Table of contents for 10 August 2016 in MCN

In front of his home fans, Be Wiser Ducati rider Shane Byrne romped to his first double victory of the season, leaving Kawasaki-mounted rival Leon Haslam languishing in his Panigale’s wake. But when the chequered flag fell on Sunday, a war of words broke out between the two teams, with Haslam’s GBMoto Kawasaki team boss Mark Smith-Halvorsen accusing Byrne’s Ducati team of not playing within the spirit of the BSB rules by running a fully factory supported Ducati superbike. As the season reaches crunch time, expect more tempers to flare as BSB 2016 nears the Showdown phase.…

  ‘Guy eased the Rocketawayunder its own power for the first time’ ‘Guy and the team are on schedule with the testing programme so far’ Guy Martin’s assault on the motorcycle land speed record has blasted off on the Bonneville Salt Flats with a week of shakedown testing. Lincolnshire’s finest wriggled down into the cockpit of the 1000bhp Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner to commence a series of tests ahead of the official speed record attempts scheduled to take place later this month. Once the base camp had been set up, the team began surveying the 11-mile salt course, and reacquainting Guy with the Rocket Streamliner. Crew Chief and designer Matt Markstaller spent some time getting Guy up to speed with the controls and construction of the Streamliner, before Motec engineers…

The event started in 2008 and it’s grown bigger and bigger every year Brackley is much like any other market town in Britain. Except for one day of the year when it morphs into a haven for motorcyclists. The Northamptonshire town is home to the Brackley Festival of Motorcycling and sees bikes from the past and the present parade through its streets. The event started in 2008, but it’s grown considerably every year and is now the biggest event of its kind in the UK. There is a huge display of race bikes from 1960s stunners to today’s topnotch British Superbikes machines. Taking place this Sunday (August 14), the festival also serves up world-class stunt shows from the incredible Steve Colley and the Broke FMX team, classic trials, supermoto and…

Every week, MCN prints the best pictures sent in by readers or website users. You can post your pictures onto our Facebook page or email them to mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com We want the full array of weird and wonderful images that reflect your biking life. As you can see here, we are happy to celebrate the lighter things from the world of biking.…

‘Every new big sportsbike now has advanced electronics’ Throttle Stand the bike up off full lean, point it in the right direction and twist the ride-by-wire throttle all the way to the stop… if you can hang on. Quickshifter A quickshifter allows a rider to slice up through the gears without using the clutch or releasing the throttle, for faster and smoother gearshifts. The R1 has three different settings to let the rider optimise the shift to suit their riding style. Riding modes You can customise the R1’s electronics within its four riding modes. We’re set on maximum engine torque and low traction/slide/ wheelie control. ECU ECU takes information from the R1’s six-axis Internal Measurement Unit (IMU), wheel-speed sensors and throttle position to calculate the perfect degree of rear wheel…

‘A quickshifter will improve your lap time, but on the road it’s pointless’ Traction control It’s a good thing, especially for the road. It can even save a crash when you roll out of the shop with slippery new tyres. On track it’s nice for the normal road lad to make traction control work. They can safely take it to a point where it comes in and they can feel what it’s like close to the edge. The trouble you get with basic traction control is that it comes in a little bit early and it’s dead hard to get it to racing standards. But as a guide to going fast, it’s really good. Quickshifters and autoblippers A quickshifter will improve your lap time on track, but on the road…

BMW S1000XR £15,300 160bhp, 999cc, inline four – MCN’s 2015/16 sports adventure group test winner Benelli Tre 1130 K £3000-£8999 123bhp, 1130cc inline triple – the first adventure-shaped sportsbike It wasn’t so long ago that the best bikes came in just a few flavours: sportsbike, tourer, adventure or commuter. But now when you walk into your local dealership there’s a mouth-watering choice of retros, funky naked, adventure sportsbikes, fast cruisers and everything in between. But there always has been a wide choice, we’ve just never embraced it until now. We’ve never really bought the bikes that slipped through the cracks of the mainstream – superb machines that history now shows were ahead of their time. Take the now-popular adventure sportsbike genre: a relatively new phenomenon, you would think? The best…

Get ready for the price of bikes to increase – and, on the other hand, watch the value of your used bike firm up. A couple of months ago I was in South Africa, where the rand was performing even worse than sterling is now. The newspapers and TV commercial breaks were full of adverts touting 2016 model vehicles because the depreciating rand meant the new 2017 models were going to be 15% pricier. We’re going to see the same thing happen here. After the EU referendum, the pound went from 155 yen to 130. They will be pushing calculator buttons in Japan. Big companies always hedge their currencies, to protect against sudden shocks like this, but it will be a long time before sterling recovers to where it was.…

‘It felt right to take the top step of the podium because I’d had the best ride down there’ TRIUMPH THRUXTON R £11,700 FUEL 14.5 litres @ 47mpg = 150 miles WEIGHT 103kg (dry) SEAT 810mm POWER 95.6bhp TORQUE 82.6ftlb SIMON RELPH Forty one years experience, on and off road. Passionate bike-builder. HEIGHT 6ft 1in WEIGHT 98kg simon.relph@motorcyclenews.com I’m someone who hates getting up early – especially on a Sunday morning, the temple of the sacred lie-in. This one was different. When I opened the blinds at 6.45am I was greeted by bright sunshine, the handsome red Triumph Thruxton R gleaming like a jewel and casting a long crisp shadow up the drive. And this morning it looked even more stunning than normal. Tank brimmed, fresh rubber on…

Luke Mossey made his claim on a spot in the Showdown at Brands Hatch this weekend with a strong showing for the Quattro Plant Kawasaki squad. While Mossey wasn’t able to slot directly into a top six spot, he closed the gap as he climbed on the rostrum for the third time this season after starting from pole in Sunday’s opening race. The 24-year-old finished seventh in the second outing after losing grip when the race distance was extended following a safety car. “It felt a bit of a shock leading the first eight laps of race one,” he said. “I feel I’ve got the pace but when you’re battling with guys like Leon and Shakey with that much experience, it’s always going to be hard. It’s only my second…

‘I had a moment and after crashing this morning I was determined not to go down again’ GLEN IRWIN Glenn Irwin continued to show promise aboard the second Be Wiser Ducati this weekend as he pushed towards the front in both races. Fast from the off in FP1, rookie Irwin showed his debut podium last time out at Thruxton was far from a one-off as he fought with the race leaders in Sunday’s second race before crossing the line in a strong fourth place, despite his tyre dropping off towards the end. With team-mate Byrne stuck mid-pack after a bad start, Irwin looked set to fight for his maiden MCE British Superbike victory as he caught race leader Jason O’Halloran in the first part of the race, but a massive…

‘Panigale style performance with a higher specification’ Norton’s stunning seventh place in this year’s Superbike TT has accelerated progress on their new 1200 V4 road-going superbike, which is now in the final stages of development. Work has been gaining pace at the Donington factory and the state-of-the-art superbike is now expected to be unveiled during Motorcycle Live at the NEC in Birmingham, at the end of November. Norton have steadily increased sales and production since moving premises from an industrial unit in the grounds of the Donington Park circuit to a facility within the grounds of Donington Hall – a former stately home that has been converted into a plush hotel by Norton owner Stuart Garner. But until now, the range has been centred around the Commando model and various…

Yamaha’s hugely popular MT-07 will be getting an MT-10-inspired facelift according to new patents discovered by MCN. The patent itself is specifically about a new type of tightly-focused LED headlight that’s intended to be very bright but also has a sharp cutoff around the edge of its light field. As a result of this, the best way of achieving a good pattern of light on the road ahead is to use several of these LED units, each adjusted to point in a slightly different direction. Yamaha’s patent shows several generic drawings of motorcycles with different arrangements of four or six of these LED lights on their noses. The illustrations include cheap 125cc-style naked bikes and fully faired super-bikes, but one set of drawings stands out in particular. They clearly show…

According to the National Crime Intelligence Service, over £3million worth of bikes are stolen each year – so we’ve teamed up with SafeStor to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a 7ftx9ft steel motorcycle storage unit worth £1200. Made from galvanised steel, the unit is available in three colours (brown, cream or green) and comes complete with a wide door opening and ramp – making it easy to wheel your bike in and out. To help protect your bike from theft, the SafeStor comes with a five-point key entry anti-pick and drill locking system and an integrated metal floor. It also features a ventilation system, allowing for a constant flow of fresh air – not just great for your bike, but for your gear and tools too. SafeStor…

‘The 445cc motor settles down to a throbby idle. It feels and sounds like the 1980s’ If you can remember the 1980s, and hankering after a Honda XBR500 or Yamaha SR500, then you’re probably the target for SWM’s Gran Milano. It’s powered by an air-cooled 445cc single, assembled by Italian brand SWM but using some Shineray parts from China. In four-valve SOHC form, the motor clearly owes something to the XBR, but it does have fuel injection to cope with Euro4. The chassis is an interesting blend of modern and retro – tubular steel twin shock frame with a five-speed gearbox, but adjustable USD forks and top-spec Brembo front brake caliper. The Gran Milano looks the part too – quite classy in a mix of bronze and black, dominated by…

The mission The new V7 II Stornello oozes authenticity and Guzzi cool. We rode it alongside the undisputed top retro dog, the Ducati Scrambler Classic to see where it fits in. The bikes Ducati Scrambler Classic £8395 75bhp, 192.5kg Moto Guzzi V7 II Stornello £8636 48bhp, 201kg The riders Liam Marsden MCN Web Producer Age 26 Height 6ft 1in CV Nine years of testing, the closest we have to a hipster Simon Hargreaves MCN guest tester Age 49 Height 6ft CV Bike journalist, has ridden every bike of the last 25 years ‘Can I sit?” Nudged forward by her friends, the Japanese tourist giggles shyly, then eventually steps up and poses with the Moto Guzzi Stornello and Ducati Scrambler while her schoolmates giddily Snapchat on their mobiles. But which bike…

‘The R1M’s electronics are brilliant – it rides itself – they let your average fool ride better’ Wheelie control Throttle pinned, the R1’s front wheel hovers a few inches off the ground during max acceleration, saving you the effort of having to trim the controls. Autoblipper Although not fitted to the R1, an autoblipper allows riders to downshift without using the clutch. In fact, the only time you need the clutch at a trackday is leaving and entering the pits. Racing ABS The latest systems give you full braking power, and also let you slide the rear into corners. Great on a wet trackday, but Japanese systems can sometimes reduce feel, power and consistency on track. Ducati Panigale 1299S Every conceivable rider aid fitted. Turns the previously-angry 1199 into a…

Exhaust Aftermarket silencers are common on Fazers but quality varies. Try to get the original thrown in Accessories Mods on this bike include bellypan, hugger, tail tidy, mushrooms and more Crash damage? Check for drops. Bars, mirrors and bodywork are all vulnerable Corrosion You need to check, especially round the front of the engine – this one’s better than many What we said then “Yamaha have two new Fazers for 2006 – the naked FZ1 and the faired FZ1 Fazer. They’re stylish, have a 150bhp R1 motor and are all new from the ground up – it’s just a shame that Yamaha messed up most of the things the Fazer became famous for in the first place. The new FZ1 Fazer isn’t a bad bike, it just isn’t a great…

Getting away from it all in the south-east of England isn’t easy, but this route will help you escape the madding crowds. Leaving the slightly dull A31 at Chawton is a welcome relief as we join the A32, which delivers a series great sweeping bends. At the West Meon crossroads turn left on the A272 towards Petersfield, a road with plenty of bends to keep the mind occupied. Once we arrive in Petersfield take the direct route towards Chichester on the B2070, before turning onto the B2146. The roads are narrow, undulating and tree-lined. With visibility being limited and numerous Chelsea tractors likely to be filling the road, keep your wits about you. At South Harting join the B2141 then just outside East Lavant nip on the A286 before turning…

‘With some decent rubber, there isn’t much you need to shy away from’ BMW F800GS £10,055 FUEL 16 litres @ 48.84mpg = 172 miles WEIGHT 214kg SEAT 880mm POWER 84bhp TORQUE61ftlb JAMES ARCHIBALD Long-distance commuter with four years of riding experience. HEIGHT 5ft 11in WEIGHT 84kg james.archibald@motorcyclenews.com I’ve now hit the glorious 10,000-mile mark on the GS and so far it’s been a great journey. Here are some of the things that have stood out for me so far… 1 TOURING IS A BREEZE ON IT You might expect me to say an adventure bike is great for touring, but the GS is very good at it. A trip to Scotland in March highlighted the need for luggage so I fitted BMW’s expandable panniers and I then…

‘It’s going to be a battle. Obviously Bruce and Michael will be in there’IAN HUTCHINSON ‘I think if it’s dry for the Ulster then the lap record is going to go’IAN HUTCHINSON Michael Dunlop and Ian Hutchinson may have raised the TT lap record to over 133mph on their Hawk and Tyco BMW S1000RR superbikes this year – but the Ulster Grand Prix remains the world’s fastest road race. Bruce Anstey’s remarkable 133.997mph speed has stood since 2010 when the Kiwi blasted around the 7.4-mile Northern Ireland circuit on his last ride for Relentless Suzuki. That year was also the last time Hutchy tasted success at Dundrod, taking a treble on the Padgett’s Hondas. Currently riding the crest of a confidence wave after his TT2016 victories, the Yorkshireman is certain…

The GB MotoGP App is the official mobile app of the British MotoGP, brought to you by the promoter, The Circuit of Wales. It brings behind-the-scenes coverage, exclusive interviews and live chats with riders past and present. You can also post comments and photos and share your race weekend experience with fans from all over the world, plus stay up to date with the latest information to make the most of your visit. APP HIGHLIGHTS • Latest news updates direct to your phone • Exclusive live chats with riders • Exclusive offers and discounts • Comprehensive event info at your fingertips • One touch directions/parking information • Race and event schedule Based on their desire to give fans of MotoGP that little bit extra, British MotoGP promoter The Circuit of…

Honda have launched the full production version of the all-new CBR250RR in Indonesia, where it will be built – but don’t get too excited if you live in Europe; we’re not getting this bike for the foreseeable future. The CBR250RR was previewed as a ‘concept’ model last year which was presented as a track-only bike, but this is now the bike that will go on sale in 2016 in certain markets. Right now, those certain markets do not include the UK or Europe as Honda have no plans to get the bike certified for sale in our region. The lightweight sportsbike is powered by an all-new water-cooled four-stroke, four-valve, parallel-twin 250cc motor which Honda is aiming to have class-leading power. The engine has ride-by-wire and three riding modes. Honda say:…

What was your first bike? When I was 13 I was worked in my uncle Pierluigi Aldrovandi’s workshop. He raced in the 125cc world championship and was European champion in 1981. Sometimes I’d take a bike and go on the road. You had to legally wait until you were 14, but he’d seen me ride motocross so was OK about it. At 16 I had a 125 Yamaha for the road and sometimes stole my brother’s Honda CB350/4 from his garage. First racing bike? I raced a Malanca 125 in 1982, with my uncle’s help, and then I was junior 125cc Italian champion in 1983, sixth in the European championship in 1984 and won it in 1985. You went from 125s straight to 500cc Grand Prix? I moved from 125s…

There will be several variations on SWM’s retro classic theme, all using the same basic frame and engine. The Silver Vase faithfully replicates the street scrambler style of the early 1970s, with twin high-mounted silencers, semi-knobbly tyres and a profusion of chrome. It’s all a bit garish compared to the serious-looking Gran Milano (left) but certainly looks the part of a Honda street scrambler circa 1972. The riding position is upright and relaxed, with plenty of support from the broad and comfy ribbed seat and wide high bars. The engine and box are identical to those of the Gran Milano, so you get the same snatchiness at low speed and fine midrange power – there’s good acceleration in the lower gears, but you can still leave it in fifth on…

Have Zero Motorcycles finally produced a motorcycle that parallels the Tesla electric car? Your recent review (MCN, July 27) suggests that the new scrambler-style DSR provides sporting performance that is so user friendly that it's accessible to all – just as Tesla have done in the car world. As motorcycles aren't primary vehicles for most owners the limited range/recharge time isn't likely to be as much of a problem as it is with a car where most people only have one. Zero may well have created the first electric bike that has the potential to go mainstream and the more people go electric, the faster the technology will develop. Matt Little, email MCN STAR LETTER If you’re looking to insure a bike, visit MCNcompare.com and you can quickly compare prices…

1976 championship-winning XR14 Totally original and unrestored, this bike is exactly as Sheene last rode it at the end of the ’76 season. It took three race wins and gave Sheene his first world championship. 1977 championship-winning XR14 Won the Venezuelan GP, West German GP, and French GP, and gave Sheene his second title. Was partially restored for use by Vic Reeves in his Racing Legends documentary. We all know the story of Barry Sheene’s 500cc Gra nd Pri x world championship success in 1976 and 1977 – at least from the rider’s point of view. But the rider is only half the story. Sheene also needed the right bikes underneath him to make it happen and these are the two machines that took him to his two world titles.…

‘Some teams take it more seriously than others. We’re with the ‘others’ 2016 Street Twin MCN s long-term test Triumph is ready to tackle a rocky, off-road challenge 2016 Street Twin Ridden by Pete White and fitted with the £1745 Scrambler inspiration kit 1968 T120 Bonneville In storage since 1974 the bike was fired up for the first time on the Saturday before the event Globe-trotting adventurer Austin Vince isn’t normal. When a man you’ve only briefly met before strips down to his pants to show you his Triumph tattoo you know his life rules are dramatically different from yours. After that I don’t even raise an eyebrow when Austin tells me he scouted out the trails for his first Twin Shock Trail Finder event in 2005 with his wife…

1 Optimal performance Clean engine oil filled to the right level, clear air and fuel filters and everything set to manufacturer specifications is the first step to making sure your bike is running efficiently. An engine capable of delivering best performance will be more efficient and require less fuel, as well as being better to ride. Keep on top of servicing (a good idea anyway) and reap the benefits at the pump. 2 Chain gang Stiff, corroded or dry drive chain links increase friction and make your bike work harder for forward motion. Over-tightened or loose chains also mean compromise. A clean, lubricated and correctly adjusted chain will cut resistance, improving performance and cutting losses – dyno operators have seen gains of several bhp after sorting grotty, poorly maintained chains!…

BMW R1200RT (2014-current) Definitive tourer had, until this latest version, been somewhat overshadowed by its adventure bike GS brother and still lags behind in terms of sales. But this latest RT is a phenomenal performer and arguably BMW’s best bike. With less weight, more electronics, plusher luxury and the new 125bhp, liquid-cooled version of the boxer twin, the RT is not just sublimely comfortable, effective and classy, as always, it’s now punchy, nimble, intuitive and peerlessly sophisticated. What you’ll pay today From £10,300 for a used one. But should you? Forget the early suspension recall, it’ll be fixed now, the latest RT is as good as tourers get. BMW K1300GT (2009-2013) Grand tourer based around the K1300’s shaft-drive powertrain was sacrificed prematurely by BMW to make way for its new…

Almost a year since Schuberth first released details of their new SR2 race helmet, the German-made lids are now winging their way to UK dealers. First signs are that it has been worth the wait. The SR2 is a development of Schuberth’s first bike racing helmet, the SR1. Most of the improvements surround the visor and the aerodynamics. The 2D racing visor is new and helps racers fit tear-offs as well as boosting optical clarity to class one, for the best vision quality while riding. The visor has been developed through Schuberth’s connection with Formula One and it will also have two opening tabs so it can be opened by left or right hand. The other area of improvement is the ventilation system. The scoops over the top of the…

OWNING & RIDING Q Why does carrying a pillion turn my R1 soft? When I’m out on my 2010 Yamaha R1 two-up the back end is bouncing around when I’m accelerating out of bends, especially on rougher road surfaces. The front also feels slightly soft. Russ Woodhead, email Answered by Gareth Evans, Reactive Suspension Both the preload and rebound damping will need to be increased to accommodate the extra weight of the pillion. Rebound damping controls how fast the stored energy in the spring is released. Having the extra weight of a passenger means the spring is compressed more over bumps and under acceleration. As it’s being compressed more it has more stored force, so needs more rebound damping to control the release of energy which you are feeling as…

‘There is not really anything to be said about the thing with Michael’IAN HUTCHINSON After their battles both on and off the track at this year’s TT, it is highly unlikely Ian Hutchinson and Michael Dunlop will be sharing a pint during the duo’s next meeting at the Ulster Grand Prix. The animosity sparked when a TT official erroneously questioned the legality of Hutchinson’s R6 pistons after the second Supersport race erupted into a bitter war of words in the Senior TT press conference. “There is not really anything to be said about the thing with Michael,” is the Yorkshireman’s blunt response on the subject. “The only thing that was misunderstood was that some people think that I said he got preferential treatment from BMW. That’s not what I meant…

Honda Racing’s Jason O’Halloran took a step further to securing his place in this year’s Showdown with his third podium of the year at Brands Hatch. However, it’s the Australian’s consistency that places him in strong contention for this year’s title. O’Halloran currently sits third in the title chase, 38 points ahead of Michael Laverty. Seven rounds in, O’Halloran has finished every race of the 2016 season within the top 10, meaning he’s been able to keep in touch of Shane Byrne and Leon Haslam at the top of the table. “I’m comfortable racing with Leon and Shakey now, whereas earlier this year I wasn’t that comfortable in the lead group as I was pushing really hard to be there. Now I feel like I should be there. “Shakey took…