Table of contents for 20 November 2024 in MCN

‘For my team, my people, my family’ JORGE MARTIN, P62 MOTOGP Judgement day After missing out in 2023, Jorge Martin finally clinched the MotoGP world championship with a secure pair of rides that showed how far the young Spaniard has come in the past 12 months. A more measured approach this season resulted in more consistency – and we all know that’s exactly what’s needed for championship success. The Martinator’s win is also the first MotoGP title to be won by an independent team, and it’s a testament to Ducati who both gave a satellite squad identical machinery to the factory team and didn’t pull rank with team orders when it came to crunchtime. PAGE 62 NEWS Adventure done right KTM’s last attempt at a low-capacity adventurer didn’t quite hit…

Alongside the RSV4 Factory, Aprilia are continuing to produce the lower-spec RSV4. The base model shares the same 217bhp V4 engine and chassis as the Factory, including the Hypure calipers and new lightweight aluminium top yoke, but it runs fully adjustable Sachs suspension and cast wheels. Although the hardware required to run the full APRC system is pre-installed, owners of the RSV4 will have to pay to turn on some of the electronic features that are included as standard on the Factory. While owners get variable-level angle-responsive ABS and traction control, wheelie control, a quickshifter and three power modes as standard, the new predictive-linked features such as Aprilia Slide Control (ASC) are part of the Track Pack, cornering lights and cruise control is part of the Comfort Pack and the…

In a bid to maintain the dominance of the mighty PCX125, Honda have treated the learner legal machine to a string of updates for 2025. The four-stroke scooter has battled with Yamaha’s NMAX 125 for the top spot in the UK sales chart throughout 2024 (according to figures from the MCIA), with the Honda pipping the Yamaha for pole position more often than not. This makes the Honda the highest selling two-wheeled vehicle of the year so far in the UK and over 140,000 units have been sold throughout Europe since its launch in 2010. ‘Tweaks to the shocks and brakes for ’25’ For 2025, Honda have added updated rear shocks with remote reservoirs, and a rear disc brake for the first time, moving away from the drum set up.…

'And it's goodbye from them…' I was surprised to read that Italian electric bike manufacturer Energica had gone pop. There again, they did target what is looking like the wrong market for electric two-wheelers and their set-up was unquestionably a bit odd… I’ve been out to the Energica factory and it was quite a surprise. And not necessarily in a good way. The firm were based in a nondescript industrial building in Modena and what was surprising was just how small the section dedicated to building bikes was. Energica’s parent company, CRP, were class-leaders in 3D printing and while bits of spacecraft or F1 car were popping out of multi-million pound printers, the Energica models were being built on the shop floor. And no one would tell me how many…

MCN COMPARE GET PROTECTED WITH MCN – AT MCNCOMPARE.COM Bimota have pulled the covers off the ultra-exclusive KB998 Rimini – confirming that 500 of the roadgoing, Kawasaki ZX-10RR-powered superbikes will be made available to the public over the next two years. The Italian chassis experts have produced the 998 with one primary goal in mind – to create a machine compliant with FIM regulations which will allow them to enter the World Superbike championship with riders Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani. They will be taking over from the factory Kawasaki team, with the Japanese brand now owning a 49.9% stake in the high-end Italian firm. Regulations stipulate that 250 homologated units must be produced and available for public sale before December 31, 2025, with a further 250 required over the…

Oxford Boss alarm disc lock and chain £99.99 Lock, stock and smokin' deals There’s nothing worse than that stomach-churning cocktail of anger and helplessness when you discover that your pride and joy isn’t where you left it. Having your bike stolen by sticky fingered wrong’uns is an awful experience – however, you can slow them down, and perhaps even put them off altogether, by fitting additional security devices. A visual, audible and physical deterrent covers all the bases and this lock and chain package from Oxford ticks every box. The Sold Secure Gold approved lock is bright yellow for a start, but if a potential thief ignores that and starts tampering, it will let loose with a 100dB motionactivated alarm. It can also withstand 4.5 tonnes of tensile load, so along…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com It’s 1982, I’m 19 with my Yamaha. Soon after, I joined the Fire Service, specialising in risk management. Andrew Porter Mat’s first big bike after passing his test, aged 17. A Suzuki Gladius 650. Kev Coleman This is me earlier this month with my bike. Looking forward to riding with my Grandad when he's next up. Elliot Hughes My son Mat, riding what we think is an Italjet 50cc bike. He was five or six years old at the time. Kev Coleman Here I am on my AR50. I fitted an 80cc engine to make it go faster and dad sprayed it up for me. Haden Wingrove This was me aged eight in 1967 on Dad's 1962 150cc Bultaco Sherpa. Richard Winn On…

I’ve just got back from some trail riding in Spain. It was a good group of lads including Ian Simpson, Iain Macpherson and Lee Johnston and the rest of them were all nutty Scottish former road or motocross racers. I heard this years ago that if you’re ever on a trials, enduro or even road ride in a group there is always one who’s the lame wildebeest or the weak link and if after 30 minutes or so you can’t work out who that is… then it’s probably you! I actually felt pretty bad because even though we were a lot further south of Valencia where all the destruction was the rain we had was torrential. I’ve never seen water in a lot of the dried up river beds, but…

1 November 16-24 Motorcycle Live There are still four more days of Motorcycle Live at the NEC in Birmingham. The motorcycling magnet is home to all the new metal coming to our shores, and with its new festival vibe, it’s a great day out for the whole family. www.motorcyclelive.co.uk 2 November 24 Winter series round 3 Rogers Hill Raceway is playing host to round three of the winter series this week. It’s at Manor Farm, (DT11 0JS) and because it’s a three-hour hare and hounds event, you can be sure there’ll be plenty of highoctane action. www.rogershillraceway.com 3 November 24 Mid Kent autojumble This Sunday at Lockmeadow Market Hall (Kent, ME16 8LW) stalls will be brimming with parts for all things automotive. Pitches are £20, or tickets to get in and buy are…

THE MCN TEST ● THE HOTTEST BIKES ● EVERY WEEK £10,106 Yamaha MT-09 ● 890cc l iquid - cool ed inline triple DOHC 12v ● 117.3bhp @ 10,000rpm ● 193kg kerb weight £10,656 Yamaha MT-09 Y-AMT ● 890cc l iquid - cool ed inline triple DOHC 12v ● 117.3bhp @ 10,000rpm ● 196kg kerb weight There is a definite move towards motorcycles becoming more automated and (arguably…) userfriendly. ABS means you no longer require as much braking finesse, traction control masks hamfisted throttle action, semi-active suspension makes avoiding bumps less of a priority and now the good old-fashioned clutch and gear levers are under threat as automatic transmissions become the latest eye-catching option. It’s hardly new tech (Honda’s CB750 ‘Hondamatic’ arrived in 1976) and up until recently if you wanted an…

'It's auto but still sporty' Choosing the MT-09 to debut their new automated manual transmission isn’t a brave move by Yamaha – it is a sign of confidence. By picking a bike that has a reputation for excitement, Yamaha have demonstrated that Y-AMT is a match for the toughest of tests and doesn’t detract from even a sporty naked’s character. To date (and there are a few more on the way, most notably from BMW and KTM), Y-AMT leads the way in delivering an automatic that hasn’t lost sight of the fact that two-wheelers need to be fun. Intuitive, effortless and pleasingly analogue in the way it operates, opting for the auto box in no way dampens the MT-09’s celebrated fun-factor. Before riding Y-AMT I was sceptical about this new…

'Punchy, fast, light' Husqvarna’s new Vitpilen 801 is every inch the consummate sports naked. It’s up there in the thrill charts with the likes of the Triumph Street Triple 765, Yamaha MT-09, Ducati Monster and Duke 790 from sister brand KTM. It’s punchy, fast, light, handles superbly, well equipped and roomy, although the seat can be a pain after a day’s ride. It has its own unique style, as well as the way it goes about its business. Husqvarna have given the Vitpilen a calmer edge, to set it apart from the KTM, so the power delivery is that bit softer and the steering calmer. Its sports-touring tyres are great for gentler riding, too, but the chassis is crying out for stickier, faster-steering rubber. Front brakes need a big handful…

1600 miles ON TEST MT Braker SV £119.99 Low budget, high performance Tested by Justin Hayzelden for six months MT may not be a household name, but they’ve been manufacturing lids in Spain for over 55 years. In fact, their FIM homologated helmet has graced the bonce of none other than MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta while racking up World Championships in both Moto2 and 3. This £120 Braker SV isn’t the flagship model (that’s currently the £275 KRE+), but as a budget sports-touring buy it’s proved itself a seriously strong contender for a podium. Fit is bob-on and there’s more than enough padding to prevent pressure points, without sacrificing a close and reassuring fit. Although the removable lining doesn’t have the sumptuous plushness of a top-end product, for a day-to-day…

BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician Don't just top up… Treat your bike to fresh coolant and you’ll prevent costly trouble 1 Expose the system More than just plain water, a liquid-cooled bike’s coolant contains a potent mixture of corrosion inhibitors, antifreeze and lubrication agents. It should be changed roughly every two years, or at a mileage detailed in the service schedule. To begin the job, work out how to access to the radiator cap, drain bolts and coolant expansion tank. BRUCE’S TIPS You may need to remove panels to access the drain and rad cap BRUCE’S TIPS Never remove the radiator cap while the engine is hot 2 Let it cool then pop the cap Once you have removed any panels required to access to the expansion tank and radiator cap, make…

Bringing you the inside line from the BSB paddock It was 20 years ago that Josh Brookes made a name for himself by winning a World Supersport Championship race as a wildcard entrant at Phillip Island. He raced onboard a Honda that day, as he did when he claimed his Australian Superbike and Supersport crowns, and when he made his Bennetts British Superbike Championship debut with the HM Plant squad in 2009. In 2025 the Aussie will be back on the Fireblade as he joins Lee Jackson at DAO Racing to complete one of the strongest line-ups on the grid. Goodbye BMW The switch comes after Brookes’ up and down two-year partnership with FHO Racing BMW. The move initially saw Brookes return to winning ways in 2023, but it’s been…

Well that’s MotoGP done, it’s just a shame the race was so boring. I wanted some argy bargy, but there was no passing. It was like everyone had just rolled over. I guess the million dollar question is: Did the right man win? That depends on who you are and how you think. As Neil Hodgson said on the commentary: “You win the championship on a bad day.” So the title is won on a seventh place! For Pecco to have won 11 races is crazy and on some levels the stats say he should be champ. The conditions made it hard too and the lap times were slow – they wouldn’t have even won the World Superbike race with the times they were doing. Toprak on Pirellis would have…

Pecco collides with Marquez Bagnaia’s first error came at Portimao when he tried to dive straight back down the inside of Marc Marquez. Bagnaia tucked the front, taking him and his 2025 teammate down. In reality, Bagnaia’s tyres were shot and he would likely have been passed again anyway. Martin took full advantage with a win. Meanwhile, Acosta became the third youngest rider to secure a premier class podium in third, before repeating his podium success at COTA in second. Martin's inexplicable Jerez fall A trip to Jerez ended in Martin’s first crash of the season. Like we’ve seen in the past, Martin fell out of the lead, while almost a second clear, after tucking the front under braking for turn six on lap 11. Bagnaia won to close the…

Going behind the headlines at the final round of 2024 This one will taste extra sweet! Jorge Martin became the first satellite rider to become MotoGP World Champion in Barcelona after a typically consistent and smart weekend. The final round was a perfect example of how this season has unfolded. While Pecco Bagnaia dominated out front, Martin accepted his position and held firm in third spot, knowing he could make it no further up the order. This despite the carrot dangling in front of him on Saturday, knowing a Sprint win would clinch him the title. No, Martin wasn’t about to mess up, nor despite the efforts of Enea Bastianini, was the Spaniard going to be drawn into a potentially risky dogfight. It was a weekend which showcased the best…

So, the right man won. Probably. But it was very marginal. A lot depended on how you counted. For example, by qualifying results, Martin was most often faster. The master of the single lap. But only just. He had only seven poles to Bagnaia’s six, and actually one less front-row. Race wins? Sunday GPs: Pecco 11. Martin just three. And seven Sprints each. Let’s forget Sprints – not (say some, including Casey Stoner) worthy of inclusion in a World Championship. Now it’s very different: Pecco the winner on 376 main-race points to Martin’s 337. Things tip in Martin’s favour when you count second places: Martin 16 (ten on Sunday, six on Saturday); Pecco just one feature race and one Sprint. So do you win championships by finishing second? Plainly, yes.…

Honda’s CL500 has received an update for 2025, with the firm aiming to boost comfort and ergonomics. The seat foam has been altered, and the shape of the footpegs has been improved for a more natural feel. The LCD dash now features a high-contrast display, making it easier to read in sunlight. Two new paint options have been introduced, bringing the colour choices up to four. Record reverse Sidecar adventure duo Matt Bishop and Reece Gilkes (AKA The Sidecar Guys) have backed their way into the history books, bagging themselves the Guinness World Record for the longest distance covered by motorcycle and sidecar in reverse – in one go. On October 26, they rode their Ural outfit 107 miles continuously at Tranwell Airfield, Northumberland. It took them 13 hours and…

Thousands of bikers flooded into Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) for the start of Motorcycle Live. The nine-day biking celebration kicked off on Saturday, November 16 and will run until Sunday, November 24 with a host of new features bidding for attention. “Attendance figures for the first weekend are buoyant,” Managing Director, Finlay McAllan said. “It’s too early to state numbers, and I don’t want to tempt fate, but we’re confident that we’re going to see an increase from last year.” New additions include street food vendors, a return for stunt and MX shows, and even live music -with a full festival theme set to be laid on during the event’s final Saturday evening. Running from 5.30pm onwards, acts include Rick Parfitt Junior and the RPJ Band, with additional live…

Enduristan Blizzard 2 panniers from €340 Offering an upgrade over the previous version of these highly rated saddlebags, the fully waterproof Blizzard 2 is now stronger, lighter and more versatile. A key component is the patented ‘CRR Breakaway System’, which allows the mounting strap and bag to separate in a crash by sacrificing a small plastic clip. Comes in 15, 25 and 35 litres versions. enduristan.co.uk LS2 Fast II MX Helmet from £79.99 Packing one hell of a punch for the price, LS2’s MX lid has had a significant upgrade to meet the latest ECE 22.06 certification and is now fully road legal, with ACU Gold approval for competition. It weighs in at just 1400g thanks to the tough ‘Kinetic Polymer Alloy’ shell, which boasts multiple vents and a fully…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews 'It's a dirty business' Motorcycle manufacturers and suppliers of aftermarket products are equally as culpable when it comes to sacrificing practicality in favour of style. Here is a photo of my Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro back end, which had been clean before my 55-mile ride on mainly dry rural roads with a few damp sections. I had fitted an aftermarket hugger because the bike did not leave the factory with any vestige of a mudguard. This begs the question of why the muck ended up on the outside of the hugger. Compare my 1956 Norton back end after an 80-mile ride over the same roads and in identical conditions. Nothing more needs to be said because the pictures tell their own story. Tom Lonsdale, West Yorks…

‘HRC wanted to show they could build a reliable V-twin’ As the popularity of World Superbikes was peaking in the mid to late 90s, so too was the V-twin supremacy in the championship, which was displayed to near perfection by Ducati with their 916 and 996 machines. Honda had stuck to the idea of a lower capacity V4 (750cc, compared to the 1000cc limit on twins) with their RC45, and in doing so meant that Ducati had managed to grab five titles in six years, while Honda had only managed one. But if you can’t beat them, join them! The VTR1000 SP-1 was HRC’s answer to Ducati’s dominance, by going head-to-head with the Italian brand at their own game – and creating some of the most glorious racing in the…

The BMW K1600 series is a bit of a weird range when it comes to showroom sales as it has a few initial barriers that really work against it. But if riders give them a go, the K1600 is a brilliant bike. Generally we get owners of the RT trying out the K1600 when their bike is in for a service and nine times out of 10 they love it – however the comments when they hand it back are always the same – it’s fantastically comfortable but a bit heavy and also too costly. Which are fair points but I try to encourage them to stick with it for a bit longer (I suggest they borrow it for a weekend and stick a pillion on the back) because the…

Buying used can be a real gamble. You’re effectively putting your life in the hands of a machine that could have fallen victim to all sorts of poor maintenance, or even straight up bodgery – and it's not always easy to spot. Doncaster Motorcycles owner, Kevin Hollingsworth recalls one such case of the previous owner perils, when a recently purchased Suzuki GSX-S750 came in for a routine fork job, only for the mechanic to spot that its previous custodian had opted to sell the Suzuki with a potentially dangerous fault, rather than sort it out properly. “Louise is a regular customer of ours, she’d only had the bike for six weeks when the fork seals started weeping,” said Hollingsworth. “Once I started the job, I noticed the previous owner had stuffed…

Yamaha are charging up their electric ambitions by investing in French electric trials specialist Electric Motion (EM). Announcing the news, Yamaha said: “The aim of this investment is to […] delve into the possibilities available with electric motorcycles for competition.” Emerging as a front-runner in the sector since its founding in 2009, EM will now collaborate with Yamaha to boost the profile of both brands, as well as potentially working together to produce future models. Rapid disassembly Showgoers at Motorcycle Live this weekend will witness a live attempt to beat the world record for the fastest time to disassemble and reassemble a motorcycle. Maria Sheovska and Robert Teahan of the Machine Shop will step up to the challenge on Sunday, November 24, at 13:40 on the Expert Lab stage, with…

Aprilia have always been at the cutting-edge of advanced rider assists and for 2025 the firm have armed their upgraded RSV4 and RSV4 Factory superbikes with a tech and aero package that can trace its roots directly to their MotoGP project. Not only that, they also claim the 217bhp V4-powered superbike can accurately predict what degree of electronic intervention will be required at any one time. Integrated into the latest generation of Aprilia Performance Ride Control (APRC) is an all-new predictive function. By using data from the bike’s six-axis IMU and other inputs including speed, gear, throttle position and more, the wheelie, traction and yaw control functions of APRC now process what is happening in real time and can actively anticipate when intervention may be required, rather than reacting to…

SAVE £6555 £29,895 BMW M1000RR Arguably the ‘ultimate’ superbike, the newly crowned WSBK king is getting a further update for 2025 which means this brand new, unsold, fully loaded 2024 example, complete with M Competition package is currently being offered by BMW Park Lane with a whopping £6555 off its usual price of £36,450. www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/parklane SAVE £2971 £14,935 Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE Tourer Another model that’s getting a 2025 upgrade so deals can be had on unsold 2024 examples. This Touring version of the top-spec SE is at Wheels Motorcycles. wheelsmotorcycles.co.uk •Engine 1043cc ●Power 118bhp ●Weight 257kg ●Seat height 840mm SAVE £3296 £16,999 Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse Bill Smith motors in Chester is offering this brand new, blacked-out, ‘Dark Horse’ version of US brand Indian’s Chief Bobber cruiser with…

Watsonian-Squire have created this keenly priced motorcycle and sidecar outfit as an affordable way into the three-wheeled world. Launched at Motorcycle Live, the SB1 outfit costs £7999 -although the British firm have a limited-time offer running, slashing £500 from the price. Watsonian-Squire Managing Director Ben Matthews explains the thinking behind the new venture: “Back in the 1980s Squire produced hundreds of sidecars for the importers of budget Jawa and MZ motorcycles. This created fantastic economies of scale and made sidecars an affordable option for thousands of riders. ‘It harks back to 1980s MZ and Jawa outfits’ “We still get enquiries from customers looking to buy a complete outfit ‘off-the-shelf’ and so we decided to create a modern equivalent under the Squire brand, to differentiate it from our bespoke Watsonian range.”…

Q ‘I can’t recall the crash’ I had an accident while overtaking a line of cars. The driver who knocked me off claims I was speeding and says she was indicating and turning right. I don’t have any recollection of the accident, but there were witnesses. Some claim I was riding too fast, others say I was not. They also differ as to the other driver. My solicitors are considering dropping my claim due to a lack of evidence. Ryan, email A In assessing blame for an accident the witness evidence as well as physical evidence from the scene will be important. Just because you can’t remember does not mean you cannot claim. The differing witness accounts need to be considered carefully. Speed is notoriously difficult for witnesses to get…

The way things are going with all the big wings sprouting out of sportsbikes is that everything’s becoming more track-focused. I guess sportsbikes have always been more track-focused than most, but now it seems even more so. Because they’re now selling so few sportsbikes manufacturers can make something that is even less practical than ever. We can probably all remember sportsbikes that you could ride happily round Europe on with a pillion and not have a bad back – but you’d struggle to do that with the latest generation. We’ve got bikes like the R1 going track-only and this is the way I think it’s going to go – it’s all about homologation specials, bikes where being practical isn’t important. When I first saw the picture of the new BMW…

Smart move by Yamaha Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission (Y-AMT) has been designed to ‘piggyback’ onto the top of the standard CP3 triple, making it cheaper to produce and easy to fit to any CP3-powered bike. The system works by removing the clutch and gear lever and instead uses two electromechanical actuators located outside of the engine. One is attached to the clutch via a series of linkages and when triggered compresses the clutch in exactly the same way a hand-operated system would (the clutch is completely unchanged) while the other actuator is attached to the gearchange spline (the gearbox is unchanged but the gear pattern is N-1-2-3-4-5-6). The two actuators are controlled via the bike’s ECU and take into account data from the bike’s various sensors such as speed, throttle…

The SP-1’s greatest rival is the very machine that made the project a necessity – Ducati’s 996. In its four years of production from 1999 to 2002, the Ducati managed to achieve two WSBK titles under Fogarty and Bayliss, while the other two went to Honda’s VTR1000, in both its SP-1 and SP-2 guises. Although the share of championships ended up as equal, the Hondas never managed to achieve the same sheer level of desirability as the Ducatis, although the prices of standard SP-1s are now very much on the rise.…

Bike manufacturers recommend a coolant change every two to three years, but the reality is that coolant will last much longer, potentially up to 10 years… but not if the bike is used a lot and does plenty of miles. Either way, don’t be tempted to skip the intervals; the cost of a few litres of coolant is nothing compared to repairing frost or corrosion damage. Multiple heat cycles mean the properties of the coolant start to deteriorate as you rack up the mileage. Cooling the engine is the main task of the coolant, and this process can degrade the fluid because there will always be a degree of evaporation, hence the need to keep the expansion tank topped up to the correct level. Additional properties include anti-corrosion, which prevents…

Going behind the headlines at the last round of 2024 1 Ready for Moto2 It’s hard to imagine Alonso making a mess of his first Moto2 campaign by crashing his brains out. It’s not in his nature. As he said in the Moto3 press conference in Barcelona, 2025 is very much a learning year, one with no records or, probably, many busy weekends in terms of media commitments. He’s going to take his time to adapt to the bigger bike and make gradual steps alongside new teammate, fellow rookie and this year’s Moto3 runner-up, Daniel Holgado. The pair can help each other to improve as they learn. Throughout his career Alonso has followed the Rossi formula. A year to learn, and then you win the title. 2 Excellent strategy Alonso’s…

Some people believed that Marc Marquez would reclaim his MotoGP crown the moment he climbed on a Ducati Desmosedici. But it wasn’t that simple. For 11 years Marquez had ridden Honda’s RC213V, which made its lap time with the front tyre, while the Ducati makes its lap time with the rear tyre, so the six-times MotoGP champion had to totally change his riding technique. Marquez is no longer MotoGP’s spectacular entertainer, charging into corners with the rear tyre kicking this way and that. Aboard the Ducati he soon learned that he needed to be much smoother, because if he got too sideways, he killed the bike’s downforce aerodynamics. By round four at Jerez he was fast enough to fight for victory, battling with Pecco Bagnaia. But the reigning champion’s GP24…