Table of contents for 5 July 2017 in MCN

One thing that chief executive Whitaker was keen to point out to MCN is that the continued fate of the project will have no impact whatsoever on the running of this year’s British Grand Prix in only eight weeks time. The Circuit of Wales are the current contract holders for the race, penning a 10-year deal with MotoGP bosses Dorna in 2014, and have been hosting the race at Silverstone ever since. But, despite indications that the project might be in jeopardy, he was insistent that this year’s race would continue as normal thanks to the way the project is structured. “There is absolutely no reason to be concerned about the race. We made a decision at the end of last year to effectively split the Circuit of Wales from…

Peaky blinder At this year’s Pikes Peak International Hillclimb in Colorado, records were shattered as Chris Fillmore piloted a KTM 1290 Super Duke R to victory in a time of 9m 49.625s. Most impressive still is that Fillmore was a rookie at the event. Talking bikes Bosch are trying to create a Bike-to-Vehicle (B2V) communications network that could prevent crashes. Working with Autotalks, Bosch hope the technology (trialled on some Ducatis) will warn drivers of the presence of motorcycles in close proximity or around blind bends. Zarco v car star Car racing star Bruno Senna and MotoGP star Johann Zarco recently went head to head in a car v bike shootout. Senna’s McLaren GT3 battled Zarco’s Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP bike. Who won? Who do you think!? Watch it here:…

MAG loses rag The Motorcycle Action Group have hit back at Transport for London’s suggestion of a daily £12.50 charge for bikes. MAG chair Selina Lavender said that TfL’s intention to tax bikes from 2020 is counter-productive to their aim of reducing emissions. Trump’s bike tax Despite pressure from the America Motorcyclists Association, Donald Trump’s Trade Representative is refusing to back down on the proposed import duty on European motorcycles. If it goes through, sub-500cc imports from the EU would be subject to a 100% tax. KTM’s race focus KTM have rolled out a stand-alone business to develop their race bike range, promote their products at meetings and offer paddock support. KTM Customer Racing will offer production race bikes, tuning kits, specialist KTM PowerParts and other products. Auction stations Auctioneers…

The Circuit of Wales story has experienced more ups and downs, twists and turns than a Blackpool rollercoaster ride. With news this week that the Welsh Government won’t underwrite any financial shortfall (see page six), it would seem the writing is on the wall for the ambitious project. The really worrying thing is what it might mean for a British round of MotoGP in the near future. While 2017’s race seems safe, what happens in 2018 (and beyond) looks less certain. Dorna’s deal with the Circuit of Wales started in 2015 when Silverstone made it abundantly clear it would not pay the fee demanded by the series owners. After trying to move the Brit GP to Donington Park, the CoW camp were forced to run the event at Silverstone after…

‘My whole life flashed before my eyes. It was soooo fast’ Q1 What are you riding? I’m just waiting for a Yamaha XVS1100 Dragstar to turn up for the road but I’ve got lots of dirt bikes – a Husqvarna 450 supermoto, a KTM enduro, a 250cc Yamaha motocross bike, a trials bike... Q2 Which living motorcyclist do you most admire? Valentino Rossi is the obvious one. For all his achievements and the motivation to keep racing. But then there’s Casey Stoner for his out-and-out speed too. Q3 What’s your worst habit? Everything I do, according to my girlfriend! Even my breathing annoys her! Which is fair enough because I imagine I am a pain in the arse to live with. Q4 If you could have one superpower, what would…

‘You’ll be rewarded with a view that feels positively Mediterranean’ Wales has some truly amazing roads, and the town of Machynlleth is ideally placed to explore the best of them. This ride kicks off from the filling station on the A487 where you can top up before heading north. The first section follows a meandering watercourse through a narrow valley, engulfed in trees until the left turn for the B4405 where the world opens up to present a spectacular skim along the edge of Tal-y-llyn Lake. At the junction with the A493 turn right for Dolgellau and within a few turns you’ll be rewarded with a view that feels positively Mediterranean; with the Llŷn Peninsula on the horizon and glimpses of golden beaches below. The ride up Cardigan Bay is…

1 Southport Carousel, Promenade, Southport, Mersyside. Wednesdays. www.visitsouthport.com 2 Manor Farm Café, Bellerby, Leyburn DL8 5QH. 01969 624705 manorfarmcafe@hotmail.com 3 Sycamore Harley, Uppingham, Lincs. www.sycamorehd.co.uk 4 TT Super Sausage, A5 Wattlng Street, Potterspur, Northants. Always busy. Drop in for a banger (other food is available!) www.supersausagecafe.co.uk 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…

Harleys have great residuals, so you can buy used knowing that the value won’t plummet overnight. The below are all available from mcnbikesforsale.com 2016 Street Glide £19,545 Lakeside Harley-Davidson’s demo model that is very similar to the one on the fleet. It’s done just over 1000 miles but there’s a tidy saving to be had. 2015 Street Glide £16,295 Lacking the new Milwaukee-Eight engine and suspension, the 2015 Street Glide is still a great bike as the rest of the comfort kit is the same. 2012 Street Glide £12,995 Although it shares the same engine as the 2015 bike above, it’s before the Project Rushmore improvements to the braking and handling. 2014 Electra Glide £16,500 If you love the look of the Street Glide but have longer trips in mind,…

2016 HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET 750 PROJECT FLAT TRACKER £5995 FUEL 13.1 litres @ 57.5mpg = 165 miles POWER 52bhp TORQUE 43ftlb WEIGHT 223kg SEAT 710mm THE RIDER Emma Franklin Sportsbike-lover and 125GP racer who is learning to love flat trackers. HEIGHT 5ft 7in WEIGHT 65kg emma.franklin@motorcyclenews.com What’s the one thing a proper flat tracker needs? Proper 19in spoked wheels, that’s what. With pukka flat track racing tyres only available in 19in sizes, there was no room for compromise – our project flat tracker had to abandon its 17in front and 15in rear cast wheels. But after hours of Internet scouring, we couldn’t find anything that would bolt straight on. So, after sourcing a pair of suitable Harley 40-spoke hubs, we’ve enlisted the UK’s premier wheel builder – Central Wheel Components of…

1 MATERIAL In terms of weight, cost and ease of production, aluminium is the material of choice, bar none. The aluminium used is alloyed with other materials to enhance its suitability for use in such an extreme environment. Copper, nickel and magnesium are used in small amounts (less than 1%) to improve casting and machinability but the key alloying agent is silicon. The silicon content may vary from as little 2% to around 20%. Higher silicon content reduces the rate at which the piston expands. This is important in modern production engines which require the piston to run in its bore with minimal clearance to reduce emissions by better controlling oil consumption. A low silicon content alloy will dissipate heat more efficiently and is less brittle and therefore less likely…

I’ve come across two dealerships recently that reserve the right to refuse to work on older bikes. One specified a cut-off age of 10 years. I think this deserves wider attention because if people want a cheap bike then they tend to look at something older. For every careful owner a bike has had, there’s another whose toolkit consisted of a hammer and nothing else. You would not believe the damage people like this can do. Mashed screw heads, stripped threads and damaged components. Then there are those who insist on using non-standard fasteners. This infuriates me because I look at a component I’m familiar with, reach for the 12mm ring spanner, and find they’ve replaced the nut with a 13mm headed item. Then they have replaced one bolt with…

2000 Honda SP-1 Colours Red, silver Dealer £6000 Private good £5500 Private average £5100 This one At £6499 this 26,081-mile bike needs to be in the excellent condition it is advertised at. 2000 Honda SP-1 Colours Red, silver Dealer £6000 Private good £5500 Private average £5100 This one £8500 price reflects its low 3400 mileage and its lovely standard condition. One for collectors. 2002 Honda SP-1 Colours Red, silver Dealer £7000 Private good £6500 Private average £5800 This one This late-registered 2002 bike has covered 24,000 miles. Private sale, £6500. 2002 Honda SP-1 Colours Red, silver Dealer £7000 Private good £6500 Private average £5800 This one £6500 dealer sale, this is low mileage at 3328, but in the less popular silver colour, hence its price tag. Insurance MCN COMPARE MCNCompare.com…

Jason O’Halloran and the Honda Racing team continued to show improvement with the all-new Fireblade at Snetterton with two rostrum finishes to strengthen their position in the top six. The team have struggled with throttle connection, power delivery and general rideability since taking delivery of the machine earlier this year, but progress at both the Snetterton test and Knockhill race saw both O’Halloran and team-mate Dan Linfoot take a step closer to the front. “We had a really positive test last month and turned up here and didn’t have to change a lot,” O’Halloran said. “We worked hard over the weekend on race distance and that really paid off today. I got held up in the first race a bit and we got held up by Hopkins a little in…

Iddon out as he battles arm injury Christian Iddon was withdrawn from the weekend’s action as the Tyco BMW team opted to avoid the risk of exacerbating the arm injury he suffered at Knockhill. Youngster Josh Elliott was a last-minute replacement securing 15th in the opening race. Hickman top six and right in the mix While Peter Hickman’s sixth and seventh places might not be anything to shout about, his consistency saw him move into the Showdown top six at the expense of the absent Christian Iddon. Hopkins in the hunt with Ducati John Hopkins showed clear improvement with the MotoRapido Ducati team to fight for the podium in the second race. After losing third to O’Halloran, the American believes he was too cautious on the last lap allowing Dixon…

‘It felt like I was towing a trailer with the way the rear was sliding’DANILO PETRUCCI While Andrea Dovizioso might have been able to take positives from his performance, Jorge Lorenzo and Danilo Petrucci suffered a much more difficult weekend with tyre issues. Lorenzo came home in 11th despite showing strong pace at the start of the race. He said: “I managed to do four or five laps at a good pace in the early stages and I was racing at a good pace until the performance dropped off on the left side of the rear tyre. In the final stages, however, I had to reduce my pace because the bike was spinning under acceleration. “At Assen and here there were two or three corners where I was losing too…

Former Moto3 world champion Danny Kent has admitted that he’s unsure what his racing future looks like as he made his third wildcard appearance, this time for the Red Bull KTM Ajo squad in the lightweight class. Having walked away from the Moto2 Kiefer Racing outfit earlier this season, Kent said: “We’re on the scout for rides for next year. I have to be honest with myself, but I know I can be fast on a Moto2 bike – I proved that at Mugello when I was fighting inside the top 10. But on paper, it might not look too good for me in Moto2. But we have a few options already in Moto3. “My career has suddenly turned around in the last two years, from where I turned down…

‘Every rider was celebrating with me – even Vale gave me his hand’JONAS FOLGER Jonas Folger stunned the 77,000-strong home crowd at Sunday’s German Grand Prix – taking his first MotoGP podium and at the same time becoming the first German in 30 years to stand on a premier class podium. Folger’s second place finish was also a major result for Herve Poncheral’s Monster Tech 3 Yamaha squad which has now seen both its rookie signings – Folger and Frenchman Johann Zarco – score home-round podiums. Speaking after an impressive tussle with Sachesnring race-winner Marc Marquez, the normally reserved 23-year-old Folger said: “The race was bigger than any victory that I’ve achieved before. The emotions are like nothing I’ve ever experienced before, the adrenaline makes you forget everything, and watching…

Dexter Atome Hammer £149.99 Usually, lids at this price feature a thermoplastic shell but this new Atome Hammer from French firm Dexter has the spec of a much pricier helmet. It has a tri-composite shell, a fully removable lining with emergency quick-release system, double D-ring chin strap and a Pinlockready visor – and the insert is included in the price. It’s even better value if you want it in plain white or black – at just £139.99. www.mcnshop.com HJC FG-ST £199.99 A sports-touring lid constructed from a lightweight fibreglass shell which offers a comfortable and superior fit. The channelling system offers full front-to-back airflow which flushes heat and humidity up and out of the helmet. The trademark RapidFire visor system allows quick, tool-less visor replacement, which is also Pinlock Max…

While the attention on Sunday might have been on Marc Marquez, his Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa rode a typically low-key race to claim his fifth podium finish from the opening nine races of the year, as he starts to ease himself back into the group battling for the championship. Now only 16 points adrift of Valentino Rossi in fourth, he says that the squad’s upcoming test at the Brno circuit ahead of the next round of the championship means that they should be in a good position to close down the gap further after the summer break.…

KTM to make a stand at Brit GP Tickets are on sale for the KTM Grandstand at the MotoGP at Silverstone from August 25-27. The KTM Grandstand is outside Abbey corner, so fans will have a great view of the action. Prices start from £79 and include a free goodie bag. She who dares... Honda have pledged their support for the Dare to be Different initiative, a campaign to increase female participation in motorsport, introducing Jenny Tinmouth as an ambassador. Tinmouth rode a DTBD liveried Fireblade at Goodwood and Honda are providing more vehicles to support DTBD’s various events. Indian still undefeated The Indian Wrecking Crew flat-track team are still undefeated after eight races including four clean sweeps of the podium. Jared Mees’ win at the OKC Mile was his…

When the XDiavel burst onto the scene in 2016, its radical styling took the world by storm. With such a distinctive look, it takes a brave person to remaster it, but veteran customiser Fred Krugger was keen to have a go. The result is clean, futuristic and powerful – everything the XDiavel represents. Krugger, winner of two Custom Bike World Championships, intended the Thiverval to build on the power cruiser aesthetic of the XDiavel, without losing the Ducati DNA, which is why the original headlight remains. Moving away from traditional Ducati looks, the trellis frame has been covered to simplify the lines although the engine remains untouched. The rest of the bike’s shape, such as the seat and tank, has been completely rebuilt and the shapes accentuated by alternating use…

1 Going the distance It’s hard to be definitive, but the petrol tank beneath the jousting skirt appears to be quite large – we’d estimate 21 litres – which combined with the frugal engine could easily give the T7 a 250-mile range. 2 Room for two The radical bodywork on the T7 concept was classic lean, mean Dakar racer, but the production bike has a more modest subframe design to allow for passengers. The pillion seat is clearly visible, while there are no pillion pegs on this test bike. 3 Other options The two-piece seat is a departure from the concept’s pure off-road styling, but it’s possible Yamaha will offer a single piece seat and other accessories, or even offer two versions of the model – a road-focused one, and…

Put simply, the ignition coil converts the low voltage of the motorcycle battery (approximately 12v) into the huge voltage required to jump the gap at the spark plug (around 20,000v). The coil is made up of a primary winding, which is a made from heavy gauge wire, and a secondary winding of thousands of turns of thinner wire. Current flowing through the primary winding creates a magnetic field, which oscillates when the ignition contact breaker opens, generating the larger voltage in the secondary winding. The huge amount of stored energy in the coil wants to find its way to earth and it does so by travelling down the bike’s HT lead and through the spark plug. Many bikes have twin-output coils to save space. These operate on a wasted spark…

‘Yes Knockhill is challenging but it is a fantastic circuit to race around’ Don’t knock Knockhill I have to disagree with Michael Price’s Letter of the Week (June 28). I and thousands of other fans had a fantastic time over the three days at Knockhill BSB, even though Friday was somewhat chilly. The track has provided some fantastic racing over the years and this year was no exception. Any suggestion to move on is ludicrous and would be a severe loss to BSB and Scottish fans. Long live BSB at Knockhill. John Weir, email It’s Scot to be done I take it Michael Price has never been to Knockhill. I attend all the two-wheel racing at Knockhill from Scottish club racing to BSB, and yes, it’s a short challenging circuit,…

ARIEL RED HUNTER This is my dad Peter Hall firing up his Ariel Red Hunter circa 1965. Ben Hall HONDA CBR125 My first bike back in 2012. After the 125, CBR250 and two CBR600RRs I’ve just bought a Kawasaki Z900. I’m still loving riding. Luke Fahy YAMAHA DT250 My DT250 MX and my mate on his MZ175 on our way back to The Royal Engineers Southwood camp at Farnborough! Nick Simmonds YAMAHA LC My missus knitting a jumper to match my custom-painted Yamaha LC250 in 1982. Mark KTM STING My first road bike: KTM Sting 125, circa 2001. I’m currently riding a K6 GSX-R1000. Aaron Beckett HONDA CG125 I bought this beauty when I saw it rotting in someone’s front yard and passed my Mod 1 and 2 on the…

‘Surf the curves between loch and glen, beckoned onward by a flowing road’ An early start will make the most of this epic route, but be sure to down a full Scottish before setting off – you’ll need it. Head northwest from Crianlarich on the A82, fuel up at The Green Welly Stop (see page 38), then enjoy the first of many grins as you chase a glorious thread of tarmac across open moorland to ride the spectacular Glencoe pass. Push on to Invergarry, via the town of Fort William and Spean Bridge. Take the A87 from Invergarry and surf the curves between loch and glen, beckoned onward by a flowing road set against a truly breathtaking backdrop. Follow the A896 for nine miles to Tornapress, where you’ll find the…

‘You need to be ‘on it’. And if you are, it’ll happen all by itself’ The first thing to know about getting your knee down is that you don’t need to do it on the road. Ever. There is no road situation (including trying to get to hospital where your wife is giving birth and you’ve somehow forgotten to be there) that merits riding that hard. That said, I may as well admit that I’ve done it on the road about ten thousand times! This was back in the days when so-called extreme riding pictures were thought to improve magazine sales. I must stress that this had nothing to do with genuine fast riding. It was just a biking equivalent of a fashion model’s pout for the camera. (In fact,…

Price £22,385 Fuel 22.7 litres @ 49mpg = 245 miles Weight 376kg Seat 680mm Power 88bhp Torque 110ftlb JORDAN GIBBONS A lover of custom bikes and BMWs, but has experience with a wide range of bikes Height 5ft 6in Weight 72kg ‘I scraped footboards while the sun blazed and the stereo blared’ While I’ve been enjoying riding the Harley-Davidson Street Glide I’ve had on test, I’d not really gelled with it. I’ve clocked up well over 5000 miles but most of that has been commuting, or riding to places to interview people. But over the course of a long sunny weekend in June it all came together. I spent almost the whole of one Saturday riding the bike to and from places picking things up in the panniers, and then…

‘After just two weeks, the brake discs started to turn orange at the edges’ 2017 TRIUMPH BOBBER Price £10,500 MPG 55mpg Weight 228kg Seat 690mm Power 76bhp Torque 78ftlb LIAM MARSDEN All weather rider who enjoys riding and owning a wide array of machines. Height 6ft 1in Weight 75kg I ride everyday no matter the weather. Bikes are my main form of transport and they need to be able to keep up with the rigours of commuting every day in unpredictable British weather. Take one look at the Bobber, and as beautiful as it is, it doesn’t look like a bike built for commuting or practicality. When the weather’s good the Bobber is a great bike to ride. Vented jacket, short gloves, short boots. Perfect, but this is Britain and…

‘For a technical defence the error has to be fundamental’ Q Does wrong reg give me a great escape? I was stopped for speeding by a policeman using a speed camera. I was given a roadside report that stated an incorrect reg. It was correct in the court summons. Am I able to get it thrown out as they got the details wrong? Mohammed Raman, email A The defence you would seek to rely on is a technical defence. That is, the details of the charge against you were incorrect and consequently you cannot defend the allegations as they do not relate to you. This sounds good in principle but it is not easy to rely on in practice. For a technical defence the error has to be so fundamental…

‘Low APRs make big adventures taste just that little bit sweeter’ The beginning of July marks the start of the new sales season for bike manufacturers. MCN can reveal one of the trends shown with this batch of offers is lower APRs available on new models across the spectrum. Suzuki are a perfect example of this – slashing their typical 7.9% rate to just 4.9% on selected machines in a special summer scheme. From July, bikes such as the standard V-Strom 650 and 1000, and their XT variants, will receive this lower percentage when purchased on PCP – making those big adventures taste just that little bit sweeter. Alternatively, if you’re tempted by something sporty and naked, then the GSX-S750 and GSX-S750Z Phantom will also be available at this lower…

Suzuki test days are bang on track Suzuki have added Cadwell Park to their national test ride tour and will visit the Lincolnshire track on Friday, July 7. There will be a wide range of new machines to try at all of Suzuki’s seven 2017 test events – even the hot new GSX-R1000. www.bikes.suzuki.co.uk Delightful deals from Ducati Ducati have announced that they are extending their low-rate 3% finance deal, currently in operation, on all Scrambler models – except the Café Racer and Desert Sled – as well as all Monsters. Alongside this, they have also extended their £1000 Multistrada 1200 Performance Voucher offer, which can either be spent on accessories or as a contribution towards a finance deal. www.ducatiuk.com Bikers can pay without palaver Technology-firm Kiroco have designed contactless…

‘If you have race cans, go for a Power Commander for better fuelling’ “The SP-1? Now that’s a nice bike, a wonderful bit of kit and the only thing I’d really say is crucial when buying one is a good service history. They need regular oil changes to keep them in tiptop condition and I’d avoid any with too many race parts on them, especially within the motor. Stock is always best, although a nice set of aftermarket pipes makes them sound awesome! “One of the very few known faults with the SP-1 is the wiring loom. If they are used in all weathers I’ve seen them start to corrode their wires below the seat, mainly next to the bank-angle sensor, which can rot its connector. This can cause the…

‘We’re taking steps forward and there’s more to come’JOSH BROOKES When Josh Brookes signed for the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha team at the start of the year, no-one was sure whether the unproven squad would be able to put together a package good enough for the 2015 British Champion. With the Swadlincote-based team having scored just three points last year, they knew they would have to up their game to provide Brookes’ with a bike to fight at the front. While it’s not been an easy start, their progress was evident at Snetterton this weekend as they fought to two runner-up spots And while Brookes admits he was unable to fight with Byrne for the win, he was able to get close to the Ducati’s pace which he believes bodes…

 It was yet another weekend to forget for James Ellison and the McAMS Yamaha team with the Cumbrian once again leaving without any points, despite showing pace close to double race winner Shane Byrne. ‘Once again we felt good and walked away with nothing’ Ellison struggled with wheelie control throughout practice but a gearing breakthrough in qualifying saw him clock the quickest-ever lap of the Snetterton circuit on his Superpole flier. While his time was eventually bettered by Byrne, the improvement was a much-needed confidence boost. His pace carried across into the opening race, where he was quick enough to lead in the early stages before his ECU malfunctioned. He was again looking good for a rostrum in race two when he crashed out. It was his sixth non-score of…

‘We’ve shown that we can be competitive in all conditions’ANDREA DOVIZIOSO Andrea Dovizioso believes he remains a serious challenger title despite a disappointing weekend at the German Grand Prix. The 31-year-old Italian come home in a lowly eighth and finished behind the satellite 2016 Desmo of Alvaro Bautista. Dovizioso has been insistent that despite taking stunning back-to-back wins at Mugello and Barcelona less than a month ago that he and Ducati were not yet ready to fight for the title. Instead, he said the goal would be to strike when they could and add to his tally of wins. However, it’s taken not another successful weekend but instead a difficult one for the Italian to see light at the end of the tunnel. Coming away from a circuit where he…

It was a f***ing disaster from start to finishSCOTT REDDING Scott Redding may be forced to leave the grand Prix paddock behind in 2018, with MCN’s sources suggesting that the Pramac Ducati rider’s contract will not be renewed, leaving him without a ride. The news came after yet another disappointing weekend, where the British rider struggled in both dry and wet conditions at the German GP despite having shown good rain pace earlier in the season. Speaking after a race where he eventually came home second-to-last in 20th, Redding told MCN that he was left at a complete loss to describe the lack of form that has plagued him throughout the season – while also conceding that he’s aware of the consequences of it. He said: “It was a f***ing…

14th BRADLEY SMITH Started 15th Smith’s back in points Smith was also delighted by the work done by the team over the weekend. Joined by test rider Mika Kallio and with team-mate Pol Espargaró also in the points, Smith says the data gathered is more important than the points. DNF SAM LOWES Started 21st Lowes under threat A disappointing end to the weekend despite showing really strong progress as he ran inside the top 10 for much of the weekend. However, there have been no updates to his status for 2018 as Aprilia continue to talk to potential replacements. 23rd TARRAN MACKENZIE Started 28th Mackenzie on a roll Another positive weekend for the British Supersport champion as he edges closer and closer to the points. Mackenzie was happy with meeting…

RST R-16 one-piece suit £349.99 Now covering the arses of most of the BSB grid, RST also offer everyday sportsbike riders a route into the brand. Just £350 gets you a nicely made 1.1mm-1.3mm thick cowhide construction reinforced with CE-approved soft armour at the shoulders, elbows and knees, with space for optional extra armour at the hips and back. It’s cut for road riding, meaning that it won’t try to compress your spine as you’re walking around. There’s a fixed mesh liner, high-quality zips throughout, neoprene collar and cuffs for extra comfort, and the all-important speed hump. Sizes 38-52 Colours Black, white, red, blue, flo yellow www.rst-moto.com Richa Barracuda one-piece suit £399.99 A traditionally-styled race suit made from quality cowhide reinforced with supple D30 CE-approved armour at the shoulders, knees…

Richa Arctic WP £79.99 Previous winners of a RiDE magazine Best Buy Award, these winter-weight touring gloves tick all the boxes. Warm enough to keep the chill at bay during the cooler months and also promising 100% waterproofing via the internal Hipora membrane, the gloves also offer decent crash protection with hard armour at the knuckles, a scaphoid slider on the palm, as well as a Velcro wrist restraint. Constructed from a mix of leather, Superfabric and Keprotec they’re also superbly made and look as though they should cost double their recommended retail price. The gloves also come in specific men’s and ladies’ sizes so you should get the perfect fit. Colours Black Sizes S-3XL (Lady S-XL) www.nevis.uk.com Spada Enforcer WP £69.99 These are great winter gloves for budget-conscious riders…

 It’s so close at the top, everyone has made a mistake or two and I can’t wait to see what the second half of the season will bring. ‘You could be 14th in the blink of an eye’ But to see somewhere like Sachsenring where the lap time is 1m 22s or so and there’s only two seconds covering the whole field – it means that you just need to have a little bit of a bad day and you’re in 15th pretty easy! That’s why you see the guys at the front making mistakes – because they’re pushing every single lap. There’s no ‘my bike isn’t great this weekend, I’ll take it easy and finish fourth’ because you could be 14th in the blink of an eye. It would…

The Circuit of Wales was always an incredibly ambitious project, especially when existing British circuits are already struggling financially. So why did the Welsh Government take six years and £9 million to come to the decision it did last week – that it could not support the project? In that time, Welsh residents and businesses grew optimistic of booming tourist trade and job opportunities. And now, while the Welsh government’s position seems pretty clear, the people behind the project are adamant that this is not the end of the CoW story. So the saga looks set to continue for some time yet. • See MCN Editor’s comment on page 16.…

 I’ve been running race meetings for 22 years now and it all started when I ended up running Bemsee – by accident. I was elected by all of the other riders to be the representative for the club and then we had the Maltese Fiasco in 1995. Bemsee organised a race meeting in Malta, which went horrendously wrong. The club lost all of its money and had nothing left to run the 1996 meets. It probably cost a quarter-of-a-million quid. My fellow directors were looking at winding the club up but I wasn’t prepared to see that happen, so I went and borrowed the money myself. It’s thanks to a friend of mine, Lawrence Barry, who was willing to lend it to me to bail the club out. ‘It all…

SECOND BEST? 1 Barry Sheene won the 1977 German GP but who came second? WHAT BIKE? 2 This hot new bike was long awaited... but can you name it? NAME THE RIDER 3 In 2010 this young upstart was in a reflective mood, but who is it? HOW POWERFUL? 4 Revealed in 2016, but how much power does the Thruxton R have? NAME THE FIRM 5 Which famous British bike company did this chap purchase back in 2008? WHO IS THIS? 6 This young gun recently fired a warning shot to his big-time BSB rivals with a stunning double. NAME THE BIKE 7 This high-speed missile ruffled a few feathers in 2015, but what is it? FAMOUS FACE 8 Who is this famous actor meeting MCN’s Michael Neeves? WIN AN…

V7 III Stone £8002 Basic V7 model with cast wheels, available in black, blue, red or green with minimal decals. V7 III Special £8702 The Special adds spoke wheels, chrome details such as the exhaust and pillion rail as well as a ribbed seat and comes in blue or black with a central stripe. V7 III Anniversario £9002 Celebrating 50 years of the V7 the Anniversario has a chrome tank, brown leather seat and is limited to just 750 units worldwide, of which 50 are destined for the UK. Guzzi’s V7 III Racer, sadly it isn’t coming into the UK.…

GREY IMPORTS Yes, the VFR400R was an official import (@£5899!) but as a grey it was less than £3k and sparked a whole wave of exotic arrivals. A MINI RC30 Previous 400Rs, such as the NC24, were sweet enough but the 30 was a mini replica of the exotic, unreachable VFR750R. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Women and smaller riders loved the bike's dimensions and light agility. Danielle Wykes, pictured below, was just one of them. TT DREAMS The NC isn’t just a replica of the most successful TT bike ever, it was raced there, too, by the likes of Foggy, Jefferies and Hizzy.…

‘Close call, but Ducati nicks it’ The verdict is close – with a 50:50 split among our test team, with half preferring the Ducati and the other half the KTM. But the Ducati just takes it because it is a more capable all-round bike, more refined than the KTM, with greater levels of comfort. The KTM takes second and is, the most fun, most powerful and most able off-road. The BMW is the comfiest and most robust, with the Honda fourth, though its off-road ability might make all the difference to some – and it still offers great value for money.…

To the north of the Trossachs, at the southern edge of Rannoch Moor, lies the small Scottish village of Tyndrum, a remote hamlet whose location at the junction of the A82 and A85 puts it firmly on the map as the gateway to some of the finest motorcycle rides on the planet - be it west to Argyll and the Islands or north through Glencoe to the entire Highland coastline, there are spectacular roads in simply every direction. At the height of the season literally thousands of bikes pass through this point and almost all of them will take a break at Tyndrum’s world famous landmark, the Green Welly Stop. Established in 1965 by Leslie Gosden and his wife Betty, this once humble filling station known as ‘Gosden’s of Tyndrum’…

Draggin Revz Kevlar jeans £219.99 Tester Richard Newland Time tested Five months / 7500 miles What’s good These Revz jeans are probably a little stylish for my lardy mid-40s frame, but they manage to look good, even on me. The stretchy fit means they’re unflappingly well-tailored, as well as snug over race boots. They are able to accommodate enduro boots, too. There are built-in hip and knee pockets ready for armour if you like to have it, but I have to confess that I go without. The extensive lining material comes in the form of the firm’s patented RooMoto MR4.0, which is a mix of knitted Kevlar and Dyneema – claimed to be the world’s strongest fibre. The outer material, meanwhile, is impregnated with a silicone coating to keep both…

THE EXPERT Simon Martin He’s had 30 years of experience building, modifying and repairing bikes from supermonos to CBX1000 café racers. Pistons orchestrate the suck, squeeze bang, blow mantra we are all familiar with. More specifically, the piston transfers the energy from the expanding gasses of combustion to the crankshaft, via the connecting rod. To do this efficiently it must optimise the pressure by sealing the combustion chamber – with assistance from the piston rings – against gas leakage into the crankcase and prevent lubricating oil getting into the combustion chamber. On top of that it must absorb heat from the combustion process and dissipate it into the cylinder wall. With combustion temperatures in excess of 2000°C the top of the piston will typically run at around 300°C. The piston…

KTM SMC 690R The supermoto market has arguably never been better and this KTM 690 is one of the best in its class. Deposit: £1859, 36 x £99, 6.9% APR, Optional final payment: £3585.94, 2500 miles per annum Suzuki V-Strom 650 New for 2017, the V-Strom offers comfort, practicality and is perfect for commuting. Deposit: £1850.08, 36 x £85, 4.9% APR, Optional final payment: £3296, 5000 miles per annum BMW F800R The feel of a large-capacity bike with a parallel twin engine that loves to be revved. Deposit: £2186.75, 36 x £65, 5.9% APR, Optional final payment: £4001.91, 15,000 miles per annum…

Derek Sheils scored a superbike hat-trick at the 2017 Skerries 100 on his Burrows Suzuki – and bought his wife a new vacuum cleaner to celebrate! The 33-year-old had promised his other half, Alicia, the new household appliance if he got a Skerries win and after taking victory in all three big bike races there could be no excuses. “I kept my word on the deal,” Sheils smiled afterwards. “My main focus is the big bike so it was good to get the superbike wins in both Open races and the Grand Final.” Skerries is the premier road race in the Republic of Ireland but the organisers were denied the crowd-pulling presence in 2017 of Senior TT winning, Michael Dunlop, who was headlining a special Dunlop family tribute along with…

One change Brookes has made with the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha team in recent rounds is bringing in former Milwaukee Yamaha crew chief Stewart Winton. Winton joined the team full-time from Knockhill, enabling Brookes to focus more on his riding rather than what needs to be done with the bike to find the feeling they enjoyed in 2015. Winton played a key role in Brookes’ 2015 title success and has told MCN he believes there’s ‘no reason’ they can’t get back to that point this year. “We know what Josh is capable of and we know what we had in 2015 so it should be a case of seeing where we can improve the package to get there,” he said. “There are a few things different, we’ve got K-Tech suspension…

‘Don’t ever think for one moment that I’m going to stand still – I’m not’SHANE BYRNE MCE British Superbikes might have been all about the young guns in recent rounds, but five-time title winner Shane Byrne issued a stark warning to the youngsters snapping at his heels with an immaculate performance at Snetterton. The BeWiser PBM Ducati man topped every session before going on to take pole with the quickest ever two-wheeled lap of the Norfolk circuit (1m 46.024s) and then decimating his rivals in Sunday’s two races as well as clinching a new lap record. “I’m chuffed to bits for the fast young riders coming through and you have to think they’re only going to get stronger,” Byrne told MCN after the second race. “But at the same time…

‘It was a long and difficult race, but in the end our strategy worked’JOAN MIR Joan Mir and his Leopard Racing Honda team will go into the summer break with an incredible 37 points in hand in the Moto3 title race, after setting up a clinical last lap pass to take victory over Romano Fenati in the German Grand Prix as many of their main rivals in the championship struggled for results. In an unusual Moto3 race the pair were able to make an early break, initially with Marcos Ramirez in the tow, before Mir and Fenati pulled away. Mir said: “The victory means a great deal! I wanted to leave Assen’s mistakes behind and prove I could win - and I wanted to win here. It was a long…

Barcelona round could be binned MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta has issued a stern warning to the Circuit Catalunya. Ezpeleta (above) said that if work to the surface and the final corner (modified after Luis Salom’s fatal crash in 2016) was not carried out, the series would not return. Where next for Rabat and Miller? Tito Rabat and Jack Miller led the silly season gossip at Sachsenring. Rumoured to be Avintia Ducatibound, Rabat has also been linked with Pramac Ducati, as has Miller – pending negotiations with Suzuki. Moto3 bosses say no to getting a tow Bosses have a new measure in the war against riders cruising for a tow during Moto3 qualifying – hitting them in their wallets. They had upped grid position penalties to 12 places, but when over…

 As motorcyclists we often don’t need to be encouraged to spend money on kit, but that’s not to say we’re a frivolous bunch. ‘We want gear that is up to the job without costing an arm and a leg’ When it comes to purchasing gloves, leathers, boots, helmets, textiles and accessories we want something that’s going to take the rigours of everyday riding in Britain without costing an arm and a leg – which is why MCN has pulled together this compendium of this season’s brilliant, cheap kit. We’re not necessarily talking bargain-basement stuff here, but kit that’s fairly priced for its potential performance. Over the next 16 pages you’ll find 73 products that either promise to perform much better than their price suggests, have spec that’ll allow them to…

QBag Backpack 10 £17.99 Talk about bags of value; if there’s a better priced biking rucksack out there, then we’d like to see it. The QBag can stash 30 litres of stuff within its main compartment and adds even more storage space with its four exterior pockets. The shoulder straps are padded for comfort, and there’s additional straps across the chest and around the waist to better spread the load. www.mcnshop.com XCPProfessionalRustBlocker £13.99 Rust Blocker works by forming an invisible barrier against corrosion on exposed metal parts, so it’s ideal for use whenever you’re rebuilding or cleaning bikes. Just spray it on to a soft cloth and then wipe the cloth over the parts you want to protect, that way you don’t risk getting too much product on. It’s ideal…

SpadaPilgrim boots £99.99 These retro-style boots feature an on-trend mix of leather and laces, as well as an uber-cool wooden sole, all for less than £100. Sizes 41-47 www.spadaclothing.co.uk Rev’itBleeker boots £139.99 These are pre-distressed to look properly retro from the moment you set foot in them. Stylish and reasonable, these are a popular pair. Sizes 40-46 www.revitsport.com IconSacred LadiesBoot £80 Unashamedly high-fashion boots for women riders who want to make a statement. The steel shank foot bed, padded shin and moulded metal heel plate give a nod to protection. Sizes 35-42 www.partseurope.eu DaineseStreet RockerD-WP £149.99 Vintage-effect cowhide with a waterproof membrane. Has rigid ankle protection and a Nylon heel to help them meet CE Level-2. Sizes 39-46 www.dainese.com…

Waterproof/ breathablelinings Most textile jackets and trousers at this price point will come with a fixed breathable membrane meaning that rain will penetrate the outermost layer of the suit but be prevented from reaching your skin by the membrane beneath. It acts like a one-way valve, keeping rain out but letting sweat-related moisture escape. Thermallining Most suits will come with a thermal inner jacket that can be zipped in or out depending on the conditions. Some top-spec suits will feature special temperature-regulating fabrics such as Outlast. Vents A true all-season suit will also feature zipped vents that you can open to let fresh air flow through the garment – ideal for hot conditions. In a good suit these vents will feature waterproof zips to help prevent water getting into them.…