RiDEの March 2023 の目次

‘NOW Is the right time to grab a bargain’ It might not feel like it but, in many ways, if you're thinking about buying a new bike, NOW is the time. As I write this, manufacturers are doing their best to keep prices down in the wake of inflation and cost rises. Combined with the traditional quiet time just before spring kicks in, it means there are some real bargains out there to be had. Our Buy Smart new-bike special is full of amazing bikes that either make good ownership sense or have great discounts attached. Right now, I'm fawning over the V4 excellence of a Honda VFR1200F for £4k used or trying to find a new bike that offers better value for money than a £9999 2023 KTM 790…

‘I seem to get spooked a lot. Is there a way I can turn down the fear?’ Q I was talking to a moreexperienced rider the other day and he mentioned that he can't remember the last time he had a scare. I was shocked because I have them on every ride – it's not like I nearly crash, but I get jolts of adrenaline when I suddenly see a car, or think the bend is tightening. How do I ride scare-free? Jim Clements, Bury St Edmunds A Jim, you're not alone. Every motorcyclist knows the feeling: you barrel into a corner, something you're not expecting happens and – bingo – you get the fear. Within milliseconds, your heart beats faster, adrenaline is coursing through your bloodstream, your muscles clench,…

MONDIAL'S NEW HBS 125 ABS Ubbiali Edition is a tribute to Italian Carlo Ubbiali, who won the 1951 125 GP title for Mondial, with just 999 machines being made and only 42 coming to the UK. The Ubbiali shares the same SOHC four-valve engine, tubular-steel chassis, anodized spoked rims and flat-track vibe with the firm's HPS 125 but it's the detailing and finish that set it apart. The silver and blue paint is a nod to Mondial's classic racing colours, while the eye candy continues through the sculpted tank and quilted blue seat. The liquid-cooled four-valver is a decent unit for its capacity, making 13.4bhp and happily revving out all the way to 10,000rpm. And the Ubbiali is swift off the mark for a 125, thanks to low gearing (check…

JUST FOUR YEARS ago, when Royal Enfield launched the all-new parallel twin Interceptor 650, few would have dared to predict what a sales sensation it would prove to be. Instantly one of the UK's best-selling bikes – and still is – its formula of a low price tag and simple, easy-going charm seem to have struck a chord with the worldwide buying public. However, now it has some serious competition from another rejuvenated British brand. Part of the gigantic Mahindra Group, BSA is back. Like the Enfield, the new Gold Star has been designed in the UK before the actual manufacturing process takes place in India to keep costs down. Powered by an A2–legal, single-cylinder engine that has been developed by Rotax and Ricardo, the bike pays homage to the…

BUYING A NEW or used bike from a showroom can be daunting if you're looking to get a good deal. The salesperson is on home turf and it feels as if they hold all the cards. But do they? What can we do, as customers, to make sure we get the best deal? RiDE speaks to a top new and used bike dealer (who asked to remain anonymous) to get the inside line. You're in charge The days of walking into a showroom and being at the mercy of the salesperson are long gone. “Customers have the power now. When they go into a showroom, they have all the tools they need. They've never had so much power, because they can Google other dealers and see their prices instantly; they…

NOW COULD WELL be a very good time to buy a bike. Thanks to the wobbles of the financial world, dealers are making bikes ever-more tempting with big discounts available on some seriously good machines. It's a world away from the bike market immediately following the Covid pandemic, when lack of supply meant prices were high. These bargains were all found with a little bit of online research and ringing around. If you can put in the same legwork, the rewards are well worth it. The deals are correct at the time of going to press and more may well appear as we get close to new-registration time. SAVE £3500 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa RRP £117,999 > Now £14,449 > 187bhp > 110lb-ft > 264kg Was Suzuki right to reintroduce its…

RiDE staffers on kit they've been using recently Shift-It Helmet & Visor cleaner £4.99 www.bikerheadz.co.uk The packaging may have changed but the liquid in the bottle is as effective as when it won a Recommended triangle in the olden days. Shift-lt's helmet and visor cleaner does exactly what it says on the bottle – cleans helmets but, more importantly for me, visors. The 50ml bottle is small enough to fit in a pocket (or a tankbag – see over the page) and will clean either summer's flies or winter's salt and road muck equally well. Spray, leave on for a bit then wipe off for bugs and roadkill or wipe off immediately for general grime. One application usually does the trick regardless of how filthy things get. Brilliant. JIM BLACKSTOCK…

RATED THE RiDE PRODUCT TEST ‘A close result, with five points separating five of the bags’ This was a very close result, with just five points separating five of the six products in this test. However, there is a very clear winner – the SWMotech PRO tankbag. And while it is by far the most expensive here, its quality, performance and features prove it is worth the money. The retaining system is incredibly easy to use and to fit and remove and its ability to expand is excellent. As a result, we feel it is well worthy of a Best Buy award. The Kappa ran it a fairly close second, thanks to its combination of features and performance. It's locking mechanism was a little on the basic and stiff side…

GARAGE HOME MECHANIC THERE ARE MANY good reasons for doing your own motorcycle maintenance. Tire most pressing at the moment is the cost-of-living crisis. Money saving hacks are everywhere and there is definitely cash to be saved by getting on the tools to take care of your own bike. Recessions don't last forever though of course, and even when we're back to ‘normal’, the benefits of being a DIY mechanic will remain with you. Getting down to the nuts and bolts of your bike will give you a better understanding of it and there's immeasurable satisfaction to be had in a job well done too. Let's get to work. THE WORKSPACE Assess the workspace you have and get it organised and equipped properly Sturdy shelves and decent toolboxes are essential.…

UPDATE 08 IT FEELS WONDERFUL to be on the T7 again. After nearly four weeks out of the saddle, it and I feel set free from captivity, bounding though the forest, superb suspension soaking up the holes, new Michelin Anakee Adventures keying into the dirt. My God, it's good to be back. Thanks to Christmas, then Covid and a tedious, stop/start recovery, the T7 has spent more time sitting in a slightly damp garage than being ridden. The layoff was pretty miserable for both of us but the bike came off worse: I fell ill while it was dirty in the lock-up and the salt did some damage. The condition of Yamaha's fasteners was OK thanks to lots of ACF-50 but appearance of the dreaded ferrous oxide had started to…

THE WAY THE world views sustainability is changing rapidly. From the end of plastic straws to protestors on the Dartford Bridge, there have never been more public discussions about the health of our planet. Transport is no exception, with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announcing an expansion of London's UltraLow Emission Zone (ULEZ) to cover all boroughs from August 29, 2023, and the Government still aiming for all new motorcycles to be zero emissions by 2035. It is undeniable that the carbon footprint of bikes goes further than exhaust gasses, with every stage of the production process having a potential impact. Manufacturers are growing wise to this, with many now openly sharing ongoing development projects to improve the sustainability of bikes. And, before you flick over, it doesn't necessarily mean…

LETTER OF THE MONTH ‘Cheers for the inspiration’ I really enjoyed the Tour 2023 content in the February issue and it's done its job, as I'm already planning my biking roadtrip for this year. It's a really strange time to be a biker. Every day I hear about the cost-ofliving crisis, strikes and war but, as a man in my late 50s with my mortgage paid off, I don't have it as bad as some. In fact, it means, as Matt says, I can keep calm and carry on biking. I realise how privileged I am but I don't want to waste my cash. No-one has quite as much cash in their pocket as before, so I did really enjoy your suggestions for budget touring. I plan during spring to…

FIRST RIDE ROYAL ENFIELD SUPER METEOR 650 ROYAL ENFIELD IS going from strength to strength and its new Super Meteor cruiser should see even more sales success. The range-topping Super Meteor 650 duo comprises a standard Cruiser model (£6799) and a Tourer variant, which has a screen, a deeper seat and a pillion backrest and costs £7299. Both use the same air/oil-cooled eight-valve 648cc parallel-twin engine from the ultra-successful Interceptor and Continental models. UK deliveries will begin in March, with a three-year unlimited-mileage warranty. The fuel-injected engine produces a claimed 46bhp at 7250rpm, meaning it's A2 compliant, while peak torque of 39lb·ft is delivered at 5650rpm – 400 revs higher than on the older 650 twins. The Super Meteor's airbox and exhausts are all-new which, coupled with revised mapping, delivers…

SYM'S NEW MAXSYM TL508 is the firm's first super-scoot and is powered by an all-new parallel-twin motor. The Maxsym has plenty to shout about. From its swoopy, sports styling and laid-down, balance-shaft-equipped, parallel twin (45bhp), to its beefy USD forks and ‘spin-forged’ 15in wheels, there's a lot to like. The £9449 SYM can't quite match Yamaha's class-leading (and £4k more expensive) TMAX in all areas though a small 4.5in TFT dash and lack of riding modes show where some costs have been cut. On the move however, the all-new 508cc twin is thrummy and responsive and everything seems easily manageable and well-balanced. The Maxsym's all-round handling is impressive and it's fast – sort of, comfortably capable of topping the national limit. But three-figure speeds are probably out of reach for…

BUYING A BRAND-NEW bike is one of the most amazing feelings in the world – especially if the start of your biking life was mired by riding rusty, aged shonkers. But there is no getting away from the fact that purchasing the bike of your dreams is an expensive game. However, the advent of PCP has opened new bike ownership up and made it more accessible, affordable and much easier. It isn't for everyone, but those monthly payments really are tempting… £152.11 A MONTH Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX £12,5O5 > 140bhp > 82lb-ft > 835kg 835mm seat Unlike most of the other manufacturers who are at 8.9% or 9.9%, Kawasaki currently offers a subsidised 7.9% APR on it finance packages (PCP and HP) across its whole range of models – so…

2010 Honda VFR1200F £4495 > 170bhp > 95lb-ft > 267kg > 815mm seat THE VFR1200 BARRELS imperiously into another crinkle-cut Lincolnshire corner with poised gravitas, like a ballet dancer swinging a sledgehammer. Smoothing each apex between its wheels by force of will rather than handlebar pressure, the peerless 1237cc V4 pours its meticulous horsepower through warm rubber in a linear, softly pulsating stream. This is surely peak Soichiro. The V4 was his perfect engine, and the VFR1200 is – swansong RC213V-S aside – the last Honda V4, probably forever. Ducati currently has three V4 models in its line-up, Aprilia two, and Honda none. Which is quite a thought – and why, although unloved at the time of its launch, today the VFR1200 is important and significant; an endangered species and…

Oxford Stormland £399.99 (jkt) £299.99 (trs) www.oxfordproducts.com THE CLAIM “The Advanced Rider Series Stormland allows the rider to go further, for longer, whatever the conditions. The Dry2Dry Trilaminate construction fuses a rugged high-tenacity nylon outer to a durable waterproof/breathable membrane. A WarmDry thermal layer with Polartec® Power Grid stretch allows the mid layer to move without sacrificing warmth. Remove it, open the chest vents and upper arm vents and cooling airflow is channelled directly to the body.” THE REALITY Oxford's new Stormland is the brand's range-topper. It comes up large but once on, it is very comfortable. There are no details, like zips or poppers, to dig-in when you're on the bike. The collar fastens with Velcro and the thermal liner is surprisingly warm for a thin element. The trousers…

GARAGE THE DIRT THE Z1000SX WAS Kawasaki's best seller for a decade, which is impressive considering its slightly dubious origins. The first was a Z-thou supernaked with added practicality and a sub-£10K price and was such a hit, it's been consistently refined and improved. Renamed Ninja Z1000SX in 2020, here's what ownership of the first three Zed variants brings… 1 Loads to choose from With four similar-looking variants, it's easy to get SXs mixed up and important to know what you're getting: 2011-13 had no electronics bar optional ABS; 2014-16 got sharpened styling, two modes, three-way traction, tweaked suspension and improved throttle response; 2017-19 got an IMU, LED lights and improved suspension while 2020-on ‘Ninja’ got sharper steering, cruise, quickshifter and a colour TFT dash. How common? Due to vast numbers,…

GARAGE LONG-TERM TEST BIKES IT'S A TESTAMENT to the Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT's all-round abilities that it has done so much in the year or so it has been part of RiDE's long-term test fleet. In fact, it was this combination of fun and practicality that RiDE's readers particularly enjoyed, voting it 2022 People's Bike of the Year. While it has consumed miles like Blackstock does coffee and went round Cadwell Park in a fast group in Matt's hands, it hasn't all been gravy. There have been a few issues along the way that needed some attending to, including two brake overhauls and an inherent dislike to winter weather. Here's what we learned… THE FACTS £12,749 >150bhp > 226kg MILES THIS MONTH AVERAGE MPG 52.3 1 Engine's the star Plenty have talked…

‘I can't think of anything to replace it’ Kevin Walley has put over 100,000 miles on his eBay ZX-6R MOST OF OUR High-Mile Heroes seem to favour big tourers and adventure bikes, for obvious reasons, so it's nice to see something a bit different. “I find the adventure-bike riding position strangely uncomfortable,” says Kevin. “I think my spine has actually moulded into the sportsbike shape after 30 years of riding them! The 636 is one of the best middleweight engines out there and has all the power you really need. It's incredibly flexible, not too focussed like modern sportsbikes but still very capable – a great all-rounder.” As well as the Kawasaki, Kevin has a 2009 Fireblade, a 2012 VFR1200F and a 2019 Aprilia Tuono V4, but he keeps coming…

ARRIVING AT WALKERS snack bar near Mildenhall, I don't have any trouble recognising Woody, as we've known each other for over 40 years. As a schoolboy racing cyclist I'd go to my teammate's house and we'd tinker with our bikes. His older brother Woody and his mates would be tinkering with their motorbikes. Inevitably I was drawn in; a mad dash to Snetterton on the back of Woody's Z1000 sealed the deal and my cycling career was over. So it's all his fault Now it's good that we've got that history, because I'm late – really late. But he's still there, he's still cheerful, and he's raring to get on the road, so off we go. The ride Out of Walkers, our first port of call is just up the…

FRONT END MONTH IN BIKES SUSTAINABLE FUEL GOING FROM TRACK TO ROAD Not just Moto2; MotoGP series bosses Dorna will implement the E40 change across the classes, meaning other manufacturers like Ducati, Yamaha and Honda will also use the new fuel TRIUMPH'S CHIEF PRODUCT Officer, Steve Sargent, has spoken about how developing ethanol-rich E40 fuel for the Moto2 world championship for 2024 could influence the sustainability of future road bikes. “I think there's a consensus amongst the European manufacturers that electric can't be the only answer,” Sargent said. “Therefore, I think we are all seeing sustainable fuels as something we would like to be able to demonstrate to the European Commission and the UK Government; potentially it's a quicker win.” Triumph is the sole engine supplier to the Moto2 world championship…

‘I hit an unlit parked car facing the wrong way. Should I accept blame?’ Q I HAVE HAD a nasty accident, which has resulted in a spiral fracture in my ankle. I hit a parked car on the approach to a village in darkness. The car was facing towards my direction of travel, in a 60mph limit, outside a house. There was no street lighting. The car was a very grubby, dark coloured Ford Fiesta used by a visiting care worker who was dealing with an elderly patient, at about six in the evening last December. I have solicitors but their advice is I should take an equal split of blame, based on this analysis. I should have been riding slowly enough to stop for whatever was in my headlights.…

Who says cruisers don't handle well? The extruded steel swingarm delivers a rangy 1500mm wheelbase and very stable handling as a result. The twin Showa shocks, with five-step preload adjustment and 101mm of travel, work well and you can crack on at a surprisingly sprightly pace with reasonable ride quality – a criticism of the previous, 350cc version of the Meteor. Hard to haul up The front brake uses the same single 320mm front disc as earlier 650 models but a much larger 300mm rear brake disc (up from 240mm), both gripped by twin-piston calipers from Brembo's ByBre subsidiary, with twin-channel Bosch ABS. The Standard model weighs a claimed 241kg; heavier than the 217kg for the Interceptor and makes stopping quickly a challenge. Cheap but not nasty… The single round…

THE BIG RIDE THE FACTS The route An 80-mile loop through the countryside of Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, without Cotswolds congestion. Why it's great The roads are largely traffic-free, the scenery is good and there are some interesting places. When to go It's fine all year round but its beauty comes into its own in autumn and spring. Where to visit It's on the doorstep of Silverstone and is a great distraction during a weekend of Silverstone BSB action in early April. A PERFECT LATE-AUTUMN VISTA opens up in front of me, the browns and greens of a waning season contrasting with a hazy bluewhiteness of a near-perfect sky. Ahead, a heavenly British B-road wends its way into the middle distance, between the patchwork of freshly-ploughed fields, skirting its way…

DOWNLOAD THE ROUTE www.ride.co.uk Best for Brilliant riding, great places to stop. Length 80 miles. Route Towcester, Abthorpe, Adstone, Byfieid, Fenny Compton, Burton Dassett, Ettington, Shipston-on-Stour, Swerford, Deddington, Aynho, Farthinghow, Flelmdon, Wappenham, Abthorpe. Love it because There are great roads, great views and the kind of flowing riding that suits most bikes and riders. Some great places to stop for a look around or a meal, too. Take a picture at Burton Dassett Hills has some outstanding views over the area and out to Coventry. Stop for a cuppa at Mole in the Hedge café on the B5425 is well worth it. ALSO TRY… From town to town Best for Tourist-friendly middle-England towns like Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon and Chipping Norton. Length 65 miles. Route Warwick to Gaydon, than Banbury, Daddington, Chipping…

BIKES AREN'T CHEAP things; there is no getting away from it but if you're in the market for a new bike this year, you'd be well advised to look at bikes that can do more than one tiling brilliantly. It opens up your horizons and can enrich your biking life. These bikes are all capable of a variety of great jobs and do them well – you're getting two bikes for the price of one. Why take shampoo AND conditioner into the shower? KTM 790 Adventure SHOULD BE BRILLIANT AT… • TRAILS • MEDIUM-DISTANCE TOURING • WEEKEND RIDE-OUTS £9999 > 94bhp > 64lb-ft > 199kg > 840/860mm seat When the 790 Adventure was launched in 2019, it immediately proved to be one of the best all-rounders: as capable of a…

FROM 2001 UP to 2019, reborn Triumph had the booming British retro-roadster market pretty much to itself. The Royal Enfield Interceptor changed all that, becoming the UK's fourth-best-selling bike in the process. Largely developed in Britain (at Enfield's new Bruntingthorpe Technology Centre, significantly manned by exTriumph personnel) but built in India, the new 650 twins may have been a little softer and more basic than Hinckley's Bonnevilles, but they also ticked most of the same boxes for up to £3000 less. Its smooth, willing 47bhp twin delivers enough performance for most (and can be improved via pipe/air filter/gearing changes) while its Harris-developed chassis gives neutral, easy handling (even if its suspension and brakes are a little basic). It also looks great (and can be easily accessorised to look even better)…

UPDATE 01 TRIUMPH'S TIGER 1200 Rally Explorer is an absolute beast of a bike; as I wheel it out from RiDE HQ's lock-up for its inaugural ride back across the Fens to my garage, I realise I've forgotten just how imposing it is. Not so much heavy – the Tiger is well balanced and hides its weight well, even pushing it with the engine off. Triumph is at pains to point out it's lighter than BMW's R1250 GS Adventure, by seven kilos – 2.6% – but a win's a win. No, the Tiger is a beast because it's physically big – not as wide as a GSA but taller and just as domineering. Up close, it occupies more space in your eyeballs than most other bikes, blocking out the light…