Table of contents for 23 November 2016 in MCN

Seeing the new GSX-R1000 in the flesh and in action on the track was a real treat. It’s smaller, lighter, more compact and cleverer than the current model and Taylor’s point about the engine’s extra power makes a superbike showdown a must. Test rider John Reynolds reckons that apart from the new Blade, which he hasn’t ridden, the GSX-R1000 is the fastest of all the 1000s – some feat given the stratospheric level road-going superbikes are at now.…

Fantic fantastic Die-hard Fantic fans will remember the Caballero from the original 50cc pedal-assisted moped of the 1970s. The new Caballero will come in two models, a Flat Tracker and a Dual Sport version. Both models are four-stroke singles and will come in 125cc, 250cc and 500cc displacements. Live like Sheene Barry Sheene’s old house in Charlwood, Surrey, is on the market for £2.25 million. The Manor House is a nine-bedroom mansion with eight reception rooms, six bathrooms, tennis court, swimming pool and 3.2 acres of grounds. Royal rumble Royal Enfield have announced that the Himalayan will be coming to the UK after all. Royal Enfield have decided to update the Himalayan to Euro 4, which involved adding ABS, fuel injection, auto-headlights and new tyres, with the intention of having…

‘Ceramic can be brittle, which is a problem on a bike’ Roberto Lavezzi BREMBO MOTORCYCLE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Brembo make ceramic brakes for road supercars such as Ferrari, but not for motorcycles. Ceramic brakes have many benefits over conventional ones, while the pads wear like a normal friction material, the disc will never wear out, so it is a disc for the bike’s life. Ceramic discs are also lighter than metal and will not warp. However, as a ceramic disc for a motorcycle is very thin in comparison with a car disc it can be brittle and on a bike’s exposed wheel this is a problem. Ceramic is also more expensive to produce, which is the major stumbling block.…

This 2013 Triumph Thruxton has been turned into a classy retro capable of anything. Creator Jens Hebish said: “I wanted to create the vintage look with a bike that can actually be ridden properly. I wanted style and speed with this machine.” The original Thruxton was rebuilt from the ground up as Jens tried to create a bike capable of high spirited track and road action. The 900cc bike boasts a complete Triumph Race exhaust system, a quickshifter and power commander. Helping it to handle is the reworked suspension. Jens had the bike painted and powdercoated with a matt-black finish to give the bike a no-nonsense look. Other changes include the bars, footrests, tank, rear unit, seat and a Motogadget dash is also featured. The build took about six months…

‘Hold on, go fast’ Triumph have displayed a couple of custom Bobbers as an example of how versatile the platform is. Our favourite is this drag bike made by Rotherham-based Down&Out, thanks to its low clip-on bars and Nitrous bottle strapped to the soft-tail. The airbox is gone, the exhausts chopped and the rear tyre enlarged to help deliver all that torque. Seiko speedo While speedometers have rendered the functions of a chronograph largely useless, that hasn’t stopped Seiko producing a motorbike specific one. What makes it motorbike specific? The dial has been rotated 15 degrees clockwise and tilted five degrees back to make it more easily readable while riding. They can be purchased online for around £250. GasGas get back on the gas for 2017 A resurgent GasGas have…

1977 SUZUKI AP50 Andy Calton, Editor, with mate Mark Lawler (left) on Suzuki ER50. Our lunch money went on petrol... YAMAHA RD350 YPVS Michael Neeves, Senior Road Tester, I spent all the money on the bike, so couldn’t afford haircuts. 1986 KAW ASAKI GT550 Simon Brown, Production Editor, I ruled Margate on this monster! 1978 HONDA XL250S Simon Relph, Senior Designer, enjoying 1200 acres of the Lake District’s finest at only 14 years of age, perfect! GILERA COUGAR Andy Davidson, Features Writer, I’ve never felt as cool as I did on this bike! 1976 SUZUKI B120 Richard Newland, Deputy Editor, I found it in the woods and got it going. send pics to: mcn.letters@ motorcyclenews.com…

1 Loomies Cafe West Meon, Hampshire. www.loomies.co.uk 2 Super Sausage Café Watling St, Towcester, Northants. Monday-Thursday 7.30am- 2.45pm, Friday-Sunday 7.00am-2.45pm www.supersausagecafe.co.uk 3 The Victoria Bikers Pub Coalville, Leics. Thursdays From 6pm all year www.vicbikerspub.co.uk 4 Haven Arms Havenside, Hedon, Yorks. Tuesday 7.30pm onwards, www.havenarms.co.uk 5 West End Cafe Llandovery, Carmarthan, Wales. Monday to Saturday 7:00 to 20:00 Sunday 07:30 to 20:00 www.westendcafe.co.uk GET YOUR MEET ON THE MAP If you have a bike-friendly cafe and want to get your meet on the map, contact us on: info@motorcyclenews.co.uk…

The latest incarnation of GS is more impressive than ever and now even smoother. The gearbox is light and the fuelling is faultless; that’s the easy bit of the verdict done. However, choosing a winner is incredibly difficult, especially when you consider price. The Honda is by far the cheapest, it almost offers the same as the BMW and Ducati, it’s just a little slower, slightly less glamorous and a little less comfortable. But it has true off road potential, and if it was my money it would be the one I’d choose. But if money were no object, the Ducati is the best bike here – the most advanced, sportiest, the most fun and arguably the most desirable. For the six months of summer of touring up mountain passes…

NEW BMW S1000R Sport £12,365 160bhp •207kg •999cc •inline four Classy hooligan with mind-bending spec including semi-active springs. Suzuki GSX-S1000 ABS£9599 145bhp •209kg •999cc •inline four Budget-but-popular hypernaked uses modified GSX-R1000 K5 motor. USED Ducati Streetfighter 1100S From £7500 155bhp •187kg • 1099cc •V-twin Ball-busting 155bhp performance from what is basically a naked 1098. KTM 1290 Super Duke R From £10,000 177bhp •209kg •1301cc •V-twin Grunting performance, top-spec electronics and surprising comfort.…

YAMAHA MT-10 £9999 FUEL 17 litres @ 35mpg = 131 miles WEIGHT 210kg SEAT 825mm POWER 158bhp TORQUE 81.9ftlb TIM THOMPSON 36 years of riding on road, track and pavement HEIGHT 5ft 7in WEIGHT 75kg ‘The MT meters its gravelly torque to the rear tyre with exquisite precision’ As of about a fortnight ago the MT-10 was all about super naked bravura – a front tyre riding a six-inch cushion of air as it gleefully consumed the back roads of the East Midlands. But now, on a dark, dank day in November, what matters is more prosaic stuff like the spread and power of its headlights. Which are thankfully OK. One thing, however, that hasn’t changed is the MT’s intimate relationship with the road. It may be a brutal…

Oxford Products ToolKit Pro £25 We’ve got one of these great underseat tool kits to give away. It’s got everything you need for basic maintenance or roadside fixes. Enter until: November 30 Sportsbikeshop.co.uk  gift voucher £50 The UK’s number one online retailer of motorcycle clothing, parts and accessories. There’s free mainland delivery and returns on orders over £25 (excluding Scottish Highlands). Find anything cheaper elsewhere and they’ll match it. Enter until: November 30 Muc-Off cleaning kit bundle £150 A huge pile of Muc-Off gear is up for grabs, ideal for keeping your bike clean over winter. The bundle includes all manner of cleaning equipment, brushes, sprays and lubes. Enter until: November 30…

‘Opposed-piston calipers are more robust, giving more power and feel’ THE EXPERT Chris Dabbs MCN technical expert of over 20 years, former racer and road tester Forget that high-revving 1000cc four-cylinder engine, your hydraulic disc brakes are the most ‘powerful’ part of your bike. It might take seven seconds or less to get to 100mph, but your binders will bring you to a halt in half that time as the brakes turn that energy into heat. In a hydraulic system the braking force is proportional to hydraulic pressure placed on the brake pad from the lever or pedal, the power and feel come from different designs. The simplest caliper design, seen on mopeds and 125s, will have one or two caliper pistons on one side of the disc, using a…

1 Get ready to sell your bike Before placing your advert on bikesforsale.com make sure you have a good selection if pictures of your bike in good light and from lots of different angles. Make sure you know what you want to sell it for and state the mileage and condition of your bike clearly and honestly. 2 Four steps to selling success Visit www.motorcyclenews.com and complete your ad in four simple steps. Prices start from just £19.99 which will get you on the MCN website for two weeks. It’s just another £6.99 to get your ad in the paper for two weeks and you can upgrade your ad if you want to. See the site for more details. 3 Take those calls Be ready to receive phone calls and…

NEIL HODGSON Former World Superbike champion, now BT Sport MotoGP presenter 2013 KTM 350 SX-F “I’d have to get myself a dirt bike again, something like a three-year-old KTM 350 SX-F. I rode one a few years back and I was really impressed. I’ve not had a dirt bike for four years and I really miss it. Riding on the dirt is just about as much fun as you can have on two wheels, in my opinion, and it’s brilliant for honing your skills no matter what you ride.” STEVE PARRISH 500cc Grand Prix racer, now road racing commentator 1965 YAMAHA YDS3 250 “Back in February 1970, aged 16 and one day, I collected my first bike – a Yamaha YDS3 250 from Hallen’s of Cambridge. I’d drooled over it…

‘Keep an eye on the oil and don’t assume it won’t need a top up’ “The R1200S is a really good bike, very solid and a typically accomplished boxer-engined BMW. However, there are a few things to look out for when buying a used one that will ensure you get the best possible example. “When new you could have opted for a Sport package when buying the bike. This consisted of an Öhlins shock, heated grips and wider six-inch rear wheel, and it only cost about £500 more, so most buyers took up this option. “But there is a catch. The Öhlins shock needs to be refreshed every year and rebuilt every few years as it is a genuine over-the-counter Öhlins and not a cheaper mass-produced item. Few owners realise…

‘I have to back at the front next year and I feel I can do that with Yamaha’MICHAEL LAVERTY James Ellison and Michael Laverty will spearhead a factory-backed bid to lift the BSB crown in 2017. The McAMS Yamaha team will be run by the Team Traction Control squad, which has fought for the British Supersport title for the last two seasons and won 600cc races on the roads with Ian Hutchinson. The move up to the Superbike class for 2017 comes as Yamaha Motor Europe re-introduce a factory-supported team to the British series. The McAMS Yamaha is looking to repeat the success enjoyed by Milwaukee Yamaha who took Josh Brookes to the title in 2015. Team Traction Control is owned by Prodigy front man Keith Flint who is hoping…

Aleix Espargaró left the Valencia test thrilled with his new Aprilia. The ex-Suzuki star reckons there is real potential in the package and he expects to be competitive when the new season starts. He said: “Maybe I was expecting something worse, but the bike is really competitive. We know the direction that we have to work in, but it’s a really stable bike and the turning is a little better than I expected. “We need to improve the acceleration, and that’ll be the biggest target of the coming tests. The bike is quite fast, and strong in the higher RPM, but the acceleration is not as good. It’s hard to say if it’s just pure torque or if it’s something that we can improve through the electronics.” It was a…

 Jorge Lorenzo has stunned the MotoGP paddock on his debut ride on the Ducati Desmosedici he’ll pilot in the 2017 MotoGP championship, after completing his first laps on the machine at the post-season Valencia test last week. ‘He is a champion with a lot of experience. I am very happy’GIGI DALL’IGNA The former Yamaha rider made a massive point throughout the two-day test, by being first on track every day and one of the last in, completing a gruelling 126 laps as he works with the new team to find his way on his unfamiliar machine. And while he might have finished the test down in eighth on the time sheets, he still managed to lap only 0.3 seconds slower than his best practice time of the preceding race weekend…

Do you want to experience the American West? Do you want to do this from the saddle of a Harley-Davidson or Indian motorcycle? Do you want the personalised service you deserve? Then Motorcycle Adventure Tours is your only choice. We focus on small groups to allow you to enjoy every mile, see everything you came to see and learn some history along the way. Motorcycle Adventure Tours was designed to deliver the best motorcycle riding experience. We want you to feel like family, not another customer. Your road captain Rick ‘Schneids’ Schneider is one of the most experienced riders in America with a rich history of touring the back roads of the American West. Growing up in the Black Hills of South Dakota gave Schneids a unique opportunity to experience…

‘Breathtaking views and natural wonders wait for you on the South Island roads’ Experience an incredible 11-day Guided Motorcycle Tour of New Zealand’s South Island. The 1400-mile adventure takes in some stunning sights and all kinds of motorcycling terrain. You can pick from a range of BMW motorcycles and there are top-notch hotels every step of the way. Breathtaking views and natural wonders wait for you on the South Island roads. Begin with a relaxing ride to the alpine town of Hanmer Springs and end your day in the natural hot springs. Rock pools, soothing sulphur pools and more help you unwind while you take in the views. Explore motorcycle heaven through the wild West Coast, home to rivers and rainforests, glaciers and geological treasures. Cross over the Haast Pass,…

It’s not that he was ever away (except to loon about on the other side of the world), but after months of research and preparation, Nick’s has a few new experiences for the discerning motorcyclist. MACH 2, the cutest little bike festival in the world “You bet. We’re on our second year and we are determined to make this event stupidly good,” said Nick, from his Expedition Centre in Wales. “It’s totally different from any other event on the busy biker’s calendar.” It’s not easy trying to create something way different and super-cool – but this is it, a motorcycle festival that really is a festival. No dancing around your handbags chaps, no tinnies, just a super-classy playlist with exciting new, highly-talented live musicians – saxophones, gypsy swing violinists, Johnny…

‘The new one is like jumping on a race bike. It will be the revival of the GSX-R’ ‘I’ve ridden the old bike a lot on James Whitham’s school days. It’s really nice, very smooth and great for trackdays. But to race, it was lacking that last bit. It wasn’t the fastest and was a little bit big and heavy. “The new one is like jumping on a race bike. It feels like a tuned GSX-R1000, but still very smooth, especially the way the power comes in, which is handy in tricky conditions. It’s so docile you could ride it to the shops as well as thrash it around a track. It still has the same GSX-R character, but it now goes like the latest 1000s – it’s got that…

From this Wednesday (November 23) you can purchase two tickets for the Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle show (February 17-19) for just £31! That’s a saving of £11 over the standard gate price! You can also now purchase two tickets for the MCN Festival in Peterborough (May 14-15) for the knockdown price of £27, a saving of £13 over the gate price! If you’re planning on camping there’s even a special Black Friday deal we’ve slashed prices down to £55 for two adults, a £25 saving! These offers are only available from November 23 to midnight on November 30. • Visit www.mcnmotorcycle show.com for London, and www.mcnfestival.com for the Festival.…

BELL MOTO III HELMET £279.99 Bell have brought back the true spirit of the 70s with the Moto III. The new Moto III looks like the old model but features a lightweight fibreglass composite shell. DICKIES FD RELAXED FIT KEVLAR JEANS £169.99 Legendary workwear brand Dickies have branched into motorcycling with a range of clothing that is fashionable and functional. See www.dickiesmotorcycleoutfitters.com BUILT MAGAZINE £4.99 Built is a new magazine all about handcrafted customised motorcycles and the lifestyle that surrounds them. It’s for riders who like being different. Order yours at www.builtmag.co.uk…

1 WHAT’S THIS OFF? Recognise the headlights? You should do... they are pretty distinctive. Name the bike… 2 WH0’S THIS? This star has been stuggling to make his Marc in MotoGP this year, but who is he? 3 WH0’S THIS? This young fella reckons himself something of a Joker. He certainly keeps his teeth pearly white… 4 WH0’S THIS? He used to look after GOATS but is now playing around with old cars. Can you tell us who it is? 5 WHERE’S THIS? This famous track is 3.259 miles long and opened in 1974 after roads racing in the area was halted after a tragic death. Name the track… 6 WHEN WAS THIS? He might be crying like a big, old baby but Nicky Hayden was happy! 7 WHO RODE…

Jonny Barr, Louise and Ross on our rideout over to the Isle of Skye from Aviemore. Covered 360 miles Richard Howell Nice ride from my home in Norfolk to Lake Windermere, Lake District on my Triumph Explorer Nick Cummins My brother- in-law Gareth and I recently returned from a brilliant trip to the D-Day beaches in France. I took my brand new CB500X. What a great bike! Mike Westson With John and my brother-in-law Smudge on our last blast of the year in the Alps SEND YOURS Have you ridden anywhere epic? If so share it with MCN readers Send pics to mcn.letters@ motorcyclenews.com…

BMW S1000RR £14,910 And as the RR enters its seventh year there’s no sign of BMW turning down the wick – in fact with their carbon-fibre-framed HP4 for next year, they’re breaking the mould yet again. KAWASAKI ZX-10RR £TBC Born out of this year’s race bike, the new RR gives the team an even stronger base model – and gives the likes of us an even more race-ready (RR, geddit?) option. Only 500 are being built. HONDA CBR1000RR FIREBLADE SP £TBC The next-generation Blade hits the UK next year – including the new SP version with its Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), Öhlins Step motor-type Electronic Control (S-EC) suspension and Cornering ABS. KAWASAKI ZX-6R £10,149 Its dimensions are relatively comfortable, the engine pleasingly torquey for a 600 (well, 636), and when…

PRICE£10,055 FUEL 16 litres @ 48.84mpg = 172 miles WEIGHT 214kg SEAT 880mm POWER 84bhp TORQUE61ftlb JAMES ARCHIBALD Long-distance commuter with four years of riding experience. HEIGHT 5ft 11in WEIGHT 84kg ‘Under a blanket of stars I shacked up for the night’ ‘The F800GS really embodies the spirit of adventure’ The F800GS has brought out my inner adventurer this year. Its jack-of-all-trades nature means I’ve been challenging my riding and making the most of every opportunity. After spending a long weekend in Scotland with the GS in March, I vowed to return. So I did, this time for a full week of wild camping – just me, my tent and the GS. Returning later in the year allowed me to miss the endless hordes of caravans and midges that…

SUZUKI SV650 £5495 FUEL 13.8 litres @ 55mpg = 167 miles WEIGHT 197kg SEAT 785mm POWER 75bhp TORQUE 47ftlb THE RIDER Adventure rider and long-distance rider with nine years’ experience HEIGHT 5ft 7in WEIGHT 73kg andy.davidson@motorcyclenews.com There’s plenty more fish in the sea, they say. But when you get attached to a certain fish (Ducati Multistrada Enduro), and that fish gets nicked – it feels like nothing can take its plaice. However, when Consumer Editor Tony Hoare left MCN he offered me his SV650; more of a goldfish compared to my great red shark, but I was still happy to snatch the keys. You could buy three SVs with the money you’d spend on the Strada. But in return you get a bike that’s half the size, tank capacity and…

Bikes that will only go up in value Hinckley’s hero The Daytona Super III raised Triumph’s game Hinckley’s original Daytona 750 looked the part but felt a bit weedy to ride. The 900, launched in 1993, was a bit more like it but still had the 98bhp engine common to most of the 885cc triples. In short, it didn’t really have the go to back up its looks. To try and fix that, Triumph went to Cosworth who reworked the cylinder head. The 1994 Super III also got bumpier cams and flatslide carbs, all of which boosted power to 115bhp, with six-piston front brakes to haul it up. It also had lots of carbon fibre, but it still weighed 211kg dry – a legacy of its 885cc heritage. The Super…

Tyco BMW have confirmed that former factory Ducati World Superbike star Davide Giugliano will ride alongside Christian Iddon in the 2017 MCE British Superbike Championship. The Northern Irish squad struggled in 2016 with Christian Iddon and Michael Laverty so wanted to sign a big-name rider to front their title efforts in 2017. With no knowledge of British circuits with the exception of Silverstone, Donington and Brands GP and a strong reputation for crashing, Giugliano is a big risk for Tyco, who will be hoping the Italian will become one of the growing number of world-stage riders to reignite their careers in BSB. The Italian showed fast pace in WSB with both Ducati and Aprilia, but was unable to ever win a race due to a lack of consistency. He said:…

 New Yamaha signing Maverick Viñales left the MotoGP world with plenty to think about – not least disgruntled team-mate Valentino Rossi! ‘I expected better but there hasn’t been a lot of difference’VALENTINO ROSSI Viñales made an incredible first impression on the Yamaha M1 he will campaign in 2017 by topping the test’s timesheets and bettering Rossi’s lap time by a whopping three-quarters-of-a-second. Rossi was quick to blame the lack of development from the Yamaha race department as he tried out the 2017 bike for the first time. He fumed: “We tried the new engine, and it’s not fantastic. I expected more. We haven’t improved a lot. It’s just the first version but we have to work. “I expected better, but there hasn’t been a lot of difference. We didn’t know…

There are undoubtedly some incredible places to visit on this planet. But visit these places on a motorcyle and the true scale and wonderment really strikes you. On a motorcycle you get a sense of achievement simply reaching some of these far-flung destinations and you can then experience a real connection with the road you’re riding or the terrain you are passing through. You are so much more at one with your surroundings when there is just the clothes you are wearing separating you from what is all around you. This special MCN Escapes supplement is designed to inspire, to intrigue and to prompt action. We have tried to bring to life some realistic road trips with some more life-changing missions as you start to think about that next big…

Gogoro have been making waves in Taiwan over the last 18 months, having sold 15,000 of their SmartScooters, with the owners logging overthree million kilometres. What’s so smart about it? All the usual functions can be controlled by an app – but the best bit is the battery docking system, which allows you to swap the batteries in under a minute and get back on your way. Gogoro have 270 docking stations in Taiwan and with a 100km range you’ll never be stranded. A SmartScooter currently costs US$3000 (£2431) in Taiwan and you pay a monthly fee to use the Gogoro batteries, which means you don’t need to worry about costly replacements. The monthly fee varies from US$10-$30 depending on your mileage. Gogoro have recently expanded to Berlin, and have…

Builder Eugenio Vezzetti Bike OraColo, based on a 1986 750CC Dnepr mt11 The Oracle leaves a raw and lasting impression. It’s based on a Russian Dnepr and has been re-worked into this simple-looking but effective custom by Italian builder Eugenio Vezzetti. The bike centres around the hand-fabricated brass tank and seat that was previously an engine mount for a Honda XT125. Builder Davide Lorusso Bike Ula, based on a 1991 Honda XR600 There’s thinking outside of the box and then there’s this. Lorusso’s Ula proves that anything is achievable with a little imagination. His XR600 is made from odd household bits and stuff lying around in the shed. The fuel tank is easily the most striking feature, fashioned from two PVC pipes. Builder Ken Ritsuno Bike Original Ritsuno’s bike is…

Viñales and Lorenzo off to fast starts I had a quiet chuckle to myself last week as Jorge Lorenzo wobbled out on his new Ducati during the MotoGP test at Valencia and was about 12 seconds off the pace. However, the wily Spanish superstar had the last laugh as he got to grips with the power-packed GP16 and ended up well inside the top 10 fastest times and only a little over a second off the fastest. Maverick Viñales was also moving to a new team and he, too, impressed. Actually he did a whole lot more than impress. He scared the pants off the MotoGP paddock and his Yamaha team-mate, Valentino Rossi, in particular. The Suzuki he’s ridden to such good effect over the last two years is a…

Some bike nights are just that: one night. But this is Loomies. ‘Run by bikers for bikers,’ it shouts. The bike-rammed forecourt is in constant flux with strangers arriving and friends leaving, the flowers cascading from old repurposed boots and helmet hanging-baskets. While official bike night is Wednesday, when the enthusiastic team keep the kitchen open until 9pm, the cafŽ’s location at the crossroads of two excellent biking roads draws bikes every day of the week, with hundreds on sunny weekends. Inside, a huge modern helmet rack and a striking painting of a cornering racer welcome the leather-clad clientele. The menu is a nitrous-boosted evolution of the derelict Little Chef that once stood on this site; serving sumptuous fare including the ‘Legal Learner’, ‘Track Hero’ and ‘Race-Pro’ all-day breakfasts. This…

BMW R1200GS The price for a pair of GS Vario panniers, top case, bracket, back rest and locks purchased individually is £1104.32, but they are currently on offer as a set for £1050. Sizes: right pannier, 30-39 litres, left 20-29 litres, top case 25-35 litres. Honda Africa Twin The solid pannier kit for the Honda will set you back £495. Like the BMW the right hand pannier is smaller to accommodate for the exhaust, size, left 40 litres, right, 30 litres. A matching top case with 35 litres of storage will be another £285. Ducati Multistrada Ducati offer sportier panniers with 58 litres storage at £596.80 and £402.83 for the top box. As with the Honda and BMW they are designed to work with one single key. A touring pack…

MOPED RACING By the mid 1980s Moped Mayhem was in full swing and the only bike to be on was an AR80, sorry, we meant AR50. STOPPIES! Before the AR an attempted stoppie on the likes of an X-1 or Fizzy would simply lock the front tyre and send you down the road. MICRON SPANNIES The first thing you did to your AR was fit a pair of crackling Microns. Did they make ’em quicker? Probably not. CONES The CBT was a still a way off when the AR50 first arrived, but the it certainly played its part in ushering in the new regulation.…

1990 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXRS LOW RIDER CONVERTIBLE CLAIMED WEIGHT 261kg (dry) CAPACITY 1340cc MILES unknown THE RIDER Ped Baker managing editor digital and events. ped.baker@motorcyclenews.com HEIGHT: 6ft 4in WEIGHT: 90kg My Harley-Davidson FXR project has shamefully just rolled into its third year, but despite being nowhere near finished, there has been some progress. Bought as a ‘running project’ in November 2013, the FXR had spent most of its life in a Guildford back garden. It’d been rescued by the previous owner and I’d Initially planned to do minimal work to get the bike roadworthy, paint over the ‘patina’ and ride it, but after a discussion with Harley, we decided it might be wise to check the internals for any potential problems before I potentially made them worse. Gavin Cupit, a technician…

TESTED 2000 MILES BKS Prowess ladies leather suit £649.99 Tester: Emma Franklin Time tested: 2000 miles What’s good: In 2008 the great British made-to-measure leathers manufacturer BKS created a range of off-the-peg items for the Frank Thomas Group, which included this top-spec ladies race suit. Although the Prowess was mass-produced in China, BKS’s founder Brian Sansom designed and oversaw the production of the suit so it retained the bespoke brand’s legendary build quality. It’s seriously robust, made from 1.2-1.4mm cowhide held together with heavy, multi-row seams, with double-layered leather at the shoulders and elbows. It also has CE-approved armour in the shoulders, elbows, forearms, knees, shins and hips. Kevlar-reinforced stretch material on the insides of the arms and legs help give this suit a degree of flexibility as well as…

‘The keys were in the ignition, but they now say otherwise ’ Andrew Campbell Solicitor and author of the MCN Law column for the last five years Andrew Campbell, Bikelawyer. Visit www.bikelawyer.co.uk or email andrew@bikelawyer.co.uk or call 01446 794169 Motorcycle Accident Solicitors Q How can I get broken-down bike back from Portugal? This summer my son broke down in Portugal on his BMW R1150GS Adventure. His insurance policy allowed for repatriation if such an event occurred. However, when he called they refused to do this until they had a chance to examine and possibly repair it. The bike was collected on a flatbed truck and taken to a local garage, but the garage now say they can’t examine or repair it as they have no keys. The keys were in…

‘People need to get Street wise’ Why you should bag the original 675cc naked before prices go crazy I’m looking at Triumph Street Triples with interest rather than commercial lust, because I think prices for the early Mark Ones, in really good nick, are firming noticeably, and here’s why. The Street was, and remains, a superlative motorcycle. It’s in the same class as the original Yamaha 350LC – a bike for Everyman that runs rings round machines in the class, and maybe even two classes, above. Nobody has been able to better it. And the current model is just a bit… softer. More civilised. The R is still naughty, but the base model has a taller first gear and loses some of its eagerness. I think this is down to…

‘You can have a new bike for less’ DEPUTY EDITOR RICHARD NEWLAND Personal Contract Purchase now finances 20%-30% of all new bikes sold in the UK, and it’s growing fast. But it might not be right for you, so make sure you understand what it is and how it works. You can have these new bikes for less than you might have ever imagined – and what’s more you can have another new one in three years’ time, probably without increasing your monthly outlay, or having to find a fresh deposit. This is how it works… • Work out what you can afford as a deposit and in monthly repayments for the duration of the contract. • You can get PCP on any amount from £1500 upwards. • Choose…

2003 BMW R1100S Colours Grey, silver, blue, yellow, red Dealer £4000 Private good £3700 Private average £3000 This one High 52,398 mileage is reflected in its below-list £2695 2006 BMW R1200S Colours Red/silver, yellow Dealer £5300 Private good £5000 Private average £4600 This one Very clean showing 23,539 miles and with the Sport pack and luggage fitted. £5495 2007 BMW R1200S Colours Red/silver, yellow, black Dealer £5500 Private good £5100 Private average £4800 This one This bike lacks the Sport pack and panniers, lowering its price tag to £4995 2009 BMW HP2 Sport Colours White Dealer £14,000 Private good £13,000 Private average £12,000 This one The daddy of the sporty boxer range costs as much used as it did new due to its exclusivity. Insurance MCNCompare.com quotes for £5500 sports-tourers,…

Valentino Rossi protégé Lorenzo Dalla Porta took the 2016 CEV Spanish Junior Moto3 crown in dramatic style at the weekend in Valencia, only making it to the start line for the opening race of the weekend after his team had extinguished a fire on his Laglisse Academy Husqvarna on the grid! It was a good weekend for the Brits too, with Racing Steps KRP regular Rory Skinner taking a season-best ninth in the second race, while British Motostar champion Charlie Nesbitt finished 11th and 16th.…

Jonas Folger Monster Yamaha Tech 3 The German made a stunning debut in the premiere class, finishing his first test on a MotoGP machine as fastest rookie. Struggling in Moto2 for the second half of 2016, his result came as a shock to the paddock but bodes well for him and the Tech 3 team. Johann Zarco Monster Yamaha Tech 3 The reigning Moto2 world champion was never going to be slow on a Grand Prix machine, and, aided by a two-day test for Suzuki at Motegi over the summer break, he quickly got up to speed on the bike to finish only 0.012 off his team-mate Folger. Alex Rins Team Suzuki It was a difficult introduction for Alex Rins, after a crash on Wednesday morning saw him smash into…

While the MotoGP field were in action at Valencia, a number of Moto2 and Moto3 teams headed to Jerez for their first outing of the 2017 season, including Brit Danny Kent getting his first run out on the new Suter chassis that he hopes will re-ignite his career next year. Struggling throughout the 2016 season to come to grips with the Kalex, a situation not aided by a difficult year in the team that eventually saw him split with long-term crew chief Peter Bom ahead of Valencia, the change to Swiss machinery looks to be paying off for the former world champion, who finished the two-day test in fourth place, only 0.3s off fastest man Takaaki Nakagami.…

‘Taking the long way round’ proved a real adventure for Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor but not everyone has that level of time for their annual touring holidays. Sometimes you just want to get to your destination as quickly as possible and start having fun riding some of the best roads in Europe. And this is where Bikeshuttle can really help. It can whisk your bike overnight through France to Geneva while you fly out to meet it. You wake up, feeling refreshed and your bike is ready after breakfast for you to begin your journey. The service runs every week from mid May to September. You take your bike to the Northants-based depot on a Tuesday morning (it can be collected for a fee). It’s safely and securely loaded…