Table of contents for 8 March 2017 in MCN

Indian have announced that their stunning FTR750 flat-track race bike is now available for $50,000 (£40,863). Only a handful have been built so far, and while it’s an absolute work of art, it’s a long way off being a road bike. But there could be one on the way. Greg Brew, head of design for Indian, told MCN: “We could build a bike that looked similar in silhouette, but we couldn’t just productionise the race bike. It was developed purely for flat-track racing, and every element would have to be redesigned.” But while Indian have so far refused to commit to the project, there’s no doubt they are considering it. Indian President Steve Menneto recently told MCN that, since the demise of sister brand Victory, Indian could work on creating…

My bikes are prepped and ready for MCN’s Ride5000 miles campaign. I’ve zeroed the second trip on the Triumph and will just have to do a kilometre conversion for the Laverda. Commuting to work on the bikes starts again tomorrow for this year and a few trips are already planned. Happy days all round! My Honda VFR was feeling left out so will have to put some more miles on it as well – always great to have an excuse to ride. Mark Harby, #ride5000miles Facebook group Ed: Thanks to everyone who’s signed up to our Ride 5000 miles movement – it’s off to a flying start. It’s all about getting out there and having fun on your machine and enjoying motorcycling more than ever. You can sign up for…

WHO IS THIS? 1 Who is this in the Phillip Island gravel trap in race one of WSB? SITTING PRETTY? 2 Which sensible (ish) sportsbike is this seat taken from? A GOLDEN OLDIE 3 Who is the former GP star in Suzuki’s Classic Endurance team? WHOSE NOSE JOB? 4 This design is for a bike destined to be revealed in 2018. What bike? NAME THE BSB RIDER 5 This little ray of sunshine has just landed a ride in the MCE British Superbike championship. Who is he? WHO’S MADE THIS? 6 This bike is a valiant effort and it has a very big and beefy engine, but who is the firm behind it? NAME THE RIDER 7 Barry Sheene won the world title in 1976, but who is this chasing…

Says Kawasaki dealer and H 2R owner Chris Walker “We have one in the showroom any chance we get but they’re pretty rare and get snapped up overnight. We’ve probably had about five used ones so we’ve sold about as many of those as we have new ones. (166 have been registered in the last two years – ED) “They’ve held their value. The last one we had was two years old and sold for £20,000 so the owner only lost two grand. “When people trade them in it’s because they’ve got more than one bike and need to put the money into something else. One 70-year-old customer brought his H2 back as his eyesight wasn’t up to it! “The type of people buying them tend to have several bikes.…

The riders Adam Child MCN Senior Road Tester Age 41 Height 5ft 6in CV Has tested hundreds of bikes over a 15-year test riding career Bruce Dunn MCN Performance Tester Age 51 Height 5ft 7in CVOver30 years of riding experience 2017 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 S £16,595 Launched in 2015, the DVT Multistrada has the performance of a sportsbike, the comfort of a tourer and boasts class leading riding aids, including cornering ABS and semi-active suspension. 2017 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 950 £11,195 (AS TESTED) New for 2017, the mini-Multi is powered by a Hyperpermotardderived 937cc motor. The electronics package includes three riding modes, eight-level traction control and three-stage ABS as standard. ‘What am I really losing by opting for the smaller, cheaper Multi?’ Quickly look at both bikes. Now look away and…

‘HOOVER’ AIR INTAKES The ZXR’s intake hoses were just one of its distinctive features. They were finally dropped for the L model. TEAM GREEN Kawasaki’s UK race team lives on, but ’92’s ZXR duo of Reynolds & Morrison dominated that year’s TT F1 series. WORLD ENDURANCE From 1991-95 the endurance team were virtually unbeatable, most famously in 1992 with Brits Rymer, Fogarty and Hislop. SCOTT RUSSELL Russell and Muzzy swapped AMA for WSB in ’93, pipping Foggy’s 888 to the title first time out. A legend was born.…

Servicing £150 First service (600 miles) For approx. 1.25hrs labour, oil & filter, and service sundries. £330 (9000 miles) 3hrs labour, oil & filter, air filter, spark plugs, chassis and fluid checks. Best PCP deal £209.75 MONTH/ 1290 Super Duke GT on PCP For a standard £15,999 Super Duke GT, with a £3500 deposit over 42-months, with a 6000-mile annual allowance, and 9.9% APR. At the end, you can hand it back, or stump up the optional final payment of £7049.69. Insurance MCNcompare quote to insure a 2016 KTM Super Duke GT worth £16,000, each rider has full no claims discount…

THE EXPERT Nick Meredith works at Seastar Superbikes and has been a motorcycle mechanic for 39 years. He’s forgotten more than most of us will ever learn. Your bike’s cylinder head is where the power is made. The fuel/air mixture comes in from the fuel injection or carburettors through the open inlet valves, which then close. The piston compresses the fuel and air as it comes up the bore of the engine block, where it all collects in the cylinder head compression chamber. At just the right time the spark plug (or plugs) ignites the compressed fuel/air charge, which pushes the piston back down the bore. The cylinder head shape is essential for the flame to detonate the charge as evenly and quickly as possible. Finally, the exhaust gases escape…

Every so often, I cast an eye over the classic bike market, not least because I have a small company that operates in it. I honestly think I’m seeing the development of a bubble market here. A lot of classics have been noticeably undervalued recently - Kawasaki’s seminal Z650, the Honda 400 Four, Suzuki GS750 and GS1000, some of Yamaha’s XJ series, and particularly the 400cc supersports models of the 1990s come to mind. These are all fetching higher prices now, and I think it’s not before time. It’s a good rule of thumb that when the popular press starts tipping things as ‘good investments’, the chance to make a killing has probably gone, and a month or so ago the Mail on Sunday turned its attention to classic bikes,…

‘Get yourself a new bike for less’ Personal Contract Purchase now finances 20-30% of all new bikes sold in the UK, and it’s a method of ownership that is growing fast. But it might not be right for you, so make sure you understand the ins and outs. 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…

‘I don’t think I’d want to try and do it again but I’m over the moon’LUKE MOSSEY Lap times from testing aren’t always a reflection of what will happen in the season ahead but that didn’t bother JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s Luke Mossey this week as he obliterated the circuit lap record on the third day at Cartagena. The 23-year-old’s time of 1m 32.3s not only blitzed Tommy Hill’s previous BSB record from 2011, but also bettered the 1m 32.6s set by his new team-mate Leon Haslam when he was riding a full WSB-spec PATA Honda three years ago. However, the youngster admits that he put it all the line to get the lap time, and while it was good to do, he was actually more impressed by his consistent race…

Josh Brookes faced a tough opening test with the Anvil Hire Yamaha team as bad weather hampered his on-track debut ahead of his MCE British Super-bike return. Heavy rain at Jerez on Saturday meant Brookes got just a handful of laps on the first day but with more overnight rainfall and low temperatures, the Aussie and the team were also held back on the second day and faced a number of electrical issues. “We’ve not been able to get much done with the weather and a few other bits,” he said. “Motec have opened up a few channels on the ECU for this year, like the auto-blip function, and while that’s working whatever has happened is playing havoc with the regular fuelling, throttle connection so all the maps that would…

‘Last year I didn’t test until the North West and I got on the podium’PETER HICKMAN Another road racing front-runner testing at Cartagena was the TT’s fastest ever newcomer Peter Hickman, but instead of working on his road racing set-up, the Lincolnshireman spent the test working on his MCE British Superbike-spec machine. Switching to the Smiths BMW team for 2017, Hickman spent his three-day test re-familiarising himself with the S1000RR as the team began to work with their new Öhlins suspension. “I’ve not touched the roads bike yet,” he told MCN. “I’ve spent the test trying to get used to being back on a BMW. You can only get so much set up for the roads so we’ve decided to concentrate on BSB for now and we’ll do something with…

GSX250R price tag Suzuki have confirmed that their new GSX250R will land on UK shores this April at £4299 for black versions, and £100 more if you want the MotoGP replica paintjob. The GSX is more sporty commuter than pocket rocket, with a comfortable riding position, 248cc parallel-twin kicking out 24bhp, and LCD dash. Date with Dr DRE Ducati have announced their DRE dates for 2017, where you can brush up your skills on road, track and off-road. Track clinics are held at Misano and Mugello, DRE Enduro takes place at Nipozzano, near Florence, while the road courses take place at a closed test facility in Vairano, near Milan. Courses run May-September. GSA gets funky BMW’s R1200GS Adventure is now available in two special packages; the Tribute, and the Urban…

“In a lead acid/battery, sulphuric acid attempts to turn the lead into lead sulphate and it is this that produces electricity. They work well but are bulky and heavy due to the weight of the lead and acid itself. “Inside a lithium battery a similar chemical reaction happens, however it is lithium trying to turn into lithium phosphate. Lead and lithium are very far apart on the Periodic Table – which you’ll remember from chemistry lessons at school – and so for the same number of electrons zipping around making electricity, lithium is about 5% of the weight of lead. Lithium is also far more reactive than lead and so you get more energy for the same number of atoms. A lead/ acid battery is limited in its surface area…

‘We weren’t going to be called the Pink Helmets or anything’ “It began as a charity in 1971 and still is. I was running a group called the Hackney Adventure Holiday Project, which was designed to take children out of inner city London to the country for the summer holidays. “We found a couple of old BSA Bantams in a barn, negotiated with the farmer to have them and then started using them as part of the Holiday Project. “I was always looking for new activities and it was the period when Evel Knievel was at his height and motorcycling was at the forefront of most young lads’ minds. “We started with a little six lad formation riding team and by the end of ’72 there were eight riders on…

Mersey Gateway The operators of the Mersey Gateway bridge have confirmed that motorcycles and scooters will not have to pay the toll. A journey across the bridge, which will link Widnes and Runcorn, will carry a £2 charge. Halton Borough Council is currently in disputes with taxi drivers, who will have to pay, after they recommended passing the charge onto passengers. Electric avenue Two Shropshire entrepreneurs are hoping to capitalise on the growing interest in electric two-wheeled vehicles. After a business trip to China, the pair founded e-Scoot and have begun to import electric scooters starting from £1999. As an extra incentive, the first 20 purchased will include free delivery as well as free DVLA registration. Record-breakers Carl Reese has successfully broken the Guinness World Record for the greatest distance…

And so the race season is upon us. It’s started courtesy of World Superbikes and the opening encounter at Phillip Island was actually rather good. Whether the crowd figures or TV viewing numbers reflect the amazing action served up on track last weekend remains to be seen, but the riders certainly can’t do much more. Even the nutty race two grid mix-up worked (sort of). Although it didn’t change the end result that much it was interesting to see Alex Lowes line up on pole position after finishing fourth in the opening encounter. Even WSB’s pantomime villain Marco Melandri played his part and showed he’s not ready for a pipe and slippers just yet. Yes, Jonathan Rea did the double… again and yes it does look highly likely he will…

‘The rider modes, TC and ABS gives confidence and amplify skills’ KTM are claiming their new 1290 Super Adventure R is the most extreme adventure bike ever made – and after a full day’s riding in the blistering heat of Peru – I’m inclined to agree. But you don’t have to be a multiple Dakar winner on a big adventure to appreciate the 160bhp KTM. This is because the cutting-edge rider aids can turn this off-road animal into a gentle giant, or allow it to display barely-contained aggression to suit your skill level. The new R shares much with the more road-friendly 1290 Super Adventure S and uses the Super Duke-derived 1301cc 160bhp engine. It uses the same 6.5in full colour TFT dash as the S model with new switchgear…

Says supercharging expert Richard Albans of TTS Performance “The power of the H2 is coming from the boost that’s generated by the supercharger. Without the supercharger the H2 wouldn’t make 200bhp because the compression ratio is only around 8.5:1 so it would only make about 140bhp. “Kawasaki have used a centrifugal supercharger which creates boost in a pretty linear fashion and that suits a motorbike down to the ground because you don’t want the monster bottom-end torque that you can get out of some other kinds of supercharger. A centrifugal charger is very efficient where you want it, which is in the mid-range and top-end. “The reason more production bikes don’t come with superchargers is the extra complexity. If you look at Kawasaki’s maintenance regime, things need to be done…

‘This is the first time that I’ve ridden the production version and I’m pumped’ Ola factfile Ola grew up on a farm making hotted-up tractors before landing jobs for Saab and Indian. He joined BMW in 2003 and is responsible for the looks of the S1000RR, HP2 and BMW heritage range. “This is the first time that I’ve ridden the production version of the R nineT Racer and I’m pumped. It just works so well – the handling, ride-quality and the aesthetics. On the way here I had to pop into the petrol station and everyone looked at it – it is so special.” We’ve been waiting for Ola Stenegärd, bike designer and creative director of BMW’s new Heritage division at his private workshop in village outside Munich. We hear…

Nearly £5500 separates the two bikes, and you can see where the money has been spent. The 1200 S has more advanced riding aids, sublime suspension and a bigger kick of power. It’s easy to see why the 1200 S is so popular. However, Ducati’s all-new 950 is a great bike, and a genuine Multistrada. It can tour, is comfortable and on the road is more than quick enough even when compared to the 1200 S. If you tour at sensible speeds with matched friends then look no further than the 950. If, however, if you’re from a sporting background and enjoy the odd fast ride, you’ll appreciate the extra qualities of the 1200 S.…

1 Ryka’s Cafe, Box Hill, Surrey. Classic meeting spot on the A24 just outside Dorking. Grab a tea and enjoy. 07730-661013 2 Spalding Bike Night, The Chequers, Weston, Spalding, Lincs. 6.30pm-10pm. www.facebook.com/events/496160957245426 3 Bikers Breakfast, The Dog Inn, Nether Whitacre, Warks. Wednesday mornings from 9am for fry-up goodness. 01675-481318 or www.thedoginnwhitacre.co.uk 4 Oasis Snack Bar, Monmouth Rd, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. 01873-855375 5 Ace Café, Stonebridge, London. Drop in this Thursday evening for Italian bikes (and some cars, too). 020-8961-1000 or www.ace-cafe-london.com GET YOUR MEET ON THE MAP If you have a bike-friendly venue and want to get your meet on the map, email: sam.williams@motorcyclenews.com…

KTM 300 EXC Price £7199 Weight 100kg Power 46bhp Torque 28ftlb Seat height 960mm Fuel economy 52mpg ‘It’s the bike in my garage that makes me smile every time I see it, never mind ride it’ For anyone that rides a big 100bhp bike on the road, it’s unlikely that you’ll be particularly impressed by the on-paper stats of my KTM 300 EXC, a 293cc single-cylinder, two-stroke enduro bike. But trust me, stats can be deceiving. KTM continue to lead the way in two-stroke engine development. Unlike the firm’s Japanese rivals who essentially abandoned the technology a decade ago, the Austrian manufacturer continued to invest and now boast a range of true kick ass two-stroke Enduro bikes. The 300 EXC is the flagship used by the world’s best riders –…

2009 Street Triple R £3000 Seller says Scabbed paintwork due to removal of vinyl wrap, perfect otherwise, 7000 miles. Neil says Don’t vinyl wrap your bike, people! But this is about the cheapest Street R I’ve seen. 2009 Street Triple £2900 Seller says 23,000 miles, needs brake pads and a rear tyre. Neil says Compare and contrast with the R alongside. Due a service, too, so you’re looking at another £400-500 on top. 2010 Honda CB1300 £3000 Seller says One owner, 30,000 miles, fastidiously serviced, ABS model, new tyres, heated grips. Neil says Mature rider’s bike, so you’d expect it to be well cared-for. Shame it hasn’t got any luggage.…

MICHAEL NEEVES MCN Senior Road Tester and Thundersport GP1 racer 2000 SUZUKI GSX-R750Y “It’s no secret I’m a big GSX-R750 fan and for that money I reckon I could pick up a 2000 Y model – the same shape as the K1-K3. It would be a bit ratty, but I’d turn it into a trackday weapon. Whack on some decent suspension, sticky tyres and racier gearing and it would do the business at the sharp end of the fast group.” BRUCE DUNN MCN Performance Tester and 250GP racer 1985 YAMAHA SDR200 “I’ve actually just bought a bike for £2000 – a 1985 Yamaha SDR200 in a box, so it needs rebuilding! They are rare as they were only produced for one year for the Japanese market and it’s one of…

1995 Ducati 900SS Colours Red Dealer £4500 Private good £3900 Private average £3400 This one Old model, with carbs and the slab-sided fairing. Fruity termi cans and a drilled clutch cover, but 53,000km. Offered at £4500. 1998 Ducati 900SSie Colours Red or yellow Dealer £3999 Private good £3500 Private average £2500 This one 858 miles on the clock, dry stored, and fully recommissioned. It’s on sale for £3999. 1998 Ducati 900SSie Colours Red or yellow Dealer £3999 Private good £3500 Private average £2500 This one Salty price, but it’s got a factory carbon cans, light footrests and Öhlins (rather than Showa) forks and shock. £4500. 2003 Ducati 800SSie Colours Red or yellow Dealer £3695 Private good £3200 Private average £2500. This one Fewer than 11,000 miles on the clock. The…

The 2016 MCE British Superbike champ Shane Byrne was conspicuous by his absence as Spanish testing got underway. While Byrne and team-mate Glen Irwin did get two tests in Spain and Portugal in January, both were hoping to head out to Spain early this month, but due to the team working on a number of upgrades to the machines with Ducati’s factory in Italy it wasn’t possible. Their next test will be at the official BSB test at Donington Park on March 22 and they’ll also squeeze in another date between then and the season’s start one week later.…

Fallen through? Absent from the Cartagena test despite appearing on the entry list was William Dunlop who was supposed to be riding for Martin Halsall’s new road racing outfit. However, MCN understands that deal may now be in jeopardy due to an issue with the 2017 BMW machinery they’ve acquired. Mercer’s debut Cartagena saw Steve Mercer make his debut with Devitt RC Express Kawasaki. It was a largely positive outing for the Kent rider alongside Lincolnshire team-mate and two-time TT winner Ivan Lintin. Jessopp on pace Another rider to compete both in BSB and on the roads, Martin Jessopp enjoyed a positive test on his Riders BMW machinery to record his quickest ever lap of the Cartagena circuit. The Yeovil rider lapped the 2.1-mile circuit with a time of 1m…

Usually when you see a helicopter and a GP bike there’s bad news to follow – but it was a different story over the weekend as the Reale Avintia Racing team airlifted their Desmosedicis to the top of a ski resort to have a muck about in the white stuff. Hector Barbera and Loris Baz were both on hand, with Emilio Zamora donning the injured Barbera’s riding kit for a blast through the snow. The spectacle unfolded at the Circuito de Andorra, at an altitude of 2500m, and we doubt the power losses from the altitude were much cause for concern. During the presentation, the injured Barbera also confirmed that he will not be taking part in the upcoming Qatar test following a recent collarbone break during training in Valencia.…

Marquez hits the white stuff The MotoGP guys just can’t stay off the snow this year. Marc Marquez has once again taken to the white stuff, this time on Honda’s new X-ADV oddity up the Hahnenkamm mountain, Austria, last week. See the video on motorcyclenews.com 959 reasons Ducati UK have launched Ducati on Track, in association with the California Superbike School. Customers ride a 959 Panigale on track, with guidance from a CSS instructor, for £285. Events take place at Silverstone on May 17, June 7 and August 2. www.ducatiuk.com Knife gangs target bikes Police are investigating a theft in Birmingham after a man was threatened with a knife before having his motorcycle stolen. If you’ve suffered a similar incident we’d like to talk to you. Going Green Kawasaki have…

DUCHINNI D501 £69.99 Classically-shaped and beautifully-styled, the D501 has had a makeover for 2017. Despite the competitive price the D501 has an internal sun visor, plush internals and a goggle strap. www.thekeycollection.co.uk DEUS EX MACHINA MATCHLESS T-SHIRT £35 Deus Ex Machina have transcended the usual work of being custom builders and become a fashion brand too. This t-shirt is 100% cotton and has a Matchless on the front, if that’s your thing. Deuscustoms.com BUILT ISSUE 4 £4.99 If you worship at the shrine that is custom, then there’s no better place to indulge your passion and get the lowdown on some of the best custom bikes the world has to offer. www.builtmag.co.uk…

MOTO RUMI FORMINCHINO My first road-legal bike in May 1964. Mum took this photo in case she never saw me alive again, I’ve been obsessed ever since. Peter Warneford-Bygrave YAMAHA FS1-E My first road bike – a Fizzy. Loved it! My wife has just started riding too. Simon Spall YAMAHA GT80 Here I am aged nine in 1986. Ron Holmes ENFIELD CONTINENTAL GT My first bike; a ‘65 Royal Enfield Continental GT. Sheldon Payne, Arizona KAWASAKI KR-1 On my Kawasaki KR-1 after passing my test in 1988! Peter Chadwick HONDA 50 My brother Paul Mulcahy on his first bike, a Honda 50. The picture was taken in roughly 1990. He was killed in a motorsport accident in 2013. Brian Mulcahy send pics to: mcn.letters @motorcyclenews.com…

DUCATI MULTISTRADA ENDURO £17,295 MCN’s 2016 adventure bike group test winner, the Enduro was launched last year and was a real revelation. It boasts the same power as the KTM, a similarly impressive rider aids package and lashings of Italian chic. It’s the most expensive in class though. BMW R1200GS RALLYE £12,730 Launched just a few weeks ago, the new off-road-biased Rallye uses BMW’s next generation ESA semi-active suspension, married to more KTM-like styling and graphics. The latest evolution of their seminal 125bhp GS boxer package. TRIUMPH EXPLORER XCX £14,300 The XCX is Triumph’s most off-road focused model. The 1215cc big-bore triple has the power, kicking out 137bhp – enough to keep it in touch here. The Explorer also boasts semi-active WP suspension and many of the same rider aids…

The new H2 is an astounding machine – delivering mind-altering acceleration in a package that is now more manageable and with better handling. This is a bike that you still need to ride for a while to get used to its power delivery, but long-term ownership would be an exciting proposition. The H2 isn’t cheap, but such is the level of quality, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kawasaki don’t make a profit on each one. This is a machine that places Kawasaki Heavy Industries at the vanguard of bike technology. Anyone who owns one will have their life enriched.…

The original R nineT £12,220 108bhp • 220kg First of the line, a naked, air-cooled retro machine with quality suspension and great build The blank canvas R nineT Pure £9990 108bhp • 219kg Lower-spec version with conventional forks and brakes. Designed to be modified The knobbly version Rnine T Scrambler £10,550 108bhp • 220kg Street scrambler version of the R nineT with 19in front wheel and knobblies The tribute R nineT Urban G/S £10,550 108bhp • 221kg Homage to the original 1980 R80G/S with 19in wheels and retro styling The sporty one R nineT Racer £10,775 108bhp • 220kg Retro racer version of the R nineT Pure (see above). With bespoke fairing, clip-ons and more instrumentation. Read MCN’s first ride report on page 4…

RIDING EXPERT Adam Child MCN Senior Road Tester and year-round commuter from Yorkshire How’s your bike? If your bike has been garaged over winter, you’ll need to give it a healthcheck. Roll the wheels, check the brakes, chain and sprockets. Are the pads sticking? Is the chain running smoothly? Run the bike up to temperature, remembering to re-fill the coolant if you’ve drained it. Check the tyre pressures, are the tyres in good condition? Take it easy first time out There’s no mega rush to get those #ride5000miles done, so take it easy. Try to get comfortable again, get used to the now odd feeling of a lid and tight kit which seems to have shrunk over winter (or was it too many mince pies?). Pothole watch… Your favourite road…

Price £15,999 Fuel 23 litres @ 44.55mpg = 225 miles range Weight 205kg (dry) Seat 835mm Power 173bhp Torque 106ftlb ‘There’s no point trying to pigeonhole it – this bike is whatever you want it to be’ THE EXTRAS •  Akrapovic end can £729.53• Brake/clutch lever guards £112.08• GPS mount £72.26• Tailpack 10-30L £96.58• GT Pannier set £648.35• Hill Hold Control £147.52• Total mods £1806.32 In my 21 years, and 300,000+ miles, of riding motorcycles on the road, there have been very few bikes that I’d credit with having changed how I feel about riding – but this is one of them. I can’t pretend that the SDGT is perfect but there are very few scenarios in which it doesn’t get very close indeed. In terms of realigning perceptions, shocking with brilliance, and delivering superbly rewarding…

RST waterproof one-piece suit £59.99 Tough pull-on waterproof suit that has a bias-cut zip from knee to shoulder to make putting it on easy. Made from 100% PVC with taped internal seams, the RST promises to keep you dry whether you’re wearing leathers or textiles underneath. Elasticated waist and cuffs, and even provision for a race hump. Held Splash rain suit £68.99 High-quality suit from the German kit supremoes, the Splash comes in a pleasing red/black colour scheme for those riders who don’t fancy fluro or plain old black. There’s reflective detailing at the shoulders and elasticated bands at the waist, cuffs and ankles for a perfect and snug fit. Weise Siberian waterproof suit £84.99 If you’re planning to ride through some wicked weather, the Siberian promises to keep you…

Q Will Swiss claim run like clockwork? I recently had a nasty accident while we were on tour in Zurich. A driver turned across my path and knocked me off my bike, leaving me with bruised ribs and a broken leg. A friend of mine claimed in England for an accident he had in Italy a few years back. Will I be able to do the same? I don’t know if it’s relevant, but obviously Switzerland is not in the EU and I’m worried I would be expected to bring a claim there? I have legal insurance and called them, but they didn’t have a clue! Alvin, email ‘I was knocked off in Zurich and am worried I will have to make my claim in Switzerland’ A The short answer…

1. Keep it out of sight “If you don’t keep your bike locked away and out of sight, then the single biggest thing you could do to reduce your premium is to find a way to do this. Not all insurers will cover ungaraged bikes, especially in London where theft rates are much higher. By taking this measure, you can make as much as a 30% saving on your premiums.” 2. Get educated “Motorcyclists can also take a riding course such as Bikesafe, run by local police riders, which will save them 5% with most insurers. Similarly, getting your IAM qualification can save a rider around 10%. Riders can also take out voluntary excess; for example a voluntary excess of £500 can save up to 15% with some insurers.” 3.…

TCX RT boots now in dealers TCX’s new flagship race boot will be in dealers later this month. The long-awaited RT-Race, feature internal lacing as well as TCX’s Double Flex Control system for flexibility and protection. Available in three colour options – black, black/yellow,black/yellow/red – they’ll set you back £229.99 or £249.99 for the waterproof version. nevis.uk.com Grant gives steam to electric bikes Dealerships are reporting that the Government’s subsidy on the cost of electric motorcycles has already resulted in increased sales. The grant, which was only extended to cover homologated electric motorcycles on February 1, sees £1500 slashed off the list price of bikes enrolled in the scheme. K-World Tour kicks off Kawasaki have announced the dates of their 2017 K-World trackday tour, and it gets going at Lydden…

Honda build brilliantly engineered and finished bikes and occasionally pulls out all the stops to create a technological showcase. But naughty? Kawasaki’s default is naughty. Yamaha sometimes does naughty. Suzuki occasionally manages it. But Honda’s idea of naughty is shoving an RR sticker on a tweaked sportsbike. Ladies and gentleman, please raise a glass to the 600 Hornet of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The trend for naked bikes was just starting, and Honda put the bulletproof engine from its carb-fed CBR600 into a naked chassis, retuned it, cut corners and costs with budget suspension and everybody loved it. It wasn’t meant to be practical like a Yamaha Diversion. It was meant to be fun. Practicality went out of the window with a 100-mile tank range and a high-level…

‘People pack the clutches, but the stack height of the plates is quite critical’ “They’re quite bulletproof to be honest. The issue I see most is wheel bearings! Apart from that it’s just general servicing – people leaving the chain and sprockets too long, or the clutch, or letting the cambelts get too long and loose. Nothing that you wouldn’t pick up if you service it regularly. “You should change the belts every 12,000 miles or two years, and we check the tension at the annual service. The closing shims on the valves are located with small c-shaped collets and these can break or wear, in which case we change them as part of doing the clearances. “The clutch can get extremely loud as it wears. The tabs on the…

Giugliano ready to shake up BSB Davide Giugliano showed he could be a contender in this year’s MCE British Superbike series as he made his debut with the Tyco BMW team. Many had wondered whether the Italian, who has a reputation for crashing, would suit racing in BSB with no electronic rider aids, but after three days on the S1000RR the former WSB star ranked sixth quickest and didn’t crash once. Guintoli hit by wind at test Sylvain Guintoli got a first taste of the Yoshimura-spec Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R he’ll race this year at a windy Almeria on Saturday. The 2014 World Superbike Champion wasn’t able to attend the team’s first test in Cartagena last week due to personal reasons, but flew out to Spain on Friday to test his…

‘Under the duct tape it’s really trick and we’re set to get more parts’JAMES ELLISON The all-new McAMS Yamaha team sprung a major surprise as testing for the 2017 MCE British Superbike Championship got underway with James Ellison and Michael Laverty lapping Cartagena competitively from the first day. Ellison clocked the second fastest time of the test on Friday to end up just 0.3sec off fastest man Luke Mossey (see page 66). And team-mate Laverty also enjoyed a positive test despite being unable to improve his day one time after suffering issues with chatter. Their stunning pace comes despite the Keith Flint-supported Team Traction Control set-up only taking delivery of most of the bike’s parts from Yamaha’s race factory in Italy days before the truck left for Spain. They are…

‘I’m 37 years-old now so I think I need to prioritise the roads’ Ian Hutchinson proved he’s upping the ante in his attempt to return to the top step in the Isle of Man TT Superbike and Senior races in his first test of the year with Tyco BMW. The Bingley Bullet spent four days on track at Cartagena onboard his BMW Superbike where he lapped in the 1m 34s. But his focus was not on lap times, instead Hutchy arrived with the specific plan of familiarising himself with how the bike behaves on its new Dunlop tyres after he made the switch from Metzeler for 2017. “I want to be winning the Superbike and Senior races and nothing will change if I don’t make it happen,” said Hutchinson, who…