Motorcycle Sport & Leisure July 2021

I love tinkering with my bike. Doing little jobs to make it run smoother (or, all too often, to make it run at all) makes me feel like I actually have some rudimentary understanding of the machine. Making sure that broken or worn components are fixed or replaced gives me a sense of being in control of the state of the bike. And adding little personal touches fills me with pride of ownership and a sense of uniqueness (I can always look the other way when someone else has the same accessory as me). Of course, as you may well have guessed, on the whole I’m just kidding myself. My technical knowledge and engineering spirit are a mere fraction of what’s needed to really work on the bike when there’s something…

Peter Henshaw Peter is our history man – he’s written more than 60 books and is a former editor of this very publication. Now a freelance journalist, he writes about transport of all kinds, though bikes are really at the heart of it all. He’s an all-year-round rider who does not own a car. Roland Brown A bike journalist for more than 30 years, Roland has contributed to countless publications worldwide and authored a dozen books on bikes. He has tested machines ranging from Rossi’s YZR-M1 to a 1923 Douglas, but still can’t decide which type of bike he most enjoys riding. Alan Cathcart Alan Cathcart has been writing about bikes for more than 30 years, and riding them for even longer. He’s regularly given the keys to factory prototypes and being on first name…

Triumph’s popular 900cc Street Scrambler gets a series of updates for 2021, including a ‘Sandstorm’ limited edition model of just 775 units. With the new bikes being compliant with the new Euro 5 emissions regulations, various tweaks have been made to the ‘high-torque’ engine, although it retains its 64bhp output, torque assist clutch and three rider modes. More changes have been made with regard to the aesthetics, although even these are relatively minor, consisting of new side panels, heel guards, headlight brackets, seat material and a new finish on the throttle bodies. You know the saying, if it ain’t broke… The limited edition Sandstorm, however, brings a few more changes, with a style that epitomises the American desert racer look, having a high level front mudguard, heavy duty aluminium sump guard, knee…

The UK importer for Royal Enfield motorcycles (as well as Benelli, Lambretta, FB Mondial and others), MotoGB have had a close relationship with their Indian partners for many years and, consequently, they have heard first-hand information about the horrific conditions that many people are under during India’s current Covid-19 crisis. A desperate shortage of ventilators, oxygen bottles, medicine, PPE and even basic food supplies has prompted the MotoGB team to contact Ekam, a medical aid charity working on the front line in India, with the initial thought being to provide much-needed beds and oxygen equipment. Every donation helps, big or small. If you can spare even just a few pounds, it will make a difference and help save lives during the terrible time India is currently facing. The link for the Just…

Balancing out the Noale factory’s hypersports RSV4 and ultra-naked 173bhp 1077cc Tuono are Aprilia’s new 125cc models, the RS125 and Tuono 125. As you can expect, the RS is the sportier of the two, following the lead made by the RSV4 and the mid-range RS660, while the Tuono brings a level of attitude, just like its larger siblings. Aprilia has something of a history with sports-focused eighth litre bikes, both on the road and the race track, although formerly these have been powered by two-stroke engines, while the new models share the new fuel-injected, water-cooled, four valve four-stroke motor. While the capacity level – and learner market that the bikes are aimed at – dictate a limited power output, Aprilia state that the new engine has been designed to be ‘even more…

Sales figures rise The month of April 2021 saw motorcycle sales figures almost across the board rise from those a year earlier. Of course, last year’s lockdown was causing issues with sales, but the large increases more than compensate for that, with a year-on-year increase of 570% in all sectors. While sports tourers have taken a hit at over 40% fewer sales, super sports have dropped by 9.2% and enduro by 11.1%, but huge increases have been made in the electric bike sector, with sales rising by 515% with 431 units sold. The top sales spot – a place that has been held by the BMW 1250GS more than probably any other model – is now taken by the Yamaha NMAX 125cc scooter, which is probably a reflection on the number of…