, Steve McQueen’s Triumph arguably stole the show in Las Vegas last week. The 1938 500cc 5T Speed Twin, which incidentally gave its name to Triumph’s latest creation, sold for £118,278 on an already high estimate of £65,000 due to its excellent provenance. While McQueen was always known as a fan of the brand, there are very few Triumphs still left that were actually ridden by the film star. This particular model has changed hands a few times since it was sold at the original McQueen estate auction in 1984. Despite its age it’s in prime condition because McQueen had his friend, mechanic and Great Escape fence jumper, Bud Ekins do a complete restoration in the mid-1970s. In fact, Ekins’ decal remains on…

If you thought Variable Valve Timing (VVT) was for tourers and 125s, think again. BMW’s new S1000RR uses the same ShiftCam tech as the R1250GS and now patents have surfaced for VVT superbikes from Honda and Suzuki. VVT alters the time the valves open and close in relation to the piston travelling up and down. By altering the timing, lift and duration, it’s possible to make an engine that runs more efficiently, makes more power and produces fewer emissions. Honda have dabbled with VVT in the form of VTEC on the VFR. VTEC uses oil pressure to lock (or unlock) a set of cam lobes, which turn the bike from two valves per cylinder to four and back. But now the firm are developing something similar to ShiftCam. As per…

The new Triumph TFC Thruxton featured last week is indeed a thing of beauty. Top half fairing, black with gold pinstripes... they should be on to a winner with that bike. I must have had great foresight with my 1967 one pictured here in the early 70s. It's the black one and it had unusual exhausts, the left one being a normal "swept back" but the right one went over the timing case and gearbox, then dropped down below the oil tank. What a gorgeous machine that was. I hope you like the picture of it. Brian Newbold, email Top choice for shorties MCN reader Samantha wrote in last week’s about the Triumph Tiger 800 Low’s lack of a centrestand. Perhaps it’s worth looking at the Tiger 800 XRX standard…

The Dakar is unreal. The factory boys are there in their air-conditioned tents with a team of mechanics buzzing around like bees but it’s the Malle Moto guys coming in four or five hours later that I can’t get my head round. They’re knackered, covered in sand and blood and then have to change tyres, get a pot noodle and kip down on their own in a tent. Then get up a couple of hours later and do it again. For TWO WEEKS! ‘I THOUGHT ABOUT DOING DAKAR BUT HAD TO BOTTLE IT’ I speak to Sam Sunderland quite a bit, he’s a nice lad and so, so dedicated. The race is 3000 miles long, there’s different altitudes and the stories you hear about the conditions they face are incredible.…

Colour is lacking on both bike’s LCD dashboards, but the Suzuki has a fully digital display whereas the Kawasaki mixes digital with an analogue rev counter. You get a gear indicator on both, as well as a fuel gauge, while alongside the usual two trips and clock, both include an active mpg display. Clarity and ease of use is equal, but the Kawasaki is visually a little classier and the Suzuki does look a little bit old hat. On the Suzuki only the brake lever has a span adjuster while over in the green corner both levers have span adjusters. SUZUKI SUZUKI SWITCHGEAR The Suzuki’s switchgear is pleasingly uncluttered. The traction control’s mode switch is large and easy to locate with a gloved finger. KAWASAKI KAWASAKI SWITCHGEAR The mode switch…

CONOR CUMMINS Age: 32. Team: Padgetts Honda. Pedigree: 4-time TT podium finisher Riding a Padgett’s Honda, Conor Cummins won his first international road race in 2018 since he was badly injured when he crashed out of the 2010 Senior. The Manxman’s Supersport success at the Ulster GP came in a year that also netted podiums in the Superbike and Senior TT. Cummins’ career has been rekindled under the nurture of team boss, Clive Padgett and his fastest lap speeds on the Mountain course continue to improve, rising to a 132.589mph last year. His Padgett’s team-mate, 12-time TT winner Bruce Anstey was ruled out of race action in 2018 by cancer and his treatment is continuing. JAMES HILLIER Age: 33. Team: Quattro Plant Kawasaki. Pedigree: 12-time TT podium finisher James Hillier…

MAY 25-JUNE 7 ‘With 37.73 miles there’s no shortage of vantage points’ ISLE OF MAN TT Lap record: 16m 42.77secs /135.452mph (Peter Hickman) Why it’s great The toughest challenge in road racing due to the expertise required to master the Mountain course. To win, a rider has to learn not only all 200+ corners but also every manhole cover and adverse camber. As a time trial, the TT has a completely different character to the mass starts of the Ulster GP or NW200. Steeped in over 100 years of history, the fortnight-long event is an awesome spectacle. Riders race up mountains and down glens, between houses and gardens, through towns and across wide open sections. From one lap to the next the weather can change from bright sunshine to swirling…

1. SET SPEED Approach a corner at a speed appropriate to conditions and bend severity. Ask yourself: Can you stop if you need to? 2. CHOOSE GEAR As you finish braking, select a gear to match your road speed. Usually, third and fourth gear offers the most flexibility. 3. HOLD A LINE The correct gear lets you use the throttle to fine tune speed through the corner. It’ll also let you hold your line better. 4. ACCELERATE As you start to stand the bike up exiting the turn, smoothly pick up the throttle and accelerate out of the bend. KNOW YOUR BIKE Learn the max speed of each gear on your bike and find the ‘sweet spot’ of each gear and where it’s most responsive. BOX CLEVER A gearbox helps…

‘When people are snapping at your heels it keeps you going’ World Champion Jonathan Rea proved he’s still the man to beat by lapping Jerez aboard his new ZX-10R faster than ever before. For 2019 Kawasaki homologated a more powerful road bike, whose 600 extra revs and increased power gives Rea more gearing options for any given track, helping acceleration on corner exit. This and Jerez’s new track surface helped the Northern Irishman lap in 1m 39.160s; 1.5 seconds quicker than his lap record. “I’m feeling very good,” the 31-year-old said. “2018 couldn’t have been better and the team gave me a more relaxed winter with fewer PR commitments. I’ve a new trainer and feel more motivated than ever. My family has moved from the Isle of Man to Northern…

Jonathan Rea didn’t have things all his own way in Jerez as he was pushed by in-form Alex Lowes on the Pata Yamaha R1. Lowes’ incredible 179 laps over two days, or just short of 500 miles, declared his intentions despite a slow-burner opening day due to unusually cool conditions and a partially-resurfaced track. Lowes’ best time was 1m 39.372s with a qualifying tyre, while his best on race rubber was 1m 39.800s. Van der Mark slotted into seventh place courtesy of 1m 40.145s lap. This is Yamaha’s fourth season since the factory’s comeback and for 2019 the Crescent-run PATA squad of Lowes and Michael van der Mark races alongside the GRT team which steps up from World Supersport with Marco Melandri and Sandro Cortese. The idea is that data…

‘I was riding dirt track and had a very stupid crash’ JORGE LORENZO With just six weeks until the 2019 MotoGP season bursts into life, Honda’s new dream team of Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo have admitted that they’re both far from ready. Marquez is still returning to full fitness after shoulder surgery in December, while Lorenzo revealed more details about the training crash that left him with a broken wrist only ten days ago. The news came as the duo unveiled their 2019 RC213V machines at sponsor Repsol’s Madrid headquarters. Joined by Mick Doohan and Alex Criville as Honda celebrated 25 years of sponsorship from the oil company, many fans were disappointed with a livery that’s largely unchanged despite the special anniversary. Lorenzo, speaking for the first…

After extensive lobbying by numerous motorsport organisations, the European Parliament has agreed to exempt bike racing from the EU’s Motor Insurance Directive (also known as Vnuk) which would have required all motorcycles to have a form of road traffic insurance, even if they were specialist vehicles not meant for the road. As no insurance of this kind is commercially available, this could have seen the end of motorcycle racing as we know it across Europe. EU proposal for insurance voted down Impact potentially ‘catastrophic’ ACU, MCIA and FIM lobbied against this IMCO, the European Parliament committee responsible for the MID, voted overwhelming in favour of exempting motorsport with a tally of 32 to two. During the discussion, members of IMCO adopted a report recommending excluding ‘vehicles intended exclusively for motorsports’…

New figures have revealed the size of the motorcycle theft problem in London and how little of it ends in police action being taken. From January 2015 to October 2018, over 45,000 motorcycle or moped thefts were reported in the capital but only 1200 people were ever charged with an offence. A further 70 merely accepted a caution. This means that over 31,000 investigations were closed with no suspects identified. The new figures have emerged following a Freedom of Information request submitted by an MCN reader who was unhappy with the way the case of their stolen GS was handled by the police. Despite extensive CCTV covering the area, he was unable to access the footage due to data protection laws so his theft joined the other 31,000 unsolved cases.…

With close to 300,000 bikes built bearing the Bonneville name over the last 60 years, it’s little wonder that Triumph are celebrating the enduring legend’s diamond jubilee with an eponymous 1200cc version. The first bikes were half the size, but packed a punch that meant it survived for almost 30 years before John Bloor resurrected the model in 2000. Here’s some of the best Bonnies. 2019 DIAMOND What is it? A stock T120 with a one-off white and silver union flag paintjob, chromed engine covers, chainguard, rims, grab rail, exhausts and badging. MCN says “900 will be built, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by Triumph CEO, Nick Bloor.” Want to buy one? TBC, but it is expected to cost just under £11,000 2016 T120 What is it? New…

Harley-Davidson’s popular dealer custom competition, Battle of the Kings, has returned for 2019, with the public once again tasked with picking their favourite machine. There are nine entries across the UK but the pick of the bunch has to be from Shaw H-D, for their Porsche-inspired Sportster ‘Mustard’. But there’s also the MX-styled Street Rod from Leeds H-D and if you prefer something a little more classic, Warr’s have once again produced a beautiful Softail called ‘The Crook’. We also have to confess a soft spot for Sycamore’s Sportster ‘Brass Monkey’ with its 23in front wheel. Or you might prefer Guildford’s performance bagger inspired Street Reaper, Reading’s chopped Ellie Mae, Maidstone’s futuristic Fat Bob or West Coast’s blacked out Fat Boy. To see all of the bikes and vote for…

Chinese bike importers Lexmoto are taking their first steps into the A2 class with this new, 380cc, twin-cylinder sportster. Revealed at the 2019 Motorcycle Trade Expo in Warwickshire, the LXR 380cc takes the marque’s best-selling LXR 125 and swaps the single-cylinder engine with a larger-capacity parallel-twin Zongshen unit. The new 380 is the first bike Lexmoto have produced above 125cc and marks a landmark in the development of the Devon-based business. Details released are scarce, but from the photographs it’s clear it has dual ABS-equipped front radial calipers biting onto twin wavy discs, upside down forks and credible sportsbike styling. Underneath the black and white fairing, meanwhile, is a tweaked version of the LXR 125’s frame, finished in striking orange. There’s even a sporty-looking alloy swingarm at the rear, too.…

It’s Britain’s best road test route. A tough 250-mile mix of A and B- roads, a stretch of motorway, plus plenty of towns, villages, blind corners, ballistic straights, and a huge range of grippy to slippy tarmac. There are two cafés, an off-road section for adventure and trail bikes, track time at Silverstone for sportsbikes, and Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground and the dyno for hard and fast data when needed. You want answers? We’ve got ’em. 1 How low can you go? Joining the A605’s morning traffic on the Z1000SX my ears are playing tricks on me. They’re telling me the inline-four is revving hard, but the rev counter is hardly registering. Despite only showing 4000rpm at 60mph in top, the Kawasaki’s exhausts are emitting a pleasing snarl with the torque-laden…

In summer, the Cotswold roads are awash with day-trippers who have an annoying tendency to slam on their brakes when they spot a particularly quaint church, but in winter the roads are far quieter and that’s when you can have some fun. The B4068 seemed to play to both the Kawasaki and Suzuki’s strengths as it dropped down from Stow and meandered through Lower Swell before passing above Naunton. The Z1000SX was in its element when the surface was occasionally rough, its supple suspension dealing with the jolts while it gracefully flowed through the mainly open bends at a brisk pace with unwavering poise. Although harsher on its suspension, Paul reported that the GSX-S also clicked on this road with the smoother sections allowing him to exploit the Suzuki’s agile…

JULY 8-11TH Southern 100 Lap Record 2m 12.231s/115.707mph; Michael Dunlop Lined by walls, it’s an intimidating place to race but brilliant to spectate at. Church Bend is spectacular and Casteletown corner is good for last lap lunges. www.southern100.com APRIL 26-27TH Cookstown 100 Lap record 1m 22.641s/ 91.480mph; Michael Dunlop The opening event of the road racing calendar and as a result it attracts some big names who want to blow off the cobwebs and get their season underway. www.cookstown100.com AUGUST 16-26TH Classic TT Lap record 17m 45.348s/ 127.496mph; Bruce Anstey While it’s even more a festival than the actual TT, don’t think that the racing isn’t cut throat. There’s a huge array of classic machinery on show along with all the big name riders. www.iomtt.com JULY 26-27TH Armoy Road Races…

1 Rolled and welded At the start of the production process all exhausts begin as a flat blank that is rolled into the desired shape (either round or oval), tacked and then seam-welded. 2 Laser cutting Individual pressings for the end caps are laser cut. They’re welded on the inside before the outside is polished. 3 It’s a wrap The perforated inner tube is wrapped in fibreglass before being tapped into the outer tube with a rubber mallet. 4 Final fixings Rivet bands form the final fixings to hold the exhaust can together. Damian uses special rivets to ensure they fasten correctly to create a long-lasting product. 5 Making the link Link pipes are formed on the pipe bender and if necessary reduced on the swaging machine. 6 Final touches…

Beneath the skin, Honda’s new CBR650R is essentially identical to the new CB650R but with the naked’s neo sports café nakedness covered by a Fireblademimicking full fairing and clip-ons instead of flat bars. Is that a bad thing? Not when the CBR650R looks as good as this. But aside from a new set of clothes, how far have Honda pushed the CBR beyond the CB’s offering and under that pretty fairing, is it really all that far removed from the old CBR650F? Family affair Honda have given the CBR650R a Fireblade-family aesthetic that includes twin LED lights, the same extended fairing with cut-outs to show off the motor and even aerodynamic fins on its nose cowl. At a glance you would be forgiven for mistaking it for a Blade, until…

‘Strip joints and wet T-shirt competitions? How very 80s’ The 78th Bike Week kicks off in Daytona Beach, Florida, on March 8, 2019 and this iconic event remains, along with Sturgis in August, the definitive Harleys-and-excess motorcycle rally. As such, it’s something every true motorcyclist should sample at least once. Born out of the Daytona 200-mile bike race, which began as a beach event in 1937 before moving to the famed, banked Daytona International Speedway in 1961, Bike Week sees an estimated 500,000 bike fans, many aboard Harleys, flood the beach resort every March for an incomparable ten-day-long biker party. By way of comparison, the TT packs in about 45,000 punters. And although the Daytona 200 racing no longer has the appeal it once had (gone are the days of…

● Every one tested for over 1000 miles ● In all weathers ● For at least one month RATINGS POOR ★ AVERAGE ★★ GOOD ★★★ VERY GOOD ★★★★ EXCEPTIONAL ★★★★★ Alpinestars Web Gore-tex boots £159.99 Tested by Michael Guy, two months, 1500 miles These have proved 100% waterproof regardless of what winter has thrown at them. They are easy to put on, relatively lightweight and comfortable for walking. They are considerably shorter than the race or adventure boots I normally wear, which means I remain a little concerned about the lack of shin and leg protection. But the protection they do offer is good, with reinforced toe, shin and ankle areas. There are advantages to them being short as they are easy to put on, with the winter Cordura trousers…

1 First hand Disposable gloves are essential if you want to keep your hands free from contamination. Oils, coolants and other workshop products contain chemicals which can irritate skin and lead to more serious conditions with prolonged use. Gloves are cheap, readily available and come in a range of sizes and colours so there’s no excuse not to wear them. 2 Keep it strong and stable When working on a bike on a workbench it is a good idea to improve stability by strapping the bike down so it can’t topple off. This is essential if you’re trying to undo or torque up components such as spindle nuts or front sprocket bolts. If you don’t have a workbench, try to get someone to steady the bike when torquing up parts.…

Eugene Laverty was relaxed as he got his first taste of the Ducati V4R with the GoEleven team. With the luxury of being a team’s sole rider for the first time, the Irishman reckons multiple podiums are possible. For now he’s acclimatising, with assistance from Shane Byrne’s ex-BSB crew chief Giovanni Crupi. “It feels very nice and Ducati made the kind gesture of sending extra staff to help. After SMR pulled the rug from under our feet last season, I’m very relieved. We’ve managed to pull something out of our ass at the last minute.” Laverty +1.727 sec…

Toprak Razgatlioglu, the 21-year-old Turkish protégé of five-time World Supersport champion Kenan Sofuoglu, was fifth fastest in Jerez behind only Rea, Lowes, Haslam and Bautista. “I’m happy with how fast I adapted,” the Pucetti Kawasaki rider said with a confident smile. “I don’t really like Jerez with its sweeping corners. I prefer slow corners and hard braking.” Given his impressive debut in 2018 and early 2019 pace, talk is already linking him with the factory Kawasaki team in 2020. “It’s very nice that people say these things but, right now, I need to focus on my job. We’ve made a very good start and it looks promising.” Razgatlioglu +0.790 sec…