Table of contents for 13 July 2016 in MCN

Hand-crafted in a small workshop in New Zealand by engineering genius John Britten, only 10 bikes were ever built between 1991 and 1998, making the Britten one of the most desirable motorcycles on the planet. Sadly, John Britten lost his battle with cancer in 1995 so we never got to see his full engineering potential. What was so special about the Britten? It was built entirely by hand – even the engine (a 999cc water-cooled, fuel-injected, 60-degree, four-stroke V-twin), in a shed in Auckland. It had no frame, instead using the engine as a stressed member, the bodywork was carbon fibre, it had titanium valves and conrods, double wishbone front suspension, the radiator was under the seat, it had a dry clutch and programmable engine mapping (remember, this was the…

ARMOY July 29-30 Run on the lanes around the Co Antrim village where Joey Dunlop learned his craft, Armoy has become a highlight for the Lincolnshire ace. Guy has fought several battles with local favourite, Michael Dunlop, winning at Armoy in 2014 and 2015. With the event falling just a week before the start of Ulster GP practice it might be good preparation for the Tyco BMW star ahead of the last international of the year. ULSTER GRAND PRIX August 8-13 Dundrod has been a very successful venue for Guy with only Joey Dunlop, Ian Lougher and Phillip McCallen winning more races around the world’s fastest road circuit than the 11-times winner. The 34-year-old was locked in battle with Bruce Anstey last year when he crashed at Ireland’s Corner during…

‘Valve clearances are due every 9000 miles, so make sure they’ve been done’ “Overall they’re a good, strong engine. Obviously service history is paramount, preferably KTM service history for the valve clearances, which are due every 9000 miles, and you want to make sure they’ve been done at the set intervals. The clutch slave cylinders can be a little bit problematic. We have had a few of those go in the past but it’s a bit of a hard one to spot because if the clutch is working you think everything’s OK. It’s not something that shows itself gradually. They normally just go. So we’ve had a few people replace those with Oberon ones, which cost about £100. “The clutch boosters can be a little bit noisy on higher mileage…

KAWASAKI ZX-10R Four years old, but only 1900 miles on the clock. Tasteful mods including an Akrapovic exhaust and Gilles rearsets. YAMAHA YZF750 Totally standard 1994 YZF with 34,066 miles that’s promised to be in great condition and in the sought-after red/ white paintscheme. It has a hugger and seat cowl fitted. DUCATI 996 S Biposto Honestly described 996 from the year 2000 with 21,630 miles under its Marchesini wheels. Private seller calls it a ‘clean and tidy example’ with some cosmetic imperfections but a full year’s MoT. SUZUKI GSX-R1000 Finding an unmodified GSX-R is quite a task, but this 2004 model thousand is close. It’s done 16,390 miles and is described as a ‘very clean example’.…

DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 ENDURO £16,690 FUEL 30 litres @ 48mpg = 317 miles WEIGHT 254kg SEAT 850mm POWER 157bhp TORQUE 100ftlb ANDY DAVIDSON RIDING Adventure and long-distance rider with nine yearsÕ experience HEIGHT 5ft 7in WEIGHT 73kg andy.davidson@motorcyclenews.com Finding the perfect luggage set-up is a dark art. Luggage requirements depend on what you’ll be using your machine for. I need a topbox for commuting and panniers for touring. But my first obstacle was deciding how to purchase them. Ducati’s panniers (£1387.07) and topbox (£799.65) are sold separately, totalling £2186.72. Ducati offer accessory packs, but the panniers fall under ‘Touring’ (£1493.60) and the topbox under ‘Urban’ (£853). The Touring pack includes a handlebar bag and heated grips. And the Urban pack comes with a tankbag. It’s a good deal – the…

Saturday night’s winner Antonio Lindback showed in Cardiff that he has the talent of a world champion with a scintillating performance to take 18 of the 21 points available to him. Brazilian-born, but raised in Sweden, the dreadlocked racer certainly lived up his ‘Rio Rocket’ nickname. Even the most partisan fans had to admit that 31-year-old Lindback was a deserving winner. And Tai Woffinden agreed, saying: “Antonio rode well all night and he deserves to be on the top step - I didn’t start the night well so I guess I deserve to be second.” British fans love a trier and one of the loudest cheers of the night came when Danny King sped to victory in the penultimate heat. King, 29, earned his Cardiff wild card berth by winning…

Whatever expectations Dorna had in bringing superstar Nicky Hayden to the WSB fold have already been met by his mere presence, but even his win in Malaysia could not beat the feel-good factor that surrounded the American rider’s race one podium. With both works Ducatis out of the running, Hayden had a lonely race for a time, but he had to fight off a determined charge from his own team-mate Michael van der Mark in the final corner, using all his years of experience. He sent his friends, family and countrymen wild with delight as he stepped up for his third podium of the season. Ever the hardcore racer, he tried to be unhappy with third place, but the smiles were not far under the surface. “I don’t want to…

 Honda had a race win to shout about for the first time in three years as the fifth round of the 2016 MCE British Superbike Championship exploded into life at Snetterton. ‘Only Byrne was able to consistently lap faster than the Honda duo in the opening race’ Jason O’Halloran took the Louth squad’s first BSB victory since Alex Lowes lifted the title back in 2013, but the Aussie did not have things all his own way. He fought tooth and nail with team-mate Dan Linfoot for the win in Sunday’s opening race before Linfoot stormed to another second place in race two, firmly establishing both riders as serious title contenders. Last month’s official test at Snetterton marked a dramatic turning point for the Honda team. With the eight-year-old Fireblade seemingly…

‘Our competition is open to all amateur photographers’ Back for 2016, Carole Nash Insurance, in association with MCN, are delighted to announce this year’s motorcycle photography competition – Moto-Foto 2016. With great prizes, not to mention a coveted opportunity to be part of the Carole Nash stand at Motorcycle Live at the NEC, this is your chance for fame and a bit of fortune. First place wins a TomTom Rider 410 Premium plus Bandit worth £800, second place gets a TomTom Rider 410 EU worth £319.99, and third place bags a TomTom Rider 40 WE worth £279.99. So what are you waiting for? Get snapping! A panel of judges will select the best 200 images for the stand and then the motorcycling public can vote for their favourites on the…

Harley-Davidson Fat Bob Cruisers don’t get much more famous than Harley’s seminal Fat Bob. Grab a slice of Americana for just £159.50 per month after £2600 up front. Ducati XDiavel Cruisers are slow and crude, right? Wrong. The XDiavel is a sportsbike-eating weapon of feet-forward destruction. Try it, you might like it. It’s just £165 per month after a £3482.14 deposit. Suzuki Intruder M1800RBZ Pure Japanese Manga lunacy. Yours for £3082.50 in advance, and £139 per month thereafter. Kawasaki Vulcan S ABS Short of leg? Short of money? Want a manageable cruiser commuter? This is for you. £74.95pm with a £1200 deposit. Fancy something used instead? MCN Garage p45…

Open your mind All praise to Alison Silcox and her Harley review (MCN, June 22). The wearing of open-face helmets might not improve fuel economy but it does improve awareness, vision, hearing and joy. Sure, a full-face helmet isn’t suitable for riding a 200bhp sportsbike at Donington, but filtering through Nottingham city or similar requires different skills. I was recently admonished by an instructor on an IAM assessment for wearing such a helmet, but I advise everyone to give it a try. Benjamin Nolan, Notts Tired of paying for style After reading your article on the Victory versus Harley (MCN, July 6) I'm in total agreement about the tyres that Victory use (Dunlop Elite). Admittedly they do look good on my Judge with their white raised lettering and chunky tread,…

The wildly unpredictable weather is not just causing havoc with barbecue planning – it’s also creating some serious issues on UK roads . The AA has this week warned the Government that the wet and warm conditions are seeing many verges, hedges and trees obscure sightlines at junctions, and road signs are also getting blocked out by fast-growing foliage. In a recent survey of over 21,000 members, 41% voiced concerns over being able to see oncoming traffic properly at junctions. Of course, with car drivers often not seeing motorcyclists at junctions, anyway, anything that exacerbates this situation is a serious concern. Hedges and leaves covering road signs has also been highlighted as an issue with speed limits and give way warnings hidden from sight. While satnav systems may help in…

With Honda’s CBR-600RR slipping out of production for 2017, as it’s knobbled by new Euro4 regulations, and the scale of the market makes it unattractive for Honda to develop a new version, you have to wonder if this is just the tip of the iceberg. Yamaha’s R6 also falls foul of Euro4, as does Suzuki’s GSX-R600, Kawasaki’s ZX-6R, and Triumph’s Daytona 675. Some of these models look to have lifelines being readied for a long throw – others look closer to extinction. But should we care? These experts think we should. ‘You can’t argue with its eight world titles in just 13 years’ RONALD TEN KATE,Honda World Superbike / Super-sport Team Principal “The 2003 CBR600RR redefined 600cc sportsbikes. From the very first laps during testing for the 2003 season, we…

‘The big scoot is surprisingly manageable, and quick enough to reach 60mph' ‘The benefits of the J125 include a huge, roomy seat and a riding position like an armchair' KAWASAKI J125 £3799 FUEL 13 litres @ 100mpg = 290 miles WEIGHT 182kg Seat 775mm POWER: 13.8bhp TORQUE: 8.49ftlb SIMON PATTERSON A1 licence-holder, but not restricted to urban riding. Likes a bit of anything... HEIGHT 5ft 11in WEIGHT 110kg simon.patterson@motorcyclenews.com I have two confessions to make. Firstly, I recently went 18 months without riding a bike. Since an epic trip to Scotland on a 125 last January I’ve been so busy travelling to cover British Superbike and MotoGP races for MCN that I haven’t had a chance to get back on two wheels. And the second confession? After such a long…

‘XSR’s suspension definitely feels more compliant’ YAMAHA XSR900 £7849 FUEL 14 litres @ 43mpg = 132 miles WEIGHT 195kg SEAT 830mm POWER 115bhp TORQUE 64ftlb ANDY CALTON RIDING Two-stroke upbringing, to 600s and now naked roadsters HEIGHT 6ft WEIGHT 95kg andy.calton@motorcyclenews.com Simply making something a certain colour can result in it selling loads more than an identical product in another colour. Brown Ferrari, anyone? So when Yamaha made far more changes than just the colour to its big-selling MT-09 to create the XSR900, they thought they’d done more than enough to target a new audience and create a great-looking motorcycle with more potential for customisation. Aside from those cosmetic changes, the difference between the two is minimal. The seat on the XSR is 15mm higher and the rider sits 5mm…

Right on trend I love the styling and look of the lid, especially the graphics. Shades are a pain Shoving sunglasses in the lid is uncomfortable and I’m not a fan. OR TRY THIS... Davida Jet TT helmet, Price £265 ‘The padding is fantastic and although it did get a little hot riding across the desert in Arizona, there was very little wind noise and it was extremely comfortable.’ Andy Calton, September 4, 2013. Shoei J-O helmet £299.99 Tester Alison Silcox Time tested Four months/1500 miles What’s good? It only took a few miles for this new lid to bed in and feel comfortable, and when riding on a warm day it’s cool, literally, and I definitely feel the experience of riding. The visor is easy to use, with well…

‘There was some close action... I had fear for me and Chaz’DAVIDE GUIGLIANO Ducati looked set to grab a much-needed win after Jonathan Rea pulled out of the second WSB clash at Laguna Seca. But such was the desire to be first Ducati home, Davide Guigliano and Chaz Davies let the chance of victory slip, allowing Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes to claim a crucial win. For Guigliano, who is fighting to keep his ride in 2017, beating his team-mate was paramount. “I wanted to attack Tom but I did not want Chaz in front,” explained the Italian. “For me it was difficult in this race, as Chaz and Tom were braking harder than me and it was impossible for me to pass. It was a hard race, but fun. There was…

‘The race was quite exciting, I had a little bit of pressure from the Ducatis’TOM SYKES ‘This is what we needed, we’ll go into the summer break quite happy’TOM SYKES Tom Sykes capitalised on the misfortune of his team-mate Jonathan Rea in the best possible way by taking a hard-fought race two win at Laguna to reduce the points deficit at the top of the table to a more palatable 46 points. Having been beaten by Rea in race one and losing another five points in the title race, Sykes needed a break if he is to have any chance of keeping his team-mate in check during the final four rounds of the series. He got his wish when Rea ran off track and subsequently retired (see story right) but…

‘I’ve shown I can battle with those guys and fight for the championship’ Ian Hutchinson’s remarkable comeback story continued at Snetterton this weekend when he took his first short circuit win since the devastating crash which saw him badly break his leg at Silverstone back in 2010. Taking the lead of the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 race in the opening laps, Hutchinson cruised to victory after the man best placed to challenge him, Taylor Mackenzie, was wiped out of contention on the first lap by Hutchy’s Tyco BMW team-mate Josh Elliott in a move that would later see him docked 11 places as punishment. Controlling the race throughout, Hutchinson built a strong lead to cross the line and take his first short circuit victory since he won for Padgetts Honda…

Billy McConnell took a surprise result for the FS-3 Racing team after intelligently managing his tyres to beat factory Kawasaki rival Leon Haslam to fourth place in Sunday’s opening race. An all-new outfit for 2016, FS-3 Racing bought all of Paul Bird’s Kawasaki machinery at the end of last season and an eleventh-hour deal saw Aussie McConnell step up to ride the ex-Shane Byrne championship-winning ZX-10R. With a best result of 10th prior to Snetterton, McConnell spent time going over footage of how four-time champion Shane Byrne would ride the bike in order to get used to the Kawasaki after switching from the BMW S1000RR he rode last year. “We didn’t expect a fourth today, I’d have been happy with points,” he told MCN. “I was watching footage of Shakey…

• Having impressed across practice and qualifying deputising for John Hopkins on the ePayMe Yamaha, Broc Parkes’ race weekend didn’t go to plan as he was taken out of the opening race. Battered and bruised, he opted to sit out of the second race due to his Suzuka 8-hour commitments later this month. • Rookie Jake Dixon took a career-best result of sixth place in the opening BSB race for Briggs Equipment BMW, despite having only made his Superbike debut last time out at Knockhill. • Reigning British champion Luke Stapleford enjoyed a welcome return to the series this weekend, winning Saturday’s Supersport sprint race before losing out to Tarran Mackenzie in Sunday’s feature race. • An incident on the warm-up lap of the KTM Cup race left 13-year-old Caleb…

‘The results weren’t the worst, but I’m not happy if I’m not on the podium’LEON HASLAM Leon Haslam left Snetterton hugely disappointed after losing the BSB championship lead to title rival Shane Byrne. In his first podium-less weekend since the opening round of the season at Silverstone, Haslam was forced to settle for a fourth and fifth place after a number of issues held him back across the weekend. Struggling with fuelling problems on Friday, Haslam was elated to qualify on the front row and while he fought for the lead in the initial stages of both races, he soon dropped back, unable to match the pace of his rivals. “We opted for the softer tyre in the opening race but I just didn’t have the grip to stay with…

There was a time when every manufacturer had at least one model that could be classed as a sports-tourer. But then the world went adventure bike crazy and all of the resources were poured into developing these off-road giants. Now the sports-touring class looks like it’s getting a fresh injection of life. Ducati revealed their SuperSport 939 inside a locked viewing area for fans to see for the first time at World Ducati Week last weekend. Then spy shots revealed it to the world, along with MCN’s computer-generated vision of the whole bike. The SuperSport is a less extreme take on Ducati’s sportsbike range, and the firm claim the new model is aimed purely at road riding. Honda have also shown they are prioritising road bike development as they will…

Suzuki have extended a 0% finance offer on more than 10 current models until the end of September. The bikes in the offer include: G SX-R 1000, G SX-R750, and GSX-R600, V-Strom 650 and V-Strom 650XT, V-Strom 1000, Bandit 1250S, Hayabusa, VanVan 125, Burgman 125 and Burgman 400 scooters. The V-Strom 650 can be ridden away for less than £100 per month with a £2500 deposit or trade-in. The GSX-R750 can be had for £145 per month over four years, with a trade-in valued at £2876 or a deposit of the same amount, with no final balloon payment. Suzuki GB’s National Sales Manager, Jonathan Martin, announced the extension, saying: “This really helps keep the monthly repayments low for customers, especially with deals available over 48 months. With a 0% hire…

Winner Mike Hall completed the race in an incredible 13 days, 22 hours and 51 minutes. He averaged 200 miles a day and close to 20 hours of riding a day with three hours of sleep and an hour’s eating time. The 35-year-old Yorkshireman also won the event in 2013, and won the World Cycle Race after transversing the globe on a bicycle in 91 days and 18 hours. After this year’s Tour Divide, an exhausted but delighted Hall said: “I’m satisfied. I’ve seen the full course in as good a condition as you can hope for. OK, maybe it could have been slightly better, but I think if the course, and the winds, are too flattering it takes away from the satisfaction. I am also satisfied that I gave…

In contrast to the insanity of WDW, BMW Motorrad Days at Garmisch is as German as it gets. Don’t be confused by the name, everyone is invited to attend this giant motorcycle party in the Bavarian ski resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen; not just BMW owners. The event is free to get into, and is surrounded by some of Europe’s best biking roads. The festival is centred on a giant beer tent which hosts bands, beer, and a food hall that churns out an endless supply of chicken and pork. It’s all very German – well-organised, beer-fuelled, good fun and lasting well into the night. It’s not stifled, though; dancing on the tables is perfectly acceptable. Around the main tent are loads of parts suppliers, component manufacturers, and – in growing numbers…

2009 Honda CBR600RR £4995 13,550 miles, Blue (Ltd Edition), two mature owners, FSH, superb condition, immobiliser, tail tidy. We say: Not a popular paintjob, but superb, clean example. 2002YamahaYZF-R6 £2699 Original standard condition, very rare these days. 5+ owners, part service history, good bodywork and tyres. We say: Tidy looking second-gen bike in the best colours. 2012 Kawasaki ZX-6R £5998 One owner, full service history, fitted with a double-bubble screen and tail tidy, 2012 bike with just 4100 miles on the clock. We say: Unbelievable bargain. 2015TriumphDaytona 675R £9195 Pearl white metallic, one-owner example with just 868 miles. Registered June 2015, FSH, rearsets. We say: Nearly-new king of the 600s, at a saving of almost £2k. 15,203 BIKES FOR SALE NOW…

2006 KTM 990 Adventure Colours Black or orange Dealer £4800 Private good £4700 Private average £4500 This one Clean, standard, good condition, low mileage first year model. 10,000 miles. £4800 2009 KTM 990 Adventure Colours Orange/black or white/black Dealer £5750 Private good £5600 Private average £5300 This one Uprated 106bhp, with touring extras, 31,000 miles. £5500 2011 KTM 990 Adventure Dakar Colours Blue Dealer £6600 Private good £6500 Private average £6300 This one Limited-edition model with R’s 115bhp engine, this one also has full luggage set. £6495 2012-13 KTM 990 Adventure Colours Blue or white Dealer £8000 Private good £7750 Private average £7500 This one This last-of-the-line example is fully loaded and showing just 5000 miles. £8495 Insurance Sample quotes for £6000 used adventure bikes, from cheapest to costliest, and…

HUSQVARNA 701 SUPERMOTO £7999 FUEL 13 litres @ 51mpg = 146 miles WEIGHT 145kg SEAT 890mm POWER 65bhp TORQUE 50ftlb RIDER Liam Marsden. All-weather commuter happy on any type of bike HEIGHT6ft 1in WEIGHT 73kg liam.marsden@motorcyclenews.com They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but I wasn’t sure that would be the case with a bike as single-minded and at times infuriating as the Husqvarna 701 SM. But just a week into a two-week break from work, I was missing the Husky, warts and all. Despite its lack of practicality, the Husky ignites a deep-seated primal desire for raw, unfiltered aggression and fun. No niceties. No comfy seat or heated grips. Just as basic a motorcycle as you can get. But I love it; I’ve never had a bike that…

Oxford First Time 1 Magnetic Tankbag £39.99 Has 18 litres of room, magnets to secure it to metal tanks (a strap-on version is available) and a storm hood. Oxford Lifetime X4 Tank N Tailer £64.99 At four litres it’s small, but this magnetic bag is also very unobtrusive and has enough space to store essentials. Also has water-resistant zips. Givi EA102 Easy Magnetic Tank Bag - 25L £69.90 Givi’s bag will expand to take 25 litres of stuff, which is big for a tankbag. It secures with magnets, but can be converted with straps to suit plastic tanks. Kappa RA308 Expandable Tanklock £67.06 The bag holds from 17 to 24 litres depending on expansion, and has a map pocket and a storm hood. Requires a fitting kit at £11.99 extra.…

Bruce Anstey will race the Padgetts RC213V-S he rode at this year’s TT for the Ulster Grand Prix next month. The Valvoline-supported Padgetts squad both turned heads and ruffled feathers as they announced they’d run the £138,000 MotoGP replica around the mountain course. Anstey clocked a fastest lap of 131.595mph on the HRC MotoGP replica, despite riding battered and bruised after a 140mph crash on his Fireblade in practice week. The Flying Kiwi will now take the Grand Prix-inspired machine to the world’s fastest road racing circuit – where he set the lap record in 2010 with an average speed of 133.977mph. “I’m really pleased that we’re able to bring the RCV to Dundrod and that I’ll get another run out on it before the season ends,” Anstey said. “I…

What makes the Honda’s results all the more impressive is that the Fireblade hasn’t seen a major upgrade since 2008. While it’s widely acknowledged the bike is getting on a bit, it seems age is but a number to the Honda UK-run racing project. “It’s not bad for an eight year old bike!” said team boss Havier Beltran. “The work we’ve done over the past few years, even as far back as Alex Lowes winning the title in 2013 has really paid off. We’ve focussed on understanding our weak areas and improving them to what we have now. This bike used to be a wheelie monster, but now the boys can drive out of corners with ease. “We’re not saying it’s perfect and we’ve still got areas to improve, but…

 Shane Byrne took control of the MCE British Superbike title fight with a stunning weekend performance that showed just how keen and capable he is of winning a history-making fifth BSB crown. ‘Working so hard for these wins has really put the fire back in my belly’SHANE BYRNE In what could have been a perfect weekend for the four-times champion, Byrne was forced to take evasive action to avoid championship rival Leon Haslam on the opening lap of the first race, relegating him to the back of the field. A scintillating fightback saw him plough through from second-to-last at the third turn to catch and pass Haslam and take an incredible third place podium finish behind the Hondas of Jason O’Halloran and Dan Linfoot. Out to make amends in race…

 Shane Byrne and his PBM team took a huge risk in switching to Ducati for the 2016 season, with the Italian marque having enjoyed next to no success with the Panigale in BSB. ‘His pace fighting through the pack was 1s faster than anyone else’ Many expected a tough start to the season for the four-times champion, but while it’s been far from plain sailing for Byrne and the new-look BeWiser squad, he’s been in the mix from the off. Never far from the podium from round one at Silverstone, he’s now taken three victories and some huge steps forward with the booming V-twin. This weekend marked a real turning point for both Byrne and the 2016 title fight. It was the first time he’s truly looked at home aboard…