Table of contents for 11 June 2025 in MCN

‘A long time coming but I am a five-time winner’ DEAN HARRISON WINS BIG, P70 SPORT Dean’s double joy A picture paints a thousand words, so this joy-filled image of Dean Harrison rolling into the winner’s enclosure after giving Honda their first victory on the Island in ten years needs no explaining. Weather tainted almost every session of this year’s TT races, so Dean’s triumph in Superstock Race 1 came after a fast-and-furious two-lap skirmish. Yet the Bradford-born man backed it up with another dominant display last Friday, this time over three laps, to seal the Superstock double on the Honda CBR1000RR-R SP and become a five-time TT winner in the process. Catch up with our TT coverage in the sport section. PAGE 70 THE BIG TEST On the road…

CCM have been placed into administration, sparking uncertainty for the future of the Bolton brand which was first established in 1971. “Sad news for British motorcycling – CCM Motorcycles has been placed into administration by Pitalia Group,” a statement on the company’s Facebook page confirmed on the evening of June 2. Pitalia Capital are CCM’s parent company, who came on board in late 2021 with additional investment and ambitious plans to help the brand expand, as well as pass stringent homologation tests in order to sell their machines into Europe and beyond. “A legendary name in UK bike manufacturing, known for their handcrafted machines and bold innovation, now facing uncertain times,” the social post continued. “Thoughts go out to the workers, engineers, and fans of the brand. Let’s hope this…

SAVE £4951 £6998 Kawasaki Ninja 7 Hybrid Ideally suited for commuters in low-emission zones, Kawasaki’s Ninja 7 Hybrid blends petrol and electric power to offer performance akin to a 650, despite having just 451cc to play with, while also delivering an impressive fuel economy of up to 76mpg. At just under seven grand, this one is practically half-price, too. www.billsmithmotors.co.uk £9000 Triumph Street Triple 765R SAVE £1095 More refined, intuitive and sharper handling than ever before, Triumph’s latest Street Triple R is near impeccable for real-world riding. www.carlrosner.co.uk • Engine 765cc • Power 118bhp • Weight 189kg • Seat height 826mm £8895 Triumph T100 Bonneville SAVE £1050 Triumph’s Bonneville combines lashings of retro charm with just enough modern sophistication – perfect for relaxed rumblings through the countryside. www.premierbikes.com • Engine…

Multiple sets of leathers and a helmet worn by four-time World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty are up for grabs in an online Bonhams auction. Offered as part of the Dale Winfield Collection, the memorabilia is on sale without reserve and includes a one-piece suit by Manx Leathers, and an Arai helmet – both worn by Fogarty on the way to his 1988 Formula One world title. The Lancashire rider had to overcome a points deficit to five-time world champion and 26-time TT winner, Joey Dunlop in order to clinch the crown - with both the leathers and helmet obtained directly from Foggy by the late collector. A second set of his leathers, from the very early stages of his career, are also available without reserve. On top of these items,…

SW Motech LT3 tankbag £129.99 Luggage experts SW Motech’s Legend Gear line features products suited to modern retro and classic machines, such as this LT3 tankbag. Constructed from Eco-Tech polyester, it has a cotton-like finish for vintage looks with modern performance and can be expanded from 3 to 5 litres as required. Attaches with a model-specific tank ring. sw-motech.co.uk Ducati rear wheel socket £48.99 Manufactured from highly durable chrome moly, this 36mm precision impact socket is intended for Ducati models with a twin-sided swingarm, such as the Monster 821, Multistrada 950/1200 and Panigale 899/959. It has a ½in drive compatible with most impact guns and a 12-point bi-hex pattern. lasertools.co.uk Weise Sprint short-cuff glove £129.99 These sporty shorty gloves are perfect for summer riding, thanks to perforations in the fingertips…

WORTH OVER £9000 THE FACTS Our insurance partners at MCN Compare have ramped up their competition to win a Suzuki GSX-8R sportsbike, with a Furygan jacket and trousers added to the prize pot. Now, not only will the winner go home with a brand-new motorcycle worth £8999, but they will also receive a Furygan Speed Mesh Evo 3 leather jacket, and D12 X Kevlar straight-cut riding jeans – both offering AA-rated protection. To enter the competition, all you need to do is get a bike insurance quote with MCN Compare and tick the competition entry box when you do so. Entries will be taken until 11.59pm on Tuesday, July 15. As a prize, the Suzuki is hard to beat. The GSX-8R is a firm favourite at MCN and romped off…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com THE WORLD’S WARMEST BASELAYER ® www.zerofit.co.uk My first bike was this Honda SS50 5-Speed in 1981. I still have an identical one today. Richard Maynard My Yamaha GT80. That’s my late father riding, with me on the tank in 1979. Colin White Me at 17 on my Honda MTX125 complete with L-plates. Aaron Gordon My hand me down from my big brother. We still have it, that same brother is trying to bring it back to life. Timothy Ellis Aged 12, with baby sister Linda and younger brother Dennis on the back. Learned in my parents’ backyard. Alan Masters Aged 17 having just purchased my first motorbike, a Suzuki RV125 VanVan. This would've been 2013. Joseph Fallon An off road bike before I…

THE DETAILS • A47, Rutland LE15 8QH • 7.30am-3pm every day • Find out more / www.facebook.com/twoflagscafe Ever heard of the Rutland TT? It’s a collection of amazing roads bang in the middle of the country, and alongside a great day out, it also circles around an ever-popular roadside café on the A47 – Two Flags. This isn’t your ordinary layby-based greasy spoon. Leigh Jarvis used to have a career as a head chef but gave it up to work for his dad’s recovery firm. It was during this time that he started noticing roadside cafés… and realised he could improve on things. That’s exactly what he’s done with the popular A47 stop and he’s loving it just as much as the two-wheeled clientele who can be found dropping in…

JOIN THE MCN PIT STOP BREW CREW www.motorcyclenews.com/pit-stop ‘Gone riding’ LYNN BEE This is me (the blonde) with the Honda Rebel ladies on our trip round Cornwall and Devon this April. Stopped at Project 83 in Newquay for lunch, a warm up and to dry off! ‘Seaside sunshine’ LEONARD MAJOR My dad and I went for a ride to Revved Up Tea Bar at Walton-on-the-Naze down in Essex for their mods ‘n’ rockers day. It was great! ‘Reuse, recycle, repot’ REBECCA JOHNSON What do you do with your old helmets? This is my first ripe strawberry of 2025, here in Zummerzet. ‘Moor please’ DAVID GIBBS It was blustery and cold on the Moors with a couple of bursts of rain but otherwise lovely. 227 miles of pure joy around Durham,…

THE FACTS ‘They don’t get any finer than the 1098R’ Ducati have a long history of ‘massaging’ the World Superbike rulebook to allow them to gain a technical advantage through their use of limited-edition homologation specials. Every SP, SPS or R version features evolutions to its design that aren’t on the ‘standard’ road bike but benefit the racers. Some are ‘just’ subtle frame tweaks but often major engine modifications are included, such as the introduction of the Testastretta head which appeared on the 996R in 2001 to see off the challenge of the Honda SP-1 in WSBK, before the 998 road bikes received it in 2002. Rules evolve and with the introduction of 1000cc inline fours and 1200cc V-twins for the 2008 season the series organisers tightened the regulations surrounding…

After a life of racing speedway and grasstrack, Phil Ranson decided he would revisit his teenage dream (and his love of the era of sports mopeds) once he became semi-retired. Although his 51-bike garage is crammed with the likes of Fizzies and Fantics, the only one he knew he had to take on a trans-European adventure was his trusty Honda SS50. Despite the bike being 49-years-old, Phil had his sights set on the warm streets of Istanbul, and with no ability to take motorways, he was going to plod through as many countries as he could on way there. “I’d read a book by Nathan Millward [who travels the world on small bikes] and thought I needed to do something like that,” Phil reflects. “So, I built a bike up…

@motorcyclenews A big fan of long days in the saddle. Enjoys touring as much as getting down and dirty. Time for the second annual MCN ‘run what you brung’: where those of us who can descend on a local airfield (and regular speed testing/photoshoot location) with an open runway to spend the afternoon riding fast in straight lines. The bikes are a mix of long-term test fleet, test bikes we might have laying around, and maybe something interesting from someone’s garage. For 2024’s inaugural running I arrived on a borrowed BMW S1000RR - the most powerful bike at the meet and the one everyone wanted a go on. This year I rocked up on the Enfield Bear. A 47bhp retro scrambler on semi-knobbly tyres may not be the obvious choice…

Although it might seem tempting to just rush into the job, the best way to approach it is to take your time and make sure that everything is as tidy as possible. In fact, the key (and a handy cheat code) to removing a stubborn stud is to apply heat, which will make your life considerably easier and will actually make the process a whole lot safer, too. As a rule, I will only use a heat gun, and this method almost always gets the job done. An important point to remember when using a heat gun is that there is no naked flame, which significantly reduces the risk of combustion, either to the component itself or to anything on the workbench. It’s basically a win-win on all fronts, and…

Bringing you closer to the World Superbike paddock 1 All to play for When the last flag drops in Misano we’ll be halfway through the 2025 WSBK season, meaning a max 372 points will have been handed out with another 372 left on the table between the British round at Donington Park in mid-July and the curtain-closer at Jerez in October. It’s a two-horse race between Toprak Razgatlioglu and Nicolo Bulega, far and away the class of the field. The battle for third is also intense with Alvaro Bautista leading the in-form Danilo Petrucci by just five points. 2 Ducatisti out in force They’re noisy, unrestrained, super passionate and downright chaotic at times. It is, of course, the Ducatisti: those (mostly Italian) fans who live and breathe Ducati. Misano is the closest…

MOTOGP CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 1 MARQUEZ M 233 Pts 2 MARQUEZ A 201 Pts 3 BAGNAIA 140 Pts 16 Miller 31pts 17 Rins 31pts 18 Mir 27pts 19 Fernandez R 25pts 20 Nakagami 10pts 21 Savadori 8pts 22 Fernandez A 6pts 23 Oliveira 3pts FINAL POSITIONS MOTOGP 11 Rins +19.646 12 Bastianini +24.624 13 Fernandez A +25.986 14 Miller +26.761 15 Oliveira +27.122 16 Chantra +37.117 17 Savadori +43.588 18 Vinales +1’26.319 DNF Quartararo 12 laps, Binder 11 laps, Zarco 8 laps FINAL POSITIONS SP RACE 11 Quartararo +13.331 12 Bagnaia +14.017 13 Miller +16.494 14 Rins +17.202 15 Oliveira +18.287 16 Zarco +19.284 17 Bastianini +19.841 18 Savadori +23.763 19 Chantra +31.069 DNF Fernandez A 8 laps, Mir 2 laps FINAL POSITIONS MOTO2 11 Guevara +14.601 12 Arenas +15.442 13 Dixon +15.601…

Bingley’s Ian Hutchinson proved his unquestionable ability and insatiable love of the TT yet again this year. Having been forced to miss TT 2024 following a minor stroke while training at the start of 2024, Hutchy looked invigorated on the Michael Laverty Moobob BMW. He secured fifth in the opening Superstock race and was in podium contention in race two before a mechanical issue struck. Cummins fast in TT comeback After withdrawing midway through TT 2024, Conor Cummins re-established himself as a true contender after teaming up with the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing team to race a BMW M1000RR in Superbike and Superstock, and a Ducati Panigale in Supersport. Fast and consistent, his best results came in the Superstock where he secured sixth and fifth places in the two races. Josh…

MICHAEL DUNLOP STATS Prize money tally Total prize money earnt at TT 2025 1st Michael Dunlop (seven races) £52,500 2nd Davey Todd (seven races) £42,675 3rd Dean Harrison (five races) £37,725 Michael Dunlop’s assault on the leaderboard continued with the 36-year-old securing wins number 30, 31, 32 and 33. He now has 10 more than John McGuinness’s 23 with Ian Hutchinson on 16 and Peter Hickman holding 14. All of Dunlop’s latest victories came in the smaller classes with dominant performances in both Supersport and Supertwin races. Onboard the factory Milwaukee Ducati Panigale, Dunlop began a new chapter in his Supersport career, having previously been a serial winer on his R6. Dunlop didn’t need to break his previous Supersport lap record to win thanks to the speed of his Ducati and his…

Well that’s another TT done and I’m happy with a seventh and eighth palace and three Silver ladies. After the weather we’ve had, to get nine out of the ten races away is pretty good. I think the decision from the riders not to run the Senior was pretty unanimous; a couple of riders wanted to go, but others had already packed up. We were all concerned and by then it was 7.30-8pm and I’m not sure you should be flying around at 200mph at that time of night. Everyone will have their own opinion, but not everyone has sat on one of these bikes and done that speed. I certainly didn’t enjoy the inspection lap. Although it was bone dry, God didn’t get the wind memo! But I’ve ridden…

After getting all those tedious Saturday jobs out of the way, I flung myself down on the sofa at quarter to seven on Saturday evening to watch the Senior TT live on TT+. Then came the announcement – race cancelled due to high winds – and just like that, TT 2025 was over. I felt deflated just being sat on my sofa, having looked forward to it all day, I can’t imagine how the riders must’ve felt. Obviously, with strong side winds on the island, the right call was made, but it really made me think about what a specialist sport TT racing is. What other event do you wake up knowing that you’ve got to ride a 200mph motorcycle around a 37.73-mile long closed public road, but not know…

A bike not yet seen in the UK is the SuperCruiser, which shares the same engine in a trellis chassis. Buell’s Steve Sharkey says the demand is high, and that it will come to Britain. “The numbers on the SuperCruiser are wild, and when it comes to reservations and then reservation converted to pre-order deposits, we'll probably do 10 to 20 times the production that we've done this year,” he said. “We're going to start seeing deliveries for production domestically in the fall of this year. We have a good amount of SuperCruiser pre-orders and production deposits that need to be fulfilled, before we start looking at what getting that machine out of the country looks like.”…

RST will use D3O armour across their range in 2026 – following a year of development in race suits both on short circuits, and on the roads. “At RST, we’re proud to collaborate with the industry’s leading innovators in rider protection,” said company Vice President Stuart Millington. “D3O is at the forefront of impact protection, making a partnership with such a pioneering brand a natural progression in RST’s evolution.” D3O armour is distinguished from the competition by its bright orange colour. It’s made from what’s called a non-Newtonian material – meaning it remains soft and supple when you’re riding, before changing to a hard consistency under a heavy impact. This makes it ideal for armour, but it’s also used in motorcycle grips, shoe insoles, protective phone cases, and even sees…

‘The impact cannot be overstated’ It’s finally happening… Isle of Man TT organisers have confirmed that the four-part docuseries and full-length feature film have been picked up by Amazon MGM Studios – with Hollywood actor/producer Channing Tatum set to play a starring role. “The impact this is going to make on the TT cannot be overstated,” said Head of Motorsport for the Isle of Man’s Department for Enterprise, Paul Phillips. “We’re putting the event on a truly global stage and entering the next phase of our Digital Broadcast Strategy. It’s testament to the sport and the unique nature of the TT that we’re working alongside these world-class partners.” The docuseries, which is set to be shown on Amazon’s streaming platform around the world, will comprise four 45-minute episodes and has…

• Hickman smashes records • McGuinness returns after injury • Prince William drops by The June 13, 2018, issue was a corker – full of insight from a record-breaking year at the Isle of Man TT races. For Peter Hickman it was particularly special, with the Lincolnshire-based rider taking his maiden win in the Superstock class, before smashing the outright lap record in the Senior TT. Crossing the line two seconds in front of Dean Harrison, Hickman took his BMW S1000RR to a new course record 135.452mph. McGuinness back with a parade lap John McGuinness made his return to the Isle of Man TT course for a parade lap following a serious crash at the North West 200 in 2017. Despite spending much of the lap waving, he still managed…

‘What price influence?’ Two weeks ago, I reported on a business claiming to operate out of Ontario, Canada, whose garments appeared to lack CE certification. The UK importer acted responsibly and withdrew the range from sale. Several riders have contacted me since, after seeing the same company’s ads on social media, raising concerns about the legality of its products. One pointed me to an Instagram video by an influencer who’d been sent gear to review. “I just wanna be the safest guy on the road,” he said, while mocking conventional gear as outdated, in favour of an untested, fashion-forward ‘leisure look’. They ended with a 10% discount link. I left a comment about the UK importer’s actions and why they were necessary. This isn’t the first time ‘content’ has been…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews ‘I can still hear Evel’s Harley XR’ I was at Wembley 50 years ago having ridden from Oxford with a friend on the back of my Norton – it stuck in top gear on the A40 and I had to slip the clutch the rest of the way. I can still hear the sound of Evel’s XR Harley overrevving on that final run down the ramp. The bike landed on top of Knievel, it was still running and staff ran across, grabbed the throttle when trying to free him, the wheel span and made a mark across his leathers. What a day! Made this tribute bike 10 years ago – and I’ve still got my ticket. Neil Rivers, email With the summer very much upon us, Zerofit…

I’m just back from the rock and I have to say I’ve really enjoyed this year’s TT. In terms of the production of the show on TT+ I think it worked better than previous years with the way they had it organised. I’ve been doing this a long time and I think you critique yourself more than anyone else does, but when I’ve looked back at the coverage I think we did alright. We had some good banter and we got quite a lot of info across. I’ve got a few highlights and one of them is that the organisers did an unbelievable job – and I’m not just saying that. I think every single call they made was right. The only one people queried was why they didn’t get…

Hungry Hogs Just up the road from Two Flags and under new management, it’s another perfect stop on the Rutland TT route. Lay-by bottom of Wardley Hill, A47, Oakham LE15 9AB www.facebook.com/hungryhogsathillside Fuel Stop Café Reopened with new owners recently, it’s a great stop on a busy through route along the coast. A27 West Bound, Chichester PO20 1QH www.fuelstopcafe.co.uk Ma Bakers A biking staple for many years surrounded by lush riding routes. A good spot for breakfast in particular. 35 The Firs, Prees Heath, Whitchurch SY13 3JT www.facebook.com/preesheath…

‘Sporty but so comfy’ Performance is more urgent and handling is crisper, but it’s lost none of its composure. In fact, it’s improved thanks to its quieter screen and a riding position that manages to be sporty without sacrificing comfort. A host of new goodies from its pillion heating system and improved adaptive lights to its semi-active suspension adds an extra gloss of luxury, although they’re extras on top of an already expensive base price. THE FACTS £24,825* BMW R1300RT LE ASA…

‘Yamaha has off-road pedigree’ MCN’s Sports Editor, Michael Guy is hugely experienced in the dirt, riding trails in his youth and loves adventure bikes. He’s taken part in rally raid competitions, owns a very trick KTM 690 Enduro R and recently tested Triumph’s new TF 250-E and 450-E enduros at their world launch. Of all the bikes here, he’d choose the Yamaha for genuine off-road adventures, as he explains: “The Ténéré 700 has great balance, engine character and genuine off-road pedigree. It still carries its weight a bit high, especially with a full tank of fuel, but it masks its 208kg kerb well. It’s stable at speed and agile when things get technical, making it an easy-going and confidence-inspiring place to be. “One of its key strengths lies in the…

The 1098R was a response to the introduction of 1000cc inline fours in WSBK, which ironically only came about after the 999R’s total dominance of the 2003 season. After the GSX-R1000 K5 took the 2005 title, the 999R won it back in 2006 only to lose it again in 2007 to the Fireblade. In 2008 the 1098R defeated the inline fours to win in its debut season but 2009 saw Ben Spies and the YZF-R1 walk away victorious, the Texan beating Nori Haga on the 1098R. However the major threat to the 1098R was the bike in fourth, the Aprilia RSV4 ridden by Max Biaggi. Aprilia took the 2010 title but although Carlos Checa won in 2011 on the 1098R, the RSV4 and Kawasaki ZX-10R were now the dominant force.…

RATINGS Exceptional Very good Good Average Poor 4 months ON TEST Rev’it! Neptune 3 GTX jacket £599.99 ‘Canny choice for commuting’ Tested by Justin Hayzelden for 3800 miles Rev’it! have a great reputation for all-weather touring gear, and so far the Neptune 3 GTX has proven to be no exception. The two-layer Gore-Tex laminate outer shell sheds water effectively and even when it eventually wets-out I’ve yet to have it leak anywhere, even when riding through sustained downpours. It’s also been properly spattered with caustic road salt through winter (the joys of riding a naked) and came up looking none the worse for it. The light grey panels can get a bit grubby, but wipe clean easy enough, and there’s been no staining from the usual peppering of bug innards.…

BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician Get that stud out Fastener stuck or, worse still, sheared off? Don’t fret, help is here 1 Sort a stud puller When working on an engine there are often times when you'll need to remove studs, which can prove extremely stubborn – especially on older bikes. The studs will vary in size and often have limited access, too. When it comes to removing a stud you'll need the correct tool, such as this stud extractor with 6, 8, 10 and 12mm sizes. It costs just under £25. BRUCE’S TIPS Do not use an impact wrench on a stud extractor – it will break! 2 Apply the pressure Using the correct extractor and a spanner, apply even pressure to ease the stud out. If it refuses to budge,…

John McPhee put in a glittering performance when he was drafted into the Spa 8-Hour Endurance World Championship (EWC) race. Further adding to the intrigue, his MasterMac Honda BSB teammate joined him as Charlie Nesbitt subbed for the injured Randy Krummenacher who suffered a 100mph highside in practice. It was a superb outing for McPhee in particular, even running at the front in the early stages despite having never experienced the 4.2 miles of world-famous Spa-Francorchamps. The Scot – also partnering France’s Hugo Clare – was riding in place of Martin Renaudin, injured after striking a concrete wall at Nogaro. Onboard the Tati team AVA6 racing Honda CBR1000RR-R, McPhee’s team finished a credible seventh. ‘He was running up front in the early stages’ The race was won by F.C.C. TSR…

TOP STORY At the heart of the GP paddock for more than 35 years Marc Marquez needed to be perfect at Aragon – the fine sweeping track where he returned to victory last year, after three painful years away. Mistakes this year – crashing out of leading positions at CoTA, Jerez and Silverstone – had undermined his superior speed, and briefly handed the points lead to his younger brother Alex. Surprisingly, given his hot form, Aragon was only his fourth Sunday win in eight races. Being the fastest man on two wheels wasn’t necessarily good enough. “I knew coming here if I want to win this title I must not lose any more stupid points,” he said, promising himself full focus. Then spent the weekend proving it, heading every practice…

This year was a big one for new, emerging talent. In terms of lap time the standout performance was New Zealand Superbike champion Mitch Rees. Riding under the wing of the Milenco by Padgett’s team in Superstock and Superbike, Rees became the fifth fastest newcomer of all time after posting a 126.440mph lap in the second Superstock race where he finished 19th. Having been called a ‘mad bastard’ by John McGuinness on the opening night of practice where he set a 123.050mph lap, Rees would have undoubtedly gone faster had the Senior taken place. ‘He’d have gone even faster in the Senior’ Barry Burrell was the other solos newcomer and while Rees clearly has aspirations of becoming a TT contender, Burrell treated his debut as ‘the ultimate trackday’. But there…

Bringing you closer to the action from the 2025 TT TOP STORY Dean Harrison ended six years of TT hurt by securing not one but two convincing Superstock victories onboard the Honda Racing Fireblade. In what were two of the most popular wins of TT 2025, the fast-starting Harrison dominated both races, shocking his BMW rivals with his immediate and relentless pace. He also set the fastest lap of TT 2025 with a 135.692mph best in race one. The Superstock class has historically been a safe haven for BMW, and with 2024 winner and reigning British champion Davey Todd along with Michael Dunlop on a 2025-spec M1000RR, the German manufacturer expected that winning trend to continue. Harrison isn’t a rider that over-thinks the form guides, but it turns out he…

Trackday riders can nab a cheeky £40 discount courtesy of MSV-T on upcoming bike trackdays around the Snetterton 300 on June 25 and 26. The reduction knocks the price for the full-day session down to just £95. Alternatively, if time is limited, an evening session is available for £59 on the Wednesday. Bookings must be made by phone on 0344 225 4424 in order to qualify for the saving. Goldie-looking Burgmans Suzuki’s long-running Burgman 400 maxi-scooter has received three new colour schemes for 2025, including a pearl matt shadow green with gold wheels. Also joining the range is an all-black version, again with gold rims, plus a metallic reflective blue finish. The £7199 Burgman 400 has a frugal single-cylinder motor returning a claimed 70mpg-plus and offering a practical 42 litres…

After more than a decade of standout events at London’s ExCeL, and many years at Alexandra Palace, the tough decision has been taken to close the MCN London Show. In addition to being a spectacular season-starter – the show will be remembered for its innovation. Highlights included unique celebrations of Mike Hailwood, Joey Dunlop, and Carl Fogarty – and, perhaps most memorably, ten of Valentino Rossi’s race bikes displayed together. ‘Highlights included ten of Rossi’s bikes’ Over the years, it welcomed an incredible roster of special guests, including dedicated stages led by TV personalities Charley Boorman and Henry Cole, plus a stellar cast of racers, including Jorge Martin, Pedro Acosta, Jake Dixon, John McGuinness, Peter Hickman, Jamie Whitham, Neil Hodgson, Michael Dunlop, Freddie Spencer, Wayne Gardner, Carl Fogarty and Chris…

D3O are also turning their attention to reducing rider fatigue using cutting-edge vibration-damping materials. Using a specific ‘AeroMax’ compound, the London firm have leveraged lessons learned in both Formula One and Nascar to release motorcycle-oriented insoles that reportedly mitigate vibrational forces transmitted through the peg to the rider’s foot – sharpening focus and reducing fatigue, whether you’re racing or smashing out big miles. Following an earlier release of vibe-cancelling mountain bike grips, a similar product for motorcyclists will be available to purchase soon, with similar benefits to their insole range expected.…

‘I’m constantly tempted by a CP2’ It’s been a busy year for Yamaha – thanks to Euro5+, they’ve been required to rejuvenate their whole CP2 range with a ride-by-wire throttle. Whenever there are such sweeping changes, you can guarantee there will be bargains. When I checked, the online sales sites were telling me there were more than 50 MT-07s that were down as model year 2024, which means the old motor. Prices started at £6500, which is a saving of £1500 on the new 2025 bike and £700 off the 2024 price. This got me thinking… I adore the MT-07 and although I’ve not had a chance to ride the new model, from what I’ve been told it is a bit more serious than the older version. Inverted forks and…

Q ‘Accidental phobia’ Eighteen months ago I was involved in a collision with a car that didn’t see me and which caused me some physical and psychological issues. I initially received a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but luckily the majority of symptoms have recovered. My physical injuries healed pretty quickly but I had to buy a car as I am too scared to get back on a motorcycle. It is much more expensive to run the car (a modest VW Golf) compared to my Fazer. I am 38 so I was thinking over my driving life time it is going to be a big financial loss. Can I make a claim for this expense? Parvez, email A It may well be possible to recover this additional expense. You should…

I was up in the commentary tower with Phil Wain (who provides all of MCN’s TT stats) as he gives us nuggets of information when we’re on air. And he said to me: ‘I’ve been going through your TT stats.’ Now I’m sat next to 14-time TT winner Tom Birchall and TT winners Cameron Donald and Lee Johnston, so I was thinking ‘this is going to be embarrassing’. But it turns out it was less embarrassing than I thought and I actually had a podium, a fourth and a sixth. With my fastest lap of 117.89mph when the lap record was 119mph. In total I made nine TT starts and got six silver ladies and three bronze, so it turns out it’s not too shabby. I remember the race where…

June 15 Bikefest24 With a new venue of West Woodlands Showground in Somerset (BA11 5ES) this show will bring together enthusiasts for vintage and retro bikes along with food, drink, and entertainment. There is a cracking autojumble on Sunday as well and tickets are just £5.50 or £1 for kids. bikefest24.co.uk June 14-15 Father’s Day Motorfest With live stunt shows, street food, funfair, monster trucks and loads more, there is plenty for all the family at Kings Farm in Chelmsford (CM1 3PJ) this weekend. Grab your ticket in advance to save money – adult tickets are £23.99 or free if you have a show car. www.motorshowevents.com June 12-15 Race the Waves Vintage engines will be back at Bridlington from Thursday as this year’s Race the Waves gets underway. A tribute…

What’s happening? If you need to entertain the family this weekend then why not head into the Northants town of Daventry? With bikes, trikes, scooters to gawp at, there is also a stunt show, entertainment for the kids as well as stunts, trade stalls and so much more. It’s a cracking day out and there is also an opportunity to join the mass ride-in which will arrive in the town centre at 10am. The essentials Daventry Town Centre will grind to a halt for the best reason. The festival starts from 10am and finishes at 4am and admission is completely free. Check the website and the Facebook page for the latest updates, otherwise, roll up and revel in the atmosphere. Head to www.daventrybikefest.co.uk for more information.…

THE MCN TEST • THE HOTTEST BIKES • EVERY WEEK £10,404 Yamaha Ténéré 700 • 689cc liquid-cooled parallel twin DOHC 8v • 72bhp/50lb.ft • 208kg kerb weight £8499 Voge DS900X • 895cc liquid-cooled parallel twin DOHC 8v • 94bhp/70lb.ft • 235kg kerb weight £9899 Honda XL750 Transalp • 755cc liquid-cooled parallel twin SOHC 8v • 91bhp/55lb.ft • 210kg kerb weight The term ‘middleweight adventure’ is quite broad, as these three new-for-2025 machines neatly demonstrate. Honda’s XL750 Transalp, the Voge DS900X and Yamaha Ténéré 700 look similar with their off-road styling and knobbly tyres. Their parallel twin cylinder engines are in the ballpark in terms of size and power, too, but they couldn’t be more different, as we discover during our two-day, road-only test. The Rally race rep Ever since it…

‘Superb Honda just got getter’ Honda’s Transalp continues to win our hearts. Its suspension upgrades sharpen the handling significantly and add confidence to what was already a superb middleweight adventure all-rounder. It’s easy to ride, well built, costs less than 10 grand, is more road-focused than the Yamaha and more sprightly than the Voge. It’s our pick of the bunch for pure road riding. For those with genuine off-road aspirations, or who simply love the rally-raid style, the new Ténéré 700 continues to impress. Its ’25 upgrades aren’t ground-breaking, but they add a dash of safety, convenience and style. It’s still simple, punchy has a towering road presence and stops, grips and handles far better than an off-roader has any right to, but its seat is uncomfortable and screen excessively…

Lots of riders find lorries, buses and big vans tricky to overtake because they obscure so much of the view ahead – it’s easy to end up stuck behind a big vehicle, desperate to get past, yet unable to see if it’s clear to overtake. Here’s how to make sure that never happens again… YOUR RAPID PRO Clive Shepherd, 63, is a riding coach with Rapid Training. He was a police motorcyclist for over a decade before becoming a police advanced instructor. He’s now a Rapid road and track coach, and races enduros. www.motorcyclenews.com BOOK YOUR RAPID TRAINING NOW www.rapidtraining.co.uk Who are Rapid Training? Rapid are one of Britain’s most respected advanced riding companies, with a relaxed, no-nonsense approach. Their coaches are the most highly qualified in the business –…

@justingetsabout Mile-munching shed dweller with a definite penchant for the road less travelled. Being a naked bike, the matt black Honda lends itself to some subtle customisation, and much as I love its simplicity, I’ve got a bundle of accessories that I’ll be bolting on to improve its aesthetics and practicality. For now, though, I’m going to take a step back to look at what’s working – and what isn’t. 1 Easy-going nature One of the standout attributes of the Hornet SP is how easy it is to ride. The mass is distributed in such a way as to make the chassis feel light and balanced, with a direct sensation of micro-managed steering inputs allowing you to place the Honda exactly where you want it. Feedback from the brakes and…

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. 2015-2018 Yamaha MT-09 Tracer Owners’ rating The original Tracer has a reasonable level of tech but the 48 owners who reviewed it online say the ride quality lets the side down, scoring it just 3.9/5 in this category. 2017-2019 Kawasaki Z1000SX Owners’ rating The last generation of SX before it was rebranded a Ninja is an excellent sports tourer and it scores consistently well with the 30 owners who have left comments online. 2009-2013 BMW K1300GT Owners’ rating Considering BMW’s love of optional extras, it’s no surprise it scores 4.9/5 for equipment but all this tech comes at a…

Everybody loves to see their pride and joy cleaned up to a showroom shine, but a little over-exuberance with the jet-wash lance can wreak havoc with your motorcycle’s electrics – as one BMW S1000RR owner found out. Stephen Fryatt, owner of Japs Motorcycles, came across the Bavarian superbike when it rolled into his workshop in need of a few minor jobs. “The owner brought it in for a couple of bits; new front discs being the biggest thing, but he also had a lamp indicator showing on the dash,” explained Fryatt. With the dash warning flashing and the back-end blank, Stephen took a look – and found the culprit lurking behind the tail unit. “The bike was gleaming, but when I pulled the connector for the rear light, it was…

Going behind the headlines at the Aragon MotoGP round ‘It’s the race that we have the least gap’ Was this a rejuvenation for KTM? Or more down to favourable conditions? There was no doubting the troubled Austrian manufacturer enjoyed their most competitive weekend of the year at Motorland Aragon: three of their bikes were in Q2, two were fighting in the top five on Sunday, and one – Pedro Acosta – placed no lower than sixth in every session. Yet the Spaniard remained unconvinced a breakthrough had been made after equaling his best result of the season. “It’s not that our level went up, the others went down,” he said, referencing the low grip conditions present throughout the weekend. Even so, this was much more like the Acosta that lit…

Pecco Bagnaia finally awoke from his 2025 nightmare late on Saturday evening at Aragon. That’s when crew chief Cristian Gabarrini decided to try a new direction to fix the twice MotoGP champion’s corner-entry woes: instead of trying to improve front end feel by tweaking geometry and suspension, let’s tweak the brakes instead. Bagnaia went into this season aiming to be the biggest threat to new teammate Marc Marquez. Instead he’s been nowhere, without a single victory from the first 16 sprints and races. The 28-year-old’s biggest strengths have always been devastating late braking and rapid corner entry, but the front end of this year’s Ducati Desmosedici GP25 hasn’t given him the feel and feedback he needs to be able to ride that knife-edge into corners. An army of Ducati Corse…

The battle for the Supertwin podium proved to be one of the most hotly contested of TT ’25 and there were some big winners and losers along the way. In the first race, local man Michael Evans stormed to second to secure his maiden TT podium on a day here he also celebrated his 32nd birthday, only to be disqualified at the end of the event when his machine could not be presented for the mandatory technical inspection. His disqualification promoted the impressive Rod Hodson to second with Paul Jordan taking third, although he was gutted to miss the podium celebration. In the second Supertwin race Todd was Dunlop’s closest rival with the popular Dom Herbertson securing another TT podium in third. Normally never short of a word, Herbertson was…

They may be the biggest, baddest and most powerful bikes to run at the TT, but full-fat Superbikes are no longer necessarily the quickest. With higher spec engines, chassis, brakes and suspension they should be faster that their road-biased siblings, but in reality that’s simply not the case. The all-time lap record of 136.358mph, set by Peter Hickman was achieved on a Superstock BMW, and this year’s fastest lap of 135.692mph was set by Harrison on his Honda Fireblade stocker. Davey Todd used a hybrid Superbike/Superstock machine to win last year’s Senior TT and this year’s Superbike race showing how a level of usability rather than brute force is actually what you need around a four-to-six-lap TT race. And if you need further evidence, Honda had parked their Superbike ahead…