Table of contents for May 16th 2018 in MCN

Now I’m not in any shape or form a royalist but, in recent years as Queen Liz and Phil the Greek have got older, I’ve developed much more respect for them and in the main I’m starting to think they may even be good eggs. Next Saturday, as you may have heard, young Prince Harry (the less horsey looking one with a penchant for dressing up inappropriately) is due to get shacked-up with an easy-on-the-eye American lass. Well done to him I say. Now I have no idea what makes for an attractive looking bloke, but I suspect the jaunty young ginge is punching well above his weight with Ms Markle. Good on you, lad. It seems this latest generation of royals are much more acceptable to us mere oiks;…

Summer is on the way, bringing with it trackdays and touring trips. So what to buy? Everyone salivates over sportsbikes but, let’s be honest, some are a literal pain, especially if your 40s are a distant memory. What you really want is a sportsbike in a different set of clothes. A nice seat, more upright riding position and a comfy fairing, all combined with a ballistic engine. That’s why BMW produced the S1000XR. This sort of bike is a fairly recent phenomenon and there aren’t many used options if you don’t want to spend a five-figure sum. Kawasaki’s Versys 1000 is one and my brother bought one recently, for all the reasons listed above. Suzuki’s GSF1250 Bandit is another such machine, but it’s a bit, well, built down to a…

POST YOUR PICTURES OF WHERE YOU’VE BEEN RIDING THIS WEEK Add your stories on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/ride5000miles…

Simply head online to MCN’s #ride5000miles Facebook page and vote for your favourite biking stop-off. Entice us with pictures of floury bacon baps and sizzling big breakfasts, or simply a brief eulogy as to why your nomination is the best biker café in Blighty. We’ll then visit one each week until we’ve sampled the 25 tastiest. At the end of summer we’ll reveal the five best ranking cafés on tour, and open them up to a public vote before crowning the winner of MCN’s inaugural Golden Sausage Award. Nominate your top nosh-pit at Facebook.com/groups/ride5000miles, or via mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com…

We may as well get this out of the way from the start: in 40 years of riding, taking in everything from pre-WW1 flat-tankers to MotoGP bikes, the most memorable thing I have done on a motorcycle is ride an Enfield in the Himalayas. I thought I’d seen and experienced most things. I was ready for the sprawling, roasting chaos of Delhi traffic, where sacred cows and hand-pulled carts jostle for position with blacked-out limos, and entire families squeeze, helmetless, onto 200cc Hero Hondas. Even when that urban anarchy escalated to the scarcely-believable rural madness of the Punjab my upper lip remained stiff (though I confess my eyes went wide: buffalos and hayricks on a motorway? And no-one even cares). But when I got to the high-altitude province of Ladakh,…

SDoc100 Total Cleaner £15.99 Tester Dan Sutherland Time tested Ten washes, two bikes, three months This Gel Cleaner from SDoc100 has kept both my Kawasaki ZX-6R and Suzuki SV650X test bike gleaming. It’s pH neutral and all you need to do is spray it onto the bike, work it lightly with a sponge and rinse. The results are good although it can’t clear the most stubborn chain lube from the back of the bike. Verdict ★★★★ Contact w w w.motohaus.com Held Timber Sliders £ 38.99 Tester Michael Neeves Time tested One Cadwell Park trackday Wooden sliders hark back to the late 80s and early 90s when they were the preserve of Nankai and RS Taichi-suited factory 500cc GP riders. Happily, these Held versions are harder, slightly louder and not as…

MCN’s Bruce Dunn (Dr Know to his patients) has been working with bikes for over 30 years, fixing, riding and competing on machines of all shapes and sizes. His depth of knowledge is unrivalled and he’s here to give ailing bikes an all-round healthcheck. This week, our resident bike whisperer has James Savery’s 1998 Honda VFR800 in for a thorough examination. James uses the VFR for his regular commute across Cambridge, which means it has now clocked up over 21,000 miles. All service intervals have been done by the book though, meaning it has had very few problems. “There have only been three issues with the bike since I’ve owned it,” admits James. “The first thing was warped brake discs. I eventually got these replaced with the original Honda parts…

Hospital bed to race winner in four days Demanding Cadwell test Hutchy: ‘I was apprehensive at first’ In what has to be one of the greatest injury comebacks in history, Ian Hutchinson will race at the North West this week and then compete at the Isle of Man TT. Dubbed the miracle man after his incredible return to racing earlier in his career (see separate story) the 38-year-old is showing once again an incredible ability to bounce back from injury. Back on a bike just four days after having his cage removed, which has been on his leg since his crash from the lead of the Senior TT in June 2017, Hutchy completed a one-day test before entering a two-day club race, where he won two races. And if that…

Few were in the mood for talking as Ducati left Imola on Sunday night. With no race win at the track where they have dominated for the last two years it was a tough weekend for the Ducati bosses in attendance and their disappointing results were played out in front of a huge crowd. It was the biggest at Imola since Dorna took control of World Superbikes in 2013. Such was the pain of defeat at their home track, the Bologna team are now frantically trying to organise an impromptu test at Mugello before travelling to the Donington Park round next week. In 2016 and 2017, Chaz Davies scooped two wins and two fastest laps from pole position. Although he out-qualified his Italian teammate Marco Melandri for the first time…

‘Ray’s chances of a satellite seat are slender’ Once, very long ago, British riders dominated the premier grand prix class. That ended way back in 1981, with Sheene’s last win. Adam and the Ants were in the hit parade. Remember them? In numbers, that was Britain’s 135th win (the total now 138). Spain (144 now) had zero; the USA (154 now) just three, and the current leaders Italy (238 now) lagged on 93. No wonder national excitement flares and statistics get fresh airings with Cal Crutchlow, the first British winner since Sheene and the first on an (almost) full-factory bike since Ron Haslam or Niall Mackenzie a whole generation ago. There are manifold reasons for the gulf between Britain and grand prix racing, and I don’t believe it is a…

No licence? No problem Yamaha are bringing the MT First Ride experience to the Festival with MT-03 and MT-125 models for A1, A2 and novice riders. Guidance will be given by experienced instructors in a controlled environment behind the Arena buildings and next to the main entrance. FREE Let your kids try two wheels Ducati and Arenacross FMX are bringing bikes for children as young as two to try out. So bring the whole family to join in the festival fun. TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE RS The Street Triple is one of MCN’s all-time favourite bikes and you can try the latest RS model at the Festival HONDA CB1000R Retro bikes don’t get much classier than the all-new Honda CB1000R. Don’t miss your chance to take one for a spin KAWASAKI…

The UK’s Dirt track racing scene is growing fast and this year’s championship is more exciting than ever with big grids and great battles. Held over both days in the Indian Live Action Arena, the DTRA racing includes Rookie, Pro, Sportax Thunderbikes, Vintage, Minibike and Youth classes (covering seven to 17-year-olds). Back for 2018 is the Hooligan series for 750cc machines and bigger with stock frames and road-legal tyres. Watch out for Chris Walker and Indian-sponsored Johnny Lewis, a pro racer from the USA who’ll be doing laps on a very special flat-tracker not seen outside the US before. Famous 70s American track star Dave Aldana will compete in the Vintage class, complete with skeleton leathers.…

When do they fire up? The bikes will fire up at 10.30am, 12.45pm and 3.15pm on both days. Speak to the Brackley team to find out which bikes will be started in which session. For a full festival timetable see page 13. Will it frighten the kids? Yes! But don’t worry, earplugs will be handed out to anyone who wants them. Is there a bike I shouldn’t miss? That’s down to personal taste but we reckon you’ll want to hear the Freddie Spencer Honda RS500 fire up, especially as the great man himself will be twisting the throttle.…

The cost of filling up your bike has reached an 18-month high, confused.com’s Fuel Price index has revealed. The average price for fuel in the UK is now 126.5p a litre, meaning it would now costs over £22 for an 18-litre fill-up, a rise of 1.7p in the last week. The last time it was this expensive was November 2016. The reason behind the rise is because of stockpiling by distributors due to tensions in the Middle East which has fuelled average increases over the last year. Bikers in the North East have seen the biggest changes over the past 12 months, with petrol increasing 4.6p year-on-year, to 122.5p a litre, on average. However, it is motorists in the South East who will have to pay out the most to…

With just three weeks to go until the Isle of Wight Ride4Life, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance are looking for local riders to get involved and help support the charity. Ride4Life takes place on Sunday, June 10 starting and finishing at the Steam Railway. The event aims to help raise funds for the charity, which needs approximately £9000 a day to keep the Air Ambulance flying. This year alone, the HIOWAA Critical Care Teams have attended 484 missions. Register now at www.hiowaa.org.Entry is £10 per person plus £5 for a passenger. The participant to raise the most sponsorship will win a water bottle signed by road racer James Hillier, a keen supporter of the charity.…

Brembo’s Stylema calipers, introduced this year on the Ducati Panigale V4, are being hailed as the lightest, most advanced monoblock brakes fitted to any production bike. As the name suggests, monoblock calipers are constructed from a single block of aluminium alloy. Derived from racing, they didn’t come to road bikes until the Yamaha Thunderace in 1996, but they provide a much stiffer construction to counteract the forces of the pistons and pads camping on the disc and the hydraulic pressure needed to achieve this. Conventional calipers were are in two pieces bolted together. Machining costs Monoblocks are expensive to produce as they need specialist machinery to internally cut the bores for the pistons and the pathways for the brake fluid. Brembo use multi-axis milling technology from the watchmaking industry to…

Last week we were on Paignton seafront with thousands of sun-drenched bikers, this week we headed to Scotland, where a far smaller bunch of riders were doing their bit for charity. Saltire Motorcycles’ annual fundraising ride is organised by Senior Instructor Nigel Harper, ably assisted by Saltire’s sales supremo Davy Banks. “We’re now in our third year and this time we’re riding for Macmillan Cancer Support,” said Nigel. “To date we’ve raised over £1000. Each of the riders paid a minimum entry of £10 and the coffers were boosted by donations.” We meet up at Saltire’s Gasoline Alley Café at 9.30am for a bacon roll and a coffee, then head down the bypass to the A701. First stop is the (biker-friendly) Leadburn Inn, before riding to the legendary Devil’s Beef…

The MotoGP travelling circus will roll into Silverstone for the Octo British Grand Prix on the August Bank Holiday weekend of August 24-26 and you could win a pair of tickets. MCN have secured a pair of paddock passes to the UK’s MotoGP shootout to give away to one lucky winner, and a further five pairs of pit walk tickets for the runners-up. The paddock passes will get you and your guest into the circuit throughout the weekend, along with grandstand seating in Copse A, free parking, and access to the super-restricted paddock area, getting your closer than ever to the riders, teams and bikes. Grab a selfie and an autograph, and soak up the atmosphere inside the most exclusive paddock in bike racing. Five runners-up will also get pitlane…

Reader Gary Cheavin The Ride Mansfield Run, Australia When to do it All year Miles 330 miles Time required Eight hours Don’t miss this “The Jamieson Eildon road is 50 miles long and full of closely-spaced twisting corners with cliffs on one side. You have to keep your speed down but it is brilliant.” FLOWERDALE Stop to check out the old signs the guy reproduces then head to Yea bakery for the best pies around LAKE EILDON Well worth a stop for a coffee and a chat and then check out the views from the dam wall JAMIESON The road here has only just been freshly sealed. Some great corners but take it easy ALL-DAY RIDING Overall the Mansfield loop took me and my son Chris around eight hours with…

‘Kawasaki have set a new performance benchmark’ Our results show Kawasaki’s 2018 400 sets new standards in terms of performance, recording a true 119.52mph (with the speedo showing 125mph). That’s impressive for an A2 licence bike. The Honda recorded a true 109.06mph with the KTM recording 106.24mph, which isn’t bad for a 390cc single. The Ninja blasted down the quarter-mile strip in 13.96 seconds, flashing through the speed trap at 96.37mph. The Honda was a little slower at 14.35 seconds and 91.71mph with the KTM last with 14.42 seconds and 91.62mph. Just for fun, we also recorded the time to reach 100mph from a standing start. As expected the Kawasaki was the quickest, hitting a ton in 15.4 seconds, the Honda 19.2 seconds and the KTM 20.94 seconds. So it…

‘A haggard old woman sold me a rock’ Bill Higginson “The altitude made it hard work, the scenery was amazing, the Enfields felt underpowered. We saw the Dalai Lama! And I still don’t like camping. A haggard old woman offered to sell me a rock. Encouraged by tour leader Suzie I bought it. I then asked Suzie what was special about the rock. ‘Nothing,’ she replied. ‘But the old woman is too proud to beg so she sold you anything she could.’ Very humbling.” ‘It was definitely an experience not a holiday’ Kevin Sharp “I’d always wanted to do a trip like this. The goal of riding the world’s highest motorable pass is pretty special. But my wife wasn’t keen and I couldn’t afford it anyway. When she died 18…

This stunning short Scottish ride is a favourite of Dave Smith who often escapes work for an hour to enjoy this incredible assault on the senses. He said: “The pleasure starts as soon as you leave Moffat. You are immediately into the hills and the road becomes decidedly adrenalin-inducing within a few miles. It’s a rollercoaster but is a pleasure to ride. “Go past the Grey Mares Tail which can be seen from the road or you can stop at the parking area and take a photo. It is worth a stop at the Glens Café which overlooks the St Mary’s Loch. “The road narrows past a pair of reservoirs, so ride this road carefully. The best place for a pic is at the very top of Talla looking down…

The PayPal refund scam I got stung by this clever little trick once when our normal courier let us down and I used someone new, but didn’t check their delivery terms and conditions properly. They’ll never dupe me again. ‘It never arrived mate’ We sell a lot of accessories and spare parts on eBay, and a pretty hefty proportion of the sales we make are paid for through PayPal. Nothing wrong with that: it’s a pretty reliable service, and we very rarely have any issues. But snide buyers have clocked a sneaky little trick to get items and keep their money. And if you’ve left the door open to them, then you’re going to get properly stitched up. The sneaky scammers buy loads of stuff and pay using PayPal. They…

1 SAVE £36 Sidi Arcadia boots now £138.24 Reduced from £174.99, these waterproof Sidis are made from full-grain leather and suede and include reflective material on the back. w w w.motocentral.co.uk 2 SAVE £150 Rukka Armascope trousers now £499.99 These were £649.99 so you are saving £150. Details include D3O protection and a Gore-Tex membrane. w w w.infinit ymotorcycles.com 3 SAVE £32 Oxford Rainex extra large bike cover now £47.99 This cover is down from £79.99. Available for same-day despatch, it comes with a one-year warranty. w w w.ghostbikes.com 4 SAVE £90 IXS Napoli jacket now £79.99 Originally £169.99, this jacket comes with CE approved armour at the shoulders and elbows. There is a pocket for a back protector. w w w.jsaccessories.co.uk…

Kevin Hollingsworth, or Dr Tepi to his friends, prides himself on getting bikes working properly and not allowing riders on the roads with dangerous faults. The Doncaster Motorcycles man has 23 years of experience and has got used to certain bikes having certain problems. So the first thing he looked at when he got a Suzuki Bandit in recently was the rear caliper. And it was a shocker. ‘The pads could have worked loose and fallen out’ He said: “Sticking pistons are a common problem. Corrosion in the caliper causes the seals to apply pressure on the piston and stops them returning properly. “That’s normally pretty straightforward to fix. It’s a case of replacing a couple of seals and topping up the fluid. It would take about an hour to…

• June 2010 Hutchy takes historic five TT wins in a week • September 2010 Hutchy breaks leg in Silverstone crash • 2011 Misses road racing season but returns at Macau for incredible win • February 2012 Hutchy re-breaks leg • June 2015 Hutchy returns to the top step with hat-trick of wins at TT • June 2016 Three more TT wins for Hutchy • June 2017 Breaks leg after crashing out of lead of Senior TT • May 2018 Rides again for first time and confirms entry for NW200…

With almost the entire grid out of contract at the end of this year, the WSB silly season is gathering momentum. The WSB grid usually begins to take shape once the movers and shakers in MotoGP are finalised, but that hasn’t stopped several interesting rumours doing the rounds. The most intriguing talk is linking reigning World Champion Jonathan Rea with Ducati. The Italian factory has always had an interest in Rea and are desperate to get back to their title-winning ways with the newfor-2019 V4 project. Paolo Ciabatti, the Ducati Corse Sporting Director, said: “He is a great rider, a multiple winner and world champion. We have had a few conversations with him and his management in the past. At the moment I think he is very happy with Kawasaki.…

Yamaha’s ongoing grip woes aren’t about to end soon. That is the assessment of Valentino Rossi ahead of this weekend’s French Grand Prix. The only hope they have of repeating last year’s win is if they get cooler conditions at Le Mans again. In what was one of their most successful weekends of the year, and the last time that Viñales won a race, Yamaha were only denied a clean sweep of the podium when Rossi crashed on the last lap dicing with his team-mate. Speaking after last Monday’s test at Jerez following the Spanish Grand Prix, Rossi says that he thinks it will take substantial time for upgrades to appear from Japan. And it’s time he doesn’t have. “On paper Le Mans is a good track for Yamaha, but…

DUCATI TEST FLEET Diavel Carbon, Panigale 959, Multistrada 950, Multistrada 1260S, Monster 821, Monster 1200S, Panigale V4 S, Supersport, Scrambler 1100, Deset Sled, Supersport S and Hypermotard 939 SP. DUCATI XDIAVEL EXPERIENCE A fleet of 20 XDiavels with various accessories fitted. HONDA TEST FLEET CB650F, VFR800X, Africa Twin Adventure Sport DCT, CB500X, X-ADV, CBR1000RR Fireblade SP1, CB1000R and Gold Wing GL1800 DCT. HUSQVARNA TEST FLEET 701 Supermoto, 401 Vitpilen, 401 Svartpilen, 701 Vitpilen and 701 Enduro. KAWASAKI TEST FLEET Ninja 400, Vulcan S Cafe, Versys 650, Ninja 650, Z900, Z900 RS, Z1000 Performance, Versys 1000, ZX-10R SE, Z1000 SX, Ninja H2 SX SE and ZZR1400. KTM TEST FLEET 390 Duke, 690 Duke, 790 Duke, 1290 Super Duke R, 1290 Super Duke GT, 1090 Adventure, 1290 Super Adventure R and 1290…

When is it on? The racing is on throughout both days but the main Pro and Hooligan classes kick off at 12.30pm and 2.30pm on both days. See the timetable on page 13 for a full Festival schedule. How will I know what’s going on? There will be trackside commentary for the Pro and Hooligan races and like speedway racing, the races aren’t long (six laps for heats, 12 for finals) so you can easily follow the action. Is the grandstand free? Yes the seats in the grandstand are free but get in position early for the Pro and Hooligan races.…

1983 Honda RS500 (500GP Freddie Spencer Rothmans Livery) 1992 Harris Yamaha YZR500 (500GP) 1972 MV Agusta 750cc (Imola 200) 1969 Paton 500cc twin (500GP) 1969 Benelli 500cc four-cylinder (500GP) 1996 Ducati 916 Old Spice (BSB) 2001 Honda SP1 Vimto (TT, McGuinness) 1996 Honda 600 (WSS, Toseland)* 1963 Bianchi 500cc Twin (500GP) 2000 Yamaha YZR500 (500GP, Max Biaggi Replica)* 2001 Yamaha M1 (MotoGP, Max Biaggi Replica) 1970 Jawa 350cc 2-stroke (350GP,BillIvy) . 2002 Honda CBR1000 (TT, Ian Lougher) 2003 Kawasaki ZXR750 (Hawk BSB) 1972 Triumph 750cc Triple ( Rob North) 1963 Honda RC163 Replica (250GP) 1967 Honda RC181 Replica (500GP) 1964 Yamaha TD2 (250GP) 1967 Jawa 250cc (250GP) 2000 Ducati 748 Supersport (Italian Cup)* 2002 Ducati 750 (WSS, Casoli) 1970 Yamaha 250cc 4 cylinder prototype 1978 Yamaha TZ500 (Kenny Roberts Replica)*…

What time are the shows on? Steve Colley is on at 11.15am, 1.30pm and 3.00pm. The action on the stunt strip kicks off at 9.45am, 12 noon and 2.30pm. The Wall of Death runs throughout the day. Where’s the best place to watch? For the activities on the stunt strip the banking next to the speedway oval gives a unrivalled view of the action. Steve Colley’s show is always popular so if you have the kids make sure you get there early and grab a good spot. There’s a detailed map on page 8.…

The Silverstone Classic meeting, which features the World GP Legends parade will feature four world champions. Wayne Gardner (1987 500GP champion), Phil Read (seven 125, 250 and 500GP titles), Christian Sarron (1984 250GP champ) and Freddie Spencer (the only man to win a 250 and 500GP title in the same year) will headline the riding line-up. The event, which takes place on the Silverstone GP circuit, is part of a classic F1 and sportscar racing weekend. Gardner co-ordinates the motorcycling side of the event. He said “The Classic always attracts vast crowds, now including an ever-increasing number of very knowledgeable bike fans. We love putting on a dramatic track show for them.” The event takes place on July 20-22.…

• Online All the information about the group can be found at bristolbiketheftawareness. uk where they post news. There’s a lively Facebook group too, where people report problems in their local area. • On the street The next awareness ride is set for September 30 but before then there are plenty of chances at bike nights and dealer events where you can show up and make your voice heard. • In person As part of their working group with the local police, they are always on the lookout for volunteers who can meet with the police for a few hours a month to make sure that progress is being made.…

• ‘The 270 crank has the right balance of vibes’ Good vibrat ions Unlike in a 360 and 180 engine, the pistons in a 270-degree unit are never stationary at the same time, reducing harsh vibes Size matters Parallel twins are popular because they’re cheaper to make and more compact than a V-twin or boxer All in balance The downside to a 270 engine is that it requires a balance shaft to remove primary vibrations adding weight and cost When it comes to engines, not all twins are identical, as Royal Enfield’s eagerly anticipated new 650 proves. Or does it? The Indian-owned firm will launch their all-new, 650cc Interceptor and Continental GT soon but in creating the new engine, Enfield’s British-based development team, led by Simon Warburton, faced a common…

NEXT WEEK WEDNESDAY 16TH Steve Parrish’s Mad Tour, Portstewart Entr y: £12 Info: www.madtour.co.ukA fun evening of funny stories from Steve Parrish at the NW200 THURSDAY 17TH Iron Horse bike night, Market Deeping Entr y: Free Info: ironhorseranchouse.co.uk A good old fashioned bike night at a biker café with top grub on offer SATURDAY 19TH Carole Nash MCN Festival of Motorcycling, Cambs Entr y: From £15 Info: www.mcnfestival.comDay one of a bike-filled weekend of riding, watching and camping at the East of England Showground North West 200, Co Londonderry Entr y: Programme £15 Info: www.northwest200.orgSee Hutchy’s miraculous return to road racing before the madness moves on to the Isle of Man TT SUNDAY 20TH Carole Nash MCN Festival of Motorcycling, Cambs Entr y: From £15 Info: www.mcnfestival.comYes, it’s day two…

A‘Motorcyclists Welcome’ sign can be a real sight for sore eyes and it certainly appealed to us as we reached The Haven near Salisbury, after a long ride. Our latest contender for the Golden Sausage Award has been standing aside the A30 for some 60 odd years, but The Haven has more to offer than a traditional roadside nosebag. Current owner, Kirsty Wells, has created a veritable oasis where the weary traveller can find much-needed respite. “We work hard to maintain very high standards of service,” says Kirsty, “but it’s not just about serving up food and drink, we strive to provide a friendly atmosphere.” All dishes are prepared with fresh ingredients, cooked to order and served with pride; even our sausage and egg bap arrived perfectly presented with Kirsty’s…

Q Will my wife still get her whiplash compensation? I heard on the news that there are changes coming in to lower compensation for injuries in road traffic accidents. My wife was on her bike a couple of weeks ago and got rear-ended while waiting at traffic lights. She’s going through a claim for whiplash as a result. Will the change in the law wreck her chances of getting a payout? Andrew Reed, email A This is to do with the Government cracking down on a perceived ‘compensation culture’ – when in fact the Government are wrong about there being a ‘culture’ because their own official figures show the biggest sources of cases, motor claims, fell by 17% this year to around 650,000. It was the fifth year-on-year fall. The…

There are many reasons why the Kawasaki should win this test. It’s the quickest, therefore the most fun. Most preferred its sporty looks and it handles far better than its price suggests. But the catch is that it doesn’t have the all-round capabilities of the Honda. The CBR feels like a bigger bike. Its dimensions are normal-size and it’s comfortable, refined, and smooth, offering a huge tank range and excellent fuel economy. If I had to pick one bike to do it all again, I’d pick the CBR. The KTM is tempting, fun and punchy and more importantly it’s over a grand cheaper than the Honda, but if you want a bike for daily use and long trips it falls behind. The Honda wins.…

The Watsonian Folding Sidecar Company was founded in Birmingham in 1912 by Thomas Frederick Watson whose original idea was for a folding sidecar that could be wheeled through the narrow alleyways of terraced housing. Production peaked at 200 units a week during the 1950s. SQUIRE MERGER A period of slow decline in the late 1960s and 1970s led first to Watsonian’s relocation to Blockley in 1982 and then, in 1986, to a merger with Squire sidecars which had launched in 1973 with a range of sportier offerings. RETRO RESURGENCE The rise of the retro class has seen Watsonian Squire sidecars come back into fashion and driven a resurgence in the company’s fortunes. They’ve built outfits for Bonneville Bobbers, Ducati Scramblers, Indians, BMWs and everything in between. HARRY POTTER “The Harry…

Humber Bridge, Lincolnshire Why The wrought metalwork of the 1.4-mile suspension bridge is best seen when it is silhouetted against the burnt orange of a receding sun. Best seen From the banks of the River Humber Poole Quay, Dorset Why The south of England has some of the best sunsets in the UK and the light of a golden summer sun reflects off sea and sand. Best seen On any Tuesday night between May and September Lochinver, Sutherland, Scotland Why One of north west Scotland’s most beautiful fishing ports. Mountains combine with its natural harbor and purple-orange skies. Best seen Mid-summer after a late ride , when sunset is at 10.30pm!…

It might be equipped with useful, top quality extras, but the Raid Edition suffers the same problem Super Ténérés have always had: it’s pricey, lacks performance and is a bit old fashioned. But cost aside, the Yamaha isn’t trying to compete with the latest and greatest anymore. It’s moved into being the more relaxed do-anything, go-anywhere, one-size-fits-all machine, for those who don’t feel the need to grind-out Nick Sanders’ level of mileages. It’s easy to manage, packed with character, oozes old-school, bulletproof Yamaha quality and the Dakar-inspired add-ons will make long touring trips a breeze.…

1 The bikes In the UK you’d barely ride a 500 Bullet to the pub. In India you will use one to slog up mountains, cross deserts and cross rivers. A few days and it’ll feel like the only bike in the world. 2 The roads India is laying asphalt fast, but in Ladakh the mountains have other ideas. It’s normal to round a bend and find the road’s been buried by a landslide or washed away in a flood. 3 The food The staple roadside dish is dhal and rice. That’s lentil curry, preferably accompanied with delicious roti bread, which is half way between a chapati and a naan. 4 The views It’s so different to home: boulder fields made of dragon scales. Cliffs the colour of marbled beef.…

Brian Eccles Masham Loop, 64 miles Set off north on the A6108 to Middleham. Then pick up the B6160 to Scotgate. Stay on the B6160 all the way to Threshfield. Then take the B6265 to Grassington. At Pately Bridge, turn left on to the Low Wath Road. This is a brilliant road, but watch out for tight turns the first time you ride it. Then blast past the scenic Gouthwaite Reservoir and head back to Masham. Barrie Wood Call in at Cadwell, 45 miles Start at Boston, Lincs not Massachusetts, and head to Skeg-vegas on the A52. Watch for speed limits as it does go down to 40mph in places and speed cameras lurk. After a Skeggie ice cream, head inland on the A158. At Candlesby, take the A1028, then…

“Initially I thought I’d just muck it up after talking to Mark. But I followed what he told me, and took a wider line into the roundabout instead of going in really tight, and immediately felt like I was more in control. I can now actually dictate my path more precisely through the roundabout, instead of just hashing my way through like before. “I definitely feel more relaxed now. I was going in really slowly before because I didn’t know what I was doing. Now I’m actually going in slightly quicker, but on the right line and the bike feels much more stable and settled. “Because I know where I need to be on the road, and have got better sight though the roundabout, I can also assess what the…

I LIKE • The shape and bodywork • All of the colourschemes it comes in look great, but black is the best • The seat is comfortable as is the riding position • I like how manoeuvrable it is. It’s heavy and wide, but still manageable • The underseat exhaust. I love that thing I DON’T • The grips are too hard • Engine braking is too harsh • The non-adjustable clutch lever. I have changed the levers now anyway so that they suit my hands better QUICK SPECS • 599cc • 196kg • 118bhp • 823mm seat height…

Gaerne GRW £179.99 Tested by Dan Sutherland, two years These are by far the most versatile boots I have worn. Used for commuting, weekend rides and anything in between, they have seen me through everything from summer downpours, to sub-zero temperatures and yet remain all-day comfortable. The Drytech waterproof and breathable membrane is brilliant with my feet always staying dry in wet conditions and comfortable on warm days. I also think they look fantastic, with neat touches like the raised logo displayed across both of the replaceable toe sliders. The boots feature a non-slip and oil resistant sole, but after 20,000 miles the tread is beginning to wear very thin, causing my feet to occasionally slip off the pegs even in the dry. After such extensive useage, they have developed…

The Carole Nash MCN Festival is now in its fourth year and has evolved for 2018 once more. Since the BMF Show ended and the MCN Festival started, we’ve listened to what you’ve had to say about the event and made many changes. Now with more retail stands than ever and the most demo rides in Festival history, this event really brings biking to life. It’s not about walking around a carpeted show hall and looking at pristine machines. It’s about grabbing a bargain, clambering over bikes, taking one (or two) for a spin and watching some speedway. Beer and burgers are not compulsory, but highly recommended.…

How do I get a test ride? All test rides are booked on the day. Just go to the stands in the Black Horse finance manufacturer zone with your riding kit and appropriate licence and sign up. Test rides are popular, so get there early! What are the roads like? The roads around the venue are a mix of fast A roads and twisty country lanes. All of the routes are hand-picked and escorted so you won’t get lost. Can I try out more than one machine? Of course. Having a mix of test fleets from various bike brands makes the Festival unique. It’s the only event in the UK where you can test ride such a broad range of different models and brands all in one place. How long…

MORNING 9am-11.15am DTRA Racing Indian Live Action Arena 9.45am-10.15am The Rockets Children’s Motorcycle Display Team Stunt Zone 10.15am-10.45am Two Brothers Racing Stunt Team Stunt Zone 10.45am-11.15am Arenacross Freestyle Motocross Team Stunt Zone 10.30am-11.15am Classic Bike Fire-Up & Freddie Spencer interview Freddie Spencer Fire-up Paddock 11.15am-11.45am Steve Colley Trials Display 11.30am-11.45am Freddie Spencer on stage MCN Activity Area AFTERNOON 12 noon-12.30pm The Rockets Children’s Motorcycle Display Team Stunt Zone 12.15pm-1pm DTRA & Hooligan Racing Indian Live Action Arena 12.30pm-1pm Two Brothers Racing Stunt Team Stunt Zone 12.45pm-1.30pm Classic Bike Fire-Up & Freddie Spencer interview Freddie Spencer Fire-up Paddock 1pm-1.30pm Arenacross Freestyle Motocross Team Stunt Zone 1.30pm-2pm Steve Colley Trials Display 1.45pm-2pm Freddie Spencer on stage MCN Activity Area 2.15pm-5pm DTRA & Hooligan Racing Indian Live Action Arena 2.30pm-3pm The Rockets Children’s…

CAMPING TICKETS OFFERS END 17.05.18 Camping per adult (with weekend access to the Festival) Group camping (4+ adults) Children aged 15 and under £35 £30 per person FREE! DISCOUNTED DAY TICKETS OFFERS END 17.05.18 Adult day ticket Day ticket concession (65+) Group ticket (6+ standard adult) Children aged 15 and under £15 £11 £12.50 per person FREE! ON-THE-GATE TICKET PRICES Weekend Camping per adult Day tickets Adult Children aged 15 and under www.mcnfestival.com £40 (no concessions) £22 (concessions for over 65s £17) FREE!…