Table of contents for 30 September 2020 in MCN

‘The challenge is getting hotter, but I still want to ride’ VALENTINO ROSSI ON STAYING IN MOTOGP TOP STORY Travelling on a different Vector When high-end electric bike start-up Arc stumbled into funding difficulties with their Vector launch project, then fell into administration at the tail-end of last year, the closure looked all too permanent. But the ambitious project was too good to fail - and now appears to be rising from the ashes. The man who was Arc’s creator has bought the project out of administration and has the plans - and funds - to resurrect it. Full story PAGE 4 THE UK’S TOUGHEST TEST Sportsbikes for the road Twenty years ago we were buying insane numbers of supersport bikes. Yamaha could flog over 4000 screaming R6s per year…

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has put out proposals to rid the insurance market of second-year price hikes that favour new customers over existing policyholders. After an analysis of the market the FCA has accused insurers of “complex and opaque pricing practices” resulting in price rises while also adding that “firms target price increases on consumers who are less likely to switch and use practices that make it harder for people to leave”. To combat this the FCA is proposing new rules that state if a customer renews their motor insurance policy, they should pay no more than if they were new to their provider. Insurers would be free to set new prices but they would be “prevented from gradually increasing the renewal price to consumers over time other than…

When a passing cyclist came into Gambier and Reeks dealership on Putney Bridge Road in Fulham in September, to tell them that one of their customers’ bike was being stolen, Paul Reeks had only one thought: “They are not getting that bike.” The bike was an almost new Yamaha TMax 500 worth £11,000 that Reeks, 55, was preparing for an ex-pat customer in Austria. “It wasn’t about the money, the guy is living with cancer, and he was really looking forward to getting out on two wheels again on his own bike. In fact it was due to be picked up at any time, which is why it was parked right outside the shop and didn’t even have a steering lock on it. It meant it was easy for them…

TomTom Rider 550 £299.99 ‘It was good and now it’s better still’ If you invest in this TomTom Rider satnav you’ll have no excuse to get lost ever again. MCN put one to the test over the last 12 months and gave it a five-star quality rating and with £100 off, it’s well worth a look. Much updated from the previous Rider 400 model, it’s faster, has improved WiFi connectivity, which means downloading routes, maps and speed camera locations can be done without connecting to your computer. It’s smooth to operate with a snappy and slick scrolling, pinching and zooming of maps facility. You can personalise your trips, pair your smartphone so you get messages on the move and you’re even able to check weather at your destination. There are…

Triumph have released a few more teasers of their upcoming entry level Trident. We first saw the bike last month as a design concept, painted entirely in white and while there’s still no firm stats, we can see more detail about the new bike here. For a start you can see the bike rides on decent quality Showa suspension, while the brakes are by Nissin – two brands known for their quality rather than price. We can also see it’s shod with Michelin Road 5 tyres, another impressive bit of kit on an entry-level bike. Elsewhere, we can see high-tech touches including a ride-by-wire throttle, LED lighting and a shapely dash. We can also see the rear numberplate hanger, which runs off the swingarm to preserve the clean lines. What…

2018 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R KTM’s no-nonsense V-twin has a 21in front wheel with an 18in rear to give it serious off-road potential as well as a full electronics package and 160bhp on tap! A very fast bike that is as happy in mud or on tarmac. 2018 Triumph Tiger 1200 XCA The range-topping off-road targeted version of the 1200 was updated in 2018. It may look rugged but in truth it is more of a styled road bike than a serious off-roader and lacks long-travel suspension.…

Send your first bike pics to:yourpics@motorcyclenews.com TRITON On my late father’s Triton. I’ve fond memories of riding pillion through the village and I still own the bike today. Curtis Frewin DAYTONA AND MONSTER Me on my Daytona 900, and my son on his first proper bike, a 750 Monster at Llyn Ogwen, North Wales. Richard Fraser-Williams SUZUKI GS750 This is actually my second bike on our annual trip to Anglesey in 1981. I’m now on my second Triumph Street Triple. Dave Mack HONDA 125 Have just got my own little 125, and took it out for the first proper ride with my biker friend Sam yesterday! It was absolutely excellent. Angela Cox HONDA CBF125 I am a new rider and here I am enjoying life on my first bike. Should…

FIRST RIDE Bam, bam, bam, down through the gears - the Brutale 800RR has the most visceral autoblipper in biking. Rich, gravelly and mechanical, each burst of power shoots three-cylinder chills through your body as each cog slices home. It’s just as tuneful on the way up, with a loud crack through the quickshifter as the revs kiss the redline. The MV’s electronic shifters deserve a place in an orchestra, but that’s not what makes this £14,680 Italian so special. There’s an extra back brake pedal down by your right foot and when you let the clutch out in first gear, nothing happens… It’s because this is the new MV Agusta Brutale 800RR SCS (Smart Clutch System), which costs £800 more than the standard version. It still has a normal…

Vimto Honda TSR250 “That was an unbelievable bike, in its time that was so trick!” The bike which took McGuinness to TT and Daytona glory in 1999. Monster Mob Ducati 998 Testastretta The bike which gave Bird’s team their maiden BSB titles via Hislop and Byrne. Kawasaki ZX-10R Tom Sykes kept his cool to secure the new ZX-10R and Bird’s first WSB victory in the wet at the Nürburgring. Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki Bird remained with Kawasaki following the WSB departure. Byrne would secure two more BSB crowns under this branding. PBM’s MotoGP bike “We had the wrong engine. We should’ve gone with Ducati, but could only afford Aprilia.” Ducati V4 R “We knew it was going to be good, but that thing was just unbelievable. The best!”…

‘The terrain rolls beneath my wheels like a conveyor belt of challenges’ A jolt through the bars pulls my focus back as my mind battles between reading the rapidly unfolding terrain and being distracted by the staggering scenery wrapping around me like a never-ending film set. That was close! I grip tighter with my knees as my rented Husqvarna 701 writhes beneath me in the thick volcanic sand. Stones are flinging past from the bike ahead. Everything feels loose and visceral - but I’m in control. I feel alive. And I’m on the stops, pinned across what feels like another planet, rear wheel spinning, hopping and dancing as it scrabbles for traction. That was the moment I realised Iceland is pure riding bliss. Minutes earlier I’d been teetering frantically, working…

Tarmac lover who’s dipping a boot into the worldbeyond A-roads and B-roads ‘Within a metre it felt like the middle of nowhere’ “We are not offroad riding, we are riding on legal roads.” Not for the first time today I am (quite rightly) corrected on my terminology and it is something that I need to keep reminding myself of as I join my local Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF) group. Not an off-road ride, a ride on unclassified country roads or ‘green lanes’ as most people know them. If you are wondering what the difference is, a green lane is a road that is classed as Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT) or an Other Route with Public Access (ORPA), which means that, aside from the fact it is often axle-deep…

SPORTS & FEATURES EDITOR Experienced road, track and off-road rider with a passion for adventure bike riding. I have to admit I was pretty excited about the possibility of getting step-by-step ‘what3words’ navigation, phone calls and to be able to control of my music through the impressive 7in TFT dash on the Triumph Tiger Rally Pro. It’s the first bike I’ve had which gives this level of connectivity and the fact that I usually cover big miles on my bike meant that it was something that would be genuinely useful; even a game changer due to me spending long hours in the saddle. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm has been quashed by the difficulty and eventual failure to get any of the promised connectivity working as billed. Having downloaded the Triumph app…

ONE YEAR ON Owners give their verdicts after a year on the road THE OWNER Allan McKee, 62, Northants Allan is an ex-road racer who nowadays gets his kicks on tour rather than on the track. His previous bike was an R1200RS. ALLAN SAYS PROS • Tank range is great and I can easily do 300 miles• BMW Connect App works really well lets you analyse ride data• The shift cam engine gives it plenty of grunt• The suspension does what it needs to do CONS • The bars are too low for standing up comfortably• Buffeting there’s a lot of around the screen, especially when following another vehicle• Stock screen supports are inadequate• Vibrations through bars is an issue on long trips When it comes to buying a new bike,…

In a year of unpredictability, Jonathan Rea is aiming to ensure some level of normality through his domination of the World Superbike championship. As with every form of racing, the WSB season has been far from normal. Just eight rounds, 24 races, but history could be made as the Superbike circus heads to Magny-Cours in France this weekend for the penultimate round of the championship. Reigning champion Jonathan Rea leads the title standings by a significant 51 points. There are 62 points up for grabs each weekend (25 for each full-length race and 12 for the shorter Superpole race) meaning that Rea needs to outscore his closest rival Scott Redding by 12 points over the three races to be crowned champion once more. It’s another incredible comeback by Rea who…

Andrea Dovizioso suffered another Catalunya catastrophe as bad luck came back to haunt him again. Dovizioso’s title hopes were dealt a crushing blow when he was caught up in an incident involving the Ducatis of Danilo Petrucci and Johann Zarco that sent him hurtling into the dirt with barely 20 seconds of the Barcelona battle completed. It was the second year in a row that Dovizioso has unwittingly been caught in a Catalunya calamity after he was one of a wayward Jorge Lorenzo’s victims in a controversial early pile-up in 2019. “It’s very tough to accept when it is not your fault,” said Dovizioso, who has previously been wiped out by Andrea lannone, Dani Pedrosa, Aleix Espargaro and Fabio Quartararo. “The championship is now going to be tough and the…

READER REACTION ‘It would be amazing to finally get the bike I have paid for’ STEWART CAMPBELL, NORTON CUSTOMER Nearly nine months after Norton collapsed, customers are hopeful they may get a good outcome. In an update issued last week, administrators BDO confirmed a £16m sale to Indian firm TVS and issued an update on the status of those who had ordered bikes. Many customers of the old Stuart Garner-run company had been coming to terms with the fact they would lose the £40,000- plus they’d paid for their V4s. But things took a turn when they got letters from BDO asking if they still wanted to receive bikes. “It finally looks like some sort of justice might be done,” said Stewart Campbell, who paid £44,000 last November. “If I…

Motorcyclists are being encouraged to get out on their bikes to help raise money for the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance service. In a Covid-safe campaign known as ‘Ride the Route 2020’, the charity are inviting bikers to take on a 62-mile set journey through the two counties in exchange for a donation. “We don’t get any lottery or Government funding and without the generosity of the public there would be no air ambulance,” volunteer Roland Johns told MCN. “Bikers are vulnerable road users, so it’s nice to know that the service is there.” The journey itself mimics a route previously used for the charity’s ‘Ride to Save Lives’ event – an annual outing that last year attracted more than 400 bikes and raised around £11,500. Riders were invited to…

Riding from Northants to Skeggy and back might not sound like a big deal… but it is when you are doing it on Honda Vision moped that won’t top 30mph. Alan Dowsett, 38, who goes by the name of ‘Helmet Head’ on YouTube, covered a total of 220 miles at a max speed of 28mph for the PTSD UK charity. “It was just an absolute giggle,” Alan told MCN. “I was smiling and having such a laugh all the way round.” Joined on the trip by five other riders – including friend and occasional co-host, Darren ‘The Sidekick’ Leslie aboard a Honda Carens moped, Alan plans to raise £1000 for the charity by the time he has finished uploading the series of videos from the trip to his channel. At…

The debate over who is the greatest racer comes up every so often. Over the last 20 years it seemed the discussion revolved around whether Valentino Rossi could cement his GOATness by overhauling Agostini’s 122 GP wins. It looks like Rossi will be unable to add to his total, so I’m going to give you another racer. Jonathan Rea with 92 World Superbike and World Supersport wins and five successive world titles gets my GOAT award. I have watched him over the last two years deal with extreme pressures from his competitors and race to the limits and beyond to continue getting those wins. He then takes time to give his honest opinions on the race. A true GOAT that I feel is in with a chance of overhauling Agostini’s…

There’s been so much talk about tyres in racing. It’s a super hard one to get your head round because everyone is in the same boat so everyone has the same opportunity to fix it and get their bike working. But what I don’t understand is why the tyre manufacturers introduce new tyres and throw the curve ball in when they were working before. It takes a long time to make things better. It doesn’t happen overnight and at the end of the day the things that are important with tyres are that they give you grip, confidence to do what you want and that they are safe. For me that’s the requirement for a BSB tyre for example - something that works. They had that last year, so why…

Extra footbrake Just like a big scooter, the MV needs a ‘handbrake’ to stop it from rolling away on a slope, even if it’s gear. Tap it with your right foot and it locks into place. Insert name here MV have just started to put plaques on their engines to say who assembled them in their Varese factory. Daniele Borsetto has done a nice job on this one. Saves you effort With its quickshifter, autoblipper and SCS system that stops it ever stalling you only need to use the clutch to start it in gear, or to tease up a cheeky wheelie.…

SUBSCRIBE SAVE CASH WITH MCN! Enjoy four issues of MCN for just £1 when you sign-up now! SEE P26 ‘It’s my team. My money. I know what we do is right’ Adiscussion about racing isn’t complete without including Paul Bird and the achievements of his team. He’s a polarising figure, one that’s raised the bar in the British Superbike Championship and dared to take on the best in World Superbikes and MotoGP. Controversial? Perhaps, but Bird’s team is the benchmark in BSB, with 115 race wins, and he has worked with some of the best riders on both the roads and short circuits. Bird was a fast racer in his own right, a Grand Prix motocross competitor and a three time Irish Supermoto champion between 1996-98. A broken leg in…

Niu (as in ‘new’) are an electric scooter firm based in China. Their model range reads like a tin of alphabet spaghetti, starting with the UQi (a £1500 underbone) and peaking with this, the £3596 NQi GTS Pro. A top speed of just over 40mph puts performance in the ballpark of a derestricted moped, meaning it’s strictly for urban use. But with near–negligible running costs, surprising hi–tech touches and handy removable batteries, could this be the shape of a commuter from the future? Steady as she goes The Bosch electric motor is built into the rear wheel hub, meaning no final drive to maintain. It makes 4bhp, yet there are three riding modes. Full–power ‘Sport’ is good for an indicated 45mph. ‘Dynamic’ limits life to 29mph, which is just slow…

Local knowledge RideWithLocals, the only Icelandic enduro company and based just a 2h 45min flight from the UK. A fully-inclusive trip on Husqvarna 701s with a support vehicle, fuel, food, mountain hut accommodation, trail snacks, beer and all the local gen from the Vikings running it. We had six days riding, covered roughly 1400km doing 9 to 11-hour riding days and got to see the real Iceland - which is unseen by most tourists. Expect to pay around €4400 per person. www.ridewithlocals.is…

SENIOR DESIGNER Daily rider with forty-five years of experience, both on and off road. Owns 30 bikes. This year’s motorcycling calendar has been a disaster, with one event cancelled after the other. My annual moped run on the first May bank holiday was one of the first Covid victims. Undeterred, the group decided to re-book for September. Finally, the time arrived, my little 1975 Honda SL125 was thoroughly prepped and tested, ready for a 350-mile trip around Derbyshire. Brimming with confidence I set off to the start, which I nearly made, if it hadn’t been for the electrics packing up. Bugger! With the bike back in the garage, and my socially distanced friends well and truly distanced, I came up with Plan B. I would go on the Z H2.…

Sports-tourer sounds a bit wishy-washy. It implies bikes that are lacking purpose, a bit nowt-nor-summat. But the days of retired old sportsbikes with token practical additions are long gone. Today’s sports-tourers really are jacks of many trades, tackling commutes and two-up tours with the same ease and ability as sunny japes. And whether you favour power, comfort or tech, there’s a used bargain to suit. Look for home mods The standard screen is good, but noisy. Spacers at the mounts help, but watch for home-drilled vents and other ‘custom’ solutions Modes for everything Ducati’s riding modes were revolutionary in 2010. The 1200 has Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro, with adjustable power and TC Multiple Multistradas Marzocchi forks and Sachs shock on base models. S models have Öhlins, with carbon bits…

The Bennetts British Superbike Championship heads back to Donington Park this weekend and the title fight is well and truly on. Glenn Irwin’s retirement in the second race at Oulton has turned the title battle on its head. Jason O’Halloran took full advantage with two wins, with Josh Brookes and Christian Iddon also closing in on the Honda man. Just 12 points separate the leading quartet.  1st Glenn Irwin 178 points Oulton Park was the first time we’d seen the all-new Fireblade struggle, with the undulations and bumps of the narrow circuit seemingly making it a real handful. Irwin’s retirement at Oulton blew the title race wide open and he now only has a two- point advantage. However, Irwin has already shown this season that he’s a much more relaxed…

Sam Lowes continued his impressive upwards trajectory in Moto2 after narrowly missing out on victory to series leader Luca Marini in a close- fought race in Barcelona. The Brit fought back from another slow getaway and dived down the inside of Marini at turn one to take the lead on lap 16. Despite Lowes being able to bridge the gap to Marini, he couldn’t pull away once he’d hit the front due to the left side of his Dunlop tyres now struggling for grip. The slow start meant that Lowes had to push hard to recover from sixth on the opening lap, increasing tyre wear. An error from Lowes whilst out front at turn five led to Marini taking the lead back at turn one on the penultimate lap. Lowes…

With the seemingly unstoppable Jonathan Rea already reaching out with one hand towards the 2020 World Superbike crown, why not ride the crest of his success by grabbing a Ninja ZX-10R KRT edition - giving you the ideal tool to emulate Johnny’s incredible success story. Sharper than ever Now let's be honest here - any top-flight superbike is going to feel a little uncompromising on bumpy British roads, but find a smooth one, or indulge your track fetish, and the ZX-10R’s chassis really comes alive. Updated in 2019, the engine now has rocker arms instead of a bucket and shim valve train (signified by a red cam cover that is impossible to see behind the fairing), a quickshifter and autoblipper as standard, and the paint is new. Instead of making…

With the seemingly unstoppable Jonathan Rea already reaching out with one hand towards the 2020 World Superbike crown, why not ride the crest of his success by grabbing a Ninja ZX-10R KRT edition - giving you the ideal tool to emulate Johnny’s incredible success story. Sharper than ever Now let’s be honest here - any top-flight superbike is going to feel a little uncompromising on bumpy British roads, but find a smooth one, or indulge your track fetish, and the ZX-10R’s chassis really comes alive. Updated in 2019, the engine now has rocker arms instead of a bucket and shim valve train (signified by a red cam cover that is impossible to see behind the fairing), a quickshifter and autoblipper as standard, and the paint is new. Instead of making…

TOP STORY Arc are set to return after the founder rescued the project from administration hell. Arc rose to prominence last year with the Vector: an electric hyper-naked with big promises on weight, power and charging time as well as a hefty price tag to match. However, the company ran into financial difficulties in September 2019 before the project could reach fruition. Now the founder, who also designed the original concept, has bought back the key assets from the administrator and is getting the project moving again. “We had lots of interest after the administration but nothing quite worked out,” says Arc founder Mark Truman. “I decided to buy the assets myself four months ago. The project had come too far and had been too well received for me to…

Back in September 2019 we rated the LS2 Challenger at 5-stars for quality and value and now we’ve snagged one worth £299 to give away! This helmet has a 100% carbon shell, offering safety, comfort and practicality for both road and track, in an ultra-lightweight package. Designed and developed in LS2’s European HQ in Barcelona, with input from MotoGP riders, the Challenger features the latest race technology offering high penetration resistance and energy dispersion, yet weighs in at just 1350 grams. The helmet is both ACU Gold and ECE 22.05 certified for track and road use. The Challenger has a quickrelease, 3D Optically Correct visor, which is ready to accept tear-offs, and comes with a Pinlock Max Vision Anti Fog System as standard and is also fitted with a flip-down…

WHAT’S NEW IN TECH The ‘Internet of Things’ is a tech buzz-phrase that’s used as a catch-all for everything from Wi-Fi- enabled fridges to remote doorbells. Now a new idea from Honda might add your motorcycle to that roster with some tangible benefits to both its performance and your pocket. The firm have filed a patent application for a ‘System and Method for Providing Tuning Assistance for a Motorcycle’ via their Californian R&D department which suggests that a future bike will use the phone in your pocket as both a means to diagnose problems and a way to get them fixed – and you might not even have to talk to a dealer. Modern bikes are already stuffed with sensors, monitoring everything from throttle position and rpm to oxygen levels…

Moped Mayhem, the wild and wacky endurance race that was the highlight of the old BMF shows in the 1980s and 90s is making its long- awaited comeback at the Devitt MCN Festival of Motorcycling on May 15-16 next year. Known for its wild racing, huge grid, madcap machines and raucous atmosphere, it doesn’t get more grassroots than Moped Mayhem! The action doesn’t stop there, the 2021 event is packed with new and used bikes and thrilling stunt displays. Not only that, but you can expect the very best live music with evening entertainment for people making a weekend of it. It’s the UK’s biggest outdoor biking event and not to be missed. Ride the new 2021 bikes The Festival is all about riding. It’s the only place in the…

● Readers on tour Aidan, Andrea and Mike ● The Ride We took our project bikes for a weekend riding around Scotland after lockdown ● Miles 436 ● Best bit about the trip? Despite some very Scottish weather, it gave us a bit of faith in our spannering skills and reminded us that we don’t need our fancy bikes to do a trip. THE ROUTE THE PLAN Aidan, Andrea and myself took our rolling project bikes (my K75 only cost me £300) away for a weekend trip here in Scotland. MELFORT We had a night near Loch Melfort then headed up towards Portmahomak. WIGWAM The weather got bad so we found a wigwam cabin in Kinloss instead of wild camping. BIT WET We’re used to Scottish weather so we had…

£17,380 MV Agusta F3 800 RC Engine 798cc 12v inline three cylinder Frame Steel trellis Suspension Marzocchi 43mm forks and single Sachs rear shock. Fully adjustable. Front brakes 2 x 320mm front discs with fourpiston Brembo radial calipers. ABS Rear brake 220mm rear disc with twin-piston Brembo caliper ABS Seat height 830mm FUNCTIONALITY AND FEATURES Ducati clocks Triumph clocks MV clocks Ducati switches Triumph switches MV switches Ducati mirrors Triumph mirrors MV mirrors £15,765 Triumph Daytona 765 Engine 765cc 12v inline three cylinder Frame Cast aluminium twin spar Suspension Öhlins 43mm forks and shock, fully adjustable. Front brakes 2 x 310mm discs with fourpiston Brembo monobloc radial calipers. ABS Rear brake 220mm disc with single piston caliper. ABS Seat height 822mm £14,995 Ducati Panigale V2 Engine 955cc 8v V-twin Frame Cast…

Vanessa Ruck, Instagram: @thegirlonabike 1 Icelanders welcome riders with enthusiasm to explore the thousands of miles of little-known tracks. However, with a fragile ecosystem so vulnerable to ruin from a misplaced foot, it’s easy to see why it’s illegal to leave the tracks. 2 Rapidly changing weather – sunshine one-minute, sideways rain the next, vicious winds, snow, hail and rainbows. We hit the first rivercrossing 60 metres from turning off the highway. So pack waterproof socks… it’s wet. 3 You don’t need to be a pro off-roader but you do need to be comfortable on the pegs for long days riding with a huge mix of terrain, including sand and deep water crossings. 4 Ditch the tent and stay in mountain huts - log cabins with toasty hot showers and…

The Suzuki Endurance Racing Team secured the 2019-2020 FIM EWC crown in the final round of the championship, held for the first time at Estoril in Portugal. The trio of Etienne Masson, Gregg Black and Xavier Simeon ended the race fourth overall, which was enough to clinch the team’s first title since 2016. It’s Suzuki’s 16th EWC crown, and the first-ever for new team manager Damien Saulnier. It wasn’t all plain sailing for the squad, who were keen not to take any risks, with their riders receiving two electrical warnings throughout the race. This was for the engine mounting bracket and then the gearshift selector, but both were repaired in good time. The factory Suzuki team end the season 18 points clear of Yart Yamaha, who took victory at the…

Valentino Rossi has conceded an eighth MotoGP world championship is out of reach but also proved that he retains the motivation, and speed, to win races. Rossi, 41, was shattered after his age-defying surge for victory against Fabio Quartararo, 22, ended in the gravel on lap 16. It was a nightmare exit to what had been shaping up to be a dream weekend with Rossi tantalisingly close to taking a 200th premier class podium. Rossi was matching the raceleading pace as he shadowed Quartararo when it went wrong at turn two with nine laps to go. “I wanted to stay close to him but I made a mistake,” Rossi said. “Looking at the data it’s really similar to the lap before, but with the low temperature we had on Sunday…

TOP STORY Fabio Quartararo’s 2020 emotional rollercoaster continued in Barcelona after he wrestled back control of the MotoGP World Championship. Dominant wins in the first two races of the season in Jerez marked the Petronas Yamaha SRT rider down as red-hot favourite to steamroller a condensed Covid-19 affected season. But in the five races that followed, Quartararo couldn’t buy a podium and the 21-year-old quickly had to bat off accusations that he was wilting under the pressure to succeed absent World Champion Marc Marquez. Marquez himself even waded in during his rehab from a serious right arm injury. In the buildup to Sunday’s Catalunya clash, the Repsol Honda rider said he was “expecting more” from the Frenchman after his blistering start to the campaign. Many took that as a subtle…

With the seemingly unstoppable Jonathan Rea already reaching out with one hand towards the 2020 World Superbike crown, why not ride the crest of his success by grabbing a Ninja ZX-10R KRT edition - giving you the ideal tool to emulate Johnny’s incredible success story. Sharper than ever Now let’s be honest here - any top-flight superbike is going to feel a little uncompromising on bumpy British roads, but find a smooth one, or indulge your track fetish, and the ZX-10R’s chassis really comes alive. Updated in 2019, the engine now has rocker arms instead of a bucket and shim valve train (signified by a red cam cover that is impossible to see behind the fairing), a quickshifter and autoblipper as standard, and the paint is new. Instead of making…

Renaming the Z1000SX the Ninja 1000SX makes a lot of sense. Zs are Kawasaki’s nakeds, while Ninjas are their sporty faired bikes - and it’s clear which side of the divide the 1000SX falls. The bike has also been updated both inside and out for 2020, from its exhaust to its electronics, from its screen to its seats and from its rubber to its rev counter. As Britain’s most popular Kawasaki for a decade and Europe’s overall biggest-selling sports-tourer, this is an update they simply couldn’t afford to get wrong. Sitting comfortably? The Ninja 1000SX comes with ‘Comfort’ seats for both rider and pillion as standard. These are thicker and wider than the Z1000SX’s saddles, creating a more plush and welcoming perch on which to spend the day. The additional…