Table of contents for 26 August 2020 in MCN

It’s hard not to wax lyrical about KTM’s amazing results at the Red Bull ring over the weekend, but despite the excitement, I’m going to force myself to talk about something other than MotoGP. This week there’s an extra 24-page special issue in the middle of your MCN, and it’s all about how motorcycles could change your life. Of course, most MCN readers are already well aware of the addictive allure of two wheels – but could you use your bike more in a post-Covid world? Most riders could – with big gains to be had, too. But the real target for this huge chunk of additional content this week is people who aren’t riders yet. Think about that mate who says ‘I’d love to ride, one day’, or that…

‘The Trident is going to be very competitively priced’STEVE SARGENT, CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER Triumph have unveiled a design concept for a new Trident, which they say will take on the class-leading middleweights. Currently the entry-level models into the Triumph brand are the Street Twin and the Street Triple S, both of which cost £8100. A far cry from the sale success Yamaha MT-07, which is just £6697 and it’s this bike, along with others like it, that the new Trident is gunning for. “This bike is going to be aimed at people who have been riding a while but this is their first, new large-capacity machine,” says Steve Sargent, Chief Product Officer at Triumph. “It’s going to be very competitively priced but we’re sticking with Triumph’s roots to maintain a…

Despite Covid-19 travel restrictions, one London-based biker has decided to escape it all with a 6000-mile epic to Croatia. The only spanner in the works is how to get home. Croatia has just been removed from the safe list, along with various other spots en route. Right now, coming home is very much on the back burner. Secondary school technician, Mandell Forrest, 30, set off on his 2000-plate Yamaha Fazer 600 on Sunday, July 26 and arrived in Croatia on Friday, August 7 – having carved a path through France, Belgium, Italy and Slovenia. He said: “I didn’t really plan anything because, with the pandemic, I didn’t think that travel would be a possibility.” He says he is still looking at his return journey and is, for now, enjoying the…

High-flow air cleaners have been a staple of performance engines since the beginning of, well performance engines. That old adage that an internal combustion engine is a complex air pump is based on some actual truths. Overly simplified, the more air in and the more air out, the more power can be made in between the two processes. But is it really that simple? We spoke to performance tuning experts S&S, who have been making their classic air filters for big twins for nearly 50 years and have recently started working their magic on Royal Enfield’s new 650s. “We created the now classic teardrop air cleaner in 1975 with one thing in mind, getting more air in while still catching maximum contaminants to protect the engine,” says Martin Szlagowski, the…

Yamaha TZ350 Tuxworth was hooked on Yamaha TZs in the 1970s – they were a privateer’s dream. He’s on his 350 here in the 1976 Junior TT. Honda XL250S It’s tuned and is dripping in handmade upgrades. Neil won thousands of sand races on it Matchless G50 Neil came third in the Manx GP on his Matchless G50 in 1983 and won on the Island in 1985. Honda VTR1000 SP-1 Honda craved success for the new V-twin and Joey Dunlop and Neil supplied it: Joey won the F1 TT in 2000 in a legendary performance. Honda RC30 Neil started as Honda Britain manager in 1989. This shot shows Joey on the RC30 in 1990. Yamaha FZR400 Neil’s last TT was the Production 400 in ’89. He was fourth despite agony…

‘Clarkson was famously impressed ’ Ever fancied riding one the great roads seen on TV’s Top Gear? Well, one of the most famous and familiar of those – and most easily reached during current restrictions – is surely the Black Mountain Pass in south Wales. Known formally as the A4069 and located on the south west side of the Brecon Beacons, this spectacular, swooping stretch of two-lane black top was featured regularly during the Jeremy Clarkson era of the BBC’s motoring show – and with good reason. In one particularly memorable episode, ‘Jezza’ set off in pre-dawn darkness from west London in a supedup Mercedes SLK purely to drive the Black Mountain Pass three hours away. That he came away impressed with the car – and the road – has…

Once upon a time we couldn’t get enough of sharp, revvy, sports 600s. The UK bought more than 4000 Yamaha YZF-R6s one year – that’s more than twice what the omnipresent BMW GS sells today. Their size and demanding engines mean 600s are now out of fashion... but the thing is, nothing matches the experience of a fit six hundred. Steering feel, corner speed, the sound and rush of the screaming four... and they’re now so affordable. Here’s our pick. £2500 HONDA CBR600RR 599cc |168kg |115bhp |820mm seat height • Dealer up to £8500 • Private up to £7000 • This one 20XX, 35,000 miles Yes, the later CBR600RRs have even plusher suspension and are even faster. However, RRs from the first few years (2003-06) are still epic to…

Snetterton could not have delivered more contrasting fortunes for Honda’s Irwin brothers. While Glenn stormed to two more podiums and his first win of 2020, Andrew’s impressive overtaking was overshadowed by a clash with Ryan Vickers. The hype surrounding the new Fireblade has proved justified. Honda have won half the races so far, with Andrew’s two Donington successes backed up by Glenn’s final race victory at Snetterton. They used to label him cocky and careless, but 30-year-old Glenn has toned things down. With the curtailed season signalling no Showdown and thus every point counting, Glenn is becoming BSB’s new Mr Cool; his consistency means an average finishing position of second from the first six rounds. “A perfect weekend,” Glenn commented. “After fourth in Race 1, we ran out of fuel…

It’s been a long time coming but Christian Iddon is finally a winner in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship. After 138 race starts, 12 podiums and two Riders Cups, Iddon took his place on the top step at the weekend. It was a hard-fought victory too, that saw him battling closely with VisionTrack Ducati teammate Josh Brookes. Speaking to MCN after clinching his maiden win, Iddon was clearly thrilled to have been able to get that first win out of the way and to prove his doubters wrong. “It’s about time isn’t it?” he said. “It’s nice for me to repay the faith shown by Paul Bird and the team’s sponsors so that they don’t look daft. I’ve read people’s comments on what they think has occurred or why they…

After tough week of surgery and sanctions Johann Zarco has been boosted by confirmation of a Ducati deal for 2021. Zarco’s team destination, Avintia or Pramac, is to be confirmed with Ducati saying Pecco Bagnaia will be re-signed on a two-year deal. Four days after scaphoid surgery Zarco battled to 14th in the Styrian GP with a pit lane start penalty for his role in the crash with Franco Morbidelli in last week’s Austrian race. “It has been a tough week but I got some points after a great fight with Quartararo,” Zarco said afterwards.…

Pol Espargaro had to swallow another bitter pill when a fairytale home win for KTM slipped through his grasp. Controversial collisions with Johann Zarco and Miguel Oliveira killed his victory challenge in the previous two races and Espargaro suffered more heartache when he led going into the final corner but finished third. “I wanted this win too much. Jack blocked me well because I wanted to go back to the inside but I didn’t want us to touch and that’s why I ran wide,” said Espargaro, who took KTM’s first pole position in qualifying.…

As the UK continues to drift back to our office-based working lives there has been a rampant spike in the sale of scooters to commuters who don’t much fancy the prospect of sitting next to the local bus nutter or sniffing someone else’s armpit on the Tube for six stops of standing misery. •‘They’re the perfect way to get to the office’ Scooter sales in July were up by an astounding 56.6% versus the same period last year, while sales of motorcycles jumped by a nearly-as-impressive 37.5% as pent-up gratification blended seamlessly with public transport defectors. While a good portion of the scooter-newbies are actually likely to be existing bikers grabbing a commuting tool to sit alongside their weekend pride and joy, the fact that demand for CBTs also doubled…

While the GSX-S125 is essentially just a naked version of the faired GSX-R125, the upright bars actually make the GSX-S that much better as an everyday ride – especially if you’re an urban dweller. You still get similar performance and handling to the R, only with more comfort and flickabilty at low speed, perfect for nipping round town or having fun in the twisties. The suspension is well-damped and firm enough to be competent both in town and on open roads and there’s also plenty of ground clearance to inspire a good degree of lean, which is helped by the aggressively-placed foot pegs, which give the riding position a little added flair. Dressed in grippy Dunlop D102 rubber, it is more than capable of taking the punishment both in the…

Arai Debut The Debut is a UK exclusive that brings the high-end manufacturer into the realms of affordability for the average biker. It uses the firm’s Super Fibre Laminate construction for the shell and boasts lots of venting, replaceable cheek pads and a Max Vision visor. www.whyarai.co.uk Shoei Glamster £399.99 - £499.99 King of the comfortable retro helmets, the Glamster blends 70s glam with 2020 tech on a multi-composite shell. There are three shell sizes, multi-density EPS layers, a double D-ring strap and a washable liner. Sizes XS-2XL shoeiassured.co.uk Box BX-1 £54.99 - £59.99 How much? Yep, it may be cheap but it still has a 4-star SHARP rating. The synthetic shell has five vents and a surprisingly plush liner, quick-release visor and removable breath guard. Sizes XS-2XL oxfordproducts.com Bell…

If you live in Tunbridge Wells and commute to London Charing Cross five days per week, your season ticket is costing you £4928 every year (according to Trainline). That’s a salty chunk of your take-home pay soaked up on sharing the same air as your commuting brethren, touching the same dirty handles and pressing your nose against the same windows wondering which grotty suburb you’re passing through now. And that’s not the end of the expense. Did you drive to the station? Pay for parking? Get the tube at the other end? Buy a thimble of coffee on the platform for £342.27? It all adds up… Now imagine putting that budget – £15k+ over three years – into a new bike instead. Not a garage-queen, but a bike destined for…

‘Simplicty is all part of the Ténéré’s appeal’ If you’re looking to get your leg over a new bike this summer, Yamaha have just made it a whole lot more affordable with a cracking 2.9% interest offer across a large number of bikes. The deal includes the MT-10 SP, MT-10 Tourer Edition, MT-10, MT-09 SP, MT-09, MT-07, MT-03, Tracer 900 GT, Tracer 900 and the Ténéré 700. The offer is available on selected PCP and Purchase Plan agreements for a limited period. There are some stonkingly good bikes to pick from, but here’s three of our favourites… A lighter get-away We waited a long time for the arrival of the all new Ténéré 700, but it was worth it. Instead of following in the footsteps of the majority of manufacturers…

There are some outstanding roads in and around the Cairngorms, this short hop picks out some of the best. Head north from the winter ski resort of Aviemore and take the A95, it’s not long before the road opens up and stunning countryside awaits. Sweeping bends take you to the turning for Boat of Garten. Take the minor road to Nethy Bridge but be careful, there’s tight turns to catch you out. After a few miles, rejoin the A95, head over the River Spey and into Grantown-on Spey, this is the final destination but for now head through the town, to the Old Military Road. A road built during the 18th century and used by those doing battle in the Jacobite Rebellion, there’s a whole network of roads and this…

A High Court injunction application that put bike meets and rideouts in Stevenage at risk of being made illegal has been altered to take motorcycles out of the firing line. The bid was made by Stevenage Borough Council and was aimed primarily at preventing car cruising events after accidents at gatherings in the area. But the inclusion of bikes in the wording of the document meant that people could have found themselves on the wrong side of the law just for taking part in group rides or gathering at cafés. At first there appeared to be little appetite at the council to change the injunction, with the organisation even going as far as refusing to allow locals to submit a petition against it. With no other option available, local kit…

Historic bikes and racing machines including this Ducati 851, as formerly owned by Top Gear’s James May and Richard Hammond, the late Jock Taylor’s 1980 world championship winning Windle sidecar, and a TTwinning TZ350 are among the lots in an online auction this week. Almost 300 lots, including road bikes, race bikes, TT memorabilia and autographed kit by the likes of Barry Sheene and Giacomo Agostini, are up for grabs at the Charterhouse Classic & Vintage Motorcycle Auction which takes place tomorrow (Thursday). The 851 was originally bought by TV presenter May in 1991 who later sold it to colleague Richard Hammond, before it was sold on again to its current owner. In immaculate condition with low miles and an MoT until June 2021, it’s expected to fetch £10,000-£12,000. The…

C1 commute? No thanks I read with interest the BMW C1 reborn article(MCN August 12). When I started biking in 1969, a motorcycle was my sole means of transport. Luckily it was one of the best decisions of my life as it opened up new horizons, I met plenty of new friends and travelled to places all over Europe. But to suggest the new C1 as an alternative for commuters, using such things as rail season tickets as a driver, is laughable when they cost £15-£20k. I am retired, ride a Honda CB1300, Triumph Sprint 1050ST and a Honda CB250 runabout, but the thought of going out day after day in the rain does not fill me with excitement. So just imagine how someone working in the city and commuting…

YAMAHA FS1-E Sweet 16… Just had my mum perm my hair and I’m on my Yamaha FS1-E. Loved it, best days ever! Pete Bryson  I was a bit of a biking late starter but my first machine was this 1998 ZX-6R G1 in 2004. It was so good I had three in a row. Tommy Seddon KAWASAKI ZX-6R ROYAL ENFIELD Me aged 16, in 1954. The bike had an outside flywheel and gate change. Note the contemporary riding gear! I now have a Bonnie T100. Mike McCabe HONDA CB500T Me on my first new bike: an orange CB500T having taken my test on the Matchless G2 I’d owned since I was nine. As you can see, it came with the slice-a-person number plate. Mick McKerrow YAMAHA RD400 1990 and here…

•‘My first race was a Bantam meeting, there were 310 Bantams!’ Neil Tuxworth competed in 68 TTs, numerous ice speedway internationals and an extraordinary 3680 sand races (he won over 2000), but for most race fans he’s famous for running Honda factory teams. Neil spent 28 years in charge of Honda’s BSB, WSB and TT squads, and got to know plenty of gifted eccentrics in his time. But no-one could rival Joey Dunlop… “He was incredible. Just unbelievable,” says Neil. “He was an incredible character, and such a genuine bloke. As a manager, what got me was that he never used any spare parts. When we had the RC30, Carl Fogarty had to have a new set of clutch plates in his bike every single meeting – he wrecked them…

•‘Keeping both feet up is an addictive game’ Following in the triple tracks of Yamaha’s other three-wheelers, this new Tricity 300 has one major difference: it can be ridden on a car licence. Where the Niken and Tricity 125 are both legally motorcycles, this new 300’s front wheels have been set far enough apart that it’s classified as a trike. That means anyone over 21 can ride it on a car licence. You don’t even need a CBT. Clearly that’s going to be controversial, and we’d recommend any sane, sensible and responsible rider get some training. But it’s a key part of the appeal of this bike – sorry, trike. The Tricity 300 isn’t trying to entice folk who already ride, but create new riders by getting people out of…

•‘With every mile I begin to gel with the little Ariel’ Idon’t actually recall the moment I agreed to ride the 980-mile route from Land’s End to John O’Groats on a 1960 16bhp Ariel Arrow, but here we are. I’m doing the trip with my dad, Don, whose weapon of choice is the revered Ariel Leader – a fully faired, with built-in panniers, touring version of the Arrow. Although our daily schedule to cover the length of the UK isn’t too demanding, we’re keen to make an early start. Don kicked the Leader into life at the first attempt. Despite it being nearly six decades old, it’s a two-stroke and the cackle from the two low-slung exhausts and plume of smoke puts the hairs on the back of my neck…

Maverick Viñales is MotoGP’s miracle man after surviving a 140mph brake explosion that tipped Yamaha’s title campaign into the disaster zone. Viñales walked away from the smouldering wreckage of his YZR-M1 buried in the turn one air fence at Spielberg after a terrifying jump-off that triggered a red flag restart. “Suddenly at corner one the brake exploded. I was without brakes, it was impossible to stop so I decided to jump,” Viñales said. “I was adjusting the brakes between each corner; this was my worst weekend in MotoGP.” It was the second lucky escape in a week for Viñales, who narrowly avoided being clobbered in the terrifying Zarco-Morbidelli crash in last week’s Austrian GP. While Viñales’ instincts saved him from injury, the incident highlighted Yamaha’s humbling lack of performance. Petronas…

Marc Marquez has waved the white flag in his bid for fifth a consecutive MotoGP world championship. Showing he is human after all, Marquez has admitted he made “a mistake” by attempting a rushed return to racing. Just four days after surgery by celebrated Barcelona surgeon Dr Mir to insert a titanium plate in his fractured upper right arm, Marquez was back on his Honda RC213V. That effort three weeks ago in practice at Jerez race two snapped the plate and triggered the need for repeat surgery on the injured arm. Marquez now plans at least two months of rehab to make a full recovery for a late season return. “The advice of doctors was that I could get on the bike, that the plate would not give way. They…

‘I’m really, really angry about the decision’ An angry and frustrated Joan Mir has insisted that Suzuki are a MotoGP title contender despite the heartache of missing a career first win in the Styrian Grand Prix. Mir was primed for victory having scored a stunning second place podium in the first of the Austrian double-headers just a week earlier. But in a cruel twist, Mir’s dominant 2.4s lead aboard the beautifully balanced GSX-RR was reset to zero with a red flag restart. Mir finished fourth in the 12-lap dash for points, hobbled by lack of grip on used tyres. “Suzuki are a force for the championship. If we were fighting for victory in Austria with a lot less horsepower than the other machines, it means that we have great bike…

KTM’s transformation from back of the grid to race winning title candidates continued on Sunday when Miguel Oliveira took a historic first MotoGP victory in another last corner Spielberg thriller. In a milestone 900th premier class race, Oliveira pounced on a last turn tangle with Jack Miller and Pol Espargaro to take a first win for the Tech3 squad in its 20th season in MotoGP. Not even names on a star-studded roster like Olivier Jacque, Alex Barros, Norick Abe, Marco Melandri, Carlos Checa, Colin Edwards, Ben Spies, Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso could win for Tech3 since they joined the premier class in 2001 with Yamaha. And Tech3 founder Herve Poncharal was lambasted when he ended his long but winless association with Yamaha to switch to KTM last season. But…

To go from biking zero to fully licensed hero there are a few hoops you have to jump though along the way in the form of a number of theory and practical riding tests – a process which is also governed by your age. But don’t be dissuaded – the reward is huge. For a simple guide to your fastest route to riding happiness – follow the chart on the right-hand page. Take the first step To ride legally on the road as a learner, you need a provisional motorcycle licence and Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) certificate. These let you ride a bike or scooter of up to 125cc and 15bhp (11kw). You must display L-plates and can’t use motorways or carry anyone as a pillion. A provisional licence is…

We’ve pulled together 30 great new PCP bike options over the coming pages to tempt you, split into different categories depending on which style of bike you’re interested in, or which licence category stage you’re at. PCP is the most common way to finance a new bike right now – but it’s not right for all riders, so make sure it suits your needs. How does it work? Most dealers offer PCP schemes through one of several big finance houses. This is how it works... Get your budget worked out, based on what you can afford as a deposit and as monthly repayments for the duration of the contract BEFORE you wander into a dealership and get convinced to spend dramatically more (come on, we’re all weak in the face…

After taking two attempts at the Module 1 motorbike test (damn that U-turn!), where you’re assessed on your low-speed riding skills (or lack of, in my case...), I was a little nervous about taking the final Module 2 section. •‘I encountered an unexpected horse mid-test’ This final piece of the puzzle shines the spotlight on my road riding – awareness, safety and making reasonable progress. Having driven cars for years I felt a little better equipped to deal with this test, but there are plenty of additional aspects of two-wheeled motoring to take into account over and above how I’d drive a car. To prepare, I had a pair of plans. First, I’d be riding my GSX-S125 much as I could in varied situations. Plus, I’d be taking another block…

Kriega Max28 backpack Buy a £45 rucksack every three months, or do it properly once? Kriega are the masters, and this stylish new MAX28 boasts a 100% waterproof laptop pocket, expandable main body, their superb Quadlock-Lite harness, YKK zips throughout and a 10-year guarantee. www.kriega.com LiteLok Gold Moto 108 £119.99 Don’t rush out and buy a 25kg lock and chain – you’ll never carry it or use it. Buy one of these light (1.5kg), flexible, 107.5cm-long Sold Secure Gold-rated Moto 108 locks and use it at home and out on the road and revel in its usability. The neoprene outer is washable, too. Colours: Black or Red www.litelok.com Oxford Original CE Jeans £119.99 You can spend obscene amounts on protective jeans, but these new Oxford strides are CE AA certified,…

‘Simplicty is all part of the Ténéré’s appeal’ If you’re looking to get your leg over a new bike this summer, Yamaha have just made it a whole lot more affordable with a cracking 2.9% interest offer across a large number of bikes. The deal includes the MT-10 SP, MT-10 Tourer Edition, MT-10, MT-09 SP, MT-09, MT-07, MT-03, Tracer 900 GT, Tracer 900 and the Ténéré 700. The offer is available on selected PCP and Purchase Plan agreements for a limited period. There are some stonkingly good bikes to pick from, but here’s three of our favourites… A lighter get-away We waited a long time for the arrival of the all new Ténéré 700, but it was worth it. Instead of following in the footsteps of the majority of manufacturers…

This route touches on some of our MCN250 test route, so we can vouch for how good they are. There’s a combination of fast flowing A-roads and twisty B-roads to enjoy. Steeped in history, there’s the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience, Donington Park, and Mallory Park, all within easy reach. From Market Harborough head out on the A4304 through to Husbands Bosworth, over the M1 and A5 to aim for Hinckley via Wolvey Heath. North to Ibstock and at the junction with the A511 turn left over the A42 and into Ashby. Country lanes lead through Melbourne and on to Donny Park. Aim for Kegworth, but be careful not to join the M1 by mistake. At the traffic lights with a A6006, left through Zouch and onto Rempstone. Speed cameras and…

Suzuki are offering a double incentive on their GSX-R1000 range until September 30. As well as the ‘2, 3, 4’ finance offer of either two, three, or four-year agreements with corresponding interest rates, anyone who test rides a GSX-R1000R will get an additional £500 saving, so the bike is £400 cheaper than the 2019 model. But if you want to sample some of the GSX-R’s lairy heritage, you can pick up a bike for under three grand. 2020 GSX-R1000R What is it? Suzuki’s flagship was tweaked in 2019 and gets a smart black and red colour scheme this year. MCN says “Low speed agility is superb, but it takes effort to make quick direction changes at speed and hold a line in faster corners.” Want to ride one? £16,247,…

Operation Venice, the Met’s motorcycle crime task force, have released a video of the moment they used ‘tactical contact’ to stop a suspect who later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Croydon Magistrates’ Court. 23-year-old Kyren Bryce of Hilsea Street, Hackney, cut through a park to avoid police during a pursuit in April. In the short video clip taken from the dashcam of a police car, Bryce can be seen leaving a side road, narrowly missing a marked police car. With a police motorbike following, he then tries to ride around the camera car but it cuts across his path using the contact to bring the chase to an end. The police motorcyclist then approaches Bryce on the ground to ensure he cannot pick up the moped and carry on.…

‘Enjoy The Wild One on the 20ft screen’ Bolt Motorcycles have teamed up with the Rebel Reel Cinema Club to host a summer hang out that features a ride-in cinema, live DJ, giant paella, a darts competition and loads more. Meant as an evening hang out to supplement what we’ve been missing for the last few months, the centrepiece of the event is a showing of classic biker film The Wild One on a 20ft screen tomorrow night (Thursday). The event is taking place at The Roadhouse, at Broadlakes Social Club in London Colney, a 1950s styled social club and with all the bikes and muscle cars expected, it should look just like a scene out of the film. Tickets for the event cost £19.50 and you must book in…

This new, ‘super-sized’, electric scoot is the latest from the UK’s best-selling electric motorcycle brand and could help to transform commuting on two wheels post Covid-19. Launched by electric specialists Super Soco and called the CPx, the new two-seater with optional twin batteries was first revealed at Motorcycle Live last year and has since become their most enquired-about model. Performance is claimed to be equivalent to a 125cc petrol machine with a top speed of 56mph. It’s the latest addition to Super Soco’s range of electric scooters and bikes and joins the firm’s 50cc equivalent CUX scoots and TC, TC Max and TSX motorcycles. And, with a 4kW motor producing 171Nm of torque, Super Soco’s most potent yet, plus with the option of two batteries giving a claimed range of…

I’m loving MotoGP at the moment and one of the best things is how even it is with all the different bikes being up there. Rossi’s doing well again, but I still scratch my head with Viñales and ask myself how he can be so fast one minute then 15s behind the next. ‘IT’S A FAIRYTALE FOR HIM. I THINK KTM ARE THERE NOW’ Quartararo is a thinker. He’s won races this year, but when he can’t he still brings it home and scores good points. This is where Marquez is different because even when he’s struggling he’ll just push through the barrier and either win it or bin it. Unless he’s on the podium, he just doesn’t want to know. It’s really interesting and as much I want Marquez…

Keyless ignition Leave the kefob in your pocket, then just turn a switch to unlock the steering or turn the ignition on. Seat and fuel filler unlock without needing the key either. It’s very convenient. Underseat storage Beneath the seat is an enormous 43.5 litres of storage, enough to hold two lids. It even has its own LED light, just like a car boot and keeps the practicality quotient nice and high. LCD dash Clear and simple, with a large speedo and a useful fuel gauge. Does everything it should, but perhaps a colour display might look more modern to today’s average car driver.…

Owning one 1960 Ariel is fair enough if it floats your boat, having two on the road with another on the workbench could be classed as a little odd, so where does Don’s obsession with Ariel two-strokes stem from? “It all started 50 years ago when me and a mate of mine bought a Leader,” he explained. “We junked pretty much everything off it and turned it into a race bike. We used to share it at race meetings as well as leathers as we only had one set, which was OK apart from he was a big bloke and 5in taller than me.” Don’s racing career lasted two years and netted some top 10 results in the early 1970s. First launched in 1958 the Ariel Leader, Arrow and Golden…

What we said then Whatever your preconceptions are about BMW’s ubiquitous R1200GS, there’s really only one reason for its success: it’s devastatingly effective at doing its job. And the Adventure model just got even better. Following a year behind the standard GS and Rallye models, the new-for-2018 Adventure is available in five model variations, from the stock model (£13,400), up to the heavily spec’d Rallye TE (£17,670), which ticks most of the obvious must-have optional extra boxes. Already treated to a half-upgrade for 2017, when it adopted the current GS drivetrain modifications for smoother final drive and gearbox operation, the 2018 model also gets a revised exhaust system and engine mapping to make it Euro4 compliant – while maintaining identical performance figures. Visually there are a host of nips and…

RATINGS POOR ★ AVERAGE ★★ GOOD ★★★ VERY GOOD ★★★★ EXCEPTIONAL ★★★★★ TomTom Rider 550 £ 399.99 Tested by Martin Fitz-Gibbons for one year, 3000 miles Externally, TomTom’s flagship 550 is virtually identical to 2015’s Rider 400, but inside it’s heavily upgraded. A new processor claims “double the speed and five times faster startup”, though a back-to-back race with the old 400 shows start-up is more like half the time. Complex routes, like those calculated in ‘Plan A Thrill’ mode, are generated twice as quickly too, though there’s not much difference for plotting standard A-to-B stuff. But there is a marked improvement in the general smoothness, slickness and snappiness of scrolling, pinching and zooming through maps. The 550’s other big improvement is WiFi connectivity, so new maps, routes and speed…

1 Wiggle it, just a little bit The cush drive and sprocket carrier transmits power to the back wheel. A separate part of the main hub locates with rubber dampers – the cush drive – these dampers that can wear with mileage. Excessive play can be detected by moving the sprocket backwards and forwards by hand. Grip the sprocket tightly using a rag or gloves and assess any movement. 2 Roll the wheel away To make a thorough inspection of the rear sprocket carrier assembly and cush drive, the rear wheel needs to be removed. Place the bike on a paddock stand and then undo the spindle nut. Place a wooden block underneath the tyre to prevent it dropping down, then remove the spindle, roll the wheel forward.…

Ryan Vickers was reduced to tears when he was removed from Race 2 in yet another collision for Andrew Irwin. As Irwin’s Honda fought from the back of the grid, it went around the outside of Vickers’ Kawasaki at Coram only to clip the front-end which resulted in a non-finish for both. Things went from bad to worse for Vickers, from nearby Thetford, when he highsided out of Round 6 and was fortunate not to be collected. It was a bruising weekend from which a sole ninth place in Race 1 was scant consolation. “He didn’t give me any room on the circuit,” Vickers said of Irwin. “There’s been a few incidents where he’s done the same. We’d made such a good improvement with the bike; we were a second…

Jack Miller climbed out of a hospital bed just hours before the Red Bull Ring rematch to come within a whisker of protecting Ducati’s unbeaten record in Austria. Miller was up at 7am on Sunday morning for a last-minute MRI scan after suffering a painful right shoulder injury in an FP3 spill. Agony nearly turned to ecstasy when the Aussie thought he’d pinched a first dry MotoGP victory with a daring attack on Pol Espargaro at the last turn. But he ran wide, and Miguel Oliveira muscled his way through to take the win, with Miller second. Miller said: “I really thought I’d won because I looked left and saw Pol wide but then I looked right and Miguel came flying past. I didn’t even consider that he was so…

Hilariously, when I did my Compulsory Basic Training – referred to by one and all as ‘the CBT’ – I was 32-years-old, twice the minimum age to do a CBT, and had been driving a car for nearly that many years and pedalling on two wheels for many more. The CBT is not a test, you can’t fail it, although you can be asked to come back for more training. What happens in class? •‘Remember you have two ears, one mouth’ Here you’ll be taught about all the equipment you legally need and the stuff you don’t legally need but should have anyway. You’ll also head back into the classroom before the road ride to discuss lane positioning and what the main hazards are, plus the legal things you need…

I got into biking because I love the idea of getting out with friends on a Sunday, or out on my own with no particular place to go. I’ve always thought it would be such a release – and it really is. An intensive course... My course was with BMW rider training and took me through a five-day programme, with the Module 1 test booked for the third day and training taking place on the training pad at the test centre as well as out on the road. •‘You learn a lot about riding, and yourself...’ Going to the test centre and having a practice helped me feel a lot better about the Mod 1 test, because the area they use is much bigger than where we had been practising…

2014 Yamaha YZF-R125 124cc | 14.6bhp | 818mm seat height Wring as much power out of a 125cc engine as the law permits, make it look like an R6, save cash on a steel frame and basic suspension, add a digital dash, underslung exhaust and Brembo brakes and watch the sales graph go vertical. It does 80mph and 100mpg, and is about as good as supersport 125s get without waking up to the smell of two-stroke in the morning. Lovely. 2017 KTM 125 Duke £2500 125cc | 15bhp | 820mm seat height A great single-cylinder roadster with top-notch cycle parts and a TFT dash, WP suspension, illuminated switchgear, radial front brake caliper and LED headlight. It’s roomy, too. 2016 MT-125 £2650 124cc…

The rampant charge towards evermore complex rider aids, big power, increased engine capacity and clever chassis tech has been phenomenal over the last decade, but the real battleground now is developing the electric bike tech that can erase the current limitations (price, range and charging times) and make them a true like-for-like petrol alternative. Electric bikes and huge price tags seem to go together like metal-oxide cathodes and graphite anodes. But the Super Soco TC Max could be the first electric motorcycle to break that mould. With an OTR price of just £4054, is this the first electric bike to tackle petrol power head-on? Putting it in perspective The TC Max is powered by a 6.7bhp electric motor, driving the back wheel through a toothed belt. Not powerful, but it…

‘Simplicty is all part of the Ténéré’s appeal’ If you’re looking to get your leg over a new bike this summer, Yamaha have just made it a whole lot more affordable with a cracking 2.9% interest offer across a large number of bikes. The deal includes the MT-10 SP, MT-10 Tourer Edition, MT-10, MT-09 SP, MT-09, MT-07, MT-03, Tracer 900 GT, Tracer 900 and the Ténéré 700. The offer is available on selected PCP and Purchase Plan agreements for a limited period. There are some stonkingly good bikes to pick from, but here’s three of our favourites… A lighter get-away We waited a long time for the arrival of the all new Ténéré 700, but it was worth it. Instead of following in the footsteps of the majority of manufacturers…