Table of contents for 9 June 2021 in MCN

The Yamaha Racing Experience is back for 2021, allowing R1M owners the chance to ride the full Silverstone Grand Prix track between June 27-28 for free! The event is open to anyone who’s purchased a new R1M since June 2019 and includes a day on track, hotel and all meals. Places for 2015-19 R1M owners are available for £99 on June 28. Instructors include Jason O’Halloran and Tarran Mackenzie. To register, visit bit.ly/3wSAj8v New HJCs in stock HJC’s £499.99 sports touring Carbon RPHA 70 Reple has arrived in stock – just in time for that big summer ride. Featuring a carbon fibre outer shell, there’s quick-release emergency cheek pads, plus a new lower vent on the chin. There’s also a sun visor and it’s available in multiple designs. It still…

Team Classic Suzuki have been keeping busy during lockdowns by creating the ultimate Katana – mating its angular looks with a GSX-R1000 World Superbike racer. At the heart of the big Kat lies a WSB-spec 999cc four-cylinder engine, previously used by the Alstare team during the 2008 season and now fully refreshed by Team Classic Suzuki’s Nathan Colombi to produce around 200bhp at the rear wheel. Keeping that performance in check is a Yoshimura EM Pro electronics kit. The four-pot engine retains its WSB-grade headers, which are now joined to a link pipe and end can provided by Racefit. Oh yeah, it’ll be loud. These are shrouded by a factory radiator and oil cooler and flanked by aluminium water and oil pipes. Keeping all of this in place is an…

Touratech have announced a new, adjustable screen for the Yamaha Ténéré 700. In its lowest position, the Windscreen Adjustment Pro is 12mm taller than the standard bike’s and it is adjustable by 60mm in seven increments. These higher positions offer increased protection from the weather and adjustments can be made easily with one hand. The screen costs £86.96, visit www.shop.touratech-uk.co.uk for more info. Get tooled up Sealey have announced their 2021 summer promotion catalogue with over 700 products with many new items and big savings too. What’s more, you can enter a competition to win £500-worth of hand tools of your choice. There are tonnes of kit to deck out your garage or home workshop. Find the full range online now at www.sealey.co.uk. Rules Britannia A study has found the…

Every week we give a different rider a wodge of fictional cash and ask them to ‘buy’ the bike that sets their soul on fire. This is Simon’s pick... ‘What I’d buy right now with’ £7000 2006 BMW R1200GS Adventure Si Pavey has been running the BMW Off Road Skills school in Wales for over 20 years. An extremely experienced off-road rider himself with eight Dakar Rally finishes under his belt, Si has explored every inch of the 4000-acre Walters Arena on various BMWs. So, what would he buy in the used bike market? “Well, given my history it would have to be a GS, wouldn’t it?” he says, “however that’s the easy bit, deciding which model to buy is the hard part. Over the years we have used so…

The Devitt MCN Festival of Motorcycling has always been the best place to swing your leg over the latest models and this year’s event is no different. On September 4-5 the festival will be home to huge test fleets from all the major names. There’s everything from full-on sportsbikes to fun nakeds. You can even get a ride on an electric mountain bike. Just turn up on the day with your lid and licence. Yamaha join the party…! This week sees Yamaha confirm their bikes for the festival. The lineup will include their new Tracer 9 GT (see our full MCN250 test on page 31), the hot new MT-09 SP, new retro XSR125 and the popular MT-07. Festival-goers will also be able to ride the new MT-09, Tracer 7 GT,…

1 Stratford Autojumble Taking place on June 13 with free parking and £5 tickets. It’s £20 to book yourself a pitch. www.stratfordautojumble.co.uk 2 The Old Stores Café This Welsh-biker beauty has a bike night every Wednesday from 6pm to 8pm. www.facebook.com/theoldstorescafe 3 Iron Horse Ranch House The Iron Horse is usually busy all week, but Pit Stop Sunday is especially worthy of a rideout. ironhorseranchhouse.co.uk 4 Bike night at the Ace Cafe June 11 is the weekly bike night down at the Ace. Good grub and a great meeting spot to have a natter. london.acecafe.com…

SATURDAY June 12 8.30am, EUR2, Live WSB from Misano 10.45am, EUR2, 24 Hours of Le Mans SUNDAY June 13 6am, EUR2, 24 Hours of Le Mans 8.55am, ITV4, MotoGP highlights from Catalunya, Spain 11.30am, EUR2, Live WSB, Misano, 11pm, EUR2, Motocross World Championship racing MONDAY June 14 7.30pm, EUR2, Live British Speedway: Sheffield Tigers v King’s Lynn Stars KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT – DISCOVERY REAL TIME DSC – DISCOVERY CHANNEL DHD – DISCOVERY CHANNEL HD EXS – EXTREME SPORTS CHANNEL EUR1 (2, HD) – EUROSPORT 1 (2, HD) MOT – MOTORSPORT.TV CH4 – CHANNEL 4 CH5 – CHANNEL FIVE BBC BBCI – BBC INTERACTIVE ESPN – ESPN CLASSIC CHANNEL ITVDST – DISCOVERY TURBO SHED – DISCOVERY SHED INST – INSIGHT SS1 (2, 3 OR X) – SKY SPORTS 1 (2, 3…

CHIEF ROAD TESTER Ever since 2015 the Tracer has been the go-to middleweight upright sports tourer and it still is now. It doesn’t wow or seduce, but just gets on with its job of wafting you, and perhaps a pillion and luggage, to where you want to go. It’s not too heavy, aggressive or quirky – it’s just easy and doesn’t mind having a bit of fun along the way. It’s roomy and comfortable for the most part, but for all-day touring the riding position might not be comfortable enough for some and one of the biggest criticisms of the old bike, it’s noisy screen, especially for taller riders, is still there. But an adventure-style bike like this will never be as quiet as a conventional sports-tourer. But the new…

Yamaha may not have won as many grand prix races as Honda, but the Hamamatsu manufacturer is arguably still the greatest racing brand of them all. The company contested its first grand prix in May 1961 and since then has always featured in GPs, either with factory bikes or privateer machines, unlike GP racing’s other great marques, Honda and Suzuki. During the last 60 years Yamaha has anointed some of motorcycling’s greatest world champions, including Phil Read, Jarno Saarinen, Giacomo Agostini, ‘King’ Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. Slow start and factory spies Yamaha started out making musical instruments – hence the tuning fork logo – in the late 19th century and expanded into bikes in the 1950s. Their first GP bike wasn’t even a…

CHIEF ROAD TESTER KTM’s new 890 Duke is light, fun and well equipped, but it has one major problem: the higher-spec 890 Duke R. It stopped us in our tracks when it was launched last year with its sophisticated ride and immense grip, but with those two things gone from the cheaper base model and with less power and more kilos, it feels decidedly ordinary by comparison. Some will prefer the base model KTM’s softer nature, its ability to carry a pillion and the lower price, but it’s still expensive and for the money a Triumph Street Triple R or Yamaha MT-09 are a better bet. THE FACTS £9649 KTM 890 DUKE…

The former police advanced rider knows Snake Pass and the Derwent Valley like the back of his hand. He said: “I’m lucky. If I head north from my house, I’m in the Yorkshire Dales and if I head south I can be here in half an hour. “It really is a fantastic road. From an improve-your-riding perspective, it has everything – brilliant views and all kinds of bends. The 50 limit is a challenge and if you go through the gears you’ll never stick to it. I tend to treat it as an exercise: I’ll use third or fourth and try to ride it in one gear without having to use the brakes. You really have to read the road to do that. “It is one of the best roads…

SENIOR WRITER Year-round rider, weekend blaster and racetrack dweller If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last 2000 miles, it’s that the Aprilia RS660 attracts attention like no other motorcycle I’ve ridden. Likely caused by its beautiful RSV4-aping looks and V-twin soundalike rumble at town speeds, it attracts curious glances, and I’ve been stopped in traffic by fellow bikers who want to find out more. It’s a refreshing take on the sportsbike concept and perfectly timed – giving race rep fans something they can enjoy at road legal speeds and on the occasional trackday. Think of it as a modern successor to the Honda CBR600F Sport – rather than the RS250 replacement many hoped it would be – and you won’t be far wrong. It has been fantastic as…

Most bikers associate Optimate with battery chargers, but the Belgian brand also do a whole host of other useful gizmos for bikes – USB ports being one of them. The great thing about the Optimate sockets is that they also have an ‘intelligent’ battery protection feature, meaning that if you leave your phone connected while your bike’s turned off, the USB port will turn off if it detects that your bike’s battery has fallen below a set voltage – vitally important with some of today’s more sensitive lightweight bike batteries. Another nice feature about the Optimate stuff is that it all uses the same type of SAE connector, so if you also have an Optimate charger, you can use the same lead to hook up to the battery, minimising fitting…

Joan Mir’s bid for a season first race win faded as fast as his rear grip and acceleration, with the defending world champion continuing to leak points. Seven races in and the Suzuki GSX-RR is yet to win with Mir’s talent and motivation unrewarded apart from a single podium in Portugal. It must soon be panic stations with Mir a significant 37 points adrift and fifth in the championship standings. HITS ✔ ✔ Lightning start Mir had only one choice from 10th on the grid. A banzai start and a high-risk surge for track position with the lead group. Brilliant execution. He carved to fourth at the end of lap one despite the GSX-RR lacking the benchmark launch/traction devices of its rivals. ✔ Bold strategy Mir felt he had a…

Veteran MotoGP correspondent shares his unique racing insight There are many ways to lose a race – tyre degradation, machine problems, even (as Casey Stoner once said to Rossi) to “run out of talent”. Fabio Quartararo found a cruel new setback… wardrobe malfunction. He ran out of zip. Sunday’s clear race favourite had crossed the line third but ended up sixth. He was beaten not only by the fast and steadfast Oliveira, but also by a bizarre incident when his leathers mysteriously came open to the waist with five laps left. As a result, he suffered two time penalties that cost him six points. “I don’t know what happened – Alpinestars are investigating,” the disgruntled rider said. But his confusion left more puzzlement. Zips can burst open, but selfreleasing zips…

NEIL HODGSON ‘It’s disrespectful’ “I’m so disappointed with the organisers. With what happened last weekend, it’s absolutely appalling. It’s disrespectful. What we all experienced, what we all went through last weekend, a death of a young rider and then they’re going allow a rider to race around the track at 200mph with his leathers open. If he’d have crashed, I can’t even imagine what would have happened.” MARC MARQUEZ ‘Unfair to black flag’ “I think it’s unfair to black flag him, but it’s dangerous. It’s like when you have a something hanging, you have to make it safe and if you can’t, you have to retire.” JEREMY MCWILLIAMS ‘Race control should be reprimanded’ “Surely the only penalties handed out today should’ve been towards the stewards who deemed it okay for…

‘The dread has been growing’ Ten days later, it’s possible to consider the strange feeling of relief in the aftermath of the death of Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier at Mugello. Thankfully, only one dead. The dread has been growing in Moto3, which seems exponentially closer and more reckless every weekend. Gangs of 15 or more circulate on the ragged edge within touching distance. TV commentators sometimes call these tactical battles “high-speed games of chess”. No. More like skittles. One down, and it’s pure chance if he doesn’t take several more with him. It happens often. It did this weekend, too. Then it’s down to blind luck. Tragically at Mugello the Swiss teenager’s luck ran out. He was hit by at least one rider. This is how most fatalities occur. Of…

With spring finally in full swing and summer ready to bring more heat and riding weather, a new BMW could be just the thing to get the season started right. And now could be the perfect time with the firm’s hot summer upgrade offer. Upgrading just got sweeter When you trade-in your current bike for a brand-new BMW, the dealer will enhance its value by £500 if you’re upgrading to a new BMW from stock (the only exceptions being the S1000R, M1000RR and R1250RT). You can trade-in any model and any make and get your hands on a brand-new bike for less, but be quick, as the offer is valid until the end of the month (June 30, 2021). Bikes to get your hands on BMW’s range has everything from…

Back when it was launched in 2009, the KTM 990 SMT earned a reputation for being a great all-rounder, be it on track, twisty roads or on the motorway. And it’s still worthy of that title today. On the used market, you can find examples fitted with loads of great options like heated grips and luggage, and none of that detracts from the superb V-twin engine and fantastic handling, courtesy of the WP suspension. The bodywork is sturdy but fasteners are prone to rust. It’s also worth mentioning that the clutch slave cylinder has been known to fail. Replacement will cost you around £179. The ECU can also be temperamental, so when you take it out for a test ride, wait a few moments to let the tacho needle do…

Of all the questions we thought we might be asking in the closing laps of Sunday’s MotoGP race, ‘what on Earth is Fabio doing with his zip?’ probably wasn’t on anyone’s list. It was an extraordinary sequence of events. From fumbling with his zipper to the ejection of his chest protector, followed by further fumbling and a growing sense of imminent danger and forboding. It might feel mildly counter-intuitive to bang on about safety in racing – but it’s the relentless pursuit of exactly that which has enabled racing, and racers, to survive. The need to protect riders – sometimes from themselves – means that tragedies like the loss of Jason Dupasquier are rare occurrences in racing nowadays. But such recent heartache, and a series of close calls in the…

We are only halfway through 2021 but Kawasaki are already revealing their 2022 off-road range and there is something for everyone, regardless of age, experience and discipline. The entry into the range is the KLX110 four-stroke, which has a semi-auto gearbox, both kick and electric start plus an adjustable throttle stop, so kids don’t go totally wild and can be given a bit more performance as their skills increase over time. With the ropes learned, the next steps come in the form of the KX65 and then the KX85, which is available in big and small wheeled versions. Getting kids on bikes isn’t cheap, a KLX110 will cost you £2349, a KX65 £3099 and a KX85 £4049 but you’ll make that back if turns out you’ve raised the next Jonathan…

RST X Kevlar single-layer jeans £149.99 These have five pockets and a tapered leg. They are made from denim and Kevlar woven together to offer protection without too much bulk. The RSTs are rated to CE AA and additional protection comes from CE level 1 knee and hip armour which is included in the pack. There are short and long leg versions. www.rst-moto.com Alpinestars Rhod Windstopper £199.99 Designed for urban riding and commuting, the Rhod Windstopper hoodie offers decent abrasion resistance thanks to the aramid reinforcements on the shoulders and elbows in a versatile casual package that comes equipped with a detachable hood so it won’t catch too much air while you are our riding on the bike. www.alpinestars.com Alpinestars Speedforce riding shoes £189.99 This is a riding shoe that…

Q ‘Have I been hung out to dry by Porsche driver?’ I was following a Porsche on my Ducati Multistrada and as I went to overtake with a clear straight ahead, the driver accelerated hard. This meant that the gap between me and the oncoming car was not as great as I thought. I managed to get back onto my side of the road, but the oncoming car swerved to avoid me and went into a hedge. I have now received a letter from a firm of solicitors seeking compensation for their client’s injuries in his car accident and telling me to send the letter to my insurer. They claim their driver had a serious eye injury from his airbag going off due to my actions. I stopped but the…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews Good work on CALM As a biker who has suffered from anxiety and depression I can relate to Richard Newland’s editorial (MCN, May 12). It is a difficult issue for some people (especially men) to admit to. I have found biking to be the best therapy ever. I have also worked as a carer in mental health and jumping on a bike on a day off has helped to put life back into perspective. PLEASE support MCN with this vital CALM campaign. Ride safe, folks! Paul Clissold, email Better to start off small After reading MCN’s riding clinic over the years it struck me that many of the riders are riding large capacity, adventure bikes. Is it possible that the weight, stature and complexity of these…

Ride further in 2021 with a little help from our one-stop event guide JUST BREW IT Ride out to Britain’s best biking cafes THE GREEN WELLY ● Get fuel from 7am-9pm, a bite to eat inside from 8.30am-8pm ● Tyndrum, Crianlarich, Scotland www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk If you’ve ever been on a tour of Scotland, you’ll probably recognise the Green Welly Stop. Affectionately coined as “the middle of nowhere but the centre of everywhere” the Green Welly is surrounded by fantastic routes to the likes of Glasgow, Perth, Stirling, Fort William, Oban and Applecross. “You can think of us a little bit like a motorway services with a petrol station, a large self-service café, a small takeaway and sit-in pizza parlour,” said co-owner and keen motorcyclist Ed Robertson. But that’s not all. On…

MCN staff and readers share their favourite routes This is a great taster ride to give an idea of what is on offer in the fantastic Peak District National Park. A weekday is preferable for this run, as the weekend roads get congested. Book a spot in your diary for a midweek ride and make sure you take your time to enjoy it, the scenery is absolutely stunning. Starting from Buxton, head clockwise along the A5004 passing through Whaley Bridge and onto the A6 for a short distance before bearing right onto the B6062 to the B5470. From here, go through Chapel-enle-Frith and up to Edale, before heading round to Hope. Now wend your way along the B6187 through Hathersage and go right onto the B6001 down to Calver. Turn…

The weather is finally improving enough to get the classic cars and bikes from out of their sheds and into some shows. The Ripon Classic Car and Bike Show is back with plenty to take a gander at. What’s the details? Vintage vehicles and the allimportant classic motorcycles will be on show. Surrounded by trade stands and a cracking autojumble, you’ll be hard-pressed not to find a bargain. Plus, there will be arena parades and displays and good facilities for refreshments too. The essential stuff The show takes place at Ripon Racecourse on Sunday June 13. It’s open from 10am until 4pm, and an adult ticket is £7.50. Kids under 15 can get in free with an adult. You can prebook tickets with a card, but on the day, you’ll…

Philip Weston Age 71 Height 5ft 8in Current bike Yamaha Tracer 900 GT and Honda 125 Grom Been riding Passed my test at 16, but have been riding seriously for 15 years Dream bike Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE “I wanted a Tracer because it was cheaper than the Triumph Tiger 800 I’d had previously, cheaper to service, cheaper to run, it’s got all the tech the Tiger had and when I bought it two years ago it was 10 grand with all the bits on. “The main bonus of the GT was the cruise control and some of the different things on the dash, like average speed. I’ve put a drinks holder on it for a bottle of water, a satnav, lead for my heated jacket and changed the…

Yamaha’s first four-stroke race bike was appropriately named Genesis. The FZR750 Genesis used an FZ750 engine and would’ve won its debut race – the 1985 Suzuka Eight Hours, part of the endurance world championship – but for a dropped valve in the final minutes. They learned fast; two years later Yamaha won the Eight Hours, their first big four-stroke victory. However, when World Superbikes was launched in 1988 Yamaha were hardly ready. While Honda had the RC30 and Ducati raced their booming 851 V-twin, Yamaha riders had to make do with the more basic FZ750. They waited five years for the arrival of the YZF750, which still wasn’t good enough. In 1999 the R7 arrived, Yamaha’s first proper go at a WSB homologation special. The following year Noriyuki Haga and…

LS2 Arrow C Evo £319.99 ‘You wonder if they’ve got the price wrong!’ Tested by Emma Franklin for two years, 5000 miles Now gracing the heads of world championship and BSB riders, LS2 are starting to become more well known in the UK – and so they should, because the Chinese firm make alarmingly good lids. I’ve been wearing their top-of-the-range full-carbon shell racing lid on and off for two years and it’s become a firm favourite. It’s extremely light and has the same fit as my usual Shoei – the build quality is on a par with the Japanese brand too. It’s stunning and is packed with features and extras – great ventilation, lockable visor, emergency lining removal system, and comes complete with a black race visor, Pinlock insert,…

Your engine is a perfectly tuned device We see plenty of machines with a different exhaust end-can or occasionally a full system. It’s not just sportsbikes – there are lots of MT-09s with fruity pipes, for example, and owners of Z1000SXs and ZZR1400s love a slip-on silencer. But you’d be amazed how many haven’t had the fuelling adjusted to suit. The fuel mixture pumped into your engine and the pipe taking the waste gases away are critical parts. Gas flow through an engine is key, so changing any bit of the system – in this case by replacing the exhaust – upsets a finely-tuned balance. You may get away with not needing a fuel change, of course. Or there may be a small flat-spot in the power delivery. But if…

MECHANIC Tom Johnson of Bike Moto in Portsmouth Custom bikes are usually gleaming, beautifully polished and cared-for works of art. Not this Honda Shadow 750 that was pushed into Bike Moto’s workshop recently. Mechanic Tom Johnson told us: “This thing has been coming in here for years. Bikes like this usually only do 200 miles a year, but this one has covered 75,000 miles as the bloke goes to work on it every day, rain or shine. “He never cleans it, and he’s almost run it out of oil three times. The last time we only managed to drain out one litre which had gone back to its original ‘crude’ state. It’s amazing that it still keeps going at all really.” On this occasion the guy had to push the…

Remy Gardner capped off the perfect week by clinching a calculated victory for the second weekend running. Fresh from confirming his promotion to MotoGP with Tech3 KTM in 2022, Gardner again went toe-to-toe with teammate Raul Fernandez and used his wisdom to manage his tyres, dive down the inside at turn one, and pull the pin. He now leads the title standings by 11 points. Everything is coming together for the Aussie, and it’s well deserved. He’s done his time on uncompetitive, outdated machinery, he’s learnt from his own mistakes, and he’s pushed himself upwards. Now inside the top team in Moto2, Gardner has the tools to match his ability and race craft and he looks head and shoulders above the field. The big MotoGP bikes will suit his style…

MCN asked leathers supplier Alpinestars for clarification on the incident and were given the following statement: “Following Sunday’s MotoGP race the Alpinestars’ Racing Development team commenced an investigation into the integrity of Fabio Quartararo’s racing suit. Upon initial analysis postrace in the Alpinestars Racing Development truck located in the MotoGP paddock, the team found the suit to be in normal working order with all zippers and fasteners fully functioning. “Furthermore, all the suit’s componentry, including the Tech-Air Airbag System, was intact and fully functioning. This is only a first assessment, to be further investigated once the suit is in the laboratory at Alpinestars HQ, conducting all testing and analysis to understand what happened in the race.”…

‘He should have been black-flagged’ What a bizarre weekend – it feels like the rules are getting in the way of the racing. Now it seems that the talking point is not how good the racing was, it’s about who touched the green paint. Somewhere along the line there needs to be some common sense. It seems race control are more concerned about giving penalties than they are watching the racing, where is it going to end? Yet they seemed completely blindsided by Quartararo’s leathers being undone. I think he should have been black-flagged immediately. There are lots of young people who look up to these guys and it’s not acceptable to be riding around at 200mph with your leathers hanging off. He also chucked his chest protector, I know…

Getting the inside line on grand prix racing since 1996 It’s been quite some week for Miguel Oliveira and KTM’s factory MotoGP squad. Going into the Mugello-Catalunya double header, Oliveira had been ruled out as a title contender after a dismal start to 2021. The 26-year-old failed to score a top 10 in the opening five rounds and pitched up in Mugello only 20th in the rankings. So how could a rider who won a last corner thriller at Red Bull Ring and then dominated Portimao last season, suddenly struggle to break into the top 10? Oliveira and KTM appeared the most high profile victims of Michelin’s decision to cut their hardest compound front tyre from the allocation in 2021. KTM’s RC16 has always been famed for its braking stability,…

Back when it was launched in 2009, the KTM 990 SMT earned a reputation for being a great all-rounder, be it on track, twisty roads or on the motorway. And it’s still worthy of that title today. On the used market, you can find examples fitted with loads of great options like heated grips and luggage, and none of that detracts from the superb V-twin engine and fantastic handling, courtesy of the WP suspension. The bodywork is sturdy but fasteners are prone to rust. It’s also worth mentioning that the clutch slave cylinder has been known to fail. Replacement will cost you around £179. The ECU can also be temperamental, so when you take it out for a test ride, wait a few moments to let the tacho needle do…

With spring finally in full swing and summer ready to bring more heat and riding weather, a new BMW could be just the thing to get the season started right. And now could be the perfect time with the firm’s hot summer upgrade offer. Upgrading just got sweeter When you trade-in your current bike for a brand-new BMW, the dealer will enhance its value by £500 if you’re upgrading to a new BMW from stock (the only exceptions being the S1000R, M1000RR and R1250RT). You can trade-in any model and any make and get your hands on a brand-new bike for less, but be quick, as the offer is valid until the end of the month (June 30, 2021). Bikes to get your hands on BMW’s range has everything from…

SAVE £1800 £15,699 KTM 1290 Super Duke R Some say the 1290 Super Duke R should have had its quickshifter, adaptive brake light and other electronic aids as standard instead of options. So, Kestrel KTM in Coventry are offering the KTM Tech Pack and an Akrapovic exhaust for just an extra £199, saving £1800. ● www.kestrelktm.co.uk SAVE £1253 £10,999 Triumph Thruxton R This big twin comes with Öhlins shocks, Showa Big Piston Forks and Brembo brakes. ● bridgemotorcycles.com ● Engine 1200cc ● Power 96bhp ● Weight 203kg ● Seat height 810mm SAVE £800 £4799 Honda CB500FA One of the last of these Euro4, A2-ready bikes is available from HGB Motorcycles in north west London, with a big saving. ● hgbmotorcycles.co.uk ● Engine 471cc ● Power 47bhp ● Weight 189kg ●…

Police working as part of Operation Yellowfin in Lincolnshire have called in help from the area’s fire service and their drone to track mopeds and scooters being ridden antisocially. The riders were tracked and photographed in Scunthorpe at the end of May and data was handed back to the police. Operation Yellowfin has been cracking down on antisocial and illegal riding in the Humberside region and several stolen mopeds and motorbikes have already been seized. The drones are fitted with HD cameras with thermal imaging capability.…

25 SETS TO BE WON! We’ve teamed up with EarPeace to offer sets of MOTO Original Ear Plugs to 25 lucky readers. EarPeace Motorcycle Ear Plugs provide professional grade hearing protection, allowing you to ride for longer and stay safer. These hypoallergenic silicone plugs are super soft and easily fit under your helmet, so much so that you’ll forget you’re wearing them! Wind and engine noise are filtered out, so you get clear sound from the sources you want to hear, such as radio comms, music and traffic. There are 25 prizes, each containing three plugs, three sets of high-fidelity filters and one black aluminium case. Sizes are: Standard (13.85mm) or Small (11.15mm). How to enter Simply visit www.motorcyclenews.com/winearpeaceearplugs and submit your details to be in with a chance of…

A fundraiser who has been learning to ride the Wall of Death during lockdown is to make his public debut at the MotoFest Coventry Bike Weekend. Paul Malin (not the 1995 British 125 MX GP winner of the same name, although the two do know each other) will join the famous Ken Fox Wall of Death on the 20-foot high wall, in what promises to be one of the highlights of the show on July 24-25. The ride will be the culmination of months of training as he bids to raise £10,000 for four separate charities: Prostate Cancer UK, Warwickshire and Solihull Blood Bikes, Positive Bones and Pawprints. The 55-year-old said: “I was treated for a serious illness a couple of years ago and after getting the all-clear, I wanted…

Take the world by Strom for £5500 My ‘Wayward Nephew’ (as I call him, due to his brushes with authority) relies on me to help him source bikes. He had my old CB250 and bought his Bonneville at the price he got it for only because his Uncle Neil, who was vetting it, brought a wedge of cash (he hadn’t). He’s put several grand aside and is looking for something to handle a long overland trip. He tried a Himalayan, loved it, but reckoned it was too slow and was orbiting towards a Triumph Tiger or (inevitably) a BMW R1200GS. I steered him towards a used Suzuki V-Strom 1000. He’d not thought of that, went away, Googled and came back to announce that it didn’t have all the bells and…

My job is to run the MCN office, so I wear many hats. I balance budgets, sort logistics, moan at people when they submit expenses late, act as first aider and, in the last 12 months, have also trained to be a Mental Health First Aider. Being an MHFA has given me the tools to help others and it’s also made me realise how important it is to look after myself, too. What better way to be a little selfish and take time out, than to plan the odd solo riding trip? It’s something I’ve done for years, I’ll clear off for anything from an overnight stay to a week away – just me, my bike and my thoughts. I trained with the IAM a few years back and Allie,…

KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday June 9 BIKE MEETS ■ Squires Cafe Newthorpe near Sherburn in Elmet West Yorks www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ The Blue Anchor Southport Merseyside 7pm Facebook: Southport Carousel Bike Meet ■ The Plough Cadsden Nr Princess Risborough Bucks www.plough-at-cadsden.co.uk ■ Ryka’s Cafe Box Hill Surrey http://www.rykas.co.uk ■ Loomies Moto Cafe West Meon Hants Open till 9pm www.loomiescafe.co.uk ■ Brit Bike Night Ace Cafe Stonebridge London 6pm www.london.acecafe.com ■ Paignton Seafront Devon www.bmad.co.uk ■ The Old Stores Pontblyddyn Mold, Flints. 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 or Facebook: The Old Stores Motorbike cafe SPEEDWAY ■ Birmingham Brummies West Midlands www.birmingham-speedway.com ■ Poole Pirates Dorset www.poolepirates.co/ TRACKDAYS ■ MSV General Track Day Donington Park Grand Prix Derbys from £95 www.MSVTrackdays.com ■ MSV…

THE FIRST RACE “My first car race was when I was 19, in the first car that I built myself. The race was the Burman hill climb in Natal province in 1967. I won the sports car class.” FIRST F1 VICTORY “My first F1 victory as a designer was in 1974 with Carlos Reutemann driving the Brabham BT44. What was so sweet was that it was at Kyalami and both my mum and dad were there watching it all.” FIRST F1 TITLE, 1981 “If someone had told that 16-year-old on his 50cc Maserati that one day he would design a championship winning Formula One car…” LE MANS WIN, 1995 “Everyone said we didn’t stand a chance but the F1 came first, third, fourth and fifth. No one had done anything…

GUEST TESTER The Meteor might not be big, fast or your ‘thing’ but it’s more than able, has plenty of charm, appeal and neat design touches, is easy and fun to ride, should be very tempting around town and, crucially, is under four grand. That price, for a quality retro with a great name, plenty of credibility and an ever-growing, reputable dealer network, puts, say, the £8K+ for a Guzzi V7 or £8500 for a Kawasaki W800, into stark relief. At the same time the Meteor’s impressive quality and classy details are an enticing taster of Enfields to come. We can’t wait. THE FACTS £3749-£3909 Royal Enfield Meteor…

1 Observe the limit Sorry – but the sad fact is there are too many cameras about now to take the mickey. Certainly at weekends, when it seems like they’re lurking in places designed to catch bikes rather than cars. 2 Make a day of it We always say a midweek day-off (especially before the school holidays) is the best time to enjoy any road. That was true for the Peak District roads before most places so it’s doubly true today. 3 Ride a loop A great ride is from Sheffield to Glossop, to Holmfirth over Holm Moss, down to Penistone, then zig-zag down the A628 and A616 to pick up the back road over Strines Moor to rejoin the A57 (or ride it in reverse).…

GORDON BLACKLEY HONDA CRF250 RALLY ‘After riding the TET in seven countries on a BMW R1200GS it became obvious that a lighter adventure bike was required, after looking at the BMW Rally Raid G310GS I realised that a ready-made version existed. Eighty percent of the capability of an enduro bike off road, yet not far off the GS on road, the Honda CRF250 Rally needs very few mods to perform, which Honda have addressed with the new 300: Torque, gearing, lighter weight and bigger tank are all fixed, unfortunately the suspension isn’t! My 250 Rally is now all sorted thanks to K-Tech suspension modifications.’…

1 TCX Mood Gore-Tex £159.99 I’ve had these a good couple of years and I wear them on summer rides and as regular shoes. They’re comfortable, supportive and have always remained dry. I’ve even taken them to Arctic Norway! Peter Horvath, London 2 Rokker Urban Racer £299 They’re full of D3O protection, albeit covertly. They’re comfy and bead water off in a downpour. Colin Hitchcock, Eastleigh 3 Richa Slick waterproof £69.99 I use these for commuting and leisure in all weathers. They’re waterproof and really warm. Emma Hobson, East Yorkshire 4 Spada Pilgrim Grandé £129.99 I’ve done around 2000 leisure miles in these in all weathers and they’re still as good as new. Andy Sheath, Newquay 5 Altberg Hogg £229.99 I’ve had this particular pair for four years now and…

Saving you money on essential bike maintenance 1 All about the amps Fitting a USB port means you’ll never have to worry about your devices running out of juice, but care needs to be taken to choose a port that has the correct output. A USB is always 5 volts, this does not vary but the power output in terms of amps does. To power a phone while using it as a satnav you need to have at least 1500mA. This Optimate kit is 3300mA. BRUCE’S TIPS If the rated output isn’t labelled on the port, check the specs on the packaging 2 Look for proper features With a world of online products at our fingertips, it’s easy to go cheap but you must resist the urge – because buying…

BSB TECH INSIGHT Josh Close gets under the skin of racing FHO Racing are one of four teams who will line-up on this year’s Bennetts British Superbike grid armed with the all-new BMW M1000RR. It’s the German manufacturer’s first M-series motorbike and has been designed as a pure-bred race machine. BMW haven’t won a BSB race since 2017, nor have they podiumed since 2019. MCN visited FHO HQ and spoke to team boss Darren Jones about the M1000RR. 1 Engine The M1000RR’s engine is more powerful than its predecessor, but it’s the way that it delivers that power which is the important part. The new inline-four engine has shifted troublesome midrange torque, which made the old bike hard to handle, towards the top end. “As soon as we put the…

Marc Marquez delivered a snap dose of motivation to teammate Pol Espargaro and Honda engineers at Barcelona. It was brief but timely – just seven laps – with a fast and sharp display that ended prematurely with Marquez in the gravel. His appetite for racing undiminished. It was a tantalising glimpse of what to expect when Marquez and the recalcitrant RC213V are again operating at their peak. Despite three consecutive race crashes and Honda’s 21-race losing streak, revival plans are intensifying for the second half of the season. A five-week summer break for Marquez to build right shoulder strength and HRC boffins to solve rear grip issues hurting both acceleration and corner entry. Marquez’s said he is done with just burning fuel and tyres, that he “raced like Marc and…

BT Sport’s technical guru unmasks secrets at the sharp end of MotoGP 1 Flexible friend… Ducati’s engine has always been their biggest strength, with their speed advantage making overtaking relatively easy, especially against the in-line four manufacturers. The extra speed allows their riders to recover lost ground down a straight, whereas a Yamaha rider will get punished on the next straight should they ever run wide. Better still, Ducati riders now have the ability to ride smoothly and carry high roll speed, as Zarco seems to execute consistently. However, when they do brake too late the bike also loves a V-style, late braking, stop, slower at the apex and fire off the turn. It all makes for a flexible riding experience. 2 One size fits all Four of Ducati’s six…

With spring finally in full swing and summer ready to bring more heat and riding weather, a new BMW could be just the thing to get the season started right. And now could be the perfect time with the firm’s hot summer upgrade offer. Upgrading just got sweeter When you trade-in your current bike for a brand-new BMW, the dealer will enhance its value by £500 if you’re upgrading to a new BMW from stock (the only exceptions being the S1000R, M1000RR and R1250RT). You can trade-in any model and any make and get your hands on a brand-new bike for less, but be quick, as the offer is valid until the end of the month (June 30, 2021). Bikes to get your hands on BMW’s range has everything from…

Back when it was launched in 2009, the KTM 990 SMT earned a reputation for being a great all-rounder, be it on track, twisty roads or on the motorway. And it’s still worthy of that title today. On the used market, you can find examples fitted with loads of great options like heated grips and luggage, and none of that detracts from the superb V-twin engine and fantastic handling, courtesy of the WP suspension. The bodywork is sturdy but fasteners are prone to rust. It’s also worth mentioning that the clutch slave cylinder has been known to fail. Replacement will cost you around £179. The ECU can also be temperamental, so when you take it out for a test ride, wait a few moments to let the tacho needle do…