Table of contents for 21 May 2025 in MCN

RIDERS RATED From the heavy hitters up front to the riders hoping to make their mark – we rate this year’s top TT talent 29 AND COUNTING The TT’s GOAT, Michael Dunlop talks candidly about his obsession with winning, and why he’s still as hungry as ever for more TT victories… The greatest show Get set for the greatest show on earth! In just five days’ time we’ll see bikes heading off down Glencrutchery Road for the first time in 2025. There feels like there’s a hint of magic in the air this year, after seeing Dunlop and Todd so strong at the recent NW200, we get the sense that, if the weather’s kind, we could see not only sensational racing but also lap records being obliterated. To get you…

Three motorcycling photographers, who take pictures of passing bikes on the A44 at Fish Hill, have been served with Community Protection Notice Warnings (CPNWs) in a bid to remove them from the area. The notices have come from police in the Evesham Safer Neighbourhood Team, who confirmed the decision on May 9. “These adverts [which say a photographer will be in the area] can attract hundreds of bikers to Fish Hill in just one day,” Safer Neighbourhood Inspector for Wychavon, Dave Wise, said. “The associated noise heard throughout the village with the sound of racing bikes can make it unbearable.” MCN approached West Mercia Police, but they declined to comment further – adding only that regular road safety operations will continue in the area in the future. Naturally, the photographers…

SAVE £9996 £13,999 Zero SR/S It may only produce 54bhp of continuous poke, but the SR/S can also muster up a much meatier 113bhp and 140lb.ft of thrust for a limited time. Alongside sporty credentials, it’s also plush, well-equipped and has oodles of weather protection – just don’t expect a tank of electrons to last more than 100 miles. It’s a meaty saving off RRP too. www.wheelsmotorcycles.co.uk SAVE £2700 £16,899 KTM 1390 Super Duke R KTM’s bonkers 1390 combines superbike power with bags of supermoto attitude, while still being surprisingly friendly. motorcycles.juddracing.com • Engine 1350cc • Power 187bhp • Weight 201kg • Seat height 834mm SAVE £2456 £12,394 Moto Guzzi Stelvio Characterful, comfortable and composed, with bags of Italian charm. If you fancy an adventure bike that goes against the…

• Norton workers sit-in • 100mph sidecar lap predicted • Read almost sticks it to Sheene 'Norton staff abandoned' On this week 49 years ago, workers in Norton’s Wolverhampton plant were sitting-in after being ‘abandoned’ by financier Ronald Titcombe. In what were the dying days of the British bike industry, Norton-Villiers-Triumph was formed in 1973 out of the embers of the BSA-Triumph Group and Norton-Villiers, financed by a government bailout. What followed was a period of job losses and factory closures as the government attempted to streamline the ailing business. Worker sit-ins followed, first with the Triumph Meriden plant, where workers toughed it out and secured more government help to form the Meriden Workers Co-operative to continue building the Bonneville. Australian businessman Titcombe hoped he could do the same with…

Q 'Can I cash the payment?’ I had an accident when a car pulled out of a junction from my left. There was traffic coming the other way so I couldn’t avoid the car and was thrown over the bonnet. My solicitor sent me an interim payment (an actual cheque!) from the other side and said I should pay it in. The cover letter says: “This is a without prejudice interim payment. We reserve the right to reclaim this payment if we find evidence of dishonesty or evidence of your client’s blame in this claim”. I’ve not been dishonest, so can I pay the cheque in? Lance, email A An interim payment is a payment on account of your claim and the total of interim payments made during a claim…

I've also just bought a new tool, one of those things I should've bought years ago – a Seeley Power Probe (£23.99). It connects to the bike’s battery via two crocodile clips, then you can flick a switch to make the probe positive or negative. So it's great for working on circuits. It means you can either put power to the wire or read what power's coming from the wire. If you've got a wire on a bike and you want to see what it does, you can flick the switch to the left and put the Power Probe on it and the red light illuminates to indicate it's got power coming from it. If the green light comes on it means it's negative, so it's really useful. Fuzz Townshend…

1 May 26 Margate Meltdown Margate, once the location of the clashes between the Mods n’ Rockers, will be inundated with bikes this bank holiday Monday. The annual Meltdown, hosted by the Ace Cafe, opens from 9.30am and runs until 6pm with live music, stands and displays. london.acecafe.com 2 May 23-26 FIA/FIM racing at Santa Pod The famous quarter-mile is playing host to all manner of drag metal this weekend (postcode NN29 7XA). Bike classes include top fuel bike, supertwin, pro stock and more. Four-day admission is £135, three-day is £112, and two days are £80. If you only want to go for the day, it’s £44. santapod.co.uk 3 May 26 Ashford classic motorcycle jumble Bank holiday Monday might be the best day to grab a bargain, especially if you’re near the livestock…

Castle Café, Withernsea A proper café right on the coastline. They host weekly bike nights, have proper tea and great grub too. 10 Pier Rd, Withernsea HU19 2JS Facebook: Castle Café Withernsea Bike Nights S Bomb Vintage Workshop The workshop builds custom bikes, has a café with great food and loads of events. Unit 3 Dee Way, Poole BH15 1JD www.sbomb.uk Un1t 7 A garage with amazing coffee. The bike nights are brilliant. Burry Rd, Llanelli SA15 2DS www.un1t7.com…

'Enhanced everyman' The new DR-Z4S retains the old bike’s everyman feel, but the modern fuelling, suspension and electronics enhance it and bring it into line with modern expectations. Nothing jumps out as sub-par – the package works harmoniously, never feeling like it was holding me back. A few seasoned off-road pros also on the launch had little to complain about – a little extra damping was enough to see them doing unfathomable things… It’s cheaper and more accessible than enduro options, but anticipating an RRP somewhere around £8000, it’s also over £2000 more than the CRF300L… though the spec, finish and performance are comfortably higher, too. THE FACTS £8000 (est) Suzuki DR-Z4S…

£7000-£11,000 1961 Triumph T120 Bonneville • 649cc parallel-twin air-cooled, OHV 4V • 46bhp @ 6700rpm • 183kg (dry) Britain once dominated the world of engineering – and our motorcycles were correspondingly nearunbeatable. Of course, other nations built some decent bikes, but more often than not you’d find Brit metal offering strong competition. British superiority was coming to a peak around the time MCN was first printed in 1955: some of pre-war names had fallen (Vincent shut its doors months before our first copy came off the press), but Triumph, Norton and BSA were on a roll. Triumph’s parallel twin range was considered the overall best package: best engine, the most Continued over stylish and most desirable, even if other bikes were perhaps better in certain areas (Norton’s Featherbed chassis, introduced on…

@michaelguy001 Sports Editor with a love of adventure and off-road riding. I’m now 1500 miles into life with the Kove and it’s going well. It’s a relatively simple bike by today’s standards in terms of electronics, but that’s not a bad thing. In fact it’s made it more of an engaging ride as with no quickshifter, auto blipper or slipper clutch there’s more to think about when you ride, and more to actually do. Its greatest strengths lie in its weight… or lack of it. While Kove claim a kerb weight of 183kg, we’ve had the 800X on MCN’s scales and it came in at 196kg fully fuelled – so that’s with 20 litres of unleaded. Even so, it’s significantly lighter than its main rivals. It also seems to hold…

When I'm asked whether petrol should be drained from a bike prior to storage, I always find it difficult to answer because there are many variables to consider, the main one being – how long are you planning on storing it for? If it's just three to four months, you should be fine to leave it with fuel in the tank. When the time comes to use it again, the engine should generally start without issue after being turned over, especially if you top it up with some fresh petrol. One thing that can help before storage is to fill the tank with Super Unleaded fuel. This E5 fuel contains less ethanol than regular unleaded, making it less likely to cause damage over a short storage period. Leaving the tank…

Going behind the headlines in the 2025 championship TOP STORY Alex Marquez has been the revelation of the 2025 MotoGP season. After finding the bike of his dreams in Ducati’s GP24, he won his first premier class race in Jerez, and has racked up nine second places in the first six rounds. Despite two crashes during the French GP, he is best placed to take the fight to brother Marc. Here, he tells MCN how he’s done it. How quickly did you realise you could be competitive with Ducati’s GP24? “I was quite convinced already before trying the bike. We had access to all the Ducati riders’ data last year so we saw quite clearly how they’d made a big step, especially for my riding style. You always have some…

ROUND 5 MOST WSBK CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 1 BULEGA 252 Pts 2 RAZGATLIOGLU 221 Pts 3 PETRUCCI 146 Pts Montella 38pts Gerloff 30pts Rea 9pts Mackenzie 9pts Sofuoglu 9pts Vickers 7pts Rabat 3pts Nagashima 2 WSBK POSITIONS RACE 1 16 Vickers +35.204 17 Rabat +52.771 DNF Gardner 18 laps DNF Zaidi 17 laps DNF Van Der Mark 1 lap DNS Locatelli 0 laps DNS Mackenzie 0 laps WSBK POSITIONS SP RACE 11 Montella +12.592 12 Gerloff +14.112 13 Van Der Mark +14.184 14 Redding 1+4.897 15 Gardner +15.165 16 Sofuoglu +15.26 17 Vickers 16.482 18 Bassani +17.456 19 Aegerter +17.623 20 Rabat +23.07 21 Mackenzie +34.141 22 Zaidi +49.864 WSBK POSITIONS RACE 2 16 Vickers +37.819 17 Sofuoglu +37.99 DNF Zaidi 17 laps DNF Rabat 15 laps DNF Mackenzie 3 laos…

Reporting direct from the Donington Park BSB The smile returned to Rory Skinner’s face at the weekend as he put the Cheshire Mouldings Ducati on the podium at Donington Park. It’s a remarkable achievement for both rider and team, with TAS Racing opting to walk away from BMW in favour of the V4R. It’s a huge undertaking for all involved given the complexity of running the Ducati, and the huge differences between the Italian bike and the BMW M1000RR. But it’s taken them just one round to get to grips with the bike as Skinner was fast all weekend long. Robbed of a podium on the final lap of the Sprint by Glenn Irwin, Skinner responded brilliantly from pole position in the finale – a spot secured by setting a…

'WSBK's made Ray stronger' We’ve said it before but BSB just looks so strong, from the bikes, the riders through to the tracks and spectators. Donington was about the Yamahas and Ducatis. You have to say what a stalwart the R1 is, it’s old but the performance is still incredible. Bradley was very neat, very tidy and very professional from his race management to his tyre management. Other riders achieved good results but they looked untidy in comparison. Glenn looked like he was trying to pull the handlebars off of his Ducati he was trying so hard. I know Bradley didn’t get the results he wanted in WSBK, but you have to become a better rider from competing two seasons in the world championship. I can imagine he could sit…

Cast your mind back to last November and FHO Racing had just confirmed Davey Todd would join Peter Hickman to form a BSB and road racing dream team. It looked like a match made in heaven with Hicky, the fastest ever rider to lap the TT course and 2024 Superbike TT winner alongside new kid on the block, Todd fresh from his stunning Superstock and Senior wins. But then it wasn't… A drastic change of plan saw the collapse of the Faye Ho run FHO Racing team, leaving two of the fastest TT riders on the planet in the wilderness. But it didn’t take long for the rumours to start… and within weeks the plan was in place… an all-new team run and owned by Hickman and Todd themselves. They…

Supersport 1 – 4 laps Having started TT 2024 riding the Triumph 765, Michael Dunlop quickly reverted back to the Yamaha R6 from 2023. Dunlop initially lagged behind Dean Harrison and Davey Todd, who swapped the lead over the course of the first lap. But Dunlop soon got into his stride and had taken the lead by Ballaugh Bridge on the second lap, then began to eke out a commanding lead. The win marked Dunlop’s 26th win to match his Uncle Joey’s record. It was also his 40th TT podium and fifth consecutive Supersport win. Todd secured second position while Harrison exceeded all expectations to claim third. James Hillier was fourth on his first ride back on the Bournemouth Kawasaki, with James Hind taking his best TT finish in fifth.…

TT front-runner Jamie Coward will be a non-starter at this year’s event due to injuries sustained in a crash in the Supertwin race at the North West 200. It’s a bitter blow for the in-form 34-year-old who, having switched from Honda to BMW in 2025, was expected to be in contention for top fives and big bike podiums. Riding in the KTS Racing team, Coward has finished inside the top eight in eight of the last ten 1000cc races at the TT with six of those being top-six finishes. His untimely crash is even more galling given the level of equipment he and the team were running having secured ex-Josh Brookes FHO BMWs from 2024, which the Australian used to secure second in the Senior TT and his first 134mph…

Were you one of the thousands cramming Donington Park’s grassy banks at the weekend? Or maybe you joined one of the DGR rideouts, or perhaps bumped into MCN’s Saffron and Dan at the InSpire Ride in Lincoln? It seems like the biking world has well and truly woken up these past few weeks, and this long spell of sunshine has definitely helped. When you’re out on your bike at popular biking locations, you might’ve noticed photographers at the roadside snapping pictures of you as you ride by, then offering them for sale via download on a website. For many, this is a rare opportunity to get a riding shot, something nice to print out, frame and stick on the wall, or put on social media. However, this practice might be…

The elephant in the room for the Milwaukee giant is uncertainty around transatlantic trade relations, following US President, Donald Trump’s return to the White House. The company have a complex recent history with tariffs, having shifted some production overseas in 2018 to avoid a 31% levy on EU-bound bikes during Trump’s previous presidency. Although many of those tariffs were suspended under former President Joe Biden, trade negotiations are ongoing. “We need to be as flexible as we can and listen to whatever the economic landscape is telling us,” H-D’s Rebstock said. “We are facing those discussions, but even there I am optimistic that there will be an agreement. Every trade partnership should include fair rules for both parties.” For now, Harley’s twin production strategy – building bikes in both the…

BMW have announced a new three-year deal with the Isle of Man TT, supplying S1000RR superbikes to the event’s travelling marshals for at least the next three years. The deal sees the German brand take over from Honda, who have previously supplied the volunteer riders with Fireblades. The travelling marshals specialise in incident management, sometimes on the live 37.73-mile course – meaning a fast bike is essential for their work. BMW will also supply vehicles for TT officials and medics on both two- and four-wheels. “The TT’s experienced officials, travelling marshals, and medical response teams are integral to putting on one of the greatest spectacles in motorsport,” UK Head of Marketing and PR at BMW Motorrad, Scott Grimsdall said. “Deploying safely and efficiently is a crucial part of their roles,…

A group of 50 riders dressed as Evel Knievel will be in London in late May to mark the 50th anniversary of the legendary stuntman’s 1975 Wembley Stadium jump over 13 buses. Raising money for the NSPCC, the visit is part of a five-day celebration which will include Evel’s son Kelly and daughters Tracey and Alicia. The event has been organised by RIDE Cymru MCC, who have been dressing up as Evel on an annual basis since 2015. Founder Jason Lewis began the movement in a bid to raise £1000 for charity, but has since gone on to raise around £280,000 for good causes. ‘Evel did the jump in front of 90,000 people’ “All of the riders raise sponsorship,” Lewis told MCN ahead of the run. “We are on £26,000…

Three former BikeSafe coaches with Class 1 and advanced emergency services rider training qualifications have set up a new post-test advanced rider training school, designed to boost rider skills and safety in a casual, and relaxed manner. Called Ridewise.pro, the school has been set up by trainers Colin Staniford, Mark Witherden and Sean Rushbrook. All three met whilst coaching with BikeSafe and have been riding together for many years. Their first event took place in partnership with Dainese London in late April, and there’s now a full list of riding courses available throughout 2025, at locations including Bike Shed London, and Ryka’s Café at Boxhill. “We all enjoy riding and motorcycle culture, but we really enjoy the coaching side of things,” Mark Witherden told MCN. “Seeing someone come to you…

'False claims risk safety' A bike clothing company based in Perth, Western Australia, is promoting its products on Facebook with a ‘CE Compliance Certificate’ issued by a consultancy in Sialkot, Pakistan. The ad was referred to me by a UK-based consumer who was concerned about its legitimacy – and rightly so. The certificate refers to the company’s manufacturing processes – but that has nothing to do with the CE mark. ISO 9001 governs quality management systems, not product safety or compliance, so the certificate isn’t just irrelevant; it gives a misleading impression of approval The issuing consultancy has no legal authority to declare any company’s products to be CE-compliant. These kinds of documents are often used to give a false impression of safety. When I pointed this out in a…

'I lined up against Casey Stoner…' I can’t confess to having much of a racing history, mainly due to a complete lack of competitive spirit as well as money, but back in the early 2000s I did get an ACU licence and competed in a one-make race series. I’d like to pretend it was on something impressive like a supersport bike but I was skint so my steed of choice was an MZ250 (I think technically an ETZ). Yes, people really do race those trusty old two-stroke East German commuters… My mum still has a picture of me racing the MZ at Snetterton on a shelf at home and I have very fond memories of that year. As with any one-make series, some riders went over the top when it…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com THE WORLD’S WARMEST BASELAYER® www.zerofit.co.uk This was 1977 – my AP50 and X7 plus Dad’s kettle (later mine). Happy days indeed. Raymond Jeffery The 2003 NSR125 which got me back in the saddle after 10 years, and my son Arthur checking it out. Callum Goodwin Here I am trying a police bike for size and posing for a picture. Don Padgett On my first big ride to Matlock from Rotherham via Crich tram museum in the Peak District. Daniel Caine Jump to 1966 and I have just passed my test. Here I am on my first bike, the C15. Don Padgett I normally ride bikes but this was my first time on a scooter during a job abroad. Don Padgett My ‘first legal’…

THE DETAILS • Tues-Fri 11am-11pm, Sat-Sun 9am-9pm • 3 Gosport St, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 9BG Rafe Seven has been a biker all his life. When he moved to a flat above a motorcycle garage in Lymington, he didn’t expect to take it over when it folded, and he probably didn’t intend to turn it into a café and then a bar either, until a friend suggested the idea. “When everyone walked in and saw the décor, they all said they fancied a beer,” laughs Rafe. “So now when people come in, it’s just people meeting each other and chatting. “I themed it around my old garage. I love Oxford green, Chesterfields, animal skins and gold mirrors. We used to have a lot more motorcycle memorabilia up, but we had to…

The back roads of Brecon Adam Oldfield goes exploring rural Wales For that hit of mountain air, start from the Baffle Haus, along the A4042 near Pontypool, coffee fuelled and ready, head right out of the gates following the road up to Llanellen. B-roads are the agenda for the day, take the B4269 following it as it turns into the B4246, undercutting the dual carriageway. Chase the lanes, taking a left at the Spar shop following Church Road parallel to the A4047. Keeping right at St Elis Church, you will climb the mountain on a single track. Take care on the tight turns, loose gravel and debris, as you wind towards the Coach and Horses. Leave the Inn heading towards Talybont, crossing the canal on the lifting bridge. As you…

What's happening? Alongside the custom motorcycles which will leave you gawping and quickly planning your foray into the need-to-build-my-own-bike squad, there is a whole host of entertainment all weekend. With eight bars, live music, ShedTalks, barbers, tattoo artists and a live podcast from adventurers Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman promoting their latest series, Long Way Home, meaning that you won’t want to leave. The essentials Held at Tobacco Docks in London (E1W 2SF) tickets start at £33.49 for general admission which is valid either Saturday or Sunday. For an exclusive VIP ticket which includes entry on Friday night as well as one of the days is £50.49. Free motorcycle parking is available on Pennington Street all weekend. Head to bikeshedlondonshow.com for more information.…

Norton’s Dominator never had the engine to match Triumph’s offerings between 500-650cc between 1949 and 1962, but from 1951 it had one key attribute that would be the envy of Triumph owners until the wobbling T-series bikes found stability in the 1960s: the Featherbed frame. Rex McCandless’ twin Reynolds tubular loops around the engine provided rigidity that single loop, or backbone-type frames hanging the engine, simply couldn’t. But the Dominator never had the kerb appeal of the Triumph, and it’s easier to sell a bike off the back of power and speed than handling: so the Triumphs generally won the sales battle. Enterprising specials builders built the bike they couldn’t: the Triton. Triumph engines slotted into the superior Norton chassis combined the very best of the era.…

Triumph’s braggart marketing couldn’t overcome niggling doubts around the Bonnie’s handling – and its total sporting prowess, rather just its straight-line poke… But in 1961, the second-gen Bonneville (as per our test bike, with a few extra racing tweaks to boot) proved it had finally become the complete package by winning the Thruxton 500 race. Tony Godfrey and John Holder shared the T120 for the 500-mile endurance race – which doesn’t sound drastic for two riders, but bear in mind Thruxton wasn’t the modern circuit you see in BSB, but a WW2 airfield loosely reconfigured into a circuit, rough concrete and all… Pudding-basin helmets and rudimentary leathers little more robust than a coat of paint add to the jeopardy… In spite of that, the pairing took the win with a…

MCN’s Man of the Year 1970 and 1971, John Cooper, 87, will be remembered for beating Giacomo Agostini at the height of his powers, but there’s so much more to the humble Englishman. During his career he beat Phil Read, Mike Hailwood, Jarno Saarinen, Kenny Roberts, Bill Ivy, Jim Redman, Gary Nixon and even a young Barry Sheene – whose career he helped get off the ground. “Yes, I helped Barry when he first started and got to know him,” says John, who gave Sheene one of his race-winning bikes to help him out. It was a gesture the two-time world champion never forgot: “Whenever Barry went to Goodwood he’d ring me up and ask Rosie [John’s wife] and me to come down to the hotel on Thursday, Friday and…

RATINGS Exceptional Very good Good Average Poor Monimoto 9 Tracker £149 (Plus £36 subs) 'Track and trace' 17,000 miles ON TEST Tested by Justin Hayzelden for one year The Monimoto 9 is the latest tracker in the Lithuanian security specialist’s range, and it’s been giving me peaceful nights for the past year, especially when I’ve been away touring around Europe or travelling for work. The tracker is housed in a tough plastic case that measures just 93 x 38 x 15mm, and once secreted somewhere on your bike, could easily be mistaken for an ECU of some kind. Among the clever workings in this little box is a system that uses low-power wide-area network radio communication technology (LTE-M), which together with GPS and an integrated eSIM card, allows it to…

BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician Revive your ride Bike not been used in a while? Here’s how to get it ready to rock 1 Shine a light in dark places Lucky enough to own more than one bike with something set aside for summer? If the recent dry, sunny weather has enticed you to get your ‘garage queen’ machine back out on the road, here’s how you make sure that first ride back is a success. First up, perform a visual check using a torch, looking for leaks or signs of rodent damage. 2 Time for ignition… Turn the ignition on to see if the bike will start. If it does, you are good to go on that front. If the lights come on or the engine turns over sluggishly, the battery…

Looking forward to MotoGP’s visit to Silverstone MotoGP is back in the United Kingdom this weekend as Silverstone hosts the British Grand Prix. The event is taking place a couple of months earlier than usual in a bid to boost attendance, but it remains to be seen if the date change will make a difference. On the track, Marc Marquez leads the championship by 22 points and will be the favourite this weekend. However, he’s been missing from the top step of the GP podium for the past two rounds, so perhaps the other riders can extend his winless streak. Silverstone has always been unpredictable – there hasn’t been a repeat winner since Jorge Lorenzo’s back-to-back wins in 2012 and 2013. Will that run continue this year? Rewind to 2024…

Digs into the detail of the Czech World Superbike round What Nicolo Bulega and Toprak Razgatlioglu are doing in World Superbikes is nigh on unbelievable. At Most last weekend, the pair finished over 16 seconds ahead of their rivals while putting on one of the finest shows the championship has ever seen. Following two unstoppable victories, Toprak was sensationally denied a treble as his Italian rival pipped him to the post by just 0.027 seconds. It was motorcycle racing at its finest from two men at the top of their game. We take a look at the pair’s performances across the season so far and check out what’s gone right, and wrong… BULEGA Psychologically irrepresible Bulega’s career had hit rock bottom in recent years. His spell in GPs didn’t work…

ROUND 2 DONINGTON BSB CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 1 RAY 86 Pts 2 IRWIN 74 Pts 3 RYDE 66 Pts 16 Swann 15pts 17 Rogers 10pts 18 McConnell 7pts 19 Hickman 4pts 20 Hedger 1pts BSB POSITIONS RACE 1 16 Kerr +51.23 17 Sikkelerus +52.905 18 Baker +1’21.035 DNF Sykes 10 laps, Bridewell 4 laps, Todd 4 laps, Nesbitt 3 laps DNS Cook 0 laps, Hickman 0 laps, Stacey 0 laps BSB POSITIONS RACE 2 16 Hedger +21.78 17 Jackson +24.442 18 Todd +40.291 19 Kerr +44.362 20 Baker +50.633 DNF Sykes 10 laps, Davis 10 laps, Stacey 6 laps, Iddon 3 laps, Sikkelerus 1 lap, Nesbitt 1 lap BSB POSITIONS RACE 3 16 Hickman +35.397 17 Hedger +42.856 DNF Jackson 16 laps, McConnell 13 laps, Sikkelerus 12 laps, Stacey 10 laps, Kerr 9…

In just five days’ time the first bikes will be blasting off down Bray Hill to kick off TT 2025 – and it has all the makings of a classic. Michael Dunlop, the most successful rider in history, will be chasing his 30th win and he arrives at the top of his game fresh from his success at the North West 200. He’s also got top-spec machinery with a factory BMW Superbike and factory Ducati Supersport machine at his disposal, underling his clear intent to win big. His biggest competition is likely to come from the all-new 8Ten Racing team of Peter Hickman and Davey Todd and you can read about how they built their outfit on page 12. Also armed with factory-spec BMWs, it’s going to be tight at…

They may be more than 100bhp down on their Superbike siblings, but the crop of next-generation Supersport machines are arguably the sweetest package of power and handling you could ever wish for at the TT. Previously dominated by screaming inline four-cylinder 600cc machines from Japan, the class has been revitalised through an evolution of technical regulations. It means in addition to the stalwart offerings from Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki, manufacturers such as Triumph and Ducati are now gatecrashing the party. Rev limits Fuelling • Fuel injector system as homologated • Throttle bodies intake insulators may be modified • Bell mouth may be altered or replaced Chassis • Main frame and swingarm as homologated • Rear subframe can be changed or altered • Frame or subframe cannot be polished • Forks…

Some of the biggest changes ahead of this year’s Superstock TTs involve BMW. The German manufacturers have launched an evolution of their already dominant M1000RR which features different electronics and revised weight distribution. It also comes with so much aero that it wouldn’t look out of place in the MotoGP paddock. But the biggest single difference is that Michael Dunlop has swapped his Fireblade for a BMW to race in the Superstock, Superbike and Senior races. His Superbike has come from SMR Racing – the team that runs BMW’s factory World Superbike project with a certain Toprak. Eary signs for Dunlop are good, having taken a hat-trick of wins in the NW200 races. He of course isn’t the only rider onboard a top spec BMW, 8Ten Racing (page 10) will…

It was a class designed to kickstart the careers of TT riders with lower lap speeds and reduced costs. In reality the Supertwin class has become one of the most competitive with riders now lapping at well over 120mph while open technical regulations have made it a tech playground with spiralling prices (think Moto2 spec forks and brakes). But while it no longer fulfils its newcomer focused brief, it has developed into a brilliant class where not only do the majority of the best riders participate, it has led to technical innovation and a range of different manufacturers capable of running on podium pace. Rev limits Chassis • Frame as homologated, subframe can be replaced, removed or modified • Swingarm can be changed but only if it from the same…

Race 1 - 3 laps Michael Dunlop secured victory in the opening Supertwin race to notch up his 27th TT victory and move ahead of Joey Dunlop in the all-time winners list. It was a race he led from start to finish on his factory Paton, posting a 121.044mph lap from a standing start to lead by 10.2s at the end of lap one. As the race progressed, so did Dunlop’s lead. With no mechanical issues, he crossed the finish line at the end of lap three with a comfortable 20.4s advantage. Second place man was Peter Hickman on the PHR (Peter Hickman Racing) prepared Swan Yamaha R7. The R7 had clearly improved dramatically, but it was still a step behind the dominant Paton. Dominic Herbertson secured a podium thanks…

Co-promoter of the ACU British Mini Bikes Championship, Alan Lord has stepped down. Lord cited the emotional toll of the recent tragic events at the Oulton Park British Superbike round, at which two riders lost their lives in the Supersport class. He said: “I’ve wrestled with the weight of responsibility that comes with running events involving young riders… it’s time to step away.” TV star's charity tour for Headway A month-long charity ride across England and Wales began on May 19, stopping at 100 bike cafés and meets to raise funds for Headway and Brain Tumour Research. Riding in memory of his late friend Shaun, the challenge – called Shaun’s TT 100 (Trauma and Tumour) – is being led by Charles Dale, known for roles in Coronation Street and Casualty.…

MCN got the chance to sample the Speed Triple RX during an exclusive track launch at Portimao Circuit in Portugal, in bone dry conditions. Although the standard bike never wanted to wrestle its way out of your hands, the front end on this special edition feels planted and predictable at all times – making it an ideal companion for those road riders that like to dip their toe into circuit riding every so often. In fact, the biggest compliment we can pay is it feels incredibly easy to get on and ride and under braking and into bends, it holds your hand and encourages you to lean on the sticky Pirelli front.…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews STAR LETTER IN ASSOCIATION WITH Ten years on and still loving H2! I’ve owned my H2 from new and its 10th anniversary is now upon us. It was MCN articles that really excited me. Each week you’d tease us with more on the H2. I knew I had to have one, placed a deposit and was excited to take delivery from the legendary Chris Walker at the grand opening of his Kawasaki dealership in Grantham. The build quality is fantastic; I’ve used my H2 regularly and have clocked up over 20,000 wonderful problem-free miles. The bike is faultless. Lawrence Corr, email Continuing our partnership with Zerofit – King of Baselayers® – we are changing up the prize for the winner of the weekly star letter. The…

I'm still really chuffed about getting the Nemesis running for its first ride, and there was lot of preparation getting it to that point. So I've switched gears over these past few weeks and done a bit of tinkering on some of my other bikes. Firstly, I've fitted some new indicators to my 1969 Kawasaki H1 500 four, the one with the liquidcooled engine. Although it doesn't sound much, it was actually a quite interesting job. Basically, back in 1969 the indicators were an optional extra – and they were quite a lot of money so not many people bought them! As a result, Kawasaki only made them for two years meaning originals are rare. But I was able to get a set of replicas for my bike through Kawasaki…

Send your trips to yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Reader Brian Eccles The ride Southern Spain When to do it Any time of the year as the weather is dry and sunny most of the time, but winter is good to get away from the grey wet weather in the UK. Even in the cooler months, the temperatures are generally 18-20°C and sunny. Don’t miss this The coast road AL-5105 on ‘stilts’ from Mojacar down to Carboneras Tell us about the trip… My wife I and flew down to Garrucha in Almeria, south east Spain for a week in the sun. To ride down to this area of Spain is around 600 miles from Santander if using the ferry from Portsmouth, or 1300 miles riding through France from Calais. The roads and scenery both…

KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday May 21 BIKE MEETS ■ Chequered Flag Cafe, Darley Moor, Derbys 5pm-9pm darleymoorcentre.co.uk/chequered-flag-cafe/ ■ Huggys Speedshop, Mallory Park Leicestershire. From 10am www.huggysspeedshop.co.uk ■ Sycamore Cafe, Billing, Northamts 4pm-9pm ■ The Old Stores, Pontblyddyn, Flints 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 ■ Wheels Cafe, Sykehouse, South Yorks 5.30pm-8.30pm enquiries@oldgeorgeinnsykehouse.co.uk ■ Squires Cafe, Newthorpe, West Yorks www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ Seaways, Fridaythorpe, East Yorks 4pm-8pm nmike@seawayscafe.co.uk ■ Loomies, West Meon, Hants www.loomiescafe.co.uk ■ Pathfinder, Blackbushe, Surrey 10.30am-1pm RIDEOUTS ■ Burgess Hill & DMC, Burgess Hill, Sussex 7pm-7.30pm burgesshillmc.com SKILLS DAY ■ IAM RoadSmart, Thurxton www.iamroadsmart.com TRIALS ■ Leamington Victory, Harbury Water Tower, Leamington, Warks www.leamingtonvictory.org.uk ■ XHG Tiger MCC, Selby Trials Park, Dorset www.xhgtiger.org.uk Thursday May 22 BIKE MEETS ■ Vic…

JOIN THE MCN PIT STOP BREW CREW www.motorcyclenews.com/pit-stop 'Cornish adventure' JOSH HOOLE Had an epic blast round the sunny coast. Started from Truro then Marazion, Land’s End, Zennor, Hayle, Gwithian, Portreath, back to Truro then St Mawes. 'Rags to riches' SARAH CRUNKHORN The Ragged Apron café in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. It’s definitely worth a look with good prices and good food – and, of course, a picture of our bikes. 'Cause for causeways' MICK TURNER Had a ride down through the Scottish Borders, past Ford Castle and over the Causeway at Holy Island. It was a good run, but spent a fair bit of time dodging camper vans! 'Quiet tarmac' RAPHAEL DAVIS 170 miles chalked off around Buckinghamshire, Cirencester, Cheltenham and Oxford while the roads were empty. Stopped in at…

'Like tech? You'll love it' The Tracer 9 GT+ is Yamaha’s flagship, and it both looks and feels every bit a quality machine. If tech is your thing, then you’ll have a ball, especially as the Y-AMT works so effectively, along with having the additional goodies in the radar and adaptive cruise department. The experience is still charming with an engine and chassis that offer enough excitement and thrills when the road gets twisty, but the comfort has been improved too, for the most part. But, if you’re not too fussed about the tech then the middle of the range Tracer 9 GT (with no +) offers the same riding experience with a simplified electronics package, for less cash. THE FACTS £17,004 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+…

'How a bike should look' Age 60 Current bike 1969 Triumph T120 Bonneville Location Cambridgeshire My father is a Bonnie owner: he imported a 1969 model for a quick flip… ten years ago. It’s become a garage favourite… “I love the character and easy going feel, and it’s surprising how good it handles in spite of the fairly poor period-look tyres I have on my 1969 model. It’s a great bumbling-down-the-lanes bike – and it’s the best sounding bike I own. “And it’s so beautiful – it’s the purest form of motorbike, it’s how I imagine a motorcycle should look in my head from when I was kid. I grew up on the 1970s, and they were still around, even into the 1980s. The guys riding them used to love winding…

'No other bike has the same cachet' The Bonneville is one of the first truly formative and influential motorcycles, at least in motorcycling as we know it now. Most pre-war (and immediate post-war) bikes are so rudimentary, or technical dead-ends, that they no longer have a clear connection or lasting resonance with motorcycling today. The Bonneville marks a point where engine and chassis tech started heading in the right direction, and it’s arguably one of the first ‘complete’ bikes, ticking every box – particularly after 1961. It hit the mark in such a convincing way that it was the yardstick for the next decade, and still impresses today – it’ll still boogie once you’re into the groove with it. The proof is the success of Triumph’s current modern classics range,…

MCN’s website has expert opinion and buying advice on hundreds of used bikes, regularly updated and packed with insight. Here are three of the latest – visit motorcyclenews.com for dozens more. 1999-2000 Yamaha YZF-R7 Owners’ rating One lucky owner has left a review of the achingly beautiful YZF-R7. Slightly underwhelmed by its performance he has derestricted it, which makes all the difference. Lucky man. 2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 Owners’ rating The last generation of R6 before it went all aggressive is our favourite but some owners who have left reviews report a snappy throttle response and overall lack of comfort. 2025 Yamaha R9 Owners’ rating MCN’s Chief Road Tester, Michael Neeves, scored it 5/5 when he rode the bike at its worldwide launch. The future for the R-Series looks to be…

When a Honda CBF125 rolled into Doncaster Motorcycles for an MoT, it looked a little worse for wear – and not just because of its many low-speed tip-overs. “There’d been several theft attempts on it,” said mechanic Kevin Hollingsworth. “The bike looked pretty battered, it’s been knocked about despite only having 5000 miles on it.” “There are broken panels, bent handlebars, the list goes on,” Hollingsworth added. But it was a problem with the front wheel that stopped the little commuter in its tracks. “Something caught my eye,” Hollingsworth said. “I had a closer look and saw that when someone had tried to steal it last, they’d cut through one of the spokes.” The rider had no idea. “He knew the bike was a bit untidy, but he genuinely thought…

Digging deeper behind the World Superbike headlines Things are looking up for the Lowes family. Firstly came 2024 in which the twins from Lincoln raced together in a World Championship for the first time. Fast-forward to 2025 and Sam sits sixth in the standings thanks to no fewer than ten top-six finishes so far this season. As an overall weekend performance, the Czech Republic was the best so far for the 2013 Supersport World Champion and the Marc VDS Team, with sixth on Saturday and a couple of fourths on Sunday, not to mention scraps with Bautista and Petrucci. Alex’s weekend saw seventh in the Superpole Race while Race 2 was blighted by a first-corner collision that wasn’t his fault. However, in Race 1 he achieved the best Bimota result…

'An even bigger job for Toprak' Toprak had a big job last year -turning the long-time never-quite-there BMW into a championship-winning machine. He has an even bigger one this year: preventing the latest hot-shot on a Bologna bullet from turning premier world championship racing back into two all-red one-make series. He made a good fist of it at Most, winning as if by right. Until the final yards of Race 2 where a jubilant Bulega nipped past by the width of a cigarette paper (or, for younger readers, a few particles of watermelon vape smoke). What caused the blip for the erstwhile Master of Most? Was it the latest fuel-flow restriction, applied to BMW before the race? Good question. Though to be fair Ducati were also hit with the same…

Reporting direct from round two of BSB 2025 TOP STORY A little over seven years ago a young kid from Lydd burst onto the scene with a sensational Bennetts British Superbike Championship double at Donington Park. The rider in question was Bradley Ray, who at the age of 20 managed to beat the likes of Shane Byrne, Leon Haslam, Josh Brookes and Jake Dixon on his Buildbase Suzuki. Fast-forward to 2025 and Ray has once again dominated around the iconic circuit with an unstoppable treble on the Raceways Racing Yamaha R1. Whilst 2018 announced him as a future star, 2025 cemented his status as the one to beat in BSB following his return from the World Championship. Ray is now 12 points clear at the top of the standings having…

Free Practice & Qualifying 1 Monday, May 26 (UK Bank Holiday) 08:45 Mountain road closed 10:00 All roads closed 10:40 Speed Controlled Lap Free Practice 10:55 Supersport, Supertwin 11:35 Superbike, Superstock 12:20 Sidecar Qualifying 1 13:45 Supersport, Supertwin 14:30 Superbike, Superstock 15:20 Sidecar 21:30 Roads re-open no later than 21.30 Qualifying 2 Tuesday, May 27 16:45 Mountain road closed 18:00 All roads closed 18:30 Superbike, Superstock 19:20 Supersport, Supertwin 20:10 Sidecar 21:30 Roads re-open no later than 21.30 Qualifying 3 Wednesday, May 28 16:45 Mountain road closed 18:00 All roads closed 18:30 Superbike, Superstock, Supersport 20:10 Sidecar 21:30 Roads re-open no later than 21.30 Qualifying 4 Thursday, May 29 16:45 Mountain road closed 18:00 All roads closed 18:30 Superbike, Superstock 19:20 Supersport, Supertwin 20:10 Sidecar 21:30 Roads re-open no later than 21.30 Qualifying 5 Friday, May 30 11:15 Mountain road closed 12:30 All roads closed 13:00 Sidecar 13:45 Supersport, Supertwin 14:45 Superbike, Superstock 16:30 Roads re-open no later…

Joey Dunlop 26 TT wins Only Michael Dunlop has won more TT races than his uncle, Joey. But comparisons on numbers alone don’t always tell the whole story. Joey competed during a time when the TT still enjoyed world championship status in the Formula One series, winning five titles. His alliance with the factory Honda team would prove key to his long run of success and he also competed on a wider range of machinery, including two-strokes, notching up 125 and 250cc wins on bikes that were more temperamental than modern machinery. Joey's 26 TT wins over 24 years compares unfavourably with Michael's 29 victories in just 15 years – although there were fewer races run per year during the older man's era – but Michael's record at the NW200…

The two Supersport races offer an intriguing mix of man and machine with plenty of changes to the ultra-competitive class. After his North West 200 success, Michael Dunlop looks fast, happy and in a brilliant place to continue his Supersport dominance having switched to the Ducati. He first tested the World Supersport-spec Panigale V2 thanks to the factory Ducati team in January during WSBK testing in Jerez. Since then he’s had plenty of track time with wins at Cookstown and the NW200. Last year Dunlop started the TT on the Triumph but quickly switched back to his favourite Yamaha R6 – and while the same R6 will likely still be in the back of the truck, he’s clearly bonded with the super-fast Ducati. Davey Todd returns to the Milenco by…

While Michael Dunlop and Davey Todd stole the headlines at TT 2024, Josh Brookes went about his business with discipline and methodology. It resulted in a stunning second place in the blue riband Senior TT and membership of a very exclusive club… the 134mph club. Posting a 134.056mph best on lap two of the Senior, he became only the fifth rider in history to lap the 37.73-mile circuit at more than 134mph. And it’s an achievement that clearly means a lot to the now 42-year-old Aussie. “I’m actually more proud of doing the 134mph lap than I am of the Senior podium, because I feel I was gifted that second place,” he says. “The podium was just a by-product because first you have to do a 134, 135 or 136mph…

Race 1 Davey Todd ended Michael Dunlop, Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison’s stranglehold on big bike race wins to secure his maiden TT victory in the opening Superstock race onboard the TAS Racing-run Milwaukee BMW. The same bike he used to secure his second British Superstock title. Leading from the start, Todd was pushed relentlessly by Hickman with the two men showing their incredible strengths through different sectors of the 37.73-mile circuit. With Todd having increased his lead thanks to a better pitstop, Hickman closed the gap to half a second with half a lap to go and the smart money would have been on the 14-time TT winner overhauling his new rival in the final part of the lap where he had historically been so strong. But Todd did…

For Ian Hutchinson, making his first visit to the NW200 rostrum since 2017 following his third place in the Thursday evening Superstock race behind race winner Michael Dunlop and runner-up, Dean Harrison, was a morale boosting result. “It’s my first podium here since 2017 and I’ve had a nightmare since then but I never stopped believing in myself and just kept going,” the 43-year-old said. “I’ve been believing ever since 2017 with my crash that I could come back. Obviously, two years after that was bad with the frame on my leg, then Covid, and then I had a stroke. It’s been a nightmare, really, eight years of being nowhere near the pace but I’ve kept believing in myself and carried on going, training hard and everything. Michael Laverty gave…

It will be a case of picking up where we left off with Michael Dunlop continuing to race the dominant factory Paton which he rode to victory twice in 2024. Peter Hickman, meanwhile, will be going all out to close the gap to his main TT rival onboard the stunning Swan Yamaha R7 which he has built and developed himself. He first ran the Yamaha in 2023 and it underwent some serious development for 2024 so expect yet more evolution for 2025 for one of the prettiest bikes in the paddock. There will be two more high profile Yamaha R7 riders this year, with TT veteran Michael Rutter onboard the Batham AJN Racing machine along with Adam McLean onboard the Flitwick Racing Yamaha. It will be Rutters’ only entry in…

It’s almost hard to believe that Conor Cummins is just one year shy from having completed two decades of racing around the Mountain Course. The Manxman’s now almost a veteran with more than 70 TT starts to his name but despite the whole island willing their local hero on, he’s still missing that elusive win. Twelve podiums speak for themselves, eight of those coming in the Superbike and Senior races, but the last two years haven’t gone to plan. Illness ruined TT 2023 and limited him to just three races and last year saw him split with the Padgett’s team mid-week, the long relationship ending in disharmony which few could have predicted. Like 2023, only three races were contested once more and to put that into perspective, he’s only done…