MCN -julkaisun 7 July 2021 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

‘We are considering them all’PETRONAS TEAM BOSS MOTOGP MOVES Rea, Dovi or Pedrosa to Petronas? The defection of Maverick Viñales from Yamaha has caused a whole set of unprepared dominos to cascade in ever-widening rings. And with his expected signing for Aprilia’s MotoGP effort so far not materialising, the silly season is well and truly in full swing. So who’s going where? With Morbidelli tipped for the top table, Petronas confirm that they’re looking at Rea, Dovi and Pedrosa for 2022. PAGE 70 TOP STORY Norton say they can’t fix the V4SS The latest swing in the Norton hope-ometer of news appears to now be pointing in a fixed direction – the firm says they cannot now repair the original generation of V4SS that was supplied to just 55 customers…

Triumph are offering free clothing and accessory vouchers with various new bikes in their range. The Scrambler 1200XC and XE are being offered with £1000 of personalisation parts from now until September 30, as are the T120, T120 Black plus the T120 Bud Ekins Special Edition Bonnevilles. There’s also £500 for the Street Scrambler and £1000 for the Thruxton RS. The latest 2021 models are excluded. Details at: www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/latest-offers It’s built to blast Weise have released a new ‘Cabot’ leather jacket, named after 15th century explorer John Cabot because they say it’s built “to last a lifetime’s journeys of discovery”. Made using 1.2-1.4mm cowhide with CE armour at the shoulders, elbows and back, it also comes with a 120g thermal liner. Available now for £339.99. No green cards The European…

Moto Guzzi are celebrating their centenary with a collector’s edition book featuring previously unpublished photos. Moto Guzzi 100 Anni celebrates 100 years of the eagle brand with contributions from writers including Mat Oxley and actor Ewan McGregor, designer Tom Dixon, astronaut Paolo Nespoli and Harvard professor Jeffrey Schnapp. Pre-order from Amazon now for £59.46. Origam-e bike Ducati branded e-bikes for the truly devoted Ducatisti have been available for a few years now ranging from the serious all-terrain MIG-RR to the citycruising e-Scrambler. Now, they’ve brought us a magnesium folding e-bike called the MG-20. The new model assists your pedalling input to make your city commute a breeze and then folds up small. It will be available in dealers shortly for around £1375. Cruise in comfort R&G have announced a new…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR Motorcycle firms have dabbled with the idea of air suspension for decades, but now a British firm have developed a technology that breathes new life into the idea. Air suspension, which dispenses with the usual coil springs in the forks or rear shock and relies instead on the compressibility of air, has seen several revivals in the past. In recent years air forks were standard on the 2013–2016 Honda CRF450R and several of its rivals, but the tech has appeared sporadically on bikes for more than a century, going right back to 1909 when Associated Springs Limited (ASL) started building pneumatically-sprung bikes. In theory, using compressed air as a spring is a great idea. It means you can add or remove pressure from the system via a tyre-style…

I have to finish re-commissioning the 1979 Honda CB125T I bought a couple of years ago. Why? Because prices have gone crazy. I last looked at these in 2019, when a good example could be had for £1250, and talked myself into buying one. It was ridiculously fast for a four-stroke 125, thanks to a redline that started at 12,000rpm. Sod all happened under 9000rpm, but at peak revs it made 17bhp and Motorcycle Mechanics speed trapped it at 83mph. Then Honda had to detune it to 12bhp for the new learner law. Shame. Anyway, I paid £1100. It was in original running order but needed new fork stanchions, a thorough overhaul and reassembly of the cable front brake. Hateful devices: disc brakes operated by string belong on bicycles. The…

They say that ‘variety is the spice of life’, and while that always seems to be said with a nudge and wink redolent of a Monty Python sketch, there’s actually a lot to be said for following the mantra. But before anyone goes off and uses this missive as weak justification to spark up an illicit affair, I’m not talking about extramarital sojourns. I’m talking about riding motorcycles. There are very few things in life that we can control with near total dominance but – road closures aside – the choice of where we ride is one of them. An unexpected result of lockdowns, working from home, and the general restrictions over the last 16 months is that I’ve become bored with the routes that used to be my special…

Q ‘It’s hardly the Tour de France’ This time of year we are plagued by the usual infestation of MAMILs (middle aged men in Lycra) on their bicycles. Each weekend we come up behind a group of them and usually one or more insist on riding close to the centre white line. This is particularly annoying when the roads are narrow and twisty and often marked with double white lines making it impossible to pass and generally there is a large queue of traffic behind them. I suggest the cyclists are riding without reasonable consideration. I would appreciate your opinion. Rob Williams, email A Cyclists have just as much right to use the highway as other road users. However, there are rules with which they should comply. The Highway Code…

Readers Stephen Longfield The ride Kent to Brecon How many miles? 750 When to do it Spring-Autumn Time required Two nights of camping under canvas Tell us about the ride Getting ready for an eight-week ride around the USA, I have been trying to get the miles in around Covid restrictions this year. This weekend was to be a quick blatt from my home in Chatham, Kent to Brecon in Wales. Two nights of camping and a quick blatt back on the Sunday. There was a lot of rain on the route but as I got closer the sun was out and looking west all I could see was blue skies. I steered into the Priory Mill campsite just a few minutes outside Brecon. What a fantastic little venue Small…

KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday July 7 BIKE MEETS ■ Seaways Bike Night Fridaythorpe East Yorks 4pm-8pm mike@seawayscafe.co.uk ■ Squires Cafe Newthorpe, West Yorks www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ The Blue Anchor Southport Merseyside 7pm Facebook: Southport Carousel Bike Meet ■ The Old Stores Pontblyddyn Flints 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 ■ The Plough Cadsden, Bucks www.plough-at-cadsden.co.uk ■ Ryka’s Cafe Box Hill, Surrey www.rykas.co.uk ■ Loomies Moto Cafe West Meon, Hants. Open till 9pm www.loomiescafe.co.uk ■ Paignton Seafront Devon www.bmad.co.uk SPEEDWAY ■ Birmingham Brummies www.birmingham-speedway.com ■ Poole Pirates Dorset www.poolepirates.co/ TRACKDAY ■ Ducati Day Silverstone, £275 www.msvtrackdays.com/ducati TRIALS ■ Huddersfield Falcon MCC Kirby Wood, Flockton West Yorks www. falconmcc.co.uk ■ Bassenthwaite & DMC Glennridding, Cumbria bassenthwaiteanddistrictmc@gmail.com ■ Waterlooville MCC Manor Farm, Langrish, Hants www.waterlooville-mcc.co.uk…

SENIOR WRITER MCN 250 MILE ROAD TEST • THE HOTTEST BIKES • EVERY WEEK £14,999 (£16,085 as tested) KTM Super Adventure S • 1301cc 8v V-twin • 158bhp/102lb.ft • £151.40 per month PCP £18,605 ‘Full’ package, as tested £21,705) Ducati Multistrada V4 S • 1158cc 16v V4 • 168bhp/92lb.ft • £184.82 per month PCP £16,225 (£18,935 AS TESTED) BMW S1000XR TE • 999cc 16v inline four • 163bhp/84lb.ft • £155.82 per month PCP The adventure bike market started to fracture and throw out its own little niches almost from the moment it came to define the biking zeitgeist. Suddenly we had bikes that looked like adventurers but boasted 17in wheels front and rear, glitzy firm suspension and electronics packages aimed at sportiness rather than extricating you from a muddy field…

1989 FIRST HARLEY ‘That purchase led me to not just ride a cycle for fun, but it was also the gateway to this whole journey.’ 2005 GOING LARGE ‘Building that first Zero Engineering influenced bike which took us from the Doncaster show to the world championships and brought major attention from brands such as S&S.’ 2012 DECO HOUSE ‘In an effort to redefine bike shops I opened Deco House as a destination, with a showroom, workshop, clothing department and cafe, not to mention an alcohol licence.’ 2013 BIKE NIGHT ‘Our first Late Night, which has become a regular feature on the first Thursday right through summer. We put bands on, fire up the BBQ and invite petrolheads whatever their interest to attend.…

There wasn’t much wrong with the old FTR but its wheel sizes made tyre choice a headache, its rawness didn’t suit all and its tall, broad riding position left you exposed. All have now been significantly improved without compromising individuality and style. The result remains a genuinely exciting, quality, sports roadster. It’s not perfect: the tank filler is awkward and at 13-litres it’s too small. But what now lifts it another notch is its extra grip, particularly at the rear, added tyre options, more real-world riding position and refinement, although I suspect I’d be just as happy with the standard FTR, at £1400 less… THE FACTS £13,695 Indian FTR S Engine Liquid-cooled, 1203cc, 8v, V-twin Frame Tubular steel trellis Suspension F USD Sachs forks, fully adjustable R Sachs single shock,…

It’s summer now right? And that means sun-drenched roads, azure-blue skies and the smell of freshly cut grass and slowly melting Tarmac. Not if you live in the UK it doesn’t. Summer in the UK means a bit of that every now and then (if you’re lucky) interspersed with heavy downpours, wind-swept countryside and roads strewn with all kinds of debris from farmyard mud to spillages from grain trucks around harvest time. MCN Chief Road Tester Michael Neeves will be looking at how to cope with varying riding conditions in the latest in our More Secrets of a Road Tester video series. This session is the fourth in a six-part new series which is now live on Bikertekshop.co.uk. Watch parts one (Cornering), two (State of Mind) and three (Speed Control)…

The idea of crash protecting a bike has come a long way from where it was 25 years ago. I remember signing up for the original Honda UK-backed CB500 series in the 1990s and part of the ‘race kit’ were some very basic carbon-Kevlar engine case covers. I thought it was a good idea to protect my bike but there is a more socially-minded aspect, especially on track – engine covers also minimise the possibility of oil leaking out in a crash, so they’re keeping other riders safe and reducing the amount of circuit downtime required to deal with an oil-contaminated surface. It’s pleasing to see how some of the leading companies in crash protection, such as R&G and GB Racing, are UK based. Both provide kit to British and…

MARC MARQUEZ ‘Have I noticed Acosta?’ “Obviously yes. He’s good, very good. He does different things. He will be Moto3 World Champion this year and sooner rather than later we will see him in MotoGP.” VALENTINO ROSSI ‘He’s fast, very fast’ “He has changed the rhythm of Moto3. He rides differently. His attitude is different from those of the other riders in the category.” PECCO BAGNAIA ‘He’s one of the rookies… …who has impressed me the most since I’ve been in the championship.” FRANCO MORBIDELLI ‘Pedro has something’ “I’ve been watching races since I was a kid and we’ve never seen anything like this. What we see from him is something else, that’s clear. He doesn’t look 17, he looks like a very focused guy.”…

MCN has learned that Garrett Gerloff is practically guaranteed a 2023 Yamaha MotoGP seat provided all goes swimmingly in World Superbike in the interim. The American, who dazzled at Donington, is on the verge of re-signing with GRT Yamaha for a third WSB season. In 2019 he was a relative nobody, known only by ardent followers of MotoAmerica. Now the Texan is recognised in both the MotoGP and WSB paddocks. Not only did he finish second to Toprak Razgatlioglu on Sunday but he matched his pace for much of the race, proving victory was possible had he qualified and started better – and that’s the reason the 25-year-old was so annoyed with himself, not least after throwing away a Saturday podium with a crash. Don’t be fooled by the cute…

MATTHEW BIRT INSIGHT Getting the inside line on grand prix racing since 1996 Astar-studded list of candidates to join Yamaha’s MotoGP line-up in 2022 features Andrea Dovizioso, Dani Pedrosa and World Superbike legend Jonathan Rea. They are three of the most experienced and successful names that feature on a long list of potential candidates, as the aftershock of Maverick Viñales’ bombshell decision to quit Yamaha at the end of 2021 continues to reverberate. The impact of Viñales’ move is hitting the high-profile Malaysian-backed Petronas SRT project hardest of all. A planned quiet and relaxing start to the five-week summer break has given way to a flurry of meetings, with Petronas Yamaha SRT eager to finalise their 2022 line-up by the Misano round in mid September. Speaking to MCN, Petronas SRT…

REPSOL HONDA Marc Marquez Former champion signed an unprecedented four-year contract until the end of 2024 in February last year Pol Espargaro Signed a two-year contract last July which runs until the end of 2022 TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR Joan Mir 2020 champion already has a two-year contract until the end of 2022 Alex Rins April last year saw him seal a two-year contract running until the end of 2022 DUCATI LENOVO TEAM Jack Miller At the end of May Ducati exercised an option on the popular Aussie for 2022 Pecco Bagnaia Signed a two-year contract until the end of 2022 in August last year MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP Fabio Quartararo Signed a two-year contract until the end of 2022 in January last year PETRONAS YAMAHA SRT Franco Morbidelli July last…

The ‘Tesla of the motorcycle world’ has been very active this year in taking its bikes to the people. Zero’s Experience Electric tour gives riders the opportunity to sample an electric motorcycle for what might be the first time. Experience Electric tour Having started off in Scotland and ticking off London last month, the tour heads down south in July, taking in Hampshire, Brighton and Devon. Experience Electric will then stop for two days at Fowlers Motorcycles in Bristol ahead of the unmissable Malle Mile event in Lincolnshire, where Zero say there will be some surprises in store. Speaking about the tour so far, Zero Motorcycles’ Dale Robinson said: “There’s been a real buzz around the tour this year, with record turnouts in Scotland and London. It’s great meeting with…

The ‘Tesla of the motorcycle world’ has been very active this year in taking its bikes to the people. Zero’s Experience Electric tour gives riders the opportunity to sample an electric motorcycle for what might be the first time. Experience Electric tour Having started off in Scotland and ticking off London last month, the tour heads down south in July, taking in Hampshire, Brighton and Devon. Experience Electric will then stop for two days at Fowlers Motorcycles in Bristol ahead of the unmissable Malle Mile event in Lincolnshire, where Zero say there will be some surprises in store. Speaking about the tour so far, Zero Motorcycles’ Dale Robinson said: “There’s been a real buzz around the tour this year, with record turnouts in Scotland and London. It’s great meeting with…

Two interviews really stuck out for me in this week’s issue. One of them starts on page 40 – with the irrepressible ex-Grand Prix joker and persistent second-place title finisher, Randy Mamola. The other on page 62, with the whirlwind young Moto3 talent that is the devastatingly fast Pedro Acosta. Why? Because the lines they travel in their quest for racing dominance are fascinating, both in the places where they converge, and the places where they don’t. Neither had a obsessive desire to get into grand prix racing, and neither were pushed into it by overly competitive millionaire parents greasing the squeaky wheels of team politics. Spoiler alert: Randy wanted to be a drummer like Ringo Starr, and Pedro says he prefers racing motocross. There must be a lot of…

Richa Airstorm WP textile jacket £219.99 If ever there was a jacket designed for summertime in Britain, this is it. Lightweight but tough, it’s made from abrasion-resistant 600D Cordura but features mesh ventilation panels. But its secret weapon comes in the form of the detachable Aquashell membrane which can be worn inside or on top. www.nevis.uk.com Furygan In&Motion Airbag Vest £379.99 (+ £120 a year subscription) The latest Furygan Airbag vest offers high-performance and easy-to-use technology in a ventilated, thermoregulating waistcoat that can be worn under any jacket. It has Level 2 CE-approved D3O back protector as standard, as well as dedicated slots for optional D3O LNR Chest Protectors. The vest can be reset at home by removing the discharged inflator unit and replacing it with a new one (RRP…

JOHN HACKETT Every week we give a different rider a wodge of fictional cash and ask them to ‘buy’ the bike that sets their soul on fire. This is John’s pick... Any Ducati fan will know the name John Hackett. Born in Coventry, John has been making Ducatis fly since the early 1990s. His tuning firm JHP Racing has won domestic titles and his shop, Ducati Coventry, is one of the UK’s leading dealerships. So, as you would expect, if John was buying a used bike it would have a desmodromic valve system... “I’m a huge fan of all Ducati’s sportsbikes, they are what I built my reputation on, so that’s what I’d buy” says John. “I like the 1098, 1198, Bayliss Reps and of course the Desmosedici RR, which…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews Covid’s double fault Wimbledon 100% capacity, Wembley 45,000 crowd. All crammed in together. Donington World Superbikes? 4000 limit and all spread out around the full circuit. Where is the logic behind this decision? Eurosport will probably cut to the tennis or some bicycle race as well. Ian Kenworthy, email Bit harsh there, John… John Mc Guinness was a bit harsh on Viñales (MCN, June 30). I can’t remember when McPint last got pole in a MotoGP. No, clearly the fault lies with team boss Lin Jarvis. He has never managed to extract the best from both riders in his squad. There have been dividing walls and all sorts in the past. Clearly Jarvis fancies Quarty to win the championship and has given him the best service,…

1 Rock and Bike fest A new batch of tickets have just been released, contact info@rockandbikefest.co.uk to book. July 8-10 in Derbyshire. www.rockandbikefest.co.uk 2 Goodwood Festival of Speed Turn back time as the Festival returns for July 8-11 as a Covid pilot. Limited tickets available. www.goodwood.com 3 Weston Park Motor Show Takes place on Sunday, July 11 at Weston Park. Expect vintage cars and motorcycles. £10 adult ticket, and plenty of stands. classicshows.org 4 Dragstalgia Head to Santa Pod Raceway on July 9-11 for high-speed action. Weekend entry £60, day ticket £25. No live music this year. www.santapod.co.uk…

SATURDAY July 10 4pm, QUEST, Live Bennetts British Superbikes from Knockhill 8pm, EUR2, Bennetts British Superbikes from Knockhill. 11.05pm Highlights of day one SUNDAY July 11 7.55am, ITV4, WSB Highlights 11am, EUR2, Live Motocross World Championship from Latvia: Race 2 of the MXGP class MONDAY July 12 7.30pm, EUR2, Live British Speedway: Belle Vue Aces v Wolverhampton Wolves KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT – DISCOVERY REAL TIME DSC – DISCOVERY CHANNEL DHD – DISCOVERY CHANNEL HD EXS – EXTREME SPORTS CHANNEL EUR1 (2, HD) – EUROSPORT 1 (2, HD) MOT – MOTORSPORT.TV CH4 – CHANNEL 4 CH5 – CHANNEL FIVE BBC BBCI – BBC INTERACTIVE ESPN – ESPN CLASSIC CHANNEL ITV DST – DISCOVERY TURBO SHED – DISCOVERY SHED INST – INSIGHT SS1 (2, 3 OR X) – SKY SPORTS 1 (2,…

It’s Britain’s toughest road test route. A fun but punishing mix of A-and B-roads, busy motorway, towns and villages. It’s all Britain’s road types compressed into one route. There are three sections and we combine the two that best test the bike’s character. On average we ride 450 miles per bike, per test. MCN 250 MILE ROAD TEST • THE HOTTEST BIKES • EVERY WEEK ROUTE 1 122.73 miles of fastflowing A and B-roads ROUTE 2 126.94 miles of open A and B-roads and towns ROUTE 3 117.88 miles of big A roads and motorway…

Both the Ducati and KTM are serious bits of kit. They’re rammed with tech, pack buckets of performance and will carry you across continents at will. Stick the cruise control on and they’ll gulp a full tank of fuel in comfort and offer plenty of performance to fire out of corners with enough shove to outpace a decade-old superbike. However, on the road they can’t match the BMW S1000XR for overall dynamic performance. With just as much grunt – albeit higher in the revs – the four-cylinder Beemer is more involving in the bends. It’ll also swallow long stretches of motorway and whilst it’s a little buzzier at a constant speed and lacks the willy-waving radar cruise, it is more than capable of travelling just as far. It’s the best…

The PCX125 has been a runaway success. A CBT-friendly recipe combining practicality and economy, it’s an easy-going workhorse that’s sold over 140,000 units across Europe since its arrival in 2010. And this year there’s a new one – claiming more power, fresh styling, revised chassis and Euro5 compliance. But is it worth swapping your old PCX for the new one? Let’s dig in. 1 Frugal funster A smooth and unintimidating as before and still equipped with stop-start tech to save fuel, the new engine produces 12.3bhp, capable of a speedo-indicated 71mph. Honda say the new liquid-cooled SOHC unit is quicker from a standing start and roll-on. Riding around a congested Peterborough city centre it’s hard to disagree – the PCX excels below 35mph, comfortably beating car drivers away from the…

1 Interphone Tour twin pack £359.99 I bought this for when I have my boy on the back. It’s very clear with excellent battery life. I also have a Sena 50R (£309) mesh which is fantastic for pairing up in large groups. John Jess, Spencers Wood 2 Sena 30K £289 This system is great for group rides. It’s expensive, but really easy to use and the battery lasts all day. Steve Ranger, Cardiff 3 Cardo Packtalk Bold Duo £559.98 Sound quality is fantastic, I can even hear it with my ear plugs in. Allan Murray, Newcastle upon Tyne 4 Autocom £59 I’ve had mine on three bikes now, connected to the satnav and music. Super reliable and the range is fantastic. Michael Rentell, Liverpool 5 FreedConn headset £57.99 These are…

This sorry-looking 2014 Honda Silver Wing 125 on the bench at Doncaster Motorcycles recently is a perfect example of a new owner getting a little carried away. Seasoned mechanic Kev ‘Tepi’ Hollingsworth explains: “This local lad bought it off eBay from a seller in Peterborough. A train ride and a taxi took him to the seller’s house. He then rode it all the way back to Doncaster and I suspect it wasn’t in a steady, regularbreaks kind of way. It was quite possibly in a full-throttle-at-every-available-opportunity kind of way.” A 125 on the Great North Road is always going to be caned just to keep up with the traffic, but if you’re going to do that, it’s even more essential you check the engine oil. But our youthful friend just…

JOSH CLOSE INSIGHT Our man on the inside of the BSB race paddock 1 Who can stop O’Halloran? The paddock are still reeling from Jason O’Halloran’s treble at Oulton Park, and they need to respond quickly if they’re going to disrupt his rhythm. Based on 2020 and also current form, Christian Iddon is the rider most likely to dethrone O’Halloran and he’ll be desperate to dish out some payback. Tarran Mackenzie is another candidate after a promising start to 2021. 2 What does history tell us? Kawasaki are the most successful manufacturer with 14 victories, taking 11 wins from the last 14 races at Knockhill. Ducati have 11 victories but have only won once since Shane Byrne’s success in 2016. Danny Buchan (2019) is the only rider on the current…

16 Nozane 17 17 Laverty 14 18 Folger 8 19 Viñales 8 20 Mossey 2 21 Ponsson 1 WSB POSITIONS RACE 1 WSB POSITIONS SP RACE 11 Bassani +25.318 12 Laverty +25.584 13 Viñales +40.885 14 Lowes +1’09.188 15 Bautista +1’16.976 16 Fp;ger +1’24.717 17 Mossey +1’33.316 18 Redding +1’37.702 WSB POSITIONS RACE 2 11 Locatelli +23.194 12 Mahias +25.442 13 Bassani +32.898 14 Rabat +38.370 15 Laverty +39.776 16 Mossey +43.18217 Viñales +56.811 18 Ponsson +57.07319 Cresson +1’13.148 20 Rea +1’14.103…

I’ve got just back from Donington WSB as we raced the opening round of Ducati Tri-Option there. The track looked mega, the grass was cut beautifully in stripes, the kerbs had all been painted and there was a crowd there waving Johnny Rea and Scott Redding flags. It felt like a proper event, a proper meeting. I got to see lots of people I hadn’t seen for a while and it just felt right to be there and for us all to be back racing. We had some fans, but the best thing about all this football that’s going on is that the crowd is in, because that means if they get away with it without causing infections, we’ll be able to get the crowds back properly too. Motorbike racing…

Thanks to Fabio Quartararo in MotoGP, Toprak Razgatlioglu in WSB and Jason O’Halloran in BSB, Yamaha currently lead all three championships. But should Toprak have moved to MotoGP instead of signing a new two-year Pata Yamaha WSB deal? MOTOGP PROS… ● The prestige of winning and entering the record books in the Formula1 of bike racing ● The chance to race against, and learn from, Marc Marquez, Joan Mir and company ● Extremely likely a WSB return is possible if it didn’t work out in MotoGP MOTOGP CONS ● Potentially having to break his allegiance with Red Bull and mentor Kenan Sofuoglu ● Petronas deal estimated between €200-300K… significantly less than what could be earned by winning WSB and subsequent bonuses and sponsorship money ● Worse quality of life thanks…

After the huge furore caused by his imminent Yamaha departure, it’s all gone quiet on the future of factory MotoGP rider Maverick Viñales. An expected announcement confirming the Spaniard as a flagship signing for Aprilia still hadn’t emerged when this week’s MCN went to press on Monday night. The Noale factory might still end up being his next destination, but Aprilia’s eagerness to tie up a rapid deal hadn’t turned into anything concrete. This has prompted a wave of rumours of a last-minute snag down to a surprise link to Valentino Rossi’s new Ducati venture. There’s growing speculation that Rossi’s main sponsor – Saudi oil giant Aramco – aren’t convinced an inexperienced line-up of Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi will deliver the instant headline results that their bosses will crave.…

The ‘Tesla of the motorcycle world’ has been very active this year in taking its bikes to the people. Zero’s Experience Electric tour gives riders the opportunity to sample an electric motorcycle for what might be the first time. Experience Electric tour Having started off in Scotland and ticking off London last month, the tour heads down south in July, taking in Hampshire, Brighton and Devon. Experience Electric will then stop for two days at Fowlers Motorcycles in Bristol ahead of the unmissable Malle Mile event in Lincolnshire, where Zero say there will be some surprises in store. Speaking about the tour so far, Zero Motorcycles’ Dale Robinson said: “There’s been a real buzz around the tour this year, with record turnouts in Scotland and London. It’s great meeting with…

If you’re looking for a bike that’s truly authentic to its heritage, then nothing comes close to a Royal Enfield Bullet 500. If you want a bike that will attract a crowd of enthusiasts telling you about their machine from the 1960s wherever you stop, this is the one for you. The reality is they’re far from fast and the vibrations will make your teeth chatter, but they are incredibly charming to ride and definitely look and feel the part. You get that classic look with added modern tech to keep you riding reliably. There a several generations of Bullet, but after the 2009 ‘EFi’ model, they run the far more reliable ‘unit construction’ engine. This has a five-speed gearbox, fuel injection, left-foot gear change and electric start (although there…

If you’re looking for a bike that’s truly authentic to its heritage, then nothing comes close to a Royal Enfield Bullet 500. If you want a bike that will attract a crowd of enthusiasts telling you about their machine from the 1960s wherever you stop, this is the one for you. The reality is they’re far from fast and the vibrations will make your teeth chatter, but they are incredibly charming to ride and definitely look and feel the part. You get that classic look with added modern tech to keep you riding reliably. There a several generations of Bullet, but after the 2009 ‘EFi’ model, they run the far more reliable ‘unit construction’ engine. This has a five-speed gearbox, fuel injection, left-foot gear change and electric start (although there…

Bike theft is a problem across the UK and yet few public carparks have secure anchors or railings to chain your bike to. Ollie has proved that it’s possible to get this changed with a bit of research and a few emails, so why not write to your local council and find out if a similar fund exists in your area? Using the criminal’s own money to make the lives of other criminals harder seems like a pretty great idea to us and it sends a far more positive message than crushing seized bikes.…

Most of us learn slowly, accumulating riding skills over the years until we feel like decent, accomplished, confident riders. But there is another way. Rapid Training – one of Britain’s most respected advanced training firms – have ceated Bikemaster to take you from average to awesome in three clear steps. Comprising one-to-one training on the road, plus time on track where you can really extend the lessons the Rapid Training coaches will not only teach you the systems you need to underpin your riding skills–but also how to implement them into real-world riding. “As we progress, we need a more intuitive approach where reading the road, planning and machine control all become one dynamic, seamless and effortless process,” says Rapid’s Brian Glover-Smith. You could be the one! If you think…

Former GP and WSB star Max Biaggi is preparing to take the electric bike speed record to a whole new level with the revamped Voxan Wattman. After setting no fewer than 11 new records late last year, the French-built Wattman is currently being readied for some new standard setting towards the end of summer – all while British firm White Motorcycle Concepts are finalising their own rival machine (MCN, June 30). The battery-powered Voxan was initially intended for world record attempts on the planet’s biggest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni, in Bolivia. However, restrictions imposed in response to the Covid-19 crisis meant that journey was – and still is – impossible to organise. In preparation for this latest attempt, at the runway of Châteauroux airfield in France, and to optimise…

BMW accessory experts Wunderlich have devised a new £89 USB Charging Box, which fits all the German firm’s bikes equipped for either a Navigator V or VI system. It plugs into the existing cradle, meaning no additional faff and takes power from the existing contacts – providing charge for your devices from both a USB A and USB C slots. Visit www.nippynormans.com Videographer wanted Fancy filming the latest and greatest motorcycles for our growing YouTube audience and beyond? Well, have we got the job for you! We’re on the hunt for a new automotive videographer to help grow MCN’s video channels. If you love bikes and are a whizz behind the camera and in the edit suite, be sure to apply by July 23. Head to bit.ly/MCN_Video to find out…

MCN staff and readers share their one-hour routes This route begins and ends in King’s Lynn and is perfectly placed to take in the beautiful North Norfolk coast. It takes in a mixture of A-and B-roads through the woods of Sandringham, across open countryside and, the best of all, the fabulous A149 coastal road. We start by heading inland on the A47, with a combination of sweeping bends and one quick section of dual carriageway, before arriving in Dereham. From here we turn left and head north on the B1110. It’s another section of flowing bends and the road passes through a series of small villages, so don’t go too crazy. As you reach Holt you need to take a right on the A148 which leads into Cromer, home to…

‘North Wales to see family’ R5K MEMBER LILLIE HENRIETTA I went up to the North Wales coast from London to see family and took this next to Llyn Ogwen lake in Snowdonia. My favourite road was the A4212 from Trawsfynydd to Bala – superb twisties and warm. It was sublime riding! ‘Graffiti ride in Liverpool’ R5K MEMBER TRACEY HEATON I went on a ride with some friends specifically to see the graffiti in Liverpool. We went on afterwards for a ride to Southport as it was such a lovely day. A few trips planned in July and August in Wales and Scotland should see me nearing the 5000-mile goal. ‘Empty roads, fantastic views’ R5K MEMBER JON ASHLEY I managed a 1400-mile tour from home and round Scotland. This was taken…

Tim Poole Age 55 Height 5ft 10in Current bike 2018 BMW S1000XR Been riding for 41 years First bike Honda XL125 Dream bike My BMW S1000XR I’ve had my S1000XR for three years. I owned a Ducati Multistrada before and find the BMW slicker, more refined and fun. I love its handling, comfort and the way the exhaust pops and bangs on the overrun. It’s a great bike, especially in its Motorsport colours and it’s been completely reliable. Most of my riding consists of big trips around Europe, the UK and Scotland, including a tour of the NC500 a couple of years ago. I don’t use it for work, although it would make a great commuter. I started riding when I was 14 on a Honda XL125 off-roader, then had…

SENIOR WRITER So, is it worth trading in your old PCX? No, not really. The changes are welcome, but they won’t revolutionise your commute. But if you’re in the market for a new 125 scoot to beat the traffic, or run errands across town, the new PCX is worthy of consideration. The new engine remains frugal, with more oomph to keep comfortably ahead of the traffic and the extra luggage space will now genuinely swallow a full-face lid. It’s not as comfortable as the old model and the front brake is still quite poor, but the predictable handling – aided by beefier shocks – will have you laughing all the way to the office. And all for less than 50 quid a month? Yes please. THE FACTS £3169 Honda PCX125…

EDITOR Rides every day, all year, in all weathers. Much prefers performance to plodders. In the 2500-odd miles since last month’s update, the Multi has been a beguiling mix of extraordinarily good and bloody frustrating. We’ve been as far north as Berwick-upon-Tweed and briefly danced in and out of the Scottish borders, flitted West to Cardiff, south to Tunbridge Wells, east to Thetford Forest – and myriad places in between. There have been a couple of 200+ mile days, but this month’s mini great escape was a 707-mile, 16hr day: Stamford to the Pennines, a lap of the Northumberland250, and home. So what have the miles revealed as the best bits and buggy niggles? 1 Cosseting comfort Some bikes like to hurt you – the Multi isn’t one of them.…

I love the simplicity. It gives you more time to think, because you’ve got less to do as a rider and those split seconds can make all the difference. All you have to do is either squeeze the brake or twist the throttle. People mistake the SR/S for a sportsbike because of the way it looks and that annoys me a bit; they’re a commuter, plain and simple. For going to work and filtering through traffic it’s really hard to beat. HOW GOOD IS THE RUBBER? The OE Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyres warm up quickly. Confidence in the wet is fantastic and they performed in three inches of snow! Also consider Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE £285.98 (120/70 17 and 180/55 17) Sportier than the OE Pirelli, Roadtec offer excellent…

Saving you money on essential bike maintenance BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician 1 Get covered If you enjoy the occasional trackday or have a high excess on your policy, crash protection kits can save time, trouble and money. Modern kits are designed to fit precisely with no compromise to the bike’s looks and in most cases are barely noticeable. There are protectors for almost every sticky-out part, from engine cases and bobbins to tailpiece protectors. 2 Bolt up the bobbins Paddock stand bobbins are easy to install. Simply bolt them to the swingarm, making sure that any spacers or washers are fitted in the correct sequence. It is crucial however to tighten them up to the correct torque and use threadlock as necessary. Not only will they allow the use…

GREG HAINES INSIGHT Our expert on the inside of the WorldSBK paddock It felt like all of the pages had been viciously torn out of the World Superbike form book at Donington Park last weekend as Yamaha superstar Toprak Razgatlioglu won both long races and seized the series lead after pressuring Jonathan Rea into a crash. Having just turned down a MotoGP opportunity in favour of WSB, the Turk’s laidback attitude around the paddock was almost as impressive as his riding. Quite possibly the most naturally gifted rider WSB has seen, Toprak is still some way from reaching his peak as proven by his struggles to adapt to a wet track during Superpole on Saturday. This left him 13th on the grid, making his opening two laps of Race 1…

Eleven races done, a podium in every one, and five wins among them. Yet after the 12th, after a slither into the gravel and a distant 20th, Jonathan Rea has just lost the championship lead to the blazing Young Turk (literally). Toprak Razgatlioglu took two fine wins at Donington, bringing his total this year to three, equalling his tally for the past two years. The Yamaha man has taken podiums at every round this year. So has the dominant figure in WorldSBK finally met his match? First off, it’s important to remember that one mistake doesn’t make a disaster. And that Rea has fended off some strong challenges in the past. Notably from Bautista. At the same time, given the pressure that the new guy is clearly able to apply……

JONATHAN REA He’s got the pedigree Rea’s contract renewal with Kawasaki didn’t specify its length. So it’s not clear if he’s a free agent, has a release clause to invoke, or whether there’s a huge buyout penalty to be coughed up. ANDREA DOVIZIOSO Full time return ahead? Aprilia’s test rider is plotting a full-time return and happened to bump into Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis at last weekend’s Italian MXGP. DANI PEDROSA Back from retirement? Almost signed with Petronas SRT in 2019. Planned wild cards later this year with KTM show he’s still wants to race. TOPRAK RAZGATLIOGLU Sticking in WSB, so far The number one pick for Petronas ruled himself out of contention last weekend at Donington by signing a two-year deal with Pata Yamaha. MIGUEL OLIVEIRA KTM man approached…

If you’re looking for a bike that’s truly authentic to its heritage, then nothing comes close to a Royal Enfield Bullet 500. If you want a bike that will attract a crowd of enthusiasts telling you about their machine from the 1960s wherever you stop, this is the one for you. The reality is they’re far from fast and the vibrations will make your teeth chatter, but they are incredibly charming to ride and definitely look and feel the part. You get that classic look with added modern tech to keep you riding reliably. There a several generations of Bullet, but after the 2009 ‘EFi’ model, they run the far more reliable ‘unit construction’ engine. This has a five-speed gearbox, fuel injection, left-foot gear change and electric start (although there…