Table of contents for June 27th 2018 in MCN

My wrists hurt, my backside ached. I was tired and hungry but as I rolled down the switchback approach road to the ferry at Scrabster, on Scotland’s north coast, I felt an incredible sense of achievement. I’m not one for riding extreme mileages for the sake of it or just for bragging rights. But over the years I’ve done a few big trips to experience something exciting (Valencia GP), to see weird and wonderful things (the Beaujolais Run and Route 66) or to simply visit someone (the aforementioned 1300-mile round trip to see an old schoolfriend in the Orkney Islands). Reflecting on those (fairly) epic adventures has made me realise that it’s big-mile missions that really reveal a bike’s good and bad points. I’ve also learnt a lot about myself…

‘At under £10k this bike will be a game-changer’ SIMON SKINNER, HEAD OF DESIGN These are the latest pictures of Norton’s all-new 650 Scrambler which is due to be unveiled at the NEC show in November and could be a game-changer for the revived, Donington Park-based British firm. The Atlas is to be powered by an all-new, 650cc parallel twin which is effectively half of Norton’s latest 1200cc motor and will produce 70bhp-100bhp, depending on spec. It will also have an all-new, tubular steel frame by Spondon (which Norton also own) and top-notch components such as Brembo radial calipers. The bike will come in ‘high’ off-road-style spec and ‘low’ road trim. It is expected to sell for under £10k, which could transform Norton as a business. “We’re right at…

New stealth signs put up by police to warn motorcyclists of a crackdown on speeding are causing controversy. The signs, currently in 55 locations across Lincolnshire, were put up, say the county’s Road Safety Partnership, in response to complaints about bikes being ridden through built-up areas at excessive speed. At the same time, the partnership, comprised of police, county council and other emergency services to reduce road accidents, say they will deploy ‘overt and covert operations’ to catch dangerous riders. The signs are to warn of these covert operations. But the fact the scheme and signs are focussing on bikers has prompted the scheme to be labelled discriminatory. John Siddle from the Partnership said: “We’ve had a spate of reports that people have been doing wheelies. We’ve also received complaints…

1 Bodywork It’s all-new with more panels at the back and sides. There is also a small headlamp fairing. The new 790 may share this bodywork 2 Engine Essentially the same 373cc single -cylinder as the 390 Duke, although we’d expect gearing changes at least 3 Chassis/ suspension Familiar KTM tubular-steel trellis but with longer-travel WP suspension front and rear 4 Wheels/ tyres Spoked wire wheels and semi-dirt rubber promise serious ability when taken off road KTM’s eagerly anticipated 390 Adventure has been captured by MCN’s undercover snapper. The bike is expected to be officially unveiled at Europe’s biggest bike show this November, alongside the parallel twin 790 Adventure, after it was confirmed by the head of KTM’s Indian-based manufacturing partner Bajaj. “With the 390 Adventure we would be making…

More to lose than control I feel bad for people who are outraged at EU regs like Vnuk (letters June 13). This insurance ruling will no doubt be amended in order to avoid any harm to racing. But guess where that’ll happen? In the European Parliament, just where Brexiteers are about to cede any influence on shaping future laws. As we’ll have to fully align and comply with EU regs as part of any ‘deal’, it’ll be they who have lost control. Meanwhile, it looks like we’ll also lose WSB at Donington. Paula Stephenson, email Unhelpful policing Nice to see that North Wales police are doing their bit to improve road safety, again (MCN June 20). Clamping down on small plates and loud exhausts. Again, really? A contributing factor in…

I find myself scratching my head when people talk about 600cc sportsbikes disappearing. Supersports is a brilliant class in racing and the bikes are great to ride on the road, too. The brakes are good, the tyres are good, they turn, they steer, they handle well and they do 170mph instead of 195mph. I was talking to Adam McLean over at the TT. He’s a young, upcoming lad trying to carve out a career in road racing and he doesn’t feel ready yet to ride a superbike around the Isle of Man, so he’s focusing on his 600 supersports instead. They’re the perfect stepping stone to superbikes. So what are the manufacturers thinking? Why would they get rid of it? ‘PEOPLE TALK ABOUT SUPER-NAKED RACING: F**K THAT!’ It makes no…

It’s Britain’s best road test route. A tough 250-mile mix of A and B-roads, a stretch of busy motorway, plus plenty of towns, villages, blind corners, ballistic straights, and a huge range of grippy to slippy tarmac. There are two cafés, an off-road section for adventure and trail bikes, track time for sportsbikes, and Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground and the dyno for hard and fast data when needed. You want answers? We’ve got ’em. WEATHER WATCH Light cloud and rain Temp 20°C Wind 10mph south west 1 Identifying your Scrambler There are three Ducati Scramblers: standard 1100, Special and Sport, while the R nineT comes as standard or as an X. With the BMW, bolt-on accessories (spoke wheels, heated grips, LED indicators) split the models; with the Ducati the Special adds…

Don’t skimp on maintenance The oil in the final drive only needs to be swapped after running-in, but I’d err on the side of caution and have it refreshed every 10,000 miles, too. More range would be welcome A 200-mile range seems stingy for a big adventure bike but if the gauge and range indicator ran a little truer, it wouldn’t feel like it has such a peanut tank. Getting to grips with fresh rubber The Pirelli STR Rally tyres are grippy on-road, and outstanding off it, but the Tiger’s power and weight mean the rear is past its best after 4000 miles.…

1 It’s only a temporary fix A tubeless-tyre repair kit will get you going again very quickly. It must be stressed that these kits aren’t endorsed by tyre manufactures, so it’s essential that you adhere to the instructions, specifically related to the size of the repair and the recommended speeds thereafter. Equally important is to make sure you get the temporary repair looked at by your dealer or tyre specialist as soon as possible. STICK’S TIPS ‘If you’re on a long and remote ride, it’s worth carrying both types of kit with you’ 2 There are two ways to get moving There are basically two types of temporary repair that can be done at home or by the roadside. The first is the aerosol type that inflates the tyre with…

Anew era of Moto2 kicked off at Aragon last week when testing began with Triumph’s new engine. Although seen before this was the first time that the engine was fitted into different race bike chassis with Kalex, KTM and NTS completing the three-day test. Facing incredibly hot conditions (with air temperature nearing 40ºC and track temperatures over 60ºC at times), a selection of riders completed laps on the new machines. It was also the first time that Moto2 bikes have taken to the track using electronic rider aids, bringing the class in line with MotoGP and Moto3. Although no times were released from the private test session, an MCN insider reported the new Triumph already lapping within a second of the Moto2 front-runners. It seems the 175cc increase over current…

Jonathan Rea took yet another dominant double win at Laguna to increase his series lead to a massive 75 points. In race one, Rea patiently sat behind Chaz Davies after an initial failed overtake. His pass then came on lap seven when the Ducati rider overcooked his approach to The Corkscrew. In race two, Rea made a sublime rise from ninth on the grid, picking off his rivals off one-by-one. Rea, 31, then dedicated his wins to Dan Kneen and Adam Lyon, who both lost their lives at the TT. But while Rea’s wins were emphatic, not all is well in the Kawasaki camp. Rea and teammate Tom Sykes clashed at Brno two weeks previously and tensions are running high. Who was at fault in Brno remains the crux of…

‘I hit the wall head-first. That’s what did the damage’ ‘The surgeon was astonished I wasn’t paralysed’ ‘A crash like that puts things in perspective’ British Superbike legend Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne is facing an agonising three-month wait to find out if his career is over following a high speed crash at Snetterton last month. Byrne suffered serious injuries in the smash including a broken neck and back, bruising to both lungs, fractures to almost all his ribs, a broken sternum (chest bone) and collarbone. Amazingly he returned home just over two weeks later but now faces a long recovery process and it remains unclear whether his injuries will be career-ending. “All things considered, I’m doing really well,” Byrne told MCN in his first interview since the crash. “I have to…

‘The more we drank, the more countries we added’ R5K MEMBER TREVOR ATKINSON A cuddly toy bear, transported by three kind-hearted bikers, has just completed a marathon European ride covering 30 countries in just 11 days to raise money for charity. Byker Bear has become something of a social-media star as a result, appearing on local news and radio as well as featuring regularly on MCN’s R5K Facebook page. The bear is the mascot of the Chyrelle Addams Cancer Support Trust based in the north-east of England, hence the Byker name. As a result, it has been used as a mascot for many charity events involving police and fire services. However, the Quest for Cancer sponsored ride, undertaken by local bikers Trevor Atkinson, Tony Hurworth and Steve Armstrong, was…

‘It was a brilliant day, even if my boots did leak’ LEE PARSONS This year’s Royal British Legion Ride 1000 took place on Saturday, June 16 with 139 bikers taking part. The epic event raised over £34,000 for the Poppy Appeal. Organised in association with the long-distance Iron Butt Association, the RBLR1000 has been running since 2009 with the goal being to complete a 1000-mile route in under 24 hours. All participants were asked to raise at least £50 and pay a £20 admin fee. The event started and finished at Squire’s Coffee Bar near Leeds, but riders could choose from six different routes traversing the whole of the UK. A northern circuit, that could be tackled either clockwise or anti-clockwise, went to the very north of Scotland via…

Less is more Kawasaki claim the H2 SX’s supercharger intake duct has 80% less frontal area than the H2R’s Throttled back H2 SX’s throttle-body diameters are reduced from 50mm to 40mm over the H2R’s, to reduce gas volume and inertia Reshaped ports The H2 SX intake and exhaust-port shapes are subtly altered, to reduce width and narrow in specific areas Exhaust is smaller The exhaust pipe’s diameter is 2.2mm smaller than the H2R’s, to help midrange power When we recently tested Kawasaki’s H2 SX, we were astounded by its midrange power and acceleration. The key is its supercharger and its relationship to the 306bhp H2R mega-bike. Sing a new tune A supercharged motor needn’t be tuned for peak power; it can be tuned for better economy or for midrange performance.…

Let’s get one thing straight: the fact I no longer have my company-owned £40k BMW 5 Series does not mean that our company is struggling. The reason that I’ve replaced it with a BMW R1200GS Exclusive is a sign that I’ve seen the light. Not only am I healthier, happier and wealthier (company car tax is a killer), I am physically stronger, mentally as sharp as a tack and my outlook on life has changed immeasurably. This life I’m now living will add numerous extra years to my very existence. Even my better half agrees; she reckons her core is being strengthened as a pillion (there’s another £40 a month saved on gym fees). I urge you, look into the biking light and you, too, will see it’s blinding. Mark…

If ever a series of roads were made for jacket-and-jeans bikes, these are them. The A435, A429 and finally the B4425 that links Seven Springs and Burford are wonderful when the sun is out and you are on a pair of large-capacity Scramblers. So often this road turns into a frustrating procession, as it is quite hard to overtake on due to its winding nature and tree-lined banks. On our run, Bruce and I got lucky as the tree-fellers were out, halting the traffic with temporary lights that allowed us to reach the front of the queue and enjoy a free run until the next set of lights. We both loved sitting at a fast, but not excessive, pace as the road twisted and weaved through the Cotswolds. On bikes…

Think Fantic and your thoughts might drift wistfully to 1970s trail bikes, chunky off-road boots and Kickstart on TV. The firm eventually fell on hard times and faded away, but now they’re back, loud, proud, Italian-owned and still strong to their off-road roots. Fantic are well and truly up and running. There are already 21 UK dealers and in them you’ll find a 50cc-250cc enduro range, 50cc/125cc supermotos and even a Fantic electric mountain bike. But what’s really floating our retro boat is the Caballero range, available in Scrambler or Flat Track flavours. The 125s are already out and the 500 is due at the end of the summer (see next week’s MCN for more on this), but right now we’re in Italy, just up the road from Fantic’s Treviso…

1 Information station The tiny, off-centre digital dash provides all the information you could need, from mpg (it’s accurate to within 1.5 mpg) to ambient air temperature. And it feels classy without the expense of a TFT dash pushing up the price. However, it could do with a shift light and the constantly-illuminated quickshifter light is unnecessary. 2 Standard rubber The stock Bridgestone tyres aren’t great in the damp and cold, but on summer roads they’re not that bad. However, they shouldered at just 1500 miles and the loss of profile ruined the handling. New Michelin Power RS tyres are a huge improvement. 3 Soften the suspension Worth paying the extra £800 compared to a stock MT for. The excellent KYB fork is adjustable for high and low-speed comp as…

THE BROOKLANDS MOTORCYCLE SHOW, BROOKLANDS, SURREY, JULY 1 Banking on Brooklands Historic Brooklands Museum is the birthplace of British motorsport and while the banked circuit is no longer complete, the 1909 Test Hill will be in action on the day. The route Brooklands is inside the busy M25, so to reach open countryside take the A245 through West Byfleet and turn left on the Old Woking Road to Kingfield. Skirt round Sutton Green Golf Club and pass by Worplesdon Station before joining the A323 towards Aldershot. Nip through the town centre, and turn towards Farnborough on the A325. It’s quite built up until you pass over the A331 and hit Mytchett, passing the Museum of Military Medicine, before heading to Pirbright and past the RAF Memorial Shelter in Brookwood. Pass…

‘It won’t suit everybody, but it suits my size and style, and it’s well built’ When Pete Hastelow decided to replace his Yamaha TDM900, his remit was very simple: to find something like the TDM, only taller. After test riding most of the latest adventure bikes at various dealers, Pete chose to spend his money on a Yamaha XT1200ZE, falling for the bike within a couple of miles of . “This is the only bike I’ve ever bought new, and I just wanted something to be proud of. It won’t suit everybody, but it suits my size and style. It’s well built, with plenty of torque. “I started playing on bikes at my uncle’s farm. In 1997, I passed my test and got legal. For the best part of the…

The brand-new Devitt MCN Ally Pally Show & Supersprint will burst into life at London’s Alexandra Palace on September 22-23. Packed with stands selling everything from earplugs to motorcycles, and featuring the world’s only indoor Supersprint, this unique event will be a weekend festival of biking action. Star riders go head-to-head Five world-famous riders will battle it out down the strip throughout the weekend, with WSB god Carl Fogarty and TT superstar John McGuinness being joined by Dougie Lampkin, Chris Walker, and James Whitham. Alongside the Supersprint, a range of exotic modern and classic race bikes will be firing down the strip at top speed in a cacophony of noise. The Devitt MCN Ally Pally Show & Supersprint is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. For an extra special experience…

Milwaukee Aprilia are finally showing signs of progress after a tough start to 2018. Eugene Laverty’s third place was the first for Shaun Muir Racing in three seasons and the first for an Aprilia since the end of 2015. It was also Laverty’s first rostrum since Malaysia 2014. Since then he’s spent two seasons in MotoGP and had a tricky return to WSB last year. “In Thailand my front tyre was defective and felt square,” he recalled of his pelvis-breaking and potentially life-threatening crash of March 25. “I should have pitted but went to hospital instead.” Bike development was seriously hurt, as was the rider. But starting Laguna’s second race as the eighth different reverse grid pole-sitter from as many rounds, Laverty made a perfect start. Although later overhauled by…

‘I won’t be satisfied until I’m battling Rea every weekend’ Alex Lowes continued his recent fine form with a podium and fourth place at Laguna Seca after a ballsy pass at the Corkscrew on his Pata Yamaha team-mate Michael van der Mark and promptly re-asserted his intentions to be right at the front “I won’t be satisfied until I’m battling with Rea every weekend,” Lowes told MCN on Sunday evening, with barely a bead of sweat on his forehead after either race. “I am sure I can do that. The race was fun! I really struggled to pass Michael, so had to take my time to find the right place to do it.” The recent strong run of form comes at just the right time for the former British Superbike…

‘We plan to shift production of motorcycles’ HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPOKESMAN American legend Harley-Davidson plan to shift production of some models out of the US to avoid new EU import tariffs, they told their investors this week. A new 31% tariff on goods imported from the US came into effect on June 22 and was imposed by the EU as a response to the steel and aluminium tariffs brought in by the American government. Harley-Davidson say the tariffs will result in approximately $2200 (£1650) being added to the export cost of each motorcycle. “Harley-Davidson believes the massive cost increase, if passed onto its dealers and retail customers, would have an immediate and lasting detrimental impact to its business,” the company said in a statement. To prevent this damage in the short-term,…

‘Fogarty famously hurt himself while trying to win’ Guy Martin will be one of the main attractions at this summer’s DirtQuake. Now relocated to Arena Essex near Purfleet (having previously been held in King’s Lynn) this year’s event on Saturday, August 18, will be the seventh running of DirtQuake, the self-titled ‘alternative motoring festival’ which blends flat track racing on a speedway oval with custom bikes, hipsters and more including racing categories for scooter, ladies and street trackers along with the DTRA Super Hooligan Finale. Last year Guy rode a Krazy Horse-built, heavily-raked Harley-Davidson in the chopper class while other celebrities included Carl Fogarty, Neil Hodgson and Gary Johnson. Fogarty famously crashed out while fighting for a race win and suffered serious injuries. One of the fieriest races of 2017…

‘Some riders have given up due to repeated theft’ MCIA CEO TONY CAMPBELL Anew security standard, devised by the Motorcycle Industry Association and designed to highlight the effectiveness of bike security kit, is the latest response to the rise in motorcycle and scooter theft. Dubbed MCIA Secured, the system applies to OE security measures only. It’s been developed in conjunction with the major motorcycle manufacturers, and comes following the news that Thatcham, up to now the most widely recognised security-rating provider, is discontinuing part of its bike service in December. The MCIA Secured scheme is essentially a star-rating system, whereby five stars designates the highest security available. For all participating brands, each model within their range will be scored against the programme criteria, and awarded a star for each…

An ambitious Israeli company are building a computer-operated system that warns bikers of impending dangers. The set-up, being developed by Tel Aviv-based RideVision, is dubbed the CAT, which stands for Collision Aversion Technology. The system uses cameras at the front and rear of the bike to monitor the road, and then uses a central processing unit, with programmed artificial intelligence, to work out what constitutes a danger or not. Danger alert The system can process the information and if a danger is shown, it alerts the rider who can take appropriate action. These systems have been commonplace over the past few years in car production. Those systems are linked to control systems allowing braking and steering without input from the driver. It is this hardware that’s the basis of driverless…

TRITON My 14-year-old son Joey - named after the greatest TT rider ever – has a sit on my drop-dead gorgeous 1989 Triton. I still have this bike and love taking it for a blast every now and then. It sounds epic. Graham WIlson VELOCETTELE My dad had two of these ex-police ‘noddy bikes’. This one didn’t run, but it did in my imagination. Mat Humphrey BSA 500 SHOOTING STAR They don’t make them like this any more. Michael Hotter YAMAHA PW80 My son Douglas aged 4 in 1992. Now 30, he did the Erzberg Rodeo in Austria last year on his KTM 690 Enduro. Brian Haywood YAMAHA XZ550 This was my first bike after passing my test in ’86. Dave Pighills KAWASAKI KH100 Ah, the flares, the lid, the…

Proper old-school bikes used to have only a speedo and, if you were lucky, also a rev counter, but often this was an option. So in keeping with their retro theme, both Scrambler models have attempted to keep their clocks down to a minimum. However, due to its extra electronics, Ducati have been forced to add quite a large amount of information to theirs, while BMW have been far more stingy with the information displayed.…

It was only a matter of time before Peter Hickman won a race at the Isle of Man TT. Making his debut in 2014, he became the event’s fastest ever newcomer and progress in the following years culminated in the Lincolnshire lad taking five podiums from five starts in 2017. Ahead of this year’s TT, Hickman said his aim was to win a race and it didn’t take long to achieve that goal as he stormed to an impressive victory in the Superstock class. But he didn’t stop there and went on to leave the Isle of Man having won the biggest race of them all, the Senior, obliterating the outright lap record in the process. What made it all the more exciting was that neither of Hickman’s wins came…

Many lovely touches Yokes, fork bottoms and footrest hangers are all machined from solid aluminium, more often found on a top-spec Aprilia, Ducati, BMW or Bimota. Arrow hits the mark Fantic and fellow Italian brand Arrow dreamed up these cans. Fuelling and throttle response are perfect, and the ‘thrap’ is pure ’70s Kickstart TV. Mixing old styling with new tech Its styling might mimic the original ’70s Caballero, but this new version is thoroughly modern with digi dash, ABS, LEDs, radial brakes and wavy discs.…

“Driving a sidecar is a lot like an America’s Cup boat; at low speed they’re choppy, but once you get up to pace everything smoothes out. “At low speed you put a lot of input into the bars and it twitches at each gearchange, but above 50mph you need far less effort to keep it in a straight line. However, you need to be careful in corners, especially lefts, where the chair wants to lift its wheel. This can be scary, and limits how much you can turn. You need to lean into the bend. Some people accelerate around the chair, but I prefer slow in-fast out. Using the rear brake balances the bike; using only the front pitches it forward, taking more weight off the sidecar’s wheel and lifting…

The upfront costs of modern bikes can be eye-watering and the Tiger 1200 is no exception but they hold their value well don’t they? Well, the market leaders do. Three-year-old Tigers sell for roughly £8000, meaning they’ve halved in value, which costs you £2600 a year on average. Feeling a bit faint? Luckily the other costs are more palatable. Workshop wonder Once the 500-mile running-in service is done, the first proper service isn’t due until 10,000 miles and even then it’s just fluids, filters and a throttle balance. Expect to pay around £350, plus parts. The first really big service is due at 20,000 miles and that includes a valve check, new plugs and re-greasing the headstock bearings, so expect to pay around £750 (more if the valves require adjustment).…

THE STUDENT Richard Rodriquez, 39, Cambs Having got his licence in November 2017, Richard is still a relative novice, and manual handling is his primary concern. Richard’s riding problem “I get nervous when parked about manoeuvring my bike safely, especially when putting it on and taking it off the centrestand.’ 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 “Richard has got a heavy bike, so manual handling requires solid technique. I’ll give him clear methods for staying secure.” THE LESSON 1 You’ve got to keep it straight Richard is fighting to get his heavy Bandit onto the centrestand because he hasn’t always got the bars straight,…

The world of useable and affordable middleweight roadsters has rich pickings if you are after a quality used machine. Because this market has been so popular in the last 20 years there are thousands of top-value bikes out there. Find a good example of any of the machines featured here and you will be sitting pretty on an affordable, do-it-all bike. And if you look after it, you won’t lose much cash when you come sell it down the line. £2250 1998 YAMAHA FAZER 600 599cc | 95bhp | 790mm seat height • Dealer price £2000-£3000 • Private £800 -£2000 • This one £2250 The original Fazer 600 was killed off by Euro 3, which was a crying shame since it was (and still is) a brilliant bike. In many…

Bradley Smith and Scott Redding look unlikely to bag a MotoGP ride next year, leaving their racing careers on the rocks. Smith has been bumped out of his KTM factory ride by the imminent arrival of Johann Zarco and Andrea Iannone, while Redding has seen his Aprilia seat go to Andrea Iannone. Both have failed to get the results they hoped for over the last two years and now face an uncertain future. Smith, 27, had hoped his move to the Red Bull KTM was a longterm plan when the Austrian manufacturer tempted him away from the impressive Yamaha Tech3 team two years ago. But, struggling since then to get decent results, often finishing well behind team-mate Pol Espargaro (and occasional wildcard Mika Kallio), replacing the Oxfordshire rider has been…

Red Bull Honda’s Leon Camier had a disastrous weekend at Laguna and could not hide his frustration or disappointment. He said: “We had every problem imaginable. After knocking off the gearshift on Saturday we had to move it, so shifting was ridiculously hard on Sunday and I made so many mistakes. I was in a higher gear than I wanted when I got close to Savadori, ran onto an old bit of tarmac and lost the front at Turn 2. That broke a sensor, so the electronics weren’t working properly. Even though we went the wrong way with set-up at first, I still think we have found a better overall setting.” A DNF and a 13th were not the results the Honda star was hoping for.…

‘Our competitors are still ahead and we must react’ “All in all, I have to be happy,” declared a relieved Chaz Davies after two second places at Laguna following nightmare rounds at Imola, Donington and Brno. “The front was twitching when I wasn’t even pushing too hard and Marco (Melandri) crashed in front of me. I lunged on Eugene (Laverty) from quite far back and winced because he’s virtually a brother-in-law to me, but I had to pass him to keep away from the Yamaha guys. We are missing a little bit here and there, it’s not one single thing. Our competitors are still ahead and we must react.”…