Table of contents for May 9th 2018 in MCN

Motorcyclists are tough. Fact. Ridng around when it’s cold enough to make iciles dangle from the end of your runny nose is a badge of honour. While many get a sense of achievement by battling the elements, and winning, most of us prefer to ride when the only ice encountered is in a cold drink at the end of the day. Of course in this country, there are always those moments when riding though inclement weather is unavoidable. The rest of the time, warmth and light are surely the preferred options? And now, it seems, there is more than just a glimmer of hope. It really is getting light at 5am and dark at 9pm. And you really can unzip the thermal lining in your jacket and stick the Long…

‘We will be the first people to put a V5 on the road’ ANTONIO MATAROLLO Mondial are making a bold comeback bid with this stunning V5 road-going superbike. The illustration shows what the finished 200bhp weapon will look like. The bike will have a carbon fibre chassis and a valve train made of titanium, so it should be able to rev to over 13,000rpm for long periods of time. At full chat, it will suck enough air into its cylinders to drain a bathtub in half-a-second. The company plan to unveil the machine at the Milan Motorcycle Show in November 2019. Dream big “Only one other manufacturer has produced a V5,” says Antonio Matarollo, Director of Mondial Moto. “It dominated MotoGP for five years but it never went into production.…

Renowned motorcycle designer Alan Clews has died, aged 79. A successful trials rider in the 1960s, Clews founded Clews Competition Machines in 1971 following the collapse of BSA’s Competition Department. Clews purchased what parts were available for the 500c bikes and began tuning them, gaining a reputation for producing competitive four-strokes in the age of the two-stroke. CCM’s reputation increased further under Clews’ supervision during the ’80s as the firm started to use Rotax engines. Clews sold the business in 1998 but purchased it back in 2004, returning the business to racing in 2009 before handing it over to his son Austin. His final project involved working on CCM’s latest model, the Spitfire. However he was taken ill before the project reached completion. Details of the funeral are available from…

‘We now use a range of new tactics’ COMMANDER JULIAN BENNETT Scooter-related crime in London is finally on the wane following a raft of new measures introduced by the Metropolitan Police, latest figures reveal. The rise in robbery and theft by scooter-mounted individuals and gangs had been one of the most shocking capital crime stories of recent times. Although ‘only’ 5000 such scooter-related crimes were reported between July 2015 and June 2016, this had risen three-fold to more than 16,000 incidents in the year to June last year. But now, following the implementation of new police measures, the first reductions are being seen. According to the latest statistics, scooter, motorcycle and moped thefts in the capital peaked in April last year with 1512 incidents while April this year saw just…

A rear-facing radar checks the rider’s blind spot Clever detector The motion-detecting radar units KTM are using are ‘off the shelf’ items as this technology is common in the car world. Rear warning The rear radar is a short-distance motion-detection radar which senses vehicles approaching in the rider’s blind spot. Flying high The ACC uses the same technology as an aircraft radar detection system and sends out a radar signal so that a moving object can be detected. KTM are the first motorcycle manufacturer to build a working prototype of a system that automatically controls a bike’s speed and warns of an imminent collision with another vehicle. The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system is likely to arrive on production bikes in 2020. Controlled by a forward facing radar, KTM’s ACC…

The new S model will be a tarmac tearaway 1 Screen test This model has a new tall screen, suggesting there will be a few different heights available for road and off-road use 2 Sitting comfortably The S model will have a two-part rider and pillion seat, while the R model has a single rally-style seat 3 New off-road modes The 790 is expected to get the Duke’s electronics but with track modes swapped for off-road settings 4 Flash dash Both models will come with a TFT dash that can be linked to KTM’s MyRide app for navigation When it comes to off-road focused adventure bikes KTM lead the pack, but their bikes can be compromised on the road. That was obvious when they unveiled the hardcore 790 Adventure R…

I live in Oxfordshire and there is simply not a road in the county that isn’t seriously dangerous to bikers due to the staggering number of potholes. I can only assume they can’t be fixed because it involves a rope and harness to climb down into them. Even if you personally are extremely vigilant, there is the issue of oncoming cars swerving into the centre of the road to avoid these craters increasing the likelihood of head on accidents. On top of this, I’ve lost count of the number of completely selfish drivers who are texting, phoning and pratting around with their mobiles. It’s a scenario I witness on a daily basis and it will lead to tragedy soon. I run a charity in support of those affected by brain…

LOVE IT KEITH MCDONAGH Age 43 Height 5ft 6in Current bike Triumph Speedmaster 865 Been riding 14 years First bike Suzuki TS50X “I love my older generation Speedmaster, but the extra power the 1200 offers is of interest to me as my 865 lacks grunt. The styling is a mix. I’m not 100% sold on the reduced rake on the front and the slimmer tank, but the paint and design are beautiful.” HATE IT GEOFF WILLIAMS Age 75 Height 5ft 11in Current bike Royal Enfield Classic 500 Been riding 60 years First bike Ariel Red Hunter “I’ve had Bonnevilles, a Scrambler, some Americas, a Speedmaster, and loads of air-cooled Triumphs. I got rid of my last Speedmaster as the wife hated the pillion seat and I don’t think she will…

After 272 miles I felt like someone wearing army boots had repeatedly kicked me up the bum. In fact, that sounds preferable to a long stint in the seat. Which is a real shame as it ruins what is, seat aside, a fabulous machine. The Speedmaster has the looks, handling and feel to be a brilliant bike for anyone who enjoys relaxed cruising and the addition of pillion provision opens it up to a whole new audience that the Bobber models can’t satisfy. But it is hampered by its poor shock and that seat, so don’t view it as a mile-muncher and if you want a relaxed two-up tourer, buy the Bonneville T120 instead. Despite the agony, I’d have the Speedmaster over the Bonnie as it is better handling and…

1 Springs are the things Jordan and Chris selecting springs from Nitron’s vast range. There are over 2000 springs in at any time with over 200 types in both Nitron’s signature blue and the recently introduced titanium black. 2 Coming together Checking that all the right parts are in place for the shock is built up. 3 Identifying marks Every Nitron shock is stamped with a unique, traceable serial number. 4 Hydraulic hand Fitting the spring to a Yamaha R1 shock, one of over a thousand fitments listed by the firm. Nitron can also make one-offs and fine-tune every shock to a rider’s individual requirements. 5 Vice squad Chris and Jordan set up shocks based on information from the customer on weight and type of riding. 6 Good to go…

‘It’s like Graceland for bike race fans’ You might expect something lavish, extravagant even to mark the achievements of the greatest TT racer ever. But Joey’s Bar, huddled innocuously next to the Ballymoney railway station, is as humble and understated as the man himself. It’s fitting that this man of the people is remembered in a pub and not a museum. It’s fitting that thousands of motorcyclists sup Guinness as they pay their respects, their bikes parked up outside. Steve Mort has just returned from a pilgrimage to Joey’s Bar on his Honda CB1100A. He said: “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s the ultimate mission if you’re a road race fan. I sailed from Cairnryan to Belfast and came back on the Dublin to Holyhead route to make…

MCN’s One-Gallon Challenge is all about finding a short ride that simply helps you hit the reset button. And Reg Pengelly’s coastal cruise in Dorset is packed with reasons to be cheerful. He said: “The coast road rises and falls and there are amazing views as you look down on Chesil Beach. The views across to Portland and Abbotsbury are breathtaking. “I often enjoy a snack at one of West Bay’s brilliant food stalls. There are always loads of bikers there, too. “Then I take an inland route back via Beaminster and Maiden Newton. The B-roads are brilliant with a mix of tight and sweeping bends. You need to have your wits about you.” FACTFILE Weymouth-West Bay loop, 50 miles Head south west out of Weymouth on the B3155. Pick…

THE STUDENT Sami Mosadegh, 38, NW London Having passed his test in 2009, Sami’s already had some advanced training with the IAM, but needs more help from MCN . Sami’s riding problem “I struggle when approaching junctions. I keep panicking and stopping too early, then have to crawl forward again to the line.” THE TUTOR Mark Edwards, Rapid Training A police motorcyclist for 18 years, Mark has been training people to be faster, safer, better riders on the road for 20 years. Mark’s action plan “The route of the problem is Sami’s braking point selection and approach technique, so I will show him how to improve both.” THE LESSON 1 Stopping short of junctions Sami is consistently stopping well short when he approaches junctions. He’s nervous about coming to a…

‘I love the bike’s electronics as they let you get on with just riding it’ Jamie Clare grew up around motorcycles, but only took his test three years ago as a spur-of-the-moment summer activity with his friend Adam Wright. Jamie’s dad is a keen Ducati man, previously owning a 900SS, 748, 916 and 998, so it only seemed right he would follow suit. And he bought his standard Multistrada 1200 in an end-of-year deal from Ducati Peterborough, Wansford, in 2017. “There’s a bit of character with a Ducati. They are not the smoothest engines at low speed, but that seems to add something to the whole experience. “The Honda Crosstourers I had were brilliant bikes and did everything they were meant to do relatively well. They were also fairly bullet-proof,…

1 Is the van suitable? Make sure the van has tie-down points located at floor level. Ideally, they need to be situated at the front and in the middle on both sides of the vehicle. If you’re moving a single bike you can secure it in the middle, which will keep the bodywork away from the side. If you are hiring, have a word with the rental company about which of their vans is most suitable. 2 Use an appropriate ramp You can buy dedicated ramps but if you need to improvise, a scaffold board is an old favourite. As a rule, the longer a ramp, the easier it will be to wheel the bike onboard. If you don’t have a proper loading ramp, don’t go for a piece of…

 Jason O’Halloran showed the Honda Fireblade’s potential with a strong weekend at Oulton Park as he pushed Leon Haslam all the way in both races. ‘We’re at the sharp end now. There’s only one more step’ The Aussie led seven laps of the scorching second race and remained hot on Haslam’s tail, pushing the Kawasaki man hard as he upped the pace. The duo were matched on lap time lap after lap, but O’Halloran struggled to find a way past in the closing stages. The second place marks Honda’s third rostrum in as many meetings as the Louth-based squad continue to prove that the Blade is now a frontrunning BSB machine. “I’ve known we could fight at the front this season since our test at Jerez at the end of…

 Bradley Ray remains optimistic despite relinquishing his championship lead for the first time this season after sixth and seventh place finishes at Oulton Park. ‘I could have pushed but would have ended up in the gravel’ It’s the first round this year Ray leaves without silverware, and while he was visibly frustrated with the result after being pipped to a top six spot by Josh Brookes in race two, he was keen to look on the bright side. “It was just one of those weekends where we didn’t have the pace,” he confessed. “I could have pushed on and tried to chase down the guys in front, but I could have easily ended up in the gravel with no points. “The main thing I’ve been missing was a little bit…

‘We need to ensure we’re on the radar’ CHRISTIAN JOHNSON Frank Thomas are heading back to the big time. The British bike clothing firm grew from nothing to dominate the UK market in the mid-1990s not just with their famous paddock boots and textiles but also with leathers and helmets, before crashing equally spectacularly a decade later. The Frank Thomas brand, along with some unsold stock, were then bought by motorcycle clothing and accessories retailer J&S Accessories in 2011 and it is J&S who are now attempting to revive the company by launching a new range of kit and by sponsoring a series of British championship racers. The firm have recently released a new range of retro jackets along with two new leather suits and are also now sponsoring BSB…

Guy Martin will be racing this weekend in the Endurance Legends at Donington Park (May 12-13). The racer and TV star will be riding the Team York Suzuki XR69 replica alongside flat track ace Peter Boast. The pair previously campaigned a Katana together for Team Classic Suzuki at Spa last year. And the XR69 they will be riding has geniune race pedigree, having taken a podium at the Classic TT in 2014 ridden by Russ Mountford and scored fourth and fifth with David Johnson and Gary Johnson. Unsurprisingly, the XR69 replica isn’t exactly standard. “We’ve done a lot of work to the bike including fitting a GSX-R1100 Slabby engine with Yoshi carbs, so it now puts out 150bhp at the back wheel and 92ftlb of torque with a 10,500rpm redline,”…

It shows that car firms think bikes could be the future Ford have patented a car that has an electric motorcycle inside it. We have seen this before: Batman had something very similar. Hollywood vehicles aside, this isn’t the first time manufacturers have built bikes into cars. There was Honda’s madcap MotoCompo. A tiny folding scooter that fitted inside the boot of their compact cars. Obviously a patent doesn’t guarantee production but it does show that car companies think that two wheels could be the future. Of course we think this could be improved further by thinking past the ‘last mile’ and just swapping the bike for the car for the entire journey. Ford would not comment on this patent and Batman has not been asked to become a test…

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Owen Graves suffers a nasty highside in the Senior Support race at the Cookstown 100. But where is his bike? Put an X where you think his front wheel spindle is. There’s no prize, it’s just for fun. We’ll print the answer next week. Last week’s STB Alex Rins was bravely warning riders his bike was on the track Nice one, Neevesy Walking around the paddock at Cadwell Park last Sunday, I came across your chief road tester Michael Neeves. What a nice guy he is and he did rather well in the race too. Keep up the good work MCN and Mr Neeves. Ian James, email Boo if you want to I have no idea how much it costs to watch MotoGP in Texas but in my opinion those…

‘HOW ARE THESE PEOPLE STILL ON THE STREETS?’ Bike theft is such a massive issue right now. You see so many videos online, but what is being done about it? I think we need to chop their fingers off. We are too soft on bike thieves and it can’t carry on, something needs to be done about it. I saw a tweet from the police saying people should double-lock their bike. How wrong is that? What gives someone the right to take a bike in the first place? We shouldn’t we have to make our bikes like Fort Knox to protect them from low-lifes. Something drastic has to happen because you can’t really make a bike any harder to nick. Disc locks and whatever might slow them down but if…

NEVILLE GUIBARRA Age 58 Height 5ft 7in Current bike Moto Guzzi V7 II Racer, KTM 1090 Adventure First bike Suzuki AP50 Been riding 42 years Modern bikes have become almost too good, I wanted something with character. I love the looks and sound of my Guzzi, it’s not particularly quick, but it never feels underpowered and is a joy to ride, which suits me perfectly. I ride for pleasure, so the Guzzi is my sunny days bike and is used for a mix of quick local blasts and some longer days out at the weekend, plus midweek bike meets in the summer. I use the KTM for longer trips. My most memorable trip so far on the Guzzi was a ride out to Wales with the Four Counties Bikers Facebook…

New bikes come with shocks and forks that are built down to a price. Even if they’re any good, it’s a lottery whether they will suit your particular weight or riding style. That is where suspension specialists Nitron come in. Nitron have been designing and building shocks for 20 years. Based in Oxfordshire, they also offer fork cartridge kits and even complete 43mm right-way-up forks. Nitron were founded by Guy Evans in 1998. Evans, who had worked as a design engineer for a variety of suspension firms, said: “I was frustrated by the desire of those companies to cut costs. I knew if I did something that was good quality, it would succeed.” And succeed it did. The firm now have more than 200 dealers around the world. All of…

The Sportster has been a staple of the Harley line-up for a long time, but has not had the go to match the show. Until now. The new Sportster Iron loses the 883cc engine and gets a 1202cc air-cooled Evo engine. And boy does it make a big difference. Power play Harley have taken the 1202cc lump from the Forty-Eight and crammed it under the Iron’s bulging shirt. Bumping up the capacity by 30% has had an obvious effect on power. It now puts out 66bhp and 73ftlb of torque, while remaining A2-licence friendly. This gives it more drive out of corners and you can just leave it in third gear and ride everywhere on a wave of torque. There’s little point in revving it until the valves pop out…

DANGER ZONE Sami was consistently stopping too abruptly, and well short of the junction, unsettling his bike and limiting his ability to see the exit. 1. APPROACH Slowing down your approach gives you more time to evaluate hazards and threats, and to pick the best stopping point. 3. STOPPI NG Slowing down gently reduces loading on your suspension and tyres meaning a smoother, and more secure, stop. 2. EVALUATION With more time you can make a clear decision about whether you need to stop and where to do so for the best exit point. 4. POSITIONI NG The type of junction, and obstacles such as parked cars, will dictate the best stop position. Your vision of the exit is key.…

The adventure bike market keeps on growing, even if most owners never take off around the globe. We see dozens of people who have come to the conclusion that modern sportsbikes are just too much on the road. They see adventure bikes as a practical alternative that can get you from A-to-B at decent speed. Quite often they are bought by couples who stick a topbox on and happily clock-up big miles. YOUR EXPERT Shaun Lock, 44, is aftersales manager at Bridge Motorcycles, Exeter, and has 27 years’ experience. He is a Suzuki tech expert. £6999 2014 TRIUMPH TIGER 800 799cc | 210kg | 94bhp | 810mm seat height • Dealer price £5750-£6900 • Private £5400-£6850 • This one £6999, XC dealer sale Of the three Triumph adventure bikes (Tiger…

Hutchy’s shock North West comeback ‘I did 190 laps without any problems’ Ian Hutchinson is set to make a remarkable comeback at next week’s North West 200 after making huge progress with the recovery of his broken leg over recent weeks. The Bingley Bullet still had an external fixator cage on his leg at Honda’s recent Castle Combe test and it was beginning to look unlikely he’d be racing at the TT. However, an X-Ray at the end of the month revealed his leg had strengthened enough for the cage to be removed. The 38-year-old wasted no time in getting back on two wheels, heading out with his new Honda Racing squad at Mallory Park on Friday. Things looked good after their first day on track with Hutchinson completing 78…

Josh Brookes left Oulton with mixed feelings after a step forward with the McAMS Yamaha saw him achieve top six results. Progress made during the Silverstone and Oulton tests translated in to better pace, but the Aussie admits there’s still work to do. “After the first two rounds, this weekend’s results were actually quite good,” he said. “The situation is we are chipping away, we stayed on two wheels when a lot of people fell and we are making changes that I feel have potential. We really need to go testing again now. Earlier in the season we were throwing things at a wall and seeing what stuck, but now we know what direction we are working in.” Brookes lines up more TT rides, see page 68…

 Johann Zarco topped a day of testing following the race at Jerez aboard his Tech3 Yamaha M1, spending the day working on set-up and making the most of the track time while his rivals concentrated on testing new parts. ‘I spoke a lot with them and said some things quite hard’ Meanwhile, Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales used the test to work on new parts and electronic settings on their factory Yamahas and left the test happier than they were during the race weekend. However, they also admitted that it could still be weeks before they felt the full benefit of the work done. That came after what was reportedly a heated technical meeting between the riders and their Japanese engineers on Sunday night. But an upbeat Rossi was happy…

Marc VDS’s deal to make the switch from satellite Honda to satellite Suzuki for the 2019 MotoGP season looks to have fallen through. Although nothing official has been announced, the reason for the move not being sealed has been linked to rumours of an internal rift that have circulated the paddock in Jerez. Team owner and Belgian beer billionaire Marc van der Straten is believed to have fallen out with team boss Michael Bartholemy. The ongoing rumours and now unlikely Suzuki future forced the team to release a statement which made it clear they intend to remain in MotoGP until at least 2021.…

‘Jorge and Dani made a mistake’ANDREA DOVIZIOSO Lorenzo can’t believe three clean riders can all crash Pedrosa slams race control for lack of action Dovizioso expected 20 -point haul The 2018 MotoGP championship was thrown into disarray at the Spanish Grand Prix when a racing incident between Andrea Dovizioso, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa saw all three factory riders crash out while battling for the podium. Fighting for second place as Marc Marquez pulled away at the front, Lorenzo’s choice of soft front tyre meant that the five-time champion was visibly holding up his teammate Dovizioso. The frustrated Italian was forced into a series of do-or-die moves that eventually caused both him and Lorenzo to run wide. Over-correcting his error, Lorenzo then cut back across onto the racing line…

Triumph will have a top-notch test fleet at the Touratech Travel Event in South Wales. Available to ride at the FREE event, which runs from Friday-Sunday, May 11-13, will be the the new Tiger 800 and 1200 adventure bikes, plus the Tiger Sport and the Street Scrambler. The Touratech Travel Event is a weekend for adventurers to swap advice and stories, or to help get valuable information to plan that next big trip. As well as all the exhibitors stalls to peruse, there are also adventure riding activities of varying levels to suit all riders.…

‘I’m hoping we can have a new breed of young drivers’ RIA BRISLAND Two weeks ago MCN reported on the story of Ria Brisland whose 19-year-old son Nick was killed when a driver pulled out on him as he was on the way to a bike meet. Ria launched a campaign to have the driving theory test changed to include a compulsory section on motorcycle awareness and set up an online petition to present to the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling MP. The petition collected over 130,000 signatures and now her local MP is taking the fight straight to the heart of government. “The support has been amazing,” says Ria. “I’d been speaking with my local MP, Royston Smith, about the campaign and he was really positive about it. He approached…

Ducati’s smaller twins have always had a faithful following among those lusting after the style and handling without the full-house stomp of their big brothers. Never mind that the current ‘little’ bike is, at 955cc, 39cc larger than the 1994 916 and has a claimed 150bhp to the first big bike’s 114bhp. Editions with racy extras were always most sought after. A slice of exotica is only phonecall away, but they won’t get any cheaper. 2018 959 What is it? The 959 Panigale Corse has Öhlins front and rear replacing Showa and Sachs on the base model. It also has an Öhlins steering damper and titanium Akrapovic cans. MCN says “Judging by the crowd it attracted when we tested it, the 959 Panigale Corse edition is worth it for its…

‘When I travel alone I meet new people’ #RIDE5000MILES MEMBER ROXY KA Think 5000 miles per year is a good target? How about 18,000 on a 125? Or 50,000 in two years on a GSX650F? All of these things have been achieved by members of MCN’s #ride5000miles group. And this month, 22-year-old Roksana Kiekowska, AKA Roxy Ka, has ridden 6500 miles from Glasgow to Greece in 17 days. The ’98 FireBlade-riding software developer has just returned from her latest solo epic, her fourth in under three years. After passing her A2 test in 2015 she rode solo to Poland and then in June 2016 added 4000 miles in the Pyrenees and Swiss Alps. Later that year she rode to the Nordkapp from Poland. In May last year, now on the…

‘We are brought together by a common interest’ The May Bank Holiday was an absolute scorcher and MCN joined thousands of bikers rolling into Torbay for the BMAD Bike Festival. This immense gathering held around Paignton Beach features bands, stands, beer, burgers and an incredible turnout of every kind of bike. Given the weather it should come as no surprise that more than a few people compared it to Daytona Bike Week and we caught up with organiser Kelvin Halloran to find out what it was all about. He said: “In 2002 we founded BMAD (Bikers Make A Difference) to raise money for sick, disabled and disadvantaged children in the local area. We’ve got half-a-mile of tarmac right along the beach, so we decided to hold a bike night where…

‘ Is that a new Triumph?” I’m filling up with petrol in Oundle at the very start of our route and already the Speedmaster has drawn the attention of a passer-by. “I used to ride trials when I was younger but that would tempt me back onto two wheels.” That’s the Triumph effect for you. Young or old, their range of modern classics always attracts admiration. Sensing a convert, I point out that this is the two-seat version of the Bobber Black and powered by a water-cooled parallel twin. Tucked away is tech such as ABS, traction control, cruise control and even two power modes. My inquisitor’s eyes glaze over and he begins to retreat towards his Range Rover. For those who are more interested, the Bonneville Speedmaster is Triumph’s…

The first hour or so of the MCN250 can be a fairly tedious slog through traffic, but when you reach the turn to the B4525 towards Banbury the fun starts. This is a lovely smooth stretch of road that may have a 50mph limit along most of its length, but on the Speedmaster that made it perfect for just relaxing and rolling through the bends. The shock was for once in its element, the brakes hardly used as you keep up your momentum and the parallel twin thumping merrily in top gear. It’s a stretch of tarmac that makes everything feel right with the world when the sun is out. Even the two speed cameras are clearly marked. As you round one corner you see a warning sign for tanks.…

SCOTTISH SIX DAYS TRIAL, FORT WILLIAM, HIGHLANDS, MAY 7-12 ‘Trials and tribulations’ The Scottish Six Days Trial (SSDT) is the TT of observed competition. A week of gruelling, elongated riding with pros and ams mixing it in beautiful countryside and often challenging weather. It runs through to Saturday evening and is one of the great excuses to escape into the Highlands. The route Using Fort William as your start and finish point head west on the A830 as it sweeps along the side of Loch Eil. Enjoy the empty roads and amazing scenery. When you get to Lochailort take a left on to the A861 and hug the south side of the loch all the way to Glenuig. Stay on the A861 as it twists and turns through forest-lined mountain…

“I only passed my test last year and my step dad advised me to get some leathers. I wanted to buy a sporty Honda CBR600, so thought this was the right thing to do and wanted to feel protected. “But I’ve been caught out in the rain a couple of times and don’t like getting wet. I bought a fleece to chuck over the top of my leathers for now, but I am saving for some proper textile riding kit now.” 1 Alpinestars Missile trousers £299.99 “These are very comfortable and sit well on the knees. I do get wet in these, as water gets in through the stretch panels.” 2 X-Lite X-802RR Ultra Carbon Puro £399.99* “I put it away for three months and the outer carbon started peeling,…

McAMS Yamaha have confirmed they will field both Supersport and Superstock bikes for Josh Brookes at this year’s Isle of Man TT. The squad, which has won four Supersport TTs in the last three years with Ian Hutchinson, will prepare a YZF-R6 for the Aussie to contest the Supersport class and a YZF-R1 for the Superstock race alongside his Norton duties in both the Superbike and Senior classes. “With Hutchy heading to Honda I had asked McAMS about riding the 600 at the TT but BSB was very much the primary focus so I didn’t put any pressure on,” said Brookes. “The team had sold the bikes and decided not to bother with the TT, but after a few chats it seems that a seed was planted and they’ve prepared…

The 2018 Bennetts British Superbike Championship is closer than ever after the opening three rounds has seen an incredible nine riders stand on the rostrum in the first six races. While the leading trio of Leon Haslam, Bradley Ray and Shane Byrne are the only riders to have taken victories so far and built themselves a buffer at the top, there are plenty of riders finding form and starting to fight at the front. RAF Regular and Reserves Kawasaki rider Jake Dixon became the ninth different rider to finish on the podium with his double rostrum at Oulton more than tripling his 2018 points haul. After a tough first two rounds, the 22-year-old led the first seven laps of Monday’s opening race before crossing the line behind winner Haslam and…

Haslam puts soft tyre worries behind him Kawasaki star now has 14-point title advantage Leon Haslam stamped his authority on the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike Championship with a commanding double win at a scorching Oulton Park. The three-time BSB runner-up cruised to victory in the opening race before holding off a hard-charging Jason O’Halloran to become the first rider to take the double at the annual May Bank Holiday Oulton Park event since Leon Camier in 2009. Haslam’s success didn’t come easy, with the JG Speedfit Kawasaki team working hard throughout the weekend to find the perfect set-up while also facing a number of technical issues, including a last-minute engine swap ahead of qualifying. “This is a very finicky circuit and you have to analyse what you need to go…

MotoGP returns to Silverstone for the GoPro British Grand Prix on August 24-26, and this year there’s a whole new fanstand available dedicated to our British riders. With Cal Crutchlow showing real promise as a championship contender, KTM’s Bradley Smith, Scott Redding getting to grips with his Aprilia, Sam Lowes and Danny Kent fighting it out in Moto2, and Scotland’s John McPhee in Moto3, there’s never been a better time to get yourself to Sivlerstone and soak up the atmosphere. The new Go Brits! fanstand will celebrate all things great about the British Grand Prix, first hosted at the iconic Silverstone circuit in 1977, and the venue for some truly epic battles – including the infamous Kenny Roberts versus Barry Sheene race in 1979. For this year, MCN has joined…

Andrea Iannone achieved a second successive podium for Suzuki. His third place finish made it the squad’s third podium in a row, giving the Japanese manufacturer their best run of form since 2007. Looking impressive throughout the weekend, Iannone was able to make the podium by holding off the spirited advances of Pramac Ducati racer Danilo Petrucci. Yet despite delivering a strong performance in the race on a machine that’s rapidly being adapted to his riding style, the Italian says that if he’d believed in himself a little bit more before the weekend then he could have been right in the mix. “I rode like I rode last year, but the bike is completely different and the set-up is completely different. After winter testing and the first few rounds we…

‘It was about making the right decisions’ Marc Marquez is not getting too carried away after taking his first ever MotoGP win at Jerez to lead the MotoGP title fight by 12 points. Fast from the start of the weekend, Marquez was able to ride clear of his opposition in the race, as all hell broke loose behind him. He said: “There’s only 12 points between me and Johann (Zarco), although I gained a big advantage when the others crashed. But I said before Qatar that Johann would be strong this year and that the Suzukis would be on the podium, so more or less the prediction has come true! I said that the Ducatis would be strong too and they were close at Jerez where they’ve normally been weaker,…

MORNING 9am-11.15am DTRA Racing Indian Live Action Arena 9.45am-10.15am The Rockets Children’s Motorcycle Display Team Stunt Strip 10.15am-10.45am Two Brothers Racing Stunt Team Stunt Strip 10.45am-11.15am Arenacross Freestyle Motocross Team Stunt Strip 10.30am-11.15am Classic Bike Fire-Up & Freddie Spencer interview Freddie Spencer Fire-up Paddock 11.15am-11.45am Steve Colley Trials Display 11.30am-11.50am Freddie Spencer on stage MCN Activity Area AFTERNOON 12 noon-12.30pm The Rockets Children’s Motorcycle Display Team Stunt Strip 12.15pm-1pm DTRA & Hooligan Racing Indian Live Action Arena 12.30pm-1pm Two Brothers Racing Stunt Team Stunt Strip 12.45pm-1.30pm Classic Bike Fire-Up & Freddie Spencer interview Freddie Spencer Fire-up Paddock 1pm-1.30pm Arenacross Freestyle Motocross Team Stunt Strip 1.30pm-2pm Steve Colley Trials Display 2pm-2.20pm Freddie Spencer on stage MCN Activity Area 2.15pm-5pm DTRA & Hooligan Racing Indian Live Action Arena 2.30pm-3pm The Rockets Children’s…