Table of contents for April 2023 in RiDE

‘We need more bikes like Honda's new Hornet 750’ As I write this, I've just stepped off Honda's new Hornet and I'm still buzzing (sorry) with excitement. With great looks, clever tech and a top engine, it is a good bike by any standard but factor in that it's £6999 (about the same in real terms as a Suzuki Bandit 600 was in 1995), it is outstanding. The prices of bikes have been rising steadily over the last few years so it is heartening to find such an able, exciting bike for this money. As well as undercutting its rivals, it is more sophisticated and far more powerful. That extra power also broadens its scope from ‘just’ a post-test machine, too. In a world where there seems to be ever-more…

FRONT END MONTH IN BIKES FIGHT-BACK FOLLOWING ON FROM our story on bio-fuels last month, representatives from leading motorcycle manufacturers say the UK's focus on electric means we risk missing out on viable alternatives. Leaders from the UK's bike industry met with Minister for Transport Decarbonisation and Technology, Jesse Norman MP, who promised to not “risk a ‘one size fits all’ approach” when phasing out sales of petrol motorcycles. While this appeared to offer an open-minded approach, he was followed by Aaron Berry from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, part of the DfT, suggesting the plan would still revolve heavily around electric. “In just eight years’ time we'll have around ten million vehicles with a plug. The UK has something like 37,000 charge points and we need between 280,000…

LETTERS LETTER OF THE MONTH Email ride@ride.co.uk Write to us RiDE, Media House, Lynchwood, Peterborough PE2 6EA I've ridden motorcycles for over 25 years and enjoyed your mag throughout. At the moment I'm working away from home and commute on my 2005 R1200RT. I noticed in the cold that the starter was slow to crank and decided a new battery was in order. So, I look up a local dealer. I get the battery I need and pay the bill. I say I'm going to fit the new battery now and can they take the old one? They can. Still all good. I go outside in the dark and start the process of removing the old battery using the ‘torch’ on my mobile and the small tool kit I keep under the bike…

The Honda is way above the Yamaha MT-07 in terms of electronics. You get four rider modes on the CB750 (Standard, Sport, Rain and User; the latter programmable to your riding style). It also has three-step traction and wheelie control, a ride-by-wire throttle and smartphone connectivity. Before the Hornet, the Triumph Trident 660 was class leader in tech terms – and it's still up there – but the Honda has two extra riding modes. The Hornet's 5-inch TFT dash is clear and easy to read, although the tiny info at the bottom of the screen can be a struggle for middle-aged eyes. Main focus is the traditionally styled tacho, with a digital speedo, six-block fuel gauge, gear-position indicator and mode setting filling the rest of the screen. Only the switchgear…

The Hornet has little bodywork to remove, saving workshop time and reducing servicing costs. Checking the basics – oil level, coolant, battery health, chain adjustment – is simple. There's a dip stick on the oil filler cap to inspect lubricant level, while the battery, fuses and coolant header tank filler are all located under the rider's seat. Should you need to adjust anything roadside, there's a basic toolkit under the pillion seat. It contains a C-spanner (to adjust rear preload), a double-ended spanner, JIS crosshead screwdriver, and an Allen key. A centrestand would be handy for chain lubrication and adjustment, but that would add cost.…

SUZUKI HAS BUILT numerous innovative, iconic engines, but hasn't designed a new one for so long it's almost a pub-quiz question. And by pulling out of MotoGP, with the GSX-R reduced to a 15bhp 125 and a product range based on re-engineering, you'd be forgiven for thinking Suzuki is the first manufacturer to depart the sinking petrol tanker as the world goes electric. But this new parallel twin, powering the V-Strom 800DE adventure bike and GSX-8S naked, shows it's a long way from giving up. Legitimately new if not ground-breaking, the spec claims 83.1bhp at 8500rpm and 57.5lb·ft at 6800rpm. With no parallel twins in Suzuki's recent past against which to compare, Honda's new CB750 Hornet parallel twin is closest. At 755cc it's smaller and revvier than the Suzuki. Both…

1 PROPER SLIDE CONTROL An extra sensor that's linked to the steering allows proper sideways drifting… If you're a BSB-level rider 2 MORE POWER THAN EVER 207bhp is ludicrous but traction control, ride-by-wire throttle and clever mapping makes it manageable 3 CLASSLEADING MIDRANGE ShiftCam variable valve timing gives excellent bottom end and midrange response, meaning S1000RR is satisfying on the road BMW HAS GONE to incredible lengths to nudge its S1000RR even closer towards perfection. The new 2023 model features a plethora of engine, frame, electronic and aero upgrades to create a superbike that's quicker and easier to ride than ever. The 999cc inline four is now fitted with the cylinder heads, airbox and variable inlet trumpets from its racier M1000RR sister. It boosts power from an already sizzling 204bhp…

RIDDEN & RATED IT'S GETTING LATE on a dull day when the sullen clouds finally relent. A dazzling spotlight of sunset sweeps across bare Peak District hills like an alien heat ray, setting grassy moorlands ablaze in a late afternoon crescendo of golden yellows and exploding reds. Away in the distance, tucked in a corner of the valley, a flash of white and blue traces a dusty grey ribbon of tarmac coiling faithfully around the hillsides, chasing the sunlight's leading edge. Closing in, the road darts to the right in a dizzying arc of centrifugal force and the bike's tyres dig in, chewing on the surface, suspension loaded; that familiar, reassuring push of soft rubber against hard road breeding confidence at a granular level. The BMW's big flat twin booms…

VersoFlor flooring From £253.20 www.versoflor.com THE CLAIM “Versoflor is practical, personal and so easy. Simply clip the tiles together, no tools or adhesives are necessary. Create a truly unique anti-slip floor with individual push-in mosaics. Make your floor even more individual, with underfloor LED mood lighting.” THE REALITY Garage flooring is not a new concept to keep you or your bike off a cold base but this one from VersoFlor has been designed to make creating a floor easy, scalable and individual. It doesn't matter if it's for an entire garage or, as here, a bike-sized pad for the workshop; any size can be catered for. The idea is based on inter-connecting plastic tiles, with a half-matt, half-gloss finish to avoid looking like a massive hole in the ground when…

‘There is nothing wrong with any of these’ There is nothing wrong with any of these cleaners. But they do slightly different jobs: the XCP, Motul and S100 do more degreasing and charge more for it too. The S100 impresses with its finish and the Motul with its no-nonsense approach but the XCP cleaner/ degreaser, with its dual-role if you dilute it, is well worthy of a Recommended triangle. However, finding a balance between how dirty your bike is and how much to dilute the XCP may be a tricky choice! The Oxford, Muc-Off and Guy Martin cleaners are straightforward bike washes. Guy Martin's Proper Cleaner smells sweet and is cheap and though it cleans the bike, we wouldn't fancy its chances against tougher grime, like chain grease, brake dust…

GARAGE THE DIRT THE AFRICA TWIN name returned in 2016 as a hugely-anticipated, all-new parallel — not V-twin — and stood out as a genuine off-roader with Honda's clever, semi-automatic ‘DCT’ option. A lack of electronics and early niggles lead to updates and additions but the original 1000 is still one of the best — and classiest — adventure all-rounders. 1 Spoking the fire The most common problem on early Africa Twins is corroding wheel spokes, though it's mostly a cosmetic, rather than safety, issue. Anti-corrosion sprays help but don't eradicate it completely and where the spoke meets the rim is a water trap. Fasteners can also fur up. How common? Very; some owners have had their wheels changed twice. 2 Sticky switchgear Early bikes’ switchgear is slightly fragile and prone to…

The GSX-S has had a fairly hard life with RiDE and has needed a little TLC here and there. However, I was a little non-plussed when packing the bike for a trip to the NEC in January when the lock barrel came out of the pannier, still attached to the key. Bugger… Gaffer tape over the hole for the trip, on returning home, I started to take the pannier apart to replace the two grub screws holding the barrel in – I had to do something similar on my V-Strom 1000 a few years ago. It was a fairly easy task though it mean drilling out some rivets and waiting for the replacements to arrive. All for the sake of two tiny screws, though it did offer an opportunity to…

FRONT END THE COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS is affecting millions across the UK right now, but what about the motorcycle industry? And how will we navigate the storm? Looking ahead According to MD of Global Industry Services at Oxford Economics, Jeremy Leonard, the UK is flirting with a shallow recession in 2023. Growth is hoped to pick up towards quarter four and interest rates are likely to remaining relatively high. According to Oxford's statistics, inflation has been rising steadily since 2021. The Ukraine conflict accelerated inflation, due to its impact on energy prices. Interest rates have increased, to try to reign in spending to slow the economy without pushing it into a deep recession. “We think the main impact of the interest rate rises isn't going to set upon the economy until…

NEW BIKES FIRST RIDE DUCATI DIAVEL V4 DUCATI'S FUTURISTIC AND aggressive Diavel caused a stir when it first appeared in 2010. However, it has gained a cult following and the latest version takes the power-cruiser concept to a new level. The third-generation Diavel may look familiar but it's now a completely different beast. Dumping the old V-twin engine for a V4 has given it a new lease of life but that's not the whole story. It's sportier than ever and to prove it, Ducati launched it on a 7.5-mile stretch of closed road on Jebel Hafeet, Abu Dhabi's only mountain. The road is littered with 60 ultra-grippy corners, from hairpins to fast sweepers and not a straight piece of tarmac in sight. You'd expect a bike so low, long and muscular…

THE BIG RIDE SILENCE PERVADES, PUNCTUATED by the ticking of the cooling Ténéré and the rustle of countless pines shifting on the breeze. The darkest of green set against the pregnant, inky clouds, the woodland disappearing into the middledistance, rising and falling with the topography, bisected by a serpentine gravel road and framed against moorland that heads to the Scottish border. Overhead, an Osprey circles, hunting. Right now, as a dweller of Cambridgeshire's flatlands, I can't help but feel a long way from home and once again, humbled by the amazing places that motorcycles can take you. I've wanted to ride the Kielder Forest Drive for a long time. One of the longest continuous ‘off-road’ routes in UK, it's smooth and unchallenging enough to be ridden on any bike but…

DOWNLOAD THE ROUTE www.ride.co.uk Best for Road-going adventure bikes, upright sports-tourers. Length 89.9 miles. Route Corbridge, Horsely, Belsay, Otterburn, Kielder Forest Drive, Kielder Water, Humshaugh, Corbridge. Roads A69, B6039, A696, A68, Kielder Forest Drive, B6320, B6318, A68. Love it because The most amazing mix of roads, scenery and riding challenges with a smooth and accessible gravel road in the middle. Take a picture at Kielder Water Elf Kirk Viewpoint — lovely. Stop for a cuppa at Take a Thermos and find an amazing view. There's loads… TOP TIP Make sure you keep in the wheeltracks on the Forest Drive. The gravel's loose in the middle… ALSO TRY… Best of the borders Best for A quick afternoon blast in the middle of nowhere. Length 41 miles. Route Hawick, Newlands, Old Castleton,…

Hornets have always been agile, fun and better handlers than their budget remit suggests, and the new 750 is no exception. Yes, the suspension is basic – its only concession to sophistication being rear preload adjustment, but ride quality is surprisingly good, even over poorly maintained surfaces. Twisty roads are where the Hornet really shines. Light, neutral steering makes direction changes a breeze, and the whole package feels lighter than its quoted 190kg kerb weight. It's stable and unflustered on the brakes, too. In fact, the way this Honda's chassis overlaps practical comfort and ease of use with mischievous sporting intent – so integral to the Hornet DNA – is perhaps its greatest attribute. This is a motorcycle that can commute throughout the week, then seamlessly slip into a touring…

Q What does it actually weigh? At 190kg, the Hornet is 6kg more than its lightest rival, the MT-07, but its power and torque more than make up for it. 1 Engine Honda reliability isn't in question. Service intervals of 8000 miles confirm as much, as does 16,000 miles before valve clearances need inspecting. The gearbox is light and accurate and the optional quickshifter (£240) will give the clutch an easier life. Only time will tell if the motor's external finish is as robust as its internals. 2 Details Many affordable roadsters are parts-bin specials; the original Hornets were. But most of the CB750 is specific to the bike. The instruments are classy, and it's nice to see footrests that aren't covered in black powdercoat. Stainless downpipes and proper-sized silencer are quality…

RIDDEN & RATED 1 A THUMPING THUMPER Developed by Rotax and designed with the help of Ricardo, the 652cc water-cooled single is effectively a redesigned BMW 650 unit that has been styled to look retro CREATING AN ‘AUTHENTIC’ retro is a challenge for a manufacturer, as you need to capture the essence of the model that inspires it yet remove the irritations a modern motorcyclist won't stand for. Just the right level of vibrations, handling should be relaxed yet still agile, power enough to satisfy but not too much and, above all, the styling has to be correct with nods to the past that potential owners will pick up on. Looking at this list, BSA has ticked off every single detail. In the flesh, the new Gold Star looks far…

RATED TREATING OUR PRIDE and joy to its regular wash-down is the next most-important thing after actual riding and maintenance. A regular group hug with the bucket and bike cleaner means our machine won't get long-term filthy, and won't need a specialised, time-consuming and expensive deep clean as often. This uses a wider range of equipment (specialist brushes), fluids (degreasers, wheel cleaners, elbow grease etc) and effort. Plus, a regular clean maintains our bike's value and makes maintenance easier and more pleasant. And besides: dirty bike, dirty mind. This is a simple test of six popular spray-on bike cleaners — we're testing the kind for which the bike is rinsed down, cleaner is squirted on, agitated with a brush, then rinsed and dried-off. The kind of cleaner to keep bodywork,…

IT'S BEEN AN interesting time since my last big report with the Yamaha Ténéré World Raid and the more time I've spent with the bike, the more I've come to respect it's abilities, handling and frugality. Designed as a go-anywhere, doanything bike, I've spent long luggagedup days in the saddle, jumped it around the forests, brushed the bars down tiny single-track lanes and used it as a B-road blaster and nippy commuter. It has performed well at all of these tasks and everything I've thrown at it. Here's what I have learned about it in just over 4000 miles of fun. 1 72bhp is enough to stop boredom As a lover of big-power adventure bikes, I was concerned 72bhp just wouldn't be enough to keep me interested. But it is. Flexible…

HIGH-MILE HEROES Celebrating the people and bikes that go the distance Name Andrew Walker, 60 Bike 2007 Kawasaki ZZR1400 Total Miles 109,000 Miles per year 16,000 PLENTY OF PEOPLE have described the ZZR1400 as ‘pulling like a train’ but Andrew's ‘pulls instead of a train’. “I work at Newcastle Uni but live in Darlington, so for years I commuted by train. Tickets were £8 return but prices started climbing and by 2016, it was £14 a day so I thought I'd ride instead. I had a Honda CBR600F2 which was ok but wouldn't withstand the 45 miles each way up and down the A1 every day so I got this ZZR1400. I rode it home a week later and the train fare I saved covers the purchase cost, cost of…

YOUR RIDES MY FAVOURITE RIDE DORSET COAST ROAD RIDE READER KIRSTY GLOVER RiDE reader Kirsty (AKA Hedgehog) has been riding and fettling bikes for most of her life, from the hardcore rally scene of the 80s and 90s to a literal container-full of classics and nearly-classics today. Many years of racing solos and sidecars with the National Hill Climb Association have left her with a predilection for light, flickable singles and twins, perfect for the back lanes of her adopted Dorset IF YOU LIKE your rides to end up at the seaside, this one's perfect — whichever direction you do it, you end up with your front wheel pointed at the sea. I meet Kirsty at the landmark Jubilee Clock Tower in Weymouth and am snuck up on by the sewing-machine…

Another avenue that could be explored by the bike industry is the last-mile delivery market, which has exploded since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Addressing the MCIA conference, Chief Executive of the Institute for Couriers Dr Tracey Worth said; “In 2019, pre-Covid, we made 25 billion express deliveries in a year. In 2020, during Covid, we delivered 40 billion items. In 2021 we start to come out of that and in 2022, it looks like 60 billion.” These are numbers are so huge that it is hard to understand how we are going to deliver them.” A critical part of this need is vehicles be environmentally friendly, particularly as ultra-low emission zones like the one in London continue to be rolled out. “There are four streams: mail, parcel, groceries, and meals…

Road racing, short-circuit racing and trials in Northern Ireland have been provisionally cancelled. A huge hike in public-liability insurance premiums has made it impossible for the devolved nation's governing body to sanction any events. The headline event that hangs in the balance is the North West 200, the second-largest international road race after the TT. With more than 100,000 spectators, there are concerns for the economic impact on local hospitality. “Whilst we understand the decision taken by the MCUI (UC), the Coleraine and District Motor club will continue in its efforts to stage the North West 200 on May 7-13,” said an organisers’ statement.…

NEW BIKES FIRST RIDE SUZUKI V-STROM 800DE THE NEW V-STROM 800DE takes Suzuki’s middleweight adventure bike offering to a whole new level with a stonking parallel-twin engine and plenty of off-road potential. At the heart of the bike is the company’s new 776cc parallel twin, shared with the equally new and tongue-twisting GSX-8S. The new motor is one of the bike’s best selling points and there’s plenty to like beyond its engine, too — it’s fun, solid, easy to ride, well-suspended and nicely finished. The engine’s 270° crank creates a character so convincingly V-twin-esque that it’s difficult to discern from the real thing but with packaging advantages only a parallel twin can give. It pulls from low down and runs out of breath at the top, just like the old 650,…

Easy to read dash Useful multi-function Bluetooth 5in colour dash is mission control for the plethora of highly effective, fully adjustable rider modes and electronic aids. It has just the right balance between showing plenty of info while still being easy to read and understand on the move. Effective cylinder cut The Diavel's V4 can run on just its front two cylinders to reduce heat and aid fuel economy (44mpg, claimed). The Diavel V4 has an ‘extended’ cylinder cut, like a MotoGP bike and is a twin below 4000rpm in every gear, apart from first. It becomes a fully-firing V4 again after that, or when you ask for a swift hit of power from low revs. The transition from two to four is seamless. Weight reduction has really paid off…

RIDDEN & RATED BIG QUESTIONS ANSWERED HONDA'S HORNET IS back, aiming right at the heart of the affordable, middleweight, street bike sector. And in a radical twist to the Hornet's well-proven script, this latest model to wear the waspish name isn't a 600 or a 900, or even an inline four – it's a 750cc parallel-twin. This change of powerplant makes complete sense, given that this new Honda's most obvious rival is cut from similar cloth. Yamaha's twin-cylinder MT-07 has set the standard for mid-sized roadsters for almost a decade, offering an irresistible blend of fun performance and easy-to-exploit handling at a price that's hard to ignore. But that's about to change, because Honda's latest Hornet beats the MT-07 not only in terms of performance (at 90bhp it's 18bhp up on…

THIS IS A great year for new bikes and as usual, variety is the spice of life. We're looking forward to the launch of some wonderful and affordable machines, including Honda's CB750 Hornet and Suzuki's GSX-S8S. There are also some great middleweights such as KTM's new 890 Adventure and lovely retros like BSA's Gold Star. There is a smattering of electric bikes trickling through as well. Over the next ten pages, we rate 23 of this year's most interesting bikes. If you're thinking of buying a new bike, this should give you the ammunition to make an informed buying decision.…

WE WEREN'T EXPECTING that much from the upgrades on KTM's new 890 Adventure. After all, when a bike gets little more than some electronics tweaks, slightly better suspension and what amounts to a restyle, it shouldn't be enough to propel an overlooked bike into a position of greatness. But in this case, that's exactly what's happened The problem was that while the previous all-singing, all-dancing KTM 890 Adventure R had a proper identity, the standard 890 Adventure didn't really know what it was. Road-based, but with off-road-sized wheels, it didn't have the touring-ability, comfort or weather protection of say, a Tiger 900 GT. In addition, in standard form, it also didn't have the all-round adventure ability of its knobbly-tyred rivals either. But now, such is its breadth of ability that…

RIDDEN & RATED 1 MASSIVE TORQUE Electric motors are all about instant torque throughout the rev range, not power and the Experia produces a claimed 664lb·ft — vastly more than any petrol-powered adventure bike 2 PROPER RANGE AT LAST Use has a huge effect on battery range and Energica claims a city range of 261 miles, worst-case scenario of 130 miles and a combined average of 160 miles 3 QUICK CHARGING Energica uses CCS fast charging, which is able to deliver 25kW of DC charge. It claims the Experia has a charge time of 20%-80% in 20 minutes and 0-100% in around 50 minutes 4 PROPER RIDER AIDS The Experia comes with angle-responsive TC and ABS, cruise control, riding modes, profile modes, a TFT dash with connectivity and even a…

MOTO GUZZI V100 MANDELLO S  £15,750 113bhp 77lb·ft 233kg 815mm seat Build quality, soulful engine, cutting-edge tech It isn't the cheapest in the funky sports-tourer class VERDICT A whole new concept, Moto Guzzi has created a tasteful sportstourer that's neither bland, nor shouty and offers the perfect mix of comfort, sportiness, tech and character. It's pricey but the V100 Mandello S is well made with great attention to detail and feels like a machine that's come from the heart rather than just a machine produced to fill a gap in a model range. The new, ultra-compact, transverse V-twin make the Guzzi feel truly special and touches like its active aerodynamics (which add stability when you need it) make you see where your money has gone, as do all the electronic…

SHOEI NEOTEC II FROM £529.99 www.shoeiassured.co.uk THE CLAIM “The Shoei Neotec II helmet is an every-occasion helmet, which has convenient flip-up versatility of a true two-in-one helmet, combined with next-level aerodynamics. “The Shoei Neotec II helmet features an internal sun visor and Pinlock Evo fog-resistant insert. There's also a fully removable and washable liner, noise isolator cheek pads and it is prepared for a Sena SRL communication system to be fitted.” THE REALITY The winner of our July 2022 flip-front helmet test, I felt it was a good idea to put more miles on the Neotec II and over the past year and 4000 miles, I've been impressed. It has many good attributes, the first being the lack of noise. Flip helmets are always quieter thanks to how they enclose…

GARAGE USED BIKES USED BUYING GUIDE 2009-2014 | £5600-£10,450 | 177mph | 182bhp THE 2009 R1 changed the superbike world by introducing the crossplane concept developed in MotoGP which, in simple terms, turned an inline four into what sounded and felt like a twin. Where a conventional inline-four's pistons move in pairs, the crossplane's are spaced unevenly, creating a unique ‘long-bang’ firing order. Sometimes confused with a ‘big-bang’ engine, which it's not, the result is distinctly lumpy and grumbly like an off-beat V-twin at low revs before clearing its throat at 6000rpm and driving like no four before. The rest of the 2009 14B was all-new, too, though comparatively conventional: a new Deltabox frame, uprated brakes and bodywork provided sporty enough handling and roomy enough proportions to be top dog…

GARAGE LONG-TERM TEST BIKES SUZUKI GSX-S1000 GT 09469 MILES UPDATE 07 LOOK, WE KNOW the GSX-S1000 GT is pretty much brilliant at everything, right? Panniers on, superb longdistance traveller. Panniers off, exceptional point-and-squirt machine and occasional trackday tool. However, I appear to have found something it is not perfect at. I recently set off on the five-hour slog to London for the MCN London Motorcycle Show, to catch up with ed Matt as well as meet with a bunch of manufacturers and product suppliers and makers. Teams and Zoom are all well and good but there's nothing quite like meeting for a coffee… or a beer or three… Of the two main routes, I opted for the one with less motorway – while the GSX-S is very good at it,…