Motorcycle Sport & Leisure January 2022

MSL can trace its roots back to 1962, when the first issue of Motorcycle Sport was published. That’s the sort of legacy that not many publications, let alone motorcycle magazines, can boast. And that hasn’t gone unnoticed. The team behind the magazine has always been immensely proud of the title we produce, but it is at milestones like this where you really appreciate how special MSL really is. I own a copy of the first Motorcycle Sport, a magazine that later evolved into Motorcycle Sport & Leisure. It doesn’t look much like the modern magazine. But then again, it was a different time. How, where and why we ride has changed, too. The magazine has evolved over the years to cater for the changing tastes of its readership, all the…

Dave Manning As a self-confessed motorcycle anorak, Dave’s particular two-wheeled penchant is for customised bikes – in each and every modified form they come. He’s a strong believer that every single bike ever made is worth trying, whether they have been customised or not. Ross Mowbray Ross works across several motorcycling magazines. That means he gets to ride all manner of two-wheelers, from Monkey bikes to trikes. Don’t let his youthful appearance fool you, he’s a seasoned petrol-head, respected test rider and a handy off-roader, too. 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.…

The new XSR900 is a bit of a looker. It’s inspired by the 1980s, with a modern twist. Peel away the retro-styling, and under the surface the new bike is based on the chassis and full electronics package from Yamaha’s latest MT-09, along with the updated 889cc, Euro 5 version of the CP3 triple engine. Inspiration for the XSR900 style has come from the ‘Gauloises Yamaha’ YZR500 that Christian Sarron rode to success during the 1980s. However, there are funky new styling details including the new split LED headlight, hidden tail light, quick-release fasteners and foldaway pillion pegs. The bike also stays true to the Deltabox chassis, introduced in the 80s, but with the XSR900, the Deltabox-style aluminium frame’s head pipe position is lowered and the swingarm is lengthened to…

Updated Katana on the horizon Suzuki is updating its Katana for 2022. As before, the Katana is heavily based on Suzuki’s super-naked GSX-S1000, which means that the recent updates of that model will now be available on the new Katana. At the heart of the bike is the tried and tested, but now Euro 5 compliant, 999cc liquid-cooled inline-four-cylinder engine. We haven’t seen the official specs yet, but it’s probably safe to assume that the Katana will match the GSX-S with a peak power of 150bhp. A big improvement will doubtless be the adoption of the new ride-by-wire electronic throttle control system. It will make the throttle response smoother, and also enables three different power modes. Traction control has five levels to choose from. There will also be the sweet…

Honda NT1100 WORDS: Ross Mowbray PHOTOGRAPHY: Honda Europe Over the years Honda’s earned a reputation for its no-nonsense tourers with a focus on function over form. Its Deauville and Pan European might never have set the world alight, but they sold decent numbers to serious bikers who valued comfort, quality and reliability over any ego-driven desire to have the biggest or fastest machine on the market. But with the increasing popularity of adventure-focused all-rounders, the Japanese factory’s output of sensible fully-faired big miles motorcycles has fallen by the wayside – while the disappearance of the V4-powered Crosstourer 1200, as a result of increasingly stringent emissions regulations, has left an obvious gap in Honda’s extensive range. And that’s exactly why it’s just created a new, dedicated touring motorcycle: the NT1100. Honda’s…

HONDA NT1100 Price: £11,999 (manual), £12,999 (DCT) Engine: 1084cc parallel twin with 270° crank and uni-cam Power: 100bhp (75kW) @ 7500rpm Torque: 77lb-ft (104Nm) @ 6250rpm Fuel tank: 20.4 litres (4.5 gallons) Fuel consumption: Claimed 56.5mpg (20km/L) Transmission: MT: 6-speed manual transmission / DCT: 6-speed Dual Clutch Transmission. Chain final drive Frame: Steel semi double cradle Seat height: 820mm (32.3in) Kerb Weight: MT 238kg, DCT 248kg Suspension: (F) Showa 43mm SFF-BP USD fork with preload adjuster, 150mm stroke. (R) Monoblock aluminium swing arm with Pro-Link with SHOWA gas-charged damper, preload adjuster, 150mm axle travel Wheels/tyres: Multi-spoke cast aluminium / (F) 120/70R17 M/C, (R) 180/55R17 M/C Brakes: (F) Radial mounted four-piston callipers, 310mm floating discs, (R) Single piston caliper, 256mm single disc. 2-channel ABS Contact: www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles…