Table of contents for 23rd October 2019 in MCN

The quality of racing in the British Superbike Championship, from inception to final weekend, is one of the great constants of bike racing. Yes, some years have been better than others, but it’s never dull. And, for me, this season was a classic. In some years it can feel eclipsed by MotoGP for drama – but this certainly isn’t one of them, even taking into consideration rookie Quartararo’s best efforts. Despite having one of the most dramatic season flips in memory in World Superbikes, the international series also couldn’t dull the gloss of BSB. The reason for the extra dose of specialness from BSB this year? Scott Redding. It’s been a fascinating blend of anticipation and results. The consistent debunking of ‘Ah, but wait until he gets to Cadwell...’ naysayers,…

Kawasaki’s supercharged new Z H2 could be a super-naked gamechanger with nearly 200bhp and over 100ftlb of torque on tap. At the heart of this arm-wrenching weapon is the H2 SX’s super-smooth 998cc motor, although it’s been retuned for the Z to give more mid-range thrust, making its whopping 101ftlb of torque at just 8500rpm (1000 less revs the H2 SX requires). There’s a stack of IMUcontrolled electronics to stop the Euro5-friendly engine tying everything in knots including three riding modes, lean-sensitive traction control, ABS… oh and launch control, just in case that Porsche is giving you a bit of bother at the traffic lights! There’s also a quickshifter and cruise control as Kawasaki leave no stone unturned in their bid to be king of the super-naked segment… although Ducati’s…

Kawasaki’s 2020 newcomers are not all about brute force and horsepower with this classy-looking new W800 added to the existing Street and Café models. The new version has a 19in front wheel compared to the other models’ 18-inchers and is covered in stunning chrome and detailing to give it a classy, traditional look. The engine gets a silver finish and the chrome tank emblems are a blast from the past. Even the orange indicators get chrome stems and a more traditional round shape which add to the authentic look. We’d expect it cost around the same as the £8399 W800 Street.…

Kawasaki have been delivering budget thrills and commuter practicality with their middleweight parallel-twins for more than 20 years. Starting with the basic ER-5 in 1996, then the long-lived ER-6 naked and faired range, before the Ninja 650 moved the game on again in 2017. These much-loved machines that suit almost every budget offer sweet handling and solid engines. Here’s a look at what’s available… 2020 NINJA 650 What is it? The popular middleweight is getting a refresh with sharper styling and a wide selection of factory accessories to choose from. MCN says “A bit of modernity has been added to the mix with a high tech dash, Bluetooth connectivity and a styling revamp. Still practical and affordable.” Expected price £6750 (est), www.kawasaki.co.uk 2017 NINJA 650 What is it?…

Britain’s looming departure from the EU could be causing a spike in the number of stolen bikes being shipped abroad with Irish Sea ports particularly vulnerable, police have warned. Officers are ramping up inspections at Liverpool, Birkenhead, Holyhead and Fishguard as the Brexit deadline of October 31 approaches. Bike crime experts fear organised criminals who move stolen vehicles between the UK and Europe have been taking advantage of the soft Irish border to avoid higher security and scrutiny seen at crossings such as Dover or Folkestone. And police also say that any delay of Brexit could simply see stolen bike gangs continue to shift bikes at an increased rate before more stringent checks are put in place. The 310-mile border between Ulster and the Republic of Ireland has 200 or…

There was a distinct autumn chill in the air as tens of thousands of race fans flocked to Brands Hatch in Kent to experience the heat of an explosive triple-header Showdown, which would ultimately determine the winner of the 2019 Bennetts BSB championship. While Redding, Brookes and Bridewell lit up the historic circuit to take the final standings down to the wire, MCN got among the crowds to soak up the atmosphere that makes the series so popular. “We left at 3am this morning to get here,” says Richard Kirk from Sheffield, who set up camp for the day on Paddock Hill with wife Dawn, daughters Rebecca and Jennifer and her boyfriend. ‘We left at 3am to get here from Sheffield’ Brothers Matt and Gerry Satchwell, from Burton on Trent…

In 1960 we bought a BSA A7 Shooting Star, Reg: YTC 843. Later that year on July 23, 1960 we were married in Chester. Following the reception we went to my home, got changed and set off on our honeymoon on the A7. Next year will be our Diamond Wedding Anniversary and we would love to make contact with the current owner of the machine with a view to having our photographs taken, 60 years after our beloved wedding day photo. John King, email Ed: Anyone able to help? We can see that the Beeza is still registered with the DVLA so it must be out there somewhere. Drop us a line at mcn.letters@ motorcyclenews.com…

Following the news that a whopping 41% of UK riders are wearing a helmet that’s not as safe as it could be, we’re encouraging everyone to ditch their old lid in the Helmet Amnesty. A survey by Carole Nash of over 1000 riders revealed that four out of every ten are using a lid that’s five years old or more, which exceeds helmet manufacturers’ recommended service life. The study also indicated that 63% wouldn’t consider buying a new lid unless the old one had been in a crash. The Helmet Amnesty has been launched to ensure all riders maximise their personal safety. So if your lid is more than five years old, scuffed, damaged, ill-fitting or maybe even a little dubious in terms of legality, register online at www.helmetamnesty. com…

‘I’ve got a mad feeling there would be a chance to go back (to MotoGP)’ Just 12 months ago at the tender age of 25, Scott Redding was ready to quit racing after spending a decade in the MotoGP paddock, disenchanted with life on inferior equipment and in search of another fix. Thankfully, his management and those close to him ensured Redding would line up on the grid again this season. And the rest is history... MCN caught up for an exclusive chat with the 2019 British Superbike champion – and arguably the biggest character in racing for years - for an insight into past, present and future... ‘Some people think I was gutted to leave MotoGP…’ I wasn’t – I was glad to leave that Aprilia! But even to…

Andrea Dovizioso was in no mood for celebrating in Japan, despite becoming only the 10th rider in history to reach the milestone of 100 GP podiums. Dovizioso may have all but sealed second in the world championship for the third year in a row behind Marc Marquez but he was comprehensively defeated at the Twin Ring Motegi by his Repsol Honda nemesis. And despite a stunning late charge that almost saw him overhaul rookie sensation Fabio Quartararo for second, Dovizioso’s post-race demeanour was anything but delirious. “The feeling at the end was amazing and I was taking a lot of risks braking like a stupid rider because I saw Fabio was struggling with the rear tyre and I thought I could take second. I was only faster because I was…

Top MotoGP Brit Cal Crutchlow snatched a canny fifth place at Motegi after suffering fuel starvation problems and the result reinforced his view that there are no miracle solutions to the turning and braking issues of his Honda RC213V. The LCR Honda rider powered ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha) in the final 100 metres, a dash only made possible by resisting the temptation to chase a podium spot which led to an unexpected gift from Suzuki rider Alex Rins. “I’m disappointed not to be on the podium,” he said afterwards. “I had the pace for it but had to manage the situation to make sure I finished. It was really difficult for 12 laps.” “I was in two minds: to go faster to catch the front group or slow…

Christian Iddon ended his four-year tenure with Tyco BMW as top non-Showdown rider, despite suffering a major leg injury at Knockhill. “We were hindered with the bikes turning up late,” Iddon said of the new S1000RR. “There was a lack of testing but the bike was an exceptional package. I broke a leg at Knockhill which made me miss two rounds and The Showdown. I was less disappointed this year, truth be told, because I was never a title contender. I really appreciate the hard work and effort from Tyco BMW even though we didn’t achieve what we set out to achieve.” Iddon is expected to be announced as a Buildbase Suzuki rider for 2020.…

Think Harley, think V-twin – an engine configuration renowned for soul, character and feedback. It’s also quite simply as far away from the silence and stillness of an electric motor as you could possibly get. Yet when the American manufacturer became the first mainstream marque to launch an electric bike they weren’t prepared to give up those iconic Harley attributes so artificially injected their new LiveWire electric bike with a bit of all-American soul. While most electric motors are completely silent and passive when not on the move, the LiveWire’s power unit has what the Milwaukee firm calls a ‘haptic pulse’ that resonates through the chassis like a throbbing heartbeat. The LiveWire does this by electrically jolting the motor, causing it to slightly accelerate and decelerate, creating a torque reaction…

It takes a lot of energy to overcome aerodynamic drag at speed. The faster you go, the harder you have to work to push through the air, which is the reason why sportsbikes have slippery fairings. It’s something that seems to have passed most electric bike manufacturers by, as nearly all e-bikes available on the market today are naked. However, American manufacturer Lightning have realised the vital importance of aerodynamically sculpted fairings on electric bikes. More than just styling or rider protection, the Lightning’s wind-tunnel developed bodywork has helped their LS-218 Superbike become the world’s fastest electric bike, when it reached 218mph on Bonneville salt flats in 2011. The fairing is also what’s helped their entry-level Strike become the most aerodynamically efficient electric motorcycle on the market today. When compared…

• 110 bhp • 140ftlb • 226kg The SR/F is a big leap forward in speed, sophistication and recharge time. The result is easily the best road-going electric bike yet, offering truly comparable power, weight, handling and excitement to a regular roadster. But despite closing the gap on petrol, for now the catches remain the same three issues: range, recharge time and price. So, if you’re waiting for an electric bike which can do everything a petrol bike can, we’re not there yet. But the SR/F is another significant milestone on the way to achieving just that.…

• 104 bhp • 86ftlb • 249kg On paper the LiveWire may appear heavy, lacking range and low on power and torque, but riding tells a different story. It accelerates with the ferocity of a superbike, sounds like a fighter jet and throbs like a pounding heart at a standstill. It has an un-Harley-like liking for corners, is well-built, comfortable, smooth and easy to ride. It’ll go for longer than some sportsbikes and takes an hour to fast-charge. But it’s pricey, lacks a petrol-engine’s drama and will never please the purist. But if this is the future, it's looking bright.…

Police have deployed an electric bike as part of an exercise aimed at raising awareness and stopping car drivers from pulling out on motorcycles – and they say it has been a big success. West Midlands Police used an unmarked Zero SR/F for a month in a bid to reduce the number of crashes caused by drivers failing to spot motorcyclists on the roads. During Operation Moto, 84 drivers were stopped and either prosecuted or warned about their driving. PC Paul Ennis was the riding force behind the idea. He said: “Because Birmingham city centre is running a Clean Air Initiative, I thought it would be a good idea to use the Zero and the bike performed brilliantly. “It was the perfect bike to ride around the city. I covered…

Covering over 5000 miles on a modern bike is challenging enough for some, but 30-year-old Tom Steele is taking on MCN’s R5K challenge aboard his collection of more mature motorcycles. Tom, from Cheshire, owns two Yamaha RD350LCs, an RD250LC, a coffin-tank air-cooled RD250, a Harris-framed Yamaha TZ350, a 1968 Norton Commando and 1967 Norton 650SS. And better still, he uses all of them year-round come rain or shine. He said: “I use them for everything. I used to go to work on them in all weathers. I was out on the Norton 650SS the other day, setting it up in a thunderstorm! Last year, I had another Yamaha RD250LC and I did 2000 miles in a week on that. I rebuilt it and got it MoT’d myself. They are there…

Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) have transformed the way a modern motorcycle’s electronic aids respond and Honda have taken it a step further on the 2020 Africa Twin. Introduced to the two-wheeled world by BMW on their 2010 S1000RR, IMUs have evolved over the years with the very latest version, the Bosch MM7.10, able to measure six axes of rotation. And while not uncommon on modern sportsbikes, it is the fitting of this unit to the new Africa Twin that has allowed Honda to move adventure bike electronics to another level. Unlike the current Fireblade, which only has a five-axis IMU, both new Africa Twins have six-axis units – the first Hondas to feature such an advanced IMU. Measuring in real-time the bike’s roll angle/rate, pitch angle/rate and yaw angle/rate, the…

Reader Pete Wilson The ride US road trip from Las Vegas to Los Angles When to do it Spring-Autumn Miles 2600 Time required 11 days Don’t miss this “Don’t miss any of it! We visited various national parks with different riding conditions in all of them.” GREAT RIDE THE BIKES GREAT RIDING AWESOME THE ROUTE SEND US YOUR TRIP PICS EMAIL YOURPICS @MOTORCYCLENEWS.COM…

A blast down memory lane Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com…

Triumph’s new, standard cruiser single dial with LCD inserts looks solid and simply gets on with delivering what you need while still looking the part. The Info button gives clock, revs, odo, trips and range. There are Road and Rain riding modes but we didn’t bother with the latter. CCM’s digital LCD panel looks a bit Christmas cracker but is actually OK and includes a useful gear indicator. The CCM’s gimmicky keyless fob is activated against an annoying touchpad under the seat. FUNCTIONALITY…

Ever since its launch in 2017 the 765cc Triumph Street Triple has been a revelation. Not only has it become the go-to supersports naked for the road and track in its various S, R and RS guises, its snarling three-cylinder engine now provides the power and furious soundtrack to Moto2. Arriving in dealers in November, the top-spec Street Triple RS has been updated for 2020. It now ticks all the Euro5 emissions boxes, but is also packed with extra grunt, has a sharp new look and improved tech. Best of all, the price remains the same at £10,300; that works out at just £115 a month on PCP. 1 Smoother operator Gearbox ratios are unchanged, but precision machining techniques have allowed Triumph to remove the backlash gears, saving weight and…

‘At a young age I was a bit scared of it’ After winning various UK minibike championships, Scott did all of his ‘big’ bike racing abroad, first in France before heading to Spain to race with the likes of Maverick Viñales in the Calypso Cup, a one-make series that Redding went onto win against some tasty competition. But it wasn’t always fun and games in the Redding camp at an early age. “The mad thing is, when I was a kid, I actually didn’t like racing. It was just happening with my dad and my uncle. I never said: ‘Oh, can we go riding?’ I only ever asked once, which was at Pembrey, and ended up high-siding on the out lap and wrote the bike off. I’d say I’ve grown…

‘I even love getting out here when it is wet and cold’ With wife, Jane, riding as pillion on their BMW S1000XR, Paul enjoys the mix of roads, stunning scenery and chance to spot wildlife on this rural route. There are biker-friendly cafés dotted around the route and he says it is best ridden early in the day before it’s busy. “I ride in all weathers and even enjoy riding the route in wet and cold weather. There’s always something different to see, it might be the way the light affects the view or the variety of wide life you can see from badgers to red kites,” comments Paul. FACTFILE Ebbw loop – 80 miles South from Ebbw Vale through Aberbeeg, at Crumlin cut to Pontypool. Go left along the…

Yamaha’s oldest and newest MotoGP stars could not have experienced more wildly contrasting fortunes in Japan. While Fabio Quartararo was celebrating a sixth podium that crowned him Rookie of the Year, Valentino Rossi was licking his wounds at the Twin Ring Motegi after crashing out while floundering outside the top 10. After finishing second in last lap thrillers behind Marquez in Misano and Buriram, Quartararo never got close to a repeat at Motegi and said: “Marc was super-fast and I just couldn’t go any faster. I was really on the limit and on the last lap I was pushing like I was trying to win just to keep Dovizioso behind because those points are really important for the championship.” On being crowned Rookie of the Year, the Frenchman added: “We…

Marc Marquez showed why Honda is rumoured to be readying one of the biggest pay deals in MotoGP history after the newly-crowned world champion delivered a masterclass in Motegi. With Honda Motor Company President Takahiro Hachigo looking on, Marquez wrapped up a 25th constructors’ title for HRC in emphatic fashion amidst a flurry of rumours that talks over a new two-year contract with the record-breaking Spaniard are already at an advanced stage. And the now six-time MotoGP world champion underlined his peerless value by winning his fourth race in a row for the first time since his golden run of 10 straight victories which kicked off his 2014 campaign. Honda may have to cough up around 15 to 20 million pounds to keep their prized asset on board an RC213V…

Josh Brookes may have lost out in this year’s British Superbike Championship to Scott Redding but the Australian underlined his status as one of BSB’s all-time greats by emphatically winning all three races in the Brands Hatch finale. And having confirmed he’ll stay with Paul Bird Motorsport for 2020 while Redding departs to WSB, the 36-year-old will head into the new season as clear-cut title favourite. With the 2015 champion doing everything he could in attempting to beat his teammate to the title, Brookes also moved up to 49 career wins, just one shy of Ryuichi Kiyonari for second place in the all-time rankings. From pole position on Saturday, he made it 17 Brands victories by the end of Sunday. The Sydney-born rider has now won eight of the last…

On paper, all he had to do was go to Brands Hatch and finish on the podium three times. In reality, the Showdown threw its usual mix of uncertainty and edginess into the equation as Scott Redding successfully wrapped up the Bennetts British Superbike championship at his first attempt. What we didn’t know as ‘Redding Power’ crossed the line on Sunday to become BSB’s youngest champion was his Be Wiser Ducati was potentially seconds away from going up in flames… So there was enormous relief for Redding’s Paul Bird Motorsport team when the flame-throwers erected on the start/finish straight kicked off his title celebrations. They could very easily have been witnessing fire of a different kind... Minutes into Sunday’s title-decider, it became apparent that the ‘champion-elect’ was suffering a potentially…

Noise complaints are ruining the fun of many MX, enduro and green lane riders, so silent running electric offroaders could be a real solution to the problem. Although Freeride E-XC owner Gary Cambridge says he’s not too concerned about environmental issues and instead bought his electric dirt bike simply through curiosity… and because it was a bit of a bargain. “I used to do motocross years ago so I’d been looking at the electric KTM for a while,” he says. “I’m not a tree hugger – in fact I own a car dealership – but I do own a couple of electric cars, a Nissan Leaf and a Tesla. However I saw that Fowlers had reduced the 2017 E-XC down from about £9000 to £5995 just to encourage a few…

‘The unit is compact and scalable too’STEFAN JURASCHEK, BMW BMW are pushing hard towards an electric future, promising 25 EV models across the business by 2023. The firm already have a strong base in high-voltage tech and are currently developing their fifth generation of electric drive systems. As such, the Vision DC Roadster concept, revealed earlier this year, could mean the German marque are poised to include these advances in their first production electric motorcycle. The Vision DC Roadster concept keeps the key design components you’d expect from a BMW, such as the horizontally opposed cylinder heads, shaft drive and Duolever front, but the rest of it is like nothing we’ve seen before. Perfect packaging A key aspect of BMW’s fifth generation electric drive, which will debut in their new…

British firm Arc have pushed the boundaries of technology, not only in terms of performance and rider safety too. Recent funding issues have now been solved and the plan is for the Arc Vector to be supplied to each buyer with its own specialist riding kit, to create what Arc call the Human Machine Interface: HMI. Their Origin jacket, developed in conjunction with British armour company Knox, features eight haptic transducers inside a back protector. Effectively small audio speakers encased in a rubber surround, each haptic transducer is linked to the bike via WiFi and tuned individually through a wide range of frequencies to correspond to a certain message that the bike is alerting the rider to. “The Vector has a range of sensors that can be programmed to respond…

Formed by the son of Soichiro Honda in 1973, Mugen Motorsports specialise in performance parts and race developments. They’re also the masterminds behind the Shinden TT Zero racer, an electric prototype machine that’s dominated the road racing event since 2014 and now capable of a single lap at 121.91mph average speed. Advances to this year’s racer came courtesy of technical partner Maxwell who supply prototype batteries for the project. Mugen’s European boss Colin Whittamore explains: “Battery output is 370+ volts. The big challenge remains temperature control. Before the race we cool the batteries to below their optimum working temperature.” So far all we’ve seen from Honda in terms of electric bikes is the CR-E concept off-roader, which was launched at this year’s Tokyo motor show. Based on a CR-F, it…

This is the very first CCM Spitfire Six to leave the firm’s Bolton factory. Unlike the other Spitfires in the range, like the Café Racer and Foggy Edition, the British firm say the Six doesn’t have a theme; instead, it’s a starting point to let owners shape their ideal Spitfire using a huge array of extras. This first example features nearly every option to illustrate the smorgasbord of parts on offer… and MCN was first to get the key. Though the hand-made frame, stylish swingarm and 600cc single-cylinder engine are common to all Spitfires, the Six lets you choose almost everything else. You decide whether the frame is painted or left bare, select the colour for the tank and wheels, pick from a selection of seat styles and choose the…

Yamaha have given the MT-125 a new engine, new face and a new lease of life. The smallest offering in Yamaha’s hugely successful MT range first appeared in 2014 and this significant upgrade brings the funky 14.7bhp roadster bang up to date. The biggest boost is a new high-tech engine which features the latest, YZF-R125-derived Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) system that delivers decent top-end performance while also serving up plenty of low-speed surge. The new MT’s red line is also raised by 1000rpm to 10,000rpm so the little single should be capable of thumping to over 85mph. There’s also all-new bodywork and a major facelift to give the MT-125 a more aggressive appearance, which also brings it more in line with its bolder-looking bigger brothers, the MT-09 and MT-10. It…

The National Motorcycle Museum is holding an action-packed free Open Day this Saturday with a stack of stars, stunning machines and trade stalls sure to make it something special. It is the Birmingham museum’s sixth annual open day and this year’s extravaganza looks like being the biggest and best yet. There will be a monster autojumble and stacks of stands selling spares with experts also on hand to offer restoration tips. TV’s Henry Cole will be hosting a mass of activities on the main stage where he’ll be joined by former race stars Steve Plater, Charlie Williams and John ‘Mooneyes’ Cooper. As well as free entry to the museum’s horde of amazing machines, visitors will also hear famous race bikes start up and bike builder Allen Millyard will be firing…

Kawasaki Motors UK always wows the crowds at Motorcycle Live with something new to grab their attention. Who could forget the first Ninja H2R being run on a rolling road as showgoers jostled to see the pipes glow red? This year will be no different with a show-stopping new stand that will highlight the latest Kawasaki motorcycle range for 2020, including the all-new and highly-anticipated supercharged Kawasaki Z H2. To help boost the excitement further, a new addition to the stand will be ‘The Ultimate Z Test Ride’ competition video booth. Kawasaki Motors UK are giving customers the chance to win one of two trips to Las Vegas to try out the all-new supercharged Z H2 at the Las Vegas Speedway! Competition entrants are being asked to post a video…

For the final destination on our grand gastronomic tour we’re finishing as we started, with a visit to one of the newest establishments on our specialist hitlist, the poetically titled Caffeine & Machine in the county of the Bard himself, Warwickshire. C&M occupies a rural location near the village of Ettington with great roads in every direction. We chose to arrive via the A422 from Banbury, a route that features a dramatic 16% gradient descent down Sun Rising Hill. It’s worth noting that the vibe at C&M is a chilled and relaxed one, so it’s far better to slip in under the radar than rock up bouncing off the limiter. We’re one of the first to roll in on a quiet Monday morning, sharing the hardstanding with a Jaguar XJ220…

There are not enough words, in fact there are not enough columns to fit in all the admiration I have for Bruce Anstey. Everything I was hearing earlier in the year was that he was at death’s door. Clive Padgett said to me that they were planning his funeral. It doesn’t get any heavier than that, does it? I remember seeing him at the Classic TT last year (mid-way through chemo and with no hair) I asked him how he was and he just said he was OK. There was no fuss, no details. ‘DID ANSTEY GO ON ABOUT HIS ILLNESS? DID HE F***’ But then he did a parade lap of the TT on an RCV; the beard was back and the chirpiness was back. We were in the…

‘I’d bet this is the longest trip the CCM has ever done’ 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 sportsbikes, and Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground and the dyno for hard and fast data when needed. You want answers? We’ve got ’em. 1 Bobber build-off Before we set off we take a good look at the bobbers before us. Both have balloon front tyres, single ‘tractor’ seats, lots of black and little else. Both are pleasingly British, too (sort of, the Triumph’s built in Thailand). But…

The B660 often serves as a microcosm for the MCN250 as it’s one of the best blasts on the route and, as the final leg, is where impressions are consolidated. That’s never been truer than with these two. The Triumph, relatively speaking, and despite unexpected discomfort, had breezed it, as expected, whereas at the outset, due partly to its slipping clutch, we weren’t even sure the CCM would make it round. That it did, reasonably easily, and generated ever-greater enthusiasm with every mile speaks volumes. On the B660, diving and dicing after the Triumph, it was a delight. Such short squirts are what it’s made for. While back at MCN HQ we both hardly gave the Triumph a second glance. One thing’s unchanged though: if you want to do serious…

‘There’s nothing cooler than a set of slick tyres’ Not that long ago, a set of slick tyres on a track bike said that you were a pro racer and was generally accompanied by a pair of battered leathers, thousand-yard stare and a limp. However, with the trackday market now a big money business, tyre firms are offering what they call ‘trackday slicks. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to roll out on a set of slicks as not only do they look the dog’s on your bike, they offer the ultimate when it comes to outright grip. I’m happy to admit that when I’m close enough to a race bike on display, I stick my fingernail into its slicks just to see how soft they are, but I’ve…

‘The’s no need to cope with cows in the road…’ ‘I started riding back in Mumbai when I was 14,” says Leander. “My first bike was a twist-and-go TVS Scooty 60cc two-stroke and it was so much fun - it could barely do 70kph and at anything over 65 it would just hop about all over the road. At the time I didn’t know any better and would just ride in shorts, sandals and T-shirt, no safety gear at all.” Leander then moved on to a proper bike, a Yamaha RX100 courtesy of his cousin. “It was brilliant,” he laughs, “two-stroke again, but with four gears. I used to go absolutely everywhere on it.” Although Leander passed his UK test first time, he wasn’t a total stranger to the process…

If you have a decent budget, the world is your oyster when it comes to wanting a sports-tourer that perfectly complements your riding life; whether it’s stress-busting commutes combined with a 3000-mile summer tour or intoxicating torque and UK weekends away. Here’s a spread of metal with V-twins, flat-twins and inline fours from Europe and Japan that are all capable of covering some serious mileage with ease, and a few thrills. £8450 BMW R1200RS 1170cc |236kg |125 bhp |820mm seat height • Dealer up to £9000-£12,000 • Private up to £8000-£10,000 • This one 2016, 12,763 miles Using the same partially water-cooled boxer engine as BMW’s best-selling GS adventure bike, the RS deploys it in a relaxed sports-tourer package with bags of charm, good handling and top-spec electronics –…

1 Unscrew to make new A clutch cable will function for years with minimal maintenance or adjustment but over time it can gradually bind up and create a stiff, heavy clutch lever that’s difficult to operate smoothly. Replacing the cable is the remedy, so first you need to undo it from the clutch lever. Screw in the knurled adjuster on the handlebar bracket so that it creates slack in the cable. 2 Slacking off Now look down to where the clutch is mounted onto the engine and you should find another adjuster; usually this a threaded section of the cable mounted on a bracket with a locknut either side. Slacken both of the locknuts so that the cable is completely slack and you have plenty of free play…

Suzuki’s Alex Rins is starting to gain a reputation that’s having negative impact on the podium potential of his GSX- RR: he’s a better racer than qualifier. The issue was again highlighted at Motegi with the Spanish star qualifying a lowly 11th before racing to finish seventh. A clutch issue dropped him to 15th on lap one before he surged through traffic, using up his tyres. “We have podium pace but we need to improve qualifying, brake later and open the gas earlier,” he said afterwards. And Suzuki team boss Davide Brivio added: “Alex knows he needs to work on this.”…

Tommy Bridewell enjoyed his best-ever BSB season by securing third behind PBM’s Scott Redding and Josh Brookes at Brands Hatch. The Oxford Products rider, wary of not wanting to rock the Redding-Brookes boat, sandwiched a third place with two seconds. And after his 2018 Halsall Racing sacking, 2019 has proved to be a year to remember. ‘It’s a credit we were able to push Scott and Josh in every single race’ “I am proud of my achievements,” said the 31-year-old from Devizes. “PBM have vast experience. I feel proud that myself and Moto Rapido have been able to push these two in every single race. The bikes are not different; it’s down to preference. To be able to match PBM is a credit to my team and the hard work…

Q Go on then, what is a kWh? A Found under the ‘battery’ section of electric bike spec sheets, the kilowatt-hour is simply a unit of energy. It’s used to describe how ‘big’ the battery is – think of it as how many litres of fuel the tank holds. Small, light electric commuters (like Super Soco’s TC-Max) have batteries starting at around 3kWh, while larger, faster ones hold several times as much – Zero’s SR/F has a 12.6kWh battery. More kWh allows for a greater range, though a bigger battery also increases weight and price. It’s essential to read claims carefully, though: most makers claim a ‘maximum capacity’ for their battery as it lets them promote the largest number but this isn’t an accurate reflection of how much energy is…

Most electric bikes ape a conventional motorcycle layout of a mid-mounted motor with drive sent to the rear wheel via a belt, chain or shaft. The RMK E2 is completely different; not only does it feature a weight-saving hubless rear wheel, but that eye-catching design feature also doubles as the bike’s motor. The wheel’s inner rim is effectively a stator and stays still, meanwhile the outer portion of the rim stashes a bank of magnets which then causes the outer rim and tyre to rotate around the inner rim. Although it only produces the equivalent of 67bhp, this hubless design means it weighs just 200kg. Expect to see the machine launched at this year’s Milan motorcycle show.…

Arc’s Vector boasts a range of 270 miles between charges, courtesy of prototype battery cell technology from Samsung. The Vector uses 960 superdense Samsung SDI 21-700 batteries stashed within the bike’s carbon-fibre monocoque to power its 399-volt motor. Not much is known about the prototype cells, other than they’re of lithium-ion type, cylindrical, smaller and more dense than previous cells and can handle a higher charge rate which results in an 80% charge in just 20 minutes. Samsung say production of these cells is slated for 2021. Tesla and Panasonic have already started mass production of their equivalent ‘2170’ cells.…

Zero Motorcycles California's giant leap Californian-based Zero Motorcycles built their first e-bike in 2006 and are the world’s largest manufacturer. Now several generations into their model range, the firm’s latest bike, the Zero SR/F, is one of the most advanced electric motorcycles built. Zero have an established UK dealer network with 12 dealers, meaning test rides are available, and have a range of bikes that include learner-legal machines. Prices start at £11,490 and rise to over £25,000 for a full-spec SR/F. www.zeromotorcycles.com/eu BMW Motorrad BMW unveiled their C evolution maxi scooter prototype in 2012 before it went on sale in 2014. Now in its second generation, the C evolution costs £14,035 and is the firm’s only electric offering – for now. This year they unveiled the Vision DC Roadster, which…