Table of contents for 1 March 2017 in MCN

‘The semi-active Öhlins suspension certainly increases your confidence’ HIGHLIGHTS • Öhlins Electronic Suspension with two semi-active modes • R1M’s full colour TFT dash • 160bhp R1-derived engine • Conventional quickshifter • Three-level traction control • Three drive modes • Quickshifter The ingredients are simple; take all the excellent qualities of the award-winning MT-10 and add the clever semi-active Öhlins suspension from the R1M, plus its full-colour TFT clocks, and top it all off with a paintjob that looks just like – you guessed it – the R1M. And hey-presto, you’ve got an MT-10SP. Delicate details The new full colour TFT dash is both more informative and easier on the eye, and gives the SP a high-quality feel. The switchgear is now R1M-like to work with the new dash, which means…

After a 40-year gap Segoni Special have resumed production. The G800 Oro, like the original Segonis from the 1970s, uses a Kawasaki engine, but what makes it so special is the frame which is handmade from steel, then coated in 24 carat gold. The rest of the bike is equally befitting of the gold frame, with its handmade aluminium swingarm, Brembo M4 monoblocs and OZ wheels. The price for the standard model is confirmed at £60,000, while a top-spec version will cost £69,600 with only 20 being made.…

‘Take the Honda X-ADV onto the dirt and it doesn’t embarrass itself’ HIGHLIGHTS • Most refined DCT system yet • Mass centralisation results in easy, neutral handling • Five-way adjustable screen and huge seat make for genuine all day comfort When Honda wheeled out their Adventure City concept in 2015, we wondered what they’d been smoking. Who asked for an adventure scooter? Surely it wouldn’t make it to production? Less than 18 months later I’m looking at the concept made real. And it looks the part. Rugged, blocky styling takes its cues from its adventure big brother, the Africa Twin, but it’s still unmistakably a scooter to look at – those long footboards, huge seat, and the 15in rear wheel give it away. It uses the 53bhp 745cc parallel-twin engine…

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Genius will not. Education will not. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” Calvin Coolidge (American President 1923-1929) probably wasn’t referring to riding a motorcycle when he uttered these wise words... yet he might as well have been! Riding a bike does require persistence, determination and a degree of skill... oh, and petrol. There is a certain amount of pain to be endured before reaching the promised land. Whether that pain be financial – shelling out for a bike and kit – or physical – riding through a rainstorm – it’s there. And yet so are the rewards. MCN and Bennetts have joined forces (along with Sena, AirHawk and Metzeler) to launch a new #Ride5000miles campaign (see this…

WHO IS THIS? 1 Who is this motorcycle-crazy film star (clue - he’s not called Ted)? WHICH BIKE? 2 This carbon-fibre swingarm is a work of art – but what bike is it for? WHICH COMPANY? 3 Okay, so it’s more papier maché than motorcycle, but it was shown as a concept by a manufactuer. Which? WHO BUILT IT? 4 This is a Brough Superior SS100 engine on a static testing dyno. Which company developed the engine? WHAT IS THIS? 5 What the hell is this bloke making? We’ve all got one and should change them every 5 years. WHAT BIKE? 6 This Miguel Galluzzi sketch turned into a modern legend of the bike world, but what bike did it become? NAME THE BIKE 7 This 16in front wheel, fake…

FOGGY’S THIRD & FOURTH WSB TITLES WON ON A 996 We tend to associate Foggy with the 916. Strictly speaking, half of his four WSB titles and many of his wins were on the 996. A GOLDEN AGE OF BSB Bayliss, Hodgson, Reynolds, Hislop, Byrne, need we say more? DUCATI S & R SUFFIXES With the 996, R replaced the SPS for the top-spec version. S lived on for the mid-rangerÉ THE BEST 916 OF ALL If the 916/996/998 family is the ultimate Ducati, a genuine Foggy rep 996R, of which just 202 were built, is the best of allÉ…

The new breed of sporty middleweights, led by the likes of the Ninja 650 and Honda CBR650F, are aimed at riders who like the image of a sportsbike, but aren’t fussed about top speed, on-the-limit handling or suspension and brakes that deliver the last fraction of performance. They aren’t going to be ridden on track, they are destined to be ridden into town on a commute, which is a far wider audience than just the trackday fans. And that’s why they are likely to sell where true supersport bikes have struggled and died out. Is this a bad thing? Only if your heart is set on a supersport bike. It’s like comparing a set of one-piece race leathers to a nice and relaxed two-piece ensemble...…

‘ I got up at 5.30 every morning and wheelied for 40 miles’ FRONT WHEEL DRIVE Three months before the attempt Dougie had only managed to wheelie for 1.2 miles, so the team fitted an electric motor from a mountain bike. The 36-volt motor was built into the bike’s wheel and Dougie altered its speed via a switch on the bars. The gyroscopic forces created by the wheel turning help keep the bike straight – but it also pulls the front down during downhill sections and makes the bike hard to turn, hence the need to alter its speed. MAKING THE BIKE FI T FOR PURPOSE The Vertigo Ice Hell 300 is a 300cc two-stroke single that weighs 70kg and makes 25bhp. The low 9/42 gearing means it does about…

FASTEST WHEELIE In 2016, Gary Rothwell recorded a 209.82mph wheelie on his turbo Suzuki Hayabusa, the world’s fastest wheelie. FASTEST WHEELIE ON ICE Robert Gull wheelied his BMW S1000RR at 128.06mph while riding on a frozen lake! THE ORIGINAL TT ATTEMPT Wheelie legend Dave ‘The Wheelie King’ Taylor attempted to wheelie the TT course several times between 1976 and 1980 but never did a complete lap. Dave passed away in 1996, but members of his family watched Dougie’s attempt.…

1 Willingham Woods, A631, Market Rasen LN8 3RQ. Wednesday night meet. www.willinghamwoods.com 2 Loomies, A32/ A272, West Meon, Hampshire. Open seven days a week with a warm welcome and great food guaranteed. www.loomies.co.uk 3 StYonderman , Burnham onCafe Crouch , Ward , Ess owx. 01621 res, De 82bys 04.iSa e. Open rdayevery bike day me amt-3.Open m. 0 8 928 a --873 4pm. 56 5 4Woody Hayne ’sBBaakfast ,Ancaster Club , , Haynes Gra thaMoto , incs MuFeum,6Yeovil . 0pm , www ome .woodland se , Sundayaters . .co.uk Mww nday .h mm b e .cmekts. 5 Santa Pod, Poddington, Northants. Check out the regular events and get yourself down to a run what you brung and test your bike’s capabilities! www.santapod.co.uk GET YOUR MEET ON THE MAP If you…

‘It’s particularly impressive in traffic, making light work of filtering’ 2016 KAWASAKI VERSYS 650 GT Price £8499 Weight 216kg Seat height 840mm Power 68.4bhp@ 8500rpm Torque 47.2ftlb @ 7000rpm My little Kawasaki Versys has just come back from its annual 7000-mile service and is looking as good as new. Considering my dependable friend has covered more than 3000 winter, salty miles, it’s come out the other side unscathed. We battled through horrendous conditions at times, but the Versys has always been reliable, comfortable, frugal on fuel, and to be honest I’ve not once yearned for any more power. I chose the Kawasaki for winter riding as I wanted something easy to manage, comfortable for my long 90-mile commute, but not dull, and the middleweight Kwak has ticked all of those…

Q Is it worth using tyre warmers on Supercorsa SPs? A I run Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SPs on my Triumph Daytona 675R at trackdays without tyre warmers and set the pressures cold at 30/28 psi front and rear. But I often wonder whether it is worth using warmers, and if so do I set the pressures cold then stick them on the warmers, or should I set them to a hot pressure once they’re up to temperature. If so, what should that pressure be? Scott Gallagher, email Answered by Bryn Phillips, Cambrian Tyres Using tyre warmers with the Diablo Supercorsa SP is unnecessary as it is a street tyre that has lower operating temperatures than the race version. There’s nothing to prevent you using warmers, though I would advise you…

2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R £1499 Sure, it’s done 28,000 miles and has a little bit of corrosion around the collector box, but the Ninja 250R is a gem of an A2-licence-friendly machine. 1999 Suzuki SV650 £1595 This 650cc V-twin is ideal for newer riders. It has , punch and character so beginners won’t get bored once their skills increase. This 16,000-mile bike has had three owners. 2005 Honda XL125V Varadero £2295 Looks like a big bike, rides like a big bike, but can be ridden on a CBT. The Varadero 125 will take L-plated riders on any adventure; this one’s only done 12,000 miles, with two former owners.…

 Personal Contract Purchase now finances 20-30% of all new bikes sold in the UK, and it’s a method of ownership that is growing fast. But it might not be right for you, so make sure you understand the ins and outs. ‘Get yourself a new bike for less’ You can have these new bikes for less than you might have ever imagined – and what’s more you can have another new one in three years’ time, probably without increasing your monthly outlay or having to find a fresh deposit. This is how it works… • Work out what you can afford as a deposit and in monthly repayments for the duration of the contract. • You can get PCP on any amount from £1500 upwards. • Choose your new motorcycle…

‘There is lots of tradition in Great Britain’ Dorna have launched their plans for boosting British numbers in Grand Prix racing after rolling out plans not only for the British Talent Team that Czech Moto3 winner John McPhee will ride for in 2017 but also a new Talent Cup domestic series designed to mentor young riders. The Talent Cup was launched at the BT Centre in London, with McPhee joined by new team manager and former race-winner himself Jeremy McWilliams, as well as Dorna talent development boss Alberto Puig, who told MCN that it’s only natural that they want more British talent in the MotoGP classes. “Great Britain needs this, because when you check back through the years there is a lot of tradition. First of all, so many manufacturers,…

Over a 10,500-mile yearly commute, the average car would cost £1360 in fuel, but the bike would cost £1055 (a 23% reduction). This of course is much higher with a more-thirsty car – commuting in my old Lexus every day would cost £2100 a year. Of course the Multi costs a little more to run over those 10,500 miles: the Ducati would need a service and a set of tyres, while the Golf wouldn’t. The new Multistrada and my 2015 Golf are worth about the same. The real saver is time – the average time spent in the car is 93 minutes, the average time on the bike is 57 minutes – that’s a saving of 36 minutes each day, or three hours a week. Over 48 weeks of commuting…

‘A mix of fast straights, sweeping bends and tight right/lefts’Nominated by Alister Cole 1 THE RELIGIOUS ONE N52 Dundalk to Mullingar, Ireland Length 55 miles Love it because It’s a fast and flowing long run through some lovely scenery and at times, almost devoid of cars. Pick the right time of day and you’ll barely see another vehicle, leaving you time and space to become one with the bike and the road. There is every kind of corner to sample on this excellent route. Take a picture at Mullingar’s unique Cathedral of Christ the King with its impressive twin towers. Stop for a cuppa at Road House in Mullingar. Good breakfasts. Watch out for The N52 – it is notorious for crashes. ‘It’s like four race tracks have been…

Sena 10C Combination Bluetooth Intercom and Camera system £307 All-in-one Bluetooth system for recording and sharing journeys Why it works Combining Sena’s brilliant intercom system with a helmet-mounted camera, the 10C allows you to share your ride regardless of whether or not you’re riding with friends. For the times when you’re riding in a group, the Sena will allow you and your buddies to chat over a distance of one mile. Meanwhile, the HD camera lets you record all the stunning scenery you encounter. The system also packs a built-in FM radio. www.sena.com Airhawk comfort seat from £135 Air-filled pad provides all-day in-the-saddle comfort Why it works Why let arse ache ruin a good ride? Airhawk’s Dry Floatation technology features inter-connecting air cells within the cushion which equalise forces over…

‘Quality gear will always reward you’ My Altberg boots and Halvarssons jacket are great. I’ve used them for over 10 years and they are still doing the job. Vivien Wray ‘Get bespoke luggage’ Ventura luggage is great quality. You can remove your rack at the destination and fit a grab rail. Perfect. Ash Dunning ‘Pack baby wipes!’ Visor, face, leathers, bike and arse – they’ll clean them all. But make sure you don't get the lotion-loaded ones… Ian Huitson ‘Buy a good neckwarmer’ My fave is a Buff with a windstopper lining. It’s pricey compared to others on the market but works so well. Tim Howarth ‘Experiment with non-bike kit’ I use British Army Gore-Tex socks for all-weather riding. They’re warm, dry and cheap. A great option. Gary Davies ‘Invest…

“The ECU is the bike’s brain and it controls all of its electronic functions, so remapping it allows us to access this brain and turn off and on various functions. Modern bikes are rammed full of emissions equipment and by plugging in a computer and using special software we can download the ECU’s memory, alter it, and then reload it back into the bike. “On something like a modern Suzuki or Kawasaki, we can turn off emission equipment, remove any speed or performance restrictors and even unlock software such as traction control or launch control that it has loaded in the ECU, but the manufacturer has disabled its use on that specific model. “Once the map is back in the bike, using a dyno we can then measure its fuel/air…

‘For the Christmas Toy Run, people can either pay money or bring a toy to join in the fun’ “I’m a fifth-generation ex-soldier and I also retired from being a police officer 10 years ago. I drive wagons now, but I’m about to retire. I’ve always been on motorbikes and I’m a Royal British Legion rider. “I’ve been helping to raise money with Squires Bikers Cafe for the past five years. We have a great bunch of guys, who organise around five charity events a year. We start after Christmas with the Egg Run at Easter and then, in the middle of the year, we’ll do the Ride of Honour. “Then we’ll do the Ride of Remembrance in November and then the Toy Run at Christmas. There’s roughly 54 of…

TRICKERS BOOTS £390 Trickers have been making excellent leather country boots since 1829, now teaming up with Motolegends to produce the Malton motorcycle boot. They may be pricey, but the quality is outstanding. motolegends.com DAVIDA SPEEDSTER V3, FROM £289 Not road-legal until now, thanks to a redesign and advances in composites, Davida have got the V3 to sail through the tests and it still carries the ‘Made in England’ badge. davida-helmets.com BUILT ISSUE 4 £4.99 Built visits The Bike Shed, The Great Frog, Vagabond Tattoo, Kingdom of Kicks, The VC, Rebels Alliance, Malle and the Black Skulls – plus, great customs from around the world. Buy one at builtmag.co.uk…

BSA 350 SIDE-VALVE This picture was taken in the front garden of our house, it cost £250. Not the bike, the house! Jim Waller YAMAHA RD250E Pictures in 1977, that’s me with my Barry Sheene replica helmet. John Manners KAWASAKI AR50 Age 16, with Adidas jacket and Kickers for protection! Shaun Fernandes HONDA MB5 Age 16, back in 1983, on my Honda MB5. Nigel Street RD AND MTX 1987: Me on my RD (right) and my mate Tim Strong on his MTX, both aged 17. Them were the days! Rob Pressland 250CC ROYAL ENFIELD My first bike back in 1952 – 65 years later I’m riding a CBR. J Storey…

‘Would I do it again? Absolutely not. It was horrific!’ “I couldn’t relax at any point during the attempt as I never knew when a gust of wind or bump in the road might catch me out, so the concentration was unbelievable. But fatigue was also a major factor. Try standing with your back slightly bent, your legs not quite straight and you arms out ahead for five minutes; then imagine doing that for an hour-and-a-half! And then try to operate two brakes, balance a wheelie and ride a motorbike at the same time while also following a van. Physically it was so hard and the worst part of the challenge was right at the end when the pain was really starting to kick in – the mountain section. “I…

RIDING EXPERT Adam Child MCN Senior Road Tester and year-round commuter from Yorkshire EARLY WARNING Cats eyes can give you loads of informationon where the road is going and if you can overtake. DON’T FLASH Car in front not dipped his headlights? Slow down to a safe pace and avoid looking directly at the lights. Clear vision is key Obviously you need a clear visor but make sure it’s free from scratches and clean. Scratches will distort your vision at night, especially with oncoming headlights. Don’t fear the hi-viz It still might not be perceived as being fashionable, but it’s important to be seen; flourescent or reflective clothing really makes a difference. Some kit has built-in reflective strips – even gloves and boots – but I’d still advise a reflective…

‘I’ll be honest, my ZX-10R has left me a little cold. It hasn’t wowed me’ ‘A-roads are pummelled with utter stability, speed and confidence’ Price £14,299 Weight 197kg Seat 813mm Power 197bhp Torque 84ftlb MPG 45 GOODBYE WINDBLAST A taller Skidmarx screen makes touring less of a pain in the neck MORE LEGROOM Lightec billet ali rearsets give me more legroom (3mm), a smoother gear-change and more grip and feel through my feet RIDER AIDS Traction control, anti-wheelie, a quickshifter, cornering ABS and power modes enhance safety and fun. Autoblipper isn’t stock, but can be activated via a race ECU or flash These two pictures are separated by 10 months, 11,000-miles, four sets of tyres, 65 tanks of unleaded and two pairs of knee sliders. We’ve been through a lot…

Martyn Waterhouse Rock Oil’s Technical Director looks after R&D, product integrity and quality assurance – and owns a Triumph T100 Bonneville. Motorcycle engines are torture for oil. They rev highly, have greater power density and run much hotter than other automotive power units. Not only that, but most bikes also have a combined crankcase, gearbox and clutch, all of which have to be lubricated by the same slippery stuff. There’s little wonder, then, that the golden liquid that gets poured into your filler at service time comes out black and stinking through the sump plug some 4000 or so miles later. So with modern engines capable of extracting over 200bhp from a mere 999cc, and counted on to provide mile after mile of seamless reliability, the humble slippery stuff has…

While I’m fettling the Sprint ST ready for resale, I’ve been looking around at used Triumph values – and they’re all over the place. Some really hold their money (Street Triples) and others represent amazing bargains, like the Explorer and Trophy I mentioned a week or two ago. It’s now been more than a quarter-of-a-century since the first Hinckley Triumphs appeared and I’ve seen people asking silly money for some of the earliest Daytona 1000s and 900cc Sprints. They just aren’t worth the three grand you see advertised, nor even £2000 for the 885cc Sprint. I did see one of the original press road test bikes being sold, however, and that one could well be worth salting away. Provenance, and all that. Anyway, 955 Sprints can be had for very…

BRYN PHILLIPS Sales and Technical Manager at Cambrian Tyres 1975 YAMAHA RD350B (US-spec) “As kid I had one of those spotters guides and it must have been published in the States. Among the US-spec Bonnies and CB750Ks was an orange RD350B and the image of that bike cranked into a corner has stuck with me ever since. I’d then fit a set of Conti ClassicAttacks, as used on the Pro-Am RD250LCs, and go and pin it to the stop!” GARY HARTSHORNE Senior Product Manager at Bridgestone Europe 1988 YAMAHA TDR250 “I always really wanted one as a youth. I had 250/350 LCs and RD400s, but never managed to get my hands on a TDR. Also, most new models are reimagined versions of old bikes, but as yet there’s no new…

2007-2012 Suzuki GSF1250 Bandit Colours Black or blue Dealer £3700 Private good £3500 Private average £3300 This one 2009 model with a practical flyscreen, hugger and more. It has done 21k miles and is up for £3799. 2007-2012 Suzuki GSF1250S Bandit Colours Black, silver, blue or grey Dealer £4000 Private good £3800 Private average £3500 This one 2009 dealer sale in clean, standard condition showing 16k miles. £3999. 2015-2016 Suzuki GSF1250S Bandit Colours Black, grey, blue, red or white Dealer £5200 Private good £4900 Private average £4750 This one 2015 model with Datatag and showing just 6000 miles. £5495. 2016 Suzuki GSF1250S Colours Black, grey, blue, red or white Dealer new £7299 Private good £6500 Private average £6000 This one This is a brand new final-edition Bandit S. Comes with…

Hutchy’s arch rival at TT 2016, Michael Dunlop, had his first ride on the new Bennetts GSX-R Suzuki superbike at Mallory Park last week. The Ballymoney man said he was very happy with the new bike’s performance after two brief sessions in the company of team-mates Sylvain Guintoli and Richard Cooper on their British championship machines. The team had worked into the early hours to get the new superbike ready for Dunlop’s first shakedown and the 13-times TT winner was riding his full Superbike-spec machine kitted out with Motec ignition, Bitubo suspension and carbon fibre bodywork. The team weren’t able to run the factory-made swingarm because a bracket didn’t arrive in time for the test. “There was a little problem with the electronics that meant the throttle blipper and quickshifter…

Redding makes slow progress It’s been a difficult series of winter tests for Redding on the Pramac Ducati, with the 24-year-old struggling with a series of basic problems such as chatter and grip. Finally seeming to get some of them addressed at Phillip Island he’s hoping that the worst is now behind him. However, with other satellite Ducati riders like Alvaro Bautista impressing on similar machinery Redding knows that he needs to up his pace. Redding will soon start to come under additional pressure to perform given that he’s only on a one-year deal. BRADLEY SMITH Despite being off the pace Bradley Smith has reasoned that the start of his career as a factory MotoGP rider in the Red Bull KTM team has gone largely the way he expected. With…

‘Rea had to start race two from ninth… but he still dominated’ WSB has gone down a whole new rabbit hole of altered states in 2017, as far as grid positions are concerned at least. Now, the top three riders from race one get relegated to the third row for the start of race two. And the guys who finished fourth to ninth all move up one row. Instant promotion, no play-offs required. Also, the race one winner and third place rider swap places on that aforementioned third row meaning that Rea had to start ninth, with Davies eighth and Sykes seventh for race two. Some liked the whole idea, others hated it, but in reality we have seen that for some riders (Rea and Davies) it has little effect.…

A tough return Eugene Laverty’s much lauded return to WSB didn’t quite go according to plan. He rode to eighth in race one, heading up a three-rider group containing Michael van der Mark and World Superbike rookie Randy Krummenacher. He was down in 10th in race two, having led for a lap early on. Records tumble The absolute WSB best lap time at Phillip Island was ripped to bits by no less than four riders in Superpole, with Jonathan Rea finally winning it with a time of 1m 29.573s as four riders dipped under 1m 30s. A wild weekend Josh Brookes’ exit from the WSB paddock didn’t last long, as the 2015 BSB champion put in a wild card ride at Phillip Island before his return to BSB. 16th in…

A couple of weeks Morocco and Turkey are close enough to Europe to encounter real borders and feel like you’ve properly escaped. You can make Morocco in three to four days or Istanbul in six. Once there, you’ll feel a long way from home. Up to six weeks Fly-ride options are tempting. Ride from Nairobi in Kenya to Cape Town, South Africa. Or journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific in South America (and back again) taking in the Andes and Altiplano. Two to three months How about the Silk Road? Take the northern route through China for an all-tarmac experience. Or try the opposite side of the planet by following the Pan American Highway from Colombia down to Patagonia. If you fancy touring in a group, then come with…

Metzeler Roadtec 01 £249 Current king of the do-it-all sports touring tyres Why they work New last year, these are an evolution of the Roadtec Z8, a previous winner of MCN’s Tyre of the Year award. The Roadtec 01 has all the plushness, feel and wet weather prowess of the outgoing Z8, but manage to offer an additional layer of comfort, grip and confidence. www.metzelermoto.com Bridgestone T30 Evo £212 Superb all-rounders with a distinctly sporty edge Why they work These are an evolution of Bridgestone’s impressive T30 tyres, promising improved wet grip. Although they are slow to warm up, once up to temperature we had no problem with dry grip or stability but the ride quality can feel slightly harsh. www.bridgestone.co.uk Pirelli Diablo Rosso III £247 Sporty road tyres that…

There’s more to motorcycles than admiring pristine paintwork and squeaky clean chains. And there’s more to odometers than doubling up as service reminders. Forget that, they’re not ornaments. Our bikes need to be ridden and enjoyed. And we reckon slapping 5000 miles on your clocks this year is the best way of doing that. To prove it, a bunch of our big mileage readers reveal what they get from riding more miles a year; from eliminating stress to saving a wad of cash, blitzing past traffic and becoming a better rider. So what are you waiting for? Get out there, rack up some digits and have a blast! 2006 YAMAHA XT660R ‘Travelling is an awesome way to rack up miles’ BRADLEY GREW I used my XT to commute to and…

APRILIA TUONO V4 1100 FACTORY £15,999 The current king of the naked class, it boasts conventional Öhlins suspension, 175bhp, a mass of electronic aids and a low mass. And you can’t ignore the allure of an 1100cc V4. It’s nothing short of sensational. BMW S1000R SPORT £ 12,365 The best of the inline-four rivals, the S1000R steals heavily from its superbike sibling. The new-for-2017 version gets even closer with chassis mods and is a full £1000 cheaper than the SP. DUCATI MONSTER 1200R £ 15,995 The R version of Ducati’s Monster gets an extra 15bhp over the S model, meaning that it matches the power of the SP with 160bhp, but it’s 10kg lighter and has more torque. KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R £13,999 The beast was updated this year…

Costly classic A record price was set for a Velocette Thruxton at the H&H Classics Donington auction on February 22. The unrestored example from 1968 sold for £24,295, a world record for an unrestored Thruxton sold at auction. Wayne’s world FB Pictures and the General Film Corporation have announced that they are producing a feature-length biopic on former 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner. The film will tell the story of the Wollongong Whiz and how he went from zipping around on a 250cc Yamaha aged 18 to become the 1987 GP Champion. Auction fever BVA-Auctions.com is holding an online auction from March 4-8. The auction includes approximately 50 motorcycles built between 1924 and 1964 and more than 40 mopeds. Included in the auction are a 1952 Ferrari 125, a 1956…

V-Strom prices Suzuki have announced the prices for the latest V-Strom 650 and 1000, along with the XT models. The standard V-Strom 650 will have an RRP of £7399 while the more off-road focused 650XT will be £7899. The XT model is fitted with wire-spoked wheels, handguards and a bash plate. The 1000 will be priced at £9499 while the XT will be £9999. Ducati top honour Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati, has made a trip to Jakarta, Indonesia, to visit the largest Ducati showroom in the world. To coincide with this trip, he met with the Thai Prime Minister and was also awarded the position of Honorary Investment Advisor to the Thai Board of Investment in Bangkok – the longest job title in the world. Just imagine the business…

MCN reader David Dixon says: "I bought my 996 in 2015 after lusting after them since I was a kid, watching Foggy, Corser and Bayliss just own WSB on them. They're not the fastest bikes out there these days, nor the most practical or reliable. But for smiles per mile, the 996 beats all others, making me feel like my boyhood Ducati heros, even when I just pop down to the shops. Other people like to see them out and about, even non-bike people recognise and appreciate it. You can even score a nod from Harley and scooter riders! I could go on for hours singing praise. It's like a love affair, I probably have to apologise to my girlfriend...”…

On the face of it, Herald’s range are simply re-styled Chinese bikes. But this doesn’t do them justice. After swapping out the unreliable parts that Chinese bikes always come with for quality replacements, Herald then spend a lot of time individually customising the bikes to create their own unique model range. The result is a selection of bikes that while a little basic in terms of equipment, are stacked full of charm. There are certainly rough edges, but their amusing character and free spirit lets them get away with most of their faults as they are great fun to ride. NOMAD Stylish transport at a decent price Engine 249cc, 4v air-cooled single Power 21bhp Torque 14.3ftlb Weight 130kg(dry) Tank size 12l Seat height 780mm ROAMER A classy 250 with a…

ENGINE Strangled by Euro4. After fitting a Rapid Bike Evo fuel unit and full Akrapovic exhaust system (from Performance Parts Ltd) to replace the standard pipe (saving 9kg), maximum power is up from 192bhp to 197bhp with a silky throttle response. It still lacks bottom and mid-range power, but a race ECU or flash can improve grunt. SUSPENSION Showa Balance Free gas forks give the ZX-10R a magic carpet ride, but the shock’s preload adjuster is inaccessible with a C-Spanner and impossible to adjust. BRAKES Brakes. Very safe, but a spongy feel at all speeds, inconsistent on track. SBS Sinter pads help, as does disabling ABS with a Kawasaki dongle, but their character remains. I’ve ridden a ZX-10RR stripped of its ABS system and it’s the same story. The problem…

BMW Rallye suit: jacket £550 and trousers £435 Tested by James Archibald Time tested Four months/ 12,000 miles What’s good? I love this suit; it’s comfortable and feels really well built for proper adventure riding. The suit is made from BMW’s ProTechWool, a fabric that feels both soft and durable; it’s almost like wearing regular clothes but with armour. The jacket has more pockets than I could ever fill. It has vents everywhere and is the best I’ve used in hot weather. I’ve never been too warm in it, even when throwing my GS around off-road during the headiest days of summer. For thirsty work, a pocket in the back fits the optional two-litre ThinkPak Hyra bladder (£23). And, if you’re riding somewhere really hot you can even take the…

RST bespoke suits for all RST are to offer ACU licence-holders access to their made-to-measure service. Previously only for pro riders, the British company is launching an online design service to specify a bespoke Pro Series suit. No price has been confirmed, but the firm says it will command a slight premium over its £680 off-the-peg range-topping suit. www.moto-direct.com Ducati take over Donington Ducati UK have announced the first date of the their 2017 trackday season – May 30 at Donington Park. Run with the California Superbike School, you can also hire one of Ducati’s new SuperSports, Panigale 959 or 1299. Breakfast and lunch are included in the £189 price. To book contact your local Ducati dealer. Feel treat for Fast Freddie fans The only man ever to win two…

PRICE NEW £7999 PRICE NOW £750-£1200 IN A YEAR £800-£1200 • 162mph and a standing 1/4-mile in 10.8s • 125bhp • 70ftlb • 203kg There’s almost always a price for performance – 150mph is commonplace, any self-respecting 1990s sports 600 will do that; 160mph is a bit tougher, but some old-school 600s will touch it. Past this and you’re into the realms of Fireblades, ZZ-R1100s and EXUPs. But there’s one cheap 900 that’ll hit 160, and that’s Suzuki’s RF. “It’s not often you get quality and style along with ‘budget’. But Suzuki delivered just that with the RF900R,” said MCN in 2006, citing a top speed of 162mph and a standing quarter time of 10.8 seconds. It was actually more powerful than the Fireblade of the era. Suzuki’s adept at…

 “It’s a bit like bread really, the big Bandit – staple diet stuff. There’s thousands of them out there and they’re very good at what they do. They’re not a sportsbike but if you get a decent rider on one you can certainly shift along. They’re perfectly capable, handle well and the engine is nice and smooth. And it’s got to be right up there as one of the most reliable bikes you can buy. ‘If it’s got stunt pegs and flat bars it’s probably a sign it’s had a hard life’ “The engine’s basically bulletproof, and I can’t think of anything wrong with the chassis. The brakes should be fine unless they’ve got an awful lot of road grime in them. “The finish is no worse than anything else.…

‘We’re permanently trying to control things, to save crashes’CAL CRUTCHLOW Double MotoGP race-winner Cal Crutchlow is leading the four-rider strong British charge in MotoGP in 2017, but with just one test remaining Crutchlow has admitted that the season ahead won’t be easy. Like the Repsol Honda team of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa, Crutchlow is finding his RC213V a difficult animal to tame, even after the extensive work done to improve its aggressive power delivery. Crutchlow admitted to MCN after the Phillip Island test that while there have been improvements in some areas thanks to the switch in firing order from a screamer to a big bang format, it hasn’t brought about the revelations that the team were hoping for in controlling the machine’s aggression. MCN understands that the latest…

Support classes get going, too Moto2 and Moto3 testing is now well underway, with a number of the championship front-runners in both classes including the Red Bull KTM bikes, Valentino Rossi’s Team Sky and the Marc VDS squad taking to track at both Valencia and Jerez. They’ll have a series of other tests before coming together for the first time at the official Jerez outing next week. Marquez shrugs off shoulder pain Marc Marquez has dismissed a dislocated shoulder as “nothing serious”. after popping out the joint that he’s repeatedly dislocated over the past few years during a private test at Jerez last week. The reigning MotoGP champion was on track alongside Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa for what was supposed to be a two-day test to help decide on…

‘I am not on a knife-edge any more. I feel comfortable to fight all season’JONATHAN REA The intense rivalry between Jonathan Rea and Chaz Davies hit new heights in the opening round of the 2017 season at Phillip Island – with Brits taking a clean sweep of the top five spots in the first race. Ultimate bragging rights went to Rea at the end of the two intense and highly-charged Phillip Island races having taken a stunning double victory and superpole ahead of Davies, but his winning margins were just 0.042 seconds and 0.025 seconds. At the end of 2016, Rea was crowned WSB champion but had to watch Davies win seven of the final eight races. It changed the dynamic of the 2017 expectations and the niggle between the…

‘Considering our history here, third position is an acceptable start’TOM SYKES Tom Sykes loves Phillip Island, but it has seldom loved him back. In race one, after making changes to his style and machine set-up over winter to try to match the new and more stock technical reality of WSB, he scored a podium and was only 0.050 seconds from his much more fancied teammate Jonathan Rea. “In this part of the season, considering its Phillip Island, considering our history, third position is an acceptable start,” said Sykes, by way of an intense understatement. He then went on to allude to this kind of finish being like a win at other places. Sykes clearly suffered from the new grid rules in race two, where third in race one got him…