Table of contents for 7 June 2017 in MCN

INDIAN ROKKER £TBC Guaranteed to protect you from abrasion and heat up to 60mph, the Indian Rokker jeans have the magic triple of breathability, wind resistance and water repellency. Available in Indian dealers from the end of June. Details: www.indianmotorcycle.co.uk OXFORD BRADWELL £229.99 A retro look shouldn’t mean dated performance as the Bradwell shows. Combining the classic look of a waxed cotton jacket with a HUMAX waterproof layer and CE Level 1 shoulder and elbow armour means the Bradwell works as well as it looks. www.oxfordproducts.com BUILT MAGAZINE £4.99 A magazine dedicated to custom motorcycles and the people that make them what they are, so if you worship at the flat track altar or drink from the chopper chalice, this is the magazine for you. www.builtmag.co.uk…

‘Someone tapped me on the shoulder – that place is haunted’ Q1 Whatareyouridingrightnow? A 1980s vintage Harley-Davidson FXR with a Screamin’ Eagle engine back home in Australia that I use to cruise to the beach and to set off car alarms! I’ve also got a Triumph Daytona 675 and an old Triumph T120 650 Bonneville that I’ve been trying to restore for the last four years but still isn’t finished. Q2 Which living motorcyclist do you most admire? Mick Doohan and John McGuinness. Doohan was the hero when I was younger so I always looked up to him and I look up to McGuinness massively because of what I do now – he’s just had such a great career at the TT. Q3 What’s your worst habit? I sleep too…

170 COTTON My Cotton 170cc trials bike in about 1976 – gotta love those wellies! Chris Summers MALAGUTI 50 I think this was about 1975 on my Malaguti 50 at about age eight. These days I live in Australia and in summer it’s like riding into a hairdryer with kangaroos to avoid. Jerry Carter KAWASAKI AP50 On my trusty steed outside the Fleur de Lis pub in Leigh, Kent in 1984. Simon Lucas KAWASAKI ZXR750 With my Kawasaki circa 1993. Leigh Dowell YAMAHA FS1-E Me on my FS1-E DX in 1978. I now have an XSR700. Dary Fuller YAMAHA FZ600 In Lawson rep leathers made for me by Alec Baumber. Graham Stephenson send pics to: yourpics@ motorcyclenews.com…

‘The GS still rules the roost’ All three of these bikes are high end, highly capable and brilliant to ride, but if you are serious about adventure where riding big miles in all-weather on a complete range of roads becomes a necessity, then the GS is the winner. Although not as powerful or ultimately as capable when pushed to 100%, at anything up to 90% the GS is the nicest place to be. It’s a case of less is more with its 35bhp deficit actually making it easier to ‘At anything up to 90%, the GS is the nicest place to be’  ride, easier to use while retaining the unmistakable uniqueness of the Boxer engine and the throttle connection it gives the rider. It’s easily the most comfortable, with the…

‘There are some great go-kart twisties through Jury’s Gap’ The High Weald is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the south-east of England, a swathe of countryside between the North and South Downs that is not only pleasing on the eye but also provides the setting for some great rides. This route kicks off from the one-way system in East Grinstead where you’ll find several opportunities to fill up before heading west on the A264 to Royal Tunbridge Wells. Once clear of residential areas the first section winds beneath a canopy of trees that’s punctuated by the occasional breath of open sky. Follow the signs for Lewes (avoiding low bridges) as you approach Tunbridge Wells and they will lead you through The Pantiles and onto the A267. Turn left…

1 Ryka’s Café, Box Hill, Surrey. 01306 884454 rykas.co.uk Legendary bike meet with the café open every day 2 TT Pit Stop Super Sausage Cafe, A5 Watling St, Potterspur, Towester, Northants. www.supersausagecafe.co.uk or 01908 542964 Great food with generous portions and a big selection of bikes 4CondnDai manCa eaéooms ,Wardl ,High Mires, Derbyshire. 01298873056 Open every day from 8am-3pm 4 Route 59 Cafe, Bolton Abbey, Skipton, North Yorks. 01756-711554. Facebook and Twitter: route59cafe Tuesday meet 5 The Pit Stop Diner, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Cleveland, Co Durham. www.thepitstopdiner.co.uk Tuesdays, 5pm-9pm. GET YOUR MEET ON THE MAP If you have a bike-friendly aenue w and nt t wan get your t getmee your tmeet mop,the contact map,us ema onl:…

Avon Spirit ST tyres £212 (pair 120/70/17 and 180/55/17) Tester Michael Neeves Time tested: 200 miles on road and track What’s good Avon’s new range-topping sports touring tyre, the Spirit ST is an evolution of the current Storm 3D X-M, which stay in the British firm’s line-up as a budget option. The new rubber comes in a variety of sizes to suit everything from middleweight nakeds, through to retros, sports tourers, superbikes and adventure bikes. I tried the new Avons on the road on a Yamaha XSR900 and Kawasaki Z1000SX. I also tried them on a Suzuki Bandit 650, fitted with outriggers on a wet test strip, braking to a stop from 35mph in second gear. On the road the Avons were quick to warm up and were reassuring from…

2013 Multistrada 1200 S £8999 Ad says One owner, 13,785 miles, this is the S model with the semi-active suspension. What a bike. We say It comes with colour-matched side cases too. This is a lot of bike for the money. 2010 Multistrada 1200 £5799 Ad says This is a hard bike to part with as they’re flawless! Rarer metallic white colour too. Full hard luggage and full service history, too. We say 29,000 miles but looks in top condition. 2010 Multistrada 1200 £6494 Ad says 26,765 miles, red, immobiliser, luggage, superb condition, topbox, traction control, ABS, centrestand. We say Another brilliant value Strada. Just check the service history.…

Mansfield brothers Ben and Tom Birchall became the first sidecar team to break the 117mph barrier as they set a new lap record for the three-wheelers on their way to victory in the opening Sidecar TT. They set the new outright lap record of 117.119mph on their IEG Racing Honda on the second lap of the race to take their fifth Sidecar TT victory. They also set the fastest speed ever recorded by a sidecar at 148.1mph on the Sulby Straight. “The bike’s good, the team is good, it’s all there,” Ben smiled as they celebrated their landmark victory. John Holden and Lee Cain were second on the Silicone Engineering Honda, 25.6 seconds behind with local favourites Dave Molyneux and Dan Sayle third, 18 seconds behind.…

Guy Martin crashed on the first lap of the Superbike TT after hitting a false neutral. Unable to turn the bike he ran wide at Doran’s and hit the kerb and then the wall. After the race, a clearly shaken Martin said: “It was a big one. I had a box full of neutrals. It’s fast there. I am angry at the bike. It doesn’t like me and it doesn’t like John. It needs time to make it better. The team are brilliant – nobody is at fault.” Honda Racing team boss Jonny Twelvetrees said: “It was a fast crash. caused by a false neutral, which could happen to anybody. There was nothing broken. The guys have checked the data, although that only tells you so much, and we’ve looked…

Mattia Pasini has made Italian hearts sing with an incredible last-lap Moto2 victory in his home race, making it a perfect day for the Italian fans with all three races being won by home riders. His victory ends a win drought that has lasted since 2009 and led to high emotions for the 31-year-old who has overcome adversity in recent years. One of the paddock’s well-liked veterans, Pasini is lucky to even be able to race – severe nerve damage means he races a specially adapted machine that sees him control both the clutch and front brake with his left hand. But that didn’t slow him down on Sunday as he set up a perfect last lap overtake on Alex Marquez to break the Marc VDS team’s perfect record this…

TARRAN MACKENZIE Started: 32nd Finished: 27th Tarran Mackenzie took his first Grand Prix finish after another learning weekend on the Kiefer Racing Moto2 machine. He said: “The race was better than practice and I’m happy to have finished and not finished last!” DANNY KENT Started: 12th Finished: DNF Riding for the Interwetten team in Moto2 the former Moto3 champ turned super-sub said: “The bike went into a false neutral, my corner entry speed was high, and I ran into the gravel and went down.”…

12 th  SCOTT REDDING Started 20th Redding made a good start to the race until rear tyre issues meant that his goal of a top 10 finish slipped away. “I got a good start, got into a rhythm and made some progress – and then the rear grip just started to go. Normally at the end of the race I get stronger and can push, but I used too much early on and by the end of the race the front was rolling through the fast corners because there was nothing at the rear.” 19 th  SAM LOWES Started 19th Lowes had another solid weekend, finishing closer to the leaders than Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista were able to last year on the Aprilia. “I expected to be…

‘I’m a more complete rider than I was, but I probably have the opposite riding style to what the bike demands’JORGE LORENZO While Andrea Dovizioso was having a fairytale weekend at his home race, Ducati team-mate Jorge Lorenzo had a much less successful weekend at a circuit that he’s made his own in recent years, struggling to come to grips with the Desmo at Mugello. Coming home eighth – the first time he’s ever been lower than second since his first podium at the Italian track in 2008 – he admitted that while they’ve made significant breakthroughs with the bike’s set-up, he learned at the weekend that the process of adapting his riding style to it is still far from complete. Losing his ability to carry ultra-high corner speed, which…

Silent but deadly The American army are developing what’s billed as a silent electric motorcycle for use by their Special Forces. The bike, dubbed the SilentHawk, will have a range of over 160 miles and a peak power of 40bhp. Military drone manufacturer Logos Technologies and electric bike specialists Alta Motors are said to be working together on the project. Ferry sensation The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company took a record-breaking 5000 bookings for the 2018 TT on the opening day. This is up on the 3500 bookings they accepted in 2016. The first day of bookings accounted for over 6500 bikes and nearly 14,000 passengers. Let’s buy Ducati MotoCorsa, a Ducati dealer in the US, have started a crowdfunding campaign to purchase Ducati after rumours circulated that the…

1 WHO’S THIS? Who’s this young Brit star on the top step at the Donington GP in 2008? 2 WHAT BIKE? A flop when new, sought-after now – what’s this freaky Boxer called? 3 WHO’S THIS? Who’s this happy chap trying out some of his product on track? 4 NAME THE BIKE Is it a bird, is it a plane, is it a baby Paso? No. Can you name this rarity? 5 WHAT BIKE? Looks kinda familiar doesn’t it? So which firm built this concept bike? 6 WHO’S THIS? She brought talent and beauty to the GP paddock. Can you name her? 7 WHICH BIKE? This Honda was at the Bike Shed show – but what did it start life as? 8 WHICH FIRM? Dubbed Apollo, it’s one of the…

The new 765cc Street Triple motor is based on the last 675 Daytona motor. To create the 765, Triumph simply took the Daytona motor’s bore and stroke as far as the existing engine design would allow – to keep the engine compact, and to avoid the expense of redesigning it from the ground up. As a result, the 765’s wider bores make room for larger valves – but revs are kept sensible with a 12,650rpm rev limit. Peak power is a claimed 121bhp at 11,700rpm and peak torque 57ftlb at 10,800rpm. In fact, we measured the Street Triple at 125.8bhp at 11,750rpm and 59ftlb at 9500rpm. It’s unusual to find an engine makes more power on a dyno than a manufacturer claims, so it’ll be interesting to see if other…

Anyone’s who’s traversed the sky-blown emptiness of Sutherland, Scotland’s most north-westerly county, knows just how special it is, but if you’re after genuine solitude then head further north. Durness is one of a number of small villages lying in the north-west corner of the Highlands. It’s on the A838, the main loop running around the top of Scotland and part of the North Coast 500 route. From an overnight stop at the Smoo Cave Hotel, head east towards John o’Groats. The road jinks and unwinds past incredible beaches – all snow-white sands and crystal blue sea – and low, rocky hills. Eventually the A838 crosses a low bridge and causeway over the Kyle of Tongue, into the village of Tongue. Riders following the North Coast 500 will pass straight through…

everyone you is aware your ‘The inside lane holds the most water as trucks create deep grooves’ RIDING EXPERT Adam Child MCN Senior Road Tester TT racer and long-distance commuter Look after your visor Clear vision is even more important in heavy rain. This is doubly important as rainwater also tends to cling to a mucky visor, further reducing what you can see. Use an anti-fog device such as a Pinlock on your visor to prevent it steaming up, and try to avoid opening your visor, as once rain gets on the inside it can be very hard to clear. Keep your distance You need to double your braking distance in heavy rain for two reasons. Firstly because you physically can’t stop as quickly as in the dry and, secondly…

HONDA CBR1000RR FIREBLADE SP Price £19,125 Fuel 16 litres @ 45mpg = 158 miles Weight 195kg (kerb) Seat 820mm Power 189bhp Torque 85ftlb TIM THOMPSON Rode the first Fireblade into the UK in 1992 and had his mullet blown off in the process. 25 years later, he’s hoping for the same tim.thompson@motorcyclenews.com Just so we’re clear, a proper Fireblade has to be six things: light, precise, energised, useful, reliable and above all the most ruthlessly efficient sportsbike you can buy. Through six epic rides, six classic race tracks and six months of daily grind, we’re going to find out how proper the new SP is. Day one It’s here, and it’s tiny. Where the tank meets the seat it’s barely a stretched hand across and as narrow as a Panigale.…

Q Should I polish out marks on my Blade’s bores? My 954 Fireblade has worn and scuffed bores at the bottom, plus similar lines on the pistons’ skirt thrust faces. It’s a shame as the engine was always serviced, but I hear it’s a common problem with 954s. I picked up a low-mileage set of pistons and crankcases with better bores, but still have very slight running marks on the bottom of the bores that can just be felt with a finger nail, similar slight marks on the piston skirts too. Pre strip down it was running fine, so should I attempt to hone or polish these marks out or leave well alone? Fred Skinner, email A Answered by Steve Hammond, Motrac Race Engineering Ltd The CBR954 had an integral…

1 The early days The first deliberately mass centralised mass produced motorcycle was the 1985 Yamaha FZ750. The cylinder block was canted forward, primarily to allow downdraft carbs and improved inlet airflow but with the added benefit of shifting the bulk of the fuel load back and down to where the airbox resided on the typical bikes of the time. The alternator was removed from the end of the crank and tucked up behind the cylinder block above the gearbox to reduce engine width but that is also a big lump of mass effectively centralised. Finally the perimeter frame made the chassis less top heavy and allowed the tank to be formed closer to the profile of the bike. But far greater than the sum of these parts was that…

Can’t remember if I mentioned it, but I scratched my sidecar itch a short while ago by buying a BMW R65 and Watsonian combo from a mate for £2200. Unfortunately the other half, after a couple of experimental sorties in the chair, firmly declared: “Never again” and it went to another mate (for £2300) whose missus said exactly the same thing. He liked the R65, though, so he removed the chair and sold it separately for two grand. Which means he got a lovely condition R65 for three hundred quid. The Force Is Strong With This One. That intrigued me, so I started looking again at sidecar combos and sidecars on their own, purely out of academic interest, you understand. I’ve known for a while that decent used combos sell,…

2001-2006 Yamaha FJR1300 Colours Black, blue or silver Dealer £4200 Private good £3750 Private average £3400 This one 2004 ABS model with topbox, panniers, heated grips and alarm. 49k miles, £3999 2007-2013 Yamaha FJR1300 Colours Silver, grey, black, bronze Dealer £6500 Private good £6000 Private average £5750 This one 2011 model with panniers, Givi topbox, and alarm, 32k miles, £6299 2007-2013 Yamaha FJR1300-AS Colours Silver, grey, black, bronze Dealer £6700 Private good £6200 Private average £5900 This one 2009 model with full luggage system. 34k miles, £6699 2013-2017 Yamaha FJR1300 Colours Brown, red, black, silver Dealer £9200 Private good £9000 Private average £8750 This one 2013 model with panniers and just 6200 miles on the clock, £9295 Insurance MCN COMPARE Sample MCNCompare.com quotes for £6000 used tourers, from cheapest to…

‘Leading up to the race I was unsure what we could achieve’JOSH BROOKES Norton claimed a pair of top 10 finishes in the Superbike TT with David Johnson seventh and Josh Brookes eighth. Brookes was hampered by a too-soft suspension setting at the start of the race. He said: “Leading up to the race I was unsure what we could hope to achieve as our lap times haven’t been the best because of the lack of practice. I haven’t been confident to push any harder.” But the talented Aussie still managed 129.127mph on the final lap. David Johnson’s opening lap was his fastest at 128.911mph. “After doing only six laps on the Norton I went to bed last night feeling that I shouldn’t be starting the race in the number…

‘It pisses me off to miss the podium, by under two seconds’JAMES HILLIER James Hillier lost out on a podium finish by just 1.6 seconds. The Kawasaki star said: “It pisses me off losing the podium by less than two seconds after six laps. It’s gutting.” Hillier circulated with Ian Hutchinson after the Bingley Bullet closed the 10-second gap between them on the road. “Hutchy and I caught a backmarker who didn’t do anything wrong but he went through the flags much slower than we would have,” Hillier explained. “I feel we’re knocking on the door and carrying good pace.” A slow-filling pump was blamed for the team’s slow pitstops and it was changed, But organisers refused to alter the result.…

Thursday May 25 Rossi admitted to hospital in Rimini after falling heavily from his motocross bike Friday May 26 He’s released after spending the night under observation for breathing difficulties. Wednesday May 31 The nine-time champion makes his first foray back onto two wheels to assess his condition, riding first his T-Max scooter and then his R6... successfully. Thursday June 1 Rossi is passed fit by the MotoGP medical team, but pulls out of the pre-event press conference. Friday June 2 Struggling on his first day back on a Grand Prix bike, he finishes the day a distant 14th. Saturday June 3 Making a fast recovery, Rossi takes second place in qualifying and sets himself up for a fairytale weekend.…

‘Jorge’s style won’t allow the bike to perform’ The win couldn’t come at a better time for Ducati. And Sunday was a great day for Italian fans with Migno, Pasini and Dovi all up on the podium in the three races. There is a stigma attached to the Ducati, because it’s a type of motorcycle that has to be ridden in a different way and even Dovi, who has ridden it for a long time, knows that. There are times when the character of the bike is unbreakable but there are times when things go in your favour – like when there is a long straight. It worked for Dovi today, but you have to be mentally ready for when it is achievable to be able to get the win.…

1 METZELER st ROADTEC 01 £256 BEST ALL-ROUND 2 PIRELLI ANGEL GT £245 nd WILL SUIT SPORTY RIDERS 3 CONTINENT AL rd ROADATTACK 3 £254 DO-IT-ALL TYRES 4th Avon Spirit ST £212 GREAT VALUE 5th Dunlop Roadsmart III £224 AGILE AND SPORTY 6th Bridgestone T30 Evo £233 HARD WEARING AND STABLE 7th Michelin Pilot Road 4 £237 THE PEOPLE’S FAVOURITE 8th Maxxis Supermaxx ST £179 BARGAIN FOR COMMUTERS Metzeler stay top of the pile The reigning champions heading into this test, Metzeler’s Roadtec 01 tyres take top honours again thanks to their all-round ability to dramatically transform a bike’s handling performance and ride quality. Once scrubbed in, all of these tyres on test performed really well – even the much-maligned Maxxis, which has to be said performed much better than…

With so much focus on performance, will the firm’s Daytona supersport bike feature as either the chicken or the egg in the Moto2 engine story? “We’re not commenting on product plans,” comes the answer after a short silence. “In the last 12 months we’ve launched 14 new models,” says Stroud “our plans going forward are equally as exciting.” The project is likely to have reinvigorated interest at Triumph in the future of the Daytona. The 675 engine doesn’t meet Euro4, but can be sold under derogation until 2019 – the same year in which Triumph will blast onto the world racing stage in Moto2. That almost guarantees that it’ll be replaced by the 765, doesn’t it? Well, no – but we wouldn’t bet against it. While the supersport market is…

Following the Buell XB9 build that we featured a few weeks ago, deBolex mastermind Calum Pryce-Tidd hasn’t been taking a break, instead forging ahead with a motorcycle that is fit for a prince – literally. His latest build has been commissioned by middle eastern royalty and it’s reflected in the finish of the bike. It’s understated, beautifully finished and will go like stink – when it’s finished. “It’s not quite done yet. We’ve got to wire the whole thing up with a new ECU”, says Pryce-Tidd. “We’ll probably be another month on that, but it’s going to be a really trick loom. It’ll have a quickshifter on it and different maps as well, so although it’ll look good it’ll go good as well.” The bike’s components have been uprated and…

Loitering around the office tea-making facilities, I overheard a lady talking about retiring. She said she was nervous and not sure what she was going to do, despite working here for over 30 years and being slightly advanced in age. It seemed like a difficult decision, despite having worked in a pretty mundane environment for a long period of time and surely with good times ahead. It made me think how tough that decision would be for a 45-year-old, highly successful motorcycle racer like John McGuinness. The thrill of taking a bike to its very limit –and often beyond – around the toughest racetrack on earth – is hard to replace. No wonder he’s struggling to call it a day, no matter how bad his injuries are. Of course, the…

Peter Williams Racing contemporary and team-mate: “For good or ill, Phil Read believes in himself.” Sir Robin Miller Motorcycle race reporter (1965-1968) and MCN Editor (1970-1973): “I like Phil. He gets insufficient credit for how good a racer he was. He’s very intelligent, always has another idea up his sleeve – not all of them successful, however, and definitely earned his place among the greats.” Dave Croxford Contemporary rider and ex-JPN team member: “I probably remember more about Phil’s social life than I do his racing career. We used to have some wild parties when he had his mansion in Sussex. On the track he was a Continental Circus and I wasn’t, so he had better bikes and was usually in front. Although if he was on the MV, say,…

‘The Street is my choice’ These are two naked bikes from the same manufacturer with the same engine configuration making the same power. One makes it with old-school bottom end, thrusting away – and the other with a higher-pitched, high-revving scream. It’s as if the 765 is waspier and angrier, while the Speed Triple is a big old bear. With the 765cc, Triumph have effectively written off class rules. The old 675 Street Triple and Daytona 675 were de facto 600s – but the 765cc is a standalone capacity. It’s easily my first choice; it’s lighter, more agile, sportier and better equipped than the Speed Triple. But the lure of the Speed Triple’s butch bling will still appeal to many. It’s a case of picking the style that tickles your…

This not-for-road-use part will upgrade the R6’s standard electronics to make them more suitable for racing. Here’s what else the £1873 race kit contains: • Adjustable quickshifter • Auto-blipper • Launch control • Pit-lane limiter • Adjustable traction control • Datalogging • Replacement wire harness with run/stop switch • ABS delete module • Active Tune Self-Adjusting Fuel Control • Ignition Advance Tables (by gear and mode) • Rev-Limiter Adjustment • Variable Intake (open and close settings)…

2017 SUZUKI GSX-R1000R £16,099 FUEL 16 litres @ 47mpg = 165 miles range WEIGHT 204kg (measured, full of fuel) SEAT 825mm POWER 199bhp@13,200rpm (claimed) TORQUE 87ftlb@10,800rpm THE RIDER Michael Neeves. Sportsbike lover, Ron Haslam Elite instructor, Thundersport GP1 racer. HEIGHT 6ft WEIGHT 72kg Michael.neeves@motorcyclenews.com I went to watch the Le Mans MotoGP at the Bike Shed in Shoreditch at the weekend. You might think the trendy bike shop is all about hand-built retros, flat whites and expensive haircuts and it is, but every MotoGP weekend they lay on big screens so you can watch the racing. Freddie Spencer was even there for lunch. Bike Shed staff are really friendly, there’s safe on-site parking and there are loads of cool bikes, clothing and memorabilia. As a Rossi fan I was gutted…

‘Your insurer shouldn’t make you take the blame for the accident’ QI was shunted and now I’m being shafted A couple of months ago I was riding my bike in London. I came to a junction where I stopped to give way to cars on the main road which I was about to join. I thought it was clear so started to pull out, but just as I passed the Give Way lines I saw an ambulance coming from my right. It had its blue lights on so I hit my brakes to let it pass. That was when I was hit from behind by a car. The driver and his insurance company say the accident was my fault as I did an emergency stop when I shouldn’t have. Simon…

‘The coupon can be used to bag yourself a grand’s worth of official parts’ Ducati UK are offering all buyers of a new Multistrada 1200 a cool £1000 sweetener. Between now and the end of June, would-be ’Strada owners can choose to have £1000 towards a deposit contribution or take the equivalent sum as a voucher for official Ducati performance parts, accessories and riding kit. The deal, which is valid for all variants of Ducati’s bonkers 150bhp adventure-style machine, means you could pick up a £13,932 Multistrada 1200 on a 37-month PCP deal for just £149 per month with a £2476 deposit (£3476 total deposit including the promotional contribution.) Unfortunately the deposit contribution can only be redeemed by buyers looking to purchase a Multistrada using Ducati’s TriOptions finance package, so…

Up your security BikeTrac have launched a mobile app on iOS and Android which enables users to manage their BikeTrac system remotely using their mobile phone. BikeTrac is a small tracking device hidden on your bike which logs its location should it be moved without a key. The service costs as little as £9.99 per month. Find out more at biketrac.co.uk Fowlers get Husky… Fowlers have added Husqvarna to their multi-franchise line-up. The Bristol shop, which has been in business since 1926, now represents 11 bike brands in its massive, two-floor premises. Pop along to check out the new Husqvarna Vitpilen and Svartpilen range later this year. www.fowlers.co.uk Vespa get young Relive your youth with a T-shirt from the new Vespa Young range. Made from 95% cotton, it features an…

“FJRs will easily cover huge mileages with basic maintenance. Other than valve clearance checking, I have never seen inside one of these engines in the 16-odd years they have been around. “Servicing is straightforward, requiring oil changes every 6000 miles using a good 10W40 semi synthetic and oil, plugs and filters every 12,000 miles. Valve clearance check is needed every 24,000 miles but they rarely need adjustment. From a home maintenance point of view they are reasonable. The sump plug and oil filter are on the left side of the engine, spark plugs can be reached by hinging the tank up. The air filter lives under the left side cover and is easy to remove but can be fiddly to replace. “Don’t be tempted to use ordinary oil in the…

‘To come back, all the planets have to be aligned. If I don’t it will be a big hole’JOHN MCGUINNESS John McGuinness has not yet decided whether he will retire from racing. He said: “Everything is working ok, my head is back in gear, I’m focused on getting fit again and after that we can make a decision.” “First and foremost, I’m in one piece. When I hit the ground I thought I was off to meet my maker, I really did. I thought I’m not going to survive this one.” As his recovery began, that bleak outlook quickly shifted. “When I was laid in hospital for the first couple of days, I was done, that was me, finished. But it’s funny, when you start to feel better you want…

Peter Hickman took his second podium finish in two days in the Supersport race on the Trooper Beer Triumph. “I am still inexperienced compared to the other guys who have all ridden in those mixed conditions before,” the 30-year-old said. “It was wet under the trees on the run out of Ramsey and I had a couple of big spins on the first lap.” As with almost every other TT competitor in 2017, Hickman is desperate to get more time on the bike. “I use my head a lot and if it says ‘no’ then it’s not happening. “I want to make sure everything is ok before I really push and that’s why I am slower on the opening section. But I do think that I have the pace to…

‘Friday’s Senior TT will be very interesting’PHILIP NEILL, TYCO TEAM BOSS In what was shaping up to be a fairytale debut for Michael Dunlop and the new Bennetts Suzuki, the 28-year-old was forced to sit and watch arch rival Ian Hutchinson take the opening Super-bike win. Although bitterly disappointed by the demise of his Bennett’s Suzuki when he was leading the Superbike TT, there were plenty of positives for Michael Dunlop to take from the race after the mechanical failure forced the Ballymoney man to retire at Handley’s Bend on lap two. Dunlop had already set the fastest practice time of the week when he broke through the 131mph barrier. And his opening 131.135mph standing start lap was the fastest of the six-lap race. Ian Hutchinson’s Tyco BMW boss, Philip…

Mugello saw Triumph finally confirmed as official engine supplier to Moto2 from 2019 (see page 6). The move will see the departure of Honda’s CBR600 engines in favour of a specially developed version of Triumph’s Street Triple 765cc powerplant. The move will mean major changes to the class, with chassis manufacturers such as Suter, Kalex and KTM developing completely new frames to fit around the much slimmer three-cylinder engine. See full story, p6.…

This year’s MotoGP championship is already turning into one of the most hard-fought seasons of recent years, with Rossi, Viñales, Marquez and Pedrosa all battling at the sharp end, while newcomer Zarco buzzes around them like the wasp you just can’t swat. Whoever you’re supporting, whatever the colour of your shirt, and wherever you choose to watch from at this year’s British MotoGP – you need to get yourself to the foot of the podium at the end of the race for the massive track invasion. For the first time, the marshals will fling open the barriers, and allow race fans to flood onto the track and celebrate the biggest race on British soil this year. Pick up some rubber marbles, place your hands on the circuit, and get closer…

Maverick Viñales got his bid for the 2017 MotoGP world championship back on track at Mugello after taking second place at the Italian Grand Prix. The result saw him extend his lead over Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa to an impressive 26 points. Viñales looked cool and calculated in Sunday’s race as he picked his way through the field. He even led for a while as the fight at the front heated up. And when Dovizioso was able to pile the pressure on thanks to the incredible top speed of his Ducati, Viñales still managed to score big points. “I’m so pleased to be second, because it was a difficult weekend; I crashed on Friday afternoon and was quite lucky to walk away. I tried for the win…

‘I was scared before the race, scared that I would lose energy’ANDREA DOVIZIOSO The sell-out 98,000-strong crowd may have poured into the Mugello circuit hoping to see a Valentino Rossi win, but they got the next best thing with Andrea Dovizioso taking a stunning victory for Ducati at their home race at the Italian Grand Prix. His win saw him become the first Italian premier class winner on an Italian machine at a home race in an incredible 43 years. The last man to do it was Franco Bonera for MV Agusta in the 1974 Grand Prix at Imola. And while Dovi’s previous two MotoGP wins have come in the wet, there’ll be no question marks about the stunning performance delivered by the Italian in Sunday’s race, as he…