Tabla de contenidos para 12 November 2025 en MCN

‘Bikes that give you a huge sense of pride’ RETRO ADVENTURERS, P35 BIG TEST Scrambling with style Launched earlier this year, BMW’s R12 aG/S retro-styled off roader certainly caused a stir. Chief Road Tester Michael Neeves sung the praises of the big-wheeled boxer for its engaging on-road performance and bang-on R80 G/S-inspired styling. Little wonder then that it scooped MCN’s 2025 Best Retro Award. But it’s not the only way to mix scrambler-style with satisfying performance, as Triumph’s Scrambler 1200 XE is here to prove. Jon Urry heads to his favourite twisty B-road to find out which brings the most smiles. PAGE 35 TOP STORY MV think it's hip to be square… MV Agusta have revealed a unique five-cylinder engine. Displayed at the recent Milan motorcycle show, the Italian firm…

SAVE £1250 £21,740 BMW R1300GS TE Loaded with clever tech and dripping in practical touches, BMW’s R1300GS is still the creme de la creme of the adventure bike world. It genuinely is do-it-all capable, and in its latest incarnation, the GS is lighter, more compact, and punchier than ever, without compromising its esteemed globe-trotting capabilities. bmw-motorrad.co.uk/sycamore-peterborough SAVE £1000 £10,999 Suzuki GSX-S1000 Suzuki’s big naked bike is a perfect example of a simple idea, well executed with impressive thrust, sweet handling and a rev-happy inline four. www.biketreads.co.uk • Engine 999cc • Power 150bhp • Weight 214kg • Seat height 810mm SAVE £755 £4995 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 The Himmy is as unintimidating and user friendly as adventurers come. Comfortable, well suspended, and ready for anything, straight out the crate. ironcitymotorcycles.co.uk •…

Raining bikes at the Milan show Ducati superbike adds cylinders Rea takes title number three Just as today, eight years ago this week MCN’s pages were ram-packed with a deluge of exciting metal showcased for the first time at the Milan motorcycle show, with our cover heralding the arrival of 55 new bikes for the 2018 model year. Chief amongst which was our first glimpse of the new Ducati Panigale V4, a huge departure from traditional Bologna superbikes by dint of the fact it was sporting an extra pair of cylinders thanks to a V4 motor inspired by the firm’s MotoGP powerplant – counter-rotating crank and all. As has become a Panigale calling card, the new V4 was dripping with binary finery – the first bike to feature drift control…

Harley-Davidson have unveiled the first chapter of their 2026 line-up, confirming new colours and trim options across the Street Glide, Road Glide, Low Rider S, Low Rider ST, Heritage Classic, Breakout, Fat Boy, Street Bob, Sportster S, Nightster, and Pan America 1250. A ‘Solo Trim Package’ consisting of a single seat, grey paint, and cast aluminium wheels was announced for the Heritage Classic, Street Bob, and Street Glide, with the next wave due January 2026.…

'Warm and safe hands' A motorcycling YouTuber recently featured a pair of heated gloves that, on closer inspection, appear not to have been tested or certified to the safety standards required under EU and UK law since April 2018. When asked about this, the manufacturer confirmed the gloves had not yet been through the necessary conformity assessment process but said testing was under way. I wrote to the channel concerned to share this information, as the video includes an affiliate link that earns the presenter a commission on sales. While there’s a regulatory grey area around such links, enforcement bodies are aware that commission-based promotion of non-conforming products may need addressing in secondary legislation to the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025. Suppliers are obliged to place only compliant products…

Benda might be relative newcomers to the UK market, but they are owned by Hangzhou Saturn Power Technology Co., Ltd, which employs around 1200 people – more than 20% of whom work in R&D and design. The company primarily creates cruiser models such as the earlier-mentioned LFC 700 (seen in the image, below), and two 500 models – namely the Chinchilla 500 and Napoleonbob 500 – both of which are available on the UK market today. Currently, dealers can be found across England – plus a single showroom in both Scotland and Wales. It’s currently unknown when or if the P51 will join the line-up available here in the future.…

Q ‘Driver just left the scene’ I had an accident caused by a car cutting me up. I took evasive action, but ended up colliding with a lamp post. The driver left the scene, but fortunately the police caught up with him as his actions were caught on CCTV. The police tell me they have charged him with leaving the scene of an accident. I had some injuries and am making a personal injury claim. The driver’s insurer has written to my solicitor denying responsibility for the accident and arguing that just because their insured left the scene, it does not mean he was negligent in causing my accident. How can I overcome this hurdle? Rod, email A As he has admitted leaving the scene it seems he will be…

I was at the National Motorcycle Museum for their Live event and it was great. It was my first time going so I didn’t have any expectations, but it was busy. So many people came on their bikes even though it was drizzly. I loved listening to the stories from Henry Cole and his crew. His interaction with the crowd and listening to Dean Harrison and John McGuinness when they joined him was so good. I probably shouldn’t mention when John McGuinness farted and cleared the place and Steve Parrish showed everyone the picture on stage with Henry Cole… that was funny. Allen Millyard started up the Nemesis, and it was the first time I’d chatted to him. He was showing pictures of when he was stripping the engine and…

FIRST RIDE Milwaukee based LiveWire have launched a third all-electric model based around their S2 platform. The S2 Alpinista is an all-rounder with a sporting bent, being the first S2 to come with 17in wheels. As well as featuring six riding modes, which include two customisable options, and a range of electronic aids controlled through a six-axis IMU, the Alpinista comes ready to accept a full range of touring accessories – screen, racks, plus soft or hard luggage – to extend its capability beyond that of a sporty street bike. LiveWire have also extended their 39% discount offer until mid-December, slashing a substantial £6791 off the bike’s original £17,390 asking price. But is that enough to make the Alpinista a real alternative to its combustion-powered rivals? 1 Electric all-rounder Up…

‘Don't go extras mad' Following fashion has its pitfalls and the BMW was compromised by its visually-appealing but dynamics-ruining add-ons. There is no denying that chunky tyres lend it a wonderfully butch stance but on the road, and especially in the wet, they prove a liability. If the G/S didn’t have such a good electronics package, you would have to treat every corner as if you were riding on ice. The Triumph has no such compromises and as we tested them, it was the most assured on the road. But when parked up, especially in dull black, it fails to attract your eye in anything like the way the BMW does – and that matters with this style of bike. The optional Baja Orange paint would go a long way…

RATINGS Exceptional Very good Good Average Poor 22 months ON TEST Garmin Zumo XT2 satnav £529.99 ‘It will improve your rides’ Tested by Saffron Wilson for 22 months Finding the best biking roads can sometimes be a pain, but not any more thanks to this device. After getting the Zumo XT2 a little while ago, I’ve used it on three different motorcycles, and every time is has delivered. I’d heard good things about the previous model, in both its on- and off-road capabilities, but with a bigger screen and improved smartphone integration with the new ‘Tread’ app, you’ve got more tech to play with So, what do you get for your dosh? Everything you need to get going comes in the box including a mount, power cable and USB cable,…

Rear brake pads play a crucial role, even if they don’t provide the majority of stopping power. They help maintain stability during braking, support smoother deceleration, and prevent the front brakes from taking all the strain. Worn or neglected pads can lead to uneven braking, a spongy lever or pedal feel, and unnecessary accelerated wear on your bike’s discs and calipers. Changing the rear pads at home is an easy task for any rider with basic tools and patience. It also offers a chance to inspect the caliper, brake disc, and brake lines for wear, corrosion, or contamination. Rear pads generally wear slower than front pads, but timely replacement ensures balanced braking and avoids sudden failures. The procedure involves removing the caliper, withdrawing worn pads, cleaning any debris, retracting the…

SCAN THE QR CODE AND VOTE NOW! www.motorcyclenews.com/vote/ Revealing our expert-picked awards shortlist MCN RIDER OF THE YEAR 2025 Who will get your vote? Time is running out in the race to be crowned MCN Rider of the Year 2025. Votes have been pouring in and the winner will be revealed at MCL at Birmingham’s NEC on Saturday, November 22. Scan the QR code (above) to vote for your No1 from the shortlist selected by MCN’s experts. 1 Michael Dunlop MBE: 33-time TT winner Dunlop’s first North West 200 wins in eight years were followed by four more successes at the TT. Doubles in the Supersport and Supertwin categories moved Dunlop onto 33 career wins. The Northern Irishman received an MBE before doing the double in his first Tandragee 100…

At the heart of the MotoGP paddock for over 35 years Pedro Acosta rode brilliantly in Portugal, barely a tenth off victory in the Sprint. A double podium equalled his best of the year, yet still it fell short. Much was expected of El Tiburon (The Shark) when he joined MotoGP last year. He’d cut a swathe through the Moto2 and 3 fields, and was tipped to oust Marc Marquez as the youngest-ever MotoGP race winner. The next great Spanish hope. Two seasons later, the 21-year-old has yet to win a race. Instead he has had to watch compatriot Raul Fernandez take his own first win, and worse still fellow-Murcian and youthful rival Fermin Aldeguer take a rookie-season victory. Which must’ve hurt. Acosta was not over-hyped. He’s been riding brilliantly…

Paddock veteran delivers his weekend verdict TOP STORY Growing expectations surrounding Marco Bezzecchi as Aprilia’s benchmark rider and the RS-GP as a worthy 2026 world title contender were boosted by a near perfect Portimao victory. It has been an exceptional time for Bezzecchi and Aprilia with three GP wins in a season for the first time. And justifies the gamble of Bezzecchi’s switch to Aprilia, cast aide by Ducati after finishing a dismal 12th in 2024 championship. As well as the perception that he would likely be understudy to Aprilia’s star signing of 2024 world champion Jorge Martin. But Martin’s nightmare run of debilitating injuries - he has not raced a fully competitive GP for 12 months - has allowed Bezzecchi’s work ethic and underrated talent to play a key…

Bringing you the inside line from the paddock EXCLUSIVE Joe Talbot will make his full-time Bennetts British Superbike Championship debut in 2026 as he joins Max Cook at AJN Steelstock Bimota. Talbot was set to make his debut this year after being handed a golden ticket at OMG Racing alongside Kyle Ryde and Bradley Ray, but that was ripped away on April 1 when the team withdrew. The 22-year-old made his Supersport debut with Binch Pro Ducati, finishing fifth overall with a single victory and seven further podiums. In doing so, he caught the eye of Nigel Snook and Darren Fry at FS-3 Racing. MCN caught up with Talbot to discuss his 2026 promotion. It a year later than planned, but your dream is back on… “I’ve achieved my goal…

Breaking the latest news in the BSB paddock EXCLUSIVE A serial frontrunner in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship will make his return next year as Jason O’Halloran joins Honda Racing UK. The Aussie quit the series at the end of 2024 to become a factory Yamaha Endurance World Championship rider. O’Halloran duly became a world champion with YART Yamaha in EWC. Now he is back where it all started, with Honda. O’Halloran’s full-time BSB career began with the official team in 2015, where he’d go on to celebrate one victory and 15 further podiums before leaving for Yamaha at the end of 2018. Itch that needs scratching O’Halloran came agonisingly close to the title in 2021, and were it not for the Showdown format, would have been crowned champion. A…

No bike has defined an era as much as the 916. Launched in 1994, the Ducati replaced the 888 and went on to not only dominate racing but also rewrite the rules for what makes a motorcycle a work of art. Designed by Massimo Tamburini with standout features such as a single-sided swingarm and underseat exhausts, the 916 propelled Ducati into a new era of style, success and worldwide admiration. It became the poster bike for a generation, sufficiently fast and fine handling to win the World Superbike championship first time out (going on to win five more times), it was not only a winner on every level, it also set the foundations for the modern incarnation of the Italian marque. Making a legend Tamburini openly admitted that the Honda…

If this year’s Milan show has taught me one thing, it’s that the internal combustion engine is in rude health. The engineers at MV Agusta have admitted they’ve invested serious funds into developing what appears to be a square-five engine platform – as far as we know, this is a world first (although if you know different, please drop us a line and let us know…). The Italian firm say the motor, which features three cylinders inline at the front with two more behind it, allows greater flexibility for packaging whilst also doing away with the heat problems associated with V configurations, and claim it’s destined to replace their inline-four platform in the coming years. All that time, effort and money going into developing an all-new engine platform gives us…

When pushed on the expected power and torque figures of the five-cylinder motor, Head of Product Development, Federico Macario claimed: “The mostsporty version of the engine will have over 240 horsepower, and the most-torquey engine will have above 130Nm (95.9lb.ft).” Although the torque figure is reasonable (the Norton Manx R claims a very similar number), the power claim is far higher than any of the superbike competition, and one likely far more difficult to achieve -certainly from something naturally aspirated. “We are thinking about different solutions in terms of water pump or oil pump to make them electrified or electrifiable. The same for the start generator,” he continued. “There are some solutions that will help us to be more technological, to reduce weight and to be future-proofed. MV Agusta is…

Honda have moved one step closer to making their electronically blown forced induction V3 concept a reality, revealing a more advanced V3R 900 E-Compressor Prototype at last week’s Milan motorcycle show. First seen as a rolling tubular chassis and engine model at last November’s event, it’s now moved on to become a 900cc engine design, housed within asymmetrically naked-styled prototype bodywork and wearing a new Honda badge replacing the current logo. Created in a bid to help increase the longevity of the combustion engine, the concept model features a water-cooled motor complete with 75-degree V-angle and a 900cc displacement. Honda say that this will be able to produce performance to rival a naturally aspirated 1200cc motor, thanks to the inclusion of an electronically controlled compressor. What this does is use…

Ducati have revealed two new £19,995 limited-edition versions of their Panigale V2 – the MM93 and FB63 – celebrating factory MotoGP heroes Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia, with bespoke liveries and a smattering of uprated components throughout. Displayed for the first time at this year’s EICMA show in Milan, the most obvious standout of each bike is the looks, which take cues directly from their respective namesakes – Marquez’s MM93 wears the all-red design from his first test as a Ducati rider, complete with his signature number 93, meanwhile Bagnaia’s FB63 adopts a red-and-black scheme inspired by his race helmet, gloves, and boots, with his ‘GoFree’ slogan on the fairing. ‘The same bikes the riders use for training’ Both use the Panigale V2S as a base – the same 118bhp…

KTM and Brabus have unveiled their latest ultra luxurious super-naked collaboration, the £44,299 Brabus 1400 R Signature Edition. Only 100 will be made worldwide, making it half as exclusive as the previous run of 50 ‘1300 R Masterpiece Editions’ – with the new bike based on the 2025 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo. Producing a claimed 187.4bhp and 106.9lb.ft of torque from its 1350cc V-twin engine, the Brabus is distinguished by large underseat exhaust pipes positioned either side of the number plate. Braking power has been upgraded from Brembo Stylemas to Brembo’s latest Hypure four-piston set-up, while the WP Apex semi-active suspension and riding modes remain unchanged from the standard £16,899 Evo. Styling is where the Brabus truly shines. Its grey-and-black finish is laced with carbon fibre detailing, with…

Craft-Meyer 94-piece Socket set £34.62 Kit you didn't know you needed Sometimes it’s hard to know what you need until it’s staring you right in the face, so for this week’s Bargain Hunter we thought we’d make it easy. We’ve been scouring all the biggest parts and accessory retailers for those odd bits and bobs that you might not have thought about, but could definitely do with. Think of it like a useful goody bag of biking necessities that, if nothing else, might leave you thinking: “Actually, I could really do with one of those.” And all with the added bonus of having a big chunk of money off their normal prices too. What more could you wish for? We’re going to kick off with this 94-piece socket set from…

'High-price, lowvolume heaven?' After six seasons as the official Kawasaki UK entry, FS-3 Racing have announced that they will be fielding Bimota KB998 machines in BSB next year. My initial reaction was great, it will be cool to see Bimota back on the grid but then I thought about it a bit deeper. As the official Kawasaki entry, does this hint that the axe has fallen on the Ninja ZX-10R? It seems not, as there is a new model for 2026 – but after hearing the news, I’m left wondering what’s going on. In the UK the Ninja’s sales have all but stalled recently and I kind of see the point in Kawasaki moving to low-volume, high-price superbikes (the KB998 costs £36,600…) with Bimota on them for the future. But…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com THE WORLD’S WARMEST BASELAYER® www.zerofit.co.uk This is me on my first bike ride in 1975. At 16 I felt so cool! I now have a Z900RS and at 66 I still feel so cool. Ian Skinner Here's my offering, my Honda CB650SC Nighthawk. Picture from around 1995. Phil Walker My first big bike, a Honda 250 Dream. Absolutely loved the bike, this was way back in 1982… Gary Williams Loved this first bike when I was 17! Cagiva 125 roadster in 1992. Loved the fat rear tyre on it! Andrew Atherton My 1976 GT250 ram air. Purchased with my Army salary, I’d just qualified for 59 Commando. Dave Johnston Here is a picture of me on my first bike I back in 2014.…

THE DETAILS Open seven days 9am-4pm wilfs-cafe.co.uk Staveley Mill Yard, 14 Back Ln, Staveley, Kendal LA8 9LR In the small town of Staveley, sitting by the River Kent on the edge of the Lake District, you’ll find Wilf’s Café. A staple for bikers, it’s the perfect stop to refresh riders before they hit the Hardknott Pass and spend the day in the saddle. Although Wilf and partner Charlotte retired three years ago, Mehmet and Elena Gunyakti stepped in and with plenty of experience in the industry, they were ready to make the biker friendly café their home. “The Lake District pulled us here,” says Mehmet. “We wanted a place with a story behind it rather than opening a new place, and we love our job. Nearly all our products are…

‘Fun, and cheap to run' For short runs the Alpinista is a blast. It’s cheap to run too, with a 40-minute charge costing around £3.50. LiveWire’s decision to give the Alpinista 17in wheels, more aggressive ergonomics, and better suspension, has unlocked the S2’s fun side. But range, or lack thereof, remains a frustration and flies in the face of sportstourer claims. Even gentle riding saps power far too rapidly. THE FACTS £10,599* LiveWire S2 Alpinista…

‘It's a riot of a ride' There’s strong demand from all types of riders for small-bore, price-conscious bikes. KTM themselves now have four nicely priced 390s to choose from, with sometimes fairly subtle differences between supermoto, enduro, adventure and streetbike. So the SMC R is a niche of a niche, with its 17in spoked wheels, road tyres, long-travel suspension, attack-minded riding style and striking looks. But if a spot of urban disturbance or sunny Sundays blasting the B-roads, is what you want, the 390 SMC R works well, delivering a riot of a ride with above-class engine and chassis performance. THE FACTS £5699 KTM 390 SMC R…

‘Genuine dirt heritage' In the 1950s and 1960s, scrambling was huge with events such as the International Six Day Trial (ISDT) attracting teams from all over the world. Triumph enjoyed success with models including the Tiger Cub, TR5, TR6SC, T100 and 350 Tiger all winning a gold medal. Steve McQueen even represented America in the competition in 1964 riding a TR6 (the same model that did the jump in The Great Escape with Bud Ekins riding in 1962), although the British team out-performed the Americans to win four ISDT golds that year. Oddly, despite this success, Triumph didn’t use the name ‘scrambler’ on a model until the 2006 Scrambler, which was an off-road styled bike based on the 865cc Bonneville. The R80 G/S was born out of a prototype GS800,…

THE FACTS ‘In an era of peaky inline-fours, the triple’s mid-range punch was a revelation’ In the early 2000s, Triumph made a bold decision – they decided to forge their own path rather than following the crowd. While this may seem a rather obvious thing to do, for a small manufacturer like Triumph it was a brave strategy because it meant moving away from the norm and ran the risk of alienating buyers. And once they started to walk this path, changing direction would result in substantial costs. This strategy came to fruition in 2006 when the factory unveiled the Daytona 675 – a bike that brought the company back to its traditions while also shaking up the competition. Having copied the crowds with their somewhat unsuccessful TT600 and much-improved…

Diogo Moreira has one hand on the Moto2 World Championship after the most commanding performance of his career. Despite early nerves, the Brazilian steadied himself to claim a fourth win of the year, and comfortably outclass main rival Manuel Gonzalez. Even if he now carries a 24-point advantage into the final race, he vowed to adopt the same approach next week. “I’m going to try to fight for victory there,” he said. “We need to keep going like this, stay focused and enjoy. That’ll be the key for the last race. ‘I’m going to try to fight for victory there’ Maximo Quiles took his third Moto3 victory of the year in dominant fashion to ensure the fight for second in this year’s championship goes down to the final race. But…

Well it’s all been confirmed that I’m staying with Honda for another year… they can’t get rid of me! At this year’s TT the Senior was cancelled because of the wind and I would have been pretty upset had that been my last chance to do anything there. The thing for me is that I’m not just there to play a supporting role and give the team a hand or because no one else wants to ride the bike. I’m there because I’m fast enough to be there. I’m happy that at 53 I’m still fast enough and I’m proud to put the Honda shirt on. There’s been a lot of changes within Honda this year and in many ways it’s been a tough year, but not necessarily for me.…

Suzuki GSX-R1000R £TBC The GSX-R1000R returns – sporting revised engine internals, winglets and striking paintjobs harking back to GSX-R models of the past. The exhaust is new, too. The result is a bike that produces a claimed 192.3bhp @ 13,200rpm, and 81.18lb.ft of torque at 11,000rpm. There’s a full suite of lean-sensitive rider aids and modes, and an up/down quickshifter. Ducati Diavel V4 RS £TBC Ducati’s most powerful muscle cruiser yet, the V4 RS boasts a claimed 180bhp at 11,750rpm (12bhp more than the standard Diavel) and 89lb.ft torque at 9500rpm. It’s paired to a six-speed gearbox via an STM EVO dry slipper clutch, Ducati’s latest quickshifter, and a raft of rider aids and four rider modes. Weight has also been trimmed by 3kg, to 223kg. Kawasaki ZX-10R £TBC Litre…

No machine defines the early 1980s as precisely as Yamaha’s Race Developed, Liquid Cooled two-stroke duo, the now legendary and still desirable RD250 and 350LCs. The 250 arrived first, in March of 1980, and was immediately the learner bike of choice, so much so that its 100mph performance resulted in a new 125cc learner law. But it’s the slightly later 350, which quickly became known as a ‘giant killer’ of the 550 and 750 air-cooled fours, that was an even bigger hit, so becoming the bike of choice for a generation. As such, the ‘Elsie’, as it became fondly known, formed the foundation of modern motorcycling and remains an evergreen favourite with a vibrant owners’ scene. In the context of 2025 it does of course feel crudely suspended, flexi-framed and…

Honda’s long-haul flagship, the GL1800 Gold Wing Tour, is set to roll into the new year sporting a fresh pallet of colour choices. Three new paint jobs are on offer to keep the half-century-old machine sharp. Joining the line-up are ‘Candy Ardent Red’, ‘Gunmetal Black’, and ‘Pearl Deep Mud Gray’, alongside the existing ‘Mat Bullet Silver’ and ‘Mat Pearl Morion’. Get that KTM Factory feeling KTM have lifted the lid on their SX-F Factory Edition MX machines, confirming WP Pro suspension, CNC triple clamps, quickshifter, traction control, launch control, and app-based tunability, plus graphics to resemble the bikes ridden by factory stars Eli Tomac, Aaron Plessinger, Jorge Prado, and Julien Beaumer. On sale in January, the 250 SX-F is £11,399 and the 450 SX-F £12,399. Guzzi adventurer twins updated Moto…

CLAIM YOUR FREE DISC LOCK Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer Isle of Man TT legend and last year’s MCN Rider of the Year, Michael Dunlop received his MBE for services to motorcycle racing, during a ceremony at Windsor Castle on November 4. Dunlop was granted the title from King Charles III after becoming the most successful rider ever around the Mountain Course with 33 wins, toppling the previous best tally of 26 set by his uncle Joey Dunlop. He was awarded the accolade as part of the King’s Birthday Honours List back in June. In a social media post, he said: “I’m deeply honoured to have received my MBE today from His Majesty the King. “It’s a privilege to have my work recognised in this way.” A statement from…

Vanucci VAB-12 Women's boot £259.71 Designed for all-weather use and perfect for the winter, the VAB-12 is fully waterproof, windproof and breathable. CE rated EN 13634:2017 they are made from a mixture of leather and textile and feature a Michelin rubber sole. There are Ortholite X40 insoles to keep your feet comfortable, and they are festooned with reinforcement. www.louis-moto.co.uk Ansell HyFlex workshop gloves £4.90 The very gloves BMW use in their workshops, these are skin-friendly and made with a nitrile coating for better grip in dry and lightly oily conditions. They are touchscreen compatible and super lightweight for enhanced tactility. They are rated for at least three washes, making them a relatively economical choice. www.nippynormans.com Richa CRGO Major £69.99 Competing with Oxford’s Aqua Pro range, Richa have pulled out all…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews STAR LETTER IN ASSOCIATION WITH 2026 is shaping up nicely! Some great new bikes on the way for 2026. The Norton range looks superb, especially the superbike, though I wish they hadn’t mimicked Ducati and had given it a more substantial tail piece. There seems to be a real sense of a long-term future for the British brand. And yet another valuepacked bike from Honda with the new CB1000GT. I wonder… Honda are not only taking aim at their mainstream competitors but are they also reacting and preparing to defend against the pending onslaught of cheap and improving bikes from China? If so, they’ve woken up. Will the rest of the mainstream be caught napping? Paul Dodds, Great Broughton With the winter months and coldest temperatures back…

With all the new bikes that are being unveiled at EICMA, I had to look through and see which ones would tick my boxes. There are a couple of concepts which are intriguing, such as the Honda V3R 900 E-Compressor. That idea popped up last year and they’ve built it into a bike this year. It’d be nice to hear that running and have a go on it – it’d be interesting to see how the compressor comes in and how the bike feels on acceleration. They reckon it would be like having the power of a 1200… but with two cylinders at the front and one at the back it’d be a proper skinny little bike – probably the size of a 400. I’d love to see them do…

Send your trips to yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Reader Steve Suwali The ride Three weeks, 3942 miles touring France and Spain including the Cevenne national park in France and the Picos de Europa in Spain with my good friend Derick. I did this with just the use of one arm and no adaptations to my S1000XR. I’m 62 and feeling proud of the achievement. The map shows just a section of the trip – there were too many routes for me to show it all on one map. When to do it Summer Tell us about the trip We started with six riders including myself. We all ride with the MTSB Motorcycle Touring and Sportsbikes UK group. Within four days it was just me as mechanical failures and home emergencies meant the others…

JOIN THE MCN PIT STOP BREW CREW www.motorcyclenews.com/pit-stop Wednesday November 12 BIKE MEETS The Old Stores, Pontblyddyn, Mold, Flints 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 or Facebook: The Old Stores Motorbike cafe Squires Cafe, Newthorpe, near Sherburn in Elmet, West Yorks 01977-684618 or www.squires-cafe.co.uk Loomies Moto Cafe, West Meon, Hants. Open till 9pm www.loomiescafe.co.uk The Pathfinder Cafe, Blackbushe, Surrey. From 10.30am-1pm Facebook: Pathfinder Cafe Brit Bike Night Classic and Modern, Ace Cafe, Stonebridge, London 6pm 020-8961-1000 or www.london.acecafe.com Thursday November 13 BIKE MEETS Nadee Bike Meet, Lagon Bar & Grill, Findern, Derbyshire 6pm Facebook: Nadee Bike Meet Vic Bikers Pub, Coalville, Leics www.vicbikerspub.co.uk The Whistlestop Motorcycle Club, Rhyl Rugby Sports & Social Club, Rhyl, Denbighshire. From 5pm 07544-143494 Vintage Metals, Coleford, Gloucestershire 6pm-10pm www.vintagemetals.co.uk Iron Bull Roadhouse, Basingstoke, Hampshire. Facebook: Iron Bull Roadhouse Italian…

THE MCN TEST THE HOTTEST BIKES EVERY WEEK £14,420 (paint options extra, £18,405 as tested) BMW R12 G/S 117 0cc air - cool ed boxer-twin DOHC 8v 107.5bhp @ 7000rpm 229kg weight (kerb) £13,295 (paint options extra) Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE 1200cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin SOHC 8v 89bhp @ 7000rpm 230kg weight (kerb) With many choosing to treat riding as a leisure activity rather than day-to-day transport, it comes as no surprise that retro models are available in every two-wheeled category. If you want to go a bit old-school with your buying decision for a more characterful and laid-back ride, you can have a café racer, naked, bobber, cruiser or even an adventure bike with classic styling and lots of lovely nods to heritage models to evoke rosetinted memories of yesteryear.…

£14,420 BMW R12 G/S* £13,295 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE*…

The Honda CBR600RR was in its second generation (now with radial brakes and inverted forks), the second-gen Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R (underseat pipe) boasted a 636cc motor and the Suzuki GSX-R600 was also very track-focused – but it was the all-new Yamaha YZF-R6 that was the biggest threat. With a ride-by-wire throttle, sharp new look and full-on track focus, the R6 (it had a claimed 17,500rpm red line) was the supersport bike to beat both on track and in showrooms. Despite most group comparative tests putting the Daytona at the top of the pile, in the UK the Yamaha outsold the Triumph.…

CATCH UP WITH OUR LONGTERM TESTS Go online now: www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn-fleet @michaelguy001 At the end of each year after having spent six plus months with our long-term test bikes we produce an in-depth video on what the real-world ownership experience has been like. You can watch Neevsey’s warts-and-all take on his Ducati Streetfighter V2 S on MCN’s YouTube channel now and there are stacks more in the works. I haven’t filmed mine yet but it got me thinking about the million dollar question at the end of each video which is: Would I buy the Kove with my own money? The question certainly focuses your attention, and I have to admit over the last 20-plus years of being at MCN I haven’t answered ‘yes’ to the question all that often. In…

It’s not every day you come across a bike that’s been unintentionally lowered, but that’s exactly what rolled into Doncaster Motorcycles when owner Kevin Hollingsworth was handed a Suzuki Address 110 for a spot of routine TLC. “We had a scooter in – a little Suzuki Address 110 – that someone had tried to steal,” Kevin began. “When the thieves tried to smash the disc lock off, they’d missed and hit the fork leg with a hammer, denting it.” The owner hadn’t noticed anything amiss and had been happily cutting about, blissfully unaware that his front suspension was completely out of action. During the theft attempt, the thieves had hammered the fork leg so hard that it had deformed, preventing the front end from rebounding. The outer leg was pressing…

Miguel Oliveira had an emotional goodbye on home soil. The Yamahas struggled with chronic rear grip issues all weekend, which limited Oliveira to 14th place. Of greater significance was the reception he received from the fans and his fellow riders before the race. “I knew there was something special prepared but I could not have anticipated this,” explained the five-time MotoGP race winner. “It was very special. Seeing all the guys applauding and cheering that was the highest recognition a rider can get.” There was also an early view into what will likely be next year’s WorldSBK title fight as Nicolo Bulega finished just behind the Portuguese rider. Adapting from the Pirelli front tyre to Michelin’s edgier rubber was the biggest challenge. But by the closing laps, the Italian was…

ROUND 21 PORTIMAO 16 Ogura 88pts 17 Viñales 72pts 18 Miller 72pts 19 Rins 66pts 20 Oliveira 28pts 21 Martin 34pts 22 P Espargaro 29pts 23 Nakagami 10pts 24 Savadori 8pts 25 Fernandez A 8pts 26 Chantra 7pts 27 Bulega 1pt FINAL POSITIONS MOTOGP 11 Marini +28.226 12 Miller +29.717 13 Rins +30.372 14 Oliveira +31.621 15 Bulega +32.072 16 Savadori +39.869 17 Chantra +1’01.999 18 Bastianini +2 laps DNF Bagnaia 15 laps, Mir 23 laps, Morbidelli 25 laps FINAL POSITIONS SP RACE 11 Ogura +10.29 12 Marini +12.016 13 Bastianini +13.469 14 Miller +13.9 15 Morbidelli +14.52 16 Oliveira +15.289 17 Rins +22.861 18 Savadori +25.456 DNF Bulega 9 laps, Mir 9 laps, Chantra 10 laps FINAL POSITIONS MOTO2 11 Munoz +15.042 12 Escrig +15.252 13 Vietti +16.556 14…

Have Aprilia finally created the best motorcycle on the grid? The 2025 RS-GP is definitely better than its 2025 rivals: Ducati’s GP25 and the latest bikes from KTM, Honda and Yamaha. And now it is often faster than Ducati’s GP24 Going into this weekend’s Valencia GP, the RS-GP has scored two GP wins and a further six podiums from the last 12 rounds. This time last year, they had zero victories and zero podiums from the previous 12 rounds. The RS-GP has been a growing force since Aprilia ditched their troublesom e 75-degree V4 and switched to a 90-degree V4 – like Ducati and Honda – in 2020. The bike scored its first podium the following year and its first victory the year after that. Its greatest strength at that…

Rev yourself up for the year’s most exciting and immersive biking event, as MCL25 flings open the doors to Birmingham’s NEC this Saturday for nine days of non-stop two-wheel action. This is no static showroom event – it’s a truly hands-on-bars and bums-on-saddles festival celebrating the best of biking. Not only is it the place where you’ll get to see, sit on and learn about the hottest 2026 new bikes (and it feels like a really standout year – see p4 for our pick), but you’ll also get plenty of opportunity to ride, too, with demos aplenty, for all ages and experiences (even non-riders), and you don’t even need to take your own kit! In terms of new metal, it’s the prospect of seeing Honda’s V3R 900 E-Compressor Prototype that…

BMW’s first true superbike shared similar architecture to established rivals – but the S1000RR shocked everyone with its performance and sophisticated rider aids that revolutionised the sector. A monstrous 190bhp, impressive fuel injection and cutting-edge electronics helped every level of rider on road and track. Not only did BMW transform their image with the S1000RR, but they also forced their rivals to embark on a frenzied power and tech race. The battle to produce the fastest, cleverest, most extreme machine has forced superbikes close to irrelevance for road riders. But when the S1000RR arrived we still had a hunger for race reps, and for those who sought the latest and greatest, the BMW was manna from heaven. Today, the original 2010 model still feels savagely quick, but its BMW genes…