Tabla de contenidos para March 2025 en RiDE

‘This month is definitely prime bike-buying season’ By the time you read this, there’s a good chance you may have encountered the first signs that winter is coming to an end. Little signs are everywhere, if you look for them. Spring is around the salty corner. It also means we’re heading into bike-buying season and the time we all start browsing and dreaming. If you’re like me, it’s when we start thinking about new bikes - and if that’s you, this issue of RiDE is designed to be your companion. We’ve compiled a list of the best new-bike discounts on the market (ones you don’t need to haggle for) and outlined what we think are this year’s best-value used bikes. As ever, whenever we do these kind of features, I…

If your dealer closes down, it could not only be inconvenient but expensive. Manufacturer warranties for new bikes aren’t affected, but used bike warranties could be invalid depending on whether they’re backed by the dealer or a third-party supplier, and it’s going to be tough to exercise consumer rights to reject a faulty used bike. If you bought a service plan with the dealer you might end up out of pocket - and the same applies if you’ve put down a deposit or paid upfront for goods that haven’t been delivered. If you’ve paid by credit card, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act protects transactions between £100 to £30,000 so you should be okay. Payments made by debit card might also be recoverable via chargeback. In both cases, contact…

LETTER OF THE MONTH Leaf it out Interesting article as always from Andrew Dalton in the February issue, clarifying what councils are liable for in England. Many other contaminants can cause a collision; if the owner of said contaminants can be discovered, would it then be possible to sue? The most obvious would be slurry on the road from a farm or leaking diesel from a known vehicle - both are common here in Northern Ireland. Peter Watson R We’ve had similar questions in the past, notably when a reader fell on mud deposited on a road from a construction site. The short-form answer - for England and Wales - was the developer “has a duty to keep the road clear from material escaping from their land. The same law applies to…

SWANKY SUSPENSION Fully adjustable Showa forks work in perfect harmony with the Öhlins shock, which is as good as they get before they go electronic. Honda test riders worked with Öhlins to find the perfect set-up. TOP-SPEC BRAKES Debuted on the 2018 Ducati Panigale V4 S, the Brembo Stylema calipers were once the preserve of superbike royalty. Now they grace the humble Hornet. SUPER-SHIFTER The SP gets a three-way-adjustable up/down quickshifter (£195 option for the base model). Gear changes are more crisp than a fresh pack of Walkers. HONDA’S CB1000 HORNET SP costs £9999, or £112.58 a month on a three-year PCP (25 per cent deposit). That’s great news for us, but it’ll give rivals sleepless nights. It has a 155bhp superbike engine, is crammed full of electronics, and garnished…

THE FACTS The route It’s a seemingly chaotic loop of the New Forest but actually avoids the busiest roads and takes in some of the prettiest sections while maintaining a gentle, enjoyable pace. Why it’s great There is so much variety in such a small area: dense and sparse woodland, moors, traditional farming countryside… it has a little of everything. When to go Midweek and away from school holidays if you can - this will mean caravans and family wagons with roof boxes should be absent. Where to visit Lymington is a lovely little coastal town. Hire a kayak and head out to the marsh to explore, or simply enjoy a pint by the harbour. THE FIRST TIME I went to the New Forest, I was on holiday with my…

DOWNLOAD THE ROUTE www.ride.co.uk Best for Ever-changing scenery and roads, wildlife, and a relaxed pace. Length 73 miles Route Brockenhurst, Burley, Bransgore, Ringwood, Burley, Lyndhurst, Rockford, Godshill, Morgan’s Vale, Hamptworth, Lyndhurst, Beaulieu, Balmer Lawn. Roads Burley Road, Station Road, Pound Lane, Thatcham Lane, Crowe Hill, Lyndhurst Road, A35, unnamed road, Cross Lane, Buddle Hill, Blissford Hill, B3078, B3080, Forest Road, Hamptworth Road, B3079, A337, B3056, B3054, B3055. Love it because It’s a chilled ride in a stunning part of the country with chance to enjoy roads around the national park. Take a picture at There are plenty of places - anywhere there are horses - but the section between Lyndhurst and Beaulieu is great. Stop for a cuppa at We enjoyed finishing at the Balmer Lawn Hotel but Beaulieu has…

1 Get in at the right time In the winter it is a buyer’s market. After the famine of used bikes caused by supply issues with new bikes following Covid, it is now a feast - and prices have had to drop to shift stock. Equally, new bike discounts can affect used prices: you have a better chance of getting a good deal on a nearly new used bike when new examples are being heavily discounted at this time of year. Buy in winter, sell in spring is a good mantra. 2 Be flexible with your choices You’re never going to get the best deal if you single-mindedly aim for just one bike. You’re much better looking at a genre of bikes and shopping within that. For example, you may want a…

CUSTOM FIT The Oxo is available in two shell sizes with five cheek pads thicknesses to get the best fit possible for all riders. REPLACEMENT VISORS In addition to the main visor, it comes with a light smoke road-legal option as well as several non-road-legal alternatives, including dark tint and Iridium finishes. Shark Oxo £379.99 www.nevis.uk.com THE CLAIM “Innovative and resolutely avant-garde, Oxo revolutionises comfort and safety standards. Featuring an ingenious and ergonomic chin guard system, it allows a smooth and instant transition between jet and full mode with a movement of the hand. A button locks the chin guard in jet mode, in accordance with standard 22.06. This allows you to secure the chin guard in the open position, giving you maximum versatility on your rides.” THE REALITY I’ve…

WE KNOW THERE are specific types of clothing for extreme conditions - from mesh jackets for very warm weather, to electrically heated clothing for the cold. But a decent textile suit should be able to cover most conditions you are likely to find on longer rides or multi-day tours. For many riders, the perfect textile suit is a unicorn piece of kit - highly desirable but difficult to find. It should keep you protected in the event of an off, and keep rain and wind out in poor weather. It should also keep you warm when conditions are cold, but conversely allow you to strip out layers as and when the temperature goes up and admit cooling air to prevent overheating on warmer rides. It’s easy to spend a vast…

MARCH 2024 CORROSION PREVENTERS XCP Rust Blocker Clear Coat £15.49 A little goes a long way. Easy to apply, superb protection and a nice finish that will work on all parts of the bike. RECOMMENDED ACF-50 £17.99 APRIL 2024 TWO-PIECE WATERPROOFS Oxford Rainseal jacket and trousers £69.98 Ticking every box, the lightweight Rainseals do exactly what is required of them and have lots of well-thought-out features. Richa Rain Warrior jacket and trousers £72.98 A solid and sturdy combination that proved very effective against the rain. Comfortable and protective. MAY 2024 ANTI-VIBRATION PHONE MOUNTS Quad Lock £113.98 Excellent quality, a lovely day-to-day phone case that allows very quick and easy mounting to the bike, and masses of accessories. RECOMMENDED Ultimateaddons £64.99 JUNE 2024 ACTION CAMERAS DJI Osmo Action 4 £379 (as…

TYRES “I’m normally a Bridgestone fan but I’ve used Michelin Road 6s on the SV for the past three years. Very good from cold and in the wet. 14,000 miles from a pair.” UPGRADES “I love Oxford Hot Grips, plus a tail tidy, fender extender, crash bungs and braided brake lines - all from R&G.” BRAKES “Galfer wavy discs were fitted at 65,000 miles as the original ones were worn wafer-thin.” ECONOMY “I get an easy 55mpg without even trying.” Name Iain Nicholls, 47 Bike 2016 Suzuki SV650S Total miles 101,000 Miles per year 12,600 LONDON BOBBY IAIN has a fair old commute into the Smoke, so he needs something sensible, slim and reliable to get him to work every day. “I got this SV650 to replace my old Honda…

Devil’s Beef Tub, Scotland I had to get out after a week’s holiday on my new-to-me 2023 Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro. It was 8°C on a Sunday morning in September, on the legendary A701 from Moffat to Edinburgh. Stopping just over the Devil’s Beef Tub, and on to Tweedsmuir, to Megget Reservoir, back to the Glen Cafe and home to Lockerbie. Brilliant. Simon McLaughlin Hever Castle, Kent Having owned a succession of adventure bikes, I’m enjoying the smaller size and lower weight of the Triumph Trident. I’m fortunate to have some stunning scenery near me despite being in the crowded south-east, and while out for a Sunday morning ride I stopped at the entrance to Hever Castle for a photo. Darren Parvin Conor Pass, Ireland This is at the…

SINGLES PARTY The reveal of the 390 follows an earlier announcement of two SMC R supermoto equivalents released on January 14 - suggesting that KTM have no intention of slowing down their roll-out of fresh metal despite their economic challenges. The 390 Enduro R was also shown alongside a smaller 125 model. TECH PACKED Despite the pared-back looks there’s plenty of electronic wizardry, including two switchable riding modes, dual-channel ABS, selectable traction control, and a 4.2in TFT dash providing speed, fuel level and gear position information. FINANCIAL TURMOIL HASN’T stopped KTM from unveiling the 390 Enduro R, which is set to arrive in dealerships in March with a £5699 price tag - less than Honda’s market-leading CRF300L but with much more power, the promise of better suspension and more tech.…

Superbike performance Powered by a 2017 Fireblade motor, the 1000cc inline four is tuned for extra real-world oomph with milder cams and shorter second-to-fifth gear ratios. The SP has an exhaust valve that opens at 5700rpm to release an extra 5bhp and a whole load more noise. Stronger chassis Gone are the spine frame and single-sided swingarm from the old CB1000R. The Hornet’s new twin-spar steel frame has 70 per cent more lateral strength and allows the airbox to be placed above the engine for a better downdraught effect. Double-sided cast aluminium swingarm is lighter and cheaper. Electronics galore It may not include an IMU, but there’s still an embarrassment of adjustable rider aids and modes, including traction, wheelie and engine braking control, ABS, power modes, an up/down quickshifter and…

WITH SPRING JUST around the corner, the new season is upon us - and with it invariably comes plans for new bikes. And this year - more than any other since before the pandemic - there are some great bargains to be had. While sticker prices of many new bikes continue to climb, a host of discounted machinery makes new-bike purchase more affordable than it has been for a while. Likewise, after years of sky-high used prices, things are starting to be a bit more realistic - and some great bikes can be bought for a smaller outlay. It’s a buyer’s market - and over the next 22 pages, we’ll help you get the most from it.…

IT IS NO secret that winter is a great time to snap up a bargain new bike. However, the start of 2025 has seen a number of factors combine to drive prices even lower. Overstocking after a strong 2023 and disappointingly slow sales in 2024 - as well as the introduction of Euro5+ and the resulting plethora of ‘updated’ models - have all conspired to see a variety of new 2024 bikes stuck in showrooms. And that’s before you mention KTM’s woes… If you want a new bike for 2025, it’s a great time to buy. Just look at the deals to be had… EXTRA TECH Unlike the GSX-S1000GT, the GX comes with a six-axis IMU and therefore boasts angle-responsive ABS (with Motion Track Brake System) and traction control. Save…

We undertook two rides in each suit on our long-term test Honda CB750 Hornet with no wind protection in 8°C ambient temperatures, to assess their fit and comfort: one with thermal liners fitted and all vents closed to assess windproofing and warmth; the second with liners removed and all vents open to determine their cooling abilities. We also subjected each to a high-pressure water test for a determined period to judge their waterproofing qualities. ❯ Fit How well did the trousers and jacket fit our tester? Were the garments in proportion throughout? Did the fit change significantly with liners fitted and removed? Were the arms and legs the right length? ❯ Comfort How comfortable were the garments in use? Was the collar tight or did it allow air in? Was…

2016-2023 | £6500-£12,750 | 130mph | 96bhp THRUXTON HAS LONG been the designation for a fruitier flavour of Triumph Bonneville. None more so than the first 1960s, hand-built T120 Bonneville-derived homologation specials. Just 52 of the parallel-twin 650s, designed to do battle in the Thruxton 500-mile production race, were made. Achievement peaked in 1969 with a 1-2-3 in the 500-miler and victory in the TT production race. Few bikes found their way to the road, even if some of their ‘racing’ componentry did. It took until 2004 for Triumph to build the next Thruxton. Now a true road bike, the air-cooled parallel twin café racer was still a sportier Bonneville roadster. A pair of stylish 1200cc versions joined the line-up in 2016. Their powerful motors and sharper chassis geometry helped…

You’ll get a good idea of how agreeable life with a Thruxton R is likely to be right from the start. For some, longer outings will be a no-no thanks to the excessively sporty riding position and plank-like seat. Pillion provision on the single-seater isn’t an option without modification, either. An excellent chassis gives the 1200 a sorted feel, with more agility than you might reckon. Steering has an accurate feel. If it doesn’t, suspect worn tyre profiles or dodgy head bearings Suspension is another plus point. If it doesn’t offer good support and decent compliance, it’s likely to just need a service - few Thruxtons will have done enough miles to warrant more remedial action. Throttle response should be strong and keen until it starts tailing off at very…

LAST YEAR WAS an annus horribilis for many motorcycle shops, with outlets across the country closing as they hit the financial rocks. But with bikes sales largely consistent with 2023, why was 2024 such a disaster? The big beasts to have disappeared were led by Completely Motorbikes, which had 10 dealerships in England and Wales representing Aprilia, CCM, Ducati, Honda, Indian, Kawasaki, Montesa, Moto Guzzi, Piaggio, Sur-Ron, Suzuki, Triumph, Vespa and Yamaha. The company had been a success story over the past few years, so its collapse was a surprise turnaround of fortune. The famed Pidcock chain also entered administration in October, closing two of its three shops and searching for a buyer for the third. Then Marsh Holdings - which ran Harley-Davidson dealerships in Plymouth and Southampton, plus Triumph…

Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) data has revealed a slight increase in new bike registrations for last year compared to 2023. A total of 112,649 new combustion bikes were registered in 2024, up from 109,528. However, some experts have warned the numbers don’t tell the full story. MCIA chief executive Tony Campbell said: “The slight growth in the market is purely a result of unusual registration activity and not an indication of growth. “2024 has been an incredibly challenging year for the sector, with several dealer closures as well as rising pressure on businesses to maintain positive cash flow to ride out the next few months. One reason for the increased registration activity was the arrival of Euro5+ emissions regulations, which have led to manufacturers and dealers trying to shift their…

Q I HAD A great summer on my new Suzuki GSX-S1000GX+, but didn’t experiment with the electronics much. As I’m riding it through winter, I was wondering what you think is the best way of making full use of the tech when grip levels are lower? Jeremy Underhill, email A THE FIRST THING to say is that electronics are no substitute for good riding skills. If you go into a corner too fast, for example, then panic and slam on the brakes, you might get away with it thanks to your cornering ABS, but that’s not a long-term solution. An enhanced ability to read the road, make a plan, and act on it is a lot more valuable than ten levels of traction control. But, accepting all that, modern electronics…

THE SPEED TWIN succeeded where the Thruxton partially failed: delivering retro charm but with sporty manners more akin to the Speed/Street Triple roadsters. Triumph have given the standard model a glow-up for 2025, and introduced the premium-kitted RS for those keen to wang their retro down back roads… The same tweaked motor pushes peak power just over 100bhp for the first time, while also meeting the latest emissions standard. Torque hasn’t risen (or dropped), though - and 83lb·ft is plenty anyway, especially when it comes at just 4250rpm, with the majority of that grunt available from idle. It still lacks a little refinement in the throttle response department, despite the retune. It’s most noticeable right at the bottom, and does largely disappear with a little pace or in the softer…

LET’S HEAR IT for BMW’s cojones: they’ve taken the world’s bestselling big bike and thrown it in the bin. Because the new 1300 Adventure is a top-to-bottom redesign; the only component leftover from the R1250GSA is its dash. Everything else on the R1300GSA is new - including the controversial styling. Yes, despite millions of Euros of engineering R&D, it’s all we can talk about. And where the R1250GSA looked like a wider GS, the R1300GSA has a distinct shape of its own, for better or worse. It keeps the R1300GS’s distinctive X-pattern Saltire headlight, then wraps its 30 litres of fuel in a big, Lego-brick tank with built-in fog lights. Other new touches include TE-spec aluminium clip-on adventure pannier mounts (instead of tube rails) and a longer, stronger subframe than…

HEADLIGHT It’s fiendishly fiddly to replace a blown headlight bulb with the lights in place. It’s often quicker to remove the headlight assembly entirely. SCREEN The stock screen is too short and buffets heads. Just fitting a flip-up visor isn’t enough. Plenty of aftermarket screens are available. LEGROOM The F800GT’s seat is 800mm, so legroom can be cramped for 6ft riders. Generic footpeg lowering kits may mean you need to adapt the rear brake lever, too. THE START OF every new year is a good time to look to the second-hand market to see what bargains may be out there. It’s when manufacturers release a slew of new models to catch our collective eye - and many riders trade in their current bikes. Used values have been holding strong for…

This was the first time we tried clothing from Rebelhorn and it was a great debut for the brand. It doesn’t come with any thermal linings (we will be trying one that does soon), but nonetheless it staves off wind very well. The flexibility and comfort, combined with staggering cooling when you need, means it will cope with single‑digit temperatures but would excel in higher temperatures. It is great value, and as a result we feel it’s worthy of a Recommended. If it had a thermal lining, it would be the Best Buy. It’s the choice for three-season riding. The Alpinestars Andes V3 runs it a close second on our test criteria and is very good. It’s a favourite of editor Matt thanks to its waterproofing and looks, but every…