Table of contents for 18 March 2020 in MCN

In the event of it being hard to get a paper copy of MCN during this difficult time, we will do our best to ensure you will still be to get a copy on our digital platforms. If you can’t find us in the shops, or if you’re stuck at home, you can download our app from the iOS or Android app stores. We have some superb one-off subscription offers in place with discounts of up to 50%, and you can purchase single issues if you wish, too. If you’re a Kindle Fire user, you can download our magazines from the Amazon Newsstand as well. In the unlikely event that our distribution centres are unable to deliver to print subscribers during the outbreak, please visit www.greatmagazines.co.ukwhere clear instructions will be…

An evening with Dougie Lampkin MBE at Colin Appleyard Motorcycles has helped raise much-needed funds for a local charity. The event saw more than 180 customers descend on the dealership to hear 12-time World Champion Dougie talk about events throughout his long career, alongside numerous other racers and riders – as well as his cousin John Lampkin, who is the importer of Beta motorcycles. Money was raised throughout the evening through donations from fans, while ten lucky guests all put their hands up to donate £150 each for a unique day of learning trials riding with Dougie himself. Colin Appleyard will supply the bikes on the day with riders taught basic trials skills as well as how to navigate rivers, hills and bogs. “We’re proud to continue supporting the important…

A patent application from Kawasaki has dropped a huge hint at a technical development that promises a leap forward for petrol engine performance and emissions. The company are working to add direct fuel injection to future superbikes alongside indirect injection to provide the best of both worlds. A few cars with dual fuel injection – both direct and indirect (port) injection – have been produced but so far no production four-stroke motorcycle has even adopted direct fuel injection, let alone combined it with port injection to create a dual injection system. But it’s an idea that could provide bike makers with a means of meeting future emissions rules while still increasing power. Each type of injection has its own pros and cons. Port injection is where fuel is fired into…

1989 FIRST RACE “My first race was at Snetterton and I got whipped. I finished last by miles. I didn’t mind because I was just so happy to be at a race track and racing instead of watching dad.” 1997 WSB AT BRANDS “Possibly the race I’m best known for. The race got stopped because it started raining. I cleared off into the distance in the restart, passing Fogarty, Kocinski and Co. to finish in third position on aggregate.” 1994 TT DEBUT “I was Robert Dunlop’s teammate in the Medd Honda team. He had his accident when his rear wheel collapsed. My brake lever fell off in practice and by the end only three of the spokes in my rear wheel were still attached.” 2009 BATHAMS “I’d just walked out…

The Ninja 650 is a pleasure around twisty roads and looks the part even if the power doesn’t quite match. The real deal-breaker is the price. In the KRT colours (the one we tested, the one you want) it costs £7195, only £534 cheaper than a CBR650R and that’s not enough. The Kawasaki feels less grownup and is almost 20bhp down on the still A2-restrictable Honda. Very few young riders will be buying these bikes outright and the monthly price difference between the two is about the same as a Netflix sub (around eight quid).…

Blimey, has it been a year already? Well, no, but with almost 4000 miles showing on the LCD panel that nestles neatly under the flashy CarPlay-enabled TFT dash, it feels like a good time to reflect on what an average UK rider’s annual mileage would have revealed. 667 miles After a couple of laps of the MCN250 and a week of communing schleppery we’ve already crept over the first service marker. Service done, and we’re back on the road. Nothing remarkable has happened, but it’s about to. Having forced myself to do the first miles in the bike’s standard ‘Tour’ setting, I now allow myself a bespoke twiddle with the electronic spanners and set up a ‘User 1’ custom suite of suspension and rider aids. It’s a revelation. All the…

‘I’ve done a bit of training recently and having achieved the required standard for IAM Roadsmart, I’ve got the mindset to look into what I might be doing wrong and improving it. I felt my problem with cornering was a skills issue and as a result it was causing me to lack confidence. The day was really interesting as the theory was nothing I hadn’t heard before, but Mark approached it from a completely different angle that helped me make sense of what I should be doing. By coming into a bend too quickly I was worrying about my speed through it and as a result not getting on the power soon enough to stabilise the bike.’ THAT’S BETTER! Mark says: ‘Coming into a corner too fast raises two potential…

1. LS2 Valiant Chrome helmet £249.99 The flip-front is especially useful when travelling abroad as I don’t need to remove my helmet at passport control. It’s really comfortable and so quiet that I don’t need to wear earplugs. 2.ARMR Moto Kami textile jacket £129 A quality jacket, but the fit is awful – just because your waist is bigger, it doesn’t mean your arms are longer. I also don’t see why kit for women has to have swirls, flowers or ‘lady’ printed on it. 3. H-D Kendleton leather mesh gloves £72 They’re comfy, with a mesh to let air in and good protection on the knuckles and fingers. 4.MotoGirlneckwarmer £19 I wear a tubular scarf throughout the year for comfort. This particular one has a nice…

10mm - 12mm spanners A set of quality spanners are a garage essential. You’ll need these for regular maintenance jobs, such as chain adjustment. Tyre pressure gauge Whether you go digital or analogue is up to you, but make sure it’s a decent quality item. Features such as a bleed valve will make setting pressures straightforward. Multimeter This handy tool is used to measure various electrical values, and is extremely handy to have if you do any sort of electric fault diagnosis work to do. Here it’s used to measure battery voltage to ensure that it’s not gone dead over winter. Torque wrench Give your safety-critical fasteners the once-over with a torque wrench, set the values specified in your manual. Try a quarter-inch drive with a range of 6-50ftlb. •…

‘Taz’ Mackenzie and Jason O’Halloran brought their Spanish testing programme to an end with an extra two-day private test at Almeria. The McAMS Yamaha duo continued to get to grips with the 2020 YZF-R1 after their successful outings at Monteblanco and Jerez. “It was good to go to another completely different track and, for me especially, to not go too far away from the setting we had at the other two tests,” Mackenzie told MCN. “One problem at a few tracks last year was that we’d turn up with the base setting we thought would work and ended up going away from it as the weekend went on. We never had a solid base setting to ride from, but now, we’ve gone to three completely different tracks and I’ve hardly…

‘Double GPs’ and further delays now being mooted ‘If necessary we’ll go until 2021,’ say FIM Yamaha and Ducati shut their Milan and Bologna-based MotoGP operations last week as Italy tries to curb the spread of coronavirus. Both took the drastic measure of confining almost 150 staff to their homes, with Italy subject to a nationwide quarantine until April 3 after becoming the epicentre of the crisis in Europe. Yamaha closed last Thursday and just 24 hours later Ducati shut its race department doors for a minimum of two weeks. Suzuki, which has an Italian-based workshop, also barred its staff from working on-site. Yamaha Racing MD Lin Jarvis and Ducati Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti said the unprecedented restrictions on 60 million citizens was like being part of a post-apocalyptic movie.…

Glenn Irwin Was set to make his debut on the factory Honda at TT 2020 “Everyone’s health is of first and foremost importance,” the Northern Irishman said. “It is gutting for everyone but the work I’ve put in isn’t wasted and I will just have to go back in 2021. “But we all know people who will be affected by this virus and that is the big picture here.” Peter Hickman TT lap record holder and a treble winner in 2019 “I am totally gutted but I suppose governments know more than us. I am surprised it has been cancelled rather than delayed but everyone’s health is what is most important.” Dean Harrison 2019 Senior TT winner “I’ve just spent two weeks riding round in circles which has been a…

STEP ONE: NOTE DOWN YOUR MILEAGE The aim of the game with this group is, as the name suggests, to pledge to ride 5000 miles over the next 12 months. Simple. To get started, make a note of your bike’s current mileage and then ride a further 5000 on from there. To be in with a chance of appearing in MCN, remember to document any cool trips and activities before posting them to our dedicated Facebook page. STEP TWO: JOIN THE #R5K GROUP Head to www.facebook.com/groups/ ride5000miles and ask to enter. Answer the simple sign-up questions and one of our administrators will approve you. Once in, prepare to be inspired by awesome trips, colourful characters and helpful advice shared by 1000s of like-minded enthusiasts who are already members. Why not…

Too much of the same thing can be boring. Your favourite food, holiday destination, song or even item of clothing; enjoy them too often and the magic fades. Motorcycling is no different and tackling the same old commuter roads and weekend twisties can become predictable – reducing your level of enjoyment. With limited time to spare on two wheels, juggled around family and work commitments, it’s all too easy to fall into this trap, however it needn’t be like this. This is because there has never been a better time to try something new, with companies and venues dotted across the UK and Europe offering everything from wheelie and kneedown tutorials, to motocross taster sessions and multi-day off-road adventure bike courses. If you fancy a go at something different in…

New motorcycle sales are still strong with February figures 3% up on last year. Bikes between 651 and 1000cc are the biggest winners with a bumper 27% hike. Nakeds again showed encouraging growth with an increase of 14.4% to 1389 units. But it’s the BMW R1250GS which continues to blaze the trail by being Britain’s best selling bike over 125cc with Honda’s new Africa Twin not far behind. The bike industry now hopes that the March plate change will combat the potential impact of coronavirus on the market.…

A big shake up of safety standards is coming that will see more protective helmets on the market within two years. The new regulations, dubbed ECE 22.06, take over from ECE 22.05, which was introduced over 20 years ago and will force many manufacturers to make big changes to their lids. Oh, and before you mention it, ECE regs are actually set by the United Nations not the EU, so Brexit has nothing to do with it. Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes So what’s happening? There are effectively two big sets of changes: one is to the impact tests and how they take place, the other is to helmet technology itself. Current impact tests involve placing a headform inside a helmet, then dropping it at a set speed on to an anvil. Sensors inside…

Reader Keith and Sarah Jones The Ride Fuerteventura Time required One week Miles As many as you fancy When to go The weather is good all year round Don't miss this “Based in Castillo Caleta we ventured to Morro Jable, Corralejo and Ajuy. The FV30 from Antigua to Pajara was the highlight of what was our first ‘wrong side of the road’ biking adventure on hired machines.” SEND US YOUR TRIP PICS EMAIL YOURPICS@ MOTORCYCLENEWS.COM…

Q‘Was it a mistake saying sorry?’ Two weeks ago when I was riding home from work, filtering through heavy traffic, a car emerged from a side road and I collided with the side of it. Although I was bruised and shaken up and my bike had some superficial damage, I apologised straight away as I thought it was my fault. But my friends have told me that in fact I can make a claim against the driver. However, if I have admitted liability, albeit mistakenly, does this mean I can’t now bring a claim against him for my injuries and damage to my machine? Russell Watts, email A Admissions made in the immediate aftermath of an accident are not binding. When someone is involved in an accident they are, generally…

TRUDY MILLS Age 41 Height 5ft 5in Current bike 2015 BMW S1000RR Been riding for 20 years First bike Suzuki GS550E Dream bike BMW S1000RR I had a Honda SP-1 but wasn’t getting on with it, so I went looking for something else. I test rode other 1000s with no joy, but when I took the S1000RR out I fell for it. It gave me confidence and it was smooth, the right size, precise and just perfect for me. I like the electronics. I think it’s great a bike can be set for the road, track, weather and touring. The grips are welcome on frosty mornings and I use the cruise control on motorways. I bought it in July 2018 – it was an unregistered 2015 model and I got…

These 200bhp-plus superbikes are at the top of their games and you’ll only ever begin to do them justice on the track. To separate them around the MCN250 on a winter’s day, choosing a winner is less about speed and more about character and how easy they are to spend time with. If you want the dream bike – the one that you can’t stop staring at or thinking about, the Ducati is the clear choice. New wings, flexi frames, smoother slide control and the rest of the 2020 model’s tweaks make little difference on the road, but that’s OK because for those dry, golden miles when all the planets align nothing dances through the hedgerows as neatly as the Ducati. On the flip-side your wrists, neck and bum cop-it…

Kawasaki have upgraded the Ninja 650 for 2020 with a new dash, revised styling, fresh rubber and a more welcoming pillion seat. A tweaked exhaust, meanwhile, helps unlock an angrier, more throaty soundtrack, but otherwise the machine is largely unchanged. That’s no bad thing though, as the Ninja 650 (and the ER-6f that went before it) remains a fun and engaging middleweight, ideal for less experienced riders or people looking for something fun and easy. Don’t be fooled by the looks; this is a Ninja by name only, with a sit-up-and-beg riding position similar to the naked Z650 (also updated for 2020). The new Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tyres combine with the firm suspension to make the bike feel light on its toes. In fact, it changes direction like an…

What are you doing next weekend? No plans yet? Well now you have because we’ve rounded up every brilliant British biking event to give you every reason to ride right up to the end of the year. Whether you’re into performance bikes, classics, adventure machines or customs, over the next four pages you’ll find something to entertain you and maybe even spark a new interest or passion as well. Scattered throughout the UK, you can choose to stay close to home or pick a far-flung event and make a week-long tour out of it, finding new roads and locations along the way. So, whether it’s watching (or taking part in) a sprint, having a weekend enjoying beers and bands at a biking festival or indulging in a bit of world-class…

‘It’s a cracking place to ride a bike regardless of your views on the racing’ Joey Dunlop, as befitting a man whose talent for understatement was as great as his one for racing, said it best: “There’s a grey blur and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one.” His is the perfect distillation of what the TT circuit means, with all its 37.73 miles and 200-plus corners, its bumps and cambers, crooked old trees and mossy stone walls, orange circuit signs and white lines. A grey blur and a green blur, the road and the scenery. In fact this, right here,right now, is surely what all our two-wheeled nonsense is about? As riders, we tend to fall into two camps: those of us for whom the…

A key can say lots about a vehicle. So it was slight trepidation that I took the plain, lightweight Royal Enfield-branded item into hand a few weeks back. Would the bike, which looked impressively finished in promotional pictures, stand up to close scrutiny in the metal? Or was it destined to corrode the second I looked at it and fall to bits the moment I swung a leg over? With a price tag as low as the Interceptor’s, quality is a logical concern. And let’s not forget it’s made in India by a firm that builds nearly a million new bikes every year, mainly for less pernickety emerging markets. This’ll go one of two ways. However, my first inspection of the bike waiting outside revealed nothing but a pleasant surprise.…

Keeping a 125 on the road for tens of thousands of miles isn’t an easy task, but the owner of this Suzuki DR125 had managed to clock up more than 35,000 before he noticed the engine was getting a ‘bit noisy’. ‘His mate had forgotten to put fresh oil back in’ He took it to M&M Motorcycles in Cambridgeshire who told him to keep an eye on the oil level as it might be burning more oil at its advanced age, but two weeks later he called to say it had ‘stopped working completely’ and could they sort it for him? Workshop manager Sam Harris picks up the story: “The owner told us his mate had done an oil change for him, but the bike had ‘made a funny noise’…

Peter Hickman and Alex Olsen tested Smith Racing’s 2020 engines and gearboxes for the first time at two-day private test at Guadix in Spain. “It was nice to get some fresh engines with a bit more power especially as our old ones were way over mileage,” said team boss Darren Jones. “It’s not just about the engines either. We were hampered with standard gearboxes all last year, which didn’t really do us any favours. We couldn’t get the gearing we wanted and were always between gears so it was a big thing for us to get that. First and second gear is what we were after all last year and we have that now so we should be able to run the gearing we want everywhere we go.” Both riders…

Extract from a MotoGP Rider’s diary: 06:00 – Woke up, put on leathers, in case of calendar change. 06:05 – Took leathers off, went for a run. 10:00 – Put leathers on, in case of calendar change. 10:05 – Read emails. Racing postponed again. Took leathers off. Drank tea out of sponsor’s energy-drink cup. 13:00 – Put leathers on, in case of calendar change. 13:05 – Took leathers off. Ate calorie controlled lunch (pasta), wearing other sponsor’s baseball cap. 14:00 – Calendar changes announced. Nothing for months. Put leathers on, just in case. Contemplated giving up. 14:05 – Went cycling until too tired to think. 19:00 – Ignored calorie-controlled supper (pasta again). Drank whole bottle of vodka out of sponsor’s energy-drink cup. 20:00 – Put fresh leathers on. ‘There are…

Due to the ongoing fears surrounding the coronavirus outbreak a three-day private test at Jerez has been cancelled. KTM, Honda, Aprilia and Suzuki were all due to be on track on March 18-20, however the circuit has now been closed for 15 days following the conclusion of the MotoE test. Aprilia and Suzuki were already restricted due to the lockdown in Italy, with KTM deciding not to take any unnecessary risks. Honda had scheduled to run all three days with Stefan Bradl. Jerez joins other Spanish circuits in lockdown as the country ceases all nonessential activity, meaning that all UK-run Spanish trackdays will also be postponed until further notice.…

Ride a classic Become a friend of the National Motorcycle Museum and take part in a ‘Try a classic bike’ Rider Training Day, allowing you to sample oldies in a controlled environment. www. nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk Fold onto mini motos Ever wondered what it feels like to race your mates on bikes just a foot off the floor with a puff of two-stroke filling your nostrils? Get down to M4 Karting in Chippenham for mini moto action. www.m4karting.com/minimoto Slide into action Get your head around speedway and flat track with Ride & Skid It. Kit and bikes are provided by the school, alongside world-class instruction. Dates running throughout 2020. www.rideandskidit.com Potter on a postie bike Join intrepid adventurer, Nathan Millward, on a fleet of retired Australian Honda CT110 postal bikes for a…

“All helmets that are on sale today are good. But they’re tested, and therefore design optimised, for the linear impacts in the ECE 22.05 tests. This means they’re excellent at protecting against skull fractures and lots of brain injuries but they’re less good at protecting against the rotational velocities that damage the brain. “Introducing a rotational impact test will mean that many manufacturers will need to update their helmet designs. “The UN will likely begin by setting the bar quite low, so some current designs could pass. But as the bar is made higher, fewer and fewer models will pass in their current design.”…

Motorcycle manufacturers across Europe have closed factories due to supply issues related to coronavirus. The Pierer Group, which owns KTM, Husqvarna and Gas Gas, have said they’ll halt production lines for two weeks later this month in anticipation of disruption to parts supply, especially from northern Italy where suppliers such as Brembo are located. Despite this closure, they guarantee availability of all models into the new season. Over in Italy itself, Ducati and Moto Morini have now closed their production facilities due to issues surrounding the transmission of the virus among people who work in close proximity to each other. Both firms are saying they have taken steps to ensure the health of their workers. MV Agusta, however, in Varese, say that they are still in production, albeit with a…

Officers from Operation Benelli have made two arrests after chasing a gang of youths who were spotted struggling to push a stolen motorbike with a lock still attached in Gateshead. “This was a great bit of teamwork with the member of the public and the officers who responded,” said Detective Sergeant Ash Loader of Operation Benelli. “It shows we are more than a match for suspected thieves. However, it still concerns us that young people are being drawn into criminality with one of the teenagers involved in the incident having been arrested for the first time.”…

Scorpion exhausts have developed a new pipe for Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 adventure bike. The slip-on silencer is a direct replacement allowing reuse of the standard heat shield but there is a blingy carbon one available, too. As well as looking a bit cooler, the slip-on is also claimed to improve the bass notes somewhat while adding an extra 2bhp at peak. It’s also 40% lighter than the stock unit and costs £399 (nearly £300 less than the official Akrapovic).…

When trading, I tend to buy bikes I’d buy for myself. If I like a bike, I’m probably going to know a bit about it and hopefully communicate some of that knowledge and enthusiasm to the buyer. A class I avoid at all costs is two-stroke sports 125s, with one exception, and that’s genuine factory full-power models. Not a restricted one that’s been tuned – that takes you down a hellish rabbit-hole in which, in the third dead-end tunnel to the left you’ll find things like shagged Cagiva Mitos. The reason to go for an official full-power model is because they weren’t sold to learners, so they were bought by rather more mature people who appreciated that good things come in small packages and could (usually) be relied to look…

•250-MILE ROAD TEST • THE BEST BIKES • EVERY WEEK Few things in life will make your day like opening a garage door to reveal the sultry curves of a new Ducati Panigale V4 S. Things get even better when you jab the 211bhp motor into life, its pulse shaking the room - but with wrists and backside screaming for mercy, this Bologna bullet has lost its allure at the end of an eight-hour lap of the MCN250… we’ll come back to that later. It’s been out for a few years now, so we’re used to seeing the Panigale V4 in pictures and racing on the telly and it’s easy to be a bit blasé about it, but in the flesh it’s still something very special. Costing 25 grand few…

Flash dash New dash is clear and easy to read but I never managed to get it to connect with the ‘Rideology’ app. It is still a big step forward over previous incarnations which looked decidedly dated. Paying for the paint The bike tested has the Jonathan Rea-esque KRT paintjob, which pushes the price to £7195. A black version costs £7045 and a white and a black option costs the same as the KRT machine. Sounds serious The engine sounds throaty and angry through the new exhaust, which is impressive considering it’s cleaner than the old bike’s in terms of emissions. The bike rewards best when revved hard.…

‘The first time it was scary!’ TrevorFowler “I first went four years ago on my Triumph Sprint to the Classic with my lad. We stayed with a friend at the end of Cronk-Y-Voddy. I couldn’t do my first lap when we got off the ferry as the racing was on, but that afternoon I got one in. I’d seen videos, of course, but my first time was scary to be honest! There were so many riders, especially up on the Mountain, coming past like there’s no tomorrow. But that first time down Bray Hill is smashing. Even though I’d watched it, I didn’t really know where I was going. My favourite bit is down to Cregny-baa – the view across Douglas as you drop down is iconic. I’d love to…

I LIKE • Long-distance comfort is really good. • Tank range is excellent at over 200 miles between fill ups. • I really like the style and design. • H-D customer service is fantastic. I DON’T • Heated grips should come as standard. • All that chrome is a nightmare to clean. • In terms of equipment, it’s quite a basic bike for the money. • I’d prefer the number plate side-mounted. QUICK SPECS • 1202cc • 68bhp • 268kg • 725mm seat height PRICE NEW £10,500 VALUE NOW £7995…

We call them ‘low-res lovelies’ in our showroom. They’re usually bikes that someone is trying to part exchange, and from ten paces they look great. Glossy shine on the paint, gleaming wheels, polished exhaust, the usual niceties. Then we get up close, prise the bodywork out the way and grovel underneath, and the crunchy horror is revealed. Fairings are great. They make holding speed easier, keep the weather off and can bring striking looks. But they can also hide all manner of neglect. we’re all guilty of getting back from a blast or dash back from work, and giving the bike a quick once-over in the rush to wolf down some tea and get to the pub... no, sorry, I mean spend quality time with the family. Anyway, this quick…

You’ve checked your tyres, fluids and even made sure that all your documents are in order. But something that you might not consider checking after your bike has been stored over winter is whether someone – or something – has moved into your airbox. I’m talking about vermin… pests… MICE! I recently heard from a Yamaha MT-10 owner who had these furry visitors move in while his bike was stored in his garage. Unbeknownst to him, they had made a nest in the airbox and used the filter element as bedding material. So when he fired his bike up it ingested the debris through the inlets and into the engine. The owner had a major bill for the repair as this damage wasn’t something that it was insured against. The…

TAS Racing have unveiled salvage and dismantling giants SYNETIQ as their new title sponsor after their eight-year partnership with Tyco came to an end. Taylor Mackenzie and Bradley Ray will line-up for the team in BSB this season. Both will be eager to get their preparations underway after missing the Spanish tests. MCN understands the team will begin testing in Northern Island at the end of the month. However TAS’s road racing plans for 2020 remain unclear. Rumours persist that the team may resume its previously successful partnership with Ian Hutchinson who currently remains without a roads ride.…

GloriousLakeDistrict Name Gareth Slinger Bike Kawasaki ZX-10R Area Lake District Hidden gem Lakeland Motor Museum, Backbarrow Coffee stop Kirkstone Pass Inn This route is a firm favourite for Gareth and his riding buddies. It takes in a mixture of fast flowing bends, tight twisties and undulating straights. “I find the best time to visit is during the summer months,” he says. “The views from Kirkstone Pass and along Ullswater are stunning.” The route starts and finishes at the Lakeland Motor Museum – a treasure trove for all petrolheads, with over 140 bikes and cars from yesteryear on display. Combine a museum visit with stunning lakeside views and this really is a couple of hours well spent. Route Head from Backbarrow on the A590 to Newby Bridge, before going north on…

TOP SUITS Rukka Ladies Suki Pro Jacket & Rukka Ladies Suki Pro Gore-Tex Textile Jeans ( £949.99 jacket, £700 jeans) With a female-specific fit and made from polyamide and Cordura with a Gore-Tex membrane, this all-weather suit is waterproof, windproof, breathable and abrasion resistant. For warmer days, there’s a removable thermal lining and waterproof pockets help keep your valuables safe in a downpour. There’s CE-approved shoulder, elbow, hip and knee armour and back protector. www.tranam.co.uk Recommended by Alison Silcox BikeYamaha X-Max 400 (among others) Yearly mileage 10,000 Why it's so good Rukka kit is expensive but it works. I’ve ridden in all manner of weather and it’s been fully waterproof, kept me warm and with plenty of ventilation panels, cool in summer. Pockets are waterproof…

With filthy roads, nasty weather and a distinct shortage of daylight, it’s not surprising that so many of us choose to put our hard-earned pride and joy to bed for winter. But while we’re saving our machines from the ravages of grime and salt in readiness for another season of riding, the skills we polished to perfection over the past year will no doubt be losing their lustre. To find out how we should prepare for an incident-free return to riding, we spent the day with Ryan Decarteret from Rapid Training, who have been providing advanced motorcycle tuition since 1997. Ryan cut his riding teeth on sportsbikes before joining the Serious Organised Crime Agency (later the National Crime Agency), where he was trained by Thames Valley Police to their advanced…