Table of contents for March 28th 2018 in MCN

Retro cool As well as the futuristic TY-E (far right), Yamaha also showed a retrotastic XSR700 painted to look like an RD350LC. Unfortunately for classic lovers, this one is only for Japan. Copycats Also channelling a bit of RD love was this MV Agusta Tourismo Veloce from Caramel Customs. It looked so much better with its clean lines rather than the brash standard paintjob, we were left wishing they all looked like this. Back in time Mugen displayed both the Shinden Isle of Man TT racer and their E-Rex off-road bike, as well as a large OHV pushrod V-twin that was a homage to the Vincent copy MRV1000 they produced in the 1950s.…

MCN’s #ride5000miles campaign has exceeded 5000 Facebook members this past week, following the success of the free 16-page pullout included in last week’s issue. Containing everything from 10 great routes for you to ride this year, to events to attend and even destinations to visit, the supplement is now available as a free download from www.motorcyclenews.com. Just a day after going on sale on March 21, MCN staff had already collectively approved more than 150 new members to join the #R5K Facebook page, with the group reaching the 5000-mark the following weekend. Aaron Martin spotted the hashtag on Instagram just after Christmas and decided to check it out for himself. “I’m still relatively new to riding and have owned my KTM 390 Duke since May last year and have already…

MCN’s campaign to encourage as many people as possible to cover 5000 miles in a year is all about getting the most enjoyment possible from your motorcycle. You’ll end up a better rider and a happier person. What’s more, you’ll be able to tap into stacks of brilliant riding tips and know-how. How do I do it? Make a note of your mileage at the start of your biking year. Many members take a photo at the start of the term and at the end and share it on our Facebook page. Make a concerted effort to ride your bike more. What do I win? Nothing – but satisfaction, a greater love for bikes and biking, and perhaps a little bit of fame. We regularly feature R5K members in the…

YAMAHA RD250 Me on my RD250D and James on his Honda CJ250. Great bikes, questionable jumpers. Jonathan Rudd HONDA SS50 My first bike when I was 16. A few months later, after passing my test on a pal’s GT250, I went out and bought a Honda CB750! Chris Payne TRIUMPH TRW My dad Ken Kidd, left, on a Triumph twin in duck egg blue, taken at RAF Netheravon in 1953. Jerry Kidd YAMAHA DT250 Just 17 and aboard a DT250 in DT400 colours. I kept it and it’s back on the road. Jason Williams BETA MX-4 This was my first road bike at 16 in 1981. I liked to have fun on it! Darran Bowers FANTIC GT This R-reg Fantic was my first bike, way back in 1977. Graham Godfrey…

Egg run! “I’m going to Durham Easter Egg Run on April 1. We visit the sick children in Darlington and Durham hospitals with eggs and monetary donations.” Andrew Walker Junk food cruise! “AJ’s Diner near Wellingborough for breakfast on the Saturday to catch up with a few mates, then perhaps to the Super Sausage for lunch. Then Sywell Aviation Museum for their grand opening.” Alan Storey Head to the Isle of Man! “I’m heading to the Isle of Man for blast around the TT course on my BMW S1000R, taking pit stops at places like the Calf of Man, Peel, Ramsey, Laxey and Douglas. I’m hoping the Manx weather gods are kind to us!” Tracy Atkinson Charity ride! “I’m doing the Ride for Autism Awareness on the Saturday, from Brighton…

‘It makes a BMW GS feel like a people carrier’ ‘You can get the rear spinning on corner exit to get the bike turned ’ Born out of the passion of two brothers, David and Felipe Lopez, the Triumph Tramontana is the ultimate badass rally bike. While factory Dakar race bikes are 450cc singles with 70bhp, the Tramontana is an 800cc triple delivering in excess of 100bhp. The idea to build such a bike started in April last year and, with backing of the British factory, the Spanish brothers realised their dream by competing in (and almost winning) the 2000km, five-day 2017 Pan Africa rally in Morocco later in the year. Fast forward six months and we’re in Spain to ride the Tramontana – an exclusive affair with a single…

HONDA X-ADV £9959  Fuel 13.1 litres @ 66.7mpg = 192-mile range Weight 238kg (kerb) Seat height 820mm Power 50.04bhp Torque 50.18ftlb alison.silcox@motorcyclenews.com It’s an age since I first set eyes on the Honda X-ADV. But like all good love affairs I remember the exact moment we met. The MCN Show in London last year is etched on my mind for eternity. But so are the following highlights... The three-month wait for delivery meant my first ride was a mixture of nerves and excitement, and that excitement swiftly turned to disappointment when I realised my much-coveted X-ADV was tall and top-heavy. At first I thought I’d made a terrible mistake and a fortnight of avoidance followed as I used my 15-year-old Honda SH125 instead of my shiny new X-ADV. Realising something…

Sidi Vertigo Lady Boots, £249.99 Available in sizes 3-8, these have a shock-absorbing heel cup, and perforated lining to prevent water and sweat from being absorbed. All removable parts are replaceable. Alpinestars Stella S-MX 6 Boots, £179.99 These reinforced sports-touring boots come in sizes 4.5 to 11 and feature a zip and Velcro closure, a gear shift pad, heel, ankle and shin protection and toe sliders. Dainese Nexus Lady Boots, £199.95 This race boot is CE certified and features a rubber sole for extra grip. There’s also a gear shifter pad and replaceable plastic toe slider. TCX Lady Aura Plus Waterproof Boots, £179.99 These touring boots have a replaceable comfort sole, zip/Velcro closure system, waterproof liner, reinforced heel and toe counter.…

Q Taken by surprise by a horse I came off my Triumph Speed Triple on a bend on a country lane when a horse was coming towards me. I had no idea it was there. I panicked and lost control and skidded into the verge. I didn’t hit the horse or harm the rider but I have caused damage to my bike, scraped my leathers and am bruised all over. I was not going over the speed limit for the road. I don’t think the horse was on my side of the road but it did come as a surprise. Can I claim against the rider? Allan Thomas, email A I am not sure what you think the rider of the horse did wrong. You say the horse was on its…

2012 Harley-Davidson Iron 883 £5150 Seller says FSH, alarm, upgraded fork springs, side-mounted speedo, Vance and Hines exhaust. Neil says Lovely bike, and an object lesson in low depreciation. Remember it’s an entry-level bike. 2004 BMW R1150RT £3950 Seller says 13,700 miles, servo brakes working fine, full hard luggage plus tank bag. Neil says Immaculate, but servo brakes (rightly) put people off and it’s nearly £1000 overpriced. 1972 Kawasaki 350 S2 £7300 Seller says 5680 miles, total restoration, upgraded crank, new pistons, all chrome rechromed. Neil says Gorgeous. This 350 is the rarest of the Kawasaki triples. Almost sensible. Almost.…

1994 Suzuki RF900R Colours Red, black, purple Dealer £1700 Private good £1600 Private average £1500 This one A £1200 private sale, this bike has done just 19,000 miles. Comes with no service history. 1994 Suzuki RF900R Colours Red, black, purple Dealer £1700 Private good £1600 Private average £1500 This one £1295 buys this early RF, complete with 'striking' yellow wheels and gold pipe. 64,000 miles. 1995 Suzuki RF900R Colours Red, black, purple, purple and grey Dealer £1900 Private good £1800 Private average £1700 This one 33,223 miles and up for £1995 from a Yorkshire dealership. 1995 Suzuki RF900R Colours Red, black, purple, purple and grey Dealer £1900 Private good £1800 Private average £1700 This one 35,894 miles, this 1995, RF comes with service history. £2495. Insurance MCN COMPARE Sample MCNCompare.com…

While there are evidently physical advantages to the training camp, PATA Yamaha WSB rider Alex Lowes believes the six weeks away helps him mentally. “The training camp was really good for me this year as before the New Year I had a lot of family time, got married and just chilled out,” he said. “Then we headed to Spain in January for six weeks. “Doing something like that with Sam has always helped me, it’s good to have a brother racing at a top level because he’s got a lot of focus and determination and that drives me too. “It was good to go out and get my mind set for the year ahead. Training is always easier when there’s a few of you pushing each other, but for me…

‘To win here was definitely ahead of expectations’CHAZ DAVIES Seldom is the word ‘perfection’ used in a rider’s post-race interview, but that was precisely the vocabulary selected by Chaz Davies after taking the race two victory in Thailand. So far in 2018, Ducati have won three of the four races, going a long way in silencing the critics and showing the Italians still have their eyes on the prize and want to continue their rich heritage of WSB racing. Just because the V-twin Panigale is in its final year and the only model of Ducati yet to win a World Superbike title doesn’t mean it can’t still happen. In fact, as things stand, the Ducatisti might just dare to dream it possible before it is replaced by the new…

Camier puts Honda closer to the front The fact Leon Camier was actually gutted to have finished fourth and sixth in Thailand shows the progress Honda and the Ten Kate team have made in 2018. The English rider became a front-runner in Thailand and believes a podium was possible. “From the reverse grid pole I got the hole shot and thought, ‘Game on, we’re having it!’” Camier laughed. “Cornering and braking were fantastic. If we could match people on power we could be strong, but we can’t at the moment.” Laverty breaks pelvis in crash The paddock breathed a sigh of relief when it was confirmed Eugene Laverty had escaped life-threatening injuries after crashing on lap five and being ridden over by Jordi Torres. The Irishman has broken the right-side…

Bag bargains It’s the ideal place to bag some new kit. From end-of-line bargains to the latest premium brands, the MCN Festival is the show for great deals. Steve Colley struts his stuff ‘Mr Showtime’ Steve Colley is back at the festival with a brand new show for 2018! Steve is promising more audience participation this year so be prepared to get involved in some of his hair-raising stunts and tricks. Check out amazing stunts The Two Brothers stunt team will be thrilling the crowds with their unique show packed with world-class adrenaline-fuelled riding skills. Fun for the kids Could your child be the next Dougie Lampkin? Oset will be bringing a range of electric trials machines for kids to try out in a controlled area. See speedway Campers get…

‘The transition has been seamless so far, but nothing is guaranteed’ Having finished the 2017 season just seven points off eventual champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne, Josh Brookes is gunning to go one place better this year after a switch to the factory-supported McAMS Yamaha team. The Aussie left it late to secure a deal last season, leaving him with limited options on the grid but a last-minute arrangement with the Anvil Hire TAG Racing squad saw Brookes return to British Superbikes. While the small, family-run and completely private outfit took giant steps forward as they looked to give the former champion a package to fight at the front, ultimately the limitations and disadvantages of being a smaller effort hampered Brookes in the fight against his factory-backed rivals. However, with the…

“When I first arrived in Grand Prix my riding style just didn’t work and I had no choice but to adjust it,” he explains. “It took me a few rounds but I’m a better rider for it. It wasn’t the easiest time in Moto2, but I’ve got no regrets whatsoever about doing it. “The experience taught me a lot about riding and I think that will only help me in the Superbike class.” Testing went well for the younger son of three-time BSB champion Niall as he outpaced his team-mate, championship favourite Josh Brookes in Cartagena. “Testing went a lot better than I expected,” Mackenzie confessed. “I obviously expected to go alright but not so soon! I don’t want to jinx it and say it’s all amazing but I left…

‘I can already feel the benefit of the changes to the bike’CHRISTIAN IDDON After missing out on the title fighters’ Showdown for two years in a row, the Tyco BMW team will be looking to fight back in 2018 after significant improvements over the winter. Both Christian Iddon and Michael Laverty are confident the BMW is now stronger than it has been in previous years and are hoping it will be what they need to consistently run at the front. “I feel I’ve always been bound by the bike,” explains Iddon, who narrowly missed out on the Showdown last year after missing four races through injury. “When we’ve got it in the window and it works it’s absolutely brilliant, but when we’re not in the window we seem to be…

Founded in 1959 in Tokyo by Eitaro Kamata, the name Shoei comes from a combination of Showa, which was the name of that period in time linked to the emperor’s reign, and the first two letters of Eitaro’s name – Sho-Ei. Originally making helmets for the construction industry, Shoei diversified into motorcycling as the Japanese two-wheeled market expanded. In 1976 they produced the world’s first helmet with carbon fibre in its shell, while in 1984 the first vented helmet also carried Shoei’s logo. 1990 saw their unique visor system without any sidepods enter the market, but in 1993 the company was declared bankrupt. Taken over by investors, Shoei is now a publicly listed company with two factories (Iwate and Ibaraki) and an HQ in Tokyo. The company employs nearly 500…

Moriwaki Z900RS Veteran customisers Moriwaki kept the Z900RS surprisingly standard, opting just for one of their classic pancake exhaust systems – oh, and a custom-made aluminium swingarm, which is yours for just £3000. PMC Z900RS The PMC bike is halfway between an Z900RS Café Racer and something out of Mad Max. The fairing and seat unit is classic Bosozoku street style and the finned engine covers give it an extra slice of style. Not to everyone’s taste however. Moto Corse Z900RS Called the Z9RSC, like all of Moto Corse’s builds, the Zed is dripping in exotica like Öhlins suspension, BST wheels and lashings of carbon-fibre. It sheds a whopping 22kg from the build, but it does cost £51,000… Öhlins Z900RS Even Öhlins got in on the Zed action, working with…

Alan Keeton “I joined around three weeks ago after reading MCN. I have owned my MT-07 since new and have now done around 42,000 miles on it. I do 10,000-12,000 miles a year already, but it will be nice to share routes with like-minded people.” Philip Rowe “I joined on March 22. I bought a 2008 Triumph Tiger in January and can’t wait to rack up the miles once the weather improves. I signed up because I was interested in finding out where bikers are travelling and am keen to hear about others’ routes.” Chris Wallace “I picked up a recent copy of MCN to look at the piece on adventure bikes becoming the new sportsbikes. From there, I found an advert for the group. I did 6100 miles last…

In the last week or so we’ve seen a biker narrowly avoid prison after being caught covering his numberplate to avoid getting zapped by a camera van. Realising he was going to be nabbed, but that the front-facing van hadn’t got his plate, he stopped, before covering it up with a rag before riding away. As a man who occasionally strays above the limit (a Notice of Intended Prosecution dropped through the letterbox this week) it was something that had occurred to the stupid part of my brain, but I’ve been too law-abiding to actually act upon. It isn’t worth it. Our man threw away his kit, including his full leathers (maybe a £1000 loss to avoid a £100 fine) and still got traced by the police. In the end,…

SUZUKI V-STROM XT £9999 Fuel 20 litres @ 47mpg = 200-mile range Weight 233kg (kerb) Seat 850mm Power 99.2bhp Torque 74.5lbft richard.newland@motorcyclenews.com ‘For cost-effective, practical perfection, it’s a hard package to beat’ It’s often the strongest initial attraction that turns sour fastest, while that creeping adoration for Plain Jane next door turns into something far more meaningful. Such is the V-Strom. Although it initially does little to provoke lust in those who behold it, just like the much-maligned Jane, it’s a real grower. Good times roll On Britain’s finest A and B-roads, where corners flow with fluidity, strung together with straights that’ll let you pulse past tin-box pilots in a flash before diving into the next kink, the Strom excels. It’s no worse on the bumpy and broken ones, either,…

YAMAHA YZF-R6 £10,999  Fuel 17l @ 43mpg = 160-mile range. Weight 190kg (wet) Seat height 850mm Power/torque 121.2bhp/47.38ftlb (both tested with race exhaust) adam.child@motorcyclenews.com I’ve been lucky (or stupid) enough to have ridden through every winter since my university days. Over those years I’ve developed crafty ways of keeping warm and dry, and as a result, each winter has been more enjoyable than the last. But one element has remained constant: the filth. At times, my R6 looks has like it’s been dragged along the bottom of a river bed. Despite intense cleaning and lavish use of Scottoiler FS365 it’s looked very unloved at times. Salt gets everywhere and it’s a huge task to prevent corrosion. So as I rolled up to 5-Ways motorcycles in Hull I was already mentally…

THE EXPERT Si Martin has a Diploma in Motorcycle Engineering from Merton College and 30 years experience building, modifying and repairing bikes, from Supermonos to CBX1000 café racers. Why do I need one? The ‘tank slapper’ is an event rightly feared and the stuff of pub chat heroics, but secretly acknowledged as part of the rites of passage to becoming a ‘proper’ motorcyclist. The sensation of handlebars twitching from side to side usually occurs under hard acceleration when the load on the front wheel is minimal and the bike is unsettled by irregularities in the road surface. In extreme cases, the oscillations build until the forks are slamming against the steering stops. By the nature of their power, lighter steering and lower mass, sportsbikes are most susceptible to the phenomenon.…

Yamaha MT-125 Cash price £4299Power 14.8bhp@9000rpmTorque 9.2ftlb@8000rpmSeat height 810mmKerb weight 140kg Yamaha MT-03 Cash price £4999Power 41.4bhp@10,750rpmTorque 21.8ftlb@9000rpmSeat height 780mmKerb weight 168kg Yamaha MT-07 Cash price £6349Power 73.8bhp@9000rpmTorque 50.2ftlb@6500rpmSeat height 805mmKerb weight 182kg Yamaha MT-09 Cash price £8199Power 113.4bhp@10,000rpmTorque 64.6ftlb@8500rpmSeat height 820mmKerb weight 193kg Yamaha MT-09 SP Cash price £8999Power 113.4bhp@10,000rpmTorque 64.6ftlb@8500rpmSeat height 820mmKerb weight 193kg Yamaha MT-10 Cash price £11,299Power 158.2bhp@11,500rpmTorque 81.9ftlb@9000rpmSeat height 825mmKerb weight 210kg Yamaha MT-10 SP Cash price £13,999Power 158.2bhp@11,500rpmTorque 81.9ftlb@9000rpmSeat height 825mmKerb weight 210kg…

Evotech bling for Suzuki 125s Accessory experts, Evotech Performance, have designed a new range of extras for the Suzuki GSX-S and GSX-R125. With prices ranging from £25 to £79.99, mods for the learner-legal machines include crash protectors, radiator guards, tail tidies and an exhaust hanger. For more information, visit www.evotech-performance.com New Triumph bolt-ons website Performance Parts have launched a new website for Triumph aftermarket fitments, including kit from the likes of Akrapovic, Remus and Rizoma. There’s an 18% discount on all spring purchases when you enter the promo code TR18418. www.tri-motive.com Sanders: Squire ambassador Renowned adventurer, world traveller and author Nick Sanders has joined lock firm Squire as a global brand ambassador. Founded in 1780, Squire are one of the world’s oldest lock makers and plan to use Nick as…

John Sewell Suzuki technician at St Neots Motorcycles since 1982 “They were a pretty good, solid bike to be honest with you. However, there were a couple of things to be aware of when servicing them. “Firstly, the oil filter is a cartridge-type filter and it should have two washers on it. “The first of these is a concave washer and the second is a flat washer. These go behind the oil filter and then that screws on top of it. We used to have them come in all the time without those washers on. “This will pretty much always have no effect on the bike, providing the customer has tightened everything else up tight enough. To do this, you had to tighten it up by hand until the filter…

It seems Leon Haslam’s training is already paying off. He lapped within a second of Shane Byrne’s lap record to top the timesheets at a chilly Donington Park to close the final pre-season test ahead of the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike Championship. With conditions less than ideal and intermittent rainfall throughout the day, the first two sessions were rendered pretty much useless. But with the track drying in the afternoon most riders headed out for the final 90-minute session. Haslam’s quickest time of 1:29.902 placed him 1.179 seconds ahead of 2017 champion Shane Byrne, who was just 0.003 faster than Be Wiser Ducati team-mate Glenn Irwin. Gino Rea was fourth quickest on the newly-liveried OMG Racing Suzuki, with Luke Mossey and Christian Id-don rounding out the top six. BSB TEST…

Rea to partner Haslam at Suzuka Jonathan Rea will make it a Kawasaki dream team having agreed to ride alongside close friend Leon Haslam and Kazuma Watanabe in July’s prestigious Suzuka 8-hours. Rea previously competed with Honda. Both Brits are former winners. Torres makes big impression on MV Jordi Torres qualified fourth for MV Agusta, illustrating both his and the ageing bike’s pace. He finished tenth in race one, claiming his tyre spun on the rim, and was caught up in Eugene Laverty’s crash in race two. Were Thai crowds saving themselves? For the first time, Buriram’s weekend crowd didn’t exceed 80,000. The official weekend figure was 73,172. While WSB has been incredibly popular since making its Thai debut in 2016, it’s likely that some punters will be saving up…

The racing this year will be as close as you’ll ever see. There are the three main men: Haslam, Byrne and Brookes – the best mix of talent, experience and savviness on the grid. Unless there’s anything unexpected, these three will be in the Showdown, no doubt at all. As for the other Showdown spaces, it’s an open book! I tried to pick my top six the other day and I just can’t. Linfoot, Hickman, O’Halloran, Iddon, Dixon, Cooper, Laverty, Ellison, Ray – and I’m sure I’ve missed some – are all capable of getting in the top six. It’s complete madness outside the top three! We’ve got it all. The three established contenders, a load of young guns rising up, and then there’s quite a few rookies this year,…

Having built up a 32-point lead over rivals Josh Brookes and Shane Byrne ahead of last year’s final round, Leon Haslam was the odds-on favourite to clinch the Bennetts British Superbike crown in 2017. However, it all went wrong for the former WSB runner-up as a disastrous final round saw Byrne close the gap and win the title after three nightmare races for Haslam, culminating in that horrifying crash at Hawthorn bend after suffering brake failure on his ZX-10RR. Haslam returns once again with Kawasaki this year and he’s fired up and confident the package the JG Speedfit team have produced is better than ever. “People forget that I changed teams last year, I might have stayed on the Kawasaki and it may still have been JG Speedfit but it…

‘Although he won on the GSX-R, he couldn’t match the BMW’s pace’ Michael Dunlop seems to pull a new rabbit from the hat at the end of each year as he jumps from team to team. His shift from Suzuki to BMW is his latest trick. Still the only man to lap the Mountain course at under 17 minutes, the Irishman set his fastest lap of 16m 53.929s, 133.962mph lap on a BMW S1000RR in 2016. Although he did manage to win last year’s Senior TT on the new Suzuki GSX-R, albeit over four laps and after a second bite at the cherry, he was unable to match the pace he set on the BMW. Elsewhere the Suzuki was outgunned by S1000RRs, Kawasakis ZX-10RRs and Bruce Anstey’s Padgett’s RCV Honda.…

‘Charging up the Ionex is no different to charging a phone’ “We launched our first electric scooter over 20 years ago but we noticed something different about three or four years ago. The pace was picking up not just from technology but from government attitudes and consumer confidence, so we started project NEX, which became Ionex. “When we thought about the project, we had some key goals. It was important that the product could be global – we didn’t just want to create something for the Taiwanese market. It also had to be consumer orientated – it had to be useful in people’s daily lives. Third was that it had to be mass-market – we do not want to be Tesla, just making things for rich people. We want to…

With the snow now a distant memory, R5Kers have been busy enjoying the recent sunny weather in a bid to reach their 5000-mile totals. Speaking on the group’s Facebook page, Steven Harris said: “That horrible white stuff has gone and the sun has come out, so I took a 50-mile detour through Cheddar and the Chew Valley on the way to work. “I’m going to do a fun commuting detour at least once a week, so can anyone in the Somerset or Bristol areas recommend some routes for me?” Elsewhere, Fredrik Sandberg from Sweden managed to get out for his first ride of the year on his Triumph Bonneville Bobber. “People in Britain and other tropical locations should come to Sweden and experience some real snow blues,” Fredrik said. Australia-based…

AGV X3000 £549 Revealed last year, AGV’s X3000 Ago is now ready to pre-order before it hits the shelves in May. With a modern composite construction and cool looks, it could be the best of both worlds. It also comes with a leather bag. motolegends.com TUCANO URBANO URBIS £199 Claimed breathable, windproof and waterproof, it features a mesh lining and thermal polyester padding for warmth, as well as an internal gilet which can be worn on its own. It features CE-approved Level 1 shoulder/elbow armour and has a back protector pocket, too. www.tucanourbano.com TCX HERO GORE-TEX £179 With classic looks and a modern Gore-Tex lining, these will appeal to retro riders who don’t want to compromise on protection. Made from leather, they fasten with laces but have a zip and…

Friday March 30 Ace Café Stonebridge, London, 6pm-11pm Contact 020 8961 1000 or www.london.acecafe.com Saturday March 31 Bike Stop Café 104, High Street, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, from 9am to 5.30pm Contact 01438 317038 or www.bikestop.co.uk Yondermann Café Wardlow Mires, Derbyshire. Open every day from 8am to 3pm Contact 01298 873056 or www.yondermanncafe.com Oasis Snack Bar Abergavenny, Monmouthshire Contact 01873 855375 Sunday April 1 Super Sausage Café A5 Watling St, Potterspury, Towcester, Northamptonshire Contact 01908 542964 or www.supersausagecafe.co.uk Haynes Breakfast Club Haynes Museum, Yeovil, Somerset Contact 01963 440804 or www.himm.co.uk Monday April 2 Route 11 A11 Northbound, Attleborough, Norfolk Contact 01953 797068 or www.route-11.co.uk The Moat House Tamworth, Staffordshire, 6pm until late Contact 01827 767707 or moathousetamworth.co.uk Loomies Biker Café Hampshire, A32, GU32 1JX Why should you go Dedicated to bikers, every…

Dunlop SportSmart TT £299.98 per pair (120/70x70 & 190/55x17) Tester Michael Neeves Where Official launch test, Monteblanco, Spain What’s good? This tyre occupies that largely empty no-man’s land between an all-purpose sports tyre and trackday rubber, aimed at rapid road riders and trackday fans. The front has a new carcass, construction and compound, while the dual-compound rear features Dunlop’s NTEC RT (Road and Track) construction, which lets you significantly drop its pressure for extra track grip. Testing the tyres on machines as diverse as a Kawasaki Ninja 400, to a selection of Boxer twin BMWs and a Yamaha R1M, it impresses in dry and damp conditions. Both front and rear offer more grip, confidence and easy handling than sports rubber, making it a tyre you’d be happy to hammer all…

Q Can I get ladies skinny riding jeans? I’m after some skinny fit ladies riding jeans. I looked about early last year and most of the ones I found were either very bulky, poorly styled or fitted very badly. Stella Atkinson, Chesterfield A Answered by Keith Roissetter, Infinity Motorcycles We used to hear this complaint on a regular basis, but kit firms have really upped their game. If you look in the right places this year you’ll find what you’re looking for. We’ve just taken delivery of the new Bull-it Fury 17 Jeggings (£139.99) and while feedback is limited at the moment, our female staff seem to like them. Have a look at the Oxford Super Leggings (£99.99), too; there’s a huge range of sizes. Another pair finding favour with…

Steering dampers Hydraulic damper units mounted between the forks or yoke and the frame do a good job of calming flighty steering. They push oil through a restriction, absorbing energy and limiting the speed of any oscillation. Because the damping force is constant, the benefit is offset by permanently heavier and less sensitive steering. Dampers usually incorporate manual adjustment for the effective force, leaving the rider to decide on the compromise between input effort and stability. The most popular type of damper consists of an oil-filled hydraulic strut with the control valve incorporated into the piston or a secondary chamber or passage way, such as the iconic Öhlins double-barrel design. Rotary dampers, usually mounted on top of the steering stem, use a link from the top yoke to turn a…

A few years ago, I hit a pheasant while driving my car and it put a bloody great dent in the bonnet. This nicely complemented the scratch down one side and kerbed wheels. Well, it was a London car, after all. I didn’t fix the cosmetics, but resolved to do so before I sold the thing. In the end, the turbo blew up, terminally, so I didn’t have to sort it. Damaged vehicles, especially bikes, sell relatively cheaply. This is partly because replacement cosmetics can be ludicrously expensive, and partly because people are (rightly) worried there might be more serious damage lurking elsewhere. Then, of course, there are the folk who keep their bikes immaculate, never riding them in the rain and spending hours cleaning them if they get caught…

‘Before I left Brands Hatch, I already knew how I’d spend the winter’LEON HASLAM ‘Riding with these boys we aren’t going slow; we’ve got to be on it’LEON HASLAM After missing out on the 2017 British Superbike title in such dramatic circumstances at Brands Hatch, Leon Haslam headed into the off-season more determined than ever. “Brands was such a kick in the teeth for me,” Haslam admits. “But from before I left the side of the track, I was already planning what I could do over the winter to make be stronger for this year.” For the whole of January, Haslam headed out to Spain to train and ride bikes with a couple of close mates who also happen to be handy on two wheels – Sam and Alex…

‘I had a good season because the official team was doing not well’MARCO MELANDRI ‘The factory resources are endless. Over the season, that just makes the difference’CAL CRUTCHLOW The factory squads may have the big budgets and access to the latest development parts – but the opening MotoGP round of 2018 saw a gaggle of satellite bikes mixing it right at the front. Between Johann Zarco leading for three-quarters of the race or Cal Crutchlow and Danilo Petrucci being in the podium hunt and finishing as second bike for their respective manufacturers, the trio proved that you don’t necessarily need to be on the latest and greatest machines. So what’s going on? It’s largely down to MotoGP’s cleverly balanced rules, with control tyres and electronics closing the huge difference…

Buriram was disastrous for championship leader and Australian double winner Marco Melandri. He was a mere also-ran in Thailand, suffering major handling problems en route to eighth and seventh place finishes. Frightening to watch let alone ride, Melandri’s Panigale was subject to even worse shaking movements than it had been in Australia a month earlier. The light front end is a contributing factor, as are crosswinds and the small frame of Melandri himself. However, more and more fingers are pointing towards an aerodynamic issue with Melandri onboard, which the Bologna factory may want to address in a wind tunnel ahead of the next round in Spain. “We are trying to do all sorts of things but nothing is working yet,” Melandri said. “The wobbling is uncomfortable, it makes it difficult…

‘Making an overtake stick is much harder’ WSB’s new world order is a combination of many things. Kawasaki have definitely been penalised with their RPM drop. However, other manufacturers have had almost the same drop and also need to get their heads around the problem. At the same time, other people, especially Yamaha, have made improvements with their bikes. Put all that together and it gives you what you see now. Overtaking rivals and making it stick is a heck of a lot more difficult than it was in 2017. You wouldn’t really expect braking problems as bad as what we’ve seen. However, Buriram has some extremely punishing braking zones and the hot temperatures stress it all even further. Kawasaki are trying their best to make up the deficit they’ve…

‘I was half expecting my leg to snap off like a carrot!’JOHN McGUINNESS ‘We’ve made massive steps forward in the last two weeks’JOHN McGUINNESS ‘I don’t care if I have to rock up and sleep in a van, as long as I can ride’JOHN McGUINNESS John McGuinness says there is no reason why he won’t be on the grid come the 2018 Isle of Man TT after making big progress with his broken leg in recent weeks. The 23-times TT winner took his first unaided steps at last week’s TT press launch since his horrific North West 200 crash that ruled him out of action for almost a year. The 45-year-old admitted there were points where he doubted he would be on the grid but that it’s now looking…

Dunlop signs for Paton Michael Dunlop will race the SC-Project Paton in the Lightweight TT this year alongside Stefano Bonetti. The 15-times TT winner replaces Michael Rutter, who won the race for the Italian squad last year. Johnson with RAF Kawasaki Gary Johnson will contest the 2018 road racing season with the RAF Kawasaki BSB team. The two-times Isle of Man TT winner will be looking to recover from a tough year on the Suzuki GSX-R1000 in 2017. KMR confirm line-up Ryan Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki team has confirmed that its Lightweight TT line-up for 2018 will feature 23-times TT winner John McGuinness, Peter Hickman, Derek McGee and Danny Webb. Shock swap for Hillier and Co James Hillier and the JG Speedfit Kawasaki team will make the switch from K-Tech to…

Where and when? The MCN Carole Nash Festival of Motorcycling is held May 19-20, at the Peterborough Arena. It’s the site of the old BMF show and a stone’s throw from the A1. If you’re camping you can arrive to set up on the Friday afternoon. Can I just turn up and camp? Yes, but it’s much cheaper if you book your weekend camping ticket in advance. Campers get a load of extra benefits including the chance to see the speedway racing on Saturday night for free and they’re also first in line for test rides in the morning. Can I bring my BBQ? Yes you can, just as long it’s raised off of the grass. Will the kids get bored? No! As well as electric bike test rides from…

With the Bennetts British Superbike grid so fierce this year, predicting six riders for the top six Showdown at the end of the year is no easy task. While you’ve three riders who, barring major incident, are almost guaranteed to appear, in Shane Byrne, Leon Haslam and Josh Brookes, we reckon there are at least 12 riders fighting for those last three places. So instead of doing the hard work ourselves, we put the question to the riders to see who they thought would be in the top six after the first nine rounds of the year. Their predictions make for interesting reading… Jason O’Halloran • Jason O’Halloran • Shane Byrne • Leon Haslam • Dan Linfoot • Jake Dixon • Luke Mossey Glenn Irwin • Shane Byrne • Leon…

Tommy Bridewell will be out to show that his poor 2017 season was a blip as he returns to the Halsall Racing squad this year. The 29-year-old endured a tough time with Team WD40 Kawasaki last year, finishing in the top ten on just three occasions. But after a successful pre-season test with the Movuno.com Halsall Racing Suzuki effort, he’s determined to fight back. “It’s nice to smile again and enjoy riding,” Bridewell told MCN. “When it doesn’t go well, you start to doubt your ability. It’s phenomenal to be back with this team; it’s so much fun, nobody takes it too seriously, it’s just like a group of mates going racing. “I feel really good on the bike, really confident and really strong so it’s all positive really. You…

“We’re in a much better position than we were 12 months ago,” Linfoot explained. “The bike has taken three or four big steps in the last year. The first thing was the ride-by-wire – that took us maybe five or six rounds last year to get comfortable with. “Then we had the aero upgrade for Silverstone, which was another good step for both of us before going to Jerez at the end of the season, where we made a massive step with a new engine and chassis spec. “The changes for Monteblanco were yet another step in the right direction for development. All those steps over the last 12 months have pushed the bike in the right direction, which leaves us in a strong position compared to this time last…

ROUND 1 DONINGTON PARK MARCH 31 – APRIL 2 EAST MIDLANDS Length 2.49 miles Corners 12 2017 Podium R1 Haslam, Mossey, Iddon R2 Haslam, Brookes, Irwin Lap record 1’28.897 (Shane Byrne, 2016) Tickets www.donington-park.co.uk ROUND 2 BRANDS HATCH INDY APRIL 13-15 KENT Length 1.21 miles Corners 6 2017 Podium R1 Mossey, Haslam Iddon R2 Mossey, Iddon, Haslam Lap record 45’212 (James Ellison, 2015) Tickets www.brandshatch.co.uk ROUND 3 OULTON PARK MAY 5-7 CHESHIRE Length 2.69 miles Corners 17 2017 Podium R1 Haslam, Byrne, Mossey R2 Byrne, Irwin, O’Halloran Lap record 1’34.483 (Josh Brookes, 2015) Tickets www.oultonpark.co.uk ROUND 4 SNETTERTON JUNE 15-17 NORFOLK Length 2.99 miles Corners 12 2017 Podium R1 Byrne, Brookes, O’Halloran R2 Byrne, Brookes, O’Halloran Lap record 1’47.143 (Shane Byrne, 2017) Tickets www.snetterton.co.uk ROUND 5 KNOCKHILL JULY 6-8 FIFE…