Table of contents for 4th September 2019 in MCN

Back in March 1997 I proudly and nervously walked into Motorcycle City in Purley and collected my brand-new Yamaha TRX850. It was the one and only time I’ve ever been so extravagant – or financially carefree enough – to treat myself to pole position on the log-book. Since then I’ve owned more bikes than I’d like to admit (especially to my wife), but I’ve never paid more than £2500 for any of them. It’s not just because ducks come to me for lessons in preventing water ingress, but because I get a genuine buzz out of riding bikes that aren’t doing it all for me. There’s a purity to riding my Ducati 996 which doesn’t even have a clock, let alone cornering ABS, traction, slide or launch control, rider modes…

Hybrid technology could be about to break into motorcycling – but not in the way you expect. For more than 20 years hybrid technology has become increasingly important in cars. The combination of small petrol engines with ever more powerful electric motors has created ‘hybrid’ machines that offer a remarkable combination of economy, and low emissions, without the charging inconvenience of a full-on electric vehicle. But despite the maturity of the technology it’s markedly failed to make any noticeable impact on motorcycling. Anyone who’s ridden an electric bike sings the praises of their instant torque and bemoans the lack of range and slow recharging. A hybrid – at least theoretically – provides the former without the downsides. The problem is size and space. Adding a few dozen kilos to a…

The last ever motorcycle owned by Elvis Presley sold at the weekend for a whopping $800,000 (approx. £660,000), making it the third most expensive motorcycle in the world. The 1976 Harley-Davidson FLH was the last bike the ‘King’ ever bought and covered just 126 miles in his care before he died three months later. Elvis had the machine delivered to his Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee, where it was repainted but he sold it to a local bike dealer before his death. It then changed hands a few times before ending up with Dave Geisler, the current vendor, who kept it in his car museum for 30 years. It’s believed Geisler paid around £20,000 for it in the mid-1980s so, although the pre-sale predicted bids of as much as $2…

Cast your eye over the current BMW line up, particularly the new R1250R or RS, and you might notice that the once ubiquitous ‘funny front end’ (or Telelever as BMW like to call it) is all but extinct. Today, after decades of devotion to Telelever, BMW’s model line-up is once again dominated by regular telescopic forks – many with electronic adjustment. Yes, you can still get the Hossack-style Duolever set-up on the K1600 range, and Telelever survives on the R1250GS and R1250RT, but every other model, from the S-series fours and F-series twins to the boxer-powered R1250R and RS and retro-style R nineT – now uses telescopic forks. So why? Telescopic forks have a long list of problems for which you can blame physics. Any forces on the fork have…

For this week’s contender we set our sights on a return visit to Dorset and drop in at last year’s runner-up in our search for Britain’s best biker café – Café Newt. This distinguished diner can be found at Moto Corsa’s multi franchised Mirus 55 showroom, a veritable paradise for petrolheads that lies in the Blackmore Vale near the small town of Gillingham, Dorset. We arrive via the B3081, a ribbon of tarmac that runs from Ringwood on the edge of the New Forest to Prestleigh, just short of Shepton Mallet. Parking can be limited out front so we duck around to the rear, following the signs to Cafe Newt’s secluded private lot. The back entrance leads directly into Moto Corsa’s walled garden, a serene setting centered around a pair…

Trackdays can be a worry. You have guys that have been there since 6am with all the best gear, the tyre warmers are on and I respect that but when you listen to their conversations you can hear that they haven’t quite got the basics. You can have all the tyre warmers and fancy kit you like but if you haven’t mastered the fundamentals – the right lines and throttle control – you aren’t going to go any faster. ‘ANY MODERN SPORTSBIKE IS BETTER THAN MOST RIDERS’ People also get sucked into peer pressure with someone saying they’ve got the latest sticky tyres, but my advice is to ignore all that. To start with you should keep your bike standard because manufacturers don’t do a zillion miles on each model…

It’s Britain’s best road test route. A tough 250-mile mix of A and B- roads, a stretch of motorway, plus plenty of towns, villages, blind corners, ballistic straights, and a huge range of grippy to slippy tarmac. There are two cafés, an off-road section for adventure and trail bikes, track time for sportsbikes, and Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground and the dyno for hard and fast data when needed. You want answers? We’ve got ’em. 1 Which version? The R is £11,215, a Sport is £12,575 and the Exclusive, which adds Dynamic suspension, £13,015. We have a Sport R with the Premium Package (£1550), Comfort Package (£485), Emergency Call (£305) and an alarm (£230). The GS is £13,415 with the TE £16,240 and Rallye £13,950. MCN is testing a GS with…

The run on the B4068 from Stow-on-the-Wold towards Andoversford is a stern test for any bike as the surface varies massively, giving the suspension a workout. This was a test both BMWs passed with flying colours thanks to their semi-active suspension systems. While the GS benefited from its longer travel set-up and was the most controlled, it was remarkable just how well the R1250R – with its conventional forks – dealt with the tricky conditions. You don’t really expect to be riding a boxer with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for a super naked, but on this road I was moving all around the R to muscle it through the fast bends while all the time the D-ESA was doing its stuff below me, ensuring I didn’t get kicked…

‘Eyes on stalks, it feels like dropping into a halfpipe’ The Corkscrew at Laguna Seca – a corner responsible for some of the greatest moments in modern motorcycle racing history. It’s a terrifying complex of undulating left and rights, and was the scene of an infamous battle between Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi, with Rossi stuffing his Yamaha underneath the Australian through the gravel in a pass revered as one of the most brazen in history. Little was Rossi to know then that just five years later the same move would be pulled on him by an up-and-coming smiling Spaniard named Marc Marquez. Whatever happened to him? Descending 59 feet from the left-hand turn entrance to the right-hander of the exit, it’s a drop of five and a half stories…

‘It’s a part of the country we never knew was there’ Dave Jackson and riding buddy Gaz Wheelband make this 125-miler a regular riding route. More of a two than one gallon challenge, it can easily be cut in half if you’re low on fuel. As the A343 heads to the A34 it’s a demanding and rewarding ride, with sections of twisties and blind crests. “There are sweeping bends with one hairpin that catches you out if you are not paying attention,” says Dave. “The route past the Tar Lakes is amazing, it’s a part of the country we never knew was there but the scenery is awesome just to the east of Ducklington, through Stanton Harcourt and Standlake to Kingston Bagpuize.”…

For the most part, the Indian is great out of the crate but (and there’s always a ‘but’) the stock Dunlop DT3-R tyres leave a lot of room for improvement. In the dry they’re fine but the savage torque of the big twin can unstick them without too much trouble and in the wet they sap your confidence. But the real sod with replacing them is the sizes – the front 120/70 x 19 is a standard adventure bike tyre but the rear 150/70 x 18 is more specialist. Luckily, there are a few choices out there, including the Pirelli Scorpion Trail IIs that I’ve fitted (about £180 a pair for the FTR), which have really transformed the bike. Since they’ve been on I’ve rarely seen the flicker of the…

1. GO IN SLOW By sacrificing 5% of your speed on the way into a corner it allows you to pick up the throttle promptly for a swifter exit. 2. NO BRAKES If you’ve followed a smooth, swift rider you’ll see how little they brake. This is because they’re looking ahead and planning. 3. EYES UP, ROLL OFF Keep your vision up toward the vanishing point. Don’t let your eyes drop down or focus too hard on the corner you’re already on. 4. IN POSITION A few inches in road positioning can buy you a few valuable extra milliseconds of forward-planning time. 5. IN THE FLOW The Flow is a mental state in which you are fully immersed in an activity. It’s addictive but often hard to achieve. 6. LET…

Did you always plan to race Suzuka in 2019? It wasn’t on my radar because my priority was WSB. It was a huge effort. And then the crash happened… The first person on the scene to pick me up on a scooter was Leon Haslam. I was in floods of tears. He was amazing. He was gutted too because we hadn’t just been the fastest on-track but the best team, really good in the pit-stops and not put a foot wrong. We headed back to the hotel to get some food, then Uri [Oriol Pallares, Chief Mechanic] called me and told me we had won. I said, ‘Are you sure?’ and he said, ‘Yes! Get back here!’. We were bouncing through the theme park, between the hotel and the track,…

You might have seen BikerTek adverts in MCN, or even seen their stall at race meetings but BikerTek are not the latest new parts manufacturers – it’s all a front for a hard-hitting safety campaign from Highways England. Trick ‘parts’ are actually for fixing injuries Roadshow has spoken to 2000 people The BikerTek stall is stuffed full of lightweight, anodised parts made from exotic materials: billet subframe rebuild kits, machined support struts, chromium ball joints etc. But the parts aren’t for bikes – they’re for bikers. The items in the shop are all the medical pieces used by surgeons to help rebuild the body after a big smash. For people who have never seen these parts before, it can be a wake up call. “We’re all attracted to special parts,”…

Two years after the iconic Low Rider S name disappeared, which was at the same time that Harley’s twin shock Dynas all became Softails, the big bad bully is back – bigger and badder than before. The old Screamin’ Eagle 110ci engine has grown to a 114ci (1868cc) and its chassis has been nipped and tucked, too. But if its £15,000-plus price tag is too high there’s still 40 years of heritage and affordable models to get down low on. 2020 LOW RIDER S What is it? Sharpened up Low Rider S now features a Softail (hidden monoshock) chassis, bigger engine and USD forks, while rake has been reduced by two degrees. You says “This behemoth puts out a whopping 119ftlb of torque at 3000rpm, which is more than…

With an average 500 bikes stolen a week in 2018 motorcycles remain the most commonly stolen vehicle in the UK, seven times more likely to be nicked than anything else, which is why security firms are coming up with ever-more sophisticated locks. And the latest of these, the Behemoth from Squire, is claimed to be not just its most secure yet – but is also its most expensive, costing a whopping £599. The 22mm diameter, 1500mm long chain and hardened boron steel lock (adding boron further hardens the steel) is Sold Secure Diamond approved and claimed to withstand over 18 tonnes of pulling force. The 100mm, hardened steel padlock, meanwhile, gets Squire’s anti-drill protection and a 2x6 pin tumbler cylinder. Nor are Squire the only ones with ever more extravagant…

You know that friend – that one who doesn’t ride a motorbike? Always left behind on sunny Sundays, unable to really join in with bike talk down the pub, but always utters those immortal words: “I’d love to get a bike one day…” We all know one, so why not help them do something about it? We’ve teamed up with Kawasaki Motors and Oxford Products to give one lucky MCN reader – or aforementioned mate – the chance to start their biking life. We’ve got it all sorted From CBT to full licence, all the riding kit you need, a massive insurance fund – and even a brand-new Kawasaki Z400 worth £4999 as their first bike – we’re giving away everything your non-biking mate needs to start their life on…

I had a great day at Silverstone for the MotoGP. I’ve not been for a few years but the facilities and other entertainment have improved greatly. The end of the race was great with Alex Rins snatching victory. What a great advert for how exciting racing can be. However, I was a little surprised at Clan VR46 cheering and celebrating not that Rins had won but that Marc Marquez hadn’t. Come on guys, I didn’t hear any of you express your disappointment that your guy was fourth and in truth was nowhere near the front. It reminds me very much of Man United fans not recognising that Man City are now the better team. Yes Rossi will go down as a great in motorcycling history but come on, celebrating that…

Both share BMW’s TFT dash, but it is nice to see the R version’s dash has an extra option that allows you to select a ‘sporty’ display (the RR has the same dash configuration) rather than the standard road one, which puts more emphasis on things like revs and lean angle. The dash itself is very clear and we suffered no issues with glare on the naked R, however it has to be said it does look a little out of place and doesn’t sit nearly as neatly on the naked bike as it does on the adventurer where it is more tucked away. R1250R R1250R SWITCHGEAR Both share identical switchgear. The left bar contains the ‘menu’ button as well as a BMW toggle wheel to access further options. FUNCTIONALITY…

Suzi’s got staying power While many presenters come and go as fast as the riders, Suzi’s longevity in the paddock is almost on a par with Valentino Rossi’s racing career. Team ties Suzi worked with WSB champions Colin Edwards and Neil Hodgson back in 1997 and they are now all part of the same team for BT Sport. Wired for sound She makes it look so easy, but Suzi is constantly being fed information and instructions into her ear piece while having to present the show. Doing the homework It’s all the preparation. Suzi sits in the media centre getting ready for the next session. She broke the glass ceiling for fellow women reporters. Making it all happen Suzi reckons the current BT Sport team is the best team she’s…

THE STUDENT Guy Hart, 44, Lincolnshire Guy has his sights set on riding from London to Cape Town. He also enjoys trackdays on his CBR600RR track bike. Guy’s riding problem “I get frustrated when I get a corner badly, which then ruins subsequent bends. How can I learn to find a rhythm?” THE TUTOR Mark Edwards, Rapid Training Former police motorcyclist with the Met, Mark’s been teaching people to be faster, better, safer road riders for over 20 years. Mark’s action plan “Riding a fluid, smooth ride is the hallmark of a skilled, experienced rider. But it doesn’t just magically happen. I’ll show Guy the secrets.” THE LESSON 1 Be aware of what’s ahead Smoothness comes from not making too many inputs to the brakes, throttle or steering, and…

‘The Triumph’s induction roar is incredible’ MCN reader Brad Wendes’ family has always been into bikes, so when he turned 16 it seemed only natural that he undertook his CBT and followed in their wheel tracks. “My first bike was an Aprilia RS50,” says Brad, “which I had for a year before taking my full test. I was restricted after that because of my age, so I got an RS125, but when I turned 19 I bought an R1.” After spending a winter commuting on the R1, Brad bought the one bike he regrets selling most: an immaculate RD250 in Kenny Roberts colours, with a chromed frame and Allspeed pipes. “It was far from ideal as it needed to be taken apart and rebuilt all the time. I didn’t have…

At a time when even ‘basic’ retro machines are over £10,000 and an on-trend large-capacity adventure bike might nudge 20 grand, a budget as small as £2500 sounds quite modest. But the sheer quantity of fabulous bikes made over the last two decades means you can pick up seriously capable metal in fine fettle. And most of the depreciation has already gone, too. Here’s five of the UK’s best loved options from £2.5k. £2500 2002 KAWASAKI ZX-9R 899cc |186kg |127bhp |827mm seat height • Dealer up to £4000 • Private up to £3500 • This one 2002, 3500miles Pop on a flat cap, adopt a seen-it-all stance and repeat after me: ‘They don’t make ’em like they used to...’. Thing is, in the case of the ZX-9R it’s true.…

1 Strip down for access Check your bike’s workshop manual for the specific procedure on how to remove the carburettors. Most will require the seat and tank to be removed, along with the air filter. Make sure your work area is well ventilated, and that the bike’s petrol tap is in the off position. Note how the fuel and breather pipes are routed, so you can reassemble the bike correctly. 2 Disconnect cables and slides To gain access to the carbs have a look at either removing the airbox, or the rubbers that connect to the carbs. Disconnect the remote choke cable/s (undo these at the carb end) then remove the two screws on top of the carb where the throttle cables locate. When the screws are removed…

Norton are to build a limited edition of 50 Dominator Streets after customer feedback identified a need for a more upright Dominator. The East Midlands firm have also announced they’re looking for £5million of investment as they gear up to build more new models, including the new Atlas. Complete Domination The Street features upright bars rather than clip-ons, with an Öhlins shock and either adjustable USD or conventional Öhlins forks. Performance and the rest of the chassis is unchanged and includes a carbon hugger, front mudguard, airbox and fly screen, polished yokes, engine covers and a drilled clutch cover and chainguard. Norton CEO Stuart Garner said: “We’ve used the two-into-one exhaust from the Commando Street as it looks and sounds amazing. This bike is in response to potential customers asking…

‘Max is always keen to get out on the bike with me’ Dave May and his border terrier Max are getting ready for a 10,000-mile epic across Europe aboard a modified Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC. The bike has been altered to accommodate Max’s basket and fitted with a custom trailer in advance of the trip, which is expected to take several months and will see the pair travel to the most northerly tip of Norway’s Nordkapp, before heading to eastern Europe and the Ukrainian shores of the Black Sea. “Max is always keen to get on the bike,” #ride5000miles member Dave told MCN. “So far he’s been to around 38 countries, and has probably had a fight in every one! He loves travelling and must be one of the most…

Over 150 bikers took advantage of a break in the weather last Saturday to show off their rides and raise money for good causes by coming together to celebrate Perth Bike Night. PBN runs once a month throughout the summer and was originally started by a local couple who just wanted to put on a social night for bikers from the surrounding area. Over the past five years it’s grown to include a fund-raising element, which has become a major feature of this family-friendly event - all adult visitors, regardless of how they arrive, pay £2 on entry and there’s a raffle of bike related goodies. ‘It’s a great opportunity to park up and chat’ “We try to support smaller Scottish charities that don’t get so much publicity, such as…

Reader Paul & Angie Fern The Ride Month-long trip to Norway via 11 other countries When to do it July or August Miles 5734 Time required 28 days Don’t miss this “Santa Claus Holiday Village in Lapland, Nordkapp, FV17 (Coastal Road), FV64 (Atlantic Road) and everywhere else in Norway because it was all stunning.” SEND US YOUR TRIP PICS EMAIL YOURPICS@ MOTORCYCLENEWS.COM…

HONDA CBR600 This was my first bike after my Direct Access course. It was a 1989 CBR600F. Check out that hair! Bob Burrage HONDA C90 My 1976 Honda C90 with my grandkids Poppy and Ben having their first experience of sitting on a bike. Robert Lewis YAMAHA THUNDERCAT I passed my test a month ago as a lifelong ambition. This Thundercat is now my freedom and it’s very reliable too. Ayden Fessey JAMES CAPTAIN Our dear mum Bridgett on her first bike in 1956. She rode bikes until she got her bus pass. Jon and Jamie Proudfoot HONDA Not my first bike but one of my first rides, it was one of my gramp’s bikes and it got me going on two wheels. Alex Britton HONDA GP BIKE My first…

‘My first show was a live six-hour broadcast from Brands Hatch’ In a career that has spanned more than 20 years, Suzi Perry has weaved her way into the fabric of motorcycle racing. Having interviewed riders from Carl Fogarty and Mick Doohan to Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez and everyone in between she oozes credibility given her clear understanding and unwavering passion for the sport. Her career, which started back in WSB’s heyday with Sky Sport, has also seen her present F1, Wimbledon and the Olympics for the BBC – but since 2016 she’s been back in her spiritual home of bike racing, anchoring BT Sport’s comprehensive coverage of MotoGP. She’s also spent decades shattering stereotypes and paving the way for more and more women to play key roles within the…

ACE CAFÉ REUNION WEEKEND, NORTH CIRCULAR, LONDON SEPT 6-8 ‘Rock down to the Ace Café’ With a full weekend of activities, the Ace Café will be rocking to the beat of tunes from the 1960s and the bike-park will be full with metal from yesteryear. There’s the Burn-Up to Brighton on Sunday, but if you are short on time how about taking this capital loop? The Route This circular route takes you past some big landmarks and for a blast along the Thames. From the Ace take the A40 Westway to White City. Pick up the A3220 and head into Kensington. Pass by Hyde Park and cut through St James Park before picking up the north bank of the River Thames. Pick your way through the City and…

One result of my disused quarry fun was getting my poor Scrambler muddier than it’d ever been before. So, after riding around for a while to let others know this bike was not strictly bound to Tarmac, it was time for some serious cleaning. I first gave it a spray of Muc-Off, let it soak in then gave it a good blast with Muc-Off’s new pressure washer. This has been developed with motorcycles and bicycles in mind, and, despite its compact dimensions, packs a real punch. Within minutes my rather hanging XE was back to its former glory. Without taking glory from the washer, Triumph have built the Scrambler using some great finishes that scrub up really well. Time to get it dirty again...…

Rea leads Bautista 433 points to 352 Says it is too early to think about the title Always knew Bautista would be a major rival If Jonathan Rea claims the World Superbike title this year, it will surely be his best yet. Not just because it would be a record fifth crown to move him ahead of WSB legend Carl Fogarty, but perhaps more so because of the resilience he and his team have demonstrated across their 2019 campaign. Even Rea himself admits that the ultimate goal seemed close to impossible when MotoGP refugee Alvaro Bautista was sweeping all before him earlier this season. With an apparently implausible swing of 142 points having become a reality across the last ten races – he now leads the series with 433 points…

THE SIX LEADERS 1st Josh Brookes Be Wiser Ducati Although his season got off to the worst possible start with no points at the opening round, former champion Brookes has shown his class to mount a convincing, current standings-topping title charge. By winning where he could and still scoring big when he couldn’t the 36-year-old Aussie has won six races and heads the podium point standings heading into Oulton Park. 2nd Scott Redding Be Wiser Ducati The revelation of 2019, Redding silenced critics on his BSB debut by adapting with alarming efficiency. Winning at tracks he was expected to struggle at he’s also been the victim of more than one over-zealous move. Now safe in the showdown and signed up to race for Ducati in WSB in 2020,…

Marquez doesn’t need to prove anything Ducati need to take on their own hotshot Mick Doohan retired 20 years ago but still stands as a colossus of MotoGP with five consecutive world titles and 54 race wins that still place him third in the all-time winners list, behind only Valentino Rossi and Giacomo Agostini. Doohan did all his grand prix winning with Honda in an 11-year stint with the world’s biggest, and richest, motorcycle company. The Aussie’s obsession with winning was matched by Honda’s own. It was the perfect racing marriage. Now Marc Marquez, who grew up idolising Doohan, is making his own history at Honda, and Doohan doesn’t think any of the current crop of riders can stand in his way. MCN: Does Marquez need to leave Honda to…