Table of contents for 20th November 2019 in MCN

Chris Walker Kawasaki is holding a massive sale before moving to bigger premises at the end of the month. The ex-BSB star said: “If you buy it, we don’t have to move it.” The sale includes Arai and AGV helmets while Indian clothing is half price. There are even deals on new and used bikes with free delivery, free tax and MoT. The new store will be one of Kawasaki’s biggest in Britain, but is still only just down the road from the current premises in Grantham, Lincolnshire.…

With temperatures tumbling and sunlight scarce, it’s not easy to add to your 5000-mile target at this time of year. But #ride5000miles members are embracing the conditions by heading off road where the extra effort soon gets the body temperature rising. With lanes accessible in most regions and unintimidating low-capacity trail bikes available, for some, like 41-year-old Andy Kent, from Cheshire, tackling trails has kept him active. “I’ve done the sportsbike thing, but I turned to adventure bikes in 2007,” the BMW R1200GSA and G450X owner told MCN. “I came back from a tour of the Alps on a Fireblade and the roads were clogged with traffic here, but you go onto the trails and you can be on your own.” Having ridden off-road for 21 years, he added: “You’re…

I’ve bought a new bike. This doesn’t happen often. Following the disintegration of my Suzuki scooter’s exhaust and the ridiculous cost of fixing it, I realised I had to sort myself a commuter. My CD200 Benly won’t be ULEZ exempt until 2021, my Honda 400/4 is exempt but not exactly a commuting steed, ditto my Guzzi Le Mans. Yes, the 660 Ténéré is excellent but 45mpg in traffic is more fuel than I want to burn. And the BMW K1600 and H2 Ninja? (Pause for hollow laughter.) Like others, I’ve discovered that, in London, there’s a dearth of decent, ULEZ-compliant, cheap commuters. Most used 125s are shonky and anything sound isn’t cheap. I’ve also discovered that six speeds is just too many for day-in, day-out traffic. A small capacity, economical…

There are some big and exciting changes at this year’s Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show – and they don’t get much bigger than the Michelin Thunderdrome. The celebrity live action show in the centre of the main hall has been thrilling showgoers with wheel-to-wheel and shoulder-to-shoulder racing for the past three years and for 2020 we’re ratcheting the action up a couple of notches with a new course and four of the fastest road racers. TT legend John McGuinness is back! After a couple of years away from the Michelin Thunderdrome, John McGuinness is ready to get back into the action. The 23-time TT winner has never ridden the banked Thunderdrome circuit and is itching to get stuck into the action alongside his road racing rivals Michael Rutter, Peter…

There’s a white and red-faced legend in my mirrors - not fellow road tester Jon Urry, although he’s a good egg, but it’s the bike he’s lent us for this MCN250: an original 1998 Yamaha R1. If you’re of a certain age, you’ll remember the first time you ever saw an R1 and it may as well have been a spaceship, with its Deltabox frame, braced swingarm and razor-sharp styling in blue or white and red. Designed from a blank sheet, the 20-valve motor made an eyewatering-for-the-90s 150bhp, the bike weighed 177kg dry and had a stacked gearbox to keep the engine short and swingarm long for sweet handling. It was a catalyst-free, minimalist one-litre rocketship, built with fastidious attention to detail, such as the gear lever rubber; only fitted…

Not only does the new Panigale now look as mean and purposeful as its pricier V4 siblings, it’s a more well-rounded machine than ever – faster, lighter, more agile and involving. Sure, you might be able to go quicker on a superbike for a lap or two, if you’ve got the talent, strength, fitness and fresh rubber, but you’ll be quicker for longer, with less effort and a bigger smile on your face riding the Panigale V2. No current sportsbike offers such a blissful blend of power and handling or goes to such lengths to flatter its rider.…

Magpie syndrome is a serious affliction. ‘See shiny thing – must have shiny thing.’ It’s one of the underlying drivers of our passion for bikes. But some shiny things are a waste of money, be they whole bikes, or the trinkets we bolt on, and the modern version of the superbike glitterball is the ‘adventure bike accessory magnet’. The number of GSs that look like they’ve been tarred and feathered with accessories far outweighs unmolested ones so, in the spirit of joining in, I’ve been bolting all sorts of things to the mighty GSA in an attempt to qualify what’s an invaluable buy and what’s just burning cash. These are my highlights – mixed with only one where dimmer switch was stuck on low... Do you needany of it? No,…

Four-stroke motocrossers rev to 14,000rpm with stratospheric compression ratios and titanium valves so need plenty of TLC to keep them running smoothly. Sadly, tender loving care was something that was woefully lacking on a 2016 KTM SXF250 that arrived at Chris Self Motorcycles in Ipswich. ‘The piston had clouted the valves 150 times per sec’ Chris told us: “The engine had been partially stripped, which is rare on these types of bikes because their complexity is beyond the scope of most home mechanics, but this one had its top-end off, which made diagnosis simple. It was a mess!” To create a high-revving engine you need to reduce the piston’s weight, so they have really short skirts, but this allows the piston to rock in the bore as it wears. “This…

2001 Macau winner, John McGuinness, put in an impressive performance in qualifying on the Tak Chun/PBM Ducati to claim fourth spot before a fuelling problem on the warm up lap prevented him from starting Saturday’s race. The 23-time TT winner was upbeat about his pace on the Ducati and he hopes to convince team boss Paul Bird to bring the V4 machine to the Island next June. He said: “We went forward in every session and I got on great with the team. It gave me a boost to be back up there at the sharp end.” McGuinness, who is currently contracted to Norton, failed to finish either the Superbike or Senior race at this year’s TT.…

BSB champion Scott Redding arrived at MotorLand Aragon for his first World Superbike test alongside other riders and was immediately fastest, both on race rubber and qualifying tyres. Not only that, but the Aruba Ducati rider, who previously tested for three days in Valencia as the season was finishing in Qatar, is looking distinctly calm and confident. It’s early days, of course, but 2020 is already poised to be brilliant. After recovering from a bout of food poisoning, Redding lapped the Spanish circuit on race tyres in 1:50.403, edging out teammate Chaz Davies by 0.07sec. Both were 0.3sec quicker than Alvaro Bautista’s lap record from earlier this year. While also inside the record was Toprak Razgatlioglu, the Turk impressing on his Pata Yamaha debut. But the test was also far…

Valentino Rossi “He is one of the most important riders in the modern era. We are losing a very important part of our sport. He’s a great champion and impressed me with his speed and concentration.” Cal Crutchlow “On his day, a lot of people wouldn’t be in the same race. Sometimes when you are on the podium, you wouldn’t be in the same race as him. He’s been a great champion and professional.” Andrea Dovizioso “He’s won a lot of races and championships, so he can be happy with his career. What he did in the world championship is something huge.” Marc Marquez“He is a strong character on and off the track and for me a real champion.” Maverick Viñales “He’s a great rider and a great talent. He…

THIS WEEK THURSDAY 21ST Races to Places An evening with adventurer, racer and YouTuber, Lyndon Poskitt, Ace Café, Stonebridge, London. 6.30pm. Entry 6.30pm, £16.80 Info 020-8961-1000 www.london.acecafe.com FRIDAY 22ND MSVT Open Pitlane Track Day Head down to Brands Indy down in Kent with WSB star Leon Haslam. Entry from £89 Info www.MSVTrackdays.com SATURDAY 16-24TH Motorcycle Live NEC, Birmingham, West Midlands Entry Tickets £25, Over 65s £15, Children 6-16 £1, Under 5s free. Car Parking £12 (bike parking is free). Info 0844-581-2345 www.motorcyclelive.co.uk SUNDAY 24TH Squires Cafe Annual Charity Toy Run Newthorpe, West Yorks. Entry Open for donations from 8am, departs 11am. Minimum £5 donation or a new unwrapped toy. Info www.squires-cafe.co.uk SUNDAY 24TH Yondermann Café Wardlow Mires, Derbys Entr y Open every day from 8am-3pm Info 01298-873056 or www.yondermanncafe.com YOUR…

Do the spokey dokey Having been startled by a Toyota Prius and reading about the expense motorcycle manufacturers are going to in making electric bikes audible, I have a suggestion. How about a high tech version of the lollipop stick/ playing card/fag packet in the spokes, those of us of a certain age will remember? Maybe a carbon fibre/Kevlar/graphene item which could be tuned by the owner to their favourite pitch. I of course claim copyright over this idea Bryan Cross, email Nice but what Õs it for? Another week, another British wonderbike! Can I ask, what’s the point? No one is going to spend £93K on a track-only Aston-Brough then actually take it on track and run the risk of being wiped out by some loon on a five-year-old…

Takeo Yokoyama has been a key player in HRC’s MotoGP project for a decade, first as Dani Pedrosa’s engineer, then as technical director and manager. Before that he was a chassis designer, working on the CBR600, 250 GP bikes and MotoGP bikes. “Marc is incredible,” he says. “As a rider he improves year by year. This season we tried to help him by making the bike faster in fourth, fifth and sixth gears so he didn’t have to go into the corners like an animal. Also, he could think more about how to save the front tyre and keep the grip to the end of races. “He feels the tyres and bike a lot, so when he’s on the limit he can save slides a lot more. For normal riders…

• •Thir Twelve e n new new bikes bikes •Thousandsof real-worldtestmiles •What works, what doesn’t and what fails •How to get the most out of your new bike •The best mods, parts and accessories tried, tested and reviewed •No punches pulled •See the whole fleet story so far online at motorcyclenews.com 8593 MILES BMW S1000RR Sport 4677 MILES Ducati Diavel S 4812 MILES Triumph Speed Twin 7012 MILES Triumph Scrambler 1200 1937 MILES Indian FTR1200S 3917 MILES Suzuki Katana 10,427 MILES Yamaha Niken GT 12,850 MILES Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE…

We were chatting to a dealer from across town who’s what my mother would call a ‘ne’erdo-well’. He was smugly talking about a few bikes they’d had in their workshop that were playing up with the arrival of wintery weather – and how they cheerfully ripped off the owners over ‘serious running issues’ that were simple fixes. When you’re at the side of a dark road with a misbehaving motorcycle it’s easy to think the worst. And with the electronics that smother modern machinery the idea of trying to trace and fix the problem yourself can be daunting. But the basics of a bike are the same as they’ve always been – and in our experience most breakdowns are due to the same reasons they always have been. So, check…

Sometimes, if you’ve left your bike for a day or two after you rode it in the wet, when you next come to move it you may find that the calipers have seized onto the disc and you’ll need a shove in order to get it rolling again. However, if you’ve been riding your bike regularly through winter without washing your calipers and you’ve noticed a drop off in braking performance or lever pressure, it could be that your caliper pistons have seized inside their bores. This is caused by a build-up of crud around the either the piston itself or the seal and the caliper body which is preventing the piston from actuating the pads properly. To remedy this you’ll either need to pump the pistons out to three-quarters…

Michael Rutter claimed his ninth Macau Grand Prix title after a day of carnage and confusion at the Chinese race. Saturday’s 12-lapper was red flagged twice following two serious crashes. Pole-setter Peter Hickman had already built a huge 7.2-second lead on his MGM Batham’s BMW when the initial contest was stopped after three laps when Rob Hodson crashed at Solitude Esses and Marek Cerveny fell after colliding with Hodson’s BMW. Neither rider was injured. The race was restarted over eight laps with Rutter getting the holeshot on the MGM Bathams Honda RC213V-S ahead of Hickman. But the action was stopped after one lap following a crash at the bottom of Moorish Hill. The six-rider pile up, which forced racing to be abandoned, was one of the biggest smashes in the…

Recent years have seen rules changes a-go-go in WSB, whether it be Saturday and Sprint races or reserve grids. Technical changes have seen standardised throttle bodies, drops in rpm, concession and approved parts and more. History has demonstrated that, although regulation changes can throw variables into the mix and bring some unusual results initially, the biggest teams tend to come out on top thanks to their larger bank balances and greater resources. For 2020 we have no such rule modifications which. hopefully, will bring closer racing.…

‘More than anything, I love to win races’ ‘The Honda never felt natural’ ‘Honda and Lorenzo cannot be fighting to just score some points’ One of the greatest success stories in MotoGP history reached its final chapter last weekend when Spanish star Jorge Lorenzo retired from racing. A 13th place in Valencia brought an ignominious ending to a glittering career, with five world titles and 68 victories making Lorenzo one of the most decorated riders in the 70-year history of World Championship competition. Having gone from race winner at Ducati in August 2018 to perennial backmarker within months of an ill-fated switch to Honda that turned into an injury-ravaged horror show, Lorenzo announced his retirement at the age of 32 during an exceptional press conference on the eve of the…

Beating the GOAT Lorenzo dismantled Rossi as the master of the Yamaha M1. In seven head-to-head seasons at Yamaha, Lorenzo won 35 races to Rossi’s 26 and incredibly twice as many world championships: Lorenzo two titles (2010, 2015) to Rossi’s one (2009). Only man to beat Marquez – 2015 Lorenzo clinched his third premier class title with a final race win at Valencia in 2015, beating Marquez by 0.263s. That win, his seventh of the season, put Lorenzo five points ahead of Rossi. Supreme Alien Lorenzo’s alien head count was Rossi, Stoner and Marquez and he takes huge pride in being the only rider to beat this trio to titles. With two 250cc crowns in the bag, Lorenzo was a five-time champion. Silencing the critics – Mugello 2018 Lorenzo answered…

The new Ace Iron Horse, which revives the name of a 1920s Ariel, is a shining example of British engineering at its best with each frame taking 70 hours to make… not including the time it takes to polish it. The hand-welded trellis is made up of seven pieces of machined, aircraft grade aluminium and highlights the mix of modern technology and traditional craftsmanship which is core to Ariel’s philosophy. Then it’s mirror-polished by hand. Tom Siebert, Ariel Manager, said: “It’s a labour of love, but motorcyclists understand and appreciate the level of care that goes into a bike like this.” As with other Aces it’s powered by Honda’s VFR1200 engine, producing 172bhp and a 0-60mph time of three seconds with a top speed of 170mph. At the front is…

Once again, judging by the exploits from the EICMA show in Milan, we’ve got a vast array of sexy machinery and intriguing technology to look forward to in 2020. It looks like the Fireblade has finally made a comeback, Aprilia’s RS660 is set to shake up the middleweight class, and there were copious amounts of mouthwatering concepts; something to satisfy every genre and whet the appetite of every customer. But there was something missing. Of course, aesthetics are entirely subjective. One man’s Fearne Cotton is another man’s Fern Britton, but I was chatting to the chief designer of a major manufacturer who agreed there’s nothing fresh being brought into the game. Sure, laws and regulations are a major stumbling block when converting these concepts into production bikes, but other than…

Q ‘Do I have to take some of the blame?’ I was filtering on the inside of the central white line at about 5mph faster than slow-moving traffic when the car I was just drawing up to turned sharply across my path, without indicating; I had no chance to take evasive action and was knocked off my bike. I’ve been told that, even though the accident was clearly not my fault, when cases go to court it tends to go to ‘split-liability’, where each side is equally to blame. I’ve also been told the driver is denying liability. TH, email ‘Split liability doesn’t mean that it will be 50/50’ A Your insurer will almost certainly obtain the police report and associated witness statements before they make a decision on who…

STEWART TOYE Age 51 Height 6ft 1in Current bike 2002 Yamaha R1 Been riding for 30-plus years First bike Yamaha TZR125 Dream bike Honda NR750 I’ve owned modern superbikes in the past with traction control and ABS, but now I have a 2002 R1, which I use for general riding and trackdays. I’ve also got a Hayabusa for the road and drag strip runs. I find it more involving without the riding aids – anyone can open a throttle if the power is being managed for you. I rode my colleague’s 2019 GSX-R1000 a few months ago and he said that, depending on the settings you’ve dialled in, you can nail it in the corners without the worry of it stepping out on you. It gives you a sense of…

MALVERN AUTOJUMBLE, THE THREE COUNTIES SHOWGROUND, WORCS NOVEMBER 24 It’s the final Malvern Auto Jumble of 2019 but there’ll still be loads of stalls to search out parts, accessories and bargains for that winter project. The route Leave the jumble and head to Halney Swan where you take a sharp left through to Rhydd. Follow the course of the River Severn and head north to the outskirts of Worcester. Pick up the ring road and follow signs for Leominster via the A44. It’s a pretty, tree-lined road which twists and turns through lots of villages, before Leominster. A short hop, south on the A49, takes you past Leominster Golf Club before you fork left on the A417. Pass Hampton Court Castle, in Newton go straight over the traffic lights and…

‘L-plates are a faint memory’ “You may think doing some rider training straight after passing my test is a tad ‘previous’, but Mark’s advice has had a massive impact on my confidence. Much of the guidance for passing Module 2 had focussed on keeping out of trouble – but at the expense of making good progress. You take every corner in the middle of the road and it’s foot-on-brake-pedal whenever you come to a halt at traffic lights. All good in theory. But Mark showed me a style of riding that embraces the best thing about bikes: freedom. My riding became smoother and comfier and I no longer felt such a fish out of water. I’ve arrived on two wheels and L-plates are a faint memory. Heartily recommended.” THAT’S BETTER!…

RATINGS POOR ★ AVERAGE ★★ GOOD ★★★ VERY GOOD ★★★★ EXCEPTIONAL ★★★★★ Richa Arctic GTX gloves £119.99 Tested by Richard Newland for one year What drives me mad with most winter gloves is the loss of sensation, sweaty liners and feeling like you’ve got a mini sleeping bag on each digit. Step up Richa’s Arctic GTX, a Gore-Tex winter glove that doesn’t make you feel like you’re molesting a sheep. The outer is a pleasing leather and textile mix, while the liner is polyester – but don’t let that conjure images of sweaty mitts, these don’t suffer that ignominy. There are soft abrasion pads where all your bony bits protrude, and a large, comfortable hard knuckle protector. The Velcro wrist closure is top-mounted and works well, while the main cuff…

Bike cleaner A basic, bike-specific cleaner will be safe on all the important and unprotected surfaces inside your bike’s calipers, as well as the rubber seals, and won’t leave behind any residue. Torque wrench Brake caliper bolts are those kind of fasteners which truly need torqueing up to the correct spec. They’re safety-critical parts so you need to make sure they’re correctly done up. Brake cleaner Designed especially for breaking down baked-on deposits from braking surfaces, brake cleaner is ideal for scrubbing off those hard-to-move contaminates. It’s also good for wiping clean discs. Cleaning brushes Small, stiff brushes will you help get right into the nooks and crannies of your calipers. Old toothbrushes are ideal, as are small-gauge bottle brushes. •Tell us about your favourite at mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com…

The chaotic conclusion to the 2019 Macau Grand Prix appeared to confirm suspicions the motorcycle race is being increasingly sidelined in an event run under the auspices of the Federation Internationale Automobile (FIA), the world governing body of car racing. The bike race has always played second fiddle to the Formula 3 event at Macau. This year the bike teams were relegated to the back of the paddock after losing their pit lane garages. Only minimal safety measures are deployed on track for the bikes and there is no TT-style induction system for newcomers. Despite that, the bike race remains the most popular event in the schedule with fans and the media. ‘It makes us feel like we are not wanted’ “I was angry at the garage move and asked…

Has been watching four onboard laps of the TT per day ‘I’m going with a team that has a plan’ ‘People always told me to steer clear of road racing’ Former British Superbike, North West 200 and Macau GP race winner, Glenn Irwin will race the Isle of Man TT in 2020. Irwin will campaign the all-new Honda Racing Fireblade at both the NW200 and TT along with an assault on the BSB title alongside his brother Andrew (see right). His decision to race the TT is a massive coup for the Isle of Man event and means yet another big hitter will join the TT circus, which is currently being dominated by BSB men Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison. Speaking to MCN, Irwin said: “Putting the Honda shirt on…

Road racing’s brightest prospect, Davey Todd, will join Glenn Irwin at Honda. The 25-year-old who set a best lap of 131.491mph in only his second year at the TT in 2019 will also compete a full season in British Superstock. Having bagged one of the most coveted rides, Todd should have everything he needs to progress on the roads and short circuits. “It’s a really exciting time. I’ve had a couple of years at the TT and I feel I know where I’m at and what I need and the direction I’m heading,” he explained. “I honestly feel I’ve got a lot more to give. Two years in and I’m not pushing, I’m not sticking my neck out I just rode round at a safe pace putting my laps away…