Table of contents for 14 December 2016 in MCN

‘You poke it and it drives out of corners with unfettered urgency’ You’re looking at one of the most eagerly anticipated Triumphs ever. The new £10,500 Bonneville Bobber was only unveiled in October, but deposits are already gushing into dealers – double the amount placed for the Thruxton R last year. And after riding the Bobber at its world launch in Madrid it’s safe to say that each and every one of those new owners is in for a treat. Styled to mimic those pared-to-the-bone 1940s-style custom bobbers, the new Triumph looks the part with its single seat, cut-down front mudguard, flat bars and hardtail-style rear end. There’s a riot of classy detail touches everywhere you look, from the adjustable floating seat pan and clocks, to the battery box, rear…

“Cast wheels, as found on most standard road bikes, are made in a low pressure cast by forcing a liquid metal into a die. This creates a good initial shape and requires very little machining to turn into a final product, making it ideal for mass production. “The problem is the metal’s grain, which gives it it s strength, isn’t very uniform so more metal is needed to ensure durability, which is why cast wheels are so heavy. Forged wheels are pressed out of lumps of high quality solid metal, pre-heated to a semi-solid state before being pressed into dies then finished on CNC lathes and mills. “As the metal is pressed into a die in a semi-solid state its grain is more aligned and more consistent, giving it a…

Bott’s Peak plan Custom Buell builder Bott Power have secured two XBRRs to race at next year’s Pikes Peak on. They have bought one and a customer has lent them another. The goal is to get the engine up to 150bhp and the bike down to 150kg. OperationOctane Victory have been running a customising competition amongst their dealers and the winner is the Desert Racer built by Iwan Bikes in Germany. Just what you need for the sand - a 250kg Victory Octane! Get revved up over sound card The National Motor Museum has created a range of greetings cards that play recordings of engines. There are only two motorcycles recorded for now but they are very special bikes indeed – a Brough Special and a screaming Honda RC162. The…

THE 617 JACKET BY GOLDTOP £279 Goldtop have as much heritage within café racer circles as rivals Lewis Leathers, but without the sky-high prices. The 617 is a new offering that packs authenticity and bags of style. It’s made from 1.4mm cowhide leather and is based on the 617 that Goldtop released back in 1970. www.goldtop.co.uk REVIT TROCADERO H20 GLOVES £79.99 Simple-looking gloves that offer a lot, including a waterproof Highdrex inner membrane to keep your hands dry and a Thinsulate G liner designed to keep your hands warm in these cold and dark winter months. www.revit.eu BUILT MAGAZINE £4.99 Built is a new magazine all about handcrafted, customised motorcycles and the lifestyle that surrounds them. It’s for riders who like being different. Order yours at www.builtmag.co.uk…

1 Naked 125s Spankingly-good imagery while playing around with sub-£3000 125s. 2 Ducati 1299 Panigale v 959 We bring our battles to the road with two glorious Dukes. 3 Peak District adventure Camping holiday snaps on the Multistrada Pikes Peak. 4 Three’s a crowd This is how MCN’s road test’s roll… Together and with style. 5 Showing off in Monte Carlo! On Ducati’s updated for 2017 Monster 1200 S. Find hundreds more awesome pictures of biking adventures at Motorcyclenews.com/news…

HJC CS-15 £89.99 (plain £79.99) What’s good New entry-level lid from HJC features many features from HJC’s more expensive lids such as advanced ventilation system, fully removable moisture-wicking lining and a quick-change visor. What’s not It’s ready to take an anti-fog insert in the visor but doesn’t come with one so you’ll have to splash out an extra £22. www.oxfordproducts.com CNC Racing Touring Footpegs £107 What’s good Replacing the Ducati Mutlistrada Enduro’s fiercely serrated pegs, these offer a more comfortable peg. What’s not Fitting kit costs an extra £40. www.cncracing.it Spadachainbreaker and rivet tool £59.99 Makes it easy for you to remove an old chain and re-rivet a new one. Suitable for 420- 530 pitch chains, both O and X-ring chains. What’s not Not knowing how to use a chain…

Advance ticket prices • Standard admission - £17 (£21 on the door) • Senior citizen (Over 65) - £15 (£18 on the door) • Student Friday ticket - £15 (£18 on the door. Student concessions are available for Friday only) • Child - Free (15 years and under) NEW for 2017: • Adult Paddock Pass - £40 (tiered seating for the live action, VIP meet and greet, limited availability) • Child Paddock Pass - £20 (under 15, tiered seating for the live action, VIP meet and greet, limited availability) Book tickets now: 0844 873 7346* or visit: mcnmotorcycleshow.com…

DUCATI’S SURVIVAL The Monster has gone down in folklore as ‘the bike that saved Ducati’ due to its popularity and cheap development costs. TERMIGNONIS Be honest: who’d heard of these Italian aftermarket exhausts before the Monster came out? WORLD DUCATI WEEK Ducati’s festival attracted a record-breaking 81,000 ‘Ducatisti’ in 2016. Mostly on Monsters. MORE ‘SLEBS’ ON BIKES As if Ducatis weren’t glamourous enough already, celebrities tend to like Monsters, too.…

LEARNING EXPERT Rupert Paul Editor of MCN Sport Author of Pass The Bike Test (and be a great rider too!). Available on Amazon. ‘Keep your legs and stomach tense, the rest of you relaxed’ Well, it’s a lot easier than stopping a horse! Riding a horse is grand – but stopping is a question of persuading the beast that it wants to. You supply various mental and physical signals, but none of them have any direct retarding effect. At first sight a bike is more obedient – squeeze the lever and the pads bite the discs. In fact, it’s almost as bad as the horse. The weak link is still there, hidden in your head. I’ve got a diagram a police investigator gave me of a fatal crash involving a…

‘I want something with enough poke to have fun on’ KAWASAKI VERSYS 650 GRAND TOURER PRICE£7999 WEIGHT 216kg SEAT 840mm POWER 68.4bhp TORQUE47.2ftlb ADAM CHILD Professionally testing bikes for the last 15 years. HEIGHT 5ft 6in WEIGHT 75kg Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean that I stop riding. My bike is my main form of transport for my regular 90-mile commute from home in East Yorkshire to the MCN office in Peterborough, so any winter companion I choose needs to be reliable, easy to ride and protective too. So, with my R1200RT now returned to BMW UK, I’ve got my hands on this 4000-mile old 2016 Kawasaki Versys 650 GT, which comes complete with luggage and other creature comforts. My pre-requisites for a bike are quite tough; I need to…

 Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) now finances nearly 30% of all new bikes sold in the UK, and it’s growing fast. But it might not be right for you, so make sure you understand what it is and how it works. ‘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 (or…

 MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez has returned to his childhood roots by making an enduro comeback, taking part in the Enduro del Segre in his hometown of Lleida at the weekend alongside brother Alex. ‘I am a big fan of off-road and wanted to return to my childhood’ MARC MARQUEZ “I raced enduro as a kid and that is precisely what led me back to ride the Enduro del Segre. I am a big fan of off road and wanted to return to my childhood for a day, with the Moto Club Segre and be surrounded by friends. It has been a very nice experience!” said the 23-year-old MotoGP champion, who lost out on a chance to win after first being penalised for entering a control early and then cracking…

‘Chaz wants to do a test where he has time to experience the bike’ PAOLO CIABATTI Chaz Davies will test Ducati’s MotoGP missile in 2017 which could clear the path for a wildcard appearance in the near future. Davies was in contention to replace the injured Andrea Iannone in the latter half of the 2017 season, but was held back by Ducati due to an impressive run of form that saw him take seven wins in the last eight races of the WSB season, according to Ducati sporting director Paolo Ciabatti. Ciabatti said: “We thought about asking Chaz to replace Iannone, but it would have been in between two rounds of World Superbikes and he was doing great at the time. We wanted him to finish his season on a…

1 Norton V4 RR I must admit I’m in love with the new Norton. It looks fantastic and I grew up around classic Nortons thanks to my dad. I love V4 engine layouts too so a 1200cc V4 with over 200bhp? Yes please! If you look at the attention to detail in things like the bracketing it’s clearly not been lumped together in a shed. Sometimes bikes just look right and the new Norton is one of them. 2 Virgin Mobile Yamaha YZF-R7 I’d love to have my old Virgin Mobile Yamaha R7 race bike from the 2001 season. It was just so trick and had so much cool stuff on it, like Noriyuki Haga’s titanium forks. It was such a lovely bike to ride. I rode it up the…

I have two motocross bikes, two enduro bikes, a trials bike, two flat track bikes, and a small prototype Moto3 bike that I’ve just bought off Vale. I don’t know what else I could add to that. This year, I was hoping to buy a nice car with my prize money – but I crashed too much and didn’t get much ! I’d like to buy some more bikes for my friends, because I really enjoy riding with them. I’d need to buy another garage though, because mine is full! My bikes are divided between my parents’ home and my workshop, and it’s very full.…

I’d have to say an RC213V-S. It’s the pinnacle and comes straight from MotoGP technology. I love looking at it, love the sound, love everything about it. I’d also have an RC45, I’ve always had a bit of a thing for those from when I was growing up, it was kind of THE bike at that time. I’ve always also had a thing for the Ducati 916, for a similar reason really. It was quite stylish in its day and I’ll always remember watching Foggy in WSB when I was a kid!…

NSR500 IN ROTHMANS COLOURS BECAUSE THAT WAS THE PRETTIEST BIKE EVER MADE I’d like an NSR500 in Rothmans colours because that was the prettiest bike ever made – for me, the holy grail of motorbikes. I’ve already got the Suzuki RGV250 I wanted for years, which has been restored, so there’s three and I’ve got one of them. The other bike I want for Christmas, and I’m actually trying to buy one at the minute, is a Ducati Desmosedici road bike. It’s funny, I was talking to Ducati UK the other day about the new Superleggera, and that bike could potentially be a really solid investment because if, and I don’t know if they will, they go away from a V-twin, that will be the last hoorah. But I’d still…

‘Cal ending the GP drought Britain has had to suffer for the last 35 years’ It’s been a good few years for us Brits in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Last year saw Danny Kent become Britain’s first Grand Prix World Champion since Barry Sheene won his final world title in 1977 and this year, Cal Crutchlow became the first British rider to win a top-class Grand Prix since Sheene in 1981. Crutchlow’s victory in Brno was remarkable, he took a gamble on the harder option wet Michelin tyre which saw him out of the points in the early stages of the race, before charging through to take his debut GP win, ending the unbearable drought Britain has had to suffer for the last 35 years. While Crutchlow’s victory was undoubtedly…

A gloomy 35 seasons stood between Barry Sheene’s final GP victory at Anderstorp in August 1981 and the nation’s next premier class success at Brno in August 2016. But surely not all Brits were losers during that period? Certainly not. Several British riders won GPs in the 125, Moto3, 250 and Moto2 classes during those years and some challenged for victory in the premier class. So here’s our top picks of the Britons who tried manfully to end the country’s GP doldrum years. JAMES TOSELAND HIGHLIGHT FRONT ROW: QATAR, 2008 Toseland arrived in MotoGP to much fanfare in 2008, as a two-times World Superbike champion. He qualified on the front row at his very first Grand Prix and seemed full of promise, but in fact that was as good as…

 Thieves in London were caught on camera last week when they attempted to steal a Ducati 1199 Panigale in broad daylight, while threatening to kill passers-by who were trying to intervene. One thief cut through the disc lock with a battery-powered angle grinder while the other threatened the gathering crowd with a hammer. ‘Both riders made their escape on the scooter’ Once they attempted to take the bike, a group of people gave chase, one pushing the thief riding the getaway scooter into a courier van, while the other thief crashed the stolen Ducati as he attempted to escape. Rather worryingly the bike’s brake lights can be seen operating, suggesting that the thieves had successfully turned on the 1199’s ignition. In the end, both riders made their escape on the…

Steve Williams wanted to build his first project without it costing the earth. Searching for project bikes on eBay an XS250 caught his eye. It was a UK model and a runner, crucial for him. “I’m no mechanic; I didn’t want to be stripping the engine,” he says. He bagged the bike for £400, with a spare bike that had a seized engine. “I chose the XS250 because it was cheap!” he admits. “I know guys who are spending loads on rare parts or having parts restored, and been spending years on their projects.” The engine was removed with great effort, thanks to the rusty bolts, then painted. The frame was also a slight worry. “I don’t weld so the first cut was also the final cut!” he says. “Luckily…

Ducati’s Multistrada 1200 has been a huge success. In the UK it’s Ducati’s second biggest seller, nestling in just behind the Scrambler. The 1200 family comprises five models, starting at £13,795 for the base model, and ranging up to the top-spec Pikes Peak at £19,995. But now Ducati have launched a new addition, using a smaller engine, and opening up a new segment of the market, with the Multistrada 950. The 950 may be a new model – but it’s not the first time there has been a smaller-capacity Multistrada. Remember the Multistrada 620? No, most people don’t, it wasn’t a rampant success – but if our test is anything to go by there are no such worries this time. The spec is impressive. Ducati have kept their unique Ducati…

BSA A10 1973 when I rode my beloved A10 to Crete and Corfu. Hugh Birley SUZUKI GT250L Aged 17, St. Austell, Cornwall in 1974. Paul Smart MULTI BIKES My first four bikes parked in order! Chris Wood HONDA CB72 Aged 16 in 1972, I bought this customised Honda from a mate. Tony James DOT/VILLIERS 2T Me back in 1974. Check out the flares. Steve Wright 1964 HONDA CB72 Bought new from the Plymouth branch of Kings of Oxford. John Netting Send shots to: yourpics@ motorcyclenews.com…

We’ve listened to MCN readers online and spoken to several dealers to find out why these sensational machines aren’t selling in their droves. For the Ducati, it’s obvious: it’s an expensive, single-minded machine, perfect for mad dashes through the countryside on a sunny Sunday and little else. It’s a bit of fun on the side for the well-healed, who have a main bike in their garage. The Suzuki suffers from the perception that all 600s are highly strung pocket rockets, but the GSX-R600 is every inch a big bike with an even bigger heart. It’s also battling with its 750cc big sister and falling behind in the technology stakes compared to rivals. Aprilia have more issues to overcome. We all know that little compares to an RSV4 RF at full…

Bold carriages dominate the skyline, resplendent in crimson, green and gold. Exquisite classic engines parade up and down trailing smoke against the cloudless sky. And hundreds of motorbikes of staggering variety pour in to line up along the old tracks. Less famous than the likes of Squires or the Ace Café, Whitwell and Reepham Railway is a once-functioning station that fell into disuse and disrepair. It’s currently owned and run by Mike Urry and his family, non-bikers who have been striving since 2007 to return the derelict site to its former glory. After an irate landlady terminated a former bike night nearby, riders found a new home at the station in 2011. Friday Night Bikes is run by local riders, and while they raise money for charities such as Blood…

‘The accessory list is pretty big and I must admit to getting a bit carried away’ YAMAHA XSR900 PRICE£7849 WEIGHT 195kg SEAT 805/825mm POWER 830mmTORQUE 65.4ftlb MPG45 ANDY CALTON Two-stroke upbringing, through to 600cc sportsbikes HEIGHT 6ft WEIGHT 95kg HIT OR MISS BOLT ONS BARS Low tapered handlebars, £103.99 HIT I think they give the bike a purposeful look and are fine when riding back roads. But they are a pain – quite literally – on long hauls. SCREEN Puig Screen, £84.99 MISS I wanted something to hide the mess behind the clock. But this screen has barely done that and it offers no extra wind protection. MIRRORS Billet bar-end mirrors (Rizoma), £149.99 each HIT Bolt straight into the end of the bars. Expensive but lovely and surprisingly useful –…

BMW S1000RR PRICE£13,850 WEIGHT 208kg SEAT 815mm POWER 115bhp TORQUE 83ftlb MPGn/a MICHAEL NEEVES Racing in the 2017 Thundersport GP1 Elite championship HEIGHT 6ft WEIGHT 72kg No sooner had than the dust (OK, torrential rain) settled on the 2016 Thundersport GP1 Elite season at Cadwell, than my 2015 BMW S1000RR race bike was shuffled into the back of a van, driven to our workshop in Kent and taken to bits, ready to be turned back into a road bike. We’ve got a new S1000RR to race in GP1 next year. It’s exactly the same 2015/16 model, but two years… and two big crashes fresher. But my old bike never missed a beat and we even ran the same clutch and chain the whole time, which are still in perfect. This…

THE EXPERT Chris Dabbs MCN technical expert of over 20 years, former racer and road tester There are three main types of shock used on bikes. The simplest is an emulsion shock where a volume of nitrogen and damping oil inside the shock body is mixed to give it a viscosity that allows it to flow through valves contained within the shock at the right rate to soak up the energy from a bump. Next are floating piston designs that keep the nitrogen and oil separate for more consistent performance. Some have a separate reservoir for the nitrogen, either ‘piggy-back’ on the shock body, or mounted remotely with a hose connection for better cooling. Finally, there’s the twin tube shock design, pioneered by Öhlins, which keeps the oil cooler for…

JACK BURNICLE BSB commentator 1958 TRIUMPH SPEED TWIN “A late fifties 500cc Triumph Speed Twin with the ‘dustbin’ rear end. Already a relatively old hack when I had one, it had awful brakes and dodgy handling but it was light and manageable with smooth power and that glorious rasping, throaty exhaust note. It still evokes vivid memories of tramping over the byways of the North Yorkshire Moors.” MAT OXLEY MotoGP journo extraordinaire 2007 YAMAHA TMAX “I like stuff that makes life easier, so I’d have a Yamaha TMAX, with a top box of course! They are plenty fast enough, have loads of weather protection, are comfortable and are simply perfect for getting around where I live in London. I also take my scooter on airport runs when I’m heading to…

 “I’m seriously considering buying a used K1200R as I think they are brilliant – more than fast enough to have fun but great for churning out the miles. They are also reliable, as long as you get one that has been properly serviced. ‘Early models had agricultural engines and were loud and clunky’ “Early models have very agricultural engines and everything is a bit loud and clunky. The camchain tensioner takes a while to get oil pressure, which makes them very noisy, but you can fit the K1300’s tensioner to alleviate the problem and that’s a simple swap. The clutch basket has six springs at its back to remove that bang when you engage first gear, but the whole unit wears and rattles. We have seen one with 60,000 miles…

Taylor Mac set for BSB big time National Superstock 1000 Champion Taylor Mackenzie will step up to the MCE British Superbike class for the 2017 season with the Bennetts Suzuki team. The 23-year-old was confirmed with the new Mallory Park-based Hawk team when they made their switch to Suzuki last month, but the initial suggestion was that he could be set to defend his Superstock crown. However, it’s now been revealed that he’ll join 2014 World Superbike champ Sylvain Guintoli in the team, with Richard Cooper making the step across to the new-look Superstock series. Hill pulls plug on BSB team Tommy Hill has called it a day with his BSB team after being unable to secure a title sponsor for 2017. The 2011 BSB champ said: “Unfortunately, we won’t…

1 A big adventure bike I ride like an old man now so I don’t want a sportsbike for the road, I save them for track riding, but I still love going on long trips with mates. A big adventure bike, complete with heated grips, seat, panniers, the works would do me a treat. I never saw myself as an adventure bike rider, but they are so versatile. 2 250cc two-stroke trials bike I don’t care what make it is as they are all better than my riding ability, but as long as it is a two-stroke I’m in. I have more fun on trials bikes now than I have ever had. Unless you go off a cliff you aren’t going to hurt yourself, and it’s a right laugh. I’d…

1988 HRC Honda NSR500 I loved that bike but I don’t know where it is now. I had two bikes that year and one of them surfaced in Honda’s museum in Motegi a while back so it probably still exists, even though a lot of GP bikes got crushed. No-one (apart from Mick Doohan) gets to keep their factory Hondas so it would be a pretty special thing to have. Wayne Gardner hated the Honda that year but I loved it and was running third in the championship for a while, led races, and scored podiums so it holds a lot of happy memories for me. 1980 Yamaha RD350LC I’ve made a replica of the bike that I started my racing career on, but I know the man who has…

2017 Triumph Scrambler It’s just an icon. I’ve always been a huge Steve McQueen fan, ever since he jumped the fence. A part of us would all like to be Steve McQueen – a great enduro rider and that iconic style. 2017 Husqvarna TE 300 I want to get back into enduro riding and that bike is just beautiful to ride. It feels like a little two-stroke, light, easy, flickable and gorgeous. 2017 Street Twin It’s an ode to the ’60s and ’70s. I would love to get a new one and give it to Down and Out Motorcycles and let them rip into it. I don’t care what they do. 1992 Honda XR600R I had one 20 years ago and was never easy to start. Someone once gave me…

Valentino Rossi’s 2000 Honda NSR500 I’d have this one in the front room for Christmas because the NSR was a proper work of art. I’ve never ridden a 500 but they’re obviously pure weapons and it would be cool to have a Rossi bike because he’s such a legend. 2001 Honda RS125 The one I raced in the British championships between 2003 and 2007. It would be ace for track days because you could carry so much corner speed you could ride round the outside of all the superbikes. 1996 Honda RS250 A proper thoroughbred racing bike. I only raced one once for Bill Smith when I used to work for him but I absolutely loved it. Marc Marquez’ RC213V I’m a big fan of Hondas and this is the…

Guy Martin buys a ‘proper’ boozer Road racer turned TV presenter, Guy Martin, has opened his own pub in “centre of t’universe” – Kirmington, Lincolnshire. The refurbished Marrowbone & Cleaver will open over Christmas and boasts good honest pub food and proper beer – including Guy’s own Skull & Spanners brew. Beats tea any day. www.marrowboneandcleaver.com Ninja H2 sell-out The Ninja H2 Carbon that made its debut at Cologne has already sold out in the UK. Kawasaki were inundated with orders for the £27,999 model, exhausting the allocation by the end of last week. We need a Hero Belgian brand Bullit have released the Hero 125 – a scrambler-esque, learner-legal run-around. The Hero is fuel injected, so it should be Euro4 compliant upon its arrival early next year. The Hero…

Helmet of Doom Party Where Vic’s Biker Pub, Leicestershire When December 31, from 9pm Entry £10 Info vicbikerspub.com Frostbite Trial Where Home Farm, Great Brickhill When December 27, from 10am Entry Free to spectate Info berkotrials.com New Year’s Eve Party Where Ace Café, London When December 31, from 9pm Entry £12 (£15 on door)Info: ace-café-london.com Pie & Mash Track Day Where Mallory Park, Leicestershire When January 2, from 9am Entry £49 Info nolimitstrackdays.com QUIZ ANSWERS… Here are the answers to last week’s quiz… how many did you get right? 1. Suzuki TL1000R 2. Confederate Wraith 3. Percy Tait 4. Shakey Byrne 5. Gooseneck on the Isle of Man 6. Yamaha FS1-E 7. John Hopkins 8. Kenny Roberts Snr 9. Marc Marquez 10. Dave Aldana 11. Ducati 750…

‘The H2-like trellis frame is all new, saving a massive 10kg in weight’ If you call the new Z650 an updated ER-6n in the company of Kawasaki factory staff, a Ninja will appear from nowhere and correct the error of your ways: This is the all-new Z650. However, you can’t help but notice the similarities, with both the outgoing and incoming bikes using what is fundamentally the same 649cc parallel-twin engine, and obviously filling the same spot in Kawasaki’s model line-up. But you can’t argue with how different the new Zed is, too – the transformation is total. The attractive Ninja H2-like green trellis frame is new, and is considerably lighter than its predecessor’s, saving a massive 10kg. The swingarm is also new, and contributes a further weight saving of…

Pugs to Vietnam Two friends have ridden a pair of Peugeot Djangos 7500 miles from Paris to Ho-Chi-Minh City to celebrate the arrival of Peugeot scooters in Vietnam. The mission reversed the route two French soldiers rode on a pair of Peugeot S57 scooters – from Saigon to Paris – in 1956. Breakin’ bad A Triumph owner was left bereft when his motorcycle was stolen after being told to leave it unattended by the RAC. John Edwards’ bike was recovered three days later, badly damaged, but the RAC agreed to pay for the repair. Print-o-types Prototyping bikes used to take years but it only takes Alta Motors a couple of hours, thanks to their adoption of Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP). Alta Motors uses CLIP 3d printing to make incredibly…

It’s been quite a year. What with Brexit and Donald Trump and little old Leicester winning the Premier League. But what will the last 12 months be remembered for by the world of motorcycling? Coming off the back of two strong years, new bikes sales in the UK continue to grow, although it’s slowing down. A 10% hike in 2014, a 12.7% rise in 2015 looks to be followed by a 7% increase in 2016. So strong, but slowing. And with many manufacturers putting prices up across their ranges, 2017 looks set to be a struggle – look out for cracking finance and PCP deals come the middle of the year if bikes are still sitting around in showrooms. The bikes that will linger longer in our thoughts as the…

 Q1. What are you currently riding? ‘I ride road bikes way more now than when I was racing’ Mostly Triumphs now that I’m an ambassador for them. I’ve got a Thruxton R and a Speed Triple R for the road and also a couple of dirt bikes – a KTM 350 SX-F and a Honda CRF450. I’m about to take delivery of a Yamaha WR250 too. Q2. Which living motorcyclist do you most admire? I guess I’d have to say Rossi because to still be so fast and motivated year after year at that level is pretty impressive. Q3. What’s your worst riding habit? Farting! My wife says it’s because I eat too fast. That’s nothing to do with riding, is it? Q4. If you could have one riding superpower,…

‘When it came time to replace the M600 it had to be another Monster’ MONSTER FACTFILE 1993 to current Air-cooled, V-twin roadster Contacts: www.ukmonster.co.uk, www.ducatimonster.org Want one? £1300 (scruffy 600) to £15K (new 1200R) When it comes to significance for both its manufacturer and a generation of riders, few bikes can get close to the Ducati Monster. The brain-child of Argentinean designer Miguel Galluzzi (now head of design at Piaggio), under the direction of the legendary Massimo Bordi, the Monster was both something of a parts-bin special born out of necessity and a masterstroke that proved so successful it saved Ducati. Indeed, in becoming an overnight best-seller that first M900 not only spawned both a whole family of other Monsters (600 and 750 versions soon followed) it inspired a breed…

If you want the best mix of skills, the GS is the one to have. Touring, sporty riding, city commuting or even serious off-road, it has it all covered to a very high level. The RS is sportier but isn’t quite as practical, the R is more stylish but lacks wind protection, and the RT is a better tourer but heavy to manoeuvre at low speed. The GS will match all of their strengths for 99% of the time as it is such a brilliant all-rounder. The only real negative is they’re so common. But there’s a reason for that. The do-anything (and more) boxer... Engine1170cc, 8v water-cooled boxer twin Power 125bhp Torque 92ftlb Weight 244kg Tank size 20l Seat 850/870mm The superbly sporty all-rounder... Engine1170cc, 8v water-cooled boxer twin…

1 Spalding bike night Royal Mail Cart, Pinchbeck Road. Wednesday night meet. From 6.30pm. 2 Oasis Snack Bar Monmouth Road, Abervagenny, Monmouthshire. Saturday meet. 01873 855375 3 Romping Cat Old Woods, Bomere Heath, Shrewsbury, Shrops. Friday meet. 01939 290273 4 Southport Carousel Promenade, Southport, Merseyside. Wednesdays.www.discoversouthport.co.uk 5 Wessons Cafe Horam, East Sussex, 9am-4pm. Sunday meet. 01435 813999 GET YOUR MEET ON THE MAP If you have a bike-friendly cafe contact us on: sam.williams@motorcyclenews.com…

0 MILES I was pretty convinced the XSR’s speedo had somehow been set to kmh during my first spin on the 900. It hadn’t, the bike was just a lot faster than I expected. The 900 triple is a dream and punches out of corners. It’s so easy to go so fast. Mirrors blur over 70mph. 242 MILES The XSR gets its first proper run out to MCN’s Butlins party weekend at Skegness. A couple of laps of Cadwell alongside Chris Walker (aboard a Kawasaki H2), John Reynolds and John McGuinness was a great way to start the riding year with the Yamaha. 827 MILES A blast to Newcastle and back in a day (400 miles) proved that the XSR is capable of a lot more than cruising city centres.…

2017 OSET 12.5V Racing £1075 Tester Adam Child/ Bodhi Child Time tested Ten weeks What’s good? The Oset 12.5V Racing is an electric trials machine designed for kids from 2-5 years old – and it’s the perfect starter bike. My boy loves it, and has taken to it with ease after a year on a balance bike. There’s a conventional throttle, and a simple front and rear brake just like a normal bike. There are no gears – it’s twist and go. It’s also easy to restrict the power and throttle response. I started my lad on the lowest throttle setting, and 20% power (which is about walking pace). He is now up to 40% power – equivalent to a light jog. This version features disc brakes front and rear,…

 Q Do I have to go ahead with the purchase? ‘Unfortunately you will be unable to undo the contract’ My late husband selected a motorbike from a dealership, paying a deposit, and then the balance shortly before he died. I said that I could not accept the bike and the garage owner informed me that he would ‘sort something out’ and return the money. The bike was not registered in my husband’s name. The garage owner is now reluctant to return the money. How do I stand legally? Mrs V Burroughes, email A The big issue here is that the contract was formed between your late husband and the garage and you are unable to undo the contract. This is further complicated in that the bike is property falling…

Hone your Herald Herald Motorcycles have launched their own customising service. Now buyers of any of the brand’s six-bike range can specify everything from the machine’s colour, to the style of tank, exhaust and even seat. British-based Herald import their 125cc and 250cc retro-styled roadsters from China and all the work is carried out at Herald’s Cambridgeshire workshops. Hot deals on top winter kit Leicestershire Kawasaki dealer Drayton Croft are offering 50% off selected clothing and kit in their winter half-price sale. The offer runs for the duration of December and includes items from HJC, Shark, Furygan, Richa, Ixon and more. This winter they are also offering discounted servicing with a basic service costing from just £89. Find out more at www.draytoncroft.com Suzuki’s stealth Phantom returns Suzuki has announced the…

A proper golden oldie Original Africa Twin still has a lot to offer Honda’s new Africa Twin may be a huge hit – but don’t forget about the late 1980s original which remains a great, popular, appreciating used buy. Although it went out of production in 2003 and was superseded by the Varadero, the Twin retains a strong, devoted following which means that prices for decent used examples are still on the up. There’s good reason for that. First, only BMW’s ground-breaking, 35-year-old GS has a better adventure pedigree. The 1989 750 Africa Twin was born out of the exquisite, HRCdeveloped, 1988 650 Africa Twin, which in turn was intended as a production, road-going version of the factory NXR750 racer which dominated the Paris-Dakar during its heyday, winning an impressive…

‘It is not possible to win in WSB unless you are with a big team’ DAVIDE GIUGLIANO Davide Giugliano turned down WSB offers to launch an aggressive attack on the MCE British Superbike Championship next year. The talented Italian had options to race on the world stage with IODA Aprilia and Pedercini Kawasaki, but decided to pack his bags and head to the UK to join Tyco BMW in a bold bid to lift the prestigious title. Giugliano isn’t the first rider to choose BSB over WSB, nor will he be the last, but the move further signifies a growing attitude among world-class racers that they simply aren’t willing to settle for machinery that won’t be able to compete with the might of the factory Kawasaki and Ducati teams on…

‘He is a champion and I am looking forward to working with him again’ GIGI DALL’IGNA Ducati MotoGP boss Gigi Dall’Igna is determined to take new signing Jorge Lorenzo to the world MotoGP title next year, but insists it’s not a case of ripping up the Ducati rulebook and starting again. Revolutionising both team and machine since he joined the outfit from Aprilia at the end of the 2013 season and enjoying two top-class wins in 2016, the Italian says the squad know the direction that they want to take the bike in and that the new signing will have minimum influence on that. “The path will be the same. We’ll take into consideration the riding style of Jorge, but it was difficult to know what he needs before he…

1 Ducati 916 I’d have my original 916 which I bought new in the mid ‘90s, and never should have sold. It was beautiful. The first time I ever rode it was for a photoshoot and they wanted me to ride alongside a car. I didn’t know how to ride it – it was embarrassing really. Eventually I got bored with the pain in my wrists and having to wear a rucksack on my back and I bought a Triumph Sprint ST tourer. 2 Ariel Square Four I always remember my dad having one and there would be room for one in my dream garage. Despite my dad riding I was late getting into bikes. In 1994 we were making a video for Marlboro at Catalunya, which was going to…

1980/90s Ex-works rotary Norton race bike The museum owns all the ex-works rotary race bikes and I’ve been lucky enough to test most of them. If you have not heard or seen one spitting flames on the over-run you should make it a priority before your trip to the great paddock in the sky. 1992 Ducati 851 I had one in my living room (and on the road). Looked great in the house but my wife at the time did leave me; guess she wasn’t as impressed as I was… 1980 Triumph T140D Bonneville Styled for America with its black and gold peanut tank, cast alloy wheels and two-into one exhaust. The best looking Meriden Bonneville by a mile. 2017 Triumph Speed Triple R I have always loved the Triumph…

 The key is patience, timing, knowledge – and a massive overdraft. I had always dreamed of owning a 916, but it wasn’t until I was 31 that I felt like I could take the plunge. Then fate played its hand. PAYING FOR IT WAS SIMPLY A MINOR IRRITATION THAT LASTED THE NEXT FIVE YEARS... When the financial crisis hit in 2008 I guessed that expensive luxuries such as sportsbikes would get sold, so I kept a constant eye on the classies. My hunch was correct and a 916SP popped up. Time for action! I was in a van and looking at the bike 300 miles away the next day, gazumping another buyer who didn’t act as quickly. I had already agreed a £4500 overdraft with my bank manager (I told…

The first bike I’d have in my dream garage is one I’ve already got – the Kawasaki Ninja H2R. It’s the biggest, fastest thing Kawasaki have ever made. Fastest ever production bike, most powerful production bike with 320bhp. Why wouldn’t you want one? It’s horrendous to ride, such a beast! Brutally fast but exquisite at the same time. I don’t know whether the bloke who made it wants locking up or knifing. Next, an RC30, which I haven’t got. I had an RC45 and it was a bit disappointing. The RC30 is the bike that got me into superbikes. As a young lad, watching Fred Merkel do his business on an RC30 was incredible. They are so tidy and almost delicate to look at. My old RS250 Honda from Padgetts…