Table of contents for 2nd October 2019 in MCN

Funny, isn’t it? Back in the 1990s Carl Fogarty became ‘King’ of the superbike world and revered the world over as he romped his way to four WSB titles (1994, ’95, ’98, ’99). He was a household name, a self-propelling superbike legend. Men worshiped, women swooned (maybe), Brands Hatch WSB rounds gridlocked half of Kent, and Ducati sold their beautiful 916 by the boat-load. Scroll forward two decades, and the landscape is very different. Not only has Rea stormed to an incredible fifth title, but he’s managed to knit them all together back-to-back, which couldn’t have looked less likely earlier in the season. But Rea kept plugging away and Bautista lost his ability to float on tarmac, creating one of the most sensational comeback fights of all time. But WSB’s…

Until a few years ago, Louisa Swaden was just a typical British grandma but now she’s raced at Bonneville, holds a land speed record and dreams of taking on Guy Martin at his own game. Swaden, who’s 51 years-old, a grandma to three and from Reigate, has just become the UK’s ‘fastest woman on sand’ after setting a new record at Pendine Sands last week, as well the UK’s 650cc motorcycle land speed record. This comes after making another land speed record attempt at Bonneville Salt Flats, riding across the USA and becoming a Blood Biker. Not bad for someone who only rediscovered bikes three years ago. “I’m a bit of a thinker,” the former businesswoman and now blogger and speaker told MCN. “I did a lot of introspection a…

Family-run Peter Hammond Motorcycles of Cirencester, Gloucs. are celebrating their 60th year of trading this month with a special open weekend including a ride-out to the Sammy Miller Museum. The business was opened in 1959 by former factory-supported trials rider, Peter Hammond, with early brands including Triumph, BSA, Enfield and Puch. Since then, franchises have included Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha, with the firm now existing solely as a Yamaha dealership. Still trading from the same premises it started in, the business is now run by Peter’s children: Dave Hammond, 55, and Trish Hammond, 63. The open weekend takes place October 12 and 13. On Saturday it will host a special display of motorcycles from every decade of its existance, as well as refreshments and multiple prize draws. All proceeds got…

When Triumph whipped the cover off their Daytona Moto2 765 Limited Edition earlier this month, the Hinckley-based firm promised it would be ‘a genuine Moto2 factory ride for the road’. Producing 128.2bhp, the 765cc Street Triple-derived, three-cylinder powerplant comes directly from Triumph’s Moto2 programme, created alongside the race engine as a more durable, Euro4-compliant unit. But how have they done it? Triumph’s Moto2 race engines are replaced every third race then rebuilt and put back into circulation. This happens three times before the engine is retired for good. This cannot happen in a road bike so Triumph have reworked the internals to extend their life; promising 6000-mile service intervals and a two-year unlimited mileage warranty, while also revving 600rpm higher than the Street Triple. One big goal was reducing friction,…

Towns and cities around the world reverberated to the sound of classic and vintage-style bikes on Sunday, as riders in over than 100 countries donned their finest tweed and took to the streets for the annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. Since its launch in 2012, the annual ‘DGR’ has gone from strength to strength raising in excess of £4.5m to aid prostate cancer research and improve awareness of men’s mental health. MCN joined over 600 participants who, despite damp weather, turned out for the UK’s largest event in central London. ‘Everyone’s dressed up on beautiful bikes’ “I’m astounded at the commitment people have shown,” said Ben Bowers, who along the Bike Shed’s Dutch Van Someren hosted DGR London. “We had a downpour of biblical proportions during the safety briefing and several…

Having just watched Jonathan Rea win his fifth successive WSB superbike title, an absolute first in the history of this competition, I truly believe the time is right for this home-grown legend to not only be nominated for but to also win the Sports Personality of the Year trophy. To quantify my thinking, after four rounds where he had ten second places and no wins, there was no giving up by either Jonathan or his team. As we all now know and see patience and perseverance has paid off for him plus a stroke of luck in race two at Magny-Cours. I don't wish to ramble and this is only my view, but I am sure many fans agree. Paul Tatford, email…

Forget everything you know about old Royal Enfields because the new Interceptor 650 is in a different league. It still oozes old-school Enfield simplicity, but it’s well-built, classily finished and packed with well thought-out detail touches. It’s light, easy to ride, fun and handles incredibly well. At normal MCN250 road speeds, it’s as capable as any retro roaster, but at a fraction of the price. Slicker, with funkier styling, more equipment, presence and more of a big bike feel, the Triumph is a class act and, compared to the BMWs and Ducatis of the world, decent value. It’s packed with character, superb handling, grunt, speed with easy road manners. It’s worth some of the extra cash over the Interceptor 650 for all its niceties, but for the pure riding experience…

Sporty front end Unadjustable upside-down Showa cartridge forks sit at a 28° rake angle – two degrees steeper than on the regular Low Rider. The S uses twin discs, where the stock bike has one. High-rise handlebar H-D call it a ‘motocross-style’ handlebar, though you wouldn’t want to hit any tabletops with it. It has a one-inch lift and sits on risers that stand four inches above the top yoke. Massive and modern The Milwaukee-Eight 114: an 1868cc 45° V-twin with eight valves, four plugs, a counterbalancer, and a lone cam working four pushrods. More grunt than the 107 (1746cc) in the Low Rider.…

Let’s be honest. These days two-and-a-half grand isn’t a lot of cash. It also happens to be the natural cut-off point for an awful lot of desirable, capable, fabulous bikes built in the last 20 years. The sheer diversity and quality of motorcycle you can get for £2500 is remarkable. From full-size sportsbike to wondrously practical maxi-scoot, via the exotic and the bloody useful, you can do it all for two and a half. MCN’S BEST BUY £2500 SUZUKI TL1000R 996cc |197kg |125bhp |815mm seat height • Dealer up to £5000 • Private up to £3500 • This one 1998, 25,000 miles The TL-R was the racier version of the fast-but-flighty TL-S, intended to race in WSB and topple Ducati. It never competed (though Yoshimura developed an AMA bike)…

Toprak Razgatlioglu finally broke his duck with an overdue maiden World Superbike victory at Magny-Cours on Saturday. The 22-year-old Turk then added to it at the earliest possible opportunity, beating Jonathan Rea to another glorious win in Sunday’s sprint race. As a five-time World Champion was crowned in France, a likely successor came to the fore. Mooted by paddock insiders as a future WSB champion as long ago as 2015, when he dominated the European Superstock 600 series, Razgatlioglu went on to Superstock 1000 before debuting in the superbike class last year. Timid in public but far less so behind closed doors, his maturity across 2019 has been clear to see. Not only did Toprak, as he is widely known, clinch two of the weekend’s three wins but both came…

No-one was more surprised than Jonathan Rea himself as the Northern Irishman stormed to a record-breaking fifth World Superbike title in France on Sunday to surpass the four titles of Carl Fogarty. And for the third year in succession, the now 32-year-old clinched the crown with victory at Magny-Cours. It’s the first time in 20 years that a new record of World Superbike titles has been achieved. Not only is Rea an 83-time race winner and 162-time podium finisher but his clinching of this year’s championship with six races still to run follows a seemingly impossible U-turn of fortunes following Alvaro Bautista’s superb start to the campaign. “This has been the toughest season of my life from both a mechanical and mental point of view,” said the rider from Ballymena.…

MAKE A NOTE OF YOUR MILEAGE As the name suggests, the aim of the game here is all about getting out on your bike more by ticking off 5000 miles over the course of a single year. To record your total, make a note of your bike’s odometer figure as a baseline and then start adding to it. Some riders even like to record their distances from every ride! GET OUT EXPLORING Joining the Facebook group can provide the perfect opportunity to ride to new places, either with friends or as a solo mission. We’re not talking about a round the world quest (although, you can if you want), it’s more about riding further at the weekends, commuting to work by bike and maybe having a stab at a tour.…

Meet the rider tackling #ride5000miles by Monkey bike. Racking up 5000 miles would be an impressive feat on a large-capacity machine, however small bike enthusiast, João Barroso, is aiming for R5K glory aboard a Honda Monkey 125. Despite also owning a Yamaha MT-07, the 28-year-old based in Porto, Portugal, has so far amassed 4000 miles on the pint-sized Honda and maintains it’s the better of the two machines. “I love riding a proper bike,” João told MCN. “But if I had to keep only one, it would be the Monkey. It’s the easiest to ride, the cheapest to run and the coolest looking. The bigger trips take longer, but that’s the only downside.” Along with his solo adventures, he is often joined on rides by his girlfriend, Renata, 24, who…

‘It’s your attitude that’s key to making you a safer rider’ ‘I work as a roving reporter for MCN, which means that I’m generally on the road for several days every week, travelling around the country testing out cafés for the Golden Sausage feature, covering events for Great Gatherings, visiting various places for the Best of British articles and picking up any other stories that happen to come my way. “I’ve held a full motorcycle licence for over 20 years and have ridden all over Europe, a good deal of the USA and racked up thousands of miles in India. I’ve also had my fair share of getting up close and personal with the tarmac. My career has included being a courier, instructor, road tester and tour guide, all of…

After its limited release earlier this year, motorcycle documentary Oil in the Blood is going on general release and you can watch it in the comfort of your own home. For three years Gareth Maxwell Roberts and crew travelled around the globe and interviewed over 300 people to make a film that really gets to heart of motorcycle culture. After a summer spent touring festivals and small screenings, it’s shortly to arrive on Amazon and iTunes. “The reaction to the film has been great,” Roberts told MCN. “I think people had an idea about what the film would be about but they’ve come away both surprised and refreshed.” Unlike many motorcycle-related films, Oil in the Blood focuses on the people – be they riders, racers, builders or something in between.…

If a Golden Ticket has dropped out of your MCN, don’t throw it in the bin as you’ve scored yourself two tickets to Motorcycle Live for this year and next year. As well as two sets of tickets you’ve also bagged yourself free car parking, a free show guide and a six month subscription to MCN. All you need to do to claim your prize is turn up to the show, present your pass at the press office and bask in the freebie glory. Don’t despair if you haven’t won, though, as there’s loads of other offers to be part of, too. We’ve teamed up with the MCIA to support their Try Ride initiative. Taking place inside Motorcycle Live, visitors can take a 20-minute lesson from a motorcycling instructor giving…

Triumph have announced a new range-topping Street Triple RS is on the way that pops a cherry on top of the current bike. All we know officially is that the new bike is set to be fully unveiled next week. But a bit of digital wizardry with their teaser photo gives a pretty good guide to what we can expect. The general gist is small upgrades rather than a ground-up overhaul. We’ve always been impressed with the current machine – it won our coveted Bike of Year Award in 2017 – but with naked bike progress marching on, Triumph have given it a little boost to cement its place. The biggest change is likely to be in the engine. The current RS makes a decent 121bhp near its 12,000rpm redline…

Reader Graham Bell The ride France and Italy When to do it Summer Miles 2000 plus Time required Seven days Don’t miss this “We did Combe Laval in the clouds so the epic vistas we hoped for were blanketed in mist, maybe that is one to experience next time.” GREAT VIEWS We had lightning followed by 35°C heat, but what a great trip IN THE MIST We hit some thick mist and had a snow block at Col de la Bonette REIMS We stopped at Reims raceway pits then carried on to Dijon and Grenoble THE GROUP New friends are now old friends with brilliant shared memories THE ROUTE SEND US YOUR TRIP PICS EMAIL YOURPICS@ MOTORCYCLENEWS.COM SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE SIGN UP NOW!…

SUZUKI GT750 My first big bike was this Suzuki GT750 (pictured here complete with a Griffin helmet) when I was 18. Des Connell KAWASAKI KR-1S First day on my ’93 KR-1S C3. I kept it until 2012! Mark Macdonald YAMAHA DT50 1991: We lived in the middle of nowhere and all my mates got 50s at 16, just so that we could get out. The shell suit was cool back then... Tim Bonham HONDA MB-5 Back in 1983 on my Honda MB-50 when I was 16... and oblivious to wearing safety gear other than a helmet. Andrea KAWASAKI KH250 Here’s me in 1982 giving it the beans on my KH250. It was great for traffic light burnouts, especially in the wet. Simon Pallister YAMAHA R1 Here’s me on my 2001…

Fast, fun, stylish bikes have always come at a price; it’s what separates them from the cheap and cheerful, but things are changing. The establishment is being rocked by leftfield, Asian-backed brands, like Benelli, Fantic and Zontes. They are often affordable, capable and well-built; and you can now add the new-generation Enfield to that list. Developed in the UK and made at Royal Enfield’s long-established factories in India, the new Interceptor 650 costs a piffling £5299. It’s simple, basic and does without designer chassis labels and fancy electronics, but to actually ride and enjoy around the MCN250 it’s as engaging as retros from the likes of BMW, Ducati and Triumph. Producing 47bhp from its 649cc air-cooled parallel twin, the Enfield will never rip your arms off, but it still gets…

A classy analogue speedo dominates your view on the Triumph. It packs a lot into its digital display: a clock, trips and fuel stats, rev counter, gear position indicator, riding mode information and traction control status. Things are even more traditional on the Royal Enfield with a clear, easy to read Smiths-style speedo and tacho. Its digital display isn’t as elaborate, showing just an odometer, two trips, a fuel gauge. A clock would be nice, but other than that the Enfield’s cockpit is so elegant you never feel short-changed. ROYAL ENFIELD ROYAL ENFIELD SWITCHGEAR The Interceptor 650’s switchgear couldn’t be more basic: start and stop on the right bar, indicators, high/low beam and a horn on the left. FUNCTIONALITY TRIUMPH TRIUMPH SWITCHGEAR There are buttons to scroll through the dash…

‘I sold my VFR750 because it was too reliable and boring’ In a motorcycling world full of conformist production fours or V-twins and a custom scene concerned most with cosmetic change, no biking creations come close to those of Allen Millyard. For over 30 years the Berkshire-based ex-MoD engineer has been building motorcycling wonders, usually inspired by the idea of doubling, expanding or recreating their engines into the realm of what few would consider possible. Kawasaki’s KH triples have been re-engineered into four and five-cylinder wonders; jewel-like micro V-twins are made from Honda’s SS50 single, huge V8s and V12s are based on Kawasaki’s Z1B and Z1300, there’s the Dodge Viper-engined V10 and the giant Flying Millyard five-litre V-twin – more than 20 bikes, all told, not including dozens of replicas.…

Back in April, MCN secured an exclusive ride on a preproduction version of Zero’s new electric streetfighter, the SR/F. While our test showed it to be a huge leap forward over previous Zeros, the firmware wasn’t finalised. As a result, we finished our one-day ride with unanswered questions over recharge time and battery life. Now we’ve spent several days with the finished article how good is it, and does it justify its near-£20k price? Quiet riot The biggest improvement over previous Zeros is the larger, more powerful electric motor – rated at 110bhp and a whopping 140ftlb. However, those impressive figures don’t translate directly into real-life speed as there’s no gearbox. The twist-and-go direct-drive means low-speed acceleration is muted, while top speed is capped at about 120mph – but in-between,…

•‘It looked like it was never going to happen’ Jonathan Rea made history at Magny-Cours after securing another WSB crown last Sunday. Since joining the Kawasaki Racing Team at the start of 2015, Rea has been almost to untouchable. Before this weekend he was already the most successful rider in WSB history. Now he has achieved something never done before: overtaken Carl Fogarty to become the first rider in the series’ history to claim five world titles. But greatness doesn’t come easily and Rea admits it has been the most difficult year of his career. When MCN predicted after round two in Thailand, following more Alvaro Bautista dominance, that Rea would be the 2019 title winner, we were labelled either brave or stupid. It came at a point in the…

THE STUDENT Will Whitehouse, 31, London Honda CBR600F rider Will has been riding for a year and uses his bike for both commuting duties and weekend fun. Will’s riding problem ‘I rarely ride outside London so when faced with a twisty country road I’m worried that I could make mistakes.’ THE TUTOR Mark Edwards, Rapid Training Former police rider Mark has been teaching people to be faster and safer on the roads for the past 20 years. Mark’s action plan ‘With a calm attitude and a few key techniques you can prevent a small mistake turning into a bigger and potentially painful incident.’ THE LESSON 1 Prevention is better than cure Keeping your vision up, at the right speed, in the correct gear, and in the proper position will…

One of the paddock’s worst-kept secrets became official on Sunday night when Yamaha confirmed Brit Alex Lowes is to leave the team at the end of 2019. It’s widely believed the Brno 2018 winner is to partner Jonathan Rea at Kawasaki next year, while his Yamaha seat will be taken by Toprak Razgatlioglu. Yamaha’s statement came just hours after Lowes came third in a double Pata Yamaha podium with second-placed team-mate Michael van der Mark, the latter racking up two rostrums on Sunday. “Yamaha Motor Europe (YME) wishes to formally announce it will part company with Alex Lowes after the final round of the 2019 FIM Superbike world championship season in Qatar,” read the released communique, highlighting their 106 races and 15 podiums as well as three successive Suzuka 8-Hour…

‘You don’t find a special rider... they appear’ ALBERTO PUIG HONDA THE CHOSEN FEW ‘Special riders never make excuses’ HRC’S ALBERTO PUIG Honda have motorcycling’s main strike weapon under contract until the end of 2020 but have their eyes wide open for the future. Alberto Puig now heads HRC’s MotoGP factory race team but he is famed as an astute rider coach and manager. Puig mentored Aussie speed merchant Casey Stoner and Spanish star Dani Pedrosa, and now oversees Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo at Honda: a quartet who have collectively won ten MotoGP world titles. Fast and special Puig knows what it takes to be classed as a MotoGP alien, a special rider who can make a difference. “The answer to this is universal for every team, not just Honda.…

MOTORCYCLE LIVE NOVEMBER 16-24 What is it? Get up close and personal with the latest new metal at the 2019 Motorcycle Live event at Birmingham’s NEC. Following on from the EICMA show in Milan, for most in the UK this is the first chance to see the 2020 models from the major manufacturers in person, along with the chance for new riders to have a go on two wheels. What’s more, riding to the event bags you free parking closer to the venue, not to mention saving you the need to queue to leave at the end of the day. Where is it? National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, B40 1NT Info www.motorcyclelive.co.uk SQUIRES AUTOJUMBLE OCTOBER 26 What is it? Why not take a ride to Yorkshire and pick up…

The company behind the Arc Vector electric motorcycle has run into financial trouble. Arc Vehicle Ltd entered administration on September 4, with administrators Leonard Curtis appointed to take charge of the business. The news comes just a couple of months after Arc raised nearly £1 million and unveiled plans for a huge new manufacturing facility in St Athan, Wales with Vector production set to commence next year. “The company has gone into administration because a couple of investors have let us down – they’ve promised us funds that have just never materialised,” Mark Truman, CEO of Arc Vehicle told MCN. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with what the team have done on the project.” In July Arc completed an equity crowd funding campaign on investment website Crowdcube, raising more than £950,000.…

Officers from Operation Benelli, a bike crime taskforce based in Northumbria, have reunited a Dutch tourist with his stolen BMW R1100. The 54-year-old was shopping at the Royal Quays retail park in North Shields when the bike was stolen forcing him to return home to the Netherlands. However, officers found the bike along with a quantity of drugs and cash at a property on Friars Row in Burnopfield, County Durham. This seizure was then followed by the recovery by police of a further five motorbikes plus a quad bike from two addresses in Wallsend. “This is another positive result for the team and shows our commitment to returning stolen property to its rightful owners,” said Detective Chief Inspector Paul Knox of Operation Benelli. “These seizures mean we have now recovered…

It’s been hard watching Lorenzo recently. Will he come back? Honestly, I don’t think he can. He’s lost that bit of killer instinct, which is what you need. But when you watch him now, it’s like he doesn’t really want it. I hope I’m wrong because watching him on a bike is like poetry. He hits all the apexes, he’s so precise and he’s not leg trailing or backing it in – he’s an old-school, traditional fast f**ker, and during his career he’s taken things to the next level. ‘MARQUEZ IS ON THE CREST OF A WAVE... JORGE IS PADDLING OUT’ He’s won five world titles, including three in MotoGP, and he’s still the only man ever to beat Marquez to a title in the premier class. He’s definitely got…

It’s Britain’s best road test route. A tough 250-mile mix of A and B- roads, a stretch of 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 sportsbike evaluation, and Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground and the dyno for hard and fast data when needed. You want answers? We’ve got ’em. 1 A new beginning The Interceptor 650 isn’t like Enfields of old. It’s tight, well-finished and feels every inch a quality, if basic, motorcycle. The engine is impressive, with a smooth throttle, few vibes and overtaking our first lorry of the day along the A45 the throbby parallel twin has strong enough midrange grunt to…

Peeling right at the lights away from Stow-on-the-Wold high street, we plunge down into tree-lined B4068, a tunnel-like gateway to retro heaven. If the Enfield designers ever had the blueprint for the Interceptor’s perfect road, this is it. Gently accelerating from turn to turn on this narrow, twisting, undulating stretch, with the sunlight strobing through the greenery, the Enfield has plenty of grunt, even in the higher gears, while the gentle rumble from its twin pipes fills the air with sounds of yesteryear. Flowing from corner to corner with the lightest touch of the bars, confidence in the Interceptor’s chassis and tyres builds as the miles tick by. Through Andoversford and on to Seven Springs we join the A435 where this lush, verdant passageway becomes wider and more TT-like. As…

Won’t get fuelled again Instead of a petrol tank, there’s a lockable storage cubby hole – typically where you carry the charging cable – with a pair of built-in USB ports. Silent and golden The air-cooled AC motor, the biggest and most powerful Zero have used in a production bike, drives the rear wheel directly through a belt. Flash dash TFT dash offers plenty of info, though your eyes stay glued to the ‘remaining range’ most of the time. Colours change as you swap riding modes.…

‘It sounds genuinely glorious on full throttle’ If you’re familiar with deciphering Harley-Davidson’s range, you’ll know the Low Rider S name from the short-lived, much-loved musclebike lost when the Dynas folded into the Softails. And if you don’t recognise any of the words in that sentence then fear not, because this 2020 reincarnation shares nothing with its predecessor. So, let’s start from scratch. The new Low Rider S is a stripped-down, street-hugging custom built with a generous serving of West Coast cool (think California, not Blackpool) and a modest slice of sporting intent. Want a relaxed retro to lie back and chill out on, an opulent two-up mile-muncher, or a gentle crosstown cruiser? Look elsewhere in Harley’s brochure. The Low Rider S exists so you can head off into the…

CHEER ON THE WORLD’S BEST RACERS Two of the most talented road racers the world has ever seen will be going head-to-head around the new Michelin Thunderdrome. After a two-year break, McGuinness is looking forward to getting up on the banking and going up against his old rival Michael Rutter. “I can’t wait,” explains McGuinness. “What with injuries and one thing and another I’ve missed out on riding the Thunderdrome for the past two years so I’m raring to go. The wooden banking looks a right laugh – it’ll be elbows out and flat-out round there!” THE McGUINNESS BAR After watching the 23-time TT winner in the Michelin Thunderdrome, head over to his bar for a pie and a pint. Chat with the big man, listen to his fascinating TT…

1. KEEP CALM Easier said than done, but keeping panic at bay will allow you to react properly in tricky situations. 2. FIGHT FIXATION Resist the urge to look at all the scary stuff you can see at the side of the road. Keep your eyes up, locked on the corner exit. 3. TRUST YOUR TYRES Unless you’ve already got your pegs and exhaust scraping, you’ll always be able to dial in a bit more lean angle. 4. BRAKE BIAS When running wide, scrubbing off speed with the rear brake is safer than using the front and will tighten your line. 5. TURN HARD A firm nudge of the inside bar will help steer your bike back on track quickly. Keep a relaxed grip on the outside bar. 6. LET…

1 Illuminate yourself First a word of caution: know your bike and the type of lights that it uses. Traditional filament bulbs need no introduction, they are readily available to buy and straightforward to fit. The various types of LED lights fitted to modern machines, however, need a bit more consideration. Check your user manual for specific instructions with regard to checking out faults. 2 Know your type The three most common types of halogen bulb are H4, H7 and H1 and the main differences relate to their shaped base or flange and the way it fits inside the bulb holder. When handling halogen bulbs, hold them by the metal base only, because the slightest amount of foreign contamination on the surface of the glass will create a…

17-year-old Spaniard Manual Gonzalez has eclipsed Loris Capirossi as the youngest-ever motorcycle road racing champion. He sealed the Supersport 300 title on Sunday, 109 days younger than Capirossi when the Italian won his 125cc GP title in 1990. The race was won by outgoing champ Ana Carrasco. Kawasakis won every race at Magny-Cours across the weekend. “It has been an almost perfect season,” said Gonzalez, three-times a winner and six times on the podium over nine races. “I can’t describe this. It’s incredible,” he beamed.…

‘It’s all about the open road and getting away from everything’ For many, the goal of achieving 5000 miles in a year can be a real challenge. But Andy Taylor from Chelmsford, Essex, has ridden almost 7000 this year without using a single English road. “I’m 57 now but did my first foreign trip when I was 19,” he told MCN. “I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed touring and like it more now than ever. There are some wonderful places to visit. “It’s all about the open road and getting away from everything. When I put my helmet on I forget about everything. You’re transported to this magical place on a bike.” The managing director of an insurance company and also co-owner of a motorcycle training school enjoyed a 2000-mile tour of…

The dedicated members of MCN’s #ride5000miles group flocked to three special meets across England this year to enjoy a chat with like-minded bikers, a warm mug of tea and a slice of cake. The first of these events took place on Saturday, March 16 at the Super Sausage café, Towcester, with 70 riders arriving to celebrate the group’s second birthday. Growing by around 2500 members since to over 12,100, the following two events came at the tail-end of the summer, with riders heading to Squires, near Leeds, on August 17 and then to Loomies, in Hampshire, on September 7. With northern and southern members perhaps unable to attend the centrally-located Super Sausage earlier, both were well attended, complete with a uniquely-decorated cake at each venue. ‘I met people that I've…

Back in May I was handed the keys to Yamaha’s quirky Niken GT. I’ve since covered just over 8000 miles and it’s been a surprisingly enjoyable voyage of discovery. Those twin front wheels are, of course, what the Niken is all about and although the sensation takes some getting used to, it’s not particularly alien. It’s stable, yet flickable and gives plenty of reassuring feedback – there are even times when you can feel what each wheel is doing independently. The Niken gets better the harder you push it and is a scream through the twisties, but it’s worth noting that although it has increased front end grip it’s still possible to lose it, but rather than tucking under the front end tends to slip gracefully sideways until the tyres…