Innholdsfortegnelse for 10 August 2022 i MCN

The Motorbike Show returns to ITV4 for its 11th series on Wednesday, September 7 for a run of six weekly episodes. Running for an hour each, the shows will be presented by Henry Cole, with help from fans’ favourites Allen Millyard, Guy Willison, and more. Millyard will be on hand each week to help restore a motorcycle throughout the series. Also included will be stories of motorcycles, manufacturers, interviews, and more. Visit henrycole.tv for more details. New bikes on the up Monthly bike sales statistics shared by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) show that new bike registrations are up by over 4000 units on this time last year, with 74,980 bikes registered to date in 2022. Royal Enfield’s Meteor 350 is currently the best-selling motorcycle above 125cc, with 1135 registrations,…

Ducati are aiming to go from boom… to bigger boom, with the announcement of record revenues and plans for seven 2023 model unveilings, starting next month. Following the biggest-ever attendance at the recent World Ducati Week, the Italian marque have not only revealed record sales revenues for the first half of 2022 but are already pushing for further growth with a series of premieres of new models commencing from September 2. Although the exact nature of these bikes is secret, Ducati have given some hints with the titles of each premiere and MCN expects a new Scrambler, a more off-road Multistrada or Desert-X, a new track-orientated sportster and, perhaps, even Ducati’s first electric bike. The latest figures give every reason for confidence. In the first six months of 2022 over…

‘The aim is to help riders cut their carbon’ Anew shared e-scooter scheme – claimed to be the first in London – is being piloted by eco transport company, HumanForest. The project is targeted at delivery scooter riders with the aim of giving flexible access to sustainable transport, reducing carbon emissions in the process. “The first shared and truly green eMoped scheme gives Londoners another tool to improve air quality and cut carbon,” HumanForest’s Agustin Guilisasti said. “As petrol prices reach record-highs, this is a timely launch for businesses to embrace sustainable transport through a shared service with maximum flexibility. We are excited to welcome this new type of user into our community.” HumanForest were founded in London in 2020, initially to launch a shared ‘eBicycle’ scheme. The new scheme…

Honda have a range of new colour options for the 2023 CRF1100L Africa Twin and Africa Twin Adventure Sports. Having received their most recent major updates in 2020, the Honda duo are otherwise unchanged for 2023. The slimmer, lighter, more nimble standard Africa Twin gets two new designs as well as the ‘Grand Prix Red’ scheme carried over from 2022. It will also be available in all-black and a new red/white/blue ‘HRC’-style tricolour with black wheels. The Adventure Sport meanwhile, which comes with a larger 25-litre tank, taller screen and extra comfort, and is aimed more at road touring, has two new options – a different red/white/blue tricolour with gold wheels plus grey metallic with black wheels. The AS model accounts for 56% of all Africa Twin sales in Europe.…

Shoei have released a new FIM-homologated racing helmet to meet the latest, more stringent ECE 22.06 safety regulations. Called the X-SPR Pro, MCN got its hands on the first production unit in the UK for a full test, with customer lids expected to arrive in showrooms at the end of September. The Pro takes over from the firm’s outgoing X-Spirit 3 design, which has been used, abused, and developed by the likes of eight-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez, but only met the outgoing ECE 22.05 rules. According to Shoei, the new helmet has an aerodynamic design to keep the wearer’s head stable at speeds in excess of 217mph – a useful feature in grand prix racing, but unlikely to be put to the test on your next trackday. To…

Readers Four of us did the trip: Robbin, Fred, Phil and Ady The trip USA Coast-to-Coast How many miles? 5640 miles in total from one side of the country to the other How long do you need? 16 days Best time to go We went in June Don’t miss… We took in 15 states and the following scenic routes: Pacific Coast Highway, Yosemite, Death Valley, Sitgreaves Pass and some of Route 66, Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce National Park, Scenic Byway 12, Monument Valley, Million Dollar Highway, Pikes Peak, Pig Trail Byway, Natchez Trace Byway, Cherohala Skyway, Tail of the Dragon, US129 and Blueridge Parkway. All the bikes were Harley-Davidson tourers which we rented from EagleRider – you just have to be on a Harley-Davidson for a journey like…

Honda’s flagship Africa Twin has always been a popular choice for riders around the globe drawn to its do-anything attitude. To celebrate the culture and heritage behind the model, the factory set up Honda Adventure Roads – an event designed to challenge riders and bikes and showcase exactly what the latest Africa Twin is capable of. Now in its third incarnation, the first two were in Norway and South Africa, this year’s expedition took place in the spectacular and challenging surroundings of Iceland. MCN’s Michael Guy joined 40 riders from all over the world for the ride of a lifetime… and soon discovered it wasn’t for the faint-hearted. Day 1 – Reykjavik to Hella It doesn’t take long to clear the city limits as we head inland and the landscape…

ALI SILCOX OFFICE MANAGER Loves nothing more than buggering off on a solo riding tour. The heady heights of a Grade D for O-level Computer Studies suggests I’m not the most technically savvy person. I’ve never felt this has held me back but after spending three hours attempting to set up Android Auto on the NT1100, I wish I’d listened more in my lessons. As the air turns blue, my husband knows better than to ask how things are going and even the cat’s scarpered. The instructions say it’s a case of plug the phone into the dash via a USB cable, enable Android Auto, connect my headset and Bob’s your uncle. I soon establish Bob is no relative of mine. My phone connects to the bike and the HJC…

‘Make sure you’ve seen the light!’ I remember being offered an SV1000S as a part exchange in about 2005 – it seemed like a good deal as the bike was still fairly current and was popular in the used market at the time. But when it turned up at the showroom, all was not well. It was one of the bronze coloured bikes, which I have to say wasn’t my favourite paint scheme, but something wasn’t quite right. Suzuki get a fair bit of stick about their build quality and the SV was a budget-friendly model but still, the finish on the paint was noticeably bad when you looked closely, which set alarm bells ringing. I did a bit more digging and sure enough, there were a few tell-tale signs…

‘I gave that everything, left nothing out there’JAKE DIXON There was pressure and expectation. But Jake Dixon delivered a memorable home podium, and once again produced a performance that suggested a debut Moto2 victory isn’t far away. After Sam Lowes exited the event on Friday with a dislocated left shoulder, all hopes for home Moto2 success fell on Dixon’s shoulders. He was a man in demand, with the Englishman receiving a rousing reception from the home fans wherever he went. “I’ve been like a performing jumping jack, going for it on stage, off stage, giving it some,” he said. Yet there were fears that he might not build on the sensational speed he showed in free practice after a slow slip off at the start of qualifying. “That was stressful,…

The job facing Rory Skinner at Silverstone was a big one: having never sat on a Moto2 machine before Friday, the 20-year old was in at the deep end. Yet he was an encouraging 24th in qualifying, improving his lap time by 2.9s from Friday morning. Had Simone Corsi not pushed him off track on the final lap, he would’ve had a top 20 finish, too. As it was, 21st was impressive. “It was such an experience. It was a whirlwind of emotions but I got into a rhythm then Corsi knocked me onto the grass. It’s hard racing here!” he said.…

A once admired strength of the Suzuki GSX-RR was a surprise weakness that left Alex Rins shattered at Silverstone. Rins was dumbfounded when abnormal tyre degradation saw him slump from the early lead of the British GP to finish seventh. The Spaniard was swamped by a squadron of V4 rivals just as he was on target to reprise his sublime victory at Silverstone in 2019. He said: “I was simply devastated. Not because of my performance because I gave the maximum. When I took the lead from Miller, I was already having problems with the rear tyre and traction. The rear wheel was spinning more so I had to ride more carefully.” Rins had started the race from 11th and got to the lead ahead of Jack Miller’s Ducati on…

Since securing its first MotoGP podium at Silverstone 12 months ago, the Aprilia MotoGP project has gone into overdrive. From the whipping boys of the class to what looks to be the best all-round package on the grid – both Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales are now firmly in the MotoGP mix week in, week out. Sweet engine helps riders get on the gas fast The 90-degree V4 in the RS-GP 2022 not only has a lot of power, its strengths lie in the strong initial throttle pickup and smooth, linear power delivery. This allows the riders to start opening the throttle really early in the corner, with a lot of lean angle, while not disturbing the delicate edge grip. And as they exit the corner and start to pick…

16 Nakagami 45 17 Espargaro P 42 18 Marquez A 27 19 Morbidelli 26 20 Di Giannantonio 18 21 Binder D 10 22 Dovizioso 10 23 Gardner 9 FINAL POSITIONS MOTOGP FINAL POSITIONS MOTO 2 11 Gonzalez +14.040 12 Arbolino +14.802 13 Chantra +16.098 14 Alcoba +17.285 15 Aldeguer +19.253 16 Baltus +19.336 17 Dalla Porta +27.544 18 Zaccone +32.993 19 Antonelli +34.996 20 Corsi +40.187 FINAL POSITIONS MOTO 3 11 Artigas +1.827 12 Ogden +2.050 13 Fellon +2.186 14 Rossi +2.383 15 Fernandez +21.029 16 Bartolini +21.064 17 Aji +21.188 18 Furusato +21.243 19 Surra +21.430 20 Carraro +21.454…

£155 PER MONTH Ducati Panigale V2 £16,251 | 955cc | 200kg | 153bhp | 840mm The sportsbike world is one that is dominated by headline performance figures, however if the vast majority of buyers actually looked at how and where they use their bikes, they would probably conclude that 200bhp isn’t totally necessary. Good fun? Hell yes. Necessary? Not really. Which is where the likes of the Panigale V2 come into their own. Powered by a 955cc V-twin (Ducati have a bit of history with this configuration in WSB…) the Panigale V2 is a lightweight sportsbike that packs all the tech you would expect on a Bologna bullet, as well as a stunning chassis, but does so with ‘only’ 153bhp on tap, making it far more accessible and less intimidating…

£85 PER MONTH Suzuki Burgman 400 £7101 | 400cc | 218kg | 29bhp | 755mm Upgraded for 2022, the Burgman now features traction control as well as a revised Euro5-compliant single-cylinder engine. The Burgman has proven a huge hit with commuters ever since its launch. It’s an ideal inner city companion. £139 PER MONTH Yamaha TMAX Tech MAX £12,700 | 562cc | 220kg | 47bhp | 800mm The sporty maxi scooter now features a TFT dash with connectivity available for Garmin satnav, new bodywork and lighter wheels. The Tech MAX ups the ante with an electronically adjustable screen, heated seat and grips, cruise control and more. £159 PER MONTH BMW CE 04 £11,700 | Electric motor | 231kg | 42bhp | 780mm This new, fairly crazy-looking, electric scooter from BMW…

When I was a kid, most of the bikes I saw on the road were sub-500cc ‘nakeds’ being used for everything from the daily commute to sunny Sunday blasts. Spotting something bigger was a real treat. So memorable, in fact, that I still have a crystal-clear video clip embedded in my brain of watching a Kawasaki Z1300 bimble down Sevenoaks High Street. It’s one of the moments that steered me even closer to becoming a biker. So, the current tide of 250s and 400s entering the market gives me flashbacks to the days when I (inexplicably) lusted after the Honda 400 SuperDream owned by the parts department manager at my Dad’s garage. And it seems that a mass of UK bikers feel the same about this smaller capacity resurgence. Royal…

Research into fuel prices across the UK has revealed that we should be paying less at the pumps, despite the average price per litre falling by nearly 9p in July. According to findings from the RAC, the average cost at the pumps dropped by 8.74p across the UK to 182.69p a litre. While that might sound good, it’s not as much of a result as it could’ve been. This is because the wholesale price has fallen for eight consecutive weeks, dropping from 151.93p a litre at the start of June to 131.75p in the final week of July. The last time prices were that low was early May and led to a UK average at the pumps a week later of 167p a litre. That’s far less than the current…

Small-capacity urban electric firm, Maeving have now delivered around 100 of their RM1 motorcycles to customers across the UK, having only launched their website publicly at the beginning of November 2021. Designed and assembled in Coventry, the RM1 starts at £4995 and is capable of a claimed 45mph and has a range of 80 miles with two 57.4V removable batteries installed. “We are overjoyed,” said Maeving Co-founder, Will Stirrup. “It was a pretty special moment seeing someone enjoying what we’ve built, roughly four years after starting the journey.”…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com CZ 125 July 1971 setting off on holiday, no panniers just suitcases strapped on the rack, no goggles, no gloves… Alan Brown BSA A10 GOLDEN FLASH The first bike that landed me in hospital! Bob Chance KAWASAKI Z650F4 This is me in 1984 busy admiring my first brand new machine – a Kawasaki Z650F4. Tony Barrow SUZUKI GT250 I can still see the grin inside that Stadium Cobra helmet. Steve Powell ARIEL RED HUNTER In 1964 it took me and a friend, both recently commissioned as RAF Pilot Officers, to Harstad, Norway. It was -7°C! Archie Bowman BSA ROYAL STAR 1970 posing for the photographer between TT races in Parliament Square, Ramsey, Isle of Man. Michael Keith NORTON COMMANDO 1972 Commando, from Tinklers…

1 Graham Walker Run August 14 Returning for its 60th year, Beaulieu is playing host to the tribute event, organised by the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club. Enter your bike online, or if you just want to catch the action then you can enter the museum from 10am. www.beaulieu.co.uk 2 Hornsea Biker Event August 14 Hornsea, East Yorks, is ready to be transformed once again with live music, plenty of bikes, stalls and even a raffle. There’s also a competition for best Japanese classic. www.hornseabikerevent.org.uk 3 Maxey Classic Show August 13 Gawp at classics this weekend from 11am-4pm at Willow Brook Farm, Peterborough, Cambs PE6 7EL. There’ll be a BBQ, music and plenty for the kids. www.maxeyclassiccarandbikeshow.com 4 Bikerlott August 14 Leamington Spa will be taken over by stalls, stands and most…

The CB’s A2-legal parallel twin was made Euro5-compliant for 2022 and now features improved fuelling and a slip/assist clutch The CB features Showa 41mm Separate Function Big Piston forks and twin Nissin calipers The (dim) LCD contains a fuel gauge, shift indicator, gear position and the usual trips, clock etc ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ £6699 Honda CB500X Has angle-sensitive TC and ABS with dedicated off-road settings 5in TFT can be linked to KTM’s app to bring basic turn-by-turn navigation and the ability to make calls ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ £5999 KTM 390 Adventure The A2-legal 500cc twin has more torque than its mini adventure rivals The TRK instruments are basic but clear and you get a fuel gauge, gear indicator plus the usual trips etc ★ ★ ★…

People who have shaped our world No custom builder is more famous than Arlen Ness. At the forefront of the California custom scene in the early 1970s and ’80s, his extreme, exquisite, trendsetting wonders such as ‘Ness-Tique’, ‘Smooth-Ness’ and ‘Ness-Stalgia’, won competitions, put him on magazine covers and helped turn his paint and accessories store into a global brand. Not bad for someone who started out as a furniture delivery driver earning a few extra bucks as a ten-pin bowling ace. Ness’s first bike came in 1963 when, aged 24, driving his furniture van he spotted a 1947 Harley Knucklehead for sale and promptly bought it with $300 savings without telling his pregnant wife, Bev. Quickly a part of the California biking scene, Ness then began hanging out with customisers,…

From the slow technical water crossings and deep sand to the fast open tracks that make up some of Iceland’s ‘road’ network, the big Honda delivered. Having spent my days riding the DCT version I have a new-found respect for the innovative ‘automatic’ system. It’s hard not to be impressed, the throttle connection and the ease of use – especially in the river crossings where not having to use the clutch gave you one less thing to worry about. The manual mode meant you could change up and down the gearbox with the flick of a button anyway and by the end of the ride I was converted – well almost!…

Apitch-perfect performance on Sunday rewarded the resources Honda have ploughed into their Suzuka 8 Hours project. The team, led by Moto2 race winner Tetsuta Nagashima, were flawless as they took pole position, fastest lap and led from start to finish. No stone was left unturned by HRC in their bid to claim their first Suzuka victory since 2014. Nagashima, winner of the 2020 Qatar Moto2 Grand Prix, has been on the racing sidelines this year, focused on the development of the Fireblade for Suzuka. Knowing every nut and bolt of the bike allowed him to smash the lap record in qualifying. With Honda pulling resources from their World Superbike programme, including rider Iker Lecuona, the pressure to perform was incredibly high. Lecuona once again gave the perfect illustration of why…

‘I don’t shout about it in the paddock’LEE JACKSON GRIDLINE RACING Find out more about Lincolnshire’s largest indoor Karting Centre at www.gridlineracing.com Lee Jackson is having a fantastic 2022. He clinched a maiden win at Oulton Park, sits third in the championship, and is finally being recognised throughout the paddock for his natural speed and talent. MCN spent time with Jackson at Gridline Racing in Lincoln, testing out the new and improved circuit, before discussing his brilliant form. Hard work pays off Jackson has been building towards something special in his second BSB stint. Bad luck saw him narrowly miss the Showdown last year, but he’s now sprayed the bubbly on the top step. “My family kept saying ‘you can win this’,” Jackson recalls. “I got off the bike and…

The British GP may have been the most turbulent of Scott Ogden’s young career to date, but it also brought the best out of the 18-year-old on Sunday. Four points for twelfth after qualifying 24th was good. But finishing just 2.05s behind race winner Dennis Foggia was even better. Ogden was the first to admit he was out of line with some outspoken comments on Saturday. The Englishman had claimed his team weren’t listening to his feedback and vented to the television mics. Yet having acknowledged his mistake, he picked off 12 riders to finish among the lead group. ‘At the end it came back together’ “I felt really good and had my eyes on getting on the back of the leading group. At the end it came back together.…

A year ago Maverick Viñales was a despondent spectator at the Austrian GP, his career in crisis. Twelve months on and he is riding the crest of wave which he hopes will deliver his first MotoGP win with Aprilia. That date with destiny could lie just ten days away at the Red Bull Ring. If self-belief is an indicator, Viñales is tantalisingly close to achieving a career milestone with the factory who rescued him after 2021’s mid-season end to his Yamaha contract. Viñales last won at Qatar in 2021 on a Yamaha but he has been rejuvenated both by the power and precise handling of the RS-GP (see left) and the atmosphere in the Aprilia garage. Both have been crucial in a transformation that was on full show after a…

MATTHEW BIRT INSIGHT Getting the inside line on grand prix racing since 1996 Two of MotoGP’s fastest and most successful superstars inspired Pecco Bagnaia to an unexpected Silverstone success. Fifth on the grid and lacking two-tenths-per-lap in pre-race pace, Bagnaia was pessimistic about his prospects of claiming just a second Silverstone win for Ducati. “I’d already accepted a good result being a top five because I was not expecting to be competitive,” Bagnaia admitted. The Italian though has friends in high places. And he ended the British Grand Prix on a high after pre-race pep talks from mentor Valentino Rossi and Ducati icon Casey Stoner ignited his title challenge. Tyre selection advice from Rossi proved pivotal as Bagnaia heeded the nine-time World Champion’s words of wisdom about racing Michelin’s medium…

£118.40 PER MONTH KTM 890 Duke £10,049 | 889cc | 183kg | 114bhp | 820mm The 890 Duke is a brash-looking middleweight naked machine that is brimming with attitude. Now in its second generation with the much-improved 890 parallel twin motor, the base model is an absolute hoot to ride. £103.27 PER MONTH GasGas SM 700 £9349 | 693cc | 161kg | 74bhp | 898mm The SM700 is very similar to offerings from KTM and Husqvarna (they are owned by the same company…) and is powered by the same LC4 single-cylinder engine. Your money gets you supermoto styling and plenty of cutting-edge goodies. £135 PER MONTH Harley-Davidson Sportster S £14,877 | 1252cc | 228kg | 120.6bhp | 765mm Harley’s Sportster S makes an impressive 120.6bhp with 92.2lb.ft of torque and…

£139 PER MONTH Ducati DesertX £14,251 | 937cc | 223kg | 109bhp | 875mm The first modern Ducati with off-road sized 21in front and 18in rear wheels, and described by the firm as a ‘machine with intense off-road attitude’, the fabulous-looking DesertX combines all the usual road-targeted safety assists with genuine go-anywhere potential and versatility, making it the ultimate world explorer. And it’s not necessarily just for those who are looking at taking on seriously challenging off-road trails either. Despite its off-road focus, the DesertX feels totally at home on tarmac. The fairly upright riding position is very relaxed and the tall screen does a surprisingly good job of sheltering you from the elements while the seat, although undeniably a touch firm, is far from uncomfortable and is good for…

£185.24 PER MONTH Kawasaki H2 SX £21,735 | 998cc | 266kg | 197.2bhp | 835mm Kawasaki have really pushed the boat out with their supercharged sports-tourer and for 2022 it has received a whole host of tech that hasn’t all been seen on one motorcycle before. And that’s on top of the existing H2 SX platform which was hardly lacking in clever features to start with. The headline-grabbing new gadgets come thanks to two radar sensors added to the front and rear of the bike which give it a host of advanced safety aids. You now get Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Blind Sport Detection (BSD) as standard fitment, which is incredibly impressive to see on a bike. Add these new technologies to the range of…

At first glance, these spy shots of Triumph’s new ‘baby Bonneville’ could easily be mistaken for a new model in their T100 family. But a more lingering interrogation confirms that this is the first fruit of the marriage between Triumph’s UK R&D division, and Indian manufacturing giant, Bajaj. And despite the inherently Triumph heritage styling cues and quality cycle parts and finishes, evident even on this final-stage prototype, this new family of single-cylinder models will be the firm’s lowest capacity, and cost, offerings from the Hinckley era. Low capacity, high volume The exact capacities that will power of the new family, which is expected to comprise a street roadster and a scrambler, are a tight-lipped secret, with the firm resolutely stating: ‘No comment’. But Triumph’s Chief Product Officer, Steve Sargent,…

Three MV Agustas, each valued between £40,000 and £80,000 from the Italian marque’s glory years in the 1970s, will star in a classic auction towards the end of the month. Comprising a 1970 MV Agusta 750S, a ‘last-of-the-line’ 1978 850SS Monza and a 1976-1979 750S America showing just 42 miles, they are part of a collection being offered at the Silverstone Auctions sale between August 26 and 28. Most valuable of all is the 750S (pictured above), with a guide price of £60,000-£80,000. “We are expecting international interest in this 1970 machine which ticks so many boxes for Agusta fans,” said Silverstone Auctions’ Mark Bryan. “It comes from one of the best collections of Agustas it has been my privilege to see and is the earliest example I’ve ever seen.”…

Bikers across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire are gearing up for a 62-mile ride across the two counties in aid of local Air Ambulance and Blood Bike charities. The Lincs and Notts Ride of Thanks will take place on Sunday, September 4 – setting off from Newark Showground at 10.30am, before following a circular route through both counties. Organisers are asking for a £10 registration to take part, plus booking fees, with the money raised going to the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance, plus both Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Blood Bikers. The event began back in 2016 as a fundraiser for the Air Ambulance and was originally known as the ‘Ride to Save Lives’. The helicopter charity ran the event until 2019, before devising a series of smaller fundraising rides as Covid restrictions…

Shots on CF Moto’s official Facebook page have given us a glimpse at a long-awaited adventure variant of their parallel-twin CL-X700 platform. The images show an almost finished CL-X700 Adventure, which was first shown as a concept at the EICMA trade show in Milan last November alongside the CLX-700 Heritage and CL-X700 Sport. Both of these are now on sale, with the Adventure expected to follow suit in the coming months. A representative for CF Moto UK told MCN there aren’t plans to bring it here, but we wouldn’t count it out entirely – especially given the fact the other versions are in dealers. The images online were uploaded along with the words: “700CL-X ADV is on the horizon and so is your next adventure,” implying this third version is…

Just thought I’d share a of picture I took while out with some friends on our bikes this summer, it was taken at a place called White Horse Hill near Uffington in Oxfordshire – the home of a prehistoric chalk horse carved into the hillside – and to my mind sums up perfectly the end of a great summer evening ride and the pure joy of freedom you get from a motorcycle. Dave Church, email Ed: What a great shot and that feeling after a long summer ride truly is hard to equal. Write something that spikes our interest, and you could get selected for the Star Letter slot. Each week one lucky reader will win an MCN T-shirt in a variety of different designs…

Ride further in 2022 with a little help from our one-stop event guide JUST BREW IT Ride out to Britain’s best biking cafés There’s something special going on Upstairs at Thunder Road. Nestled by the Welsh coast, Thunder Road Motorcycles in Bridgend, now part of the Completely Motoring Group, is a multi-franchise dealership stocking everything from Honda and Suzuki to Indian, making them one of the largest motorcycle dealers in Wales. So, it’s easy to get lost perusing their new and used machines, or in their huge kit department. And as you know, gawking at bikes and trying on helmets all morning works up a serious appetite. “You’ll be dribbling before you even get to the café!” says Sarah Davies manager of ‘Upstairs’. But don’t worry, a big shop needs…

When it comes to riding around the world, people think they need a big GS – but they don’t. You want a lightweight single that is easy to manage and as basic as you can get. You want a bike that a backstreet mechanic in India can fix and you can bodge at the side of the road, so the less complicated electronics and sensors the better! Chain not shaft drive is best and spoke not cast wheels. Weight is a huge factor, too. I’ve seen countless riders on big, heavy, adventure bikes getting worried about taking their bike somewhere challenging. This ruins their experience and in many cases means they miss out on getting to spectacular areas. A light bike is easy to pick up when (not if…) you…

“We were at the Love Ride in LA, had our truck there and a display of bikes and Jay Leno pulled up. I’ve known him for a while and he was riding this jet bike that sounded so killer it made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. So I figured ‘I’d better have one of these’ so afterwards we got back in town, started looking on eBay and found a motor. It’s a jet motor out of a helicopter. We made a frame and did the bodywork and everything and had a lot of fun. People really loved that thing. It sounds so wicked. I’d take it to all the events, ride it around and people would run after you waiting for you to pull over…

Modern super-nakeds are pushing the envelope so far that they need to come with a stack of power-taming electronics. Traction control, ABS, up/down shifters, semi-active suspension, the list goes on and on. If you hanker after the days when a performance naked just relied upon the skill of the rider to keep it all in check, these used beauties will set your pulse racing – in a good way! £2000-£4000 2003-2008 Suzuki SV1000 Suzuki’s forgotten big-capacity V-twin machine The naked SV1000 arrived in 2003 alongside its more practical half-faired S sibling. Powered by a TL1000S-derived engine, Suzuki hoped it would appeal to SV650 owners looking to upgrade but this market never took to the thousand and its slightly budget nature dissuaded those after a full-on super-naked, which was a shame.…

One of the crucial things to remember when fitting a link, whether it is a split link or rivet type, is that it must be the same make and size for the chain it’s going to be fitted to. For example, it’s no good thinking that all 520 links will fit all chain makes, because this is not the case. A 520 chain does share a lot of the dimensions from one make to another, but there are differences in link applications that can cause problems. You might think this is stating the obvious, but it’s very easy to get wrong. Just look at a list of 520 chains from one top brand and you’ll see there are at least five different types of O-ring chain available in that one…

The Jackson family has been in the British paddock for over 20 years. dad Gary and uncle Lee were both racers in the 1990s and 2000s, whilst grandad Eric competed on four wheels in rallying. Gary and uncle Lee entered the British 250cc Championship in 2000, with his uncle racing for Padgett’s on a 125 and 250 the following year. “I’ve seen several videos of them both battling against John McGuinness on the Demon Vimto Honda, Jackson said. “I remember Roland Sands came over for a one-off race in the wet at Brands Hatch, and him spinning up a 250 out of Druids, with Keith Huewen going mad on commentary. My dad won that race, which is pretty cool.” ‘I’ve seen video of both battling McGuinness…’ Lee senior spent 2002…

John McPhee was more than frustrated to miss out on a home podium at Silverstone and rued the slow rhythm of the Moto3 race, which led to some wild moves from his competitors. There were incidents aplenty late into the contest in which 3.3s covered a lead group of 21 with five laps to play. Amid the late madness, title leaders Sergio Garcia and Izan Guevara were wiped out by Ayumu Sasaki and Ivan Ortola respectively. And McPhee was the victim of a wild move by Kaito Toba two corners from the flag, which dropped him from fourth to seventh. “I tried to line up a pass in the second last corner and had the door closed,” explained the Scot. “Then someone rode into the back of me. After sniffing…

Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin are staging the most intense, and intriguing, sideshow to the MotoGP title fight with both chasing promotion to the Ducati factory squad next year with Pecco Bagnaia. Ducati bosses have cut the pair loose with a decision likely after the next race in Austria. Bastianini (Gresini Ducati) was in full ‘Beast’ mode at Silverstone snatching fourth place from Martin (Pramac) on the final lap after wrestling his GP21 around the track without a left front aerofoil. The winglet was dislodged in a tight starting squeeze with Martin and VR46 Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi. Bastianini and Martin (fifth) were separated by just 0.1s. Martin had started ninth and at halfway was ahead of eventual second-placed Maverick Viñales after pushing the limit on his tyres. “I’m super happy.…

From monster crash to heroic comeback that pushed the limits of pain threshold… Aleix Espargaro dug deep to finish ninth at Silverstone. He deserved more after a violent 115mph highside in FP4 that could have ended his courageous title chase. With heavily bruised ankles (later diagnosed as a fracture to his right heel) Espargaro ignored the discomfort to almost snatch eighth in a last lap lunge on title leader Quartararo. The damage limitation was just a single point with Quartararo carrying a lead of 22 points into the Austrian GP. That was the upside. Not so the fast-closing Silverstone winner Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati) who now threatens to overtake Espargaro on the way to hunting down Quartararo. “Austria and then Misano are good for Pecco and Ducati, so everything is open.…

The beginning of the end of Jack Miller’s Ducati career kicked off with a stunning Silverstone podium. The KTM-bound Aussie started and finished third in a classic race that saw the closest MotoGP podium finish since Styria in Austria in 2020, with Miller only 0.6s behind factory Ducati colleague Pecco Bagnaia. The 27-year-old stuck to his guns to race Michelin’s soft front tyre, with only four other riders opting for that compound as track temperatures soared to a scorching 43°C. His decision paid dividends as Miller was the only rider to end every lap inside the top three in a frenetic encounter. He briefly led on lap five after French hopes fell apart when Fabio Quartararo dropped back after taking a long lap penalty and Johann Zarco remains winless in…

£105 PER MONTH Triumph Speed Twin 1200 £11,495 | 1200cc | 216kg | 98.6bhp | 809mm Offering a great alternative to the sporty Thruxton model in Triumph’s Modern Classics range, the Speed Twin 1200 makes a superb retro naked bike with bags of attitude, a cool exhaust note, helpful electronics and impressive handling. Boasting flat bars rather than the racer’s clip-ons, not to mention a more relaxed riding position with lower pegs, last year the Speed Twin gained inverted forks with radial Brembo brakes, lighter wheels and a faster-revving motor. While this extra focus on performance could have upset the Twin’s lovely overall feeling of balance, it actually made a great bike even better and injected just the right amount of extra performance to give it a pleasing zip that…

£109 PER MONTH Harley-Davidson Nightster £13,277 | 975cc | 221kg | 87bhp | 705mm Harley claim the new Nightster is a leap forward in both performance and design when compared to the old Sportsters, yet remains an accessible entry point into the brand. The water-cooled Nightster is an all-new performance cruiser that sits in the firm’s ‘Sport’ category line-up alongside the Sportster S. And when Harley say it is sporty, they are not wrong! Powered by a smaller version of the 60-degree Revolution Max V-twin engine, the 975T motor has variable valve timing on its intake cam, giving it a very different character to the bigger-capacity model. Revvier and with its power located higher up the range, get the Nightster’s engine spinning and it is impressively fast and packs 87bhp…