Table of contents for 7 May 2025 in MCN

‘The last three years have been tough’ HASLAM WINS AGAIN, P60 BSB Heroes return The British Superbike championship blasted back at Oulton Park last weekend, with a sensational opening day on Sunday. Back from WSBK, Brad Ray and his newly reformed Raceways Yamaha team stormed to pole with a new all-time lap record, before dominating to win Race 1. But it was Leon Haslam who answered back in the Sprint on Monday, overhauling Ray and resetting the lap record with a 1.32.817s lap in his first race on the Ducati Panigale V4R. The action was brought to a tragic end following an 11-bike incident in the Supersport race which resulted in the death of two riders and one seriously injured. PAGE 60 TOP STORY Riders getting rubbished According to a…

Suzuki have unveiled fresh colours for their 800DE and RE V-Stroms – plus Tour variants – with the off-road-ready DE gaining a white-and-blue scheme and updated yellow livery with blue rims. Meanwhile, the cast-wheeled RE gains a red option paired to a black seat unit, or a matte black with yellow accents, and metallic grey. The Tour models get the same new colours plus 112 litres of hard luggage. Sample an Enfield Royal Enfield have kicked off their 2025 REDD (Royal Enfield Demo Day) season at Sykes Royal Enfield, Lewes, on May 2. If you missed the chance to throw a leg over the Indian firm’s fleet, further demo sessions will be available in the Midlands at QB Motorcycles (May 31) and Midwest Moto (June 7). Staff will be on…

British impact protection firm D3O are preparing to move into motorcycle helmet liners, in a step that they believe could raise the bar for safety, comfort and performance – and ultimately help save lives. Based in London, the company currently dominate the UK bike armour market, supplying CEapproved protection for everything from elbows to back protectors, as well as fatigue-busting goods like vibration-dampening insoles. Although their signature orange padding is now found in well over half of the biking garments sold in the UK, the team now want to move into motorcycle-specific helmet systems, building on a concept design known as ‘Amp’ which was first shown in 2022. The brand say they are planning to introduce a new cutting-edge liner technology, developed from their experience in making similar products for…

SAVE £5505 £15,495 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce MV Agusta’s resident globe trotter is right up there with the sweetest riding, sportiest adventure bikes. Its three-cylinder motor is blisteringly quick and plenty exciting – producing one of motorcycling’s best soundtracks in the process, while the handling is just like an overgrown supermoto. As a bonus, this discounted price includes full luggage. SAVE £3000 £20,895 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm GT Triumph’s Rocket 3 is a laidback behemoth with bags of torque, immense road presence and surprisingly capable handling. www.bevanmc.co.uk ● Engine 2500cc ● Power 165bhp ● Weight 320kg ● Seat height 750mm £7698 Aprilia Tuono 660 SAVE £2152 Combining sweet handling with plenty of go, the midsized Tuono is plenty of bike for any occasion. www.wheelsmotorcycles.co.uk ● Engine 659cc ● Power 94bhp…

● 30 years of the Suzuki GSX-R ● MCN love the baby V-Strom ● Geoff Duke remembered GSX-R turns 30 A decade ago, Suzuki’s legendary GSX-R sportsbike range celebrated 30 years since its inception. In that time, the revolutionary Japanese machine became a favourite among racers and road riders alike, offering a near perfect performance-derived base for all manner of motorcyclists. In the words of MCN contributor and former road tester Martin Fitz-Gibbons: “No other four letters (and a hyphen) have such heritage in the sportsbike world, or had such significance and formed such a cult following.” After three decades of churning out Gixxers, Suzuki had made more than one million of the things, with more than 25,000 still frequenting Britain’s roads. The original 750 spawned 600, 1000, and 1100…

HJC F100 helmet £299.99 HJC’s all-new 180° flip front lid converts from full face to jet, and features a fibreglass shell, dropdown sunshade and micro buckle chinstrap. It also boasts front-to-back ventilation and a moisture-wicking liner, plus a removable chin curtain and breath deflector. Ships with a Pinlock anti-fog visor insert. oxfordproducts.com Richa Stradale textile jackets from £139.99 Two new textile jackets to Richa’s sporty new Stradale range include the waterproof Tex WP (£159.99) and highly ventilated Mesh. Comfort is key for both, whether it’s keeping you dry or cool, and each comes with D3O shoulder and elbow armour, with the option to fit chest and back protectors. nevis.uk.com Roadskin Leather Look Leggings £159 These women’s leggings from Brit firm Roadskin are CE AA-certified and come with CE Level 2…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews STAR LETTER IN ASSOCIATION WITH Team work, dream work What an absolute peach of an article about the Ducati Lenovo MotoGP Team (MCN, May 30). It captured the spirit, enthusiasm and professionalism of the squad so well, as did the photos, especially the one on page 38 showing the whole team. Oh, to be there! MotoGP is a prodigious activity, blending the top racers with top factories and top engineers, all to make the very best racing! When we see the racers it’s easy to forget what’s behind it all, and your feature showed just what it takes. Well done. Jon Duke, York Continuing our partnership with Zerofit – King of Baselayers® – we are changing up the prize for the winner of the weekly star…

In my last column, I told the story of how the idea for the V&M Blackbird came about, when Honda ‘gifted’ me a Blackbird after I’d crashed one on the launch. So now I thought I’d share with you how it was transformed into a machine that could be capable of 200mph. During development, we found that the Blackbird was completely stable at top speed, so it really was the obvious choice. V&M were one of the most legendary race teams of the 1990s, with the formidable Lancashire duo of Jack Valentine and Steve Mellor, who had masses of success in the British championship and on the roads, particularly with CBR600s, plus victories with RC45s and FireBlades. But the pair had started out in drag racing, and indeed Jack had…

Send your trips to yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Readers Matt Little (Yamaha Serow, 659 miles over five days including riding to Wales from the Midlands). Gunter Van Hauwe (Honda CRF300L, 1250 miles over seven days including riding to Wales from Belgium) The ride South Wales TET When to do it Spring-Autumn Tell us about the trip We based ourselves at the King’s Head in Llandovery (a pub / B&B that we can thoroughly recommend) for exploring the South Wales TET, which has a largely agricultural/green character with some interesting overgrown trails. We joined friends on bikes and in Land Rovers at Devil’s Bridge for the mid-Wales trails which have a distinctly more rugged character and were amazed at quite how well the old Land Rovers coped with the off-roading. The Land Rover guys…

KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday May 7 BIKE MEETS ■ Huggys, Mallory, Leics. www.huggysspeedshop.co.uk ■ Sycamore Cafe, Great Billing, 4pm-9pm www.facebook.com/SycamoreForestCatering ■ The Old Stores, Pontblyddyn, Flints 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 ■ Wheels Cafe, Sykehouse, S Yorks. 01405-5785635 ■ Seaways, Fridaythorpe, East Yorks mike@seawayscafe.co.uk ■ Squires Cafe, Newthorpe, West Yorks www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ Loomies, West Meon, Hants www.loomiescafe.co.uk ■ The Pathfinder Cafe, Blackbushe, Surrey. Facebook: Pathfinder Cafe IRISH ROAD RACING North West 200, Portstewart, www.northwest200.org RACING ■ Andreas Racing Association, Isle of Man www.andreasracing.com ■ Aintree MCC, Merseyside www.aintreemotorcycleracingclub.co.uk RIDING SCHOOL ■ California Superbike School, Donington, superbikeschool.co.uk SPEEDWAY ■ Poole Pirates, Dorset 7.30pm www.poole-speedway.com TRIALS ■ Guisborough & DMCC, Charltons Glaisdale, North Yorks www.guisboroughdmc.co.uk ■ Scottish Six Day Trial, Fort William,…

FIRST RIDE For 2025 Aprilia’s RSV4 Factory 1100 takes the prize for being the most powerful, full-production road bike money can buy. It’s also cleverer than ever with refined electronics and an on-board datalogger that lets you set rider aids and suspension damping, corner-by-corner on track. It also gets new aero, more stable handling… the list goes on. Aprilia say their appetite for developing the RSV4 is as strong as ever, despite dwindling superbike sales and a 1099cc V4 engine too big to race in most superbike classes. After a day splashing around Mugello at its launch, we’re glad they did. 1 Power games With new larger 52mm throttle bodies (up from 48mm), a new Euro5+ exhaust and increased fuel pressure, power from the 1099cc V4 climbs from 214bhp to…

‘Honda hits the mark’ It’d be quite easy to overlook the Rebel as it is a bit of an oddball. Quirkily styled and powered by a motor that, on paper, has fairly limited performance the Rebel doesn’t stand up and shout for attention. But so often the best bikes are the ones that are deliberately understated, and the Rebel is just this. Instantly charming, Honda’s modern take on a cruiser is fun to ride and hits the mark for a target audience who want to take life a bit easier. The DCT makes cruising even more effortless and yet is also brilliantly racy when set to sports mode and there is something about the Rebel’s riding stance and overall attitude that just makes you smile. It’s a bike that overdelivers…

When Long Way Round was first released to the world in 2004, a full 21 years ago, it inspired a whole generation of riders to kit up their bikes and explore the road less travelled. It also helped push adventure bikes, and not least the BMW GS, to the forefront. Since then, the Long Way phenomenon has gone from strength to strength, leaving motorcyclists and fans the world over waiting for the next instalment from the intrepid duo of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. And now the wait is over. The boys are back together, and this time they are exploring their own backyard. In typical Long Way fashion they are riding through Europe from Ewan’s house in Scotland through to Charley’s house in England via Scandinavia, the Baltics and…

The really important thing to remember here is that tubeless tyre repairs are only a temporary fix to get you home, so don’t just stick a plug in and forget about it – tempting though that might seem. The Gryyp kit shown here is suitable for the neat, round holes caused by screws or nails. Another successful option I’ve used is the Oxford CO2 repair kit. Both of these types of kits are perfect for stashing under the seat and contain everything you need for a temporary repair to get you home, or somewhere safe on a longer journey. One thing I’ve noticed, however, is that some temporary roadside repair kits being sold do not include CO2 gas canisters. This means there is no way to actually inflate the tyre…

Bringing you the inside line on the 2025 title fight 1 Record-breakers Alex Marquez’s victory at Jerez was the 22nd consecutive win for Ducati, equalling the existing record set by Honda between Malaysia 1997 and Holland 1998. It’s further proof of just how far ahead of their rivals the Italian giants are right now. Barring something completely bonkers occurring, it’s hard to look beyond one of Ducati’s army of riders breaking the record this weekend. Early forecasts suggest that there won’t even be any of that stereotypical French rain to disrupt them. Ducati have won the last five GPs at Le Mans with five different riders; Danilo Petrucci, Jack Miller, Enea Bastianini, Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin. The latter also won the Sprints in 2023 and 2024. 2 Marquez v Marquez…

Taking a deep dive into the Cremona World Superbike round TOP STORY Nicolo Bulega is fast setting himself up to become one of the all-time greats of World Superbikes. It’s only his second season and he’s yet to become WSBK champion but, if his rookie campaign of 2024 and the first third of 2025 are anything to go by, the Italian is already demonstrating all of the hallmarks of a real legend. Here’s why……

At the start of Monday’s Quattro Group British Supersport race at Oulton Park, exiting turn one, on the first lap, there was a chain reaction incident involving 11 riders falling. The race was immediately stopped and trackside medical services deployed. Due to the extreme severity of the incident and ongoing medical intervention, the remainder of the event was cancelled. This catastrophic accident has tragically resulted in two riders being fatally injured, and another sustaining significant injuries. Owen Jenner (21) was initially treated trackside and then taken to the circuit medical centre, where despite further resuscitation treatment, he died from a catastrophic head injury. Shane Richardson (29) was treated trackside and then taken to the medical centre before being transferred to Royal Stoke University Hospital with severe chest injuries. He died…

Leon just rolled his sleeves up How good is it to see Leon on the top step after so many years. Over the last couple of seasons Leon has been pushing hard, but he injured his shoulder and just never seemed to get the run of the green, but this year with the Ducati he’s hit the ground running. He looks like he’s loving riding it and he’s rolled his sleeves and is getting on with it. And after Brad (Ray) battered everyone in the first race, Leon beat him fair and square. I know Leon is 41 now, but it just shows that you can never write anyone off. You have to remember that Leon has done everything from scooter racing through to 500GPs and everything in between –…

Reporting direct from the bank holiday racing 1 Yamaha love Ray loves the R1 and the R1 loves him. As soon as OMG ditched BMW in favour of the R1 in 2022, expectations immediately rose, and, as we know now, he didn’t disappoint. Ray broke the lap record at his shakedown test at Cartagena, and won from round one. “Straight away I felt at home,” Ray told MCN at the end of his title-winning campaign. “It’s basically a big R6, and the R6 for me was the perfect bike. It allows fast corner speed; I can let the brakes off and have lots of lean. I knew it would suit my style.” As Ray told MCN during the pre-season tests, jumping back on the R1 is like putting on an…

As well as polling motorcyclists, IAM RoadSmart also surveyed more than 1000 drivers on the behaviour of riders on the road. According to their findings, 35% of drivers said they’d encountered a bike approaching in their lane while overtaking a vehicle on the other side of the road. On top of this, 35% said they had been tailgated by a motorcyclist, and 36% stated they had experienced a close pass when being overtaken by a bike. Car occupants made up the largest share of road fatalities in the year ending June 2024 – standing at 45% according to official data.…

Tony Coupland, who was the voice of road racing at Oliver’s Mount for more than 40 years, has passed away. Coupland first visited the Scarborough road racing venue as a spectator aged four and began commentating in 1977. He retired 47 years later in September 2024, having played a part in the circuit’s return to racing in both 2019 and 2022. He died on Wednesday, April 23, leaving a legacy that will live on at the 2.43-mile venue. “He’s probably been here in one way or another for the vast majority of this place’s nearly 80-year history,” Oliver’s Mount Racing Managing Director, Andy Hayes told MCN when Tony retired last year. “He’s helped make Oliver’s Mount what it is and had been over the decades. He’s been here through all…

‘It’s the million dollar question’ It’s not every week that a bit of news makes you stop and wonder in amazement – but that is exactly what happened the other day when a press release from Royal Enfield pinged into my inbox. What was the news? Enfield had sold a mind-blowing 1,009,900 motorcycles in a single financial year. Yes, over a million! And even more surprising were the numbers involving the bestseller, although when you dig a bit deeper it all become clear what is going on. Out of those million-plus bikes sold, over 500,000 were the Hunter 350. Initially this surprised me since I tend to assume that the parallel-twin and Himalayan models are the big sellers not this fairly weedy single, but that is looking at Enfield with…

GET FIVE ISSUES FOR JUST £5 Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer One year on since a quartet of air traffic controllers undertook a 3500-mile trip from Aberdeen to Gibraltar for charity, the group have closed fundraising at a grand total of £77,886. The money will be split between Prostate Cancer UK (£57,929) and Aerobility (£19,957). The four-man team was made up of Wayne Clarke, Richard Fell, Harvey McVicar and Shaun Bellairs-Wray, who used Triumph adventure bikes to complete their trans-European trip. Dubbed 24in24, the journey linked 24 air traffic control units, tackled seven active runways, and saw the men scale Gibraltar’s Rock Gun under a special Ministry of Defence escort. “We embarked on this charity motorcycle ride to raise awareness of this terrible disease and ultimately raise as much…

RST S-1 CE leather gloves £54.99 Get a grip on summer gloves There’s no such thing as a do-it-all glove, particularly in the UK when a typical summer rideout could involve weather from all four seasons and beyond. A perforated pair is fine for when it’s warm and sunny, but add some rain and they’ll end up cold, damp and mushy in no time. Likewise, waterproof gloves can turn hot and sticky in the dry, and in both cases, that can lead to a loss of comfort and concentration. The solution is to always carry a spare pair, and with that in mind we’ve bundled together a selection of online offers to give you an option for keeping your hands happy when conditions change. Available in black and grey with…

WHAT’S NEW IN TECH? The MotoGP paddock has always acted as a crucible for the development of parts and systems that, once proven, make their way from the track, through mass production and eventually onto the street. Spanish brake component manufacturers, and wavy disc pioneers, Galfer are proof of this and have today (May 7) unveiled an all-new disc design called Floatech - the core concept of which remains consistent with those used in international competition. Following extensive development (and fitment to Ai Ogura’s 2024 world championship winning Moto2 racer) the patented technology within the Floatech disc revolves around how the floating outer track, which is the area that contacts with the pads to create friction, and the fixed inner carrier are fitted together. Key to this is the design…

Q ‘Is it a conflict of interests?’ In July last year I went for a ride in North Wales and my girlfriend was riding pillion with me. It was a lovely day and the roads were dry. I saw a van stationary at a junction around 100m ahead of us and it was indicating to turn right. I assumed he saw us. However, as we got closer, the van suddenly drove out giving me no time to avoid a collision. My girlfriend and I both had injuries. My insurer instructed a solicitor to act for us both and it has been a smooth process so far. However, our opponent claims that I was partly to blame for exceeding the speed limit, which I deny. They say there is a conflict…

It was a big weekend for Bonhams earlier this month, when we achieved an outstanding sales total of £3.2 million with a 96% sell-through rate, which is truly industry -leading across the board. We had participation from bidders in 30 countries, with 43% of the hammer total going to export buyers. Highlights included a 2-push mile Honda 400/4 that hammered in at £15,000 against an estimate of £6000-£9000. The total price was £17,250 including buyer’s premium. The Ex-Carl Fogarty 1988 and 1989 TT Formula 1 World Championship-winning Honda RC30s that I mentioned last month, with an estimate of £30,000-£40,000, ended up selling for £59,800. Meanwhile a 1939 Velocette KTT Mark VIII (est £25,000-£40,000) sold for £52,900. If you have a bike you’d like to put under the hammer, get in…

1 May 5-10 Scottish Six Days trial The Scottish Six Days trial is back this week. Unlike most other trials, this six-day event will test the endurance of the bikes and the riders as they take on the best and worst that Scotland has to offer. You can watch the action all along the course and be amazed at the skill and determination the riders have. It’s not to be missed. www.ssdt.org 2 May 10 Kempton classic bike show With an extravagant autojumble and trade stalls, it’s likely you’ll bag a bargain at Kempton Park Racecourse (TW16 5AQ) this weekend. But, with special guests Brian Crighton, Gordon May and Eric Patterson you can really make a day out of it. Admission from £6 in advance. www.kemptonautojumble.co.uk 3 May 11 Stratford…

JOIN THE MCN PIT STOP BREW CREW www.motorcyclenews.com/pit-stop ‘Best brekky butty’ MARTIN NOTTAGE Our breakfast point, Ockham Bites Café, before heading off for a day’s ride. As usual, it was a great bacon roll – said to be the best in Surrey. They do bike nights, too. ‘Lunch and a history lesson’ ALEX KRILL This is my bike recently outside the Industry & Supply Coffee Depot in Northants. The museum is well worth a look to learn about the long history of the Ordnance Depot here. ‘Wat’s going on?’ GEORGE STEVENS New bike arrived this morning which could only mean one thing – a 100 mile round trip, complete with a coffee stop at Mr Watson’s famous double decker. ‘Something tasty’ JOHN GRAY It was a great day for a…

‘Alarmingly quick…’ 217bhp may seem insane, but the new RSV4 Factory 1100 still manages to be friendly, confidence inspiring and fun, even on a wet MotoGP track. It’s always been a sweet handler with loads of feel and mechanical grip, but the geometry tweaks add stability and the wider bars make life aboard less cramped. Although the effect of the new aero isn’t immediately obvious in isolation, the refined throttle response, extra grunt and polished electronics make the job of unleashing all that power impossibly easy. THE FACTS £23,850 Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1100…

‘They took seven world titles’ The original Morbidelli operation was founded by Giancarlo Morbidelli in Pesaro, Italy. A skilled designer, Morbidelli made his money in woodworking machine tools but his passion was for motorcycles, particularly racing ones. In 1968 he formed the Morbidelli motorcycle brand and built a 50cc GP bike. In 1971, Gilberto Parlotti took victory in the Czechoslovakian 125cc GP on a Morbidelli before the team took both the 1975 Constructors’ and Rider Championships with Paolo Pileri in the saddle. Between 1975 and 1977, Morbidelli’s bikes took seven world titles (including the 250 title with Mario Lega) before they ceased racing in 1982 having also competed briefly in 500 GPs using their own bike. After opening a museum in Pesaro to display his race bikes in 1999, Giancarlo…

Tune into a Moto2 race and you might hear that Jake Dixon isn’t the only member of his family to have raced. But this underplays Darren Dixon’s achievements – Jake’s dad not only took two FIM Sidecar World Championships, he has twice lined up alongside the greats on a solo in the golden era of 500GPs. But that’s not all, incredibly, he raced a 500GP bike and a GP sidecar on the same day, round the same track. “I was born into a racing-mad family. My father was a sidecar racer and mum was his passenger, even when she had three kids. Some of my earliest memories are of being left in the paddock while mum and dad raced,” remembers Darren. “As a lad I was a bit wild and…

Despite the adventure being in the backyard rather than far flung, the series sees the pair ride through a spectacular 17 countries. From Ewan’s house in Scotland, they hop on the ferry to the Netherlands and pass through Germany and Denmark and into Norway, skirting up the coast road until they hit the Arctic Circle. After a small hop to Svalbard, the pair cross through Sweden and ride down the spine of Finland into the Baltics. But, not wanting to miss some of the best riding roads Europe has to offer, the pair keep heading south to ride through the Alps before crossing France and finishing up at Charley’s home in England. Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor set off on their first motorcycling adventure way back in 2004, Long Way…

An underloved Honda CB500X recently landed in the workshop of JHS Racing after failing an MoT on two points: a bald rear tyre and a chain so loose it could be pulled off the sprocket by hand. “The chain was that slack, you could remove it without even taking the wheel out – which is so dangerous,” commented James Holland, owner of the Bristol-based service and repair centre. “Even just doing 30mph that chain flapping around is like a skipping rope and before you know it, it’s off and wrapped around your leg. You could lose your leg from that, just for two minutes time taken to adjust it. “The owner clearly hasn’t looked after that bike – as a lot of people don’t – between services. A lot of…

Going behind the headlines in the 2025 WSBK paddock ‘I was pushing so hard, even on the last lap’ Battling the might of Ducati, Toprak Razgatlioglu shouldn’t have been able to finish second in all three World Superbike races at Cremona last weekend. That’s compounded by the fact the superstar had to learn the venue on Friday, having missed it last season after the Magny-Cours crash that so nearly took his life. It was ‘Toprak doing Toprak things,’ as the now popular racing saying goes, but if he’s to beat the force that is Nicolo Bulega, the Turk must dig deeper than ever. Cremona saw the same top three (Bulega-Razgatlioglu-Bautista) across the trio of races. It’s the first time that has happened since Thailand six years ago when Alvaro Bautista…

Toprak GP talk just won’t stop This year, next year, sometime… never. The Toprak to MotoGP story is almost as old as the dinosaurs. Unlike them, however, it won’t go extinct. There’s always been a stumbling block. Not least his and manager Kenan Sofuoglu’s insistence he would only move straight into a full factory team. It seemed the endless shillyshallying combined with the advancing years meant he had left it too late. Now shifting sands in MotoGP and a whole new set of rumours, make that less certain. There are several scenarios involving either BMW or Honda. Some factors lend plausibility. Firstly, the speed of two out of three rookies this year suggest that the dumb-down regs that have made MotoGP bikes so similar have also made them easier to…

Reporting direct from the bank holiday racing Leon Haslam finally ended his Bennetts British Superbike hoodoo on Monday as he stormed to victory on the MotoRapido Racing Ducati. It’s been 2395 days since he won race two of the 2018 season finale at Brands Hatch. Haslam dominated the series that year to win the title for JG Speedfit Kawasaki. Of course, he hasn’t spent all the years that followed his crowning campaign in BSB. The Pocket Rocket moved to WSBK in 2019 and didn’t come home until 2022 with Lee Hardy Racing on a Kawasaki. It’s not been plain sailing since. Haslam finished 11th overall that year with just two podiums, before taking on the mammoth challenge of creating his own BMW team at the 11th hour in 2023. Reliability…

ROUND 1 OULTON BSB CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 1 HASLAM 32 Pts 2 RAY 32 Pts 3 IRWIN 32 Pts Rogers 2pts McPhee 2pts BSB POSITIONS RACE 1 16 Kerr +32.777 17 McConnell+39.914 18 Hedger +40.617 19 Sikkelerus +45.071 20 Davis +1’16.691 21 Baker +1’33.541 DNF Iddon 7 laps, Todd 7 laps, Cook 1 lap BSB POSITIONS SPRINT 16 Hickman +16.916 17 McConnell +18.163 18 Rogers +20.186 19 Kerr+ 34.991 20 Sikkelerus +37.604 21 Todd +37.786 22 Baker +55.33 23 Davis +1’00.348 DNF Hedger 3 laps…

Braking challenges Oulton Park’s Cascasdes presents the biggest braking challenge for the HEL crew. With its hidden apex and unpredictable surface, Cascades demands a braking setup that can instantly respond to delicate inputs and provide precise feedback to the rider. The big rollers through the braking zone force riders to feather the brakes, making stability a key factor. Adding to the challenge, the pronounced camber on the inside can be used to find extra grip – but only if the rider is perfectly positioned. Mastering Cascades is crucial for lap times, as it leads onto one of Oulton’s fastest straights, so exit speed is everything. Brake like a pro The exact same HEL braking components used by championship-winning BSB racers are fully road-legal and available for riders to purchase and…

A biking meet-up is set to take place in Harlow, Essex, on June 1, 2025, in memory of Grace O’Malley-Kumar – one of the victims of the 2023 Nottingham attacks. Grace, 19, was a keen Vespa rider and a national-level hockey player who was studying medicine at the University of Nottingham. She was described by friends and organisers as someone with a “special connection” to motorcycles – particularly her Vespa. Organised by family friend and biker Dave Merry, the event aims to bring riders together in support of the Grace O’Malley-Kumar Foundation. The meet-up will be held at the car park of ITS Tools on Edinburgh Way, with motorcyclists encouraged to ride in their regular groups and arrive by 11am. Attendees are invited to make donations on the day, with…

Riding kit retailer Sportsbike Shop are preparing to open their second new store this year, with a new venue in Southampton set to bring their total number of outlets to 11. Following on from their new Norwich store that opened in February, the new coastal site is set to open its doors in early July with an official date yet to be confirmed and the exact location remaining under wraps for now. “We’re having a great summer, a great season. March was fantastic, April even better, so there’s clearly a desire to get out there and ride motorcycles,” SBS Managing Director, Chris Winters told MCN. ‘You can enjoy your passion at the shop’ “The whole concept of a bike clothing store – where you can come in and spend time,…

Triumph are inviting eight customising teams to get creative with their Bonneville-based builds in a new international competition billed as Triumph Originals 2025. The brand’s modern classics will form the base for custom projects on the theme Icons of British Originality. Each Triumph market will pair with a local custom builder, and their efforts will judged on style, craftsmanship and innovation. The winner will be picked from five finalists in July.…

‘Don’t delay… join the fight’ My petition calling for a strategy to protect motorcyclists from unsafe imported clothing has been live for four months now, with just two months remaining until the July 6 deadline. We’re at a critical point, with around 4500 signatures so far, but at least 10,000 are needed for the Government to even acknowledge it. If you haven’t signed yet, your support could make all the difference. Over the past few weeks, I’ve highlighted the importance of certified motorcycle clothing – how reputable brands are fulfilling their legal obligations and how rogue sellers are exploiting consumers by offering substandard, unsafe gear. Some critics have dismissively invoked ‘Darwinism’, suggesting that consumers should be left to make their own choices, but this is in stark contrast to the…

Galfer’s R&D and Race Engineer Marc Esteve talks us through the considerations of developing a road-friendly product. “On the road the most important thing is not just performance, although of course it has to perform well, but you have another important aspect, and that is economy,” he explained. “So, we take all the things that we know work in racing and adapt it for the street. “First we have the flow technology, where the geometry of the braking track is such that even when it reaches high temperatures and expands, it can never be blocked in the carrier. “Then we adapt the pins with a spring, because in racing discs there are no springs – the braking track is completely free, which helps the pads to return. “But on the…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com THE WORLD’S WARMEST BASELAYER® www.zerofit.co.uk My nephew Andrew’s first bike. He came into bikes in midlife – not a crisis just a passion that’s still growing. Dave Clark Aged 16 ready to ride my MTX50, slow as a snail but fun. It got big-bored to 80cc and blew up several times. Nick Suker My first three bikes, 1978. Yamaha FS1-E, Honda 250K and 400/4, all bought from my Dad. Trevor Wood Me with older brother Colin on Dad’s BSA A7 outfit, about 1962. Trevor Wood On my mate’s Suzuki in 1983. We are still riding together now, (with Bruno Clements that is, not the TS250). Andy Williams My first bike bought for £35 back in 1970, a Francis Barnet 150. Three gears, two-stroke,…

THE DETAILS ●Mon-Fri 6.45am-2.30pm, Sat-Sun 8.15am-12.30pm ● Find out more / www.fuelstopcafe.co.uk A27 westbound, Chichester PO20 1QH If you’re off on a coastal cruise down south, you’re likely to stumble across the Fuel Stop Café on the A27. This small roadside eatery has been a staple for many years and used to be a motorcycling haven, but slipped out of favour with bikers after a few years. Now with Georgina and Philip Brown at the helm, they’re keen to get bikers back in force. “We’ve been doing pubs, restaurants and hotels for 30 years,” says Georgina. “We were up in North Yorkshire but moved down here to take on the food truck. The previous owner was cooking on a camping stove and didn’t have a water boiler!” Keen not to be…

THE MCN TEST ● THE HOTTEST BIKES ● EVERY WEEK £10,999 Honda CMX1100 Rebel SE DCT ● 1084cc liquid-cooled parallel twin 8v SOHC ● 87.2bhp @7250rpm ● 237kg wet weight £8799 Morbidelli C1002V ● 997cc liquid-cooled V-twin 8v SOHC ● 87.2bhp @7200rpm ● 282kg wet weight Owning a cruiser is often unfairly viewed as a backwards step, an admission that your days of performance riding are in the past. But what’s wrong with that? There comes a point when squeezing into a set of one-piece leathers or wrestling a super-naked starts to lose its appeal and instead, taking life a bit slower and enjoying the sights and sounds on two wheels begins to hold its own charms. And that’s where this genre fits the bill - and it doesn’t necessarily…

£8799 Morbidelli C1002V £10,999 Honda CMX1100 Rebel SE DCT…

RATINGS Exceptional Very good Good Average Poor 12 months ON TEST/6000 MILES LS2 Thunder C GP Aero £499 ‘It’s a case of fit and forget’ Tested by Emma Franklin for 12 months/6000 miles Spanish helmet brand LS2 grace the bonces of MotoGP rookie Fermín Aldeguer and British Superbike new boy John McPhee, and this Thunder C GP Aero is the non-FIM homologated version of the race-spec lid worn by the highspeed pair. Although the ECE 22.06 Thunder C GP Aero is one rung down the ladder in LS2’s line-up, it’s not short on spec, performance or comfort, and has become my go-to lid for everything from spicy road rides and trackdays, even longer haul stuff. Unlike other high-performance lids built for track use, it is surprisingly quiet, and I’d say…

BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician Feeling a bit flat? Two rapid routes to repairing a punctured tyre at the roadside 1 Be prepared for a the worst Used as a temporary fix, a tubeless repair kit will get you going again very quickly and without much fuss. It must be stressed that these repair kits are not endorsed by tyre manufactures, but they do a good job of getting you out of trouble. When using puncture kits like these, it is essential that you treat it as a temporary fix. 2 Choose your kit There are basically two types of temporary repair. The first is an aerosol type that inflates the tyre with a combination of gas and liquid that dries as it is pressurised out through the puncture area, thus preventing…

Leading road racing photojournalist writes for MCN With NW200 legend Glenn Irwin sitting out the 2025 event, the three Superbike races are wide open. Michael Dunlop is aiming for victory after a maiden win on his BMW M1000RR at the Cookstown 100. Dunlop last won a big bike race at the North West in 2016 but Peter Hickman has yet to break his duck on a Superbike around the Triangle course. Will this be Hicky’s year? Or will it be his new 8TEN Racing teammate, Davey Todd - the nearly man in 2024 - or Honda’s Dean Harrison who gets their name on the trophy for the first time? Rewind to 2024 A week of blazing sunshine greeted the huge crowds that witnessed history being made at last year’s Briggs…

ROUND 4 ITALY WSB CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 1 BULEGA 198 Pts 2 RAZGATLIOGLU 164 Pts 3 BAUTISTA 125 Pts Montella 22pts Gerloff 19pts Mackenzie 9pts Sofuoglu 8pts Vickers 7pts Rabat 3pts Nagashima 2pts WSB POSITIONS RACE 1 16 Vickers +38.628 17 Sofuoglu +40.761 18 Locatelli +51.202 19 Rea +54.558 20 +1’23.994 DNF Lecuona 15 laps, Mackenzie 6 laps, Ruiu 3 laps, Rabat 0 laps WSB POSITIONS SP RACE 11 Redding +14.742 12 Lowes A +14.952 13 Aegerter +16.165 14 Montella +17.208 15 Gerloff +17.507 16 Rea +19.242 17 Vickers +19.471 18 Bassani +19.849 19 Sofuoglu +20.904 20 Rabat +25.885 21 Ruiu +34.146 22 Zaidi +38.914 DNF Lecuona 8 laps, Mackenzie 7 laps WSB POSITIONS RACE 2 16 Montella +32.609 17 Sofuoglu +43.5 18 Rea +44.225 19 Aegerter +1’07.338 20 Zaida +1’18.660…

‘Silly Season’ has gone into overdrive! The latest paddock gossip states Andrea Iannone could switch to HRC for 2026 as part of a dream team alongside Toprak Razgatlioglu. That’s just rumour but what is fact that is Gelete Nieto is now Iannone’s personal manager, coming in with a wealth of managerial experience from the VR46 Moto2 outfit. A lack of front-end grip was Iannone’s main problem at Cremona, the GoEleven man stating: “Compared to last year, we have a lot to improve. I don’t know what’s changed but it’s ‘completely worse’ now. I’m always losing the front.” After qualifying fifth in Italy, Xavi Vierge leads the Honda charge thanks to two fifth place race results and one seventh, leaving him eighth overall. 13th in the standings is Iker Lecuona, sixth…