Table of contents for 4 October 2017 in MCN

Following on from the success of their first partnership with the Dragster RR LH, MV Agusta have again teamed up with F1 driver Lewis Hamilton to release a run of 44 special editions, this time based on the F4RC superbike. The F4 LH44, named after Hamilton’s race number, is the result of a direct collaboration between Hamiliton himself and the Castiglioni Research Centre. As it’s an offshoot of the F4RC, itself derived from the Reparto Corse WSB machine, so it’s powered by the 1000cc four-cylinder Corsa Corta engine, which produces 202bhp in standard trim. The bike comes with a race kit that includes a titanium SC Projects four-into-one exhaust and ECU, which MV claim boosts the power to 212bhp. It also knocks 8kg off, giving a claimed dry weight of…

LOIS PRYCE Nominated by Biddy Fisher From her first amazing trip as a novice rider along the whole west coast of the Americas to her rides in Iran, Lois has flown in the face of those who say “nay lass, that’s mad”. She’s a true inspiration for women riders. We’ve teamed up with Carole Nash to search out Britain’s most inspiring biking heroes. The campaign has been incredibly popular and we’ve been inundated with entries. From the bulging inbox, we’ve whittled it down to 20 who we think have all achieved remarkable things. Now it’s your turn to have a say by voting for the person you think should receive this new accolade. Voting for the is already open on the Carole Nash Facebook page – www.facebook.com/ insidebikes. Voting for…

CBR1000RR Fireblade £15,225 • 189bhp • 195kg Launched this year, the standard Blade has the same motor, chassis and electronics as the SP and SP2, but has conventional Showa suspension and no up/down autoblipper. CBR1000RR Fireblade SP £19,125 • 189bhp • 195kg Full-production Blade SP has semi-active Öhlins suspension, up/down autoblipper and an HRC paintjob. CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 £22,225 • 189bhp • 195kg Limited-run homologation special (only 500 made) is based on SP with minor top end engine mods, carbon-effect blue graphics and lightweight Marchesisni wheels. 1299 Panigale £17,995 • 197bhp • 190.5kg Entry level 1299 Panigale might not have flashy suspension and wheels, but it has the same brutish power and clever electronics package as the S-model. 1299 Panigale S £21,995 • 197bhp • 190.5kg Comes with a carbon-fibre…

The MGX-21 offers an Italian alternative to traditional American heavy metal, but the low speed handling is difficult to live with and the lack of a built-in touch screen is hard to ignore. The Chieftain is a superb mix of punch, control and technology, but for me it’s just pipped by Harley’s constant refinements. The Glide steals the middle ground and by default takes the honours – it’s not too soft, too hard, too brash or too subtle; it’s the perfect compromise. STREET GLIDE SPECIAL Engine1745cc8v49°V-twin Power90bhp@5450rpmTorque 110.6ftlb @3250rpmSeat height 685mmTank size 22.7litresMPG 48.07Weight376kg(kerb) WarrantyTwoyears PCPdeal £224.40permonth(x36) Deposit £50004000milesperyear Optional final payment£12,550 MGX-21 Engine1380cc8v90°transverseV-twin Power 96.6bhp@6500rpm Torque89ftlb@3000rpm Seat height 740mmTank size20.5litres MPG41.28Kerb weight341kgLength 2560mmWarranty Twoyears PCPdeal £224.44permonth(x36) Deposit £50004000milesperyear Optional final payment£8531 CHIEFTAIN LIMITED Engine 1811c4v49°V-twin Power91.5bhp@4500rpm Torque119ftlb@3000rpm Seat height…

Autumn is definitely upon us but there’s still some decent weather and great riding to be done… as our #ride5000miles members have proved this week. Big-mile stars include Neil Moseley, who travelled 400 miles to watch the road racing from Oliver’s Mount in Scarborough – bringing his total miles achieved up to 6000. Elsewhere, Ray Walton, 54, set himself the personal challenge of riding every day in September to help him get out on the bike more. Already nudging the 10,000-mile mark, journeys have included a ride on his Honda Gold Wing from Rochdale to Thirsk and back on Wednesday, September 27 to visit his sister – a journey lasting around 200 miles. He said: “I’ve lost 8lb doing this, which has been a bonus! It’s just been brilliant and…

‘There’s no getting away from the fact it’s a big bike but it feels capable’ DUCATI MULTISTRADA 950 £10,995 Fuel 20 litres @ 48mpg = 210 miles Weight 205.7kg (dry) Seat height 840mm Power 113bhp Torque 71ftlb simon.relph@motorcyclenews.com There are lots of directions you can take the Ducati Multistrada 950, whether you are into touring, simple commuting, trackdays or long trails and a spot of green laning. This bike is up for everything. I have always been a keen off-road rider, so I have prepped the bike with a pair of spoked wheels (£1493.59) shod with a crisp new pair of Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres (£190), Ducati sump guard (£425.98), side crash bars (£319.21) and a pair of SW-Motech Evo footrests (£119.69). I tend to use the bike daily…

RST Tractech EVO II One Piece Suit £499.99 Tester Joe Dick Time used 5000 miles What’s good? Nothing can compare to slipping into a one-piece and heading out for a good blast. Comfort is everything for me when it comes to riding kit, and the RST Tractech EVO II suit delivers. As an owner and unplanned crash tester of the first version of this suit, I knew that RST made a great fitting one-piece, but version two ups the ante when it comes to quality and price. Wearable all day long, day after day and easy to get in and out of, it scores highly on comfort. It comes with a removable CE Level 1 back protector and improved shoulder sliders. Another important thing for me is internal pockets, which…

 Q Will my accident stop me getting another job? ‘If you end up disadvantaged, you are entitled to compensation’ A friend told me that he got compensation after his accident for being “disadvantaged on the labour market”. He said this is the phrase used and to raise it with my solicitors. Although he was able to return to work after six months, he remains pretty hampered and if his company closed I don’t think he would get another job. In my claim, I asked my solicitor about this, but he says I can’t claim this. I too am back at work after three months off but have ongoing shoulder issues. Can I still claim this? John Brown, Deeside A Where someone is disadvantaged in seeking employment in the labour market, as…

2002 Ducati ST4S £2100 Seller says 17,750 miles, two owners, luggage, good history, belts done under 500 miles ago. Neil says Bargain of the century. Essentially a Ducati 996 with comfort and luggage. 1985 Yamaha V-Max £2049 Seller says 21,250 miles, Canadian import, superb runner, needs some cosmetic attention. Neil says Good price. Cosmetics is mainly chrome and alloy – mostly fairly easy to sort out. ’02 Kawasaki ZX-9R £2000 Seller says 16,578 miles, Scorpion can with small dent, plus original, very tidy. Neil says Late model, so devoid of the early gearbox hassles. Cult bike and likely to appreciate. MCN BIKES FOR SALE 13,856 bargain bikes for sale right now!…

‘Look out for bikes with crash bungs, as the bolts can seize – snapping the engine mount’ “The 2004 Blade is a very good buy as they are pretty bulletproof, however they have an Achilles’ heel – the generator stator burns out. However, you can get it rewound or a replacement for around £100. You can check this by putting a meter on the battery and looking to see that it is charging at least 13.5 volts. “There was a recall on the fuel tank so it’s worth getting your local dealer to check this has been done. You should also check the steering bearings for any notches in the centre. While you’ve got your wheel in the air you can check the steering damper, too. “To do this, you…

Sofuoglu’s hip pain Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) looks to be out of the championship race just one round after taking the points lead in Portugal. In France he high-sided hard in Superpole and fractured his hip in three places, flying home to Turkey for an operation. Mahias hits back Pata Yamaha’s Lucas Mahias was another rider in the wars at Magny, hurting his wrist and ankle but recovering well enough to secure fourth place and the championship lead. Niki Tuuli (Kallio Yamaha) took his first win in the class, making him the sixth rider with a WSS win this year and the fifth first-time winner. Bradl out of action Stefan Bradl is out for the season now after having an operation to repair a tendon in his hand. He…

‘I was so annoyed with the couple of races we’ve had’ CHAZ DAVIES Chaz Davies pulled off one of his trademark performances in race two after finishing the first race back in tenth after electrical gremlins in the wet Saturday conditions. The result mirrored the whole of Davies’ season – one where he hasn’t been able to consistently take the fight to Rea. Davies had it all to do after being tenth in race one and starting race two from row four. “I could barely see the lights from 11th on the grid,” said Davies. “I was so annoyed last night with a couple of the races we have had and I woke up this morning with an extra motivation to make something happen. “I got a good start and…

“I think it is a fantastic achievement and he and his team have been unbelievable in every way. Very professional, very consistent and very fast. Those are the three big things you need to win championships. Others take note. It was never in doubt that he would win his third one, at any stage, even before the season started. That is how highly I rate him and the whole package. Others tick certain boxes but he ticks every single box. I am a big fan of his and I wish him all the best. “I hope he does four next year, to be truthful. I have nothing but respect and admiration for him. I have known the family a long time. His dad and even his grandad and I could…

MCN understands Sylvain Guintoli could be racing in WSB BEFORE the end of this season. The Puccetti Kawasaki team have seen their supersport title challenger Kenan Sofuoglu ruled out for the remainder of the year with a broken hip and team owner Manuel Puccetti is thought to be considering re-jigging his World Supersport and World Superbike efforts. He could move Anthony West into Supersport and put Guintoli on the ZX-10RR Superbike machine for the remaining two rounds in Jerez and Qatar. Both rounds take place after the British Superbike championship concludes at Brands Hatch. When quizzed about the rumours, Guintoli told MCN: “There’s nothing done yet, but we are talking.” Such a move could lead to Guintoli signing with the WSB team for 2018, but with the strongest BSB seats…

A frustrated Shane Byrne left the penultimate round of the series all too aware that winning back-to-back MCE British Superbike titles is now increasingly unlikely after losing a further 10 points to series leader Leon Haslam. And the disappointment came despite Byrne enjoying some of the strongest pace he’s shown since he last took victory at Brands Hatch back in July. Having gone four rounds without a win, Byrne knew he had to up his game at Assen and he did just that, sitting on top of the field by half-a-second after Friday’s dry practice sessions. However, it all went wrong in qualifying with two crashes in the second session leaving him 16th on the grid for Sunday’s opening race. And despite a heroic ride to second place, he was…

Dream job? Bike delivery firm WMB Logistics are on the lookout for an official ‘bike tester’, offering a salary of £27k. The successful applicant will be responsible for taking out brand new bikes and clocking up the miles. If it sounds like the perfect job, head to www.wmblogistics.co.uk Brum bikes safer Following the ‘lock it or lose it’ campaign from West Midlands Police, over 90% of riders are locking up their bikes in Birmingham City Centre. The campaign was delivered in response to increased bike theft in Birmingham at the start of summer, when just 40% of bikes were locked. App happy The organisers of Motorcycle Live have launched an app to help visitors while they’re at the show. The app will provide visitors will live notifications based on their…

Carl Fogarty is a household name in Britain. His four WSB titles brought him fame and fortune that continue to this day. Appearances on reality TV shows and celebrity quizzes have seen him remain in our households. The piercing, staring eyes may have softened somewhat, but the mischievous banter and competitive edge is still there and have helped maintain his attraction to TV bosses and event organisers. But even King Carl never managed three WSB titles on the bounce – a feat Jonathan Rea achieved at the weekend (see p78). And yet, it’s unlikely Rea will be appearing on mainstream TV series 20 years down the line. Rea is an incredibly talented rider, but WSB just isn’t what it was. With only four riders (two Kawasakis and two Ducatis) really…

‘I rode to Paul Ricard and back on a £25 MZ. It felt like a long way!’ Q1 What are you riding? An old Triumph Speed Triple 995i that I’m going to update next year to a Speed Triple R. Q2 Which living motorcyclist do you most admire? Carl Fogarty – you don’t win four world titles by being a mug. Q3 What’s your worst habit? My wife would say I take things too personally. I need to grow a thicker skin. Q4 If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Invisibility. Imagine the fun! Q5 What’s the fastest you’ve ever gone on a bike? When I was riding Garry McCoy’s ex-works Grand Prix Honda NSR V-twin at the Coupes Moto Legende in France. It’s held at the…

‘As soon as I left the showroom I knew it was a bit special’ GEOFF SIMS, MCN READER AND KAWASAKI ZX-10R OWNER ZX-10R FACTFILE 2004-2017 998cc four + 180-200bhp + 180mph + 38mpg Contacts www.zx10r.co.uk, www.zx-10r.net Want one? £3000 (scruffy) to £16,000 (new RR) Kawasaki were oddly late to the superbike party after persevering with the slightly sports-tourerish ZX-9R but when the ZX-10R finally broke cover the world took note. Following Honda’s FireBlade in 1992, Yamaha’s R1 in 1998 and Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 in 2001, Kawasaki were the last of the Big Four to offer a WSB-eligible superbike and kept us waiting until 2004. The brutally powerful, fierce, green (or black) beast may not have been immediately the best of the Japanese superbikes but it was one of the fastest…

Honda SH125 Marc Marquez Marc Marquez’s weapon of choice in the paddock (when he’s not riding MCN’s bike!), the SH is one of the Japanese firm’s best sellers – and the Repsol Honda team bring a veritable fleet of them every weekend. Yamaha EC01 Johann Zarco Probably the most common bike in the paddock (even though he’s not actually on one here), you can normally find Johann Zarco giving free wheelie lessons on a Friday evening on Yamaha’s electric scooter. Yamaha Aerox R Valentino Rossi A fan of the old school, there’s no electric bikes for Rossi and Viñales, who stick with some of the only two-strokes left in the paddock as they commandeer Yamaha’s 50cc machine to get around. Honda PCX125 Cal Crutchlow The LCR Honda team’s weapon of…

‘With great roads in every direction Hawes is very much a hub for exploring this region’ The rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales make for a truly breathtaking landscape and the roads that wind around and over them are among the best in the country. This special ride runs the full width of this spectacular region, from Kendal in the west to Richmond in the east, via the legendary Buttertubs Pass. The nearest filling station to the start is on the A6 just to the north of town; top up there and you should be good for the journey. The A684 makes up the first leg from Kendal; urban speed restrictions end at the Castle Green Hotel and from there the road gets a delicious wriggle on as it rises…

1 Penny Garth Café, Hawes, North Yorks, DL8 3RD. Ideal stop off for this week’s special ride. Open all year round. www.pennygarthcafe.co.uk 2 Jacks HIll Cafe, A5, Towcester, Northants. 01327-351350 or www.jackshillcafe.com 3 Gawsworth Jesters, Harrington Arms, Macclesfield, Cheshire. Wednesday night meet. 07843-223593 4 Oasis Snack Bar, Monmouth Rd, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. 01873-855375 5 Super Sausage Café, Towcester, Northants. Always a popular meeting spot. http://supersausagecafe.co.uk GET YOUR MEET ON THE MAP If you have a bike-friendly cafe aenue w and nt wan et yo get r mee you on tmeet monthe comap tact,ema sonl: mcn sam. @ williams motorcyclenews.co.uk@motorcyclenews.com…

MCN’s campaign to encourage as many readers as possible to cover 5000 miles in a year is all about getting the most enjoyment possible from your motorcycle. We realise life is full of pressures that stop you biking, but there’s always a way. So #ride5000miles is all about finding time on a Sunday to go for a blast, or doing that tour or trip you’ve always wanted to do. It can even be about just riding your bike to work more often. There’s a great network set up to help you achieve this – and thousands of bikers have already signed up to our #ride5000miles Facebook group. It’s a wonderful place full of friendly faces who are happy to share routes, experiences and tips. Even if you’re not going to…

 Price £16,270 Fuel 20 litres @ 47mpg (claimed) = 206 mile range Weight 244kg Seat 850/870mm Power 125bhp Torque 92.2lbft ‘Dynamic ESA irons the road smooth under your wheels, making ‘pressing on’ effortless’ richard.newland@motorcyclenews.com Five months have passed pretty rapidly with the Rallye, all to the sonorous soundtrack of a hard-working boxer twin exercising with the sort of aerobic exertion that any triathlete would be happy with. That droning flat braaap has become an addictive companion, but with over 5500 extremely diverse miles shared – there are some other observations that have delighted, confounded and disappointed me. The first is that, regardless of the journey, I’m always happy to be riding the Rallye. The sheer versatility means that nothing I encounter is ever going to faze it. When there’s a…

‘I’d found it hard to think why you’d buy anything else, but not now’ HONDA CBR1000RR FIREBLADE SP £19,125 Fuel 16 litres @ 49mpg = 172 miles Weight 195kg (kerb) Seat 820mm Power 176bhp Torque 79.6ftlb tim.thompson@motorcyclenews.com My relationship with the SP recently took a knock when it was booted off a 97dB trackday at Snetterton for being too loud. Not a bit too loud either. Straight red too loud. The picture above shows the Blade and an entirely oblivious me exiting Murray’s second-gear corner in the process of blowing the ride-by noise meter into the North Sea. They got us bang-to-rights. On a practical level that leaves me – and every trackday-loving owner of a 2017 Blade – looking for an aftermarket silencer that’s quieter than the standard Honda…

R&G Racing Rear Paddock Stand £76.49 This powdercoated rear paddock stand is modular, meaning it can be taken apart for easy transport. The specially designed hooks and fully adjustable arms are compatible with R&G cotton reels and spindle sliders. MotoGP 1 Piece Rear Paddock Stand £77.99 This stand is made from uncut continuous 32mm rolled steel tubing and comes ready to use – meaning no awkward assembly. The MotoGP option offers plenty of strength, meaning minimal movement once your bike is on it. Oxford Big Black Bike Rear Paddock Stand £46.99 The Oxford Big Black stand is incredibly rigid, making it perfect for multiple functions. Alongside this, it also comes with four chunky wheels to help with movement and fully adjustable padded swingarm rests. BikeTek Aluminium Rear Paddock Stand £69.99…

THE EXPERT Frank Wrathall Jnr In his role in charge of the motorcycle side of Dynojet UK, former British Touring Car driver Frank is an expert on tuning and refining high-performance motorcycle induction and ignition systems on both road and race bikes. GP tech on the road The YZF-R1 puts each conrod 90° from the next, with uneven firing intervals of 270°- 180°- 90°- 180°. It’s not quite a big bang, but it’s close. THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW… What is a big bang engine? A big bang engine is a multi-cylinder engine where the firing order of the cylinders occur together or close together - rather than in equal intervals, as in a conventional engine. On a four-cylinder engine, the idea is to create two large bangs per firing…

I’ve been looking at Kawasaki ZZRs after noting that the Blackbird’s price bubble seems to have been punctured. The same doesn’t seem to have happened to the big old ZZ-R1100 – a 1998 9000-miler only made £2250 the other day, which is phenomenal value, but it’s still a lot for a 19-year-old bike. The 1200 isn’t making any more money and £2650 for a superb 2002 bike with 14,000 miles and three-piece Givi luggage is also a great buy. However, it also shows the 1100 is still the bike people want. The 1400 is much more expensive, of course. It’s also, to be fair, from a different generation, so starting prices are around £3250. Five or six-year-old examples in good nick are from five grand upwards and anything three years…

‘Right now I want to keep closing the gap’ ALEX LOWES With Jonathan Rea sidelined in race two, it was Yamaha men Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark that capitalised – taking the firm’s first double podium since 2011. Like the dominant Kawasaki and Ducati teams, the Yamaha effort is an official one, and has been bolstered in terms of staff and greater assistance from Japan in 2017. Advances have been made on the R1 project but as Lowes himself says, there was some degree of luck in him being second and his team-mate third. “The circumstances were a bit strange on Sunday and we took advantage to get a good result,” he stated. “We know that if everything is normal and the track is dry, we are still…

‘It’s not sunk in. I’m living in the moment, thinking about the next race’ JONATHAN REA Jonathan Rea has cemented his place in World Superbike history taking an unprecedented third consecutive title at the weekend – a feat not even the great Carl Fogarty could manage back in his 1990s glory days. The nature of his latest championship-winning ride underlines everything Rea is about as he secured the title with a race win and with two rounds to spare. But Rea does not seem fully to understand his new legendary status, no matter how many times MCN asked him about it in France. “It has not sunk in. I am just living in the moment, thinking about the next two races at Jerez and Qatar, at circuits where I have…

Ellison shows pace James Ellison enjoyed one of his best rounds of the year with McAMS Yamaha with pole position, a third and a fourth. Fighting for his job for 2018, it was important for the Cumbrian to show his pace and he did just that by fighting for the lead in both of the weekend’s races. O’Halloran disaster Jason O’Halloran became the first title-fighter to be mathematically ruled out of the 2017 title chase after a nightmare weekend. A crash on Friday destroyed his only set of Honda’s new aero fairing, leaving him battling with the bike in Sunday’s races. He finished tenth and 13th. Booth-Amos rules Victory in both of the weekend’s races saw Tom Booth-Amos crowned British Motostar Champion 2017. The 21-year-old dominated the weekend, winning by…

Donington disaster 2017 got off to the worst possible start for Byrne with a double non-score after a warm-up crash at Donington Park ruled him out of the races. Back to winning ways Byrne finally took a race win at Oulton Park, taking victory in a dramatic second race. This was the start of a run of eight consecutive podium finishes for the reigning champion. Mid-season high It started to look like Byrne could be a runaway victor when he bagged back-to-back doubles at Snetterton and Brands Hatch. His rivals were concerned. And then… It all went wrong. Thruxton, Cadwell and Silverstone all proved tricky. And at Oulton the Be Wiser Ducati star struggled in both races. Pace picks up Byrne picked up the pace at Assen and looked set…

‘BSB is never easy and the weather could come into play at Brands’ LEON HASLAM The 2017 MCE British Superbike Championship is now Leon Haslam’s to lose after another strong Showdown weekend at Assen saw him pull 10 more points clear of rivals Josh Brookes and Shane Byrne. A victory and third place at the Dutch round means the JG Speedfit Kawasaki star now has a commanding 32-point lead in the series standings ahead of the final three races at Brands Hatch with both Brookes and Byrne struggling at Assen. Haslam has approached the first two rounds to the 2017 Showdown in a manner not often seen from the former World Superbike runner-up. The 34-year-old has renmained calm and collected and used his head, avoiding unnecessary risks at both Oulton…

My advice to Leon will be to treat Brands as a normal meeting. So we work as normal in practice to find the best set-up possible for the races. I think Sunday’s two races are going to be where things change – the first race (on Saturday) has to be about going for the best possible result in order to make it that bit easier to wrap it up on Sunday. A win in race one will make his position even safer, so that has to be the goal. This is probably the best chance Leon has had in his career for a title by a long way, but we’ve got the small matter of Brands to deal with first! It’s Shakey’s home ground but we’re going in with quite…

Skully to return? Smart helmet start-up Skully, which spectacularly failed earlier this year despite crowdfunding of £1.8 million, is intending to return. A new company called Skully Technologies is looking to revive the project and deliver all the helmets the previous company had sold. Safer by miles Figures released by the Department of Transport have shown motorcycle fatalities are at an all-time low, despite a steady increase in annual bike mileage. Motorcycle fatalities fell by 13% from 365 to 319, despite a 2% increase in road usage in 2016. Anti-theft ride Almost 600 motorcycles joined a demonstration ride on Saturday, snaking its way across Bristol from Dick Lovett BMW Motorrad, to Fowlers Motorcycles. The ride was in support of Avon & Somerset’s tireless bike crime battle, and the raise aweness…

Where most engines rely on shims to set the clearance between the camshaft and the cam follower, a hydraulic valve lifter (as used by Harley on their big twin motors) is a self-correcting shim. The hydraulic tappet is a hollow steel cylinder that contains a piston. Below the piston is a spring that holds it at the top of its travel. The system sits between the cam and the rocker (or in the case of a Harley, the push rod) to transfer the cam’s movement. Oil enters the cylinder below the piston and, together with the spring, creates enough pressure to take out any slack in the valve train. When the cam then pushes on the tappet, this oil compresses very slightly, but not enough to lose any clearance, ensuring…

Win a classic It’s not too late to enter the National Motorcycle Museum raffle to win a 1960 BSA DBD35 Gold Star worth over £20,000. The raffle will be drawn at the Museum Live event on Saturday, November 4. Tickets are £2. www.thenmm.co.uk Another ban looming? The Governor of California has announced he is considering ways to ban the sale of vehicles with internal combustion engines. Jerry Brown’s announcement follows a similar diktat from the British Government, suggesting electric vehicle adoption may be closer than we think. Sporty little outfit To mark their 105th birthday, British firm Watsonian have unveiled a new sidecar that is designed to suit modern motorcycles. The Flight is a single seat sports sidecar, with a 15in alloy wheel and modern suspension. It’s made in the…

GS protection from Wunderlich £199 - £219 What’s good? The upper engine bars cover parts of the bodywork, upper engine casings and lower section of the petrol tank. There is also a connection tube between both sides for added strength. The lower bars are deigned to mimic the shape of the boxer engine closely. What’s not? Only designed to fit 1200 GS models. Lower bars will also fit some newer BMW models. www.nippynormans.com Skidmarx screens for GSX-R1000 L7 £49.95-£69.99 What’s good? Developed at the Isle of Man TT, screen company Skidmarx have produced a range of road and race screens for the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000. The race screens are made of 2mm cast acrylic, which is 33% thinner than the 3mm road-going alternatives. Available in clear and tint designs. What’s…

A TRUE ‘GREEN MEANIE’ 2004’s first ZX-10R might have been late to the party but for the first time in decades there was a Kwak superbike capable of taking on the best. WHEELBARROW PIPES If the first ’04 ZX was insane, the follow-up ’06 was too sensible – plus it had those weird, hi-rise, ‘wheelbarrow handle’ exhausts. A BRILLIANT TRACK BIKE If some ZX-10R variants are too extreme for the road they more than made up for it by being brilliant track day machines. WSB DOMINANCE It was a long time coming but the latest ZX-10R is now established as the best of the Japanese WSB contenders with titles for Tom Sykes and Jonathan Rea.…

‘It’s got it all; twisty roads, stunning back-drops, mucky gravel tracks’ The Snowdonia National Park in Wales is – without a doubt – one of the best places to ride an adventure bike in the UK. It’s got it all; twisty back roads, stunning backdrops, mucky gravel tracks and of course, the epic Mount Snowdon itself. Plotting a route on Google will give you a headache; the sheer amount of brilliant roads will leave you with your eyes spinning. A smart move is to simply head straight for the look-out car park on the A498 and spend a little while soaking it all in. Five minutes later and you’ll be itching to ride, so just remember that there are no right or wrong roads in Snowdonia, be flexible with your…

Work it, work it, work it The best way to learn to use a gearbox is to ride a low power 125 on which you will have to work the gearbox efficiently to make any respectable progress. It’s all about planning The best gear to use will depend partly on your speed but also what you are approaching. For example, when planning an overtake, a responsive (in other words, lower) gear will give you the power and control to complete a pass quickly and safely. Likewise, when entering a bend a responsive gear will give you good control through the throttle to fine tune your speed as you negotiate the corner and provide acceleration on the exit. Don’t crunch the cogs Do not, however, use your gears as brakes. Crashing…

SUZUKI GSX-R1000R £16,099 Fuel 16 litres @ 47mpg = 165 miles Weight 204kg (measured, full of fuel) Seat 825mm Power 188bhp @12,500rpm Torque 87ftlb @ 10,500rpm THE RIDER Michael Neeves. Ron Haslam Elite instructor, raced in Thundersport GP1. Height 6ft Weight 72kg Michael.neeves@motorcyclenews.com On a slow-moving journey from London my GSX-R did the unthinkable for a superbike and returned 61mpg. Now, I’m more interested in chasing lap times than fuel figures, but I decided to carry on riding with a steady wrist to see what I could eke out of this seemingly magic tank of unleaded. I managed 180 miles before I lost my nerve and headed to the nearest services – but I still only squeezed 13.5 litres into the 16-litre tank. That’s an easy 200-mile-plus range. It was…

‘They’ve been popular with riders coming down from a bigger bike’ Sub-400cc machines are built for new riders – but they’re increasingly popular with experienced motorcyclists looking for an entertaining commuter or something to help them downsize. And the good news is that there are some tempting offers out there to get things shifting. Tempting promotions can be found this week on bikes including the funky KTM RC390 and the Korean-built Hyosung GD250R. The arrival of the Suzuki GSX250R in the last few weeks has also injected new life into the small supersport class – offering riders yet more choice. In celebration of its arrival, Suzuki are offering an attractive 3% hire purchase deal on the bike from the start of October, with 36 monthly payments of £98.67 and a…

Ducati puts its prices up Ducati are raising the prices across the Ducati and Ducati Scrambler range by an average of 2% from this week. The growth, which is below the UK inflation rate, will affect such bikes as the entry-level Monster, which will rise by £100 from £7895 to £7995. The price of the Scrambler Sixty2 remains unchanged. www.ducatiuk.com Waterproof tankbags Wet weather specialists, Lomo, have created a tankbag, which claims to be waterproof, whatever the conditions. The firm are best known for marine equipment such as wetsuits and have used this expertise to help craft this new £46 luggage accessory – claimed to be like nothing else on the market. www.lomo.co.uk Oxford go global with Sanders Adventure guru Nick Sanders has teamed up with Oxford products as part…

2004-2005 Honda CBR1000RR Colours Black, Black/silver, tri-colour, red/black, Repsol Dealer £5500 Private good £5000 Private average £4800 Our test bike is a 2006 registered machine but it’s actually a 2005 model. 12,969 miles, £5500. 2006-2007 Honda CBR1000RR Colours Black, Silver, tricolour, Repsol, Red/black Dealer £6000 Private good £5800 Private average £5600 Updates to the engine on this model significantly improved performance. 15,000 miles, £5999. 2008 Honda CBR1000RR Colours Red/black, black, Candy Glory Red Dealer £6200 Private good £6000 Private average £5800 Updated with a slipper clutch, and the underseat can was ditched. 15,500 miles, £5500. 2009 Honda CBR1000RR Colours Red/black, black, yellow/black, white/black, Repsol. Dealer £6500 Private good £6300 Private average £6000 Honda C-ABS is now available as an option. 18,000 miles, £6280. Insurance…

The dangers of road racing are well understood by everyone involved in the sport and 2017 has seen them come into sharp focus. Three riders died within a 24-hour period at this year’s TT, two more racers were killed at the Ulster Grand Prix and a competitor died during Twohig’s Hill hillclimb in Cork during September. This heavy toll, which would be unacceptable in most other forms of sport, is regarded as a price worth paying by those of us who want to race between the hedges, but spectator injuries are another matter altogether. You simply cannot promote an event, attract paying customers to come and watch and then allow them to be placed in harm’s way. Nor is it acceptable to claim these are freak incidents as is so…

Tom Sykes was back in action at the weekend after the fireball smash at Portimao which left him with a dislocated finger. As well as the pain from the injury Sykes had to contend with a lack of grip from his rear tyre in Saturday’s wet conditions – but that couldn’t stop him from taking a race one podium. He said: “I just tried to manage it in the best possible way. In the wet it is worse because every time you have a small slide it hurts a lot when you try to correct it. I did not use painkillers because the surgeon does not want me to use them. There are seven screws and a plate inside my left hand and he wants me not to stress the…

Phillip Island A race one win got his year off to a fast start and despite new rules that made him start from row three in race two, he came through for a second win. Buriam In Thailand Rea had no competition, winning race one by over six seconds and by four in race two – his best-ever start to a WSB season. Aragon Gifted the race one win when Davies crashed out. In race two he finished second and it took Davies, at his favourite circuit to hold off Rea. Assen Davies broke down late on in race one, leaving Rea to win by over four seconds. A fight with Tom Sykes in race two saw Rea box clever and win again. Imola Rea had to miss out on…

‘Staying in BSB is an option for me and I really enjoyed today’s races’ SYLVAIN GUINTOLI Sylvain Guintoli showed he’s still got the pace that saw him crowned WSB champion in 2014 with a spectacular second race win at Assen. The Frenchman’s move to MCE British Superbikes this year has until now proved disastrous, with the 35-year-old unable to get to grips with the new GSX-R in BSB-spec as well as the quirky British circuits. He has often finished behind young Suzuki star Bradley Ray (see story, left). Having shown flashes of pace at both Donington Park and Silverstone, BSB’s two other international WSB-style venues, it’s hardly a surprise Guintoli was quick this weekend but the victory still came as a shock to many given the challenges he’s faced this…

Jake Dixon has admitted his title fight is all but over after a difficult weekend at Assen. The RAF Regular and Reserves rider could only manage an eighth and seventh place at the penultimate round of the 2017 season after struggling for grip on the harder option Pirelli rear tyre. He now sits 54 points off series leader Haslam, and while he could still win the title mathematically, he knows it’ll be nigh on impossible. “That wasn’t the weekend we wanted,” he said. “We had to run the harder tyre in both races and really struggled. We had no rear grip and when we lose grip we lose turning. “Maybe if we’d gone with the softer tyre we could have run with the front lot but it really dropped off…

Dream start With rival Byrne out, Haslam started the season in the best possible way with a double at Donington. He went on to finish on the podium in five out of the first six races, winning three. Oulton disaster Leon’s luck ran out at Oulton – a mechanical issue for James Ellison in the second race saw Haslam run into the back of him at 120mph. He was lucky to escape injury, but it was the start of a miserable run. Knockhill knock A massive practice crash saw Haslam ruled unfit with a broken back. He returned at Snetterton, but had a tough mid-season and didn’t return to the top step until Cadwell Park. Noscoreat Silverstone Haslam’s early season lead proved beneficial at Silverstone as it secured him a…