Innholdsfortegnelse for 25 February 2026 i MCN

TOP STORY Founder of Langen Motorcycles, Christofer Ratcliffe has told MCN that the first of 185 British-built Lightspeed V-twin muscle cruisers are set to arrive with customers by the beginning of August. Priced from £37,000 plus VAT, Ratcliffe states that around half of the build slots have now been filled - driven on by a surprising early appetite from riders in the US, and a number of orders made during last November's Motorcycle Live (MCL) show at Birmingham's NEC. “We're really, really pleased,” he said. “We took lots of orders at the show, which we didn't expect. “And what we're seeing is, while most of our sales are from the UK, most of our enquiries are actually from the US. So that's really shifted the focus for us on trying…

‘My granddad borrowed £275 to start in 1958’ Padgett's Motorcycles in Batley are defying a tricky UK motorcycle sales market and expanding with a brand-new Honda showroom featuring 10,000 square feet of space for customers to sample the latest new metal. Scheduled to open later this year, the development has been ongoing for the past 18 months and will sit alongside their other Suzuki and Yamaha franchises. It's set to become the biggest Honda ‘Dream’ dealership in the UK and one of the largest across Europe. “This is not an expansion, it's a completely new site,” Dealer Principal, Helen Padgett told MCN. “It's going to join the existing Padgett's building to a brand-new state-of-the-art Honda Dream showroom. “I threw our hat in the ring about three years ago to say…

BikeSafe is back for 2026 and set to get under way this week, with dozens of police-led workshops scheduled until mid-October – and all with the price reduced from last year. The new season will begin on Friday, February 28, courtesy of North Yorkshire Police, with the event taking place at their Alverton Court HQ in Northallerton, starting at 9am. That same weekend will see BikeSafe workshops delivered in Lancashire and Yorkshire by Lancashire Constabulary and Humberside Police on Sunday, before the programme moves on to Staffordshire and Wiltshire the following weekend. Weekly events spanning England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Northern Ireland follow, right through until the October 13. The Isle of Man will also gain its first BikeSafe workshop this year, with the inaugural event scheduled for May. These…

Theft remains one of British bikers’ biggest concerns. It feels as though hardly a day goes by where there isn't a social media post about someone's pride and joy getting pinched. While most of us have a general idea about bikes being more likely to be stolen than cars, with 125cc scooters the most vulnerable of all, what's the exact truth according to the latest data? In other words, just how much of a threat is theft? We've taken an in-depth look at official motorcycle theft statistics from the police, Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), insurance companies and British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) and investigated not just total UK thefts but also most likely locations, types of bikes, recovery rates and how things are changing year by year. THE MCN INVESTIGATION Our…

Oxford ARMR Dryguard oversuit £49.98 This waterproof oversuit is designed to fit over your existing riding gear, so pick your gear size, and it'll fit over it without guesswork. The top has taped seams, a storm flap and hem and cuff adjustments. The bottoms have long ankle zips, ankle adjustments and an elasticated waist. They can be bought separately and come in individual carry bags. oxfordproducts.com MT Breaker SV ‘The King’ £119.99 A wild design on a proven canvas, this entry-level helmet received a Sharp five-star rating and four stars from us, proving affordable can also be real quality. It's a bit heavy at 1600g but has space for an intercom. You get a drop-down sun visor, breath deflector and Pinlock mounts. The look is a matter of taste. mthelmets.com…

A British security business building outdoor metal shelters for those without secure garages has returned under new ownership. Stafford-based SAB Motorcycle Storage Ltd currently produce two sizes from their outdoor security unit made of powder coated 2mm steel sheeting. The front wheel of the bike slots into an internal trolley unit, allowing the machine to be rolled in and out. You can chain the wheel to the trolley for extra safety. Customers can pick between a £2799 ‘Racer’ unit designed for smaller sportsbikes, plus a larger £2950 ‘Heritage’ design able to swallow larger tourers and cruisers. Doors are reinforced, with internal hinges for additional security. “We stock 10 of each at a time and after that we're promised a three-week turnaround for manufacture,” one of the Directors, Mike Owens told…

Send your bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com One I wish I'd kept… A 1977 Z1000A1. A friend bought the bike in the States and it travelled here in the back of a big old American car. Ashley Clarke My very fast pride and joy – the 2024 anniversary Suzuki Hayabusa. Dave Hollingshead Love MCN, compulsive reading. My two very trusty Honda steeds: the GB350S and CBR500R. Gary Waller One of my bike pictures for your page. Gary Teale My Triton. Built myself years ago but keeps evolving, brought inside this winter for a magneto upgrade. Gordon Maccallum Around 1971 on one of the original RE Continental GTs. I'm still around 20ish when the helmet goes on. John Mawhinney One of my present bikes on a day out last summer. John Surtees…

Designed to look like a hi-top trainer while delivering the protection riders demand, the Heist Dry2Dry boot is the perfect choice for those who want stealthy everyday footwear without ignoring the need for safety and riding performance. Built for the realities of modern riding, the Heist features Oxford's proprietary Dry2Dry waterproof and breathable membrane, keeping rain firmly outside while allowing heat and moisture to escape. Whether you're commuting through unpredictable weather or spending long days on the bike, the Heist keeps feet dry and comfortable. The boot's practical design makes it as convenient as it is protective. A six-eyelet lace system ensures a secure, customisable fit, while the Quick-Fit side zipper offers fast, fuss-free entry. Premium detailing includes a durable YKK semi-auto lock zipper for reliability on every ride. Protection…

Relying on the IMU and various other sensors to calculate when and how to change gear is never going to be perfect, at least until radar systems evolve sufficiently to read all the variables – road surface, weather, traffic, severity of a turn etc – to predict how the rider will want to react. All of these auto systems err on the side of caution, which is perfectly understandable, but you can inject more fun into the proceedings by switching to manual mode. Honda kit out the Africa Twin with a paddle shift as standard, squeeze with your index finger to change up and push with your thumb to go down. This makes sense until you jump on the KTM, which has the buttons the opposite way round and instantly…

‘An incredible event’ Into the Motoverse This ride took us to the Motoverse, a massive motorcycle event in the heart of Goa celebrating everything Royal Enfield. With a wall of death, a slide school, moto polo, a planking competition, beer guzzling, live music, custom bikes, motorcycle art and just about everything in between, this dusty event is a glorious assault on the senses and a must-visit for Royal Enfield fanatics. www.royalenfield.com/in/en/rides/events/motoverse…

‘From streetfighter to classic’ If the original 1995 600 Bandit was a budget bike trailblazer, the Bandit which had arguably even greater significance was its bigger brother, the GSF1200N (and half-faired S) which arrived a year later. With similar styling and spec but this time a detuned version of the old 1157cc GSX-R1100 four, the big Bandit not only had a meaty 97bhp but also a susbstantial 70lb.ft of torque. That, plus a price of just £5999 for the naked N and £6399 for the half-faired S made it a similar monster hit – but this time with the ‘hooligan streetfighter’ brigade. The 1200 arguably proved more versatile and longer-lived, too. Like the 600 it received minor updates before an all-new 1250 arrived in 2007, which in turn was spun…

Launched last year, the Dunlop Sportsmart Mk4 is the firm's latest sporty road tyre, intended for riders of sportsbikes and performance nakeds who like spirited road riding and the very occasional trackday. Looking at the model names alone, Dunlop's range can be a little tricky to fathom so to give you a quick explainer for where the Sportsmarts fit: they're sportier than Dunlop's Roadsmart sports-touring rubber, but less high-performance than the firm's Sportsmart TT (which are 50/50 road/track), which then sit below road-legal trackday tyres, such as the D212 GP Racer. The Sportsmart Mk4 replaces the Mk3 – itself an excellent sports road tyre with superb agility and feedback - and which stays in the range as a cheaper alternative. For the latest incarnation, Dunlop have upped the sportiness via…

Liberty Media, the sports and entertainment powerhouse and owners of F1, have moved fast to begin monetising their reported £2.5bn takeover of MotoGP. Almost as fast, in fact, as the 112mph race average speed for the Australian GP at Phillip Island's iconic seaside layout. October's GP will be the 30th and last at this circuit, the demise reflected by VR46's Fabio Di Giannantonio: “It is like a punch to my heart.” From 2027 the race will move to an innovative, hybrid parkland/ partial street circuit in Adelaide's city edge Victoria Park. It is part of a mega MotoGP deal that will be fully funded by taxpayers. ‘60% of a 2.6-mile lap will be on parkland’ This fits Liberty Media's playbook: bring racing to the fans and sponsors with modern facilities…

There were varying degrees of optimism in the HRC camp. Fourteenth fastest Johann Zarco acknowledged the new RC213V, which is lighter, has heavily revised aero, updated engine and smaller seat unit, has greater potential than 2025. It's just he is yet to unlock it. Joan Mir (10th quickest) lamented the fact a lack of rear grip, Honda's big deficit, has still not been addressed during the winter. “There were some evolutions but not a revolution,” he said. “In terms of grip we need a revolution. At Sepang we had a chance – but here not.” Luca Marini was the most upbeat. Performance is good enough to fight in the top five, he believed. But only if he can improve his performance over a single flying lap. “The bike has improved…

With Somkiat Chantra already out with a broken arm, things went from bad to worse for Honda as Jake Dixon highsided at Turn 11 on his first flying lap of Tuesday testing. The Englishman has incurred multiple fractures to his left wrist and had surgery in Melbourne on Thursday. Marc VDS’ Sam Lowes suffered a left wrist fracture of his own in a high-speed Race 2 crash at Stoner corner. It's all smiles for Kawasaki's Gerloff The new ZX-10RR with its aerodynamic wings is a clear improvement, Garrett Gerloff qualifying eighth and racing to 11th-6th-10th. Optimism for Portimao is even higher, as Phillip Island has never been Gerloff's best track. The American, who celebrated his 200th race on Sunday, is back with crew chief Les Pearson, with whom he had…

With the exception of Australia, Tommy Bridewell will take part a full season of World Superbikes with the new Superbike Advocates team which recently tested at Portimao with two fully prepared WorldSBK-spec machines. Mick Shanley is Technical Director, having previously worked with the likes of SMR and MIE. “I just couldn't turn this down,” Bridewell says of the team which originally set out to race in BSB before making a dramatic change at the end of January. The team is owned by Australian entrepreneur, Lee Khouri, who operates between Sydney, London's Belgravia, Kent and the USA while specialising in property development for the likes of supermarkets, gyms and childcare. The team is based in Manchester. He is a lifelong Ducati enthusiast and has a large collection of F1 cars which…

Italians occupy the top four championship positions. Although Bulega is undoubtedly the man, Axel Bassani was superb and should have taken podiums in all three races. Second for Bimota in both Sunday encounters, the smiley 26-year-old out-raced British teammate Alex Lowes all weekend. Bassani was fourth in Race 1, instructed to give a place back to Sam Lowes after overtaking the Marc VDS man by making contact. Had that penalty been handed out by the stewards sooner, as Bassani suggested, there's every chance he would have made it three podiums. Even so, it was a highly impressive performance which saw him on the rostrum for the first time since riding a Motocorsa Ducati to second at Imola three years ago – and all this while working for the first time…

As Marc Marquez starts 2026 as the comfortable preseason favourite, Toprak Razgatlioglu's adaptation to MotoGP has been one of the most hotly debated stories of the year. Yet there's no dressing it up. The Turkish rider's introduction has been a painful one to date. Along with revising his aggressive riding style, the 29-year old is making his way on Yamaha's new V4 YZR-M1. Even in the hands of Fabio Quartararo, it's been some way off the very best. Razgatlioglu was 19th overall at the Sepang test, 1.9 seconds off the top. Thailand was an even bigger struggle where he placed 21st, 2.1s back. The biggest problem has been adapting to the Michelin tyres. Having raced on Pirellis since 2015, the Turkish superstar is still understanding the limits of the front.…

Yamaha's largely unsuccessful 2025 campaign means that they remain in Rank D of the concessions system, but in truth that's not necessarily a bad thing considering their current position in MotoGP. It means that they can test as much as they want throughout the year, with veteran campaigner Andrea Dovizioso and Augusto Fernandez leading that team. Both will play a pivotal role in Yamaha's future as they seek to perfect the V4, for the now in order to attract top talent, but for the future with the 850cc edition next year.…

Ducati have won the last six MotoGP constructors’ championships and are the firm favourites to secure a seventh consecutive success this season. Half a decade ago the Bologna brand's engineering genius Gigi Dall'Igna transformed MotoGP with Formula 1-inspired technologies, but Ducati's Desmosedici domination isn't entirely the result of wings and shapeshifters. Even more important are the team of brilliant engineers assembled by Dall'Igna who relentlessly focus on the details, using big data, computer modelling and artificial intelligence to gain Ducati the advantage both in the development phase and during the race weekend themselves. Of course, no one is perfect. Ducati made a big mistake with their 2025 Desmosedici, so they need to bounce back from that error this year. The GP25's engine inertia was all wrong, which ruined Pecco Bagnaia's…

1246 Pedro Acosta will hope to end KTM's 1246-day wait for a GP win this Sunday in Thailand. The goal for Pedro Acosta in 2026 is simple; become a MotoGP race winner and fire as many warning shots to Marc Marquez as he possibly can. Acosta knows the KTM RC16 isn't likely to trouble Marquez for the title, and that's why it looks like he will make the switch to Ducati to partner Marquez in 2027… Lorenzo-Rossi vibes, anybody? Acosta thrives off old school rivalry and a bit of fire, and so he'll relish going bar-to-bar with the reigning champion as often as he can. Is that possible? Well, it certainly won't be for lack of trying. Acosta rode the wheels off of the RC16 in the second half of…

There's a particular feeling that creeps in at this time of year. It's not spring, but it's close enough to feel like the new riding season is stirring. As I sat on my sofa to catch up on the action from the opening round of World Superbike last Sunday, I could hear the uncorked exhausts of frolicking riders on the local bypass. Suddenly our roads are alive again – bikers back out of hibernation and lining up in the layby that plays home to the local biker café. It really felt palpable over the weekend just gone; not quite warm, not quite dry, but a definite strength to the sunlight that made it just good enough to pull the bike out of hibernation, dust off the kit and give ourselves…

While orders for the Two Stroke are officially closed, there is a sliver of hope for those would-be owners who missed out… “We have held back five build slots of the Two Stroke,” Christofer Ratcliffe admits. “We've done this because we'd like to do something special with a handful of the final ones, but I have to be honest, I'm not quite sure precisely what that will be yet! So, we'll probably announce later what we're going to do. “Officially, you can't order a Two Stroke now, but there are five, and if somebody really, really desperately wants one, perhaps we could look at letting them have one of those five build slots,” he continued. “But we would like to do something a bit special with them, perhaps track orientated…

More than half of UK drivers who suffer from headlight dazzle believe the problem has worsened over the past year, according to new research published by the RAC, with the issue now influencing when – and whether – some people choose to use the roads at night. The survey of 1745 regular motorists, carried out in January 2026, found 57% of those affected by dazzling headlights say conditions are worse than this time last year. Almost all respondents (94%) said they experience glare from oncoming vehicles, and a further 32% reported it happens regularly. RAC Senior Policy Officer, Rod Dennis said: “Dazzle from headlights is now a perennial problem for drivers and it's clearer than ever that they want to see something done. “Drivers consistently tell us the height of…

A pair of UK-based roundthe-world bike travellers have been sentenced to 10 years in prison by an Iranian court on espionage charges, following their arrest while riding through the country on an overland journey to Australia. Craig and Lindsay Foreman, both British citizens, were arrested on January 3, 2025, and have since been detained for more than 13 months before receiving the verdict – which has been described as “in line with the most severe politically motivated detentions of UK nationals in Iran.” The ruling followed a court appearance in late October last year before Judge Abolghasem Salavati at Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran. Salavati has been sanctioned by the UK, US and EU in connection with human rights violations, and for overseeing show trials criticised…

Indian Motorcycle are continuing their 125th anniversary celebrations with a trio of paintjobs destined for the Chief Vintage, Scout Bobber, and Challenger bagger tourer. The announcement follows the reveal of the standard £18,955 Chief Vintage on January 22, and just weeks after confirmation that they have now parted ways with former owners Polaris - who rebooted the brand in 2011. “Every motorcycle was painstakingly designed and refined, not just to perform, but to tell a story,” Design Director at Indian, Ola Stenegärd said. “The design of the 125th Anniversary Collection pays tribute to the legacy that built Indian Motorcycle, making every model not just a machine, but a lasting symbol of our history and our commitment to American craftsmanship.” All three of the specials will be available in limited numbers,…

A custom builder from Tilburg in the Netherlands has created his dream Ducati Hypermotard, and you can see it for yourself at the Bike Shed Moto Show in London. Dubbed the Ducati Desmoto, the bike is the result of years of work by Mark van Veggel, owner of Futuri Motion Tech, and features the 1078cc V-twin engine from a Multistrada 1100 adventure bike, a lightweight aluminium frame, magnesium wheels, and electronically adjustable Öhlins developed in-house by van Veggel. “When I was 14 years old, my dad showed me some videos of supermoto racing – those guys sliding into corners on a racetrack just grabbed my attention, and that was when the love for supermotos was born,” van Veggel told MCN. “I wanted to build something that was my vision of…

‘Protector or backpack?’ Social media ads from a kit brand promoted a range of rucksacks claimed to incorporate “spine protection”. Products of this type have been available for several years, including versions incorporating airbag technology. The appeal of a product that combines carrying capacity with impact protection is obvious. A check of the company's website revealed claims of conformity to EN 1621-2, but also a Declaration of Conformity that omitted both the certificate number and the identity of the certification body involved. I contacted the company for clarification. It replied: “We do not prominently publish the name of the testing body or certificate number on the general product pages. This information is, however, fully disclosed where required, clearly marked on the CE ‘yellow label’ on every backpack and detailed in…

WHAT'S NEW IN TECH? Suspension that uses compressed air instead of steel springs is far from a new idea – in fact its use on motorcycles can be traced back as far as 1907 – but tech-savvy Chinese brand Benda are aiming to bring it back to the mainstream. That first air-sprung bike, dubbed ‘ASL’ and made by Associated Springs Ltd in Stafford from 1907 to 1915, used compressed air instead of coil or leaf springs front and rear, and the idea has been revisited several times, more recently in systems like the Showa SFF-Air TAC (Triple Air Chamber) forks used on Kawasaki's KX450F and Honda's CRF250R. In fact, most bikes use air as part of their suspension – the air gap in a set of forks works as a…

Send your trips to yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Reader Joe Byrne The ride Northern Ireland to Nordkapp How many miles? 4300 miles over 31 days Tell us about the trip Aged 68 I decided it was now or never for the No 1 goal on my bucket list. At the end of May I packed my trusted sled, a Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE Performance Tourer, and set off early one morning, solo, to the ferry in Belfast and then arrived in Cairnryan a few hours later. It was then over to Newcastle for the ferry and I arrived in Amsterdam the next morning in pouring rain. I travelled through the Netherlands, on to Germany via Bremen and then took the Puttgarden-Rodby ferry to Denmark. I crossed the Oresund bridge to Sweden on…

£23,913 BMW R1300GS TE ASA 1300cc air/liquid-cooled DOHC 8-valve flat-twin 143bhp @ 7750rpm 237kg weight (kerb) £18,699 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo 1350cc liquid cooled 75° DOHC 8-valve V-twin 173bhp @ 9500rpm 249kg weight (kerb) £17,799 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT 1084cc liquid-cooled DOHC 8v parallel twin 101bhp @ 7500rpm 253kg weight (kerb) From that first moment of controlled, feet-up forward motion on a geared bike, the clutch lever imprints itself into our subconscious. It's the gateway between engine output and drive, allowing you to feed as much, or as little, power through the clutch assembly to the gearbox and on to the rear wheel as desired. Essentially, the clutch lever is what makes us go, and is in many ways our primary source of control. With…

THE FACTS ‘Straightforward, easy and best of all, brilliant value’ Following 1992's original CBR900RR FireBlade, 1993's all-new BMW boxer RS and 1994's 916, you'd be forgiven for thinking the early to mid 1990s was an era of monied motorcycling magnificence. But 1995 saw the arrival of a bike that was anything but – yet just as significant: Suzuki's GSF600N Bandit. Launched February 1995, the first Bandit, on paper at least, looked nothing special: a straightforward, unfaired, four-cylinder roadster based on a ‘parts-bin’ approach. But the reality was a good-looking, nicely-finished street sports with enough power (77bhp) sporty handling and, best of all, at just £3999 (when ‘proper’ supersport 600s such as Yamaha's FZR600R then cost £6299) it was priced to be an absolute bargain. The buying public thought so, too:…

@dan_sutherland Lover of 90s sportsbike and garish colour schemes, happiest at a racetrack. No need to sugarcoat it, I had a bloody brilliant summer of riding in 2025. The weather was fantastic, and the R9 behaved faultlessly - doing daily duties, motorway slogs, touring, the occasional trackday, all without so much as a warning light. It drank no oil, I rarely had to adjust the chain, and I'm pleased to report no real corrosion - despite being it used daily in all weathers. The chassis and suspension combination work well for a 5ft 6in/75kg (in kit) build on road and track, and I'd go as far as to say it's been the most reliable long-term test bike I've ever lived with. New recipe My time with the Yamaha followed a…

YOUR EXPERT BOB TEAHAN Bob is Director of The Machine Shop, Hinckley – a workshop that operates like a gym and offers its members access to tools, workbenches, knowledge and help. Bob's been engineering, racing and welding for over 15 years, and he's as comfortable chasing records as he is teaching in The Machine Shop workshop. When he's not fabricating or racing, Bob's passion is passing on hard-won skills to the next generation of welders and riders. • www.the-machine-shop.co.uk Spring into action Upgrading fork internals is a big job, but makes a huge difference 1 Why the change? Race suspension cartridges replace standard fork internals and usually offer improved separation of compression and rebound circuits, greater adjustability and more consistent control under harsher load. Installing race cartridges requires full fork disassembly,…

It's too soon to say just how good or bad things are for BMW as they look to retain the title they won with Toprak Razgatlioglu over the past two years. With a saturated January of testing being far from ideal for Danilo Petrucci, and especially WSBK rookie Miguel Oliveira, they did what they could in Australia. Thankfully, Oliveira already knew the track and is a former Moto3 winner at Phillip Island. Australia was never going to be easy for the German manufacturer, admitting that Round 1 was an extended test session on what is Ducati's strongest circuit. Finishing the three races was the target to gain as much data as possible. Oliveira's weekend started to unravel in Superpole, crashing early on; then the bike wouldn't restart in the garage,…

There have been plenty of high-profile rookies in MotoGP. Here's three of the best and three of the worst over the past 20 years… Three of the best Dani Pedrosa, 2006 A second place in his first MotoGP race heightened already lofty expectations. Wins in his fourth and ninth races placed him firmly in the title fight. He nearly ruined it by taking Nicky Hayden down in Portugal but rectified it at the final race as Hayden won the tile and Pedrosa finished fifth overall. Jorge Lorenzo, 2008 The double 250cc champ had a whirlwind start, scoring pole in his first race, victory in his third. Three crashes derailed his title chances but he scored six podiums, finished fourth overall and regularly fought Rossi, Stoner and Pedrosa. Marc Marquez, 2013…

379 This year's grid have won 379 GPs between them in all classes The 22 riders on the MotoGP grid this year have made a grand total of 4127 GP appearances across all grand prix classes 12 Jorge Martin, Franco Morbidelli, Enea Bastianini and Joan Mir are all trying to become the 12th rider to win for two different factories in the four-stroke MotoGP era 11 With Raul Fernandez winning for Trackhouse in Australia last year, it means all 11 MotoGP teams have won a race 20 Ai Ogura is trying to be the first Japanese rider to take a MotoGP podium in a dry race in 20 years since Shinya Nakano at Assen. It is 14 years since a Japanese rider finished on a MotoGP podium 88 At least…

Aprilia go into 2026 on the back of winning three of the last four races of 2025, so can they continue from where they left off? The RS-GP was so good at the end of last year – even better than a Ducati Desmosedici on its day – that its engineers at Noale have been careful not to change course for 2026. They've tweaked the bike here and there, always looking for marginal gains, because marginal gains are where it's at in MotoGP. One of the discoveries they made to create the current bike was understanding that using the rear tyre too much during the braking phase can destroy the acceleration phase. Why? Because if the tyre gets too hot when the rider is braking, it will still be too…

39 Mir collected 96 points last year, which is 39 more than he scored between 2023 and 2024 (47). *2020 Last year was a bit of a landmark for Joan Mir as Honda finally began so make some progress with their troublesome and difficult-to-ride RC213V. The 2020 champion ended an agonising 1422-day wait for a podium when he finished third at Motegi. That triumph came 67 races after his podium for Suzuki at Portimao in November 2021. Mir returned to the podium again at Sepang to further demonstrate Honda's progress and the rising self-belief within him once again. Let's not forget, Mir was left jobless when Suzuki pulled the plug on MotoGP and so ended up joining Honda at the worst possible time in their MotoGP history. Prior to 2025,…

If Honda continue progressing at the same rate they improved last season, they could become regular podium finishers in 2026. The world's biggest motorcycle manufacturer hated finishing bottom of the constructors’ championship in 2022, 2023 and 2024, so they are fighting hard to get back to the front of the pack for the first time since they lost Marc Marquez back in 2023. Crucially, the 2026 RC213V is more friendly, allowing riders to flirt with the limit more consistently, without getting into trouble. That should mean fewer crashes and more podiums. Honda haven't radically redesigned the bike to make the difference. Instead they have chipped away at the details, building a faster engine with friendlier torque delivery, revising electronics strategies, reducing weight and width and changing geometry to work better…

Mucking up a left-hand bend is one of motorcycling's most terrifying experiences because running wide puts you on a collision course with oncoming traffic. That's why MCN and Bikertek have devoted their latest better riding video entirely to left-handers. “Choosing the correct line is crucial,” says Rapid Training's Giles Lamb, the ex-traffic cop who presents the series. “Turn in too early and you could run wide. But staying out wide for maximum vision can mean you ride dangerously close to oncoming traffic. It's a tricky balance, and this video explains how to get it right, every time.” Watch the video at bikertek.co.uk/new-series-6 today. TT celebration comes to Ashford The Ashford Classic Motorcycle Show and Autojumble will return to Ashford Livestock Market in Kent on April 6 (Easter Monday) - promising…

As MCN went to press on Monday, Ducati announced that the second-generation DesertX would be revealed today (February 25) featuring the brand's latest 890cc V2 twin-cylinder engine platform. It's the final model to migrate away from Ducati's 937cc Testastretta V-twin, joining the Monster, Hypermotard, Panigale, Streetfighter, and Multistrada all sharing the same platform. Power is a claimed 108.5bhp at 9000rpm, with 67.9lb.ft of torque arriving at 7000rpm. The adventure bike was first shown as a concept at last November's EICMA in Milan, with Ducati stating that it will feature an advanced electronics suite – including dedicated modes for off-road riding. Ducati have confirmed to MCN that their now signature monocoque ‘front frame’ design will replace the existing model's steel trellis. It's said to have been designed specifically for this application…

Ducati have launched a new factory customisation programme letting buyers tweak specs and paint finishes at the factory before it leaves Borgo Panigale. Called ‘Ducati Factory Made’, the firm's four-cylinder adventure tourers are the first to benefit, with Multistrada V4 S, Pikes Peak and RS models covered – but changes are limited for the latter two. Customers can now tweak colours, liveries, wheels – including cast, forged or spoked – brake caliper and rear subframe colours, seat heights and suspension settings. Ducati have also added ‘Lamborghini Ad Personam’ paint options, which marks the first time the colours have been introduced to a regular production model.…

Alabama's Barber Motorsports Park and Vintage Motorsports Museum is a venue like no other, a true petrolhead cathedral – which makes news founder George W. Barber Jr has died all the sadder. The 85-year-old died peacefully on Sunday, February 15 following a brief illness – leaving behind a motorsports legacy that will live on for many decades to come. The final iteration of his non-profit museum at the 880-acre Barber Motorsports Park, Alabama, opened in 2003 and houses the world's largest collection of motorcycles – with 1000 bikes on display and 800 in storage, or under restoration, almost all of which can be ready to ride in under an hour. ‘1000 bikes on show and they will all run’ The 230,000-square-foot building sits next to a dynamic 2.38-mile, 16-corner, undulating…

The Motorcycle Action Group is calling on the Government to scrap Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for motorcycles entirely. The move follows MAG's response to the Treasury's eVED consultation, which will introduce a 3p-per-mile charge for electric cars and vans from April 2028. Electric motorcycles will be exempt. MAG suggest the same logic should now be applied across all two-wheelers, regardless of whether they are petrol or electric. The Government's justification for eVED rests on “fairness” and ensuring road users pay for the wear they cause. MAG argue that when road damage is examined properly, bikes produce almost no damage compared to other traffic. The reasoning behind claims is based on a principal known as the ‘fourth power law’ – which states that road damage increases exponentially with axle weight. According…

Muc-Off Motorcycle Essentials Kit £31.49 Garage goodies for the new season Getting hands-on with your bike is part and parcel of being a motorcyclist. Regardless of whether you just do the bare minimum of checking your tyre pressures and adjusting your chain, or are in the midst of a full nut-and-bolt restoration, you'll need a dedicated selection of potions, tools and gadgets to keep your bike happy. This week we've rounded up a tempting haul of maintenance essentials and garage gear at really enticing prices, and they're sure to put a spring into your step as we leave winter behind and accelerate into a new riding season. No garage should be considered fully equipped without a bottle of that famous pink, grime-busting juice. In this handy five-piece Muc-off kit you…

Benda motorcycles are being brought into the UK via MotoGB. MCN Road Tester, Justin Hayzelden got the chance to throw his leg over the standard LFC 700 last year, priced at £8999 (the Pro is £10,499). With a Diavel-dwarfing 310/35-18 rear tyre (the Ducati uses a 240-section) and a transversely mounted 676cc inline four, it breaks the mould for cruiser design and has divided opinion amongst the British bike buying public. “Most mid-sized, laid-back street sleds can be a bit uninspiring but that isn't the case here,” Hayzelden said. “Benda appear to have ignored almost all traditional cruiser conventions, instead offering something that's so off the wall it resembles an AI answer to the command ‘create a custom bike’. “From the orange-squeezer air intake and crackle-coated cast aluminium frame to…

I've got a Suzuki GSX-R750 on the bench which is all built now, but it's proving a little bit tricky to set up. Anything with four little carburettors that are linked together and filled with bypass valves and link pipes is never easy to get right. I'm on my third go of setting them up, but the problem is that they are an absolute pain to get off because pulling the actual rubber parts out the back of the airbox is like keyhole surgery. But the good news is that with each time, it is getting better and I'm starting to understand it more, so hopefully that will be up and running right soon. I've also gone over the dark side as I'm restoring a little Peugeot 205 1.9 GTi.…

‘Damp day at Wells’ DANIEL DARBON Finally managed a quick blast from Bristol over the Mendips and down into Wells, which inevitably turned wet a couple of weekends ago. Now waiting for the dry weekends and longer riding days! ‘Recharge, take it easy’ SIMON LONG Just an hour each way in Saturday to recharge the batteries – well worth the ride. ‘Kings of the castle’ LEN POTTS Seems like a long time ago now, but this was taken on New Year's Day. A very chilly run to Bamburgh Castle. ‘Mother's favourite’ MARK FELTHAM I popped round to see me ma. The ride was great, but the Triumph is up for sale as I'm after a naked SV1000.…

FIRST RIDE A sun-drenched highway, bucketload of Milwaukee muscle and the comfort to rumble on for days with your partner in tow is what Harley-Davidson's latest line of Grand American Touring bikes are all about. Slotting into the gap above the base model baggers, but below the snazzy CVO machines, is the new full-dresser Limited range, which includes a topbox-equipped, pillion-friendly Road and Street Glide. Both machines have almost identical spec sheets, the only real differences being a fixed or fork-mounted fairing and handlebars to suit. The Street Glide's single headlamp ‘batwing’ echoes H-D's original 1969 grand tourer, and its lower ‘bars dictate a more ‘sit-up-and-beg’ riding position. By contrast, the bullish ‘shark nose’ of the Road Glide encourages a more laid-back approach with higher, ape hanger type handlebars. 1…

KTM BMW HONDA…

Despite it being only 7am, the temperature is already in the low 30s. There is a fleet of Royal Enfield Himalayans parked and waiting for us under the historic Gateway to India monument on the Mumbai waterfront. Our ultimate destination is Enfield's Motoverse event, but first the ride… Already the morning air is filled with the constant beeping that's the soundtrack to every journey in India. The noise brings me out of my hazy thoughts. I'm about to embark on a two-day trip to Goa – my first time riding in India. And although I have very little off-road riding experience, I've been told that about one third of the journey will be on the rough stuff. Sounds like an adventure. I pull on my gloves, open the air vents…

While the original Bandit was a game-changer its biggest rival, the 1998 FZS600 Fazer, was arguably even more successful. Based on the engine from the 1996 Thundercat, it had a tubular steel frame, 95bhp, standard half fairing and better components. It out-performed the Suzuki, was more versatile and, despite a higher price of £5454, outsold it, too. In 1999 the Fazer was the best-selling bike in its class, and by 2002 had sold more than 83,000 units. That year a restyle stretched the Fazer's advantage and the FZS600, then FZ-6 (from 2004) remained the budget naked to beat throughout the decade.…

One month ON TEST Quadlock MAG case £34.99 I've had a couple of Quadlock cases now for various phones over the years and they have all done exactly what I need them to do. This one is no different. It fits the phone snuggly so the buttons are easy to operate, it has protected my phone from damage when I have dropped it – which is quite often as I am a bit clumsy – and it fixes securely to my resevoir-mounted Quadlock system with ease. The design means I can charge the phone wirelessly without removing the case and use it with handy accessories like the wallet case. I've never had any issues with it working loose, and I trust it completely to keep my phone safe. MCN rating…

@asaffronscrapbook Serial tourer and weekend journey-er always looking for the next adventure whether that is in the UK or riding across Europe. It's become a tradition to reflect on my time with my long-term test bike by riding to a cracking chip shop at Wells-next-the-Sea and mulling over the past year. Admittedly, this started as a goal to reach the fabled 10,000-mile mark, but as me and the Bumblebike had already smashed through that distance, this was for pleasure. I pull on my textiles on a wet, January morning and set out for the lunch stop. This is actually a good run to pull all my thoughts together as the route combines the nadgery back roads of the fens with potholes crowding every mile through to the gorgeous swooping curves…

There were few signs of optimism in the Yamaha camp. While Jack Miller and Fabio Quartararo were just over a second off, a look into the Frenchman's garage at any point over the two days told a bleaker story. The 2021 World Champ was seen showing his middle finger to the new V4 on track on Saturday and was close to tears at the end of several runs. And he delivered a sobering assessment for the season ahead. “This year there will be no possibility of doing [results like 2025],” he said. The bike was still woefully short in terms of top speed on the long straights of Sectors 1 and 2 in Thailand. Plus, both factory runners had just one bike apiece on Sunday, due to technical issues with…

It wasn't entirely an all-Italian affair in Thailand. Pedro Acosta served notice that he could well fight it out for a podium after a solid two days. The 21-year-old was sixth overall, with the RC16's one-lap speed improving. Also, the new bike continues to allow him to “use my strong points, that I can brake super hard, and make he corners with my tight lines.” And the bike's rear tyre degradation problem is much improved. “We arrived to lap 24 or 25 with the tyre still alive. That's much different compared to last year.” Yet what pleased Acosta most of all was the fact he suffered no crashes throughout pre-season, a sign he's able to ride quickly without exceeding – or even approaching – the very limits of the bike.…

‘I was thinking top six, so fourth is even better’ Tarran Mackenzie's first half of 2025 was one of worry and suffering, just about coping with the struggles at MIE Honda until it all got too much. Just as that happened, Scott Redding's return to BSB opened the door at Michael Galinski's team. Mackenzie has never looked back. What a start it was to 2026 in Australia, ending it fourth in Race 2 and seventh in the standings. Mackenzie was disappointed at the conclusion of Saturday, having qualified 11th (ahead of fellow Ducati riders Alvaro Bautista and Iker Lecuona) before racing to 12th. Then came Sunday: 11th in the Superpole Race and fourth in the fully wet Race 2. Just as Alex Lowes challenged, the Englishman crashed at Turn 1.…

With the Honda struggles already well documented before the race weekend got away, it meant the big surprise was Yamaha's below-par performance as an unfortunate series of events signalled a difficult start for the Japanese manufacturer. “It's a bit frustrating for everybody,” Paul Denning, the Pata Maxus Yamaha Team Principal, said during Friday practice. “[Andrea Locatelli] has struggled to find a good feeling since Monday and it hasn't really improved.” Thankfully, it did improve for ‘Loka’ as he mustered fifth in the wet Race 2. However, that really was the most they could shout about as no Yamaha rider managed more than 13th place in any other race. GRT's Remy Gardner and Stefano Manzi were battered from pre-season or testing crashes, while Motox's Bahattin Sofuoglu had a haircut at Phillip…

Yamaha have a huge mountain to climb in 2026. Not only are they developing an all-new 1000cc V4 YZR-M1, they're also developing an all-new 850cc V4 M1 for 2027. So it's no surprise they're already in trouble, withdrawing all their machines from the second day of the Sepang tests for safety reasons, following an engine failure. The Yamaha V4 doesn't just feature a new engine, it's a completely new motorcycle, which works in a very different way to their old inline-four, which, of course, is why they built it. A V4's centre of mass sits further back, creating better rear grip during corner entry and exit, which is what MotoGP's current Michelin tyres need. Also, a V4 can make more horsepower than an inline-four and it's narrower, giving aerodynamicists extra…

1 Bezzecchi's 2025 achievements have made him the most successful Aprilia rider in the modern era of MotoGP. ‘The target for me is to start in a good way’ Who'd have thought when Aprilia signed Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi at the end of 2024 that it would be latter who would become the star man for the Noale factory? With Martin sidelined, Bezzecchi took full responsibility and leadership of the on-track development and performance of the RS-GP and returned to the sharp end of MotoGP after a rough 2024. The relationship between Bezzecchi, Massimo Rivola (Aprilia Racing CEO) and the rest of the Aprilia team blossomed, so much so that Bezzecchi ‘married’ his RS-GP ahead of the Sepang test and signed a new multi-year contract. Such is the love…

KTM need to get a move on this season. If the RC16 doesn't win a MotoGP race by Mugello, it won't have won a dry MotoGP race for five whole years, since Miguel Oliveira took victory at Barcelona in June 2021. Even Suzuki, who quit MotoGP at the end of 2022, have won dry races more recently than that. KTM have been so near/so far for a long time, their hopes of taking the fight to Ducati spoiled twice by changes of tyre spec that threw the RC16 out of kilter, because racing in a mono-tyre championship is all about adapting the motorcycle to the tyres, not the other way around. KTM's star rider Pedro Acosta says his engineers have made incremental improvements going into 2026, but he doesn't believe…