Table of contents for 20 August 2025 in MCN

BEST OF THE BEST After 1000s of miles of brutal testing, MCN’s team bring you the verdict on the very best machinery of 2025 PEOPLE THAT MATTER Alongside the awards for the greatest metal and machinery of 2025, MCN celebrates the best of the biking community with the people who make a real difference TOP DEALERS Find the best place to pick up your next purchase with our dealers of the year The top honours Thousands of miles of testing, hours of deliberations from our panel and months of meticulous planning means that at the end of it all, the MCN Awards truly is the list to rule them all. Across the board, the 2025 model line-ups have been brilliantly strong, with so much choice on offer that caters for…

TOP STORY Electric motorcycle firm Stark Future have revealed that they are branching out into the world of road bikes, creating what they say will be a perspective-changing recipe able to outperform petrol-powered rivals. “Most people don’t see that an electric street bike can be competitive,” Stark Founder and CEO, Anton Wass exclusively told MCN. “When we bring out our electric street bikes, we will change that perspective. “I am convinced we can build street bikes that are significantly better than the gas bikes in all the main categories – and in fact, we are doing that. “We cannot share it yet, but we have timelines internally and we’re working very hard.” ‘An electric street bike can be competitive’ Although the Barcelona-based company are newcomers to the road bike scene…

NEW KTM 690s KTM have revealed the full details of their revised 690 SMC R and Enduro R families, with both powered by a 692.7cc Euro5+ LC4 motor said to be the most powerful single fitted to a mass-production, road-legal bike. An update to both platforms has been on the cards for a while, with a revised Enduro R shown to visitors at the annual Adventure Bike Rider (ABR) Festival in Warwickshire back in late June. At the time, there was little to no detail available, but the firm have now confirmed tweaks to the motor, onboard technology, and styling. The same can be said for its track-centric SMC R supermoto cousin, with both models due to arrive in dealers from September 2025, starting at £10,499 on the road –…

SAVE £1900 £12,999 Suzuki GSX-S1000GX Sitting somewhere between sports tourer and adventure bike, Suzuki’s tall-rounder is comfortable, reliable, practical and packs plenty of tech – including electronic suspension. It’s all the real-world bike you could ever need and suitably sporty, too, offering near superbike levels of performance thanks to its K5 GSX-R1000 engine. www.fowlers.co.uk SAVE £1800 £23,999 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing DCT Still the last word in luxury, Honda’s Gold Wing is among the most comfortable means of cross-continental wafting available. www.billsmithmotors.co.uk • Engine 1833cc • Power 129bhp • Weight 378kg • Seat height 744mm SAVE £1250 £14,749 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin Electronic Suspension DCT The Africa Twin offers genuine round the world capability, tonnes of tech and exceptional build quality to boot. www.21stmoto.co.uk • Engine 1084cc • Power 100bhp…

'Beware of false claims' When kit is sold with bold safety claims, riders deserve facts -not fiction. But a recent case shows how marketing spin can outpace reality. I was tagged in a Facebook group by a rider seeking clarity on claims made by a social media and e-commerce vendor about their cargo pants. First was a false claim of being ‘UK lab certified’ – laboratories cannot certify motorcycle clothing; they can only test it. Second came a false claim regarding UKAS testing. The vendor stated the trousers: “have been tested in the UK laboratory for the United Kingdom Accreditation Service” (UKAS). UKAS neither tests nor certifies products; it accredits the organisations that do. Third was a fabricated claim of UKAS involvement. “They (UKAS) processed these trousers through the Martindale…

Q ‘Diesel was my downfall’ Last week I had an accident that I am certain was caused by diesel. My bike lost traction as I was exiting a roundabout and I came off. An off-duty paramedic helped me until the ambulance arrived and he took photos of what looked and smelled like diesel across the road surface. I am selfemployed as a carpenter and will be off work for a few weeks. My insurer won’t help me because no other vehicle was involved. Can I claim compensation? Rob, Glasgow A Motorcyclists are often victims of diesel spills. You should be able to claim from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) which compensates victims of untraced and uninsured drivers. A small amount of every driver’s insurance premium goes to fund the MIB…

I’ve been working on a 1972 Norton Commando in the workshop and because it’s an old-school British bike with all imperial bolts and requires weird spanners I don’t own, it’s been a proper learning curve. I’m just understanding how it works. I didn’t realise that the logical way you think the choke is on is actually off – so I’ve been trying to start it with the choke off and run it with the choke on! I don’t have any mechanical classic bike experience as I’m generally more of a modern machinery type person. I’ve had to suss it out. But I finally got it fired up, carried out a carb balance and now the engine is running absolutely sweetly. I took it out for a ride the other day…

1 August 22-25 Thunder in the Glens One of the best-known HOG rallies is back at Aviemore this weekend. The small Scottish town will be awash with the rumble of Harley-Davidsons once more with plenty of entertainment, a cracking rideout and lush routes. www.dunedinhog.com/thunder 2 August 22 Redcar Bears Speedway is still in full swing, and this week, the Redcar Bears are taking on Scunthorpe in the championship. There’s nothing quite like watching the riders pelt sideways along the track in a packed schedule, and if you’ve never been, then there’s no better time to start. www.redcar-speedway.com 3 August 19-25 Manx Grand Prix The Manx Grand Prix is underway on the road racing capital of the world. With the last sessions of qualifying over the next few days, the action…

Franks Although mainly filled with new and used bikes, every so often you might spot a classic project at Franks – but either way, it’s a great place to be. Moat Farm Business Centre, Turkey Cock Ln, Colchester CO3 8ND franksmotorcycles.co.uk S Bomb Previously featured on BBC’s The Speedshop, S Bomb is home to stunning motorcycle builds and even the S Bomb Race Team. Unit 3 Dee Way, Poole BH15 1JD www.sbomb.uk Bike Shed Along with great food, clothing and even a barber, you’ll likely see some cool custom creations at the swanky venue in the capital. 384 Old St, London EC1V 9LT bikeshedmoto.co.uk…

'It has guts and gusto' The Low Rider ST is still great fun to pilot around, and those tweaks to performance and handling have made this latest version even more enjoyable. Yes, it’s unconventional as a sports-tourer by European standards, but it does scratch an itch where both those boxes are concerned. The High Output motor has the guts and gusto to induce an irrepressible smile – it revs higher, pulls harder and with less weight to lug, shines brighter. Looks may not be to everyone’s taste, but that fairing is distinctive and effective. THE FACTS £21,845 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST…

Age 48 Height 6ft 2in Current bikes 916, Velocette Venom, R1, Fazer 600, and more… Been riding Since 16 First bike Suzuki TS50ER “When I was a kid, I had two Athena posters on the wall: a Lamborghini Countach, and the 916. Alongside Dannii Minogue’s calendar, but I won’t go there… “I remember seeing it on the cover of Performance Bikes, I went to Brands Hatch for WSBK, and lived through Foggy Mania: it was a really special time. I always wanted one, but they were out of reach… But during the 2008 financial crash, I realised people would be offloading them and they may never be cheaper. I found this at GT Motorcycles in Plymouth: I somehow managed to extend my overdraft to £4000, and spent it on this.…

The simple truth was that the competition couldn’t stay with the Street Triple. In 2008, aside from the £4699 Yamaha FZ6, the Street Triple was the cheapest middleweight and it also weighed the least and produced the most peak power. Tipping the scales at 6kg lighter than the Honda Hornet, 13kg better off than the FZ6 and a huge 36kg less than the Kawasaki Z750, and packing a full-on supersport chassis, the Triumph ran rings around its rivals. And when the Street Triple R emerged in late 2008 with fully adjustable suspension and radial brakes, not to mention a £6099 price, the bar was set even higher and the writing was on the wall for the inline-four middleweight.…

'I do regret selling it' “I ended up with my Racing almost by accident. It was for sale in a local bike shop and the dealer didn’t really know what it was, so it was advertised for £4000 and decidedly under-priced. I took a gamble as the race kit was missing (the previous owner still had it and it took me a year to get it off him). “I can’t stress enough just what a fabulous bike the Tuono Racing was. Aside from the fact it was super-exclusive, once I had ironed out the usual niggles (sidestand too short, throttle bodies unbalanced, gearing too high) it was an absolute joy. And reliable – aside from the rear brake, which kept boiling its fluid. “Due to its size, you could easily…

A 2002 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 came into the Inverness Motorcycles workshop dressed to impress – kitted out to look like a pukka classic machine, even down to sporting a 1950s tax disc – but beneath the retro charm lurked an electrical bodge. “It was basically cutting out all the time,” said Keith Bousfield, owner of Inverness Motorcycles and Haggis Motorcycle Tours. “It’d run fine, then when you put the lights on or the indicators, it would just die. Whenever you’d go to use any electrics, it’d cut out.” The problem turned out to be less about faulty parts and more about poor workmanship. “The root cause was someone who can’t do electrics trying to do electrics,” he explained. “It had been to another shop before, and the owner wasn’t happy…

Looks ahead to next week’s Hungarian round ‘The quicker you find your rhythm, the better it gets’ 1 'It's too slow here' It’s fair to say that the initial reactions to Balaton Park have been mixed at best. It’s an extremely tight circuit, and a slow one at that. At a recent test onboard a Panigale V4 S, Marc Marquez’s onboard footage showed that he only hit fifth gear twice throughout the entire lap. On a MotoGP bike, it’s likely that he won’t make it into fifth gear at all, a prediction also made by former MotoGP and current WorldSBK rider Alvaro Bautista. Honda test rider Stefan Bradl admitted that riding a MotoGP bike around Balaton would be a real struggle, with a layout that’s “extremely slow for MotoGP”. 2…

ROUND 13 AUSTRIA MOTOGP CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 1 MARQUEZ M 418 Pts 2 MARQUEZ A 276 Pts 3 BAGNAIA 221 Pts Ogura 53pts Miller 52pts Mir 42pts Rins 42pts Nakagami 10pts Martin 9pts Savadori 8pts Espargaro 8pts Fernandez A 6pts Oliveira 6pts Chantra 1pts FINAL POSITIONS MOTOGP 11 Morbidelli +16.185 12 Zarco +16.241 13 Marini +18.478 14 Ogura +18.491 15 Quartararo +25.256 16 Rins +30.316 17 Oliveira +34.008 18 Miller +37.478 DNF Di Giannantonio 20 laps, Martin 13 laps FINAL POSITIONS SP RACE 11 Quartararo +13.387 12 Marini +13.704 13 Mir A +13.822 14 Morbidelli +14.564 15 Ogura +18.414 16 Rins +19.365 17 Miller +20.844 18 Oliveira +21.581 DNF Fernandez 9 laps, Bagnaia 8 laps FINAL POSITIONS MOTO2 11 Salac +13.463 12 Ramirez +13.669 13 Sasaki +15.987 14 Munoz +19.611 15 Binder +20.513…

'Pecco is down in the dumps' As I’m writing this, I’m sitting alongside Michael Dunlop and we’ve got my TSR250 apart to make sure it’s good to go for the TT Rewind 80s and 90s parade lap next week (Wednesday, August 27). I’m going to be honest, he’s doing most of the work as we’re running into a few ‘slight’ issues. It’s a lovely thing to work on though, and I’m just making sure it’s alright and running spot on. It’s not actually had a proper go out since 2016 and even though it’s not a full race, I just don’t want anything to go wrong – at any pace, this is the daddy of all circuits, after all. It’s going to be ace swinging a leg over it again…

“I did my first TT on a Honda 250 back in 1996, so the relationship goes back three decades. It covers so many different eras, carbs, fuel injection, ride-by-wire and all the electronics. It’s been challenging at times, but racing always is, and I love to think I’m a loyal sort of person. I’m still really proud to be able to throw on the factory Honda leathers, because there’s something so special about a factory Honda – it really doesn’t get any better than that. “If you’re a Honda person, it’s in your DNA. You chop me in half, and it says Honda right through, it always has. I have to pinch myself at times that I still work for them; I never thought I’d be here at 53 still doing it.…

Not only have Triumph bagged the tall-rounder crown with their sublime new Tiger Sport 800, but they’ve scooped top honours in the sub-1000cc adventure segment too, taking the title for the second year running with the road-biased Tiger 900 GT Pro. Updated for 2024, Triumph took their already impressive Tiger 900 GT Pro up a notch with a host of improvements that have refined the riding experience. This is all thanks to a new seat design, the damped handlebar mounting and a host of internal engine work smoothing things out. On the subject of that lovely 888cc T-plane motor, Triumph blessed it with new pistons, a revised cylinder head, larger inlet ports with a new inlet and a host of changes to the exhaust system too, which not only make…

Motorcycling has an incredible power – the power to allow us to push the boundaries of what we believe we’re capable of. Yet very few of us ever experience what it feels like to let biking truly move us – and others – forward. Claire Lomas was one rider who did, inspiring and giving right up until her death in August 2024, and it’s for this reason she’s been awarded the 2025 MCN Chris Dabbs Best of Biking Award. Paralysed by a horseriding accident, Claire learned to ride a motorcycle as a paraplegic and then used biking to help raise nearly £1m for spinal and children’s charities. Whether it was taking on a lap of the NW200, riding every BSB circuit, or completing a marathon while wearing full bike kit,…

Without wanting to give too much away, it’s been a strong year for Honda in this year’s MCN Awards, and the next 12 months look set to be just as exciting. More CB1000based models are on the horizon, along with what looks to be some game-changing innovation. The Big-H have just released another teaser for their V3 platform, this time showing the new motor running on a dyno – the distinctive whine of its electric compressor clearly audible. We’re keeping everything crossed for a full prototype unveiling at EICMA in November, because it’s a tantalising sign that the world’s biggest bike firm are doubling down on high-performance combustion. The V3’s electrically driven supercharger shows that petrol engines can still deliver excitement and efficiency. Yamaha are pushing the same agenda from…

Alongside their own product line, Stark are now working in close collaboration with shareholders Royal Enfield, whose parent company Eicher Motors Ltd invested €50 million into the business back in late 2022. As part of their ongoing relationship, Stark have worked on Enfield’s own Flying Flea urban roadster project – first seen at the 2024 EICMA trade show in Milan and expected to arrive on the road during 2026. “We are helping them electrify and they're helping us to scale and improve the things in the business,” Anton Wass explained. “With others, we have some relationships but we're not, let’s say, involved in their R&D.”…

Honda Japan have released a new teaser video featuring their forcedinduction V3 engine concept running for the first time. The 50-second clip offers the first glimpse and soundbite of the new triple-cylinder powerplant, after the initial concept was unveiled at last year’s EICMA trade show in Milan. Full specs remain a mystery, but we do know it’s a 75-degree watercooled triple arranged in a V layout, featuring – for the first time in motorcycling – an electric motorpowered compressor to force intake air, rather than a traditional crankshaft-driven supercharger. Honda say this allows the design to be particularly compact. The teaser ends with a distinctive whooshing sound from the compressor spool-up, as well as a brief start-up sound, suggesting we could see a running demonstration of the system in the…

Former Isle of Man TT racer Ben Wylie has died aged 42 following a road traffic accident involving a van while riding his motorcycle in Audlem, Cheshire, on August 6. The Shrewsbury rider, who enjoyed success on short circuits and the roads, was attended to by paramedics but pronounced dead at the scene. According to Cheshire Police a 40-year-old van driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and later released on bail. Police have appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage. Wylie’s TT career extended from 2009-2017 with a best result of seventh in the 2011 Supersport Race 2. He also raced in the National Superstock and Supersport classes. He later co-founded Stoke-onTrent-based dealership Moto Hub with fellow racer Sam West, and was also involved in importing…

'A tasty Chinese takeaway' I was pondering what effect KTM’s withdrawal from its involvement in CFMoto and MV Agusta might have on the used prices of both of these brands. So, I did a bit of research… CFMoto have been imported into Europe since 2012 and are, I would confidently say, the most established Chinese brand. I’ve ridden a fair few of their bikes and the latest generations such as the 800 and 450 models prove that the company has been through the initial teething stages where their electronics weren’t quite up to scratch and after emerging the other side their bikes now feel like the polished final product. In the UK, CFMoto are back being distributed by Quadzilla, the company who were looking after them before KTM got involved…

Bering Freeway Jacket £234.99 Top kit to extend your riding fun The sun’s still blazing, but without wishing to put a dampener on things, autumn is coming. Yes, in recent years warm weather has been known to continue into September and beyond, but it also becomes more changeable and with an increased likelihood that wind and rain will feature in more of your riding days. It’s the perfect time to start stocking up on bits and building on your riding wardrobe so that, when autumn arrives, you’ll be prepared. We’ve scoured the web this week looking for deals on gear that will help you do just that – some, like this Bering Freeway jacket, featuring massive 50% savings. This CE AA-certified, textile garment will propel you through autumn and beyond…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com ZEROFIT – KING OF BASELAYERS® www.zerofit.co.uk My first bike over 50cc as soon as I hit 17. It was the Oakley Factory Pilot one, just some stickers really. Dean Sugg I passed my test on the Valiant in 1967, after learning to ride on a Francis-Barnet 125 my dad gave me. Frank Smith My young brother Andrew and I getting our first introduction to motorcycles on our uncle Stewart’s bike. Stephen Taylor Could this be what got me started on two wheels? Nick Cleaver My first time on a MotoGP bike! Goodwood FoS. Marshalled there for about 15 years, this one of the perks. Rob My granddaughter Ellie-Mae. She is only three and has been to her first BSB and is bike mad,…

THE DETAILS Tue 10am-3pm, Wed-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-3pm Trade Park, Unit 3 The Causeway, Heybridge, Maldon CM9 4LJ When you think of a garage, you’d probably expect to be tripping over tools and drinking from mugs that look like they’ve been painted brown. But Poulson Creative are challenging the stereotype and instead offer a tantalising experience for anyone that loves motorcycles -particularly custom ones. “This is our second location as the first was too small,” says owner Stuart Poulson. “I was fed up with going to bike shops and having poor responses, poor attitudes and no help. I’d always been tinkering and customising, so decided to take a gamble, re-mortgage my house and start a business of my own. “We just kept growing and people joined me that are way…

Coast and corners Carl Stevens shares one of his favourite blasts in Wales When you think of riding in Wales, speed cameras and 20mph speed limits are two things that might put you off. But don’t let them, because there are some cracking routes in the depths of Wales, such as the glorious stretch of tarmac which goes from Dolgellau, along the coast and then down to Aberdyfi. Although it starts off quite tight, twisty and enclosed by trees and walls, just sit back and enjoy the ride because there are some seriously fast corners and sizeable straights where you can let your hair down. Further along, it’s worth stopping at the Arthog Waterfalls and as soon as you get past the tiny village of Friog, the road opens up…

Despite TT wins, three titles in the increasingly obsolete F1 TT championship from 1988-1990 as well as one in the 1992 World Endurance series, Carl Fogarty’s career was somewhat drifting: in 1993: a severe leg break reduced mobility and prevented him from building on the promise he’d shown on 250GP bikes, so aside a few wildcards on third-rate 500s, it looked like his chances of making an impact on the world stage were dashed. Perversely, his situation would ultimately guide him to his destiny: scoring a WSBK win at Donington on his self-funded privateer 888 in 1992 got him a factory seat for 1993. Hit-and-miss performance stopped him netting a title in ’93, but it didn’t take much to get the new 916 to a sweet spot that suited his…

Fly and ride trips are incredibly easy in Ecuador. There’s an excellent top-tier rental and tour company based in the capital, Quito with a huge selection of adventure bikes and gear. We highly recommend getting in touch with them at freedombikerental.com Paperwork Brits get visa-free entry into Ecuador for up to 90 days. So all you need is your passport, driver’s licence and travel insurance. Make sure you have all three with you! Getting there You can get cheap flights from the UK to Ecuador – usually with one stop in Bogota. Flights land in the capital, where you’ll pick up and drop off your bike, making the whole round trip easy.…

CATCH UP WITH OUR LONGTERM TESTS Go online now: www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn-fleet @motorcyclenews A big fan of long days in the saddle. Enjoys touring as much as getting down and dirty. We all love the kudos that comes with riding a motorcycle, don’t we? Well, over the last month the Bear 650 has certainly been delivering a serious feel-good factor. With the kids away for a summer break I took the opportunity to burn through someone else’s electricity and water supply and spend a whole week working in the office for the first time since lockdown. Parking up on the Friday, a colleague stopped and exclaimed: “I love your bike!”. Then, pointing at Justin’s Hornet SP (on the previous page), he declares zero interest. “I’m not into bikes, but if I was…

It’s worth noting that you will have to vary the technique to suit the bike and tyre, and even the rim. As a rule, most sportsbikes and roadsters lend themselves to DIY tyre changes quite well, but it can become more difficult when you start to encounter large-capacity tourers and custom bikes. The more robust construction of the GT-type tyres often fitted to these bikes can be challenging to tackle with tyre levers… unless you’re something of an amateur strongman. Also, it has to be said there can be an equal challenge in removing the wheels of some of these bikes. Full-dress tourers and customs can have very limited access to the wheels, and it’s often the case that things like silencers and panels need to be removed. So keep…

Looking ahead to the Bank Holiday BSB action 1 Ray vs Ryde rolls on Bradley Ray holds the championship lead in but heading into round seven of the season the momentum is very much with Kyle Ryde. Across the last two rounds Ryde has reduced the points gap from 52 to 26, celebrating two victories and five podiums along the way. Fellow Yamaha R1 rider Ray, on the other hand, suffered his first DNF of the year at Brands Hatch and has finished off the podium in two of the last four races. Ryde enjoyed his best-ever visit to Cadwell Park last year by winning two races, including an excellent display while being chased by key title rival Tommy Bridewell. Ray likes Cadwell, too. His qualifying lap in the Superpole…

Delving behind the headlines at the Red Bull Ring ‘For the moment, we’re enjoying it, and we’re learning’ Spain’s Fermin Aldeguer not only confirmed his status as MotoGP’s top rookie in 2025 at the Red Bull Ring, he staked his claim to be a surprise race winner this year after a brilliant performance which saw him push Marc Marquez relentlessly hard in the closing laps. Aldeguer’s late race speed was the talk of the town – as it has been in previous races this season. The 20-year-old gained an incredible 2.7s on Marquez in the closing 12 laps as he bridged the gap from fifth to second. With four laps to go, a shock win was even on the cards. Most eye-catching of all was how Aldeguer was faster than…

At the heart of the Grand Prix paddock for over 35 years The more things change, the more they stay the same. A new rider took a first win at Austria’s fast and deceptively simple Red Bull Ring. But he was on the usual red Ducati. As Marc Marquez’s 21st win this year, his sixth Sprint-and-Sunday double in a row, it was business as usual. Yet it buried the ghosts of several dramatic last-corner defeats at the venue for the runaway leader. There are three other tracks this year where Marc hasn’t won – next weekend’s first-ever race at Hungary’s Balatonring, and the upcoming Lombok and Portimao. Who can stop the eight-times champion adding these? It is now less a question of the 2025 title than whether anyone can beat…

It’s been a strong year for new models. Despite the arrival of Euro5+ making it that little bit tougher for manufacturers, 2025’s crop of motorcycles haven’t disappointed, which made judging this year’s MCN Awards all the more difficult. Luckily, we have the most experienced, high-mileage panel of riders at our disposal, which this year included Deputy Editor Carl Stevens, Chief Road Tester Michael Neeves, Group Editor Rich Newland, Head of Content Chris Newbigging, Sports Editor Michael Guy, MCN used bike expert Jon Urry, Office Manager Alison Silcox, and myself. Debates raged long into the day as we each put forward our arguments for which model should win each category. Some were decided instantly, others took a little more time… But aside from the 17 categories for machines and manufacturers, the…

This saucy new 3:2 full exhaust for Yamaha’s equally saucy XSR900GP has just been released by Zard and is available in the UK through Performance Parts Ltd, priced £1406. The handmade stainless-steel system mimics the looks of the two-stroke ‘spannies’ of the ’80s GP500 race bikes which inspired the GP. It’s also a claimed 2.5kg lighter than stock, and is said to boost power by 6bhp. Indians rumble into Land's End More than 200 Indian Motorcycle riders from across the UK were joined by others from Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain, and even Kuwait and Indonesia, when the Indian Motorcycle Riders (IMR) UK National Rally travelled down through Cornwall to Land’s End from August 8-10. The big cruiser bonanza included live bands, goodie bags and more. Dodgy vehicle fines…

The future of internal combustion explored Commando tops sales charts Readers dreaming of big speeds RIDING A WANKEL Wankel engines (a type of internal combustion motor that uses a rotating triangular rotor instead of reciprocating pistons) never quite caught on in the mainstream, but back in the early 70s, it looked like they might have been the future, at least for BSA-Triumph. The company had poured three years of R&D into rotary tech, according to BSA engineer Michael Martin. Their interest was stoked after British mining giant Lonrho snapped up 40% of the world rights to the design, opening the door for BSA-Triumph to join Suzuki and Sachs in the race to put a Wankel into production. Prototypes emerged, including one that slotted a Sachs rotary into a BSA Victor…

ARMR Dryguard £29.99 (jacket) £19.99 (pants) This new lightweight, waterproof over-jacket and pants combo from ARMR uses a durable shell, full lining, taped seams, adjustable fit, and an internal waterproof pocket to deliver optimal weather protection without compromising comfort or convenience. A great price, too. armr-riderwear.com Touratech Expedition XL for BMW R1300GS €349.90 (around £304) Touratech’s Expedition XL engine guard offers uprated protection for the R1300GS. Raised and extended for extra coverage, this 4mm aluminium guard shields vulnerable components off-road, while maintaining ground clearance and lean angle. Features easy removal for maintenance and a robust stainless-steel mounting. www.touratech.com Plews Big Boy £TBC Plews Tyres’ new Big Boy is a UK-designed, ultra-aggressive adventure tyre built for demanding off-road riders. Featuring all the latest off-road tyre tech, it’s reinforced for modern ADV…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews STAR LETTER IN ASSOCIATION WITH 'Beyond epic' I was a proper bike nut. FS1-E at 16 and a Triumph Thunderbird 650… My last bike was a Yamaha TDM, cruelly nicknamed the ‘tedium’ but a brilliant bike that was amazing in the twisties. Fast forward to last year and my son and his girlfriend surprised me (gobsmacked would be more accurate) with the gift of a silver TDM850, the same year and colour as the one I’d been missing all these years. 1999 plate, with only 14k on the clock. My son bought himself the trellisframed sibling TRX850 Ducati-a-like to keep it in the family. At the tender (maybe not in a good way) age of 65, the feeling of being out there again on two wheels…

This year, we’re celebrating our 20th anniversary at the workshop – Two Wheel Workshop – which is cool because it’s the same time that MCN are celebrating their 70th birthday. Over the past two decades we’ve seen biking fluctuations, like MCN surely has, and the shifts in the market with the machines people own. It’s a bit like watching the peaks and troughs of the motorcycle industry. Obviously, the workshop is a lot more seasonal than a yearround newspaper so things get quiet over winter, but we can see the sort of machines people are getting and the ones that they decide to keep year after year. We’ve got a collection of R1s in at the moment, so we’ve got bikes from all different generations despite being the same model.…

KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday August 20 BIKE MEETS ■ Sycamore Cafe, Great Billing, Northamptonshire 4pm-9pm www.facebook.com/SycamoreForestCatering ■ Wheels Cafe, Sykehouse, S Yorks 5.30pm-8.30pm 01405-5785635 ■ Squires Cafe, Newthorpe, West Yorks www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ The Old Stores, Pontblyddyn, Mold, Flints 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 ■ Seaways, Fridaythorpe, East Yorks 4pm-8pm mike@seawayscafe.co.uk ■ English Riviera Bike Night Eastern Esplanade, Paignton, Devon £2 cash only 6pm Facebook: English Riviera Bike Night ■ Loomies Moto Cafe, West Meon, Hants. Open till 9pm www.loomiescafe.co.uk ■ The Pathfinder Cafe, Blackbushe, Surrey From 10.30am-1pm Facebook: Pathfinder Cafe RACING ■ Manx GP, Isle of Man www.manxgrandprix.org RIDEOUTS ■ Burgess Hill & DMCC, Morrison's Daily, Wivelsfield, Sussex 7pm-7.30pm www.burgesshillmc.com SKILL DAYS ■ IAM RoadSmart Skills Day, Thurxton, Andover, Hampshire…

JOIN THE MCN PIT STOP BREW CREW www.motorcyclenews.com/pit-stop 'Bridging the gap' COLIN REID My brother, Brian Reid, on his BMW S1000XR crossing the Kylesku Bridge in Scotland last month. 'Three days in Wales' EMMA JANE Start of a three-day trip around Wales last Friday. We were lucky with the weather after a horrific forecast! 'Island adventures' MICK TURNER At the Fairy Pools in Skye. This was after riding from the bottom of Barra to the top of the Isle of Lewis (with the assistance of ferries!). Total trip was just under 1000 miles. 'Trying to beat the rain' HARRY HAWKINS Me and Sam out around Saint Bees in Cumbria before the rain came. Unfortunately, we didn't quite get back in time. 'Brew and a view' PETER HORVATH Morning coffee today…

FIRST RIDE When it was introduced in 2022, the Low Rider ST brought a touch of retro 80s cool to the US brand’s cruiser section. It packed the latest version of the 1923cc MilwaukeeEight V-twin which, when combined with an old-school FXRT Sport Glide style fairing and hard panniers, resulted in Harley’s typically unique take on a sports-tourer. It was fun and engaging, with laid-back looks and practicality. For 2025, the ST’s allure has been knocked up a notch, with a series of upgrades including a hike in performance, a reduction in mass, and improvements to both lighting and electronic rider aids. 1 See further in the dark That funky frame-mounted fairing is what defines the ST – and remains unchanged. Based on the bodywork of the 1983-92 FXRT (and…

Also introduced in 1994, Honda’s homologation special promised a shot in the arm for their V4 superbike (the 1987 RC30 was a little long in the tooth at top level, though surprisingly persistent in lower levels of racing, especially on the roads), but while it was close to the Ducati, the tiny Italian outfit (as they were then) outfoxed them more often than not: and more damningly, Kawasaki’s common-or-garden inline-four ZX-7RR matched what could be extracted from the high-priced Hondas: carburettors and all… Rear grip was a persistent issue, and while the Castrol WSBK bikes were fast in a straight line, it wasn’t possible for anyone without access to top-line HRC parts to match it: the gear-driven cams in the RC30 were mounted in carriers that bolted to the head,…

'A hero worth meeting' Make no mistake, mine and Jon’s Ducati’s spend too much time as garage queens: we’ve got jobs, kids and test bikes queued in front demanding our attention first… But despite that, the 916 (and its derivatives) rarely need to work hard to justify their owner’s affections. Jon’s bike spent a period of enforced inactivity in the house (don’t start a bike indoors – it took weeks to get the smell of rich-fuelled exhaust out! – JU), and the simple joy of staring at it over a slice of toast was enough for a while. At times, I’ve questioned why I keep a bike of such limited use: peeling the cover back for some maintenance (or just a look) soon quashes the urge to slot it in…

THE FACTS ‘No rival could hold a candle to the Street Triple in bends’ Traditionally, middleweight naked bikes were the poor relations to their supersport siblings. Powered by older-generation motors and with low-spec chassis and suspension components to reduce costs, they never over-delivered on their promise. That all changed when Triumph unveiled the Street Triple. Boasting genuine supersport handling with a contemporary inline-triple. This new model from Hinckley rewrote the middleweight rule book and overnight became the dominant force in the class. Not only that, it attracted a new generation of riders into the Triumph family, rejuvenating an aging demographic, and became their best-selling model. Plus, it also came in lurid Roulette Green. Released at the end of 2007 as a 2008 model, the Street Triple arrived two years after…

RATINGS Exceptional Very good Good Average Poor 4 months ON TEST Held Slade II £999.95 'Comfortable on and off the bike' Tested by Dan Sutherland for four months/2000 miles This Held Slade II suit might be expensive, but it’s really impressed me both on and off the bike. So far, I’ve worn it on two trackdays, and plenty of weekend road miles – ditching the standard back protector insert in favour of my trusty Furygan X-Road D3O chest and back protector vest for a slightly more secure feeling around my torso. When worn with an undersuit, this is an all-day comfortable set of leathers, with a cut that allows you to walk around your local bike meet or race track paddock without hunching over uncomfortably. It also meets the highest…

BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician Grab those levers Save yourself a stack of cash with do-it-yourself tyre changes 1 Get yourself prepped It’s always worth saving cash when you can, and by learning how to fit your own tyres you’ll do just that. But before you get busy, you’ll need a few bits. These include a set of motorcycle tyre levers around 300mm long, rim protectors, a valve key, tyre soap and a bead breaker. Ideally, you’ll have a compressor – you could always share the costs within a group of riders. 2 Get the right rubber You’re free to order from wherever you like but if you go down that road, you’ll rule yourself out of getting advice from your dealer, so you’ll need to be confident the size and type…

'Modulation and control' Braking challenges Charlies 1 and 2 are critical corners at Cadwell Park. Riders must brake smoothly into the double-apex sequence to maintain balance whilst setting up for a fast exit onto Park Straight. A clean run through Charlies is essential for carrying maximum speed down this stretch. The Gooseneck is one of the most demanding sections. Riders must brake whilst transitioning downhill through its right-left combination, requiring precise modulation to avoid unsettling the bike. Misjudging this section can compromise entry into Mansfield, which demands hard braking whilst managing the corner’s off-camber slope. The Mountain is the signature feature. Riders brake under the footbridge before turning sharply uphill. Precision is key to keeping momentum over the crest. A controlled landing is critical to set up smooth braking into…

Diogo Moreira had two reasons to celebrate in Austria. First, he won his second Moto2 race convincingly to haul himself back into title contention. Second, he is pondering two offers to step up to MotoGP in 2025. A source from Moreira’s camp confirmed to MCN he has an offer to join Yamaha’s MotoGP programme, as well as one from Honda. Both are factory contracts. “The offer to join MotoGP is there,” he said on Sunday. “I’ll sit with my manager to see the offers and decide after Hungary. For a rookie the most important thing is to have a long contract. But now my focus is Moto2.” ‘The important thing is to have a long contract’…

'He's fast and getting faster Any rookie that can put Marc Marquez under a little pressure during the closing stages of a MotoGP race must be pretty special, so what’s so great about Fermin Aldeguer? His runner-up finish in Austria was his second MotoGP podium, bettering his third place in May’s rain-soaked French GP, so he’s fast and getting faster. This is what Ducati expected when they signed him after he finished third in the 2023 Moto2 championship – a move that prompted a fair bit of scepticism around the world. “We bet on him because we saw his talent and we saw his feet on the ground,” commented factory team manager Davide Tardozzi on Sunday evening. “Those things convinced us. He’s impressive and he’s very young, so he has…

'GP25's true level is Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio' How the mighty have fallen. Twice MotoGP king Pecco Bagnaia went into 2025 aiming to give new teammate Marc Marquez a run for his money. And there was no reason to think the Italian wouldn’t at least challenge the Spaniard now and again. Instead, Bagnaia has scored 221 points to Marquez’s 418! “This season I’m not able to understand anything,” said Bagnaia, after finishing a distant eighth. But it’s not all his fault. Ducati’s GP25 is worse than the GP24, because MotoGP’s concession rules don’t only help the struggling firms, they also hurt Ducati. That’s why the new bike turned out wrong. The GP25’s true level is Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio, third and sixth overall. Both are having huge struggles. Only…

Toseland has done a tremendous amount for charity courtesy of, predominantly, his work with Sheffield Children’s Hospital. His Easter Egg Run has been active for two decades while his fundraising efforts have reached close to £150,000. That’s not to mention his two bands: Crash (2000-10) and Toseland (2011-present). One of the most influential figures in James’ musical career is Toby Jepson, frontman of rock band Little Angels. “I think we’d better have a cup of tea,” Jepson told Toseland following an audition of sorts. This led to the composition of Toseland’s two albums: Renegade (2013, a title inspired by Toseland’s tenacious nature) and Cradle The Rage (2015). Competitive and humorous, stubborn but generous, James Toseland is consistent and fair. Go for it, show your talents and do unto others as…

Having had the Triumph Tiger Sport 800 as my long-term test bike on this year’s MCN fleet, I’ve spent the most time in the saddle out of everyone on the team. Even now, after living with it since April, there’s still the same giddiness when I open the garage door and excitement about what the ride will bring. But what is it about the Tiger Sport 800 that seems to turn back the clock within all who straddle it and bring childlike wonder to every ride? And more importantly, what is it about the bike that has helped it take our tall-rounder top spot in 2025? Grown up thrills After the Tiger Sport 660 came out in 2022, we knew that this engine was something special, and the iteration nestled…

Bikes aimed at attracting new riders into motorcycling need to have some pizzaz to inspire image-conscious younger folk. But not only that, they also need a wide array of safety assists, as well as the latest tech that is so important to those of a certain age. But all this needs to be done with an affordable price, and faced with this, few rivals can match the KTM 125 Duke - which is why it wins the MCN Award for Best 125cc for a second year. Brimming with kerb-appeal, the 125 Duke looks amazing and with its inverted forks and radial brake, not to mention its brash paint schemes and butch stance, it creates an instant stir. Dig deeper and the spec list is just as impressive, with features such…

Sykes Harley-Davidson have been an official Harley-Davidson dealer since 2002. Rightly proud of their status as an independent franchise rather than part of a chain, it means that they have the freedom to concentrate on what they believe matters – and that is putting customer focus and involvement right at the heart of the business. A family-run dealership, Sykes Harley-Davidson have made a point of prioritising personal service over corporate formality and have a simple philosophy in everything they do - ‘treat customers as you would want to be treated yourself.’ This ethos has paid huge dividends when it comes to the company’s reputation and standing within the Harley-Davidson network, earning them Harley’s prestigious Bar & Shield Award, which celebrates and tests every aspect of a dealership, an incredibly impressive…