Table of contents for 5 March 2025 in MCN

TOP STORY KTM's fight for survival has taken a major step forward after creditors approved a €750 million restructuring plan, allowing the Austrian brand to restart production at their Mattighofen headquarters and begin repaying debts. The brand have been in a whirlwind of financial turmoil for some time and announced entry into a 90-day ‘self-administration’ period on November 29, 2024 – leading to a halt in production at their Austrian factory, along with multiple job losses. Problems at the firm related to disappointing sales post-Covid, resulting in KTM being lumbered with high levels of unsold bikes. The financial crisis was split across three insolvencies, amounting to approximately €2.5 billion in claims. KTM AG was responsible for the lion's share of this, with 3847 claims against them equating to around €2.25…

BMW have announced a limited edition M4 CS Edition VR46 sports car in celebration of nine-time Grand Prix world champion, Valentino Rossi turning 46 years-old. The Italian racing legend is now a BMW M works driver for the brand's four-wheeled division and recently celebrated a podium at the Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race in Australia. The special car will be limited to just 46 units – a nod to the number he's always favoured in both motorcycle and car racing. Lucky owners will also get a personal meeting with Rossi at his VR46 Motor Ranch in Tavullia, Italy plus a driving experience at the Misano race track the following day. Powering the special car is a twin turbo-charged, three-litre, six-cylinder engine producing a claimed 543bhp – enough for a claimed…

Chinese owned Italian bike brand Morbidelli are launching a new learner-friendly adventure model to the UK market this summer, priced at an accessible £3299 plus OTR. The Morbidelli T125X is new for 2025, having been launched at last November's EICMA trade show in Milan. It's set to arrive in UK dealers from June and will be distributed by wellestablished firm, MotoGB. Designed to attract the next generation of adventure enthusiasts, it sits at the very bottom of Morbidelli's allterrain offering, the company having also recently launched a pair of 997cc V-twin T1002V models. The larger models are also big on value, being priced at under £9000. Powering the T125X is a liquid-cooled 124cc fourstroke, single-cylinder engine producing a claimed 14bhp at 9500rpm, and 8.1lb.ft at 7600rpm. Protected by a fairly…

Undercover life-savers A sometimes-voiced criticism of the testing and certification process is that firms could submit ‘special’ samples then downgrade them for production. From my observations, it's something that's unlikely to happen with legitimate brands, and the main focus should remain on rogue vendors continuing to sell untested, non-certified products. MotoCAP presents a way to monitor goods on sale and it has been working successfully in Australia and New Zealand since late 2018. Its worldwide potential was quickly recognised when it picked up the FIM Road Safety Award in 2019. The scheme sends secret shoppers to buy kit from retailers (or online), before testing them in the MotoCAP lab at Deakin University's Geelong campus, in Australia. Purchases are tested for abrasion resistance, seam strength, breathability and -optionally – water resistance,…

Following a season-long hiatus in 2024, motorcycle trackdays have returned to the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit for 2025 – allowing bikers to experience the same 3.66-mile layout as the stars of MotoGP. However, unlike many other tracks across the UK, the Northamptonshire venue is currently planning to hold just three events for the year – all priced at £329. These are arranged in a three-group format with a 102dB ride-by noise limit. The dates are May 27, June 16 and August 13. By comparison, the next car trackday at the venue will take place on the National layout on Saturday, March 8, with events running all the way through to mid-November on both the National and GP layouts. Prices for four-wheeled days stretch to as much as £999 for the…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com I was six years old and my father built me this bike. It was an NSU Quickly engine in a Hercules frame. Ian Hutchinson Me on my AP50 with Micron in 1984 age 16. Still riding a Yamaha 350 YPVS N2 and Aprilia Tuono V4. Andy Gassor Is it my go? Me and my late brother Jason about 1976/77, we got our love for bikes from our dad. Toby Robinson Received this Honda QR50 when I was five in the early 80s, seems like helmets and kit were optional! Ed van Rooyen My grandson Oakley on his first bike the start of his motorcycle adventures from Andy Richardson August 1970 on my 1959 T110. I was quite short so thought I would only…

JUST BREW IT Ride out to Britain's best biking cafés THE DETAILS • Open 7 days 8.30am-3.30pm, later on bike nights, closed October to March • Tattershall, Lincoln LN4 4JG If you've never been to the Lincolnshire Wolds for a ride, then stick it on your schedule right now because the area boasts a bunch of fabulous roads that are perfect for bikers. What's more, nestled on the side of the A153 is a 50-year-old kiosk that has become a homing beacon to motorcyclists across the region. Owner Sarah Craig told MCN: “You still get people now, even though it's been here nearly 50 years, who will say they didn't know this place was here! “My former in-laws had it for 40 years and when they retired, they asked if…

1 Make a plan Having a plan is essential for all overtakes, but it's especially important for lines of traffic. Just setting off with no idea of where you're going to get back into your lane can land you in no end of bother. Better to move out to the off-side and aim for a half-decent gap. When you get there – you're still on the off-side, remember – you can re-assess, and continue that process of identifying the next gap to return to. 2 Don't be a meerkat If you find yourself peering out round the side of a truck to see if you can overtake, you're far too close. It's counter-intuitive, but the further back you are, the quicker you'll get past. Dropping back also gives you a…

Well-braked J.Juan four-piston brakes. There's not a great deal of initial power, though they stop the MT-X sharply enough with a firmer squeeze, and the Bosch ABS doesn't step in too early. Standard electronics Cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring and quickshifter work from the outset, and stay working. Unlike the KTM, there's no visit to the dealer, credit card in hand, to re-activate them. Higher or lower? Go high (870mm seat height) and there's 230mm of travel at either end. With that cut to 190mm of movement, the seat drops to 830mm. Availabilty of both specs in the UK is TBC.…

HONDA TRIUMPH ROYAL ENFIELD…

After 26 years in production and 10 generations, 2025 sees Yamaha dropping the YZF-R1 from the model line-up in the UK. With big-capacity sportsbike sales on the decline throughout Europe and new emissions regulations being introduced, the firm decided to cut their losses and much like they did with the R6 in 2022, the R1 is now sold in track-only form, bypassing the need to make it Euro5+ yet allowing it to race in homologated series. While that's sad news, the R1 can retire from road life having left behind a legacy that includes success in every major series, sales domination, sporty siblings and even an SP model. MCN looks back at this incredible sportsbike. The genesis of an idea Back in the mid-1990s, Yamaha had misread the market. Like…

Digital publishing nerd, loves engineering and going quickly So, here we are at the end of a year on Kawasaki Ninjas that's been fascinating and frustrating in pretty much equal measure. It started reasonably well, setting out my stall with some big rides on the luke-warm Ninja 650 – a bike that endeared itself to me as time wore on. Sure, it's no circuitsmashing performance hero, with its 68bhp and a riding position that favours comfort over craziness, but it is a capable machine. After a few thousand miles I swapped from the 650 to 2024's main event – the bike I pitched to run for the year: the Ninja 7 Hybrid. Why? Because I'm curious about engineering and love assessing new approaches to traditional problems. In this case the…

£1000-£2500 (1998-2004) Initially launched in naked form but soon followed up with the semifaired S model, the first incarnation of the Hornet hits all the right notes. While some criticise its buzzy engine and poor tank range, if you are after a cheap middleweight that has a surprising turn of pace, look no further. By now a lot of early Hornets are getting a bit ropey but good ones are still out there to be found. BUYER BEWARE • In 2000 Honda armed the Hornet with a 17in front wheel where earlier bikes have 16-inchers. This widens the choice of tyres and makes it worth picking over older models. The updated bike lacks the original's holes in its exhaust cover. • In 2003 the Hornet gained a 17-litre fuel tank,…

£4999-£7299 (2023-current) Released in 2003, the all-new middleweight Hornet no longer has an inline-four engine, instead it is powered by a parallel-twin. Tipping the scales at just 190kg, the new Hornet is true to its sporting heritage and the engine has plenty of zap. Tech-heavy with ABS, HSTC, anti-wheelie and connectivity, it has been a huge hit and looks set to secure the Hornet name for future generations. BUYER BEWARE • Dealers are cutting the price of new Hornets with pre-reg bikes going for £6500 (RRP is £7299) and also including a free Sports Pack worth £670 that adds a seat cowl, screen, tank pad and quickshifter. • Always perform an HPI check to look for any outstanding finance. Lots are sold on HP or PCP. • The Hornet has…

While Aprilia and Honda had improved packages, KTM were left with more questions than answers. Namely: how do we find a solution for our front-end woes? The positivity from the news of the previous Tuesday's creditors meeting in Austria (see p4) deflated as Pedro Acosta crashed out of ninth, and Brad Binder struggled with excessive rear spinning and lack of front-end feel. ‘This year, it's much easier to unload the rear’ Asked about the crash, Acosta explained technicians have yet to find the correct balance for the 2025 RC16. “This year, it's much easier to unload the rear. And then I unloaded the rear behind Bezzecchi, and I was a little bit wide, I was sliding too much, and then I lost the front. “Quite a normal crash, but we…

Heartbreak for Scott Ogden in the Moto3 opener as a bizarre issue slowed him in the closing laps, before he was nerfed off at the final turn. The Doncaster native was running just back of the fight for second when he noted his front brake lever overheating to the extent it was burning his fingers. As he slowed on the final lap, hopeful of sixth, he was tagged by David Almansa – a tough end after he posted a best dry qualifying performance. “I was fighting for the podium but I cooked the front brake,” he said. “The lever was so hot and I couldn't hold on. I was trying to get to the finish but I got nudged at the final corner. I can fight for podiums all year…

Jack Miller's invigorating debut with the Pramac team salvaged a tame Thailand outing for Yamaha as they work to boost M1 competitiveness. The drag strip Buriram layout is not a sweet spot for the inline four M1 and a wider sample, by the Jerez GP, will be a more precise measure of the bike's progress this year and whether pack racing against aggressive V4s is still an issue for the bike. Despite a trademark fourth fastest time attack with his brain switched off, Miller was smothered back to sixth in early battles with Ai Ogura (Aprilia) and Franco Morbidelli (Ducati) in the GP. With a loose aero fairing impacting turning and corner speed, he slowed to finish 11th with scorched arms. “I pressed the fairing against the bike with my…

The air might still be chilly, but that sunshine we've enjoyed this week has definitely got some strength to it. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it, spring has arrived! This Saturday just gone, I dashed out to get my garagequeen Ducati 999S MoT'd and joined the throngs of other bikes enjoying the early-season warmth. Not only did my bike pass the test (naturally), but I also found a tenner in the pocket of my leather jacket which I then went and spent on a bacon roll down at my local biker haunt, and chatted away the afternoon in the warmth of the sun. On Sunday it was up with the lark to watch the return of MotoGP with the familiar conversation of Perry, Emmett, Hodgson,…

Triumph are celebrating their best sales year yet, with over 100,000 bikes leaving dealerships globally across 2024. A total of 134,635 machines were sold across the world in 2024 – equating to a 64% increase on the previous year. This has been helped by a 46% growth in dealers since 2019 – with 950 establishments now selling the Hinckley-developed products in 68 countries. A wide range of new models entered the market from Triumph across the year, including an updated Tiger 1200 family, a new Daytona 660 sportsbike, refreshed Tiger 900s, and an even more beefy pair of Rocket 3 muscle cruisers. They also launched both a 250 and 450 motocross bike, in a bid to draw in more of a market share in nations such as the USA. These…

Kawasaki could be about to shoehorn their supercharged H2 into a utility vehicle, according to a teaser broadcast on the firm's YouTube channel. The short clip shows an unidentified side-by-side vehicle in action, accompanied by the sound of a high-revving inline four. Kawasaki describe the concept as ‘Project H2’ – hinting that their 207bhp engine may soon appear in a four-wheeler. MV celebrate Ago at the movies MV Agusta are honouring the career of the legendary 15-time world champion Giacomo Agostini with a new documentary, simply called Ago. The film will make its debut on March 6 in Varese, Italy, before a wider cinema release on March 10. It will showcase the 10-time Isle of Man TT winner's Grand Prix journey and delve into Agostini's legacy and iconic relationship with…

Bonhams are heading into their annual Spring Stafford Sale with a range of classic road and race-derived machines up for grabs. Taking place from April 26-27 at the International Classic MotorCycle Show, the auction currently comprises 76 lots – with everything from vintage road racing Broughs, to a pair of Honda RC30s campaigned to victory by Carl Fogarty. The auction house said: “With an outstanding line-up of motorcycles spanning more than a century of two-wheeled innovation, this auction promises to be a highlight of the season. “Bonhams is the go-to auction house for significant single-owner collections, and this year's Stafford Sale is no exception.” Among the bikes available is a 1925 Brough Superior SS100, which is said to be just one of 12 known to have survived from the time.…

Thornton Hundred's supercharged Speed Triple 1200 RR drift bike, previously ridden at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed, is now on sale at £55,000. Power for the one-off machine currently sits at 230bhp, while weight is a lithe 190kg. The bump in thrust comes thanks to a Rotrex C30 supercharger, water/methanol injection system, and a massively modified motor with bespoke forged rods/pistons. The bike also features a £14,000 extended billet swingarm, hollowed out to store five litres of methanol, as well as carbon wheels and bodywork, a titanium exhaust, and active aerodynamics that are lean angle and braking sensitive. Amazingly, it's also fully road legal and MoT compliant, with a two-year unlimited mileage warranty. Got deep pockets and a need for speed? Visit thorntonhundred motorcycles.co.uk to make an offer.…

Send your trips to yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Readers Bryan and cousin Grant The ride Swiss Alps When to do it June (can be wet) or September as it's not too hot How many miles? 2100 including the commute from Hampshire via the Eurotunnel How long do you need? 8 days including travel to/from UK Don't miss this St Gotthard Pass, Furka Pass (as seen in the chase scene in Goldfinger), Oberwald, Grimsel Pass, Andermatt and the Susten Pass. Check passes are open and clear before planning your route; we had huge mud slides due to torrential rain prior to our trip. The best route of the week: Starting in Lugano as that's where I stayed for free with my cousin, we followed the passes listed above in a clockwise direction. Avoid the…

#1 Reading the road The better we are at reading the road, the faster and safer we can be. This video explains how to use visual limit points to improve your cornering, how to scan without getting overwhelmed by information and how to use peripheral vision. #2 Braking We go to an airfield to prove how much more effective your front brake is compared to the rear, then head onto the road to explore how braking interacts with steering, when to use the back brake and why expert riders use their brakes more, not less. #4 Junctions It's often car drivers who cause us problems at junctions, but we don't always help ourselves. Learn what to look for, understand why you may not be seen, what to do about modern…

‘I didn't know where Imola was’ Brit Paul Smart's victory in the inaugural Imola 200 in 1972 aboard Ducati's first 750 racer is widely regarded as the start of the Ducati V-twin superbike era. That bike spawned the iconic 750 Super Sport production replica, now one of the most collectable Ducatis. But the bike on which the racer was based was the GT. Taglioni took a batch of production bikes, cut their weight, added race cycle parts and gave the engine a tune and the desmodromic valve system from Ducati's faltering 500 GP project. “All I knew about Ducati was that they made out-of-date singles,” Smart recalled later. “I didn't even know where Imola was.” But despite his doubts, the purpose-built ‘Imola Desmo’ proved ideal. In practice, Smart broke Agostini's…

With its carbs replaced by a clever hybrid vacuum-controlled fuel-injection system that combined the principles of carbs with fuel-injection to give a smooth throttle action, the R1 was designed to allow the rider to access its performance rather than just hit headline-grabbing figures. Beautiful to ride, the R1's performance was easier to exploit but sportsbikes sell on headlines and that meant the GSX-R ousted the Yamaha from its top-dog status. Headline grabbing and heart-string pulling With WSBK now allowing 1000cc inline fours and the 750cc class dead (not that anyone told Suzuki…), 2004 saw an all-new generation of R1. Attempting to steal headlines back from Suzuki, Yamaha claimed the new R1 was the first motorcycle to have that magical 1:1 power-to-weight ratio with 172bhp and a weight of 172kg. Naturally…

3 months ON TEST Ammopro Whiteout Snowfoam £17.50 I've used a number of products from UK company Ammopro and they've all met or exceeded expectations. I feel I'm a bit of a late-comer to the snow foam trend of cleaning bikes and cars, but I've been impressed with the results. The product is pH neutral and uses amphoteric surfacants (molecules that have positive and negative charge) to aid cleaning performance. Simply spray on with a jet washer foam lance, wait two minutes and rinse off. It's obviously not a deep clean but for the time and ease it offers a big bang for your buck. Recommended. Quality Value Ammopro.uk…

Honda introduced the world to the Hornet name in 1996. A Japanese market bike, the CB250F Hornet never made it to the UK so we had to wait until the 1998 CB600F Hornet to see what the fuss was about. An instant sales hit, the Hornet gained a reputation for delivering sporty handling in a naked bike with a fun and thrilling motor. It wasn't necessarily the most practical bike, but it was certainly one to get your pulse racing. With a new Hornet SP hitting the headlines, here are five great used buys. YOUR EXPERT Jon Urry is MCN's used bike guru. He loves a Hornet and has ridden every generation of the naked Honda, including the new SP.…

£1800-£4000 (2002-2007) The big-capacity Hornet should have enjoyed the same success as its sibling as it is powered by a 919cc Fireblade-derived engine and carries the Hornet family look. But its where rivals went higher with their spec, Honda cut costs, making the Hornet appear a bit too budget and sales were slow. Nowadays if you are after a temptingly-priced naked with good reliability it's a great option. BUYER BEWARE • The lower yoke is quite prone to rust, which is visually unappealing and can lead to seized clamp bolts. • Electrical issues are becoming quite common with reg/recs failing and also the wiring loom corroding in hidden away areas. Inspect the loom around the headstock area where it can rub and also under the seat where water can become…

MCN's website has expert opinion and buying advice on hundreds of used bikes, regularly updated and packed with insight. Here are three of the latest – visit motorcyclenews.com for dozens more. 2008-2017 Honda CB1000R Owners’ rating Never the most popular of nakeds, the CB1000R was never called a Hornet but it did look just like the Hornet 600. A total of 36 owners have left reviews online and most are very chipper. 2014-2017 Honda CB650F Owners’ rating Fun naked bike with an easy-going nature (but not as sporty as a Hornet), 18 owners have left reviews online. A lack of equipment lets it down but overall, most are happy. 2022-2023 Honda CB500F Owners’ rating In 2024 the CB500F was upgraded and rebranded the Hornet 500. A lovely parallel-twin that is…

Over the last five years Alex Marquez could barely have imagined MotoGP could feel this energising. The revelation came with the surreal experience of sharing an historic one-two podium with older brother Marc with an imposing Ducati double in the Sprint and main GP. It's a close-knit relationship between the two of them: mutual admiration mixed with edgy competitiveness. Both recognising the sacrifices of their parents to empower a love of motorcycling. “There are no words to describe how you feel when you share a podium with your brother. It's like a dream,” the younger Marquez said. “There is a moment when you don't know if it's true.” Despite being gifted the lead for 17 of 26 laps as Marc controlled front tyre pressure, a first GP win was not…

Tyre rule puts riders under pressure Sunday was not the first time Marc Marquez has let another rider ahead because of tyre pressure problems. At Assen last year he waved Bastianini by, but couldn't warm the tyre enough. He was dropped from fourth to tenth by the consequent 16-second penalty. In Thailand – the same dashboard warning. Extra-hard braking didn't warm the tyre enough, so he dropped behind brother Alex. This time it worked. Regs require front tyre pressure above 1.8 bar for 60% of the race. But higher pressure spoils grip. Therefore teams must gamble, anticipating race demands. Marc had started the race too low. “We made the calculation,” but the team was not fully familiar with his race style. But why is this still an issue? Control-tyre suppliers…

The new Moto Guzzi V7 Sport and Aprilia Tuono 457 are available for pre-order online. Both will arrive from May, with the V7 Sport priced at £9700 and the Tuono £6130. Guzzi's new V7 Sport is their most performance-oriented V7 to date, with more power and a host of changes. The small-capacity Aprilia is designed to bridge the gap between the learner-legal Tuono 125 and 660 model. £500 incentive to plug in and play The Government has extended the plug-in electric grant for at least another year, offering a £500 incentive to switch to battery power. The funding comes as part of £2.3 billion pledged to help industry and consumers make a supported switch to EVs. Bikes receive the smallest sum of all motorists, compared with van drivers who are…

June 2024 Trouble brewing Rumblings regarding KTM's financial troubles started back in June 2024, when the Austrian firm announced that worldwide sales had “slowed significantly” with total sales expected to fall 10-15% for the year. November 2024 Winter blues November 29, 2024 saw the firm enter a 90-day period of self-administration in light of expected ‘three-digit-million’ losses. Citigroup stepped in the following month to oversee proceedings. December 2024 McWilliams axed In late December last year, KTM confirmed that former Grand Prix legend Jeremy McWilliams had been dropped from his testing role after 15 years. Jan 2025 New year, new boss After 33 years in charge, Stefan Pierer stepped down from his position as CEO at KTM in late January, with Gottfried Neumeister taking the reins. Since 1992, KTM has grown…

The National Motor Museum is gearing up to host a second annual Beaulieu Bikers’ Day – with riders on bikes of all ages and capacities invited along for the fun. Taking place on Saturday, June 21, the event will include live start-ups of historic bikes at the museum, as well as the chance to take home a Best in Show Award voted for by visitors. Tickets cost £10 in advance or on the day, with this also granting access to the National Motor Museum itself, as well as Little Beaulieu, Palace House, Beaulieu Abbey, and more. Visit beaulieu.co.uk for more information and to book your tickets to the upcoming event.…

‘The hottest bike on the market. Period.’ Buell are showcasing their latest line-up at Florida's Daytona Bike Week 2025, while also giving fans their first opportunity to get hands-on with their prototype Super Cruiser. Running until March 9, the display features the firm's existing two-bike range - comprising the 183bhp Hammerhead and 1190SX models - plus new SuperTouring prototypes, seven examples of their production-ready prototype Super Cruisers, and various custom Super Cruiser builds. Built in collaboration with customiser Roland Sands, the raked-out Super Cruisers are being revealed in both static displays and riding demonstrations for the first time, with Buell confirming that these are now almost ready to be fully released, with only minor refinements needed before their official unveiling later this year. In terms of price, the new machine…

A group of current and former soldiers are attempting to raise £3000 by completing the Three Peaks Challenge on a trio of cheap 50cc mopeds. Nicholas Remer, Robert Mears, and Nathan Clarke will complete the circa 500-mile challenge in October – riding first to Snowdon in Wales, on to Scafell Pike, and finishing at Ben Nevis, climbing each of the peaks along the way. “We set ourselves a budget of £700 each, with £500 to buy each bike,” Nicholas told MCN. ‘They'll ride to the peaks then trek up them’ “Whatever was left was then allowed to be spent on repairs.” “Mine was probably in the worst state,” he continued. “It was found in a scrapyard in Norfolk, in a bunch of boxes.” He will ride a ‘stylish’ three-wheeled BSA…

WHAT'S NEW IN TECH Motorcycle audio and comms specialists Sena have launched a new Phantom helmet with integrated speakers, front/rear lighting, and AI tech to lower background noise when the wearer is talking. Priced at around £430 (€519) and available to buy from the end of March, it's the first helmet to be produced at the brand's new factory in Qingyuan, China. What's more, it's also the firm's first helmet to be designed and developed in-house – rather than making use of another supplier's shell design – and meets the latest ECE22.06 standards. “Sena Phantom represents a major milestone for our company,” said CEO Tae Kim. “It is the first helmet fully designed and manufactured in our new state-of-the-art factory. By integrating all components under one roof, we have unlocked…

We all have that one motorcycle which we didn't buy, and we end up kicking ourselves for years after, don't we? Well, mine is a little bit leftfield, to say the least. Back when I was at college training to be a mechanic, a mate showed me a video that blew my mind: Fast Riding the Roberts Way, which was an awesome video by King Kenny. On the footage he was riding a Yamaha YSR50 (they're super cool to look at!), but they'd taken it up a level, and put a 250cc motocross engine in it. For their training at the time on how to drift and back it in, it looked perfect, and I almost bought my own one. Chaz Davies owns a kart track called Kinshan Raceway and…

March 8 Kempton Park autojumble Kempton Park Racecourse (TW16 5AQ) is playing host to its regular autojumble this weekend. Tickets are available online for £6 for 9.30am entry or £9 for early bird entry for properly serious bargain hunters. There are tickets on the gate, but they are a quid more expensive. kemptonautojumble.co.uk March 8 Dial-in day Thinking about getting into drag racing? The dial-in day is the perfect chance! Hosted by Santa Pod (NN29 7XA) there are classroom sessions, any vehicle is welcome and it's a great way to get introduced to the sport. Adult participants are £83, and non-participants are £20 while kids pay £6. santapod.co.uk March 8-9 Scottish Motorcycle Show Want to get up close and personal to new metal? Well, head to the Royal Highland Centre…

FIRST RIDE CFMoto's latest attempt at a mid-size adventure bike might finally be the one that makes an impact, packing credible performance, high spec and a lower price than any rival. It uses the basic tubular steel frame and 799cc parallel-twin cylinder engine from the 790 Adventure they also produce on KTM's behalf. The rest is their own doing – so while it's similar, and familiar, the CFMoto has its own merits and drawbacks compared to its orange counterpart. On paper, it's better equipped for off-tarmac excursions: longer-travel suspension and greater clearance (but a 10mm lower seat height), 2.5-litre extra fuel capacity (with an intriguing optional 8-litre auxiliary tank) plus its own Bosch six-axis IMU-powered electronics package as standard, which includes quickshifter and cruise control, whereas the best of the…

Ducati paid homage to the GT750 with the third of their Sport Classic family, the GT 1000. First unveiled at the 2003 Tokyo Show, they were designed by Pierre Terblanche and powered by an air-cooled, 992cc DS motor. The single-seat Sport 1000 and faired, up-specced Paul Smart LE arrived in 2006, inspired by the Sport 750 and 750 Super Sport, with the twinseat GT 1000, with a different subframe and tank, in 2007. Although gorgeous, classy and effective, all were shortlived and dropped by 2010. Today, they're considered as modern classics.…

When you think about the R1's race history, you might consider it an underachiever. Look closer and this is far from the case: the R1 has enjoyed a good deal of success in domestic and world championship action. In World Superbikes, the R1 was competitive with Nori Haga and Troy Corser in the late-2000s (taking the 2007 Manufacturers crown with Haga second overall, just two points behind eventual champion James Toseland). Yet it wasn't until 2009 that Ben Spies guided the crossplane R1 to a championship in both its and his first year in the series. It took another 12 seasons before the R1 succeeded again, this time with Toprak Razgatlioglu at the helm in 2021 (again also securing the Manufacturers championship). In British Superbikes the R1 has an astonishing…

£2500-£4000 (2005-2006) In 2005 Honda treated the Hornet to a small upgrade that saw inverted forks introduced and in truth not a lot else aside from a revised dash and small styling tweaks. The last of the ‘old-school’ Hornets, this generation still runs carbs and has a lovely relaxed nature with a noticeably improved ride quality next to the older version. It's the pick of the middleweight generations. BUYER BEWARE • If the bike feels ‘fluffy’ or doesn't tick over smoothly, ask when the carbs were last balanced. It makes a big difference to the throttle response. It could need a carb rebuild, which will set you back about £100 in parts plus labour unless you're happy doing it yourself. • Listen for a rattle on start-up that indicates the…

It's not very often that the solenoid is faulty, but it does happen and the checks listed here cover some of the most common problems associated with what may appear to be a troublesome system. Often, it's a poor connection with the thick high amperage cable because the power that the cable has to deliver is substantial. In most cases, several hundred Watts is the initial burst of energy needed to crank a cold engine. The Ducati 999S used for this guide is a bike that is renowned for being a little bit lazy on the starter, and I recently came across a solution that looks like it might help give the cold start cranking a bit of a boost, which is seriously handy. It's quite simple really, there is…

Jake Dixon delivered on his promise of building his way into the 2025 Moto2 season after settling for a mature seventh place at the 2025 curtain raiser. The Englishman acknowledged he was between the fifth and eighth fastest riders in pre-season testing as both he and his new Marc VDS team get to understand the Boscoscuro chassis for this year. Dixon pledged to feel his way into his seventh Moto2 campaign as he struggles to get the front end of his machine to handle to his liking. “We're not where we need to be,” he said. But coming home as first Boscoscuro in a race which, due to the heat, was the worst I've ever felt on the bike, was some comfort. “Fifth was just in front of me but…

Testing wasn't an illusion. Honda confirmed their improvements over the winter thanks to an encouraging weekend when three of their four riders showed top ten potential. There was further proof of Honda are finally moving in the right direction in the form of results: Johann Zarco scored his best (seventh) since he joined HRC at the close of 2023. And Joan Mir scored points in the Sprint for the first time. As Mir said during testing, the front end of the RC213V is much improved, its riders now able to brake and enter the turn with confidence. It's a friendlier machine than before. And even if the engine is lacking outright top speed, and Mir was getting burnt by the extraordinary heat from his bike on Sunday, there was the…

The prime focus of the 2025 season has been the expectation of an enthralling Ducati title fight between new teammates Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez. But the warning signs after Buriram indicate that could rest on Bagnaia's response to Marquez's dazzling Sprint-GP excellence. Can he do it and is it too early for alarm bells? At his best Bagnaia is a GP specialist and has the lap speed to go for it but that was inexplicably missing at Buriram. And this from a brainy racer deeply immersed in the intricacies of maximising Ducati performance. Now in his seventh season with Ducati he has won 29 GPs; 11 of those in 2024! But he cut a dejected figure after third place podiums in both races. While admitting that Marquez was “super…