Table of contents for 15 May 2024 in MCN

Luxury two- and four-wheeled brands Ducati and Porsche are teaming up for a special two-day event, giving fans a chance to sample the latest new metal on a closed course. Taking place on June 29-30, the €1200 experience is being run by the Italian arm of both brands – with the collaboration made possible by both companies belonging to the Volkswagen Group. Ducati have previously collaborated with both Lamborghini and Bentley on limited edition models, with those brands also belonging to the VW family. Registration is open already, with both the bikes and cars taking to five separate on- and off-road courses at the Porsche Experience Center, in Franciacorta. It is one of nine Porsche centres of this kind in the world with the event open to beginner levels of…

The Wheels and Waves custom and vintage motorcycle festival will return to Biarritz in the South of France this June, promising five days of displays, activities, live music, sprint racing, and more. Coming into its thirteenth year, the event kicks off on Wednesday, June 12 and runs until Sunday, June 16 – blending a shared passion for motorcycling with activities based around surfing, skateboarding, and art. Although the event itself takes place in Biarritz, the two-wheeled activities spread a little further down the coastline as far as San Sebastián in Northern Spain – with visitors able to try their hand at sprint racing, enduro riding on bikes built before 1995, sand racing, and more. If you fancy taking things a little slower, riding routes for you and your mates are…

Q 'VW driver accelerated’ I received a letter from a firm of solicitors claiming compensation for their client’s injuries in a car accident, stating she suffered facial injuries and whiplash. I was following a VW Golf on my Ninja and as I went to overtake when it was clear ahead, the driver accelerated hard. This led to the gap between me and the oncoming car being much shorter than anticipated. I just managed to get back onto my side of the road in time but the oncoming car swerved to avoid me and went into the verge. I stopped but the VW driver did not. Will the driver that had to swerve into the side succeed with a claim against me? Luke, Penzance A First up, you need to notify…

▶ Send your trips to yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Reader Adrian Price The ride Part of my motivation for going to Navarra was to see the first round of British Superbikes but I also wanted to explore the natural parks in the central / northern provinces. I rode 1200 miles in three days with one day's rest watching the racing. Best time to go Mid-April to early June or mid-Sept to early Nov Don’t miss… If you only have one day free, head for Arnedo then take the LR-115 to Enciso, then the SO-615 to Garray. Next, head over to Cidones, then head north up the SO-810, SO-820 & SO-830 and then join the N-111 to head north. For a five to seven day tour I'd recommend including Aragón in your itinerary; the…

GET YOUR FIRST FOUR ISSUES FOR JUST £2! Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday May 15 BIKE MEETS ■ The King Billy Rock Bar, Bike & Burger Night, Northampton, Northamptonshire 6.30pm Facebook: The King Billy Rock Bar ■ Huggys Speedshop, Mallory Park, Leicestershire. From 10am www.huggysspeedshop.co.uk ■ Sycamore Cafe, The Causeway, Great Billing, Northamptonshire 4pm-9pm www.facebook.com/SycamoreForestCatering ■ Amici Coffee Biker Night, Girtford Bridge, Sandy, Bedfordshire www.amicicoffee.co.uk ■ Squires Cafe, Newthorpe, near Sherburn in Elmet, West Yorks 01977-684618 or www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ The Old Stores, Pontblyddyn, Mold, Flints, 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 or Facebook: The Old Stores Motorbike cafe ■ Seaways Bike Night, Seaways, Fridaythorpe, East Yorks 4pm-8pm mike@seawayscafe.co.uk ■ Loomies Moto Cafe, West Meon, Hants. Open…

'Just getting started' PETE JONES First ride on my new Tracer 7 from Staffordshire to Bala (via the B-roads over the mountains). I’ve only managed about 300 miles so far as the weather has been pants. 'Warming up' DEAN ALLGOOD Traded in my 2018 Honda Africa Twin last week and bought this new Hornet. Took a bimble to Beachy Head and Birling Gap at the weekend, and I’ve done 300 miles so far. 'The weather is coming' DUNCAN MEPHAM This is a picture of my bike at the Deenethorpe memorial near Oundle during my first run out this year – just a short day of 115 miles. 'Spring has sprung' JON ASHLEY This is just off the A684 Garsdale Road near Sedbergh -travelling through God’s biking country while soaking in…

'More than just an A2 machine' COLIN GOODWIN Age 61 Height 5ft 10in “I’ve never not had a bike and have owned about 50 of all shapes and sizes since I passed my test in the 1980s but I now ride an Enfield Himalayan, which just happens to be A2-legal. But this isn’t the key fact about the bike, what matters is buying a bike that you can actually use. You need to own the bike, not the other way around. “Instead of the Himalayan I could have bought a big GS but I’m never actually going to go touring to Italy, it’s just not going to happen, and I would have ended up with a big, heavy, bike with huge insurance premiums. You have to match a bike to…

Welcome to the third instalment of MCN’s Riding Masterclass series. Having covered precision steering last week, the experts at Rapid Training now turn their attention to visual skills – possibly the easiest way to transform your riding. Great riders can see and interpret far more detail much earlier than novices, and at far higher speeds, which allows them much more time and space to react and effortlessly handle whatever comes their way. It might look like a freakish talent when you’re trying to keep up with a faster rider, but it’s most definitely not – these visual skills can be learned by any rider. Follow this week’s tips and check out the video by following the QR code. Improve your observation There are three ways of improving your observation. Firstly,…

MCN’s website has expert opinion and buying advice on hundreds of used machines, regularly updated and packed with insight. Here are three of the latest – visit motorcyclenews.com for plenty more. 2017 Ducati 1299 Superleggera Owners’ rating One very lucky owner has reviewed his 1299 Superleggera online and he seems very happy indeed, scoring it a perfect 5/5. Which you’d expect considering it cost over £70,000 to buy… 1994-1999 Honda RC45 Owners’ rating Three owners of Honda’s glorious WSB homologationspecial V4 have reviewed it online. It’s expensive but the V4 motor achieves top marks and so does the bike’s HRC-designed chassis. 2019-2023 Ducati Panigale V4 R Owners’ rating The lucky few love the V4 motor’s performance and the Ducati’s incredible chassis but the cost of servicing is a constant frustration. Well,…

‘With a bit of force we managed to get it straightened’ Even heroes need a hand from time to time, so when Notts Blood Bikes came a cropper, they called upon Chris Davies, owner of Davies Motorcycles to get their life-saving machinery back on the road asap. “We got a call from Notts Blood Bikes saying they’d damaged a wheel in a pothole, so we dropped everything and told them to come over. They carry out such important work, so we deemed it essential we got them back up and running.” While out on a job delivering new-born bloodspot samples to Sheffield Children's Hospital, the rider had hit a pothole on ‘Morris’, one of the team’s Yamaha FJR1300s and put a nasty dent in the rear rim. At first glance,…

The NW200 is former British Superstock champion, Richard Cooper’s only road race outing and the 41-year-old rode a Russell Racing BPE Yamaha R6 in the Supersport races and one of Ryan Farquhar’s KMR Kawasakis in the Twins class. Cooper had won the last four Twins races but regulation changes have opened the Twins class up to new machines like the Yamaha R7. One of Cooper’s fiercest rivals, Jeremy McWilliams, who celebrated his 60th birthday this year, was mounted on a Paton for the Twins races and a JMcC Roofing Yamaha in Supersport. Cooper qualified on pole in both classes and won the first Supersport race but thereafter his ambitions were thwarted as he finished second to Todd in the second Supersport race and behind Hickman in the Twins. Three-time North…

Paddock insider speaks to the key players in MotoGP MotoGP will undergo its biggest technical shakeup in almost 20 years in 2027 with a host of new regulations agreed on after 12 months of negotiation. Both series organiser Dorna and the current manufacturers agreed there was a real need to reduce the speeds of the world’s fastest racing prototypes, as well as put the emphasis back on skills rather than electronic aids. Now we know the new regulations but how will they change the show? MCN spoke to key figures in the paddock to find out. More overtaking equals better racing MotoGP has been here before, of course. A reduction to 800cc capacity in 2007 not only failed to slow down lap times, it created extreme, peaky engines, which in…

Husqvarna have bolstered their seven-strong motocross range, introducing changes across the board to chassis and engine characteristics which should “combine to create and elevated riding experience,” according to the manufacturer. Frame revisions are designed to enhance flex while reducing weight, meanwhile new suspension settings and linkage designs have been adopted. Bikes will be in dealers from next month, with prices starting at £9099. London calling Kawasaki will be showcasing their Z 7 Hybrid and Ninja e-1 motorcycles at this year's Saville Row Concours event, running from May 22-23. Fans will be able to up close and check out the fully electric e-1, as well as the hybrid naked machine that combines an electric motor and 451cc parallel twin combustion engine. For more on the tech-heavy duo, visit kawasaki.co.uk now. Cole…

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) have announced they have left the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations (FEMA) amid disagreements over plans relating to the proposed future electrification of motorcycling. FEMA recently entered into a three-way agreement with the FIM (the governing body of world championship racing) and ACEM (who represent European manufacturers) which accepted plans to decarbonise the industry. “No way does this document represent the vast majority of riders’ views on forced electrification,” MAG Chair, Neil Liversidge said.…

Oxford Hinterland Advanced £199.99 Great gear that's ready for anything A textile touring jacket is one of the most versatile pieces of kit you can buy, with features that give you the ability to ride all year round. A detachable waterproof layer, fixed drop liner or laminated membrane will help keep moisture out, while a removable thermal lining can provide cosiness as required. If you need more airflow, almost all have zippable ventilation panels. In terms of protection, the highest CE rating you’re likely to see in textile jackets is AA, as this retains a level of comfort and flexibility that can be hard to achieve with AAA, combined with the higher rated Level 2 armour. Oxford’s Hinterland jacket has a stretchy but tough nylon outer, with a tri-laminate breathable…

PART 3: LEGS Whatever and wherever you’re riding, your legs will feel it. They are literally your body’s suspension system. So, if you’re looking to improve your riding experience, here’s three tips for getting fitter legs. Isometric Wall Squats If you’re new to working out, or perhaps you’re nursing a knee or back injury, isometric (stationary) squats are a great way to start training those powerful thigh muscles, otherwise known as your quadriceps. Stand with your back flat against a wall, draw your navel in towards your spine, engage your glutes (squeeze your butt cheeks) and slide down to a squat in a seated position. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor or as low as comfortable with your knees in line with your feet. Hold this position for…

‘You’ll be one of the first to see a secret new Ducati model’ Ducati fans will descend on Misano this July for one of Europe’s biggest biking celebrations – World Ducati Week 2024 - and you could join the party along with them on Italy’s beautiful Adriatic coast. Jump on your bike and follow the red tide of riders across Europe to Italy’s motorcycling heartland, then enjoy three days of non-stop Ducati celebrations at the World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, on July 26-28. The 12th edition of this biennial event promises demo rides, live music, DJ sets, custom shows, activities, as well as exclusive access to Ducati’s ‘closed room’, where a brand new model will be revealed for the very first time. Not only that, but you’ll be also able to…

1 May 19 Distinguished Gentleman's Ride Bikers from all over the country will be dressing dapper and taking to the saddle to take part in the DGR. Look online to register for your nearest ride. www.gentlemansride.com 2 May 19 InSpire Ride The International Bomber Command Centre (LN4 2HQ) is hosting its InSpire Ride on Sunday, this year paying tribute to the men of Stalag Luft III. internationalbcc.co.uk 3 May 16 Yorkshire Ride 'Owt Starting at Grantley Hall (HG4 3ET), there’s a lunch stop and bike display, and a BBQ to finish. John McGuinness will be popping by, too. yorkshirechildrenscharity.org 4 May 15 Henry Cole There are only a few tickets remaining to see Henry Cole and Steve Parrish take to the stage at the Gatehouse Theatre (ST16 2LT) from 7.30pm. Tickets are £33. www.gatehousetheatre.co.uk…

Weymouth Beach Race Weymouth Beach, October 20 www.amca.uk.com Be there as riders from all over the country – and the world -descend on Weymouth beach. Mablethorpe sandracing Mablethorpe beachfront mablethorpesandracing.co.uk Mablethorpe’s race meetings run across a string of dates and you might see Guy Martin too. Weston Beach Race Weston-super-Mare seafront, Oct 11-13, rhlactivities.com Now in its 41st year, Weston Beach Race is back with its mammoth 6-mile circuit.…

'Speed 400 is the one' When you look at their price, styling and spec, it is very hard to be too harsh about any of these three A2-legal bikes but there is no sugar-coating the fact that the Royal Enfield was a disappointment. The HNTR is affordable and looks the part but is too slow for anything other than urban use. Get it out of town and it feels, and performs, like a 125 and that’s frustrating when an A2 licence allows you access to so much more. As the Husky and Triumph demonstrate. Neither the Vitpilen nor Speed 400 feel out of place in a modern traffic environment and that means they can be ridden and enjoyed. In or out of town, both bikes are top fun and there…

BIG READ TEN YEARS OF THE MT-09 This year is the 10th anniversary of the first crossplane MT – the MT-09 – the bike that not only transformed Yamaha’s fortunes but also became the catalyst for a family of bikes: MT-07, Tracer, XSR, Ténéré and more. Without the MT-09, modern Yamaha just wouldn’t be the same. More than 100,000 MT-09s have been sold in Europe with 360,000+ total MT sales since 2014, and although the cheaper, smaller parallel-twin MT-07 outsells the three-cylinder MT-09, Yamaha Motor Europe Marketing Manager Antoni Orpinell says the MT-09 “defines the direction of the new Yamaha hyper naked generation” and is “the backbone of our business in Europe”. Not bad for a machine that was first displayed as no more than an engine suspended from wires. The…

1 Start slowly The key to developing road reading skills is to start slow and go for detail. Knock 10 percent off your usual speed and use the extra time you’ve given yourself to focus on how early you see new information and how much detail you gather about the road and its surroundings. 2 Talk to yourself Once you’re confident you’re beginning to see more detail, focus on interpreting it by adding the ‘so what?’ test. This is where adding a commentary can help – by verbalising the question and answering it, you’re forcing your brain to shift information into the conscious part of the brain. 3 Watch racers If you’re in any doubt about the advantages to be had from looking a long way ahead, note where any top racers look…

If it’s not something you regularly carry with you on your bike, hopefully reading this has prompted you to chuck some form of tyre repair kit in your pannier, under your seat or in your rucksack for your next ride. Both forms of repair are inexpensive and totally invaluable! A Gryyp kit with four CO2 canisters costs about £35. There’s also the alternative compound and glue kits, which are ever so slightly cheaper (Oxford CO2 repair kit £25) but a little messier to use. Meanwhile, an aerosol of tyre weld can cost as little as £10. Also, if you already carry a kit but have already used it to repair a puncture, don’t forget to order some more canisters! Get them for around £25 for four. On the subject of…

Roads journalist, author and photographer at the NW200 If the 2024 North West 200 belonged to Glenn Irwin it was Davey Todd who kept the Ulsterman honest in all three Superbike races on his Milwaukee TAS Racing BMW. Todd was disappointed not to add a Superbike victory to his Supersport triumph and Superstock double but that disappointment might have been so much greater had he been injured when he was knocked off his Powertoolmate Ducati at York corner on the opening lap of Thursday’s Supersport race by Adam McLean. Battered and bruised, Todd shrugged off the pain to claim a heroic six-second victory over Honda’s Dean Harrison in the Superstock race later in the evening on the Milwaukee BMW. He repeated that feat in Saturday’s second stocker event, leading Peter…

Viewed one way, Aprilia showed greater competitiveness than at Jerez. But on the other both their factory riders were frustrated on Sunday when they couldn’t challenge the lead Ducatis despite strong rhythm through practice. Maverick Viñales was in the podium fight for two thirds of Sunday before rear tyre performance tailed off. Aleix Espargaro was as high as third at one point before losing out. Moto2 maestros It was hard to discern who was more impressive in Moto2: Sergio Garcia, who won his second race in three, by a commanding margin? Or teammate Ai Ogura who rose from 17th to second? Then there is Aron Canet who despite finishing seventh, heroically fought for second for most of the race with a left ankle broken 16 days earlier. The chosen one……

At the heart of the MotoGP paddock for over 35 years With a quarter of the season done, four title contenders are already clear –Martin, Bagnaia, Marc Marquez and Bastianini. But there are compelling reasons why Martin is already frontrunner among the favourites. 1 Momentum is building With 37 points available each weekend, Pecco is 38 behind, Marquez and Bastianini 39. Martin could take a weekend off and still lead. Of all the title challengers, Marquez is very threatening – still improving on his new Ducati. But he is already playing catch-up. Bagnaia’s old weakness – up-anddown form – was back at Le Mans, with a second straight zero-score Sprint, his third nul points of the year. Fast finisher Bastianini is the dark horse, but is dogged by bad luck.…

A motorcycle rideout has been arranged to remember Grace O’Malley-Kumar, one of the victims of last year’s Nottingham attacks. The event will take place on May 19, beginning at North Weald Airfield in Essex at 11am. Riders will then move in convoy to Peterborough Services allowing others to join, before concluding at Newark Showground. Nineteenyear-old Grace was described as having “a special connection with motorbikes" by the event's organiser, “particularly her beloved Vespa”. In addition to this, the medical student was also a national level athlete, having represented England at global tournaments. The event will raise money for the Grace O'Malley-Kumar Foundation, with tickets costing £10 per solo bike, or £15 if carrying a pillion or arriving by car. A raffle will be held to raise further funds, with various…

SAVE £5654 £16,995 Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX Kawasaki’s big blown super cruiser seamlessly combines mind-blowing amounts of effortless grunt with all day comfort. Despite its weight, the SX handles superbly. It may not have the poise or precision of a superbike but pick a line through a bend and the big Kawasaki will plough through with uncanny stability (and a mega saving). mandp.co.uk SAVE £4000 £19,295 Triumph Rocket 3 GT The Rocket 3 GT may be lugging a 2.5-litre motor around, but it still handles, offering a far lighter, sharper package than you’d ever expect. carlrosner.co.uk •Engine 2458cc •Power 165bhp •Weight 291kg •Seat height 773mm SAVE £2451 £15,649 Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory Endowed with superbike chassis componentry, excellent electronics and a howling V4 motor, Aprilia’s full-fat Tuono is among the…

HJC C10 Brad Binder £119.99 New to HJC’s 2024 range, the C10 features a lightweight polycarbonate shell with a generous eye port and the firm’s Advanced Channelling Ventilation system for full longitudinal airflow. Certification is to ECE 22.06, and it comes in a range of sizes from 2XS to 2XL. Graphics include this snazzy Brad Binder rep. oxfordproducts.com Richa Atomic 2 Hoodie £119.99 Keep it casual and stay dry this summer with this slim-fit CE AA hoodie. The softshell outer features ripstop for durability and a waterproof Aquashell membrane, with a storm flap at the front and a detachable hood. Protection includes D3O CE Level 1 armour for shoulders, elbows and back. nevis.uk.com Oxford Workshop Gloves £5.99 Keep your mitts clean and protected when working on your bike with Oxford’s…

'What does KTM mean for MV?' There was an interesting development recently in the rollercoaster history of MV Agusta. A company that’s had a far from straightforward life (sold to Proton for €70 million, bought back for €1. Sold to Harley for €70 million, bought back for €1. Russian investment, Mercedes investment, etc.) could the fact KTM’s owners now have a 50.1% stake prove a turning point? While I don’t quite have such a soft spot for MV Agusta as I do Ducati (especially 1990s Ducati), I appreciate the history. And I’m also a bit of a fanboy of the F4 model. Years ago I managed to secure a chat with the late, great, Massimo Tamburini and we spoke at length about the F4. Much like MV’s recent history, the…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews Bring back the Transatlantic Trophy fun! Time to adapt. Racing quickly gets serious, costs spiral then sponsors get involved and before you know it the fun gets sucked out of it as more rules and responsibilty are added. Why not have a back-tobasics series where not everyone wants a stepping stone to the next level? Invite a load of ex-racers to go up against some youngsters on unmodified bikes. Add interest by making them swap bikes every few laps, between 125s, 250s, 600s, cruisers, off roaders and throw in a mixed surface track like supermoto and let's enjoy the carnage. Remember those old Transatlantic Trophy Races? Everyone jumped on a bike and got on with it before the rulebooks got in the way. Think outside the…

OUT AND ABOUT THE UK’S HOTTEST RIDES MCN staffers share their favourite riding routes You can’t go far wrong with routes once you’re in the Peak District, and that’s true with this hour-and-10-minute loop which takes in twisty back roads and steep switchbacks. Starting in Glossop, brim the tank and head north on the A6105 with an enjoyable ride alongside Torside Reservoir. Turn left to hop onto the A628, not the best bit of the ride but necessary to get you to the A616 and Langsett. Stop at the Bank View Café for cake and a cuppa (and perhaps a diversion by Langsett Reservoir) before continuing on the A616 then turn right onto Mortimer Road. Watch for some sketchy-but-fun switchbacks on Mortimer Road with loads of eye-catching views and twists and…

Bike kit has come a long way in the past few decades… and Alpinestars is right at the forefront of keeping us both safe and stylish. Established 61 years ago by Sante Mazzarolo, since 1993 the company has been run by his son Gabriele. During this time, it’s scaled new heights with next-level technology and innovation, along with expansion into other sports such as Formula 1. And it all began in 1963, the same year that Gabriele was born. “My father made hiking and ski boots,” Gabriele says. “But then, by chance he went to a motocross race and saw that riders weren’t wearing boots specific to the sport. He went away and designed a boot with buckles, a shin plate and a flat sole for cornering and the product…

2014-2016 Yamaha MT-09 £4000-£6700 •847cc •115bhp •188kg •815mm seat height Made the world take notice of Yamaha again, its 115bhp triple, wrapped inside a lightweight, aluminium frame that exudes agility and fun. Ride-bywire throttle with modes, informative dash and monobloc front brake. 2014-2016 Yamaha MT-09 ST Street Tracker £4200-£6900 •847cc •115bhp •188kg •815mm seat height Flattrack-inspired version of the MT is loaded with tasty styling extras. Boasting a black frame, bronze cylinder head, two-tone leather/alcantara seat, and smatterings of carbon fibre. 2017-2020 Yamaha MT-09 £6000-£8585 •847cc •115bhp •188kg •820mm Face-lifted Euro4 version featuring new twin LED headlamps, quickshifter, new front fork with compression damping, slip/assist clutch, and new shock settings. New subframe brings a slightly more aggressive stance. 2018-CURRENT Yamaha MT-09 SP £6700-£11,316 •847cc/890cc •117bhp •193kg •825mm seat height With…

'Big price, big results' It’s a big price, but with big results. In some ways, the GYTR Ténéré is barely recognisable, yet in others it retains the ease of use that makes the T7 so appealing. There’s no need to fit the whole kit, or even a whole package. Some parts require others to work, but you could cherry-pick chassis or engine parts to enhance your T7. But be advised, most of the kit isn’t for typical riders – the Rally kit is for racers, and the Handling kit turns it into a high-speed monster. Even Pol doesn’t use a GYTR for training. THE FACTS £11,916 Yamaha Ténéré World Raid (GYTR in brackets)…

MCN STAFF RATE THEIR RIDING KIT 2000 miles ON TEST Weise Ion textile heated gloves £199.99 ‘No wires, just warm fingers' Tested by Dan Sutherland for three months These Weise Ion gloves are battery powered, meaning no faffing with wires, and feature hard knuckle armour, plus a soft interior. Simply plug the batteries into their pouches in the cuffs, press the button, and you’re away. Not only are they easy to use, but they also allowed me to continue my circa 110-mile round trip to the office through the colder months in comfort, without being distracted by dangerously cold fingers – something I struggle with particularly badly. The vast majority of my testing so far has been done on a 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S, which I had as a longterm test…

BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician Get pumped up… Puncture put you on the sidelines? Our tips will get you rolling 1 Just to get you home… Used as a roadside fix, a tubeless repair kit will get you going again very quickly. It must be stressed that these are temporary repairs and only designed to get you home or to a tyre-fitting centre for a professional repair or replacement. Therefore, it’s critical that you treat it as a temporary fix and stick to the speed limit as specified in the kit’s instructions. 2 Two ways to fix a flat There are two basic types of temporary roadside repair. The first is an aerosol which inflates the tyre with a combination of gas and sealing liquid which dries as it is pressurised out…

Peter Hickman arrived at the 2024 North West 200 battered, bruised and slightly broken by three hefty crashes during Oulton Park British Superbikes the previous weekend. The 37-yearold was also without his FHO Racing BMW superbike as the team sat out the event, limiting him to a Superstock-spec S1000RR for both the Stocker and Superbike races at Portrush, plus a Supersport PHR Performance 765 Triumph and a new Swan Racing Yamaha R7 for the Supertwins events. Hicky also had strapping on his left hand after breaking a small bone during the Oulton crashes. “It hurts like hell,” he grimaced. Despite the pain and power disadvantage of his Stocker, the Burton on Trent racer finished fourth in the opening Superbike race on Thursday night before running out of petrol in the…

What a North West and was an amazing feeling it was to be back on the podium. It feels good to be rewarded for the hard work that I put in. I’ve ridden a lot this year, from testing, the Fireblade launch, going to Navarra. I’ve kept in the hamster wheel and I’ve done a lot of things off my own back. I went faster at this year’s North West than I ever had, faster than the last time I won the Superbike race back in 2012. It’s 12 years since I’ve been on the NW podium! It felt special in lots of ways, I had the big injury here in 2017, missed ’18, made some bad decisions with Norton and then Covid hit. I wondered if I’d ever get…

Paddock veteran casts his eye over the French MotoGP Marc Marquez reckons he is not “obsessed” with winning on the Ducati. Really? Go tell that to Ducati’s double world champion Pecco Bagnaia. Or Jorge Martin who did the Sprint/GP double in France. It’s certainly not the conclusion you would draw from the heroics of a Marquez masterclass at Le Mans. His performance was an outlier in modern MotoGP: starting 13th on the fifth row for audacious second places in both Sprint and GP. And the escalating anticipation of Marquez’s 60th MotoGP win and his first on a Ducati is adding the fizz factor to the predictability of Ducati’s current dominance. Bagnaia (two wins) and Martin (two wins) have won four out of five main races this season and Marquez admires…

You wouldn’t want to be Gigi Dall’Igna right now. MotoGP’s grey wizard has one seat left in his 2025 Ducati factory team and three riders to choose from: Jorge Martin, Marc Marquez and current factory rider Enea Bastianini. I could be wrong – a few weeks is a long time in MotoGP – but I think the game is already down to two riders. Bastianini is brilliant in some ways, especially at saving his rear tyre for late-race attacks, but that probably won’t be enough, because he doesn’t have the killer all-round speed and attitude. So who will be in red next year: the championship leader or a sixtimes MotoGP king that hasn’t won a race in three and a half years? A few weeks ago – after the Americas…