Table of contents for 18 May 2016 in MCN

£139/month Ducati 959 Panigale Ducati’s super-middleweight has grown to near superbike capacity, and it’s utterly sublime on road and track. Just £139 per month after a £2790.79 deposit. £125/month Suzuki GSX-R750 Anniversary edition It’s a little long in the tooth now, but it hasn’t diminished its skills, or riding appeal. The archetypal middleweight is just £125 per month after a £2344 deposit. £115/month Triumph Daytona 675R One of the best supersport bikes you could ever hope to ride, the 675R is Brit brilliance at its best. £115pm after £2180.72 up front. £125/month Yamaha YZF-R6 The least flexible bike here, the R6 is a pure track weapon, designed to be used hard. £129 per month after a £2150 deposit. Fancy something used instead? MCN Garage p41…

10th Harley-Davidson Forty Eight £9675 Engine1202cc air-cooled V-twin Power49bhp @ 6000rpm Torque71ftlb @ 3500rpm Weight252kg (kerb) Suspension39mm conventional fork non-adjustable, twin rear shocks with adjustable pre-load Brakes Single 300mm disc with Brembo two-piston caliper, 260mm rear disc with single piston caliper Seat height 710mm Fuel capacity 7.9 litres Tyres 130/90x16 front 150/80x16 rear 9th Enfield Continental GT £4999 Engine 535cc air-cooled single Power 29.1bhp @ 5100rpm Torque 32ftlb @ 4000rpm Weight 184kg (kerb) Suspension 41mm conventional fork non-adjustable, twin rear shocks with adjustable pre-load Brakes Single 300mm discs with Brembo two-piston caliper, 240mm rear single piston caliper Seat height 800mm Fuel capacity 13.4 litres Tyres 10/90x18 front 130/70x18rear 3rd Yamaha XSR700 £6249 Engine689cc Liquid-cooled, parallel-twin Power74bhp @ 9000rpm Torque50ftlb @ 6500rpm Weight186kg (kerb) Suspension41mm conventional fork non-adjustable, rear monoshock with…

HONDA Oliver Pluchon, Honda Japauto, Paris “The Honda NC750X just isn’t that popular anymore. People seem to prefer the Honda Integra, which is pretty much the same machine, except in scooter form. I believe the reason is because there’s more weather protection provided on a scooter. Parisians love their scooters, there is a strong tradition for riding them in the city. Our best seller is the Forza 125, we sold 600 of those last year, about 120 Integras and 50 NC750Xs.” SUZUKI Johann Bouquignon, Suzuki Moto Champion, Paris “The 650 is the best seller in big cities because they’re used for motorcycle taxis. They’re huge, comfortable, have so many functions and so much luggage space. They’re popular among people moving down from big expensive bikes because they’re very easy to…

‘It’s only the earlier models that people use as wheelie machines’ Bandits are tough motorcycles, the engine is bulletproof, and it’s a great first bike. It’s the early Bandit models that people mess around with by chopping them up, customising and generally using them as wheelie machines. The 2007 onwards models are often in much better condition and well looked after. We don’t really have many problems with them, and rarely see them in for repair. But there are a few things to keep an eye out for, and the brakes are at the top of the list. Make sure the calipers are well serviced, especially the rear one. It’s not underslung like the earlier model but can still suffer from corrosion. Check they’ve been well looked after by inspecting…

KTM 620 Duke Original Duke in full 1990s spec with shell suit graphics and G-Force noisy pipe. Low mileage at 6500 and low price might make this one worth a punt for a couple of grand. KTM 200 Duke With less than 500 miles on the clock, this 2015 model has hardly turned a wheel. The price leaves the cash to spend on decent tyres. It already has a KTM screen and there will still be a year of warranty left. KTM 690 Duke Four years old and it’s only covered 1992 miles. Has a full service history and it comes with both the Akrapovic exhaust in the pictures and the stock can. KTM 990 Super Duke Private sale by owner upgrading from this 2008 model with almost 11,000 miles…

HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET 750 £5795 FUEL 13.1 litres @ 49mpg = 141 miles WEIGHT 223kg SEAT 710mm POWER Not available TORQUE 43ftlb ALISON SILCOX Experienced rider with 12 years on the front and over 20 as pillion. HEIGHT 5ft 10in WEIGHT 63kg alison.silcox@motorcyclenews.com Chatting about near-mishaps caused by flares catching on my footpeg isn’t the average lunchtime conversation, but that was exactly how today’s went. I’d joined forces with a dozen riders dressed as Evel Knievel for the second day of a five-day charity event, raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. They were riding the perimeter of Wales, with stops on the way to visit the Pembrey and Anglesey race circuits. I met the other Evels in Newport and we soon set off. If people hadn’t seen our procession of Evels…

Alpinestars Oscar Monty Leather Jacket £449.99 Tester Michael Neeves Time used Five months/2000 miles What’s good? It might be the ‘year of the retro’ for bikes, but it’s also boom-time for classically-styled riding kit. This jacket is from Alpinestars’ Oscar range and is made from full-grain leather that’s washed and wax-treated, then garnished with vintage-style zips, press studs and rivets to give it an authentic old-school look. I’ve been wearing it for general riding and, of course, when I’ve been testing retros for MCN. It comes with CE-certified shoulder and elbow protectors and I wear an Alpinestars Nucleon KR-R back protector underneath. It’s well made and comes with a snazzy cotton flannel removable lining that’s both warm and appeals to my inner hipster. It’s light and loose enough to be…

‘You had right of way. I would press on with your claim and not be threatened’ Q Help! This guy ran out on me while I was filtering I was filtering past traffic at about 20mph when this guy ran into the road, knocking me off. I got away with bruising but my bike will cost £1500 to repair. I have a witness confirming that it was the other guy’s fault but he has told my solicitors that if I carry on with my claim he will claim for his injuries. He insists he was ‘waved across’ by the driver at the front. Surely this can’t be my fault! Seb Haines, Bristol Filtering is legal, no matter what their solicitors are saying. Each case is fact-specific so there are no…

After Tom Sykes’ team-mate Jonathan Rea stole the march and re-signed with the official Kawasaki Racing Team for two more years (see story right), some may have thought this move would have affected Sykes’s motivation and concentration, and not in a good way. But the 2013 world champion had other ideas. ‘This is the first time in a long time where I have felt what the bike is doing’TOM SYKES After his crew had made a small but crucial technical change to his suspension and bike geometry, Sykes reminded everyone in World Super-bikes of just how dominant he can be when his bike works well. He annihilated the opposition to win Superpole by 0.756 seconds before going on to win race one by a massive 5.6 seconds from Rea, who…

‘The rain gave me some help but I will take a win any way I can’NICKY HAYDEN ‘My motivation was never in question in MotoGP, I never stopped trying’NICKY HAYDEN When Nicky Hayden beat Valentino Rossi to the MotoGP crown at the final round in 2006 at Valencia he sat in front of the world’s media and cried as he addressed them. He spoke about how he had worked his whole life for this moment and his voice could not hide the emotion that poured out of him at having achieved the biggest prize in motorcycling at 25 years of age. After close to a decade of not winning in MotoGP, 34-year-old Hayden had reason for his voice to be cracking just a tad once more as he found himself…

Alex Lowes was the sole PATA Yamaha entry at Sepang after his team-mate Sylvain Guintoli missed the Malaysian race through injury. In a strong second place in Superpole, he finished fifth in race one despite a mistake that dropped him from a top four place, down to ninth, from where he recovered to finish fifth. In race two, a fall in wet conditions saw him fracture his left clavicle (the same side as he had a shoulder injury that plagued his winter test preparations) and then head straight home for more medical treatment before his important home round at Donington in two weeks time. “I really struggled from the start of race two with rear grip coming out of the corners compared to the guys around me,” said Lowes, who…

• Peter Hickman returned to the North West 200 on the JG Speedfit Kawasakis and a new Trooper Beer liveried Kawasaki ZX-6R after missing last year’s event through injury. The BSB star claimed his first NW200 podiums as runner up in Saturday’s Superstock race and a third in the Supersport event. • Martin Jessopp also tasted NW podium success for the first time, taking a second and third in the Supersport races and runner-up in Saturday’s Supertwin race. • Former MotoGP star Jeremy McWilliams made his between-the-hedges debut on a superbike as he deputised for Dan Kneen on the Mar-Train Yamahas after the Manx rider broke his arm mountain biking. • Michael Rutter also enjoyed a good North West weekend. After qualifying on pole for the Superstock race on his…

OPTION 1 PERSONAL CONTRACT PURCHASE Most dealers offer PCP schemes through one or two big finance houses – this is how it works... • Get your budget worked out, based on what you can afford as a deposit and as monthly repayments for the duration of the contract • You can get PCP on any amount from £1500 upwards • Choose your new motorcycle (or a used one – bikes up to three years old can also qualify) • Set a repayment term of between two to four years • Set your annual mileage at up to 24,000 miles a year. Your annual mileage will affect your monthly payments and future value. Most deals are based on 4000-6000 miles • Decide on which end-of-agreement option is best for you when…

‘The Flat Track Pro looks the part and is sensational to ride. Blip the throttle and the Termi responds with a thrap’ Here’s a flattracker you can ride every day. The £8995 Ducati Scrambler Flat Track Pro is the latest addition to the Scrambler family. Ducati’s Scrambler range has been a phenomenal success, from the moment the first one arrived in UK dealers from ‘The Land of Joy’ (that’s the factory in Bologna to me and you) last year. The Scrambler oozes the style and quality you’d expect from a Ducati, is fun to ride and features bucket-loads of snazzy design touches. Best of all it won’t break the bank. An entry-level Scrambler Icon Red costs just £7250. Last year there were four Scrambler models to choose from, each styled…

Support Euro4: it’s for the kids Enough with the sneering (ZX-10R test, May 4) at Euro4 standards and at these mysterious Eurocrats whom you allege to be pissing on our combustion campfire from afar. These incremental increases in emission control have forced bike makers to up their game over a very relaxed period. To be blunt, the new regs and their automotive equivalent are all that stands between the push for profit - which underpins this industry as a whole – and our kids’ lungs. If you have kids, elderly relatives, lungs and/or a conscience then you need to support this ongoing challenge by Europe to vehicle manufacturers, whose sole job otherwise is to make their owners and shareholders richer. Mark Hucke, London Keep it zipped The cause of the…

Table tennis wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I applied for tickets to see nearly a dozen different events at London’s 2012 Olympics. But that’s what I got. Mind you, it wasn’t any old table tennis match, it was the men’s semi-finals... both of them. The ping-pongers (I think that’s the official term) really wanted to win, the packed grandstands roared their favourite player on and it turned out to be a memorable sporting occasion. And I do love a sporting occasion. Over the years, I’ve experienced top-level football, rugby, golf, horse racing, motocross, cricket, boxing, athletics, marathons, BMX racing, hockey and, of course bike racing. Different sports provide unique flavours. I love the intensity of golf. The way 30,000 spectators go completely silent just before a player…

By the end of the test there was a clear winner – Triumph’s new Thruxton R, with Yamaha’s XSR900 running it a close second. Everyone loved the looks and handling of the Thruxton, scoring it highly. The XSR scored well, but was let down by its looks and lack of heritage, in this group it just couldn’t match the authenticity and character of some of the others. Interestingly, Yamaha’s XSR700 came third with Triumph’s T120 Bonneville fourth, the Street Twin fifth and the Moto Guzzi sixth. But the points don’t tell the full story. I asked each rider which bike they’d have for summer, and while the majority wanted the Thruxton R, two riders wanted the Guzzi, one the XSR700 and one wanted the Enfield Triumph’s Thruxton R is the…

There’s nothing intimidating about the Honda NC750X whatsoever. It has enough luggage space to fit a helmet, funky styling, a smooth throttle response and soft, easygoing handling. It’s simple and practical to ride, much like a scooter. We love the NC because it has the extra benefits of ease of use and practicality. The French on the other hand prefer their thoroughbred scoots. The Burgman is a luxury scooter with plenty of kick, bundles of accessories and immense storage space – it has the practicality of a car on two wheels. The downside is its price tag and bulk. The MP3 is a French national hero. It’s pulled thousands of Parisians out of their cars and onto three wheels, with help from licensing laws. The 300 isn’t intended for motorcyclists,…

‘Everyone who’s ever had a sidecar has crashed it’ I want another sidecar outfit. I want one so badly. If you’ve never ridden a sidecar, you won’t understand the appeal of a bike that won’t get through heavy traffic, that’s asymmetric and that, because of that asymmetry, behaves in a completely different manner according to whether you’re turning left or right. Oh, and another rule of sidecars. Everyone who’s ever had one has crashed it. A disability or physical impairment is a good reason to buy an outfit. Some people buy them because they just don’t like cars. Everyone else buys them because they’re insane. There are basically three types. The first is a ready-made factory-built one: Dneprs, Lambrettas or Vespas, Jawas and MZs. Then there are old British things…

‘The RT’s screen means I can wear an open-face lid on my commute and hear my music better’ BMW R1200RT LE £17,445 FUEL 25 litres @ 48mpg = 264 miles WEIGHT 274kg SEAT 805mm POWER 123bhp TORQUE92ftlb ADAM CHILD Road tester who also indulges in pure road racing HEIGHT 5ft 6in WEIGHT 80kg adam.child@motorcyclenews.com It’s strange how the little things matter and become more apparent the longer time goes on. My RT’s qualities are obvious: class-leading comfort, excellent rider aids and a punchy, partially water-cooled boxer engine. It’s clear to see why it’s won MCN’s prestigious Best Tourer award for the last two years. But now, after 2000 miles and a month of ownership, it’s the minor details which are making me smile. The stuff I shrugged at, regarded as…

SUZUKI SV650 £5495 FUEL 13.8 litres @ 56mpg = 170 miles WEIGHT 197kg SEAT 785mm POWER 75bhp TORQUE 47ftlb RIDER Tony Hoare, experienced rider and former racer, losing his appetite for speed It’s always worth learning from other people’s experience, and that’s already coming in handy with the SV650. One of MCN’s sister publications is also running an SV this year and their bike is 100 miles or so ahead of mine, and is showing signs of oxidation on key parts like the rear wheel spindle nut, gearchange linkage and other areas like brake hose fittings. There are no such signs on my bike yet, but it’s served as a timely warning. So I spent a few minutes before this morning’s commute to squirt around the vulnerable zones with anti-corrosion…

Win an iPhone 6S along with a TwistyRide iPhone mounting kit, £640 MCN has teamed up with TwistyRide.com , the leading provider of waterproof iPhone and Samsung cases for bikes, to give away an iPhone 6S and TwistyRide mount. Waterproof to the IP55 standard during charging, the TwistyRide is the best way to bring SatNav and other apps into your ride. The kit is easy to transfer from bike to bike. Enter until: September 30 Helstons Travel boots, £219 These CE-approved boots are made from full-grain leather and are lined with calf skin. They are also protected by a waterproof membrane. They are fastened with laces and a zip and there are protective cups around the heels and toes. They are available in sizes 6-11.5 in brown…

Dani Pedrosa will remain with the Repsol Honda squad for a further two seasons, despite reports suggesting that he was set to make a move to the Movistar Yamaha squad alongside Valentino Rossi for 2017 and 2018. ‘His experience is very important for helping our technicians to develop our bike’SHUHEI NAKAMOTO Originally set to sign for the rival Japanese squad after an incredible 11 years at Honda, it’s believed that a last-minute push from HRC was enough to retain him. “I’m very happy to be able to announce my renewal with the Repsol Honda Team. I’m very grateful to Honda for the trust they’ve shown in staying with me. “I think it’s best for me to continue with the company I was with at my very first race. I’m happy…

After breaking his back twice in 2015, and starting the 2016 season with a new crew, Davide Giugliano secured a brilliant second place finish in a race where he pushed Nicky Hayden hard for the win. Giugliano went from seventh on lap one to second at the flag. He finished 1.2 seconds away from what would have been his first ever World Superbike race win. This second place was as impressive as any of his previous ten podiums. His best result so far in 2016 was no fluke, and he had the beating of team-mate Chaz Davies throughout the wet race, holding tight lines and riding with confidence in the spray. “Lap after lap I knew it was possible to take third and then second position,” said Giugliano. “In the…

“Nicky winning is extremely important because we strongly believe in him, not just as an ambassador but as a competitive rider. We are really happy that finally he was able to win and build some confidence. Nicky is not an arrogant rider; he is very respectful and very human. He is learning all about the series, the guys mainly, the team and the bike and we are extremely happy that it is getting better and better. It is clear for everyone. “For Honda it is obviously important and for the team it is just great! I think Nicky is still the same rider who won the MotoGP world championship. World Superbike is not so easy — it is still a world championship. I think he still has the same passion…

‘Mitchell-Thomas had shown his promise by finishing fourth in the Supersport race’ The 2016 North West 200 was marred by two serious crashes that cost Malachi Mitchell-Thomas his life and left Ryan Farquhar in intensive care. Both crashes came in the Supertwins and at almost exactly the same spot on the coast road section of the 8.9-mile circuit. Triple TT winner Farquhar crashed his SGS/KMR Kawasaki while leading Thursday evening’s race and was hit by Dan Cooper, who sustained shoulder injuries. Farquhar remains in hospital but is now out of intensive care and is in a stable condition. Newcomer Mitchell-Thomas was lying second in Saturday’s Supertwin race when he crashed his Burrows Engineering Kawasaki, sustaining fatal injuries. The 20-year-old Chorley rider had made a huge impact on the road racing…

‘I did my fastest ever lap around here at 122.02mph and did 204mph through the speed trap’JOHN McGUINNESS John McGuinness couldn’t add to his tally of six NW200 wins this year but his strong performances i n the Superbi ke and Supersport classes have given the 44-year-old a boost going into the TT. “It was a little bit like last year but better!” McGuinness smiled after finishing sixth in the shortened Superbike race. “I got a good jump off the line but then I got boxed in. I was still only 1.5 seconds of the leaders and I did my fastest lap ever around here at 122.022mph. I even broke the 200mph barrier through the speed trap!” McGuinness also finished 8th in both 600cc encounters on the Jackson Racing CBR600RR…

Seeley’s 17 North West wins have come on Yamahas, Kawasakis, Suzukis and now BMWs and he is quick to point out that having access to competitive machinery for the 200mph-plus straights is critical to his continued success. “If I can keep getting contracts with teams I feel are up to scratch I’ll continue. It doesn’t have to be a factory ride. This year the Briggs Equipment BMW is not a factory outfit, it’s a small effort with Lee Hardy and all the sponsors working together. They gave me what I asked for, the engines came from the factory and are like Tyco BMW’s. What I asked for I got and that was the case with Gearlink too. I wanted a good engine and exhaust and that’s what I got. If…

A new KTM Super Duke R bristling with top-secret technology has been spied testing near the Austrian company’s headquarters in Mattighofen. The bike is believed to boast enhanced electronic rider aids including cornering ABS, the latest Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) systems for monitoring wheelies, traction control and ABS. It should also have the WP electronic semi-active suspension from the GT model. There are some significant styling updates too. The biggest change is a swanky new front headlight. While the prototype bike spotted was still sporting some black disguise tape we can still see this is a new light unit and it may well be an LED unit as KTM has been adding those to many new models. The fuel tank appears to be the same shape which makes sense in…

KTM 690 Duke & R (2008-current) Successors to original 620 remain KTM’s benchmark street single through three incarnations: 65bhp from 2008-11; a 67bhp redesign from 2012-15 and the latest 2016 version which is currently the world’s most powerful single, putting out 72.5bhp. All are punchy, hilarious, easy to ride, light and great fun – even more so in higher spec R trim – but they’re also pricey, too dinky for some and with (very) limited practicality if you have distance in mind. What you’ll pay today £4200-£7000 used but a new R is £8999. But should you? If you live in the city and only do short hops, why not? KTM 990 Super Duke & R (2005-2013) Until the recent 1290 Super Duke, this was as mad as KTMs got…

‘The rasp of a triple getting serious is something to savour’ YAMAHA MT-09 ABS £7349 FUEL 14 litres @ 56mpg = 171 miles POWER 115bhp TORQUE 65ftlb WEIGHT 188kg SEAT 815mm TIM THOMPSON Rapid commuter, testing the MT-09 until his MT-10 arrives HEIGHT 5ft 7in WEIGHT 72kg tim.thompson@motorcyclenews.com This is awkward. I have in my possession one of the great success stories of recent times. A bike that led the transformation of a stagnant Yamaha into Japan’s funkiest and freshest brand, and has sold 20,000 times in Europe alone. It is the brilliantly-priced and perfectly-judged MT-09 – you’ve got to love it, haven’t you? Except I don’t love it. In fact I walked away from a day-long ride on an MT-09 three years ago determined never to go near one…

OWNING & RIDING Q How can I keep my rarely-used stroker sweet? I have a mint Aprilia RS250 that does not get used as often as it should. I bought it mainly as a treat and an investment. Given that I can go for maybe a year without riding it, what is the best way to long-term store the bike? She’s garaged on paddock stands and gets a trickle charger popped on the battery every now and then. But what about fluids? Top right up? Drain out? Andy Kent, Facebook Answered by Sean Hadley, The Tuning Works Two-strokes are harder to store long-term than four-strokes because the engine internals are more exposed to the atmosphere. The V-twin layout of your RS means the pistons can never close off all the…

‘The more I ride the Panigale the more we’ll learn, the more I’ll enjoy it the faster we’ll get ’SHAKEY BYRNE Four-time MCE British Superbike Champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne insists things aren’t as bad as they look for his BeWiser PBM Ducati squad despite struggling last time out at Oulton Park. Byrne could only manage an eighth and sixth place in the two races at the Cheshire circuit two weeks ago despite having made significant steps forward with the Panigale R in a test at Knockhill prior to the race. However, he’s quick to point out his season’s start hasn’t been all bad after an almost dream start at Silverstone saw him take two second places and only miss out on the win by 0.099s in the second race. Heading…

NICKY 03 MotoGP wins MotoGP podiums: 28 MotoGP starts: 215 Last MotoGP win: 2006, Laguna Seca. Honda 01 WSB wins WSB podiums: 2 WSB starts: 14 First WSB win: Sepang, 2016, Honda HONDA Most recent WSB win pre Sepang: Portimao, 2014, Jonathan Rea. Last rider to take a Honda win before Rea: Ryuichi Kiyonari, Donington race two. Honda Races Started: 701 Wins: 119 Pole Positions: 46 Fastest Laps: 103 HAYDEN BECOMES SWEET 16 Nicky Hayden’s victory at Sepang saw him become the 16th rider in history to win a 500GP/MotoGP race and a WSB race. Here are the other men on that illustrious list: Mick DoohanPierfrancesco ChiliJohn KocinskiMarco LucchinelliKevin MageeChris VermeulenGarry McCoyBen SpiesMakoto TamadaRegis LaconiAlex BarrosCarlos ChecaMax BiaggiMarco MelandriTroy BaylissNicky Hayden…

‘My superstock bike is amazing... I’m glad I’m on a BMW this year’IAN HUTCHINSON Ian Hutchinson had “his best day ever at the North West 200”, winning the Superstock race and finishing second in the Superbike race on his Tyco BMW. However the 36-year-old wasn’t surprised by his success. “It went as I was expecting it to as it has gone pretty smoothly since I got on the Tyco bikes,” he smiled. “We’ve not really struggled with anything and everything was going really well. It was the easiest and best North West I’ve ever had really.” Hutchy was the victor in the best race of the day with seven riders battling for the lead at one stage during the stock event. It all came down to a last lap braking…

The North West 200 was Dunlop’s first road race of the season as he has opted for a change of direction with his early-season preparation in 2016. For the first time in his career the Ballymoney man has dropped his involvement in the early-season Irish National road races at places like Tandragee and Cookstown to compete in the BSB championship with his Hawk Racing BMW colleagues Richard Cooper, Lee Jackson and Taylor Mackenzie instead. Although he has hardly set the world on fire, not having finished any of the races at the opening rounds, the extra track time and ultra-competitive nature of the series seems to have sharpened Dunlop’s performance. But he is reluctant to attribute all of his pace at Portrush to his short circuit outings. “It’s good and…

Bruce Anstey’s remarkable record of podium success at the North West 200, TT and Ulster Grand Prix came to an end on Saturday when the Kiwi crashed out of the Superbike race. The 47-year-old had been bidding for a 15th season of enjoying rostrum finishes at every NW200 since he made his debut at the coastal circuit in 2002 but it was not to be. “I was lucky to get away with just bashing my ankle up a bit,” the Valvoline Padgetts Honda rider said after his big crash at Church corner. “I was about a foot off line, out wide on the dirty part of the track and the front just went,” he explained. “I saw a big blue bale coming and I just tucked myself up and waited…