Inhaltsverzeichnis für 20 March 2024 in MCN

FIRST TEST New Daytona's sporty but nice… When news broke that the Daytona was about to make its return, a whole generation of supersport addicts got decidedly hot under their leathers. But while the name is back, the intent has changed, and the new Daytona 660 is all about being a sporty-but-nice road bike rather than an apex-hunting supersport scalpel. So have Triumph produced the perfect road-going sportsbike? Jump on… PAGE 44 ‘Gone are the days when the Blade was sensible…’ NEEVESY RIDES THE NEW CBR1000RR-R SP THIS WEEK Triumph launch two new Rockets If a gargantuan tide of power and torque wrapped up in the 2.5 litre inline triple of Triumph’s current Rocket 3 isn’t enough for you – then you’re in luck. This week the Hinckley-based purveyors of fine…

Essex and Herts Air Ambulance are calling on riders to raise funds throughout August with their ‘I did it my way’ event. The scheme aims to get bikers out on two wheels to tackle their own adventures. Francesca Gillott, event coordinator at Essex and Herts Air Ambulance described the scheme as an “opportunity for bikers to head out to support the charity and raise awareness in a way that suits them, whether on their own or in groups.” The event replaces the longrunning and well-attended annual Motorcycle Run and Harwich Family Fun Day, a 60-mile mass rideout to Harwich which has previously raised thousands of pounds. Gillott told MCN: “This year we want to offer people more flexibility. Rather than thousands of bikes descending on Harwich in one day, we’re…

Motorcycle racing star and TNT Sports pundit Sylvain Guintoli is aiming to become the first person to win the prestigious Le Mans 24-Hour race on both two and four wheels. The 2021 World Endurance and 2014 World Superbike champion and former BSB star has already claimed victory on a motorcycle, and will now tackle the gruelling race with Steller Motorsport, driving a Duqueine-built LMP3 (Le Mans Prototype) car. ‘I want to win Le Mans with bikes and cars’ In a post on social media, the 41-year-old French rider (who’s also a test rider for the BMW World Superbike team) said: “I want to be the first driver to win the Le Mans 24-Hours on both bikes and cars. The bike version is already conquered, but the journey with cars starts…

February figures released by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) reveal petrol bike sales are on the up as we move toward the warmer riding season. With 10,450 new motorcycles registered across all categories since the beginning of 2024, the data shows an overall climb of 5.7% in year-to-date figures compared with 2023. What’s more, with 4794 bikes sold in February alone, sales are up by 6.5% when compared with the same month a year earlier. “The positive start to 2024 is encouraging, where we are confident this trend can continue into the spring despite the pressures on household incomes,” said MCIA CEO Tony Campbell. “Our market has proven its robustness during tough economic pressures and hope it will continue to in this positive vein.” ‘The positive start to 2024 is…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews 'Don't just ride around the holes' Having read your article on the lack of maintenance and pothole repairs (MCN, March 6), I’d like to remind readers that it’s in our own interest to report any issues directly to the responsible authority. Each authority has a duty of care to fix damage within a set time, dependent upon the scale of damage and risk. If it’s reported and not repaired within this period then motorists whose vehicle is damaged after this time can make a claim against the authority as they will have failed in their obligation to provide a safe and maintained road or footpath. If it’s a road managed by the Highways Agency, such as motorways and trunk roads, then use this link: report.nationalhighways.co.uk to…

OUT AND ABOUT OUR FAVOURITE RIDES MCN staff share their routes in the UK and beyond The fun stuff starts not long after leaving Shrewsbury on the B4396 and as I afford myself a giggle past the village of Knockin’s local convenience store – The Knockin Shop – the riding has already started to get good. But it’s the twisting, turning, undulating and well-surfaced B4391 that provides the best road into North Wales. From Pen-y-Bont-Fawr in Oswestry to Lake Bala in Snowdonia it is 15.7 miles of utterly intoxicating, roller-coaster riding. It’s four hours from my home and whenever I’m up this way I have a full-on, uncontrollable grin when I see it signposted. It’s much better than following the train of caravans blocking the A5, anyway. From Bala, the loop…

“The new Fireblade is an absolute weapon, incredible. The engine is so strong and it has loads of midrange. So much is new, the engine braking strategies, anti wheelie electronics, the wings work and it doesn’t wheelie as much, new calipers, the split throttle bodies, etc, etc. “It’s the first time a bike has made me smile like that for a long time. I think the changes will transfer into the race bike and it will be easier to ride over six laps of the TT. All the 1000cc bikes are off the charts in terms of performance and the new ’Blade is just a little bit more everywhere over the last one. “Do you know what’s really nice when you ride it? There are less decibels from the exhaust so you…

THE MCN TEST ● THE HOTTEST BIKES ● EVERY WEEK £8945 Triumph Tiger Sport 660 ● 660cc liquid-cooled triple DOHC 12v ● 80bhp @ 10,250rpm ● 206kg kerb weight ● £98.82 a month on PCP £9699 Suzuki V-Strom 800 RE ● 755cc liquid-cooled parallel twin DOHC 8v ● 83.1bhp @ 8500rpm ● 223kg kerb weight ● £96.64 a month on PCP £7299 Honda CB750 Hornet ● 755cc liquid-cooled parallel twin SOHC 8v ● 90.5bhp @ 9500rpm ● 190kg kerb weight ● £98.40 a month on PCP Imagine having a pot by your desk and every day you try to drop in three quid. Yep, just three. Wouldn’t be that hard, would it? On the way into work you could skip that posh coffee and instead get an instant…

'Triumph edges it…' If you can stretch to saving £99 a month, you won’t regret investing in any one of these three. Not only are they great value, they are machines that also give back far more than their budget monthly payments suggest – both in terms of performance and technology, but also sheer enjoyment. But there is one bike we’d all love to have in our garage – the Triumph Tiger Sport 660. Blending the lightweight agility and fun-factor of the Hornet with the practicality and mile-munching skills of the V-Strom 800 RE, the Tiger manages to deliver a near faultless performance. Yes, cruise control would be a more-than-welcome addition, but if you could only have one bike, this crossover machine has every base covered. The Hornet is the…

Jamie Waller’s childhood wasn’t easy. Like many children growing up in East London, his future seemed to be a forgone conclusion, a lifetime living on the breadline. That was until he joined the Imps - a unique charity-run motorcycle display team which sends kids aged between five to 16 not only all over the world, but also through rings of fire and over cars while riding in pyramid formation. With their military precision and age-defying professionalism, the Imps’ performances leave audiences awestruck wherever they go. Now aged 45, Jamie is a self-made millionaire, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author who says he owes his success to his time spent at the Imps and the guidance of the team’s founder, Roy Pratt MBE. It’s because of this that Jamie’s now giving back to…

BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician Squeezy does it! Keep your engine running at its best with a compression test 1 Find the correct pressure values If your engine’s running poorly – unevenly or lacking response – a compression check is a good diagnostic test. It measures the efficiency of the piston and rings, bore and valves as they compress the air/ fuel mixture, and low readings indicate wear or damage. Check your workshop manual for the normal compression values. BRUCE’S TIPS Bike a non-runner? You can perform the test with a cold engine 2 Warm up to expand Next warm the bike up to the normal operating temperature (until the fan kicks in). This is to allow the piston and rings along with the wall of the cylinder to heat up and…

Checks out the runners and riders ahead of Portimao The fastest riders in the world face one of their toughest tests of the season this coming weekend when MotoGP jumps on board the rollercoaster in Portimao. A stomach-churning mixture of tight turns, steep slopes and high-speed sections, the circuit is one of MotoGP’s ultimate whiteknuckle rides. Last season’s dominant duo of Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin quickly got back into the winning groove in Qatar and they are the most obvious standouts for success this weekend. And once again it will be all eyes on Marc Marquez and young upstart Pedro Acosta to see if they can steal some of the limelight. SURE-FIRE SPRINT SUCCESS? Death and taxes aren’t the only certainties in life. Add in a Jorge Martin Sprint…

Racers have long been hostage to tyres. All the more so in Qatar, underlined by a last-minute MotoGP rule change, and a rush of variations in Moto2. It was Pirelli’s first race in Moto2 and Moto3, and there must have been smirking in the Black Country from the mainly Brummie race staff of the ousted former tyre suppliers, Dunlop. Moto2 riders who chose the medium instead of the soft rear were (in the emollient words of Pirelli’s press release) “penalised”. And how. One was pole starter and new all-time record setter Aron Canet. He led in the early stages, but a lap-time hike of almost five seconds made finishing tenth a massive achievement. Another was title favourite Fermin Aldeguer, winner of the last four races of 2023. He was “penalised”…

KTM have unveiled a 2024 version of their limited-run, track-only RC8C, and it will available to pre-order online from today (Wednesday, March 20). The spec sheet looks very similar to the 2023 version of the bike, although the price has climbed another £2000 to £36,999 and only 100 units will be built this time around, compared to the 200 models produced during 2023. That means you still get the same tuned version of the 889cc LC8 parallel-twin engine, as seen in the 890 Duke R with a raised 12,000rpm rev limit and a claimed 135hp on tap, top-drawer WP suspension and an impressive 142kg dry weight. As before, the bike is built in collaboration with Krämer and features MotoGP-esque carbon aero wings, race-spec Brembo brake components and a chrome molybdenum…

Shoei NXR 2 £289.99 Heads up on hot helmet deals Your helmet could be considered the control room on any ride, an observation post where data is digested and all necessary decisions are made. With long riding days on the horizon, now is as good a time as any to give yours an upgrade, and we’ve been digging around to find some of the best deals on the net. Shoei’s NXR 2 is a sports-touring helmet that is certified to the latest ECE 22.06 regs, and it’s currently available in variety of colours at a massive saving at SportsBikeShop. The shell is a lightweight multicomposite, with a multi-density EPS lining, emergency quickrelease cheek pads and traditional double-D ring strap fastener. The visor has a locking mechanism to prevent accidental opening,…

Q ‘Court case is limping along’ I’ve had a personal injury claim in the hands of my solicitors since an accident over three years ago. Court proceedings were started just before the third anniversary but the case keeps getting ‘stayed’. I am told this is due to the femur fracture in my leg not healing properly. I am now tired of the whole thing and want to bring it to settlement but my solicitors say they cannot do so because of my ongoing problems. Is it really true that I am prevented from settling my own case? Luke Thompson, email A The short answer is ‘no’, but you must balance the risks of settlement when you are unsure of your prognosis. The court can agree to a stay (pause) in…

Send your trips to yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Readers Paul and Angie Fern The ride Three-week tour of New Zealand’s North and South Islands When to do it January/February How many miles? 3040 Tell us about the trip… We rode from Auckland on the North Island to Christchurch on the South Island. The bike was a hired BMW F750GS from Paradise Motorcycles and we picked January and into February for the summer weather. We were lucky to have three weeks but you could do it in less with fewer stopovers. We headed north on the west side before heading over to the east side, then south to Wellington. We caught the Cook Straight Ferry in Wellington, a threeand-half hour sailing to Picton then toured the South Island. Every road is amazing… mountains, forests,…

GET YOUR FIRST FOUR ISSUES FOR JUST £2! Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer 'Coffee and a cruise' JOHN ALBONE Here I am leaving the coffee morning at the Two Wheel Centre in Harpenden en route to Bahnstormer BMW for the F900 launch. 'Mountain miles' ANDY GOWER I’ve just ridden across to the Harz mountains with my 13-year-old daughter. This pic was taken at Möhnesee. 'RoSPA rides' IAN SPEIGHT This is a pic from the last time I went out with my local RoSPA group. It’s a great mix of bikes and riders. 'New bike, new miles' PHIL BOYES This is my new Triumph Speed 400 at the Manor Farm Cafe. I must say, I’m cocking up the running-in miles! 'Keep on cruising' MICHAEL DINEEN This is me and my…

TAS Racing – who celebrate 25 years in the business this season – have worked with some of the biggest names in the sport and it was all started by father and son pairing Hector and Philip Neill, with the latter managing the team. Philip, a talented motocross racer himself, was naturally drawn into the racing world and followed in his father’s footsteps. “My father did motocross, trials, enduro,” he recalls. “From a young age all I saw around the house was motorbikes. I got my first bike, an Italjet B50 automatic, when I was five and I’m sure you’ve heard it a thousand times, but the minute you ride a motorbike, you know if it’s for you or not, and I never stopped!” Due to its accessibility and his…

Proudly riding their FunBikessponsored 10Ten RX250s and trusty Honda 50s, MCN caught up with two of the current Imps, busy practising ahead of the season. Sonny, 14, nine years as an Imp “I’ve travelled with the Imps to Canada, Norway, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland and so many other places in England. I’ve made lots of friends too. It’s fun and I’m always doing something. “I really enjoyed Edinburgh during the six-week show. It was the whole six-week summer holiday and the shows were in the night, so we would have to do fun stuff during the day. We went swimming, to the zoo and then came back at about 7pm and prepared for the show. “I ride the Pyramid, the Flying Angel, the Flower, Steps – I do…

‘A fireball engulfed the tank… all for the sake of a £10 hose’ Small oversights can have big consequences, as the owner of a Suzuki VZ800 Marauder found to his peril. While firms typically recommend fuel lines be changed every few years, in reality, this is often overlooked. James Scott, experienced spanner wielder and owner of James Scott Motorcycles, found out for himself the dangers of such a slip-up, nearly losing his own bike in the process. He explained: “My bike is a 2004 Suzuki VZ800 Marauder, it’s 20 years old and in that time, chances are no-one has ever changed the fuel line. “It’s easy to overlook the small things when servicing a bike, people change big stuff, but it’s important to do everything by the book. In this…

SPRINT 1 Bagnaia 2 Martin 3 M. Marquez RACE 1 Bagnaia 2 Viñales 3 Bezzecchi As dream starts to a new season go, Pecco Bagnaia’s weekend in Portimao just 12 months ago is right up there. A historic win in the first-ever Tissot Sprint was a big statement of intent and he backed that up with a convincing victory in the feature Grand Prix to make the perfect start to the defence of his world title. Marc Marquez went from hero to zero in the space of 24 hours. Pole and a Sprint podium on Saturday suggested that Honda’s eight-times World Champion could contend for his first premier class title since 2019. Yet on Sunday he torpedoed into home crowd favourite Miguel Oliveira on lap three. That prompted a hostile…

Kawasaki have announced their popular Dealer Demo Days will run between April and September this year, visiting dozens of dealers around the country. Each event will feature a wide array of machines for riders to book test rides on, including the exciting new Ninja 7 Hybrid and Z 7 hybrids, Ninja ZX-4RR, Z500 and Ninja 500. Alongside these new models, you can also sample established models in the Kawasaki fleet including bikes from the Ninja 1000SX and Versys range. Ride a Multistrada on mega mission Ducati have announced their participation in the 60,000km (approximately 37,282 miles) Multistrada Rally European Tour. Over 42 weeks, the project will see 30 riders take turns on the latest £23,590 Multistrada V4 Rally, riding through Europe covering France, the UK, Poland, Austria, Spain and Italy.…

Husqvarna are gunning for the middleweight crown with the release of the Svartpilen 801. The new machine shares the same torquey twin-cylinder 799cc LC8 DOHC motor as KTM’s 790 Duke, making the Svartpilen Husqvarna’s largest roadster currently on sale. Bikes are expected in dealers from June and will be available from £10,499. The Svartpilen 801 boasts 105bhp and 64lb.ft of torque, a significant step up from the A2-friendly 95bhp output of its orange cousin. While that extra welly will appeal to many, it does mean that only unrestricted licence-holders will be able to enjoy the fruits of Husqvarna’s labour. To create its contemporary scrambler-esque look, strong styling cues have been taken from the existing Svartpilen and Vitpilen range. Despite sharing much of its componentry with KTM’s midsized Duke, the 801…

SAVE £4375 £15,995 Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Pro The big Tiger is a superbly plush mile-muncher with exquisite road handling and bags of torque. There are better options from European competitors for off-road action, but Triumph have fully nailed it when it comes creating a luxurious adventure touring machine for tarmac and light gravel use. This deal makes things even sweeter. www.westcoasttriumph.com SAVE £1870 £17,430 BMW S1000RR Sport Superbly refined, with lightweight steering and manic top-end power, the S1000RR Sport also boasts heated grips and cruise control. www.pidcock.com • Engine 999cc • Power 204bhp • Weight 197kg • Seat height 824mm SAVE £1800 £5199 Montesa Cota 4Ride A superb go-anywhere play bike. The Honda-powered featherweight 4Ride makes easy work of any terrain. www.completelymotorbikes.co.uk • Engine 259cc • Power 9bhp •…

Adventure Ride Yorkshire are teaming up with MAG to bring a dirty twist to the 36th Farmyard Party this June 21-23 at Duncombe Park Estate. Demo bikes will be available with a private trail park a smattering of ‘green lane’ rideouts into the stunning North Yorkshire scenery. Your £100 entry will also provide you with all the usual features of the Farmyard, including live acts, food aplenty and four bars to choose from. Grab yourself a BMW test ride BMW are taking their latest models on a 24-stop tour of the UK, starting in Exeter on March 23 and running until August 24 where the demo fleet will wrap up in Inverness. Beemer enthusiasts can grab a ride on the latest and greatest machinery from the Bavarian brand, from the…

Belstaff Valiant jacket £1525 Introduced to celebrate 100 years of the UK’s most iconic motorcycle clothing brand, this premium leather jacket is constructed from top-notch waxed lamb shearling and calf leather. It’s CE A-certified and comes with D3O Ghost shoulder and elbow armour as standard. Details include engraved chrome hardware and centenary branding. Start saving! belstaff.com MTR Vintage-MX Evo £128.66 Retro lids are a solid choice for the scrambler-about-town brigade, and this all-new ECE 22.06 certified helmet from MTR should certainly hit the mark. Specs show the fibreglass shell, which features chin and forehead ventilation, weighing in at just 1290g. It has a removable peak, double D-strap fastener and goggle strap at the back louis-moto.co.uk ProXL Rust Remover from £13.40 If you’re looking to shift rust, this water-based formula could…

‘Takes me back to that village fete’ The other day I opened a box of old Amstrad 464 cassette computer games I’d squirreled away in the loft when I discovered two reminders of my two-wheeled past. The first was a certificate from the Yamaha Race School, which I attended in 1996. That was the first time I got my knee down and also the first time I crashed on track after low-siding at Mansfield. The second item was a photo taken when I was around eight years old riding a motorcycle for the first time. I vaguely remember the day, it was a village fete and there were mini-bikes. The only safety kit was a boiler suit and an ill-fitting piss-pot helmet but judging by the look on my face…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com GET YOUR FIRST FOUR ISSUES FOR JUST £2! Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer…

1 March 22 Bikes and Banter - Bike Night Get down to Middlesbrough Town Hall (TS1 2QJ) this Friday for a TT preview night with John McGuinness, James Whitham and Davey Todd. bikesandbanter.co.uk 2 March 24 Stratford Autojumble Get set for a rummage at the Stratford Autojumble (CV37 9SE) this weekend. Tickets are £5 in advance, £7 on the gate. stratfordautojumble.co.uk 3 March 23 East Midlands Racing Assoc. test day The club racing season is about to start and the EMRA series are getting ready to race with this pre-season test at Mallory. Spectators £7, under 14s free. malloryparkcircuit.com 4 March 24 Ardingly Show and Bikejumble The South of England Showground (RH17 6TL) is playing host to a classic bike show and jumble this Sunday. Tickets are £7 online. www.elkpromotions.co.uk…

FRIDAY March 22 7am, TNT2, MotoGP: Valentino Rossi Special 9am, TNT2, Live MotoGP from Portugal: Free Practice 1. 1.15pm Free Practice 2. 4.15pm MotoE 5pm, TNT2, The Jake Dixon Diaries: Part 1. 5.30pm Part 2. 6pm Part 3 SATURDAY March 23 8.30am, TNT2, Live Moto2/3 from Portugal: Free Practice 3. 10am Qualifying. 12pm MotoE Race 1. 12.45pm Moto2/3 Qualifying. 2.30pm Sprint Race. 4pm MotoE Race 2 9.45am, EUR2, Live World Superbikes from Catalunya: Day 2 Superpole. 11.30am Supersport 300 Race 1. 12.45pm Superbike Race 1. 2pm Supersport Race 1. Highlights at 5pm SUNDAY March 24 9.30am, TNT2, Live MotoGP from Portugal: Warm-up. 10am Moto3. 12pm Moto2. 1.15pm MotoGP race. 3.15pm Chequered Flag 9.45am, EUR2, Live WSBKs from Catalunya: Day 3 Superbike Superpole Race. 11.30am Supersport 300 Race 2. 12.45pm Superbike…

The new Blade is magnificent. It makes cool gurgling noises as it accelerates out of a corner and, with its roomier peg and bar position, it’s far more pleasant to ride if you’re tall. Clever new suspension takes all the guess work out of set-up, the gearbox ratios now make sense, the chassis has more feel and brakes are no longer a weak point. But Honda didn’t go to all this effort just for us, it’s to win races. Granted, race teams will dump the semi-active Öhlins but the engine and chassis mods and, most of all, the split throttles should really help its chances on the track. THE FACTS £23,499 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP…

There are two main forms of finance – PCP and HP. Hire Purchase (HP) is a traditional scheme where you sign up to borrow a set amount of money with a fixed interest rate over a pre-determined period of time. Once you finish paying back the monthly instalments of the loan, you own the bike outright. Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) works in a different way. With PCP you are effectively leasing the bike for a set period of time, during which you pay off the interest on the loan and the depreciation on the bike itself. Once the term of the loan has finished (usually 36 months but most manufacturers offer anything from 24 to 49-month periods) you either pay off the final payment (also called the balloon payment), roll…

CHANGING LIVES Roy Pratt MBE founded the Imps 54 years ago (1970) after a short stint in the army. Once he came back to civilian life he went into education and was tasked with amusing the children over the summer holidays, which led the way for the Hackney Adventure Holiday project. While there, two BSA Bantams were fixed up by the kids, and after identifying a clear hunger for motorcycling, the Imps Motorcycle Display Team was born. Now, Roy is still head of the Imps, and is still central to helping disadvantaged youngsters in East London and beyond realise their potential with the help of a motorcycle. Around 2500 children have been an Imp through the years, and almost all have achieved much more than they ever thought possible. Along…

'Softer side of sporty' If you want a truly hardcore supersport machine, the Daytona 660 is not the bike for you, thanks to its soft set-up and neutral handling. However, the engine is one of the best (if not the best) in its class in terms of both excitement and usability, while the whole package is very comfortable for all-day riding. Triumph’s softer take on a sportsbike is a good package for those that don’t take ‘sport’ too seriously – and it’s built to an appealing price, too. THE FACTS £8595 Triumph Daytona 660…

1000 miles ON TEST Rev’It! Paramount GTX one-piece suit £1599.99 'Zip-on, zip-off… it's a revelation' Tested by Ben Clarke for three months The Rev’It Paramount (or onesie as it is affectionately known at MCN Towers) is an all-in-one, laminated textile riding suit. It features a main zip that runs all the way from the neck to the left ankle which makes it easy to step into, and means you can wear office clobber beneath and be ready to face the day in no time. The overall effect is similar to dry suits used by the RNLI – but with the benefit of CE Level 2 armour at the elbows, shoulders and back and some low-profile level one inserts at the hips. I don’t think a textile garment will ever match…

If you’ve been through the various steps to check and measure your engine’s compression you are probably trying to identify a problem – it could that be the bike is running unevenly or that you feel the engine is lacking response. However, the test itself will only narrow down the fault, it won’t tell you how to solve it. In the case of this Suzuki GSX-R600, I was trying to trace the source of a misfire and was replacing the spark plugs as part of that process, but while they were out I thought it would be wise to carry out a compression test and check if the cylinder pressures are healthy so I could rule that out. In the end, the misfire was straightforward to diagnose as it was…

Delving deeper into the world of motorcycle racing MLav Racing will step up yet another gear this year following a deal with Dorna that will see the team field two riders in the JuniorGP World Championship. It adds another crucial step on the ladder for British riders bidding to make it to MotoGP, with Eddie O’Shea and Evan Belford racing in the series. The initial three-year deal with Dorna is the beginning of what owner Michael Laverty describes as a “10-year plan to get the next young riders into GP.” MCN sat down with Laverty to discuss the year ahead… What can we expect from Eddie O’Shea? “At the end of 2023 Eddie was in the top five in JuniorGP and most of the riders who stepped up out of…

Looking ahead to this weekend’s World Superbike action The start of the 2024 World Superbike Championship in Australia at the end of February was just about as scintillating as it gets. As the subsequent Bahrain and Saudi Formula 1 Grands Prix, as well as the Qatar MotoGP, have demonstrated, so far this year WSBK is the World Championship when it comes to all-out drama, side-by-side action and unpredictable results. Granted, Phillip Island always throws up unusual races and one swallow doesn’t make a summer, but the fact seven riders finished on the rostrum across three races shows how close things are and how small is the margin for error. This weekend, Barcelona has the job of hosting the first full-length races of the year (Phillip Island was broken up by…

Latest news from World Superbike testing FINAL RESULTS – BARCELONA TEST ‘A month ago he’d never even been in a Superbike race’ Following his Phillip Island heroics, when Nicolo Bulega scored pole position, victory and fastest lap on his World Superbike debut, the Italian has left the rest of the field scratching their heads after topping the timesheets at the Barcelona test last week. Only BMW man Toprak Razgatlioglu was able to keep the young Italian honest, setting the second fastest time on a track where the German manufacturer has struggled. But it was the reigning World Supersport Champion who’s in the unique position of racing the best bike on the grid along with having Moto2 experience aplenty, allowing him to gain that vital edge. The Thursday-Friday test was critical…

I know he wasn’t fast in last week’s test, but historically Bautista has dominated around Barcelona. Last year everyone threw the kitchen sink at him, but he came up smelling of roses, he was the best rider around there because he battered them. He’s a wily old fox, like Shakey Byrne in BSB, and he’s only going to get better as he figures out how to ride with the extra ballast on his bike to meet the new minimum weight regs. He started to show his pace when he was on the podium in the final race. I don’t think he’ll be worried – not yet anyway. I don’t want to see the Ducatis dominate, I want to see the rest of the guys in there. I want Johnny to…