Table of contents for 9 March 2016 in MCN

Indian Motorcycles’ new model role-out continues with this new derivative of the Chieftain range called the Indian Springfield. Aimed at taking a slice of the gigantic American bagger sector, the model features a removable windscreen and hard saddlebags for a full-on touring specification. The bike is the latest addition to the larger-capacity 1811cc V-twin range that already includes the Chieftain, Chief Classic, Chief Vintage, Chief Dark Horse and Roadmaster. Work has been focused on making the Springfield very comfortable over distance, with standard equipment including ABS, a tyre pressure monitoring system, cruise control, twin front riding lights and engine bars offering a bit of protection should the bike topple over. It will cost £19,599 when it arrives in Indian dealers at the end of April. MCN is currently in the…

‘We could have kept it air cooled but it wouldn’t be as fuel efficient’ MCN When did you start the 1200 project? SW About four years ago, however there was an awful lot of discussing beforehand about what the bikes needed to be. The Bonneville and Thruxton names are a big part of Triumph’s heritage and they will play a major part in its future. MCN BMW steered clear of too much technology on its R nineT, why did Triumph choose to embrace it? SW It is a contemporary motorcycle, and if you don’t notice it’s there what’s wrong with having it? Look around the 1200s and try and find the technology, it is very well hidden. We aren’t making a fuss of it, but we know people will appreciate…

‘Improvements to the engine’s air flow make this year’s CBs more fuel efficient, sharper and more eager to rev’ The Honda CB500 is a legendary name in motorcycling. The old air-cooled model was used and abused by test centres, new riders and dispatchers - loved for its ease of use and bulletproof build quality. Then somebody had the great idea to race them. Heard of James Toseland? As a young racer, he made a name for himself in the one-make CB500 race series. The old CB500 was discontinued in 2003 and wasn’t reborn until 2014, when it returned as the sporty CBR500R, naked CB500F and adventure-spec CB500X. Collectively the new CB family has sold 30,000 bikes in Europe and 90,000 worldwide. For this year the changes are minimal, but are…

To Russia with love In the February 17 issue of MCN you had a question about riding to Russia. Last year I went to St Petersburg. To visit Russia you need a visa. To get this you need an invitation which you can get from your hotel, you need your motorcycle details on this so it’s included on the visa. At the border you fill in a temporary import form. Many of the roads are badly potholed as your expert said but some are as good as, if not better than, roads in England. The driving, though, is a lot worse. One final point: at filling stations you have to pay before filling up. But I would definitely recommend going. David Smith, email Garage walls have ears Here’s a simple…

It all used to be so simple, or at least we thought it was. If you owned a British bike, it had been built in Britain. If you owned an Italian bike, it was built in Italy, while your Teutonic globetrotter was genuinely German and your all-American anchor was just that, as American as apple pie. But in the 21st Century the badge on the tank often belies its country of origin. In this week’s poll (left) a significant 50% believe that this global promiscuity is somehow eroding the identity, or integrity, of our bikes. Does this mean that Triumph’s gorgeous Thruxton R will see sales suffer as prospective owners catch sight of the ‘Made in Thailand’ label hanging out the back of its pants? Or that BMW will find…

KAWASAKI 1400 GTR £13,699 THE BIKE Weight: 305kg Seat height: 815mm Miles: 13,457 MPG: 46 THE RIDER Liam Marsden, Web Producer liam.marsden@motorcyclenews.com Height: 6ft1in Weight: 75kg His riding: Commuter, rides in all weathers. Happy on any type of bike. Much like the 1400cc inline four engine in the GTR, 2015 was a smooth, fairly uneventful year. There were no breakdowns or major niggles with the bike, but there were also no unforgettable highs; the Kawasaki just got on and did whatever was asked of it. It didn’t even bat an eyelid when I ran well past its service interval (sorry about that, Kawasaki). Everything was going swimmingly with the big Kwak until our final weekend together. A colleague had borrowed it for a couple of days, and when it was…

As snowdrops and daffodils emerge, bringing with them the promise of spring, it’s time to start contemplating riding without three layers of wadding. And Alpinestars are ready with a spring collection that includes this versatile touring jacket. The Santa Fe Air Drystar is billed as a warmer weather option, but it’s a triple-decker jacket that combines ventilation with waterproofing and thermal insulation. The outer has plentiful panels of vented mesh on the chest, back and sleeves, which is why it’s not the best option for the depths of winter. But the presence of a removable Drystar waterproof membrane, which is also breathable, ensures protection against rain. There’s also a removable thermal lining to guard against the chill, which means three seasons of use should be achievable. The fact both liners…

Oxford Screamer Alarmed Disc Lock £32 Bike theft is a growning and infuriating problem – so make sure your machine is protected by making disc locks your first line of defence when you are out and about. This lock from Oxford includes a 7mm locking pin plus an ear-splitting 100db alarm. Enter until: March 31 Danny Kent X-Lite X802RR Signed Helmet £399.99 Danny Kent made history when he took the Moto3 world title. To celebrate, Italian firm X-Lite have made 200 extra-special Danny reps. We have one to give away, and it’s signed by Danny himself! Enter until: April 14 RST Thermotech Gloves £150 Winter seems to be lingering, so we are giving away a pair of heated gloves to help take the edge off. They are in size medium…

‘We changed the set-up and that was the time to have a smile on my face!’MARC MARQUEZ Marc Marquez says he can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel after a long and difficult winter coming to grips with MotoGP’s new Michelin tyres and control electronics package. Honda have been struggling right from the moment new technical regulations for 2016 came into place. HRC engineers have spent every waking hour to find a way out of the darkness and a solution to the problems that have plagued not only Marquez and team-mate Dani Pedrosa but also the satellite bikes of Cal Crutchlow and the two-man MarcVDS team. Working feverishly right up until the final minutes of last week’s three-day Qatar test, Marquez admitted it wasn’t until the…

‘Ducati misread a rule preventing factory teams testing two weeks before an event’ A disappointed Casey Stoner has been forced to sit out his first planned outing on Ducati’s new GP16-spec machine in a private test at Qatar after an error from the Italian manufacturer. Misinterpreting a rule that prevents a factory team from testing at a circuit two weeks prior to a MotoGP event, the company incorrectly believed they had two weeks from the race itself and not the beginning of free practice on Friday. That ruling forced the abandonment of a planned two-day outing for both Stoner and Ducati test rider Michele Pirro, scheduled to get underway on Sunday. To add insult to injury, the ruling only came to light while the Australian was already en-route to Qatar,…

OPTION 1 PERSONAL CONTRACT PURCHASE Most dealers offer PCP schemes through one or two big finance houses – this is how it works... • Get your budget worked out, based on what you can afford as a deposit and as monthly repayments for the duration of the contract • You can borrow any amount from £1500 upwards • Choose your new motorcycle (or a used one – bikes up to three years old can also qualify) • Set a repayment term of between two to four years • Set your annual mileage at up to 24,000 miles a year. Your annual mileage will affect your monthly payments and future value. Most deals are based on 4000-6000 miles • Decide on which end-of-agreement option is best for you when the time…

Can I swap manufacturers? Yes. The new dealer will pay off what’s outstanding on the bike (provided it’s in respectable condition) and roll you into a deal on one of theirs. Most of the major manufacturers issue plans through Black Horse, but some use other finance groups – such as KTM with Santander – so if you’re planning on jumping between manufacturers, double-check your options before you buy. Dealers and finance companies are both highly motivated to help make your purchases as easy as possible – so tell them what you want, and they’ll tell you what it’ll cost to do it. Simple. Can I get a PCP deal on a secondhand bike? Yes. Many dealers can offer this, and it’s all down to the choice of bike, and you,…

BMW R NINET £11,900 Powered by an air-cooled boxer engine, the R nineT has set the benchmark when it comes to both sales and performance for a modern naked retro. Far better handling than most would expect, it also looks as good as it goes, and for 2016 has an optional brushed aluminium fuel tank. YAMAHA XJR1300 RACER £9599 During its 2015 upgrade, Yamaha attempted to tap into the retro vibe with its XJR by releasing a bolt-on café racer kit. Consisting of drop bars, styling mods and a small fairing, the Racer is uncomfortable to ride and feels heavy when directly compared to the BMW R nineT. NORTON COMMANDO CAFÉ RACER MKII £15,750 The only brand that carries a similar prestige factor to Triumph, Norton’s Commando comes with Öhlins…

DUCATI PASO 750, £400 Richard Newland, Deputy Editor richard.newland@motorcyclenews.com Miles 2237 MPG 45.5 At first I thought it was a Blackbird arcing into my field of vision as the Paso’s booming Hawk cans invoked their usual morning routine of expunging all animals with the capacity to flee from the hedgerows along my commute. But no, it was the Paso’s one black ear – the righthand mirror/indicator assembly – making a desperate bid for freedom. Inspired by a combination of wind pressure and the suspension-crashing pothole I’d just failed to negotiate, the unit had pinged free of its triple lug mounts, and was now coming up to thump me in the chest like a phantom lone boxing glove. My right hand instantaneously released the throttle, and made a seemingly unrepeatable perfect…

1 When it’s cold(ish) and wet outside, the full-thickness Santa Fe with both its liners in place will be more than capable of warding off the chills and lashing rain. 2 Britain will warm up (eventually), but in this country there’s an omnipresent threat of rain – ideal conditions for a vented jacket with a waterproof lining behind it. 3 When the tabloids are reaching for words like ‘scorcher’, or you’ve headed off towards the equator, you’ve a fully vented jacket to get the cooling air flowing.…

While Shakey Byrne struggled with his Ducati Panigale at Cartagena, most of his key championship rivals declared they had made good progress during the four day test. Fastest man on track at Cartagena, Luke Mossey, was also riding a new ZX-10R in Quattro Plant livery but his approach was entirely different. “We rode the new Kawasaki for the first time at Almeria last Monday and it does feel very similar to last year’s bike, everything just feels a little bit better,” the 23-year-old said after topping the lap times every day. “We made some changes and have had a blinding week. Bike racing is more in your head than anything and if you are a confident rider you are going to go into the championship feeling good. “I am feeling…

HITS AXEL PONS A 1.41.730 was over a second inside the 2014 lap record and put the Spaniard 0.345s clear of Sam Lowes. It was a one-lap wonder but even so, still a mightily impressive time. NICOLO BULEGA The latest highly rated talent to roll off the VR46 Academy production line was in awesome form, setting the third quickest time overall in Moto3 and lapping fastest on the first and last days. LORENZO BALDASSARRI Another Rossi protégé, the Italian was third quickest in Moto2 to carry on the momentum gained from top five finishes in the last three races of 2015, which included a maiden podium. MISSES JOHANN ZARCO The reigning Moto2 world champion went AWOL, with a quickest lap of 1.42.952 only good enough for a shock 14th. MIGUEL…

It might have been a successful test for Marc Marquez at Qatar, but not everything was rosy in the Repsol Honda garage, as team-mate Dani Pedrosa continues to drift in the doldrums with his 2016 machine. Struggling to find anything positive to say about their progress in the test, a terse Pedrosa admitted to MCN that they were nowhere near as prepared as the other side of the pit box. “We didn’t find any progress. We didn’t have many tyres left so we couldn’t do much testing on the final day and I finished earlier than usual. Unfortunately the conclusions are not entirely satisfactory. “Over the three days we have tried to test a lot of things, but there are still some ideas that we want to apply the next…

1st: Lorenzo 1:54.810 2nd: Redding 1:55.326 3rd: Vinales 1:55.333 Scott Redding staked his claim to being a serious contender in the opening round of the 2016 MotoGP championship next week. The 23-year-old Brit continued his impressive pre-season form, leaving Qatar with a lap time which left him second fastest overall. One of the only riders able to run consistently in the 1m 55s mark around the Losail circuit, Redding’s pace and consistency now leave him as a podium candidate for the series’ first race. But despite the incredible success of both testing and his clear affinity with the Ducati GP15 machine, the 23-year-old told MCN that he’s keen to keep his expectations realistic. “I’m going to keep my target to be in the top six. When I said that before,…

BMW have created a limited-edition Tyco BMW Race Replica which will be the highest-specification S1000RR available from your local dealer. The bike is painted in an exact replica of the 2016 Tyco race bike from the British Superbike (BSB) series and has been decked out in more than £3000 of BMW High Performance parts and accessories. Just 75 examples of the bike will be created at a cost of £21,240 and orders are open now at all official BMW dealers. BMW say: “The Tyco BMW Race Replica features performance-enhancing factory-fit options Dynamic Damping Control, Dynamic Traction Control and Gear Shift Assist Pro. “Additionally, it offers a range of hand-picked accessories from the BMW High Performance range including HP Footrests, HP Clutch & Brake Levers and a road-legal Akrapovic Sports Silencer.…

Yamaha XSR900 Also recently released, the new-for-2016 XSR900 offers all the Thruxton’s retro charm, but with a decent dose of hedonism thrown in. Go play for £99 a month, after a £1968.30 deposit. BMW R nineT It took the retro market by storm in 2014, and rightly so. One of the last big air-cooled options, it’s unlikely to disappoint, especially at just £129 a month, with a £2521.36 deposit. Ducati Monster 1200S If you facy something with a lot more stomp, the Monster 1200S has all the same allure, with a lot more aggression. Yours for £149 a month, with a £3409 deposit. Triumph T120 Bonneville Just as new as the Thruxton, the T120 Bonneville and Black could be yours for just £99 a month, with a £2336 deposit. Want…

‘The SV650 sets off in its own sweet way, addictive induction noise bellowing from the airbox’ This is the year of the reboot. Cinema has had another go at making Star Wars, and it’s even dug up Dad’s Army for a second crack at the big screen. Hell, TV is desperate enough to give Mrs Slocombe’s pussy another airing as Are you Being Served comes back later this year. It seems the past is the newest gold rush, and now Suzuki are trying to get in on the act. After a tough few years it’s easy to see why the folks from Hamamatsu would look back with hunger. This millennium started with the Bandit 650/S, SV650S and Burgman 650 scooter as Europe’s three biggest-selling machines. But the subsequent decade-and-a-half has…

FACT FILE Pat Hennen Born Arizona, April 27, 1953 Career highlight Winning Finnish GP in 1976 Retired After TT crash, 1978 Pat Hennen became the first American rider to win a 500cc Grand Prix when he took the Finnish round at Imatra in 1976. As team-mate to Barry Sheene in the factory Suzuki squad he would go on to take three victories – including winning the very first British GP – and 12 podiums from just 26 GP starts. He was arguably the last major GP star to tackle the TT and set the first-ever sub-20 minute lap there in 1978, in what was only his second attempt. Sadly, his career was cut short following a horrendous crash later in the same Senior race and he never raced again. He…

‘We’ll see bikes with less teeth on the sprocket than Albert Steptoe’ Matt Baldwin, 46, manages the workshop at the family-run Burwin Motorcycles in Islington, London “Although we’re in central London we are an old-school business with a lot of banter in the shop, where customers can make themselves (and us) a cup of tea. My dad founded the business in 1976 and I started out sweeping the floor as a kid in the 1980s. “Most of our customers are long-standing, maybe 20 years or more, and they are still commuters so they aren’t inclined to do maintenance. In fact we’ll do the tyre pressures and lube the chain for some as a free pit-stop on the way into work. “All that stop-start commuting takes its toll on brakes, chains…

‘The 1100 is easy to service and amazingly nimble’ The elderly Honda that’s still a treat Buy a Pan European 1100. Yes, the dinosaur that came out in 1989, because it’s still one of the best bikes Honda ever built, and because its 1300cc replacement simply isn’t as good. True, the 1300 has more performance and is generally more up-to-date, but the old bike was equally indestructible, easier to service, and amazingly nimble. Right now, I’m contemplating an advert for a 1993 1100 that’s done just 22,000 miles, is described as being in perfect condition and the classified ad was asking £1999. Sold, dammit. Oh, and that was a dealer selling it, as well. Another £500-odd is starting money for a used 1300 Pan, but it’ll have Apollo mileage, and…

‘After 35 minutes I’m happy to say my knees and bum were still in working order’ SUZUKI V-STROM 650 XT, £7599 Andy Davidson, Staff Writer andy.davidson@motorcyclenews.com Miles 6548 MPG 55 Depending on who my pillion is, I take varying degrees of care with their comfort. If it’s my mate or missus then I’m not particularly fussed if they get an achy bum or their helmet knocks mine at every red light. But take someone new on the bike and it’s best behaviour all the way, with the utmost care and cultured throttle twists. So when my housemate and colleague Liam sent his 1400GTR in for a week-long stay at the garage, I begrudgingly offered up a week-long pillion service. Despite the inconvenience of having to lug him to and from…

Tucano Urbano Agos Jacket £99 Tester Ped Baker Time tested Six months/100 miles What’s good? It’s cheap(ish), showerproof and looks like a casual jacket you could comfortably wear down the pub. What’s not? It looks cheap, is only showerproof and is built like a casual jacket that you’d wear down the pub. I’ve only worn the Agos a handful of times because it has some major issues as a motorcycle jacket. The polyester material is lightweight (think anorak) and this not only causes the jacket to flap about at speeds above 40mph but on motorcycles with high bars, such as cruisers, the wind catches under the cuffs and rolls your sleeves up for you. Almost pleasant on a hot day, less so in November (this could have been prevented with…

QI came off on ‘excessive overbanding’.Can Iclaim? I lost the rear end on a wet country bend and ended up in a ditch. I hurt my shoulder quite badly, but I was able to pick myself up. When I went to inspect the road I noticed that the overbanding sealing the edge of a recent road repair looked much wider than usual, about 80mm wide. Can I claim from anyone for my injury and bike damage? Tim H, Wrexham Depending on the type of road, the local council or the Highway Authority is responsible for maintaining the road surface and all repairs. Authorities often contract this work out, but the contractors have a duty to make sure the road repairs comply with statutory requirements and repair guidelines. Those guidelines state…

‘Thank goodness we sorted the chatter before my teeth fell out!’PETER HICKMAN The Cartagena test also featured some of the top names from the between-the-hedges scene in action for the first time in 2016. Michael Dunlop and Ian Hutchinson were having outings on their Buildbase Hawk and Tyco BMW S1000RR superbikes, and last year’s Ulster and Macau Grand Prix winner Peter Hickman was testing the JG Speedfit Kawasaki ZX-10R. Dunlop was probably the busiest man on track in Spain, completing over 240 laps on his 2016 stocker and superbike S1000RRs. “We just keep floating around,” a relaxed and smiling Dunlop said. “Both of these 2016 BMWs are different from the bikes I have ridden before and they seem to be grand. We haven’t just dialled them in to the last…

‘I’ve got to change. I’m going into the corner way too fast and messing up the drive’DANNY KENT Quickly banishing old Moto3 habits is going to be the key to Danny Kent’s hopes of Moto2 success in 2016. The reigning Moto3 world champion was an encouraging 12th fastest in Jerez and just over 0.5s outside of the top three on the Leopard Racing Kalex. Kent was faster than current Moto2 champion Johann Zarco and Marc VDS duo Alex Marquez and Franco Morbidelli. And the 22-year-old easily outpaced chief 2015 foe and Leopard team-mate Miguel Oliveira by close to 0.9s. Kent, who had a small crash at turn two on the second day, told MCN: “My pace is between eighth and 12th at the moment, which I don’t think is too…

Two crashes, a broken left index finger and a lowly 24th place didn’t dent John McPhee’s optimism that the new Peugeot project can be a competitive force in Moto3. The Scot was 1.640s off Romano Fenati’s quickest lap of 1.46.445, but almost 0.5s clear of team-mate Alexis Masbou in Jerez. And while raving about the Peugeot’s ‘perfect’ chassis, it is clear that more engine performance is needed to help McPhee add to his one Moto3 podium scored in Indianapolis last August. McPhee, whose machine is a Mahindra package dressed up in Peugeot livery, said: “There is a lot of potential. In the slow corners I’m faster than I was on the Honda and handling and braking stability is good. “But we are definitely lacking acceleration. The engine pulls through quite…

‘They’re killing me at the minute, but I’ve got nothing that won’t heal in a few days’CAL CRUTCHLOW Cal Crutchlow was lucky to escape serious injury in a crash in the final moments of the Qatar test, after getting caught out by his LCR Honda – and having to undergo some invasive medical testing afterwards! “The bike went about six foot in the air, and the rear wheel came right down on my bollocks! I had to have an ultrasound on my balls! They’re killing me at the minute, but I’ve got nothing that won’t heal in a few days. “There was absolutely no reason for the crash though – the same as most of the Honda crashes at the minute. I didn’t brake too deep, have more corner speed,…

Can’t see the bike of your dreams? Don’t worry, this is just a selected snapshot of what’s available down at your local dealer. For each manufacturer’s full range, head to their websites, where you’ll also find many now have PCP examples listed, while some even have a handy online calculator to help you tailor your finances before you’ve even set foot in your local dealer – which you can also locate via these websites. Aprilia – uk.aprilia.com BMW – www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk Ducati – www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk Harley-Davidson – www.harley-davidson.co.uk Honda – www.honda.co.uk Indian – www.indianmotorcycle.co.uk Kawasaki – www.kawasaki.co.uk KTM– www.ktm.com/gb Suzuki – www.suzuki-gb.co.uk Triumph – www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk Victory – victorymotorcycles.co.uk Yamaha – www.yamaha-motor.eu/uk…

Seen something you like? Now you need to ride it to make sure it really is your perfect two-wheeled partner. Many of the manufacturers have travelling test ride roadshows where you can ride several bikes in a day, while others have centralised online booking systems that will direct you to the nearest dealer who can supply a test ride. Most official dealers will be able to offer demonstrator bikes. SEE YOUR DEMO RIDE OPTIONS AT: Aprilia – uk.aprilia.com BMW – www.bmw-motorrad.com Ducati – www.ducatiuk.com/dealer_demo_ride.do Harley-Davidson – testrides.harley-davidson.co.uk Honda – www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/test-ride Indian – www.indianmotorcycle.co.uk/test-ride/ Kawasaki – www.kawasakitestride.co.uk KTM – www.ktm.com/dealer Suzuki – www.suzuki-gb.co.uk/motorcycles/test-rides/ Triumph – uk.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/motorcycles/test-ride Victory – victorymotorcycles.co.uk/test-ride Yamaha – www.yamaha-motor.eu/uk/experience/get-out-there/test-rides…