Table of contents for 05 July 2023 in MCN

‘Do manufacturers think about shorties at the design stage?’ MCN'S SHORTEST TESTERS GET THE STEP LADDER OUT THE (VERY) BIG TEST Adventure bikes that shrink to fit Bigger, ever bigger… Adventure bikes seem to know no bounds as capacity, seat heights and weights spiral, into the stratosphere. But two manufacturers are streets ahead of the competition in making sure their travel-loving behemoths are accessible to the vertically challenged – by offering adaptive ride heightsolutions. And that functionality is valuable to all riders, regardless of their inside leg measurement, making the bikes more easy to handle on tarmac, as well as off it. But which of these clever buggers is the best option? PAGE 29 THIS WEEK Manufacturers ask for more time The debate over not just the suitability of moving…

THIS WEEK Yamaha are marking 25 years of the iconic R1 superbike in 2023 with a weekend of high-octane action at Mugello Circuit in Italy. Taking place on July 21-22 at the Tuscany venue, the celebrations come as part of this year's Yamaha Racing Experience (YRE), an exclusive event previously only available to buyers of Yamaha's top-spec R1M, but which has now been opened up to owners of standard R1s for the first time. “The R1 has been a game-changer in the world of motorcycles, pushing the boundaries of performance and innovation and constantly evolving to be at the pinnacle of the racing world,” Marketing and Motorsport Director at Yamaha Europe, Paolo Pavesio said. “It is a bike that has redefined what is possible during the last 25 years with…

Abus Detecto 7000 RS1 V2 £85.78 A big noise in bike security One of the drawbacks of motorbike ownership is that they can be quite easy to steal. Two big blokes can lift a bike into the back of a van in seconds or, if it's not secured properly, two scrotes with a scooter can push it away. Luckily, there's plenty of security kit on the market to make that less likely and the more layers you add, the less attractive your bike will be to those with light fingers. Take this disc lock from Abus. First and foremost, a thief will have to cut through it or your brake disc before they can move your bike but tampering with the Detecto will cause it to scream at an earpiercing…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews ‘Speedway's new dawn’ Many thanks for the 10 pages of Speedway in last week's MCN. You certainly had some increased sales from the Speedway fans who remember the MCN weekly Speedway column by Andrew Edwards. It was a great job by your reporter, Saffron Wilson, and maybe we will see her swap her Harley for a Speedway bike one day? We have some world-class young English riders in the sport now and they have a new legion of fans so let's hope that your feature will attract many more road riders to come along and see what this sideways sport is all about. Thanks again, MCN, keep up the good work. Bert Harkins, email Write something that spikes our interest, and you could get selected for…

OUT AND ABOUT Ride further in 2023 with a little help from our one-stop event guide JUST BREW IT Ride out to Britain's best biking cafés THE DETAILS ● Everyday 9am-4pm ● www.facebook.com/devilsbridgesnacks ● Kirkby Lonsdale, LA6 2DF Kirkby Lonsdale sits in the middle of lush riding roads between the Lakes and the Dales. Because of its prime location, beautiful scenery, the snack van sat next to the Devil's Bridge has been visited by bikers for decades – almost five – and today is no different. “The van has been here since 1955 and was started by the McCartneys,” says co-owner Mel Ormston. “I started working for them when I was 16 as the Saturday girl – 24 years ago! The bikes have been here since before then.” When the McCartneys retired,…

THE UK'S HOTTEST RIDES MCN readers share their favourite one-hour routes Starting just off the M4, this loop of the North Wessex Downs will take you over fast A roads as well as single track concrete and is interspersed with fantastic pubs and plenty of history. From junction 16 of the M4, head onto the A3102 and skirt around Wootton Bassett unless you're looking for fuel. Take care on Withy Bed as the singletrack road has a few gravel patches. Take a left onto the A4 and you'll be bombarded with historical sites to explore. All of them require a short walk, but most have nearby parking which is free for bikes. Highlights include West Kennet Long Barrow (which has a layby for parking) and Silbury Hill. To see the…

What's happening After Krazy Horse's successful late nights and ontour events, the great biking public was clamouring for a full weekend event – and now it's finally here! The festival will be jam packed full of the finest custom bikes and cars, as well as live bands to take you through the evening topped with amazing street food and a marketplace to spend some pennies, too. The essentials The event is taking place from July 7-9 at Bardwell in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. For a weekend ticket (that's Friday to Sunday) it's £50 with children under 13 welcome for free. If you want to pitch a tent then it's an extra tenner, but with limited space you may have to look elsewhere. If you only want to go for the…

THE MCN TEST • THE HOTTEST BIKES • EVERY WEEK £27,640 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally ● 1158cc 16v V4 ● 170bhp/89.2lb.ft ● £279 per month PCP £21,327 Harley Davidson Pan America 1250 Special ● 1252cc Revolution Max ● 150bhp/94lb.ft ● £233.03 per month PCP It's clear to see that bikes are getting bigger, in more ways than one. To some, 700cc machines are considered novice machinery, and the term ‘middleweight’ is applied to bikes not far short of litre-capacity… The shift from minimalist race-reps to fully-kitted adventure machinery dominating sales charts means we're riding around with more metal under us than ever in order to satisfy our demands for power, comfort and technological advances. But there is a problem – one that's very personal for me… I love adventure bikes, but I find them…

A big deal for small riders The real winner here is us, smaller riders. Never before have bikes this big been so manageable, no matter our inside leg measurement. The evolution of chassis, engine and suspension technology over the years spoils us with impressive machinery that feels nothing like as unwieldy as spec sheet weight and seat height numbers suggest they should. Both the Multistrada V4 Rally and the Pan America 1250 still look intimidating beasts, yet thanks to the impressive tech on offer, those less vertically blessed don't have to rule them out for fear of missing the ground at a critical moment… Sure, the H-D is a little kinder to shorter legs, but it doesn't quite pack the same comfort or riding experience as the Ducati. The V4S…

‘It's a lot of bike for the money’ Forget where it's built. At £6999, the 800NK Sport is a lot of bike for the money. With an agile chassis, rigid suspension set-up and a fun, playful engine it performs best when it's pushed hard. And with tech like cruise control and a 15-litre tank, there are some lovely features, too. But the seat's uncomfortable, the riding position compact and the switchgear's clumsy. A year ago, the spec and price of the NK would've made a monumental impact on the sector, but Honda's incredibly priced Hornet, which comes with the heritage of a Honda badge too, costs the same. THE FACTS £6999 CFMOTO 800NK Sport…

RATINGS Exceptional Very good Good Average Poor 2100 MILES Richa Atlantic GTX gloves £139.99 Wet rides aren't always cold, and having to wear bulky winter gloves just to keep dry has always annoyed me. Step up Richa's Atlantic GTX, a thin and sporty-feeling under-sleeve ‘shortie’ that'll keep your paws dry even in torrential rain, whilst feeling light and airy enough to wear on warm dry days, too. They're not cold-weather gloves though, I'd only recommend them for 10˚C+ rides. Rated Level 1 KP, they're made from Richa's ‘super fabric’, with a Gore-Tex liner for impressive water-repelling skills, and boasting protection from armour gurus D3O – they're well spec'd. They also have reflective details, a visor wipe, and a touch-screen friendly tip on the index finger so you can use your…

Lone Rider MotoTent £459.00 Choosing the right camping kit is about making compromises. Normally when planning a few days away I'll pick a small, two-man tent intended for hiking as a trade-off between pack size, weight and convenience. On the other hand, Lone Rider's MotoTent has been specifically engineered for adventure bikers and boasts not just the space for a six footer to stand comfortably, but enough room to park your motorcycle in it too. Being able to keep your bike undercover gives great peace of mind, and should you need to make running repairs it also makes an effective pop-up garage. Large openings all three sides, make manoeuvring in and out a doddle. The sleeping area is equally capacious and will easily accommodate two people and their kit. It…

BRUCE DUNN MCN's expert technician Keeping a track Fitting a non-wired tracker to your bike will help you sleep easier 1 Small sentinel Fitting a tracker to your bike can offer great peace of mind, as it'll hopefully reunite you with your machine in the event of it being stolen. The easiest type to fit are self-powered, like this Tracker Nano Plus. It has a 3-year battery life, and its compact size allow it to be fitted discreetly, whilst setup and monitoring can be done by wirelessly via a phone app. 2 This way up Where you install a tracker on your bike is crucial.. Not only should it be discrete, its internal, antenna needs to be positioned so that it can ‘see’ as much of the sky as possible, so it…

One of Britain's brightest prospects will make his Bennetts British Superbike Championship debut this weekend at Snetterton. Franco Bourne joins Honda Racing as a replacement for the injured Andrew Irwin, who is out of action with a fractured humerus. The 19-year-old stepped up onto a big bike for the first time this year, riding a Fireblade in Superstock trim for Marvel HCL Motorsport. Bourne podiumed in his maiden race, before winning his second at Silverstone. The 2020 British Talent Cup Champion is third in the championship with three podiums. Bourne completed a shakedown test on the superbike at Cadwell Park last week. ‘The bike's more physical to ride but I'm excited’ “I came onto the Honda Fireblade in Superstock off the back of riding a bike that I really struggled…

SPORT Rabat to McAMS Yamaha Tito Rabat will remain in the UK this week to compete for McAMS Yamaha in BSB at Snetterton. Rabat takes the seat vacated by Tim Neave. Scott Redding was just one position shy of the podium in Sunday's final race, missing third place by a little over a second. But will he stay at BMW alongside Toprak Razgatlioglu next year? Other talk continues to link the Gloucestershire rider to PATA Yamaha while fresh rumours are associating him with a customer Ducati for the Marc VDS team alongside Sam Lowes, should they come to WSB and run two bikes. “It feels nice to feel like Scott Redding on the bike,” he said on Sunday. “It's been a real tough season. To get the feeling of the…

18 races are run with another 18 to go, so that's 372 points still up for grabs 2 race winners so far: Alvaro Bautista (16 wins) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (2) 9 podium finishers is just one shy of the total for the whole 2022 season 16 Bautista has led 16 of the 18 races and spent 221 laps out in front ● Bautista has led the standings since Round 1. Only six riders have been able to lead for an entire season: Fogarty, Edwards, Hodgson, Bayliss, Checa and Rea ● Bautista's 16 wins place him one away from the record of 17 in a single season, achieved by Jonathan Rea in 2017 and 2018…

Danilo Petrucci's maiden World Superbike podium finish triggered flashbacks of his first MotoGP rostrum eight years earlier: both came on British soil. In MotoGP the scene was Silverstone in 2015, riding for Pramac Racing, whereas his Donington Park 2023 performance signalled the first top three WSB result for the Barni Spark Ducati team since 2018. The key turning point for 32-yearold Petrucci was a Mugello test just before the Misano races at which he trialled an improved swingarm. ‘I smelled the perfume of the podium today!’ Earlier in the season another key change was to lower his Ducati's seat unit in order to achieve a more comfortable riding position and better centre of gravity. “I didn't expect my first podium today,” beamed the adaptable Italian, who's also won a stage…

SAVE £4277 £23,500 Harley Street Glide Special This Street Glide Special is a proper bagger for touring in style. And with that great V-twin soundtrack it packs an all-American experience. This black beauty was registered to be used as a rental bike, but Plymouth Harley shelved that idea so it is up for grabs with only six miles on the clock at a £4000-plus saving. www.plymouthharley-davidson.co.uk SAVE £2966 £20,995 Ducati XDiavel S If you like the idea of a cruiser but aren't prepared to put up with dynamic compromises, this XDiavel is perfect for you. www.dmcmoto.co.uk •Engine 1262cc •Power 156bhp •Weight247 kg •Seat height 755mm SAVE £2000 £13,499 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 RR Despite being superbike-fast, the Tuono is comfortable on the road and comes fully loaded with the best…

Touratech Suspension DSA EVO UP £1181.10 If your BMW R1250/1200GS ESA suspension is feeling past its best or needs upgrading, Touratech's Suspension Plug & Travel DSA EVO UP Rear Damper is an ideal solution. The unit uses the existing electronic spring preload and spring but Touratech say the performance can be improved with this unit. www.touratech-uk.co.uk Richa London Jacket £219.99 This smart-looking commuter jacket from Richa looks pretty much like a casual garment but carries a AA CE rating with D3O shoulder and elbow armour and a back protector as standard. It's also waterproof with a detachable thermal liner so it'll shelter you from the elements. It only comes in green and is available in S-4XL. www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk LS2 Advant X Carbon £379.99 There's a new carbon version of the LS2…

Q ‘Will apology affect claim?’ Three weeks ago I was riding home from work and filtering through heavy traffic when a car came out of a side road. I collided with the front of it and was a bit shocked, but luckily only had minor injuries. I apologised to the car driver straight away as I thought it was my fault for filtering there. I have since been told that I can in fact make a claim against the driver. But if I admitted it was my fault at the scene does this mean I can't now bring a claim against him for my injuries and bike damage? Rebecca Smith, email A Admissions made in the immediate aftermath of an accident are not binding. When someone is involved in an…

KEY TO THE AREA■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday 05 July 2023 BIKE MEETS ■ The King Billy Rock Bar – Bike & Burger Night, Northampton Northamptonshire 6.30pm Facebook: The King Billy Rock Bar ■ Huggys Speedshop, Mallory Park Leicestershire From 10am www.huggysspeedshop.co.uk ■ MFN – Bike night, The Seven Oaks Inn Stanton By Dale Derbyshire 5pm till late Facebook: MFN Bike nights ■ Outkast Co, George Centre North Parade Matlock Derbyshire 6-9pm, www.facebook.com/outkastcompany ■ Park Road Cafe, St Helens Merseyside 01744-808440 ■ Seaways – Bike Night, Seaways Fridaythorpe East Yorks 4pm-8pm mike@seawayscafe.co.uk ■ Squires Cafe, Newthorpe near Sherburn in Elmet West Yorks 01977-684618 or www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ The Old Stores, Pontblyddyn Mold Flints 6pm-9pm 07548224866 or Facebook: The Old Stores Motorbike cafe ■…

All-day Himalayan adventure MICHAEL LEE Dropped some Himalayan bits off to another owner, then stretched the legs of mine on a 116-mile day in South Yorks. Sunny day in Norfolk TIM TWIGG Sunny day at Wheels Next Sea show, Norfolk. I rode from Yarmouth up the coast road, stopping in Cromer for a coffee. Four great days on the TET SIMON HUNT Had four great days on the Trans Euro Trail in the Lakes. Six-week biking holiday PAUL FERN Me and wife Angie had an amazing six-week biking holiday to Canada, the US, and back. 6400 miles of amazing places. Amazing landscapes! TARIQ MALIK Exploring Deosai National Park in Pakistan. Approximately 1800km, mostly on rough terrains. Amazing landscapes! Great cafe and views ROL AND JOHNS A trip to the AV8…

BIKING LEGENDS People who have shaped our world It shouldn't have been possible. Nobody had ever won the 500cc Grand Prix world championship – the forerunner of today's MotoGP – in their rookie year. At least not until Kenny Roberts arrived in Europe, fresh from the dirt tracks of America. Already a two-time AMA Grand National champion when he came to Europe to contest his first Grand Prix season in 1978, Roberts perfected a new riding technique never seen before in Europe. Using the awesome power of his Yamaha YZR500 to spin the rear tyre, he forced the bike to slide through the apex of a corner to get it turned quicker and back on the power earlier than his European rivals. He also hung off the bike more, his…

2000 MILES Furygan Patch Evo £52.99 This Furygan Patch Evo rucksack has been a go-to on urban and short rides when I've needed to stuff a few bits into a bag and there's not much risk of rain. But despite the near £53 price, there's no waterproofing and not quite enough space to bring my laptop, lunch, and a change of trousers when I'm commuting. For that reason, its uses are limited and I find myself wearing it more when I'm off the bike, either cycling or carrying the essentials on a walk. Size aside, you get one main compartment with a wide opening, a single front pocket, and a handy lap top sleeve on the inside. You also get a waist and chest strap to keep it secure on…

‘It's the best racer I've ridden’ “The SP-2 was the best race bike I ever rode,” drawns the Texas Tornado, Colin Edwards. “I first got on one at the end of 2001 in Sugo. It instantly went a second a lap faster than the SP-1, which suffered terrible chatter due to its overly stiff chassis. I started 2002 on top of the world but it didn't begin well. “We struggled really badly before the Laguna Seca round. Ducati had also upped their game and Troy Bayliss built a massive lead on us. In the second race it was win or crash, so it was balls to the wall and I got the win. We took the double at Brands, and the following weekend was the Suzuka 8-Hour so we would…

When one of Dave Jeffery's customers brought in a recently acquired 2007 Honda VFR800 for a checkover at his shop in York, the experienced spannerman could see and hear that it needed a major service to bring it back to its former glory. In fact, under its plastics, it was in a sorry state. Dave said: “It was one of the worst I'd seen! The owner told me he was delighted because he got a good price from a dealership, but the truth is they'd hardly touched it, so it wasn't that much of a bargain. “The oil and filter had been changed and the spark plugs for the front bank of cylinders because you can get at them easily. But the brakes hadn't been touched, all of the suspension…

MCN's Sports Reporter quizzes former champions JAMES TOSELAND Two-time WSB champion & former MotoGP rider ON THE FENCE “I hope he doesn't leave in some instances because his whole career and brand is with Honda. Even in Moto2 he used the Honda engine. And the Repsol sponsorship too… it's synonymous with him. It would be a shame for that to end… but he's not getting any younger. “His confidence and belief in the project is starting to wane and you can understand why. He'll feel all that hard work to get himself fit and to even be competitive after many years of being injured, can't be for nothing. “He'll be searching for a package that can complement his skill and give him a shot at winning without risking more injury…

2013 WSB champ Tom Sykes has been hospitalised following heavy crash on the opening lap of Sunday's Race 2. The BMW rider highsided exiting Coppice and was struck by Philipp Oettl and Loris Baz. Michael Ruben Rinaldi was also caught up, suffering mild concussion and a right ankle injury. Sykes, substituting for Michael van der Mark who broke a leg when he highsided in similar fashion at Assen, has suffered ten broken ribs on the rear of his ribcage with three of those ribs cracked in two places. His left ankle has also been hurt.…

I spent the weekend at Donington for WSB and it's getting a bit onesided isn't it. It seems like Johnny and Toprak can battle it out with him for ten laps, but that's it. But Alvaro did a 1'25.8s lap in race one and that is absolutely hauling. The title fight looks over now, Alvaro has won 16 of the 18 races so fair play to him. I tell what I also noticed, I gave the trophies out after Race 1 and I was curious to hear what sort of reception Alvaro got here in the UK and I have to say it was pretty much the same as Toprak and even Johnny. I think it's good that the British fans can appreciate just how exceptional his performances have been…

THIS WEEK Buell have gone all stars and stripes with their 40th-anniversary 1190 Freedom Edition, on sale July 1. “The Freedom Edition represents our commitment to our heritage, fans, and the freedom that comes with riding a Buell,” CEO Bill Melvin said. The 182bhp superbike has a starting price of around £19,760. For details, go to buellmotorcycle.com. BSA's bit on the side Watsonian Squire have developed a new sidecar kit for the BSA Gold Star, combining the single-cylinder retro with the firm's Grand Prix outfit. “We could see straight away it'd be well suited to a sidecar,” said MD Ben Matthews. “Its styling made it a perfect fit for our Grand Prix sidecar.” Prices consist of £495 for the fitting kit and £7195 for the car itself. Go to watsonian-squire.com.…

THIS WEEK The Longest Day Challenge, the annual charity ride from Land's End to John O'Groats on a bike bought for £600 or less, turned 10 this year and is set to smash its fundraising total. The event, which raises money for Cancer Research UK and first took place in 2013, not only requires bargain bikes but also uses a motorway-free route. This year's event took place on Wednesday, June 21 with 36 riders taking part. John McAvoy, who took part in the first run before switching to an organisational role, said: “Bizarrely, rather like last year, we had one guy who never made it out of the car park, riding a Triumph Trophy 1200. He'd ridden down from Fort William but started having problems with the ignition on the…

‘Can someone pass the Anusol?’ Fair play to Iván Cervantes, who recently scooped the Guinness World Record for travelling 2493.27 miles in 24 hours at the Nardò Technical Center, Italy. The man must have an arse like leather and Anusol as a personal sponsor… He averaged 124.3mph during 317 laps of the circuit, stopped 18 times, used 520-litres of fuel (an average of 21.8mpg by the way) and didn't sleep at all. While contemplating this impressive feat, I couldn't help but wonder what other bike would be best suited to attempt to beat this record. Iván rode a Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer, the 30-litre tanked road model, so a BMW R1250GS Adventure is the obvious choice, but that'd be too easy. Kawasaki's ZZR1400 has the pace but its 22-litre…

July 6-9 Rock and Bike Fest Bikes and bands galore. Tickets are £60, plus parking passes. www.rockandbikefest.co.uk July 9 Indian and Victory Bike Day Rows of American iron, a decent brew, and load of chat with fellow US bike fanatics. london.acecafe.com July 7-9 Dragstalgia Experience what motor racing was like in the good ol’ days, at Santa Pod, Northants, this weekend. Day tickets from £33 with kids from a fiver. santapod.co.uk July 7-9 Snett BSB BSB heads to Snetterton, Norfolk, this weekend. Grab a ticket (£45 for the weekend, £27 for tends and up to £34 for the day). A spectacular event. www.britishsuperbike.com…

MCN's recommended viewing for the week FRIDAY 7 July 8pm, ITV4, The Motorbike Show 8pm, EUR2, Supercross World Championship: Great Britain Review SATURDAY 8 July 1pm, EUR2, Live Bennetts British Superbikes from Snetterton: Day 1. Highlights at 9.05pm and 11.30pm SUNDAY 9 July 1pm, QUEST, Live Bennetts British Superbikes from Snetterton 11.30pm, EUR2, Bennetts British Superbikes from Snetterton: Day 2 highlights MONDAY 10 July 8am, BTS2, MotoGP: Valentino Rossi Special 6pm, BTS2, MotoGP: Marquez Recovery Story 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 –…

Start by taking a tape measure and wrapping it around your head approximately 2.5cm above your eyebrows and past the top of your ears. Ask someone to measure you, or stand in front of a mirror so you can see what you're doing. You're now ready to try on a helmet. Sizes are normally displayed on the back of the helmet, (eg: M 57-58cm). When in doubt between two sizes, start by picking the smaller of the two. Hold it by the ends of the fastening straps and pull it over the back of your head, (which is smaller than your forehead and will make this easier). If it doesn't fit tightly, it's too big. Check that the cheek pads are snug and there is no space between the inside…

£21,327 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 £27,640 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally…

FIRST RIDE With the might of the Pierer Mobility Group (parent company of KTM) behind them, CFMOTO have big ambitions for the future. Their aim is to be a Chinese brand offering not only small bikes with even smaller price tags, but to become a mainstream name offering quality, exciting machinery of every capacity. And with the 800NK Sport, they've done that. The current affordable middleweight naked sector is bursting with incredible machinery, but with a load of tech, impressive figures and a playful nature, the 800NK Sport deserves to sit at the big table, amongst the Japanese and European machinery. 1 Hard hitting There's no hiding that the 799cc parallel-twin is the same unit as used in the original KTM 790 Duke (albeit slightly detuned), but that's no bad…

Tucano Urbano Atollo Helmet Stand £14.75 This is one of those natty little products that you really don't need but is actually incredibly useful and end up using all the time. Made from padded neoprene, the pentagonal shaped helmet stand acts as a little cushion, so helmets can be stowed upside down. It has subtle branding and a smart skyline design too. There's also enough space under the lid to stow bike keys, should you wish to. I'm fortunate enough to have a little shelf in my utility room, so both mine an my hubby's helmets are stowed indoors. With them both supported on these useful stands, they're always kept fully aired and there's no risk of them getting damaged. Quality Value www.tucanourbano.com 3 MONTHS…

Most of the press bikes that MCN uses for tests are fitted with trackers. And in my experience I've found them to be a bit of a pain as it's fairly common for them to drain the battery after a week or so if the bike has not been used. This is partially because the tracker is effectively on standby all of the time, similar to having your phone switched on 24-hours, 7-days a week. However, the Tracker Nano Plus – the latest generation of tracker as used in this week's how-to, which costs £133 – has its own internal power source so will not create a parasitical drain on a bike's battery. The claimed life of the internal power supply is three years – a direct result of the…

Gets an exclusive chat with one of Britain's top talents TOP STORY It's been a tough start to life in Moto2 for Rory Skinner. After two years in BSB, the Scot returned to the GP paddock, one he feels he should never have left following his Red Bull Rookies and Talent Cup exploits. MCN caught up with Skinner following Le Mans, the last race he competed in due to fracturing right heel in an incident last month at Mugello. Has 2023 gone better, worse or as you expected so far? Rory Skinner: “I wouldn't say better or worse, I'd say it's been tougher than I expected. After doing wildcards last year, I thought that was a good place to start, but it's been hard going. “The laptimes have been really…

RACES MISSED 2020 – 13 2021 – 4 2022 – 8 2023 – 8 (5 GPs & 3 sprints) *AS THINGS STAND Wins – 3 Podiums – 5 Poles – 2 CRASHES 2021 – 22 2022 – 18 2023* – 14 POSITIONS 2020 Championship – N/A 2021 Championship – 13th 2022 Championship – 7th 2023 Championship* – 19th *AS THINGS STAND 4 Marquez signed a mega four-year deal just before the 2020 season 4 Operations on his humerus, the fourth of which rotated the bone over 30 degrees to its original position. 2 Bouts of double vision. 2 Hand injuries in 2023 (First metacarpal in right hand and fractured phalanx of the first finger on left hand) 1 Broken rib (Sachsenring 2023) 0 wins for Honda in 2020 and 2022. 3 wins for Honda in 2021 (all Marquez) 1 win…

SPORT ‘I've tried over 100% to win everything here’ Although Alvaro Bautista heads into the second half of the World Superbike season with a sizeable 93-point advantage over Toprak Razgatlioglu, the 2021 World Champion is adamant things can still change as the series heads to Imola in Italy next weekend. Razgatlioglu arrived at Donington Park this time last week with the knowledge that his favourite circuit was his best opportunity to overcome the dominant Ducati of Bautista that had so far won 14 out of 15 races. The Spaniard has now stood atop the podium in 16 from 18 as Razgatlioglu stunningly beat him in the British Sprint Race to add to his Indonesia Sprint victory of earlier this year. The Turk had also lost a great shot at victory…

Most racers run out of steam. A few age like fine wine. Some just need the right bike. Alvaro Bautista, currently bestriding WSB as he knocks on towards his 40th birthday, fulfils the last two. The Ducati rider's Donington double underpins his growing stature as a sort of proddie-bike Rossi or Marquez. And again raises the question: if a rider only mildly successful in MotoGP can do so well moving to WSB, while few have succeeded going the other way, is this a relevant measure of the two series’ overall quality? Well, probably, yes. But also possibly, no. Last month Bautista blurred the distinction, when he tested the MotoGP Ducati at Misano. He was fast enough for the fourth row of last year's GP. The veteran, four years older than…