Table of contents for 16th January 2019 in MCN

Often the word ‘legend’ is preceded by the word ‘true’. As if to say a lot of other legends aren’t really legends at all. Maybe that’s because the word is over-used or maybe some people or things are more legendary than others. So if you are just a ‘legend’ you’re merely utterly brilliant and if you’re a ‘true’ legend then you are ridiculously, utterly brilliant and always have been. There definitely needs to be a degree of longevity in there. No flash-in-the-pan, one-hit wonders for MCN’s League of Legends. It’s not just people that can be afforded the sought-after status. This week’s tribute to the ZXR (page 32) proves that. Despite being 30 years old, it still elicits an emotional response from so many motorcyclists. Even from those who have…

Dull thumper Tapping spokes with a metal bar or spanner should result in a clean tight ‘ping’. If it sounds dull or rattly, then it’s worked loose Wiggle it a little bit Loose spokes will be easily wobbled and the head will be loose in the hub. The grub screw in the head may also be missing Up to a thousand BMW bikes sold in the UK last year with spoked rims could be at risk of multiple spokes working loose, leading to compromised wheel integrity. The issue also affects all spoked-rim R nineT Scrambler and R nineT Urban G/S models and any wheels sold as accessories if built in the same February-June 2018 manufacturing batch. A BMW spokesperson has confirmed that all UK dealers are aware of the problem,…

Aprilia are taking the sportsbike fight to Ducati, BMW and the Japanese in 2019 with the RSV4 1100 Factory. The V4 has almost as much adjustability as a MotoGP bike and even better road manners with a 10% torque boost over last year’s RR. Aprilia have been taking their own route in the superbike market since the first RSV Milles broke cover two decades ago, so there are V-twins and V4s to suit every budget. Here’s a selection… 2019 RSV4 1100 What is it? Bedecked with GP-inspired wings and fourth-generation rider aids, the 1100 Factory is Aprilia’s halo superbike. At full chat, Aprilia say 214bhp will blast through the electronics package onto the tarmac. MCN says “It’s almost guaranteed to be one of the best superbikes ever built.” Want to…

● Switching bike identities is proving lucrative for thieves Used motorcycle buyers are being warned to be extra cautious and vigilant after a sophisticated new fraud emerged which sees criminals making off with more than double the value of theft and fraud involves the theft and selling of three similar motorcycles, which catches out numerous parties but ultimately stands to make the thieves concerned a fortune. It works like this: first the thieves steal a common but reasonably valuable motorcycle (Bike A), remove the numberplate then store it in a lock-up or garage. Once that bike is secured, the criminals then obtain a similar machine (Bike B) from a salvage auction as a Category B write off. This machine then has its engine and frame numbers removed. An accomplice then…

The Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show, where technology companies display their latest and greatest ideas, not only saw the debut of Harley’s finished LiveWire, BMW and Ducati displayed their latest technology innovations, too. BMW demonstrated the latest versions of its riderless tech with an R1200GS that is able to start, accelerate, corner (quite aggressively), slow down and come to a stop all by itself. It’s a one person gymkhana demonstration but instead of being the result of years of rider practice, it’s the result of lines of code. BMW say that by developing the vehicle and pushing its limits, they are able to help recognise dangerous riding situations, which provides extra insight into bike dynamics. Ducati were also present at CES with a new safety development that’s a bit more…

New spyshots have emerged of Triumph’s new Rocket which confirm the model is much more than an update of the old (which fell foul of Euro4) – it’s a completely new bike. What does remain, though, is the massive, inline triple. The old Rocket III had a 2.3-litre engine producing 145bhp and 163ftlb of torque but we’re expecting the new bike to be bigger still. It’s believed to be 2500cc with more than 180bhp. We also expect a full suite of electronics including lean-sensitive traction control, cornering ABS and rider modes plus heated grips, LED lights and a colour TFT dash. There’s a big update in the handling stakes, too. The new Rocket has no real frame, instead having two subframes bolted to the front and rear of the engine.…

Reader Dean Reynolds The ride Scotland's North Coast 500 (clockwise) When to do it Spring to autumn Miles 546, Inverness to Inverness Time required Five days Don’t miss this “Great twisty roads along the west coast and stunning scenery across the north coast.” THE BIKES My mate Joe and I set off on my birthday on his CBR and my Tiger BIG FUN Quiet roads in Scotland meant a bit of larking about along the way LONG RIDES We rode up from Crawley in 15 hours covering 636 miles GREAT VIEWS We had a week of warm weather and stunning scenery. Loved it! THE TRIP SEND US YOUR TRIP PICS EMAIL YOURPICS@MOTORCYCLENEWS. COM…

Idon’t ride that much through the winter, although I admire those that do. I don’t mind enduro riding in the winter, some of the trails are awesome at this time of year and you soon warm up when you are wrestling a dirt bike through the mud or up a rocky climb. ‘I’D RATHER DO 200MPH DOWN BRAY HILL THAN TACKLE ICE’ If you do ride on the road, though, you need the right gear. You can’t go out in a pair of leathers as you’ll freeze your b*****ks off! You need good textiles, there’s some great stuff on the market these days and heated this and that, if you want to stay warm it’s not a problem. But despite all my experience on two wheels I have to admit…

It’s Britain’s best road test route. A tough 250-mile mile of A and B roads, a stretch of motorway, plus plenty of towns, villages, blind corners, ballistic straights, and a huge range of grippy to slippery tarmac. You want answers? We’ve got ’em. 1 Pre-flight checks There’s a fair amount of getting everything just right before we set off. Whipping the seat off the BMW and putting it on the highest of its two stages takes all of ten seconds, then it’s a case of setting the heated grips on the most scorching of their five settings (I love the smell of smouldering fingers in the morning) and mid heat for the seat. Brake and clutch lever span: minimum. Rider mode: Dynamic. 2 Getting to know you Over on the…

Adventure bikes, sports adventures and cruisers are all very well as touring bikes, but why have knobby tyres you’ll never get muddy, superbike performance you’ll rarely use, or carry unnecessary shiny metal like a ball and chain? The FJR1300 still makes sense as a modern day continent-shrinking device, but it’s starting to show its age and could do with a freshen-up. Costing just a couple of hundred quid less than the new Beemer, it really should be a couple of grand cheaper by now. The German bike is way ahead in terms of finish, gadgets, frugality and refinement. Add in the R1250RT’s seamlessly delivered ShiftCam-enabled torque boost and the BMW is still, by far, the most accomplished tourer money can buy.…

Elegant dash New twin analogue clocks feature 3D faces and incorporate digital displays containing everything from gear position to fuel info, all controlled via the left switchgear scroll button. Pump up the volume It may be Euro4-friendly, but the Twin’s exhaust has soul and sounds great. As per the Thruxton, the cat’ is hidden in the exhaust headers. New, black upswept cans complete the retro look. Classy finishes There are no cheap plastics here. Front and rear mudguards, throttle body covers, side panel details, heel guards and headers are all made from tasty-looking brushed aluminium.…

In the 1990s WSB was peaking and road-going version of those race weapons were all the rage. Japanese inline fours such as the Kawasaki ZXR750, Suzuki’s GSX-R750 SRAD, and Yamaha’s YZF750, ruled the road. Twenty years on these bikes can be snapped up for a song. So if you fancy reliving the ’90s glory years, here’s our pick of some bargain WSB race reps to satisfy your nostalgia fix. YOUR EXPERT With over 18 years experience, journalist Jon Urry is one of MCN’s used bike experts with his finger on the pulse of the secondhand market. £3795 YAMAHA YZF750R 749cc | 223kg | 125bhp | 795mm seat height • Dealer up to £4500• Private up to £3800• This one £3795, 1996, 27,425 miles The YZF750R was closely based on the…

‘No visit to the top step for first time since 2012' It’s hard to quantify Valentino Rossi’s 2018 season; a few highs but also more lows than he’s used to. On one hand, he finished third overall against younger opposition on better bikes, using consistency to be in the title race all season. But on the other, it’s his first year since the woeful Ducati era where he’s ended the year without a win, coming away with a handful of podiums but no visit to the top step for the first time since 2012. With Rossi not getting any younger and likely to face some of the same engine issues in 2019 as he did last year, MCN examines whether the Italian still has what it takes to get back…

Max Hunt saw his dream of winning the non-assisted Moto Malle category end dramatically on stage six. The 35-year-old Brit suffered a high speed crash, but it was his bike, not his body, that ultimately gave up just 15km from the end of the stage. Speaking to MCN, he said: “It was a big crash and I’m absolutely gutted. It happened in the Fesh Fesh and it was one of those where I had enough time in the air to think about how much it was going to hurt. But luckily I had a pretty soft landing. It took about 10 minutes to get the bike going, but then I crashed again. The bike felt like it had lost compression and I ended up flattening the battery trying to start…

After the success of last year’s Wales 500 the organisers, RallyMoto, have expanded the event into a series called the Adventure Spec Challenge. For 2019 there will be three ‘500’ events in Northumberland, Wales and the Isle of Man, plus an extra special ‘2000’ event in Portugal. The 500s are a series of navigational rallies that take place on roads and trails, specifically tailored to adventure bikes. Over the course of two days, competitors follow a route on a simplified roadbook (a bit like Dakar) that takes them across hundreds of miles of stunning terrain. Unlike the Dakar where speed counts, on the 500 events it’s all about the accuracy of your navigation. Best of all, these events can all be completed by relative novices on adventure bikes with road…

Birmingham cool kids Mutt have made a name for themselves with an array of trendy, low-capacity machines that’s seen them curry favour with the likes of James May and Tom Hardy and now they’ve released another: the Super 4. It’s a retro roadster powered by a familiar, Chinese, 125cc air-cooled single and is intended as a celebration of all that was cool in the ’70s, such as a Boogie Nights-inspired petrol tank in gold or blue. And while its 12bhp performance may not be much to shout about its style and name are reminiscent of the first generation of Japanese superbikes, most notably Honda’s CB750 SOHC, but with all the Mutt hallmarks, namely: 18in knobblies, short alloy mudguards, diamond-stitched seat and stainless pipe. ● ‘The idea was to create a…

• ‘This time last year I wasn’t even interested in bikes’ For every 20k miles a year superstar there’s another type of riding hero, someone who’s achieved perhaps the most difficult thing in biking: starting to ride and there’s plenty of those who’ve signed up to #R5K, too. “This time last year I couldn’t ride a motorbike and wasn’t interested in them at all,” recalls Steven Hopper, 51, who went from zero to #R5k hero in just nine months. “Halfway through January I realised I was fed up with my commute from Nuneaton to Coventry, so started thinking about two-wheeled options, booked my CBT and ordered a Royal Alloy 125cc scooter. “The scoot is great around town but with a 55mph top speed I decided I should do my full…

YAMAHA XS1100 Back in 1984 with my 1980 XS1100 Martini and matching Vetter luggage. Sorry about being half naked. Mick Papp HONDA FIRESTORM My daughter loved my first motorcycle. I was also pretty keen on the Firestorm. That V-twin engine is brilliant. Mark Robinson NORTON OUTFIT Me on my father’s Norton in around 1955. Willie Richards DUCATI MACH 2.0 Got it all done in the right order! First get engaged and then get my first bike. Tom Hubbard BMWR100RS I did my first big bike tour in 1985 around Bavaria. It rained for nearly two weeks! Vince Cerrato CAPRIOLA 75CC My Capriola took me to work every day for a week on one gallon. Stuart Hambridge KAWASAKI ER-6f My partner Diane made the most of her maternity leave, passing her…

Book your tickets today for the Carole Nash MCN London Show and you’ll be able to check out all of the key 2019 bikes all under one roof with some even making their UK debut. With the show taking place at London’s ExCeL just weeks away, the list of manufacturers signing up keeps growing. Brands already confirmed include AJS, BMW, CCM, Ducati, Ducati Scrambler, Energica, Herald, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Lexmoto, Lextek, Indian, UM, Triumph, Yamaha, Suzuki and Zero Motorcycles. So make sure you are there on February 15-17. CHECK OUT A CLASSIC New for this year, the Bonhams Classic Zone will feature gorgeous old metal including two Brough Superiors and a 1925 Coventry Eagle Flying Eight, all of which are expected to command sky-high prices when they come up for…

Back in November 1966, screen idol and motorcycling legend Steve McQueen famously said of his Mk3 Métisse: “This rig is the best-handling bike I’ve ever owned.” It was a fitting endorsement of one of the most successful motocross designs of the day, but what makes the Métisse distinct from any other competition motorcycle of that era is that in 2019 you can still buy one fresh off the production line, built to exactly the same spec as the King of Cool’s personal Desert Racer. Métisse Motorcycles Ltd was formed in 1999 by current owner Gerry Lisi, but the lineage can be traced back to 1958 when frame-building brothers Derek and Don Rickman built their Mk1 Métisse. As motocross competitors the Rickman brothers had already achieved major success, but it was…

● ‘It rolls through corners with a twinkle in its eye’ Triumph’s new Speed Twin is a wonderful-looking beast, but isn’t it just another retro roadster? What makes this one so special? The essence of it is that it’s based heavily on the 2016 Thruxton 1200; a bike that went like stink, handled like a proper sportsbike and was as happy chilling outside a coffee shop as bashing heads in a fast group trackday. But the Thruxton was also a bike to be enjoyed in small doses, its high pegs, hard seat and stretched-out bars saw to that. The new Speed Twin, however, is basically a comfortable Thruxton and is also 10kg lighter, so is more agile and sprightly, too. It even costs just £10,500 or £10,800 for the two-tone…

For a road bike styled like a racer the ZXR had impressive race success, although most came after 1991 when the homologation special K and M arrived and particularly in 1992 when it blitzed virtually everything. 1990 AMA superbike champion, Doug Chandler 1991 World endurance champion, Alex Vieira 1992 AMA Superbike champion, Scott Russell. Daytona 200 winner, Scott Russell. BSB champion, John Reynolds. World Endurance champions, Terry Rymer and Carl Fogarty 1993 WSB champion, Scott Russell. Suzuka 8hr winners, Scott Russell & Aaron Slight…

When I was handed the keys to Ducati’s Scrambler 1100 Special back in May last year, I didn’t really know what to expect. It was a pretty bit of kit, stood in the office car park with the sun glistening off the chrome, and attracted quite the audience within seconds of arrival. Once started it sounded great, too, the roar of the 1079cc L-twin, even through standard cans, put a smile on my face. I knew it was going to be a good summer. While some bikes’ idiosyncrasies begin to grate after a honeymoon period, the more time I spent with the Scrambler, the more I enjoyed it. It’s the quintessential ‘jacket-and- jeans Sunday ride’ sort of bike. The way it peels into corners and then flicks back onto the…

1. GATHER INFO Are there Stop signs? How much of the adjoining road can you see? Is your vision restricted by buildings, fences or foliage? 2. SLOW DOWN Check your mirrors then gently squeeze your front brake. Slowing down nice and early gives you more time. 3. GOING LEFT Position your bike so that it follows the line of the kerb, this will allow you to emerge smoothly on the road when all’s clear. 4. TURNING RIGHT Head to the crown of the road, but leave space in case cars cut the junction. Angle your bike up the road you intend to turn up. 5. KEEP LOOKING Come to a controlled stop if you need to. Keep looking both ways. Pull out smoothly when all’s clear. DANGER ZONE Anna was…

Third Brit Richard Main, 53, was still in the race as MCN went to press Monday evening and, despite a number of set-backs, was determined to finish. He said: “It’s been carnage, really hard. Because I’m nearer the back the trucks are catching me up and when they come past you just have to stop because you can’t see. Some thought this year was going to be easier because it was shorter and in just one country but they’ve made it as hard as possible. You have to get within 50 metres of each waypoint and that’s not a lot in open desert. And if you miss it, it’s too dangerous to go back. There have been times where it’s been like wacky races out there!”…

When the route of the 2019 Dakar was revealed there was an air of disappointment with many pundits predicting the easiest ever event. With just 10 stages compared to the usual 13 and the race exclusively in Peru it didn’t have the usual kudos associated with the prestigious race. But while it might be shorter, the 2019 Dakar has proved intense from the start with long hard stages, demanding navigation and inhospitable terrain. Britain’s Sam Sunderland, winner in 2017, has been riding within himself and occasionally showing stunning pace in a bid to remain in contention. But as the race approached half way, after hovering around the top five, he stormed to a decisive Stage 5 win and climbed to second overall, just 59 seconds off the lead. Speaking to…

Aimed at a new, younger market, MV Agusta have homologated A2-licence versions of the Brutale 800 and F3 675 that can be electronically restricted down to 47bhp. If you’re not familiar with either, the Brutale is one of the coolest nakeds going, while the F3 is so beautiful it hurts. They’re quite simply dream bikes for any lottery-winning 19-year-old. “It’s all about the ‘wow factor’ for young people,” says Timur Sardarov, MV CEO. As well as looking good, the new bikes have plenty going on under the surface. The F3 675 was the first production bike to feature a counter rotating crank, which reduces the tendency to wheelie under power. The 675 also has ride-by-wire, eight-stage traction control plus an up-down quickshifter mated to a hydraulic slipper clutch. So not…

MCN has teamed up with Yamaha to give you the chance to win a brilliant, brand new, Yamaha Tracer 700GT. Last year saw the arrival of the Tracer 700, adding a bigger nose cowl and revised rider ergonomics to the MT-07 roadster to create one of the most genuinely pleasing everyday do-it-alls on the market. And for 2019 the game of evolutionary kiss-chase has moved on again, with the Tracer 700 now getting the GT upgrades the 900 led the way with in 2018. Good wind protection, a plush seat for long days in the saddle and a 17-litre fuel tank deliver a very usable range; while the addition of a pair of 20-litre colour-matched panniers means even more practicality. Thanks to the position of the underslung exhaust, there’s no…

As complicated and far-fetched as this may sound, we were given an account of this exact fraud by a former police officer who dealt with this crime involving a popular model of Yamaha. Supersport bikes are particularly vulnerable to this as many appear in salvage auctions and there’s a large appetite for parts. The secondary market for track-only bikes, sometimes without paperwork, further fuels the fire. The only sure-fire way to stay safe is to insist on a V5 at the time of purchase and accept no excuses. If the seller is unable to provide a V5, just walk away.…

Strap-on If you’re wearing a GoPro, or have it bolted to the bike, it can be paired to the TFT dash to enable control via the left switchgear Screen icon You can tab between all the dash’s Bluetooth functionality: GoPro control, satnav, phone, messaging and music Trickle-down tech In just a few months the fuctionality will be retro-fittable for all Tiger 800/1200 and Speed/ Street Triples with a TFT dash Doing a turn Tab to the navigation tools and, once paired to your mobile’s MyTriumph app, you can get turn-by-turn directions Audio visuals The Bluetooth capabilities of the dash also extend to phone calls, messaging, and music Film star The dash gives you all the info you need once paired to a GoPro. You can see if it’s active, view…

Read's a true champ and one of us Great to see a piece celebrating Phil Read's 80th birthday in last week's MCN. I can never understand why he seems to be ‘forgotten’ about a lot of the time. His achievements are outstanding and he is up there with the best of the best. I am lucky enough to have met Phil a couple of times over the years, once at the NEC Show and another time at the Barry Sheene day at the Ace Café some years back where I had an RG500 on show and Phil was on his MV stand. We had a coffee and shared some stories. Phil is just a nice, down-to-earth biker. He's one of us and I wish him all the best with his…

British weather is a fickle old mistress and today is one of those winter days where it’s a joy to ride a motorcycle. High pressure gives the cold air an Alpine feel and the roads are equally dry. Add to this a lack of traffic and the Cotswolds are our tree-lined playground. The BMW has got me this far in comfort, with a heat haze shimmering from its grips and seat. It’s what touring bikes are supposed to do, but show it some twists and the R1250RT is a cheetah in a cardigan. The R1250RT delivers its grunt via the most perfectly honed ride-by-wire system and it’s impossible to feel the ShiftCam changing inlet valve timing as you hammer along. The BMW might be heavy, but it still makes 134bhp,…

1 It’s all about the frame The legendary Métisse frames are fabricated from 4130 chrome moly tubing and nickel plated for durability. The firm work to the original designs created by Don and Derek. 2 Authenticity Only original Triumph T6 650cc engines are used in the McQueen replicas (fully reconditioned, of course). 3 Exclusivity For the new Mk5 range Métisse designed their own air-cooled 997cc Adelaide parallel twin. 4 True to the originals Bodywork is formed in glass reinforced plastic (GRP). Panels are still pulled from the original 1960s moulds, and McQueen replicas are dark battleship grey. 5 Quality Electrical connections are crimped and soldered with the same attention to detail as the rest of the bike. 6 Keeping it real Finished bikes are true to the original, though customers…

● ‘If the RC30 was sportsbike royalty, the ZXR was the people’s champion’ When we look back on the golden age of 750 superbikes in the late 80s and early 90s, two great names, the RC30 and OW01, shine brightest of all. It was an era when, with the emerging World Superbikes championship stealing attention from GPs, every new production 750/4 sportsbike was a massive deal. But while the exotic Honda and Yamaha grabbed the headlines they were also largely irrelevant on the road. In reality, few of us were ever likely to see one in the metal, let alone contemplate owning one. But another newcomer did things differently and, as a result, became arguably the most successful, loved and influential 750 superbike of all. That bike? Kawasaki’s ZXR. Where…

With almost 14,000 miles notched up on the big Honda, life to date has been essentially trouble-free. But in recent weeks a few niggles have reared their heads. The most annoying has been the inaccuracy of the fuel gauge which goes from showing you have 30 miles left to fewer than 10 miles before coming spluttering to a halt a few miles later. Investigation by Honda revealed the fuel sender was out of tolerance and a new one was fitted under warranty. I’ve also run into problems with the quickshifter and auto-blipper. It’s mostly fun to use despite the engine cut on up-shifts being a little long, but 1000 miles ago I got a fault light on the dash and the system stopped working completely. I hadn’t realised just how…

THE STUDENT Anna Szczukiecka-Nowak, 41 Bike detailer Anna’s been riding for 18 months and covers 6000 miles a year. She rides a Yamaha MT-09. Anna’s riding problem “I’ve toppled off a few times at tricky junctions. If I have to stop then I can get a bit mixed up and I grab the front brake.” THE TUTOR Mark Edwards, Rapid Training A police motorcyclist for 18 years, Mark has been training people to be faster, safer, better riders on the road for 20 years. Mark’s action plan “I’ll show Anna the system for approaching closed junctions and give her some tips on positioning to help buy more space.” THE LESSON 1 Assessing the junction Closed junctions have their view obscured by buildings, trees, hedges or other traffic. Once you identify…

'It sounds like a cliché, but I’ve got to the age where I think I need to start slowing down,” says keen road rider and Kawasaki lover Steve Tingey. “I’ve always enjoyed sports and performance bikes, but things were getting daft and I found I was overriding my Speed Triple. The grunt and the chassis set-up meant that it was just too difficult to ride without wheelying everywhere.” Steve reached the conclusion that he needed to find a replacement for his mono-wheeling Triumph, so asked the advice of racing-star-turned-bike-dealer Chris Walker. “Chris told me Kawasaki were due to bring out some new retros and I should look out for them. When I saw a picture of the Z900 RS I thought it was a nice-looking bike but it didn’t blow…

RATINGS POOR ★ AVERAGE ★★ GOOD ★★★ VERY GOOD ★★★★ EXCEPTIONAL ★★★★★ Arai Tour X4 helmet £ 579.99 Tested by Michael Guy, two years, 2200 miles I’ve used lots of adventure helmets over the years and haven’t been a fan of any of them. I find they lack the refinement of a traditional road helmet while feeling heavy and claustrophobic compared to a true off-road helmet and goggles. That said, they have their place and for long distance riding where conditions vary they’re a must... albeit a compromise. The X4 is reassuringly heavy (1.73kg even in XS), but is well balanced. It has a quality, plush inner, so it’s comfortable all day and the low peak and high quality visor mean you can avoid glare even when the sun is…

1 Strip for access Your bike will require cleaning more frequently if you ride over winter. The damp conditions and road salt, catalysed by heat from the engine, combine to create corrosion and a thorough wash is the only way to prevent it. Put the bike on paddock stands then remove the wheels and as many panels as possible to gain access to the engine and exhaust. 2 Give it a pre-wash rinse Soak the bike thoroughly with water; you want to blast off or dissolve the thicker layers of road scuzz. This pre-rinsing step will remove any loose road dirt that would otherwise mix with your shampoo/ cleaner and could cause swirl marking or scratches. It also re-hydrates any baked-on dirt, allowing the shampoo to be more effective. 3…

British Talent Cup champion Rory Skinner is in a race against time to find the funding he needs to secure a top-level ride for 2019, as he seeks a full-time return to the Moto3 Junior World Championship. The Scot last competed in the series in 2017, consistently featuring inside the top ten before finding himself without a ride for 2018. He eventually raced in the British Talent Cup for its inaugural running, which he won. Not selected by series bosses Dorna to join the British Talent Team in the Spanish-based series (with that spot going to BTC third-place-finisher Max Cook), Skinner has been left to find his own ride, a challenge the 17-year-old admits hasn’t been easy. He said: “It’s a little bit sad for me not to continue with…