Indice dei contenuti per 3 November 2021 in MCN

‘It’ll make any two-stroke fan’s heart skip a beat!’EMMA FRANKLIN PUTS THE LANGEN TO THE TEST WORLD EXCLUSIVE Two strokes to heaven with Langen We’ve been waiting so long to get our hands on this stunning bike. Ever since its creator, Christofer Ratcliffe, first told us about his desire to build the ‘Two Stroke’, it’s been top of our must-ride list. And this week saw MCN’s resident two-stroke specialist Dep Ed Emma get the golden ticket. While the weight of expectation was huge, the Langen did not disappoint. FULL FIRST TEST PAGE 36 PAUL SMART TRIBUTE Saying goodbye to a true legend Very few riders are more synonymous with pivotal moments that changed the future of a company than Paul Smart is with Ducati. Smart was an almost accidental hero,…

Kent police have appealed for witnesses following an accident that resulted in the death of Paul Smart, 78. The crash took place on Wednesday, October 27 at 1.55pm on the A21 near Flimwell. Police say the vehicles involved in the crash were a grey Ford Focus and a red Ducati motorcycle. Officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident or who was in the area and has dashcam footage that may assist the investigation. Witnesses should call 01622 798538 or email sciu.td@kent.pnn.police.uk quoting reference HW/DGC/119/21. See page 34 for Paul Smart tribute. Harley’s quids in A new deal between America and the EU could be a huge boost for Harley-Davidson. The US and the European Union have agreed to end…

BMW have given their six-cylinder K1600 tourer family a boost for 2022 with updated engines, improved suspension, LED lights, uprated music and a massive, all-new 10.25in TFT dash. Launched in 2011 the K1600 range had started to look dated. But for 2022 all four models have been significantly updated. Prompted by Euro5, the transverse six has received a host of internal mods. Impressively, the 160bhp peak is unchanged, but reached 1000rpm lower, while peak torque is actually up from 129lb.ft to 133lb.ft. The K16’s now standard Dynamic ESA system, which automatically adjusts its damping on the move, is updated, too. The ‘Next Generation’ system now also automatically compensates for load. Lighting is the latest generation LEDs all-round including an updated version of BMW’s Adaptive system which not only ‘turns’ the…

Royal Enfield are hoping to inspire a new wave of custom builds of their bikes with the firm leading the way with this new, one-off, Star Wars-influenced version of the Meteor 350. Called The Starship Meteor it was commissioned from Dutch customisers Ironwood Motorcycles using a yellow example of MCN’s recently crowned Retro Bike of the Year as the starting point. Ironwood’s Arjan van den Boom and his team then modified it with blacked out components, a floating ‘bobber’ seat, hand-upholstered saddle, Akrapovic silencer, special paint job and more. The result is now set to be shown by Royal Enfield on the show circuit in a bid to encourage owner-customisations of their bikes. Coinciding with the Enfield unveiling, American brand Indian Motorcycle have just announced details of their 2022 Indian…

Eastbourne petrolhead Andrew Banfield is aiming for speed record glory at Bonneville Salt Flats next year – attempting to beat 120mph on his 53-year-old Triumph twin. With the bid set to take place during Speed Week, the life-long biker is also hoping to raise money for his nearby St Wilfrid’s Hospice and will be setting up an online donations page closer to the time, as well as receiving sponsorship from members of his local community in East Sussex. Banfield, 66, has owned the 1968 Thruxton race spec Bonnie since 1977, having purchased it in his youth for racing purposes. It was then rebuilt some 35 years later and achieved 101.4mph at Pendine Sands speed trials earlier this year. Once the restoration was complete the bike was re-named the ‘Dave Goodman…

FANTASY SHOPPING ON A REAL-WORLD BUDGET STEVE JOLLANDS Every week we give a different rider a wodge of fictional cash and ask them to ‘buy’ the bike that sets their soul on fire. This is Steve’s pick... Steve Jollands has been working in Harley-Davidson dealerships for 14 years. Having started at Lincoln Harley-Davidson, he is now General Manager of Sycamore Harley-Davidson’s site, which also includes a Yamaha dealership, petrol station and Budgens! Based in Uppingham, Sycamore H-D is an MCN Destination dealer and its carpark is always full of Harleys while the Rutland Chapter of HOG it runs is very active, thanks in no small part to fantastic local roads. So, what would his choice of used bike be for exploring Rutland on? “I have a large and eclectic collection…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews Licence from nowhere A friend of mine showed me his driving licence last week as he was convinced that Cat A (the full bike licence) had been added to it on renewal even though he had never taken a bike test. It clearly showed he had passed his test in January 2013! I then checked my wife’s licence which also showed that she had passed her bike test in January 2013, which is somewhat of shock seeing as she has never ridden a motorbike in her life. Graham Norton, email Michael Scott is right Regarding the retirement of VR46, I am moved to comment on the letter last week from Simon Hubbard about the 2015 season which took issue with Michael Scott’s stance on the matter.…

MCN staff and readers share their favourite routes From Llandovery, take the A483 towards Builth Wells, but peel off in Beulah on the B4358 to Newbridge on Wye. Take the A470 to Rhayader and turn left by the clocktower to head into the Elan Valley. Just keep going straight, following the road around the reservoirs. At the main mountain road, turn left towards Aberyswyth. Turn left at Devil’s Bridge (good café at the station, on the right) then turn left again on the B4343 to Pontrhdygroes and Tregaron. It’s from Tregaron that things get gnarly, taking the back road out to the moors (turn left by the statue of Henry Richards). If you stay on this road, it’ll take you over the Devil’s Staircase. I turn right just before it,…

‘A rare sunny day’ R5K MEMBERS MARTIN HOLLAND AND JULIA WYLIE We stopped for a photo at Llyn Brianne Reservoir near Llandovery during a rare sunny day in early September when we had a day off work. ‘First major bike tour’ R5K MEMBER JON HARRIS I did 1300 miles over a week’s riding exploring Wales, the Yorkshire Dales and into the Lake District as part of a riding and walking holiday. This was my first my first time with panniers and first major tour. The highlight was exploring the Elan Valley – I’ll definitely do it again. ‘A Highland adventure’ R5K MEMBER CHRIS SMITH This was taken north of Ardheslaig in the Scottish Highlands. We were on the way to Ullapool, before heading on to Orkney. ‘Norfolk coastal cruise’ R5K…

DEPUTY EDITOR The Langen Two Stroke isn’t for everyone – its price and exclusivity dictate most of that – but for those who like the idea of a hand-built bit of exotica, you won’t be disappointed. The craftmanship and passion is plain to see from every angle, and the engineering knowhow is clear, from the sublime chassis performance to the engaging engine. As a two-wheeled plaything, it performs beautifully with perfect handling, drama and speed. Sure, the experience is a little raw and it does have a few character traits that will be a bit hard for non-stroker enthusiasts to get their heads around, like the amount of clutch slip required to get it moving, and its aggressive powerband switch – but for two-stroke lovers, they’re all part of its…

Honda 250 Motorsport As I live in the flatlands of Lincolnshire, I leapt at the opportunity to spend a couple of days on some North Pennine trails with the XL – a project bike I bought on eBay as a non-runner. After a bit of fettling, it now (mostly) starts first kick, with that throaty bop bop bop soundtrack from its four-valve single. I actually fell in love with the looks of the ’72 Motorsport long before I knew much about them, with that silver paintwork and cool dual sport design. It’s certainly proven to be very capable too – I tend to run out of talent long before it does!…

1 Bell Moto 3£249.99 I love the sensation of wearing an open-faced lid but with a chinbar. I have sold the BMW R nineT Scrambler I bought it to match, but still wear it in on my GS. James Hammond, Northumberland 2 Nexx X.G100 £229-£279 The lining is plush suede with a fantastic fit. It’s not too heavy and can be used with goggles and a small peak. Patrick Barnacle, Tal-y-Bont 3 Simpson Venom £299.99 It’s simple design, with a great field of view. It has the option of having a dark exterior visor for your daytime rides. Nathan Skyrme, Swansea 4 AGV X3000 £299.99-£549.99 Very comfortable and I can wear it for hours at a time. It does steam up a bit and could be a bit quieter. Roz…

Saving you money on essential bike maintenance 1 Are you fit to flash? Anything that improves your visibility on the road must be a good thing, and these eye-catching indicators certainly do that. First seen on high-end cars a few years ago, the LEDs in the indicator light up sequentially at the same interval as a conventional flashing type, appearing to stream outwards from the bike. First, familiarise yourself with the instructions. 2 Identify the wires This NightSLider kit from Oxford Products (£69.99) is actually a 3-way system, this means that when the indicators are not in use they serve as daytime running lights or, in the case of the rear indicators, as additional brake lights. Familiarise yourself with your bike’s wiring and find out the colour of the wire…

JOSH CLOSE REPORTING FROM INSIDE THE HEART OF THE BRITISH SUPERBIKE PADDOCK 1 PBM TO LAUNCH A TRIPLE ATTACK? Paul Bird will not have been pleased with how this year’s season turned out. His VisionTrack Ducati team lost the championship title which they’d won for the previous two years, and were beaten overall by Tommy Bridewell on his Oxford Products Racing Ducati. Meanwhile, reigning champion Josh Brookes scraped into the Showdown at the last minute and finished sixth. Naturally, the grapevine has been swarming with rumours throughout the year. At one stage it was said that Brookes might not last the season, but Bird was quick to support his rider. Since then, both riders were rumoured to be leaving, then Christian Iddon was going to stay, but Brookes wasn’t, and…

There’s so much joyous content in this issue. From the stunning new Ducati Pikes Peak, to the great 1980s-aping Yamaha XSR900, the reveal of Husky’s long-awaited Norden 901 and the first signs that Norton are close to starting a – hopefully less flawed – chapter of V4 superbike production. And then there’s two great interviews with two great champions: TazMac (p40) and Quartararo (p60), and the first ride of the stunning new Langen Two Stroke – a jewel-like new stroker that looks right, smells right, and goes better than anything from the golden era of 250 smokers (page 36). But for all the joy, I was knocked sideways by the loss of Paul Smart last week. I only met him once, but grew up round the corner from him, coveted…

Piaggio Group have announced that they will be working with oil company BP to roll out a range of services for electric vehicles in the two and three-wheeled sector. The firms will work together on strategies for leasing, management and recycling of vehicle batteries or even whole vehicles starting in India before exploring China, Indonesia and Vietnam – and even Europe. Michele Colaninno, Chief of Strategy and Product at Piaggio Group said: “Working with BP will help us deliver a mobility revolution. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to promote the widespread adoption of electric vehicles such as motorbikes, scooters and compact commercial vehicles equipped with battery swap technology or plug-in charging.” ‘Deal with BP will help deliver a revolution’…

ASSISTANT EDITOR, MOTORCYCLING When Kelston Chorley saw his stolen bike being advertised for sale in Romania at a knockdown price, he decided to fly out there and do something about it. Chorley’s AJP PR7 was pinched in July 2020 when thieves broke into his garage and he was later made aware through a Facebook forum that the machine had been spotted for sale in Eastern Europe. “It turns out that some guy over there in Romania, he’s got his hands on my old bike,” he explains in a YouTube video about his adventure. “I spoke to the local Interpol over there and they weren’t much help, I spoke to the police over here and they weren’t interested, I spoke to my insurance company and they weren’t interested. So basically people…

Motorcycling charity Two Wheels for Life are selling Christmas cards and other goodies to raise cash for aid workers in Africa. The cards and advent calendars are a tongue-in-cheek take on the winter festivities and are printed on high quality, thick, glossy card. All funds raised will help ensure healthcare reaches people in some of the hardest to reach parts of the developing world. Order yours now by visiting: two-wheels-for-life.myshopify.com/collections/christmas/products/motorcycle-christmas-cards. Ho, ho, ho!…

The British qualifying event for BMW’s 2022 GS Trophy has taken place to decide Team UK’s line-up. The men will be represented in Albania by Fred Adams, Craig Searles and Kyle Robertson with Caroline Maclean, Rebecca Catchpole and Jenny Jordan qualifying for the women’s final. The group were selected from over 200 riders who took part in the two-day event at the Off Road Skills centre in South Wales. Safety in the bag Airbag-equipped race leathers will be compulsory across nearly all world championship road racing from 2022, the sport’s world governing body has announced. Mandatory in grand prix since 2018, the FIM have now expanded the ruling to cover all world level ‘sprint’ racing, including World Superbikes and endurance. Tests are also underway to determine their suitability for use…

1 VMCC Motorcycle autojumble The bi-annual motorcycle autojumble is being held at the Bath and West Showground on November 6. Doors are open from 9.30am until 4pm and admission is just £4 per person. With indoor and outdoor stalls, there’ll be plenty to browse. www.vmccsomerset.co.uk/event/auto-jumble-7 2 MSV Trackdays On Monday, November 8 you can book onto Cadwell Park or Donington for an open pitlane trackday. Cadwell prices start from £69, whereas Donington pricing is from £119. bike.msvtrackdays.com 3 Ace Cafe bike night The weather’s getting colder, but the Ace’s calendar is still jampacked. Bike night is on November 5 from 6pm, plus, there’s a Ton-Up Day starting from 9am on November 7. london.acecafe.com…

MCN 250 MILE ROAD TEST • THE HOTTEST BIKES • EVERY WEEK £5049 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 • 373cc single • 43.4bhp, 27.3lb.ft • £79 / month x 36 £5849 Honda CB500F • 8v parallel twin • 47bhp, 31.7lb.ft • £59 a month x 36 £5070 BMW G310R • 313cc single • 33.5bhp, 20.7lb.ft • £45 / month x 36 SENIOR WRITER When I passed my test nine years ago, young riders were limited to a handful of underpowered, unappealing machines. But with the advent of the A2 licence came a new breed of middleweights that are fun, frugal and affordable. And the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 is one of them. So too, ostensibly, is the BMW G310R. As for the Honda CB500F, well that sits in a league of its own,…

Age 43 Height 5ft 11in How long have you been riding? 28 years Current bikes Yamaha Tracer 900 GT, Triumph Street Twin, Ariel Red Hunter 350 “I’ve owned everything from a Puch Maxi to a Ducati 750SS, to the CB500F and Svartpilen 401 and now a Street Twin. I am sure there are a few more in there as well. Fast or slow, I love to just be riding. I bought the CB500F because the GROM I owned was a little slow with my weight on it. The GROM was going for its first service and the dealer mentioned the 0% deal and big discount he had just put on the CB so I picked one up the next week. I ran it in and then did my first European…

The latest crop of bikes mostly come with LED lights, integrated indicators and daytime running lights, but for those of us with slightly older machines which use the traditional stalk-type of indicator, the latest aftermarket indicators genuinely are a great way to boost visibility. Forget about those silly dinky winkers of old which actually made your bike less visible by way of them being miniscule, the LED kit we used from Oxford is ultra bright, well made and is E-marked too, so is properly road legal. Another thing that occurred to me while fitting these indicators was the relative cost. These sequential type of indicators retail from £39.99 for a pair (for the indicator-only versions; £69.99 for the 3-way type), that’s not bad when you consider that you’re enhancing your…

This is not an obituary for Paul Smart, nor a tribute. As a well-loved man and a well-respected racer he earned both. But I would feel presumptuous. They would come better from somebody closer (see page 34). Yet our worlds had meshed many times, and the shock with which I heard the news of his untimely death in a road accident last week was unexpectedly profound. Smartie, at least as much as and in some ways even more than his contemporary, rival and brother-in-law Barry Sheene, for me defines an era of casual high-level racing more real and certainly more accessible than today’s narrow-focus highly professional pressure cooker. I first met him in 1971, both of them, when he came to South Africa with Sheene and a couple of others…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR Following the fully-revised 2021 MT-09 roadster comes Yamaha’s new 2022 XSR900, the retro-styled sister bike to the popular MT triple. And, with more power, a much improved, lighter yet stronger chassis, plus a new 1980s-themed styling makeover, the punchy, fun and cool-looking triple promises to be one of the stars of 2022. The makeover is the first major revision to the XSR900 since it was introduced as a retro alternative to the MT-09 in 2016 as a follow-up to the similar MT-07-based XSR700 parallel twin. But with the MT-09 receiving a massive overhaul last year, partly to adhere to Euro5, it was inevitable the XSR would follow suit. So now the new XSR gains the same lighter, stronger, Deltabox frame as the latest MT-09 but with a slightly…

£17,510 MV Agusta Dragster RR The 2021 Dragster 800 RR looks as bonkers as ever, but it gets a bundle of small mechanical and electronic refinements that significantly improve the way it rides. Wheels Motorcycles have topped up MV’s deposit contribution to bring it up to £2000. With a £3395 deposit, monthly payments are less than £150. • www.wheelsmotorcycles.co.uk £9294 Suzuki GSX-S1000FZ With great handling and a gutsy motor, the GSX-S is a true road sportsbike. For performance and comfort, you can’t go far wrong. • www.fowlerssuzuki.co.uk • Engine 999cc • Power 145bhp • Weight 214kg • Seat height 810mm £7095 Suzuki Vstrom 650 Padgetts have the DL650 with over a grand off. They are new bikes but listed in used bike section of the Batley dealer’s website. • padgettsmotorcycles.com…

A fleet of six Harley-Davidson LiveWire motorcycles will be helping to keep the peace at the COP26 summit in Scotland over the next couple of weeks. The bikes have already been handed over to Police Scotland who will use the electric machines to escort VIPs around the conference and to be on call in the case of any emergencies. Superintendent Darren Faulds commented: ”We welcome these electric motorcycles as an addition to our existing road policing assets with the delivery of a safe and secure event.”…

Yamaha have given their popular XMax scooter models, along with the rest of their urban mobility range, a lick of paint for the new year. The XMax 125 and 300 will now be available in Icon Blue, while the Tech Max versions get an option called Dark Petrol. The Tricity 300 gains two new colours: Petrol Blue and Sand Grey. The NMax 125 adds a new Milky White option. The new options will start to become available from November through to April 2022 for the NMax. HOG out for charity Harley owners have ridden across the continent to raise just shy of £48,000 for charity. The ride, which crossed 13 European countries for a total of 10,000 miles, was collecting money for healthcare charity Two Wheels for Life. Charity CEO…

‘Nice is nice, but generosity costs’ The other week I received an email from my uncle asking me if I wanted a box load of Velocette spares for my Venom as he is parting with his MSS. This got me thinking about the cash I’ve lost through generosity when selling used bikes. I doubt I’m alone in this but when someone arrives to pick up a bike you have sold them, there is a tendency to become all giddy and start to effectively hand cash to them! You get chatting and you find yourself going ‘hang on, I have a spare panel’ or ‘I have an aftermarket can for this in the loft.’ Why do this? Stop and think about the cost of your generosity. Take my uncle’s box of…

‘It’s crucial to create pillars of support’ Cricketer, biker, co-founder of Baffle Haus: Andrew ‘Salts’ Salter, talks about building a support team Everyone has their own personal and career pressures to deal with. It’s easy to look at others and think they have it easier or harder than you – but you have to cope with your pressures, not theirs. There are degrees of pressure, and depression. As a pro sports person some of the impact can be instant – like the aftermath of a bad game – when you can end up being pulled down by not being able to hit your own expectations and you recede into yourself. But I’m very fortunate to have a really good network of local friends who make up my support circle. How…

Q ‘What is this SJP hearing?’ I was caught doing 44mph in a 30mph limit. I received the notice of intended prosecution and returned it. I thought I was going to end up in court and be given six points and a fine but received a letter saying the file was being forwarded to the magistrates court and that I would receive a ‘Single Justice Procedure Notice’ from them. I have a clean licence. What penalty can I expect from the court and will I have to attend and would legal representation be helpful considering I have admitted the offence? Mike Scott, email A The single justice procedure (SJP) is a special type of magistrates court proceedings. These cases are dealt with by one magistrate (the single justice) outside of…

Readers Padraig, Nigel and Dave The trip Tour of the Picos Mountains. We stayed in Potes with its stunning old town How many miles? 1100 Best time to go Sept-Oct for nice weather without it being too hot How long do you need? Eight days including travel down/back Don’t miss… The N621 to La Hermida up to Panes on technical bending roads. Great photo opportunities at Mirado Sierra de Orpinas and Puerto de San Glorio (get a pic with the deer). The roads are amazing, technical tight bends climbing through the mountains with long sweepers. Amazing views along the way. This is an excellent route to take and will test your riding skills and stamina. Thanks to Nigel for sorting the route. There are plenty of places to stop for…

FRIDAY November 5 4pm, EUR2, World Superbikes highlights from Argentina SATURDAY November 6 9am, BTS2, Live MotoGP of Algarve, Portugal: Free Practice 3. Qualifying at 12pm SUNDAY November 7 9am, BTS2, Live MotoGP of Algarve, Portugal: Warm Ups. Moto3 at 10.30am, MotoGP at 12.30pm, Moto2 at 2.15pm. 12pm, EUR2, Live MXGP KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT – DISCOVERY REAL TIME DSC – DISCOVERY CHANNEL DHD – DISCOVERY CHANNEL HD EXS – EXTREME SPORTS CHANNEL EUR1 (2, HD) – EUROSPORT 1 (2, HD) MOT – MOTORSPORT.TV CH4 – CHANNEL 4 CH5 – CHANNEL FIVE BBC BBCI – BBC INTERACTIVE ESPN – ESPN CLASSIC CHANNEL ITV DST – DISCOVERY TURBO SHED – DISCOVERY SHED INST – INSIGHT SS1 (2, 3 OR X) – SKY SPORTS 1 (2, 3 OR EXTRA) QUEST BTS1 – BT…

It’s Britain’s toughest road test route. A fun but punishing mix of A-and B-roads, busy motorway, towns and villages. It’s all Britain’s road types compressed into one route. There are three sections and we combine the two that best test the bike’s character. On average we ride 450 miles per bike, per test. MCN 250 MILE ROAD TEST •THE HOTTEST BIKES • EVERY WEEK ROUTE 1 122.73 miles of fast-flowing A and B-roads ROUTE 2 126.94 miles of open A and B-roads and towns ROUTE 3 117.88 miles of big A roads and motorway…

SENIOR WRITER At 26, I’m the closest to the A2 demographic in our road test trio. And my youthful palate had me leaning towards the Svartpilen before even swinging a leg over. It’s just different, and cool, and is undoubtedly the ultimate millennial machine. And despite initially disappointing, it grew on me throughout the test and come lunchtime I was ready to drop the flag and declare it the winner. However, while the Husqvarna brings the excitement factor with its peppy engine and agile chassis, it’s very much a one trick pony. The firm seat is insufferable before too long, and the lack of wind protection, combined with the upright riding position, leaves you exposed. The Honda, however, covers many bases – you could as comfortably commute year-round on it…

“Although our engineering business has been around for two years, Langen Motorcycles as a brand has only been in existence since last July. We didn’t have a name for the machine – we’d just say, ‘we’re working on the two-stroke today’ and the name just sort of stuck. “So we had a name for the bike, now we needed a name for the company. I really wanted bring back an old British brand and, it’s a bit of a romantic story really, but I really wanted to reinvent Cotton Motorcycles. They would’ve been 100 years old so our bike would’ve celebrated their centenary. There was also a family connection, as my father worked there in the 80s before they turned into CCM and the last bike he worked on was…

My Tracer provides me with daily transport, which helps justify the cost, is sporty enough for me to have a good time at the weekend and has the comfort and range for longer trips. It’s so easy to ride and is just as practical around town as my old scooters were. As things stand, I’m going to pay off the rest of the contract in two years and buy the bike outright. It’s the perfect solution to my needs and with all that versatility, it’s definitely a keeper. HOW GOOD IS THE RUBBER? Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE Although they’re derided on forums, I never had any problems with the OE Dunlop Sportmax D222 tyres. They lasted almost 8000 miles through summer and into winter, including a couple of big trips…

MECHANIC Kieran Donnelly-Shard of Mad Slick M/C This 2015 AJS DDE 250 had been in regular use before all the electrics, bar the neutral light, failed – and it was dropped off at Mad Slick Motorcycles a few days later. Mad Slick’s boss, Kieran Donnelly-Shard, said: “I could see that the wiring was a mess where the tank is bolted down so I thought that it might have got trapped and chafed through, so I started stripping the bike down. “One thing I wanted to move was the airbox just to get some clearance to some of the wires. Sometimes it’s easier and quicker just removing stuff to assess things than work around them. As I opened the airbox I got a shock as I saw some movement and a…

We’ve been speaking about the riding in the smaller classes all year and now things are being done – starting with the age limits. One solution would be an under 14s world championship using Ohvales that do 80mph and use kart tracks. You could incorporate it into GP events which generally have kart tracks at each venue. That way you’re introducing them to the sport and it’s still the same, they’re getting their knee down, understanding techniques and learning how bikes react. It’s the same thing, but on a smaller scale so instead of doing 140mph they’re doing 80mph. It’s still fast and they’re developing good skills. Feed them in gently, they don’t need to be rock star, Instagram legends when they’re 13 do they? By doing that you’re giving…

Kyle Ryde & Bradley Ray (RICH ENERGY OMG RACING) Kyle Ryde and Bradley Ray stay with Rich Energy OMG Racing for a second campaign. However, the team will swap from BMW to Yamaha after a tough campaign on the M1000 RR. It’s their third manufacturer in five seasons, but they will receive full support from McAMS Yamaha. It’s a coup for OMG, with the R1 regarded as the best all-round package. Ryde and Ray have both tasted success onboard Yamahas in other classes. Tommy Bridewell (OXFORD PRODUCTS RACING DUCATI) Bridewell enjoyed his best-ever BSB campaign by finishing runner-up and beating the factory PBM team. It’s a no-brainer then that he’s re-signed with the Moto Rapido Ducati squad for a fourth consecutive season. The partnership just works, there’s no better way…