Table of contents for 21 September 2016 in MCN

‘The ‘CR’ letters surely hint at a Café-Racer restyle’ Ducati will reveal several additions to the Scrambler range for 2017, including dual-sport and café-racer derivatives. The existing 803cc Scrambler can already be had in many forms – Icon, Classic, Flat Track Pro, Full Throttle and Urban Enduro – but they’re such close siblings that they’re classed as the same machine in official emissions certification documents. But newly-filed American certificates for the 2017 model range list display three distinct 803cc Scrambler models, with the ‘Scrambler CR’ and ‘Scrambler DS’ joining the base version in the range. The Scrambler DS is likely to be the official internal name for the forthcoming Dual-Sport style version that was spotted undergoing tests in mid-August. It features the familiar air-cooled twin and trellis trame from the…

‘It gets a second wind at 35-40mph then has strong acceleration up to an indicated 70’ Not all scooters are the same. If you were on holiday in Italy this summer, you can’t have failed to notice the legions of big-wheel scooters that pack every village square, street corner and city centre. Sixteen-inch wheels give them better handling than traditional small-wheel scoots, and they are wildly popular on mainland Europe, if less so in scooter-resistant UK. Kymco’s new People GT is the latest addition to the 300cc big-wheel class, which is led by Honda’s long-established SH300i. The People meets Euro4 regs with ABS as standard and like the Honda (and unlike big cruiser scooters) it promises the punch of a bigger engine in a more modest, scooter sized package. Let’s…

Yamaha have turned their naked MT-07 and MT-09 from naked to touring Tracer versions with huge success. To make our own MT-10 Tracer we’ve fitted just about every official Yamaha touring accessory available, totalling £2353.49. That includes trinkets like crash protectors, a side stand extender, handguards and cosmetic goodies like a tank pad. But the can’t-do-without bits (below) come to just £1222.93. Screen £140.99 Comfort seat £219.99 Tank bag £132.99 Tank bag mounting ring £33.99 Soft panniers £314.99 Pannier fixings £179.99 Quickshifter £199.99…

The KTM is the most exciting tourer we’ve ever tested. The MT-10 might not have such sharp handling or a generous fuel range, but we like the less-intrusive electronics and the engine is a work of art. It’s loads cheaper, too, even with all its accessories fitted, making it the easy winner of our test. Hot on the heels is the Kawasaki with its comfy seat and stonking engine, but it’s still cramped. The BMW combines comfort with performance, but it isn’t in the same league as the top three. Bringing up the rear is the Aprilia, a machine we all loved, but lacks character and thrills. YAMAHA MT-10 AS TESTED £12,358 (£9999 STD) Engine 998cc (79 x 50.9mm), 16v, inline four Claimed power 158bhp@11,500rpm Claimed torque 82ftlb@9000rpm Frame Twin…

BMW R1200RT LE £17,445 FUEL 25 litres @ 51.7mpg = 284 miles WEIGHT 274kg SEAT 805mm POWER 123bhp TORQUE 92lbft ADAM CHILD Experienced road tester who also indulges in road racing HEIGHT 5ft 6in WEIGHT 80kg adam.child@motorcyclenews.com After I broke my left collarbone in three bits in a racing incident at Oliver’s Mount my RT spent most of August untouched. But after only four weeks the doctors at orthteam.com gave me the all-clear to get back in the saddle. Thankfully the RT is so easy to ride it didn’t cause any complications and I was out at first light the very next day. Not riding for a month was almost as painful as breaking my collarbone, but thankfully my RT was kind to me when I came back. For a…

Difi Fusion Waterproof £89.99 Coming in sizes XS-XXL, the Difi Fusion has a leather outer and is windproof and waterproof. There is protection on the knuckle and palm and reflective detailing to enhance visibility when riding in poor conditions. RST Raptor 2 £59.99 Made from top quality cowhide, the Raptor 2 gloves have padded finger inserts and double layer leather on the palm. There is also a wrist and cuff closure for a snug fit and a waterproof membrane to keep you dry. Richa Cold Protect Gore-Tex £99.99 A CE-certified glove with Velcro cuff closure. It’s made from a combination of leather and textile. A Gore-Tex membrane helps with breathability and there is added abrasion protection. Alpinestars Corozal Drystar £89.99 The Corozal Drystar has a leather palm for comfort and…

The reigning Endurance World Champions, Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT), have romped to success in the first round of the new and reshuffled 2016/2017 season by taking a dominant win at the Bol d’Or 24-hour race. Proving that there’s life – and reliability – in the old GSX-R1000 yet, the all-French trio of Vincent Philippe, Anthony Delhalle and Etienne Masson led all but four laps of the 687 laps they completed of the Paul Ricard circuit to take victory over the SRC Kawasaki squad. And while many of their opposition dropped out of the chase through crashes and mechanical problems, the Suzuki team never faltered, making the most of their experience with the GSX-R1000 that has taken them to 15 world titles in the past with the bike. The win…

Having made up huge amounts of ground on Rea in recent rounds, Tom Sykes chucked it all away with a crash in Germany. Second in race one, Sykes defied the lack of testing compared to his peers at the German track and his crew pulled out a solid gold set-up so see him bag 20 points. But the race will probably be remembered more for Sykes’ Sunday crash than Saturday’s podium. It is all down to a wet weather set-up that Sykes cannot get nailed on the 2016 Ninja. “Honestly we need to find a small set-up improvement in the dry but in the wet I am terrible, quite embarrassing, to be honest,” said Sykes after race two. “That is bad in one way but I know I can win…

Did you produce the power first? We’ve run the tuned engines on a regular dyno with them housed in a regular Rocket, just like you would a conventional bike. Then again once on the chassis, with the two engines combined. We’ve run the Streamliner on a specialist car dyno, the long wheelbase wasn’t a problem so we know the power and torque of the engines combined. We looked at chassis simulation to limit weave and wobble. We worked with Dynomotion in Italy who work with many of the MotoGP teams. We can try different simulations to get the balance right, wheelbase and head angle, that way we know we have something stable using algorithms before we go ahead for real. Is it hard to balance? Balancing the bike is relatively…

Class Division C (Streamlined Motorcycle) – Type V Chassis Carbon kevlar monocoque Fuel Methanol Length 7772mm / 306in / 25.5ft Width 610mm / 34in / 2ft Height 914mm / 36in / 3ft Engines Two Triumph Rocket III engines by Carpenter Racing Displacement 2970cc combined (1485cc per engine) Turbo Chargers Garrett GT2876R ball bearing liquid-cooled turbo chargers Horsepower 1000bhp+ @ 9000rpm Torque 500+ftlb Suspension Hot Rod Conspiracy designed alloy aluminium swingarms Shocks ÖhlinsTTX36 Tyres Goodyear Land Speed Special Brakes Carbon rear disc brake and two ribbon-type parachutes…

Martin Brundle was one of Britain’s top Formula 1 talents in the 80s and 90s, with 10 podiums to his credit. He’s still fast and scored pole in this year’s Le Mans support race, but he’s also a deeply knowledgeable motorcycle fan. The first bike he ever rode was a Yamaha YZR500 GP bike at Catalunya in 1994, during a video shoot for Marlboro. As luck would have it, he’s been itching to ride each and every one of these bikes, so over to you, Martin: “My K1600 is an incredible piece of kit. I’ve ridden home from the Ring, 500-miles in one sitting after a weekend working at a GP in the pouring rain. You can set the cruise control to pretty quick speeds and you don’t get wet,…

2008 Honda CB1000R Colours White, silver, green, black. Dealer £4400 Private good £3900 Private average £3500 This one 2008 model, 26,891 miles. Dealer sale, £3900 2009 Honda CB1000R Colours White, silver, green, black. Dealer £4700 Private good £4100 Private average £3800 This one 2009 model, 19,700 miles. Private sale, £3975 2010 Honda CB1000R Colours Black, beige, red, white. Dealer £5000 Private good £4700 Private average £4100 This one 2010 model, 7000 miles. Private sale, £4700 2012 Honda CB1000R Colours White, white/red/ blue, grey, black. Dealer £5700 Private good £5000 Private average £4700 This one 2012 model, 6473 miles. Dealer sale, £575 Insurance Sample MCNCompare.com quotes for £5300 big naked bikes, from cheapest to costliest, and where the CB1000R sits…

‘The electronically adjustable preload is an incredibly useful feature for pillion use’ ‘The Multi is so incredibly smooth, making it a fantastic pillion carrier’ DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 ENDURO £16,690 FUEL 30 litres @ 47.82mpg = 316 miles WEIGHT 254kg SEAT 850mm POWER 157bhp TORQUE100ftlb ANDY DAVIDSON Adventure rider and long-distance rider with nine years’ experience HEIGHT 5ft 7in WEIGHT 73kg Ducati’s Multistrada Enduro is a pillion-carrying beast. Throw someone on the back seat and you’ll soon forget they’re there, especially with the assistance of the adjustable throttle maps and electronically adjustable preload. Flicking into either ‘Touring’ or ‘Urban’ mode will mean a smoother power delivery and softer suspension. The electronically adjustable preload is an incredibly useful feature for pillion use, as well as when riding with luggage. Hold…

IF YOU LIKE THIS… Dainese D-air Misano 1000 jacket £1199 Where the racing suit can’t be used on the road, this leather jacket can. The airbag inside covers the shoulders and chest and is triggered by a standalone datalogging system. MCN SAYS By Tony Hoare MCN Consumer Editor “Broken ribs are no laughing matter (believe me) and an airbag is reassuring. This is proof that racing really does bring improvements for all – one day riders will wonder how anyone took to a track without an airbag.” Dainese’s new D-air racing suit will bring the benefits of research and development work by Valentino Rossi to the trackdayer and amateur racer. The new airbag-equipped leathers have been developed in private testing by the nine-times world champion and he is expected to…

‘I knew we would be fast but I never expected that margin of victory’CHAZ DAVIES Having started the year as one of the clear title favorites, Chaz Davies has had to watch his hopes fade in recent rounds. Plagued by set-up issues which have led to a fickle handling Panigale, the Welshman has been mired in a win drought that dates back to his double at Imola back in May. But having tested at both Lausitzring and Misano during the long summer break, Davies arrived in Germany rejuvenated and clearly dialed into his Panigale. But nobody expected such an astounding race one display from Davies, who was setting meteoric 1’37 laps to win by over ten seconds. A result that even exceeded his own expectations. “I knew that we were…

‘It could give a tangible power benefit for overtakes’SIMON PATTERSON Wheel mystery Michele Pirro’s Desmo was sporting this wheel insert at Misano. Ducati claim it is cycling-style aerodynamics but experts believe it could be for a regenerative braking system. At the last round of the 2016 MotoGP championship, Ducati tester and wildcard rider Michele Pirro rolled out onto track at the Misano race in Free Practice sporting a new addition to the rear wheel of his GP16 machine. It resembled the sort of disc wheel used in cycling by time triallists and velodrome riders. But the Italian manufacturer refused to be drawn on exactly what the unusual design was all about, simply commenting afterwards that they were ‘studying aerodynamic effect’ as part of the latest continuation of their work in…

‘It spins and slides and while that’s great fun, it’s not always fast’DAN LINFOOT Dan Linfoot and Jason O’Halloran continued to be the surprise package of the 2016 MCE British Superbike season aboard the Fireblade at Donington Park, with both riders taking podium finishes from Sunday’s races. A second place for Linfoot in race two saw him move third in the standings, just 26 points behind Leon Haslam, while O’Halloran took a strong third in the opening race. However, while both Linfoot and O’Halloran were able to display an impressive pace, the gap between the eight-year-old Honda and the latest offerings from Ducati and Kawasaki is becoming more apparent. While the Louth-based team have made big steps forward with the bike, mainly with how it puts the power to the…

‘It’s so close to how I won my first title when Taylor was three’NIALL MACKENZIE Taylor Mackenzie was crowned Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Champion after a dominant display onboard his Buildbase BMW saw him take his sixth victory of the season. With the stock series not visiting Assen in two weeks’ time, Mackenzie needed to finish ahead of Tyco BMW’s Ian Hutchinson to secure the crown with one round to spare and he did it in style to take a new lap record on his way to a commanding win over Michael Rutter with Hutchinson in third. The 23-year-old now has his sights set on a return to the Superbike class where he hopes to prove himself after a difficult season in 2015. “It was a long hard fight and…

‘Big names from the world stage are plotting moves to the national series’ As the MCE British Superbike season begins to draw to a close with just two rounds remaining, the rumour mill is in full swing with regards to who will ride for whom in 2017. As it stands, only Briggs Equipment BMW’s Jake Dixon has put pen to paper on a deal for next year. If BSB weren’t competitive enough, a number of big names from the world stage are already plotting moves to the national series, including 2014 World Superbike Champion Sylvain Guintoli who looks set to make his BSB return with Tyco BMW next year. Such a move could see Michael Laverty without a ride after a difficult season, with roads ace Ian Hutchinson expected to…

‘It was never going to be easy as Leon is just too tenacious’SHANE BYRNE Shane Byrne took first blood with a double victory as the 2016 MCE British Superbike title fight got underway at Donington Park this weekend. The four-time British Champion bounced back from a tough Oulton Park seven days earlier, which saw him concede the series lead to Leon Haslam. But two wins at Donington, combined with Haslam crashing out of race two (see page 76), means the Be Wiser Ducati man now has a 27-point lead with just two rounds and five races remaining. Able to make the soft Pirelli rear tyre last while Haslam couldn’t, Byrne cruised to a dominant first race victory before what looked set to be a titanic race two battle between the…

Ducati 1299 Panigale How about a red-blooded Italian. Massive V-twin drive, supermodel looks and that noise! All for £149 per month after a £3689.40 deposit. Aprilia RSV4 RF One of the most advanced superbikes ever built – and a unique V4 soundtrack. You won’t see many on the road, either. Get on board for £218 per month after a £4500 deposit. Yamaha YZF-R1 That crossplane engine wailing on track is like nothing else. The rest of it’s not bad either. £3716.21 up front secures one. Kawasaki ZX-10R If it’s good enough for Mr Sykes and Mr Rea, then it’s good enough for you. Just £135 per month after a £3216.69 deposit. Fancy something used instead? MCN Garage p41…

Stay on the track, Marc! Regarding the British MotoGP, it’s unfair that some riders got points deducted for going onto the green on the rumble strips and some riders didn’t. The most blatant amongst those who wasn’t penalised was Marc Marquez. Not only did he go onto the green but went about 10 metres over it twice when running wide! Any wider and he would have needed a sign on his back saying: ‘warning, wide vehicle’. Had it been a gravel trap he would have no doubt crashed out, so it’s a joke that no penalty was given. Keith Devlin, Cumbria Loving the aliens Wow! What an incredible article (Hodgson rides Iannone’s MotoGP bike, MCN September 7). Neil Hodgson really put us in the saddle of a MotoGP bike and…

For many, Euro 4 legislation is just another way that the European bureaucrats can interfere with our lives... and not in a good way. But as this year plays out, it looks likely to create two positive outcomes. One is that there is a string of machines that are not Euro 4 compliant and we are starting to see some stunning deals as manufacturers try to clear the decks. Suzuki are offering 0% finance on most of their current models and there are loads of other super-tempting carrots dangling. The current Fireblade is by no means a bad bike, but because there’s a new one coming soon (see latest images if the new machine on page 4), demand is low for the existing model. Wit a £3.6k deposit, you can…

Apart from controlling the fuelling what else are you measuring? We’ve got just about everything you want to measure all covered: ground speed, GPS speed, drive speed all the engine data you’ll ever need, oil temp, water temp, intake temp, compartment temp, pre-turbo temp, air pressure... the list goes on and on. And that is for each engine. We also measure wheel speed and suspension travel front and back, and full pitch, yaw and roll. Do you have traction control? We have full traction control. It worked by retarding the ignition for a short while, then we go to a cut ignition setting – but we really don’t want that, as we’re filling up a big exhaust with wasted fuel and air. We try to simply retard the ignition as…

‘ KTM’s great, but build quality worries me’ Bruce Dunn “The KTM is a good bike, the engine is responsive and has a race-tuned feel. The power delivery is explosive. It’s stable, has lots of toys, like cruise control and heated grips. But wind protection isn’t great, it’s massively overpriced – only a grand less than the BMW, which is a high-end bit of kit – and build quality issues would worry me. The BMW is a complete tourer and a unique riding experience, but it’s not a sporty bike. The gearbox is horrible.” ‘MT-10 does it all, but its looks leave me cold’ Dave Lockhart “It does everything I’d ever want and it wheelies in third gear, but I couldn’t buy the Yamaha MT-10 simply because of the way…

‘Advances in engineering have eaten away at the advantages of the single cylinder’ When Yamaha introduced the first XT model, some 40 years ago, it would have been hard to imagine that we had started on a journey that would lead to numerous race victories and the creation of so many iconic motorcycles. The XT badge has been worn by numerous different models over the years including 125cc, 250cc, 350cc, 550cc and of course the famous 500cc and 600cc models before the current line-up of 660cc and 1200cc machines. For Yamaha, the launch of the XT500 was a real milestone, demonstrating our engineering innovation with the four-stroke engine and opening up new opportunities for riders looking for real adventure and travel with a machine that gave them access to some…

I’m still staggered by what people are paying for Honda step-thrus. This week I watched an old brown C90, admittedly restored to a very high standard, fetch £1900. Nineteen hundred pounds. That’s the same as a really clean 1996 Triumph 1200 Daytona that also sold this week: a rare bike, worth salting away. I just sold my little Yamaha V75. I’d toted it to two Kempton Park autojumbles, and innumerable people had cooed over it, but not one sod bought it, and it went on eBay for £459. That was me down £165 – but win some, lose some. It’s been a long time since I sold a bike at a loss, and I needed the space. Forget any other make of step-thru – it absolutely has to be a…

 We’ve sold quite a lot of them and they’ve been pretty reliable, with only a couple of issues to be aware of. ‘The generators go, but they’re covered under warranty’ The main thing is that the generators go, but they’re covered under a seven-year warranty from Honda. One of the telltale signs is that the rocker cover gasket starts leaking. The problem occurs when you get a spark from the generator that ignites the oil vapour and you get a mini explosion in the engine - and the weakest point is the rocker cover. It normally just pops the gasket out, but we have had it where it cracks the rocker cover. If it’s got an oil leak, that’s probably what is causing it. Take your multimeter with you and…

£1950 Yamaha TZR125 This one has been restored with an engine top-end rebuild and new paint scheme. This 1990 model has an MoT and the dealer is open to part-exchange. £2995 Kawasaki ZXR400 1995 bike for sale privately with just under 18,000 miles. The bike has been restored and the seller claims almost every part has been renewed with genuine Kawasaki parts. £3495 Kawasaki Ninja 300 This 2014 model has had one owner from new and has done 8224 miles. The bike is being sold through a dealer and comes with all the correct books and keys. £3495 Suzuki DR-Z400SM It’s the supermoto model, and it appears to be in tiptop nick, which explains the price. It’s a 2008 model with 20,474 miles, all the right mods, a recent engine…

KAWASAKI J125 £3799 FUEL 13 litres @ 100mpg = 290 miles WEIGHT 182kg SEAT 775mm POWER 13.8bhp TORQUE 8.49ftlb SIMON PATTERSON MCN’s MotoGP reporter building experience on a practical scooter. HEIGHT 5ft 11in WEIGHT 110kg Before I start extolling the virtues of going touring on a scooter, I should probably start by admitting that I’m a big believer that you can do just about anything on any bike – I’ve ridden an Yamaha MT125 to Scotland in winter, lapped Assen on a KTM RC125, and did 8000 miles in six months on a Chinese 125. But despite my self-affirmed belief in doing anything, I have to admit that the Kawasaki J125 is probably the best 125 I’ve ridden when it comes to doing lots of miles at a decent pace.…

THE RIVAL RST Pro Series Adventure 2 jacket £249.99 & pants £199.99 Versatility is excellent thanks to a removable waterproof and breathable membrane and a zip-in thermal liner. www.rst-moto.com Neck strap The strap is quite big and if it’s too hot to have it done up it flaps around excessively. Three layers Kept me warm on wet and cold rides, but it’s hard to know which layers to use in the UK. Vents There aren’t enough and they aren’t big enough to have any meaningful cooling effect. Alpinestars Bogota Drystar jacket £249.99 and trousers £189.99 Tester Michael Guy Time tested Eight months/1750 miles What’s good? If you’re looking to fit into the adventure riding scene this Alpinestars Bogota Drystar suit is a good place to start. Its pale colours, numerous…

‘I want to wish Jack a speedy recovery. He is a buddy of mine’NICKY HAYDEN Former MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden will make a return to MotoGP at Aragon this weekend, as he steps in to replace the injured Jack Miller. The move marks Hayden’s first ride in the championship since his switch to World Superbikes at the end of 2015. Miller, who sat out the MotoGP race in Misano after struggling throughout practice, is still suffering the aftermath of a high-speed tumble at the Red Bull Ring in Austria last month. Falling from his Estrella Galicia Marc VDS Honda during warm-up, the Australian was originally diagnosed with a broken wrist and vertebrae, but has struggled with recently diagnosed fractures to the palm of his right hand which has made…

‘I had surgery during the season but now I am back with a smile’ALEX DE ANGELIS Seeing riders other than those from Kawasaki and Ducati, and occasionally Honda, on the podium in 2016 is an unusual sight. So having two riders from different privateer teams on the same podium was a double treat in race two. Alex De Angelis (Ioda Racing Team Aprilia) and Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team Ducati) finished second and third respectively, in what was an emotional day for both. “Of course it is a special feeling,” said former GP star De Angelis, who had scored a best of seventh place before his Sunday podium. “First of all it is my first podium in Superbike so the first time for everyone is something special. I came from…

After his frightening crash at Oulton Park, Jake Dixon has been ruled out of the remainder of the 2016 season as he recovers from a broken hip. The Briggs Equipment BMW squad have said they will not replace him for the final two rounds. Smiths BMW’s Ryuichi Kiyonari was forced to sit out of the weekend after a Friday crash saw him suffer damage to his knee. Bradley Ray continued to make impressive ground on the Supersport series leaders with another double victory at Donington Park. Having won five out of the last six races, he now sits just 32 points behind first placed Tarran Mackenzie. Youngster Charlie Nesbitt was crowned winner of the British Motostar Championship after taking his 14th victory of the season in Saturday’s opening race.…

‘Now, because I made that one mistake Shakey’s got a 27-point lead’LEON HASLAM ‘It was only a matter of time until things turned against us’LEON HASLAM Leon Haslam left Donington Park rueing a costly mistake which saw him crash out of Sunday’s second race to hand key rival Shane Byrne a 27-point lead after the opening round of the MCE British Superbike Showdown. A significant increase in track temperature for Sunday’s two races saw Haslam struggle with his preferred harder option rear Pirelli tyre, allowing Byrne two race victories as the title fight got underway. Sunday’s crash marked the former WSB race winner’s first major mistake in a race so far this year, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time for Haslam who took the series lead with…

Thanks to the Be Wiser Ducati squad’s close relationship with Ducati Corse and the World Superbike effort, they had access to the data from when Chaz Davies and Davide Giugliano raced at Donington earlier this season. While Byrne admits it’s useful to see this, his crew chief Giovanni Crupi – a Ducati Corse employee flown in from Bologna each weekend – says it’s not too comparable given the advanced level of electronics in WSB. “Their set-up is close to ours but because they have traction control, anti-wheelie etc they can do a lot of things differently to us.” The pace in WSB might be faster than British Superbikes, but Byrne’s times this weekend weren’t far off his world level Ducati counterparts. Chaz Davies’ fastest lap on his way to third…

‘Haslam’s pole would have put him eighth on the WSB grid’ This year’s BSB Championship has really started to heat up over the last couple of rounds and it’s not just the battle between Shakey and Haslam at the front fuelling the fire. In Saturday’s qualifying session, 13 riders lapped under the existing circuit lap record while Byrne, Haslam and Ellison were all underneath the fastest ever British Super-bike lap set by Tommy Hill in 2011. Haslam’s pole time would have placed him eighth on the World Superbike grid earlier this year and that’s without the special sticky rubber the WSB boys have at their disposal, not to mention the added electronic rider aids. Each year there’s a lot of hype that the upcoming season could be the most competitive…