Table of contents for 17 March 2021 in MCN

‘Triumph’s new Trident 660 is ruddy lovely’MIKE ARMITAGE ON THE MCN250 MCN250 TEST New Trident is streets ahead Against the tide of new bikes getting ever-more complex and expensive, it’s refreshing to experience the pure joy of a simple bike that delivers the fun and engagement that got us all on two wheels in the first place without needing a second mortgage. Step up Triumph’s new Trident 660: it’s like the original Street Triple, but better – and that’s an impressive trick. MCN250 TEST, PAGE 29 TOP STORY Harley invoke the spirit of V-Rod Harley-Davidson have long been the butt of jokes about lack of development, much as Ducati still face jibes over reliability – but both are trading off outdated stereotypes. Hot on the heels of their ground-breaking Pan…

Chinese brand Sinnis have updated the 125 version of their Terrain model for 2021. The new version gets a slightly more powerful 12.7bhp engine mated to a new six-speed gearbox. Like the old version, the bike comes with 30 litres of luggage that can be upgraded to 66.5 litres for £96. It will come in white or red when it arrives next month for £2899 plus OTR. Info: www.sinnismotorcycles.com. Smart casual Oxford have upgraded their riding shirt for 2021 and it now meets the CE ‘A’ rating for protective clothing. The shirt still incorporates a hidden zip behind the poppers and belt loops for joining it to your trousers but the quality of the build and materials has been improved along with the CE armour. The Kickback 2.0 is available…

THURSDAY March 18 9pm, EUR2, Australian Superbikes from Winton Motor Raceway 2020 SATURDAY March 20 9pm, EUR2, The 67th Macau GP SUNDAY March 21 4am, BTS2, MotoGP Classics: Assen 2013 5am, BTS2, MotoGP Classics: Silverstone 2013 KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT – DISCOVERY REAL TIME DSC – DISCOVERY CHANNEL DHD – DISCOVERY CHANNEL HD EXS – EXTREME SPORTS CHANNEL EUR1 (2, HD) – EUROSPORT 1 (2, HD) MOT – MOTORSPORT.TV CH4 – CHANNEL 4 CH5 – CHANNEL FIVE BBC BBCI – BBC INTERACTIVE ESPN – ESPN CLASSIC CHANNEL ITV DST – DISCOVERY TURBO SHED – DISCOVERY SHED INST – INSIGHT SS1 (2, 3 OR X) – SKY SPORTS 1 (2, 3 OR EXTRA) QUEST BTS1 – BT SPORT 1 BTS2 – BT SPORT 2 TVL – TRAVEL UK…

THE GROUP It was Chris Hall (that’s me) on a BMW S1000XR, Marc Holmes on a Ducati Multistrada 1200 and Lee Elmore on his Triumph Tiger. • Readers Chris Hall, Marc Holmes and Lee Elmore • The Ride NC500 route with a slight change to the west coast as we hopped over the Kyle of Lochalsh bridge to Skye • Miles 1300 over five days • Best thing about it? We had planned to use B&Bs but stashed tents and wild camped instead • Send your trips to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com THE ROUTE SUPPLIES The humongous topbox on the Multistrada served us well for the bare essentials for a night’s camping! GOING WILD We decided to wild camp because of all the Covid uncertainty but it just added to the experience.…

Q ‘Can the cops really stop me?’ I was recently pulled over by a traffic officer. They said their system showed that my Ninja was not covered. I told them I was insured and showed them an email on my phone with the insurance certificate. They were not interested and reiterated that their info said I was not insured and I was not allowed to ride. It turned out that my broker had failed to arrange my insurance, even though they had taken payment and issued a certificate. They have apologised, not that it makes me any happier. Can the police really stop you riding for a reason you know to be false? I thought you had seven days to produce documentation. Anon, email A Although you had that email,…

DEPARTURE DAY Following six months prep, Ted set off from London on October 6, 1973. That date also marked the start of the Yom Kippur war and his meticulously planned route would run right through it. INTO AFRICA >Facing the ‘dark heart of Africa’ was one Ted’s biggest challenges and crossing Ethiopia’s Atbara Desert region almost proved his undoing. INCREDIBLE INDIA Ted spent nine months travelling around the sub continent. “I found it very exciting and wanted to see as much of it as I could.” BACK ON THE ROAD 25 years after his first adventure, and at 69, Ted decided to do it all again. This time he was given a BMW R80GS that was fully prepped for the journey.…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR The turning prowess and power of the MT-09 with added comfort, less vibration and a range of extras with the GT make the Tracer 9 a motorcycle that lingers in the mind, long after the sidestand has dropped. The sheer ease and stability of the handling, together with the MT torque makes quite an impact and just enough to make up for how ineffective the screen can be in the 80-90mph range on straight roads. This is a fine sports-tourer that should keep the Tracer name at the top end of the sales charts upon its arrival in the UK in May, but the extra spec of the GT really makes it the better bike. THE FACTS £10,119 (£12,119 GT) Yamaha Tracer 9…

GUEST ROAD TESTER The step forward taken by the 2021 Monster is truly astonishing. We are now in the presence of a more complete and refined machine, equipped with first-rate components. Overall weight reduction has been impressive and as a result the Borgo Panigale factory has given birth to an extremely agile – yet surprisingly stable at high speeds – bike, even without using a steering damper. The chassis is excellent and can easily handle the feisty engine. This really will push the likes of Yamaha’s MT-09 SP. A set of fully adjustable forks would have been a nice touch, though. THE FACTS £10,443 Ducati Monster…

• All the information you’ll need including downloadable GPX maps that can be put straight into your satnav can be found at www.transeurotrail.org • Another great resource is the very active TET Facebook page where people share their trips. • You can either stay in hotels, B&Bs, campsites or, where appropriate, wild camp high in the mountains. • For our trip to Spain we elected to get the ferry from the UK to Bilbao (www.brittanyferries.co.uk). It’s more expensive than riding, but not much when you consider accommodation en route, fuel and the mileage you put on your bike – and, more importantly, off-road focused tyres – which don’t deal well with high speed motorway mileage. • Remember to check your insurance post-Brexit.…

The basic repair of a connector or damaged wire as shown here is easy to understand and relatively straightforward to carry out at home. However, sometimes other factors come into play which can make things a little more difficult. I had one such issue recently on a 1995 Honda RS250 race bike project I’d bought. At first glance the fault – which was a broken wire where a quickshifter had been fitted into the loom – looked quite easy to sort. But on closer inspection I discovered that there was barely any wire left to crimp onto as the damage was really close to the ECU, plus the 16-pin connector was also cracked and broken. Those two factors were enough for me to throw my hands in the air, admit…

KTM were at a loss with how to get the best from their RC16 package in Qatar, with prospects for the opening two rounds there looking a little shakey. Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder were 16th and 17th, whilst Tech3’s Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecouna were down in 19th and 23rd. It’s not a great start, with Oliveira admitting that it didn’t matter what changes were made, KTM had hit a wall. On pole for the jab The majority of the MotoGP paddock have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine courtesy of the Qatar government. Jack Miller, Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi confirmed that they’d had the vaccine, however it’s believed some riders opted not to take the opportunity. Qatar host the opening two race weekends of 2021.…

Britannia still ruled the highways back in the 1960s and the Triumph Bonneville was the aspirational sportsbike of its day. From its debut in 1958 the 650cc paralleltwin Bonnie evolved steadily throughout the 1960s before taking a pronounced turn for the worst as the 1970s dawned and it became an oil-in-frame 750. The ultimate Bonnies for many are the 1969/1970 T120 models, like the one here, which best epitomise the old-school Triumph’s lines and dynamic while featuring a twin-leading shoe front drum brake which was the best stopper fitted to those seminal models. That they aren’t getting any cheaper suggests that you’ll never lose money on a late 1960s Bonnie while owning a solid slab of biking history. Matching numbers (frame and engine) are all in the world of concours…

Progress marches on at a relentless pace, even in times of economic meltdown and pandemics. But progress shouldn’t just mean ‘more of everything’, nor should it just mean ‘more expensive’ Sometimes, bike design can take a sideways step out of the fast lane in the name of simplicity and affordability. It’s not necessarily a case of less is more, but more that less might be all that’s needed. Triumph’s Trident 660 is the proof of the budget pudding. It’s got everything you’d expect as the minimum requirement for number of wheels, somewhere to sit and controls to make it go, stop, steer and thrill you – but what it hasn’t got is a glut of extraneous electrickery that reads like a TLA addict’s insomnia cure and a dash stolen from…

Moto Guzzi have big plans to mark their centenary as Covid restrictions start to ease. Piaggio Group Chairman and CEO Roberto Colaninno said: “Ever since 1921, every Moto Guzzi that has gone out into the world has been built at the Mandello factory, the place where the company was set up.” There will be special Moto Guzzi World Days at the factory from September 9-12 which will see tens of thousands of enthusiasts arrive from every corner of the planet to see some incredible bikes and entertainment.” Sammy’s stunners to go on display The Sammy Miller Museum is planning an open day when three 1958 ISDT gold medal-winning machines will be on display. There will also be a 1956 Enfield Bullet that Sammy rode in 1956 at his first ISDT…

‘The time is right for a Suzuki TL1000R’ There are three bikes sitting in other peoples’ garages which I’ve bought and are waiting for collection. A Honda VF500 and a brace of old 1970s Kawasaki Z650s: one in one lump but hasn’t moved for a while; the other in bits but with completely redone paintwork. Really nice Z650s have leapt up in price since I bought one for £2000, a dozen or so years ago. Superb ones are fetching seven grand and over. This pair was £1000. I had planned to spend another £4000 and wind up with a lovely example plus a whole Z650 in parts to sell to defray the cost, but closer inspection revealed it would cost a lot more than that so it’s going on eBay…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews Not such ‘green’ fuel The move to E10 petrol is something we should be very concerned about. Biofuels are being foisted upon us. The rainforests are being burned, producing thousands of tonnes of CO2, to grow biofuel crops for short-term profit. Vehicles use more E10 than E5, thus increasing the tax take (which is the real driver behind this policy). My 2019 BMW R1250R is supposed to run on premium 95 RON fuel and this will no longer be available. Resistance against E10 has been high in Germany but at least they still have decent high-octane alternatives. What price your Vincent when you can no longer buy any fuel for it? Simon Hubbard, Brownhills Roll over Valentino? A quote from Valentino from an old MCN special:…

£7195 (on the road) Triumph Trident 660 • 660cc dohc 12v inline three• 80bhp @ 10,250rpm (claimed)• 189kg (kerb, claimed) DEPUTY EDITOR, MOTORCYCLING It would appear Triumph have invented a time machine. Although significant poking and prodding fails to reveal a flux capacitor, there’s no question that their new Trident 660 is capable of quantum physics. As soon as you slide onto its seat, you’re transported back to 2008. This is because the Trident sounds, feels and rides like the original 675cc Street Triple. That bike’s DNA is obvious. The first Street Trip’ was a gloriously usable, affordable and none-too-serious bike with fun at the head of its design brief. And on the A- and B-roads of the MCN250 this exactly describes the new Trident. Which should be no surprise.…

DEPUTY EDITOR, MOTORCYCLING Triumph’s Street Triple line-up is a long way from what the original bike offered in 2008. They’re not really the affordable, breezy-yet-capable road bikes they once were. The Trident 660 squares the job up nicely. It’s exciting, spirited, cheeky-yet-well-mannered, reassuring and easy to use. Triumph’s new ‘entry level’ bike genuinely has the character of the original 675cc Street Triple. Yes, there are bikes that are more powerful, faster, have more whizzbang features and better outright handling than the Trident. But they all cost more, without being better packages. Competitively priced, cheap to run, handsome, accomplished and above all great fun, the new Trident 660 is the every-person middleweight – and I’d take it over the pricier and more powerful Street Triple S. And since that’s my favourite…

Ditching the trellis was a bold move, but the more modern aluminium frame reduces the weight by 4.5kg. There are other weight savings too; the engine loses another 2.4kg, the subframe (now made from Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer) sees another 1.9kg go, rims see 1.7kg lost and a new aluminium swingarm saves a further 2.4kg. The Monster (no displacement is included in its name these days) will supersede both 797 and 821 models and will represent the entry-level bike in the Ducati range. In other words, this machine can really develop with the rider’s ability, from the very first steps to action-packed trackdays. Meanwhile, the fact the bike is very light should make the A2 licence version a decent option for new riders.…

6000 MILES Richa Blade W/P boots £119.99 ‘Waterproof but are they built to last?’ Tested by Dan Sutherland for one year, 6000 miles Used for commuting in sub-zero temperatures, to summertime weekend blasts and even one race meeting, these sub-£120 Richas have remained comfortable and waterproof for thousands of hard miles. They’re capable of wrapping around leather trousers and tucking neatly inside textiles and have been a reliable go-to when the weather’s looking a bit iffy. The CE scores are a mixed bag, with a higher Level 2 rating for impact cut resistance, but the basic Level 1 pass in both abrasion and rigidity tests. The Blades haven’t been perfect in use either. After a few months of riding, the left boot’s waterproof flap ripped on the upper seam. It…

‘Always pay now, rather than later’ There are tips to remember if you’re going for a bike that’s a bit alternative, especially if it’s rare, has unique parts (like the Yamaha GTS) or maybe a tad more prone to niggles. Do your research. While this can mean trawling the internet for vocal experts, you’re better joining an online owners’ forum and speaking directly to folk with actual experience. Better still, try to meet up face-to-face (when we’re allowed again) and harvest their knowledge. Talk to specialist dealers and engineers too – they’ll tell you the common problems and what to watch out for. And they should be willing, as you’re a would-be owner and therefore a potential customer. But the best advice is spend money. Saving cash with a bike…

This 2009 Suzuki GSX-R1000 had lived a hard life, being parked outside for a decade and getting used regularly, before it arrived on Jason Atreides’ ramp the other week for a ‘minor’ service. Jason said: “To get at the oil filter you have to get the bottom fairing panel out of the way, then pop off the access to the filter itself. Which is when I spotted a relatively small dribble of oil on the bodywork. I took a closer look, and thought: ‘Oh my word, that oil cooler is about to explode!’” The bike hadn’t had a lot of love and crud had built up over the years, letting corrosion eat away at the quite delicate structure until it split. Some of the oil would have been captured in…

The opening three rounds of the 2021 Bennetts British Superbike championship have been rescheduled to allow for the max number of spectators. Revised dates below: ● June 25-27 Oulton Park ● July 9-11 Knockhill ● July 23-25 Brands Hatch GP ● July 30 – August 1 Thruxton ● Aug 13-15 Donington Park National ● Aug 20-22 300Cadwell Park ● September 3-5 Snetterton ● September 10-12 Silverstone National ● September 24-26 Oulton Park ● October 1-3 Donington Park GP ● October 15-17 Brands Hatch GP…

Kilowatt (kw) The measurement of power related to voltage and current. In connection to charging, the higher the number, the faster the bike will charge. Kilowatt hours (kWh) A unit of electricity. The more kWh your battery holds, the further the bike will travel. Think of it as the electrical equivalent of litres. Level 1 charging This is the slowest way to charge the battery but usually the most convenient. Normally involves plugging into a domestic socket and a charging rate of less than 3kw. Level 2 charging Usually found in public car parks. These chargers have dedicated circuits and are faster than plugging in at home.…

Britannia still ruled the highways back in the 1960s and the Triumph Bonneville was the aspirational sportsbike of its day. From its debut in 1958 the 650cc paralleltwin Bonnie evolved steadily throughout the 1960s before taking a pronounced turn for the worst as the 1970s dawned and it became an oil-in-frame 750. The ultimate Bonnies for many are the 1969/1970 T120 models, like the one here, which best epitomise the old-school Triumph’s lines and dynamic while featuring a twin-leading shoe front drum brake which was the best stopper fitted to those seminal models. That they aren’t getting any cheaper suggests that you’ll never lose money on a late 1960s Bonnie while owning a solid slab of biking history. Matching numbers (frame and engine) are all in the world of concours…

NEWS EDITOR ‘The Sled won the Mint 400 race in Nevada’ Ducati have unveiled a limited-edition version of the Scrambler Desert Sled in collaboration with American clothing company Fasthouse. The bike has been created to celebrate their victory in the Mint 400, one of the oldest motorcycle races in the US. If you’re not familiar with the Mint 400, it’s an off-road race across the Nevada desert just outside Las Vegas that’s perhaps best known for its inclusion in Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Named after the main sponsors Mint Casino, the race sees hundreds of competitors attempt the 400mile course with a wide variety of categories catered for. And who are Fasthouse? Despite sounding like a Shakespearean word for a bordello, Fasthouse are actually a…

SAVE £2081 £15,962 Ducati XDiavel S If you’ve always liked the idea of a cruiser but didn’t want the performance, handling and braking compromises, then the XDiavel could be perfect for you. There are three different handlebar options, five different seats and three footrest mounting points, so you can make it perfect for your needs. ● vindisducati.com SAVE £1234 £9995 Honda VFR800F Honda’s VFR800F series bows out after 23 years’ service, but there are still red, silver and black examples with big savings. ● www.kent-motorcycles.co.uk ● Engine 781cc ● Power 108bhp ● Weight 208kg ● Seat height 800mm SAVE £1150 £6999 Kawasaki Ninja 650 Performance The Ninja 650 Performance model comes with a smoked screen plus a full Akrapovic system. ● bransonsmotorcycles.co.uk ● Engine 649cc ● Power 67bhp ● Weight…

Husqvarna have added the Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 401 bikes to their 0% finance deal. Aimed at being an A2-friendly step up for younger riders, or a smaller commuting machine for more experienced buyers, the 401s make a lot of sense. With a £925 deposit, either 401 could be yours for £109 a month for three years and at 0%, you’d pay the exact same amount as the cash price. Tempting offer! Low cost racing CFMoto are sponsoring the No Limits Racing Super Twins and Standard Twins series in 2021. One reason behind the sponsorship deal is that CFMoto have introduced the 700CL-X, a retro roadster powered by a 695cc twin, that is eligible for the class. CFMoto have been improving their racing pedigree by working with the likes of…

Pirelli Diablo Rosso III Tyres £165-£219 ‘Get ready for the fun ahead’ With spring in the air and lockdown due to ease over the next few weeks, it’s the ideal time to get your bike in tip-top condition for the good times ahead. We’ve been shopping around and found some cracking deals on accessories to help you do just that. It is the perfect time to fit a new pair of tyres and there’s loads of deals around right now, including this set of Pirelli Diablo Rosso III sports touring rubber. The Rosso IIIs are aimed at sporty riders and will fit machines from the A2 licence friendly KTM RC390 through to mid-to-large capacity nakeds and sportsbikes. They are designed for all weather conditions and the rear tyre is dual…

The National Motorcycle Museum are raffling a new Triumph Trident 660 to raise the money needed to reopen fully this June. The Solihull venue has been hit hard by Covid-19 and is planning a limited reopening on May 17 with ‘part-time’ hours but needs to raise around £250,000 of a £500,000 total to reopen fully on June 21. Each ticket costs £6 and the winner of the 2021 machine will be announced at the museum on Friday, June 25. Also up for grabs is a 750cc 1978 Triumph Trident T160 and a recently restored 500cc 1956 Triumph Tiger T100. The museum was first established in 1984 and boasts an impressive collection of around 1000 bikes, valued at roughly £34,000,000. Late last year, the team applied for a grant from the…

Well we got the news last week that the Classic TT has been cancelled. To be honest, it didn’t come as a surprise. It’s difficult to find the words needed to explain how we’re all feeling and to say something that hasn’t already been said, but at the end of the day it’s pretty depressing. In a way it’s OK for me because I’ve been there and done it. This year would have been my 25th time at the TT, but for the lads who are starting out it’s a big thing. There will no doubt be riders out there who have taken five years to get everything in place to go and race at the Manx, riders who have saved their pennies, got a bike, ticked all the boxes…

Ashley Warnes Age 22 Height 6ft 2in Current bike 2005 Suzuki GS500 Been riding Almost two years First bike See above… Dream bike Triumph Tiger 800 ‘I’m looking to trade up from my Suzuki GS500. It’s the only bike that I’ve ridden, apart from the Yamaha YBR125 and MT-07 that I used while doing my tests. I do half my riding with a pillion, having originally got my licence because my girlfriend couldn’t ride herself due to medical reasons and opportunities to ride pillion were limited – and of course I now have the bug myself. I am currently doing my IAM advanced training, so lots of day trips are on the cards to practice my skills. ‘I’ve considered a few bikes, including the Yamaha Ténéré 700, Honda CB500X and…

MCN reader, David Kitson I’ve done a fair bit around Romania and some stuff in Serbia. I’ve ridden the TET in the UK and the Netherlands, but that was actually on some of the routes prior to them being submitted publicly and it being known as the TET. Romania is an awesome place to ride and the people are so friendly and happy to have you there trail riding. A lot of the trails there are fairly easy but around Sibhu where they’d been logging I was in ruts that were up to my waist! I was on a 400cc CCM so it was OK but you wouldn’t have wanted to do it on anything much bigger. I’ve now moved on to Bulgaria which is where my bike is located…

DAVE LOCKHART I needed to get off sportsbikes to slow myself down. Once I’d looked at everything the Streetfighter was the only thing I really wanted. It was beautiful, had all the nice bits and I wanted something fun that didn’t mind a wheelie. I’d not had a Ducati before, so I fancied a go. It’s lovely to own, sounds great and I’m happy to just look at it in the garage when I’m not riding, but spare parts are ludicrously expensive. The only time I thought of selling it was to get the new one, but it’s an awful lot of money for a naked and I’m not sure it’ll be as much fun. Mine’s a keeper.…

1 Michelin Road 5 £375.72* Sticky, smooth and secure in the wet and they even work well in sub-freezing temperatures. I got 13,000 miles out of the first pair before a nail ended play. Tim Mills, Idaho 2 Metzeler Roadtec 01 £271* They were great for commuting, but then you could get out and have a blast at the weekend. Patrick Collum, Watford 3 Continental Trail Attack 3 £275* They stick to the road like glue even in the wet and are the most confidence-inspiring tyres I have used. Derek Sol, Welwyn Garden City 4 Pirelli Angel GT £250* I get 3000 miles per set and they are amazing in the dry and don’t move in the wet. Gareth Mayfield, Macclesfield 5 Dunlop Roadsmart 3 £294.50* I use these for…

Saving you money on essential bike maintenance 1 Choose your method A broken wire can be soldered or crimped – and the method you use depends on where the repair is and the tools you have to hand. Most looms are crimped as standard and if done properly the joint will be weatherproof and able to withstand temperature variations and vibration. Always go for the same type of connectors as used on the original loom. 2 Cause and effect A broken wire can go unnoticed if it relates to something minor, such as a daytime riding lamp. Whereas other times a broken connection could leave you stranded at the roadside. Often, a loose or badly repaired connection can kick up an intermittent fault, as we found with this connection to…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR When it comes to passion in motorsport, you look to Italy. But while the red of Ferrari and Ducati gets the pulses racing they’ve been left wanting when it comes to home grown results. The car manufacturer haven’t had an Italian F1 World Champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. While Ducati are still searching for an Italian title winner in both MotoGP and World Superbike. So could 25-year-old Michael Ruben Rinaldi, be the answer? ‘Michael’ doesn’t sound like a very Italian name… My father just liked the name. When I was starting out my dad didn’t know that minibike racing existed. Somebody said, ‘Your son is fast, make him go racing!’ I was only five, so as soon as I turned seven I raced minibikes. Tell us about…

Racing’s MotoBrexit, and what to do about it Brexit is biting. Not the one where the UK leaves Europe. The other one, that nobody voted for… no Britons in MotoGP. With Cal Crutchlow gone, there’s a national vacuum. Unlike World Superbikes, where the opposite holds true. That’s all very well, unless (like the whole racing world) you believe MotoGP is the senior series, both historically and in practice. Like it or not, it is the ultimate. There’s little chance of the Jonathan Rea, Alex Lowes and co coming over; while Redding, Haslam and Davies have already had their chance and fallen off the back of the bus. For reasons that might not be entirely down to ability. This is another argument. For now, we need to address the situation. The…

They’ll be wary of a potential case of déjà vu, but Aprilia’s new RS-GP once again looks strong following its maiden test outings. Aleix Espargaro was never outside of the top six across the five days of testing over the last two weeks at Qatar and finished 0.457s off the top lap-time overall. A crash, followed by the abandoned day, ruined any chance of a really long race simulation, however Espargaro was consistent on the shorter runs and time attack. He also cited bike stability and getting the power down as two improvements, while he also tested a carbon-fibre swingarm which has good rigidity and is lighter than the standard aluminium version.…

Charge at home Plug in at night and leave home with a full battery. Plan your journey If you’re going a long way or are in unfamiliar territory, a little time spent planning your route to incorporate charging stops can be helpful. It will help you find opportunities in advance and you can find charging points with coffee stops too. Look ahead When you’re stopped it always makes sense to use an app to check your next stop. You can make sure that the charging point is working and download any necessary apps. Get the apps Charging points can be located in different places but apps on your smartphone will help you find them easily. Other apps may be needed to operate the chargers, so having these downloaded in advance…

Kilowatt (kw) The measurement of power related to voltage and current. In connection to charging, the higher the number, the faster the bike will charge. Kilowatt hours (kWh) A unit of electricity. The more kWh your battery holds, the further the bike will travel. Think of it as the electrical equivalent of litres. Level 1 chargingThis is the slowest way to charge the battery but usually the most convenient. Normally involves plugging into a domestic socket and a charging rate of less than 3kw. Level 2 charging Usually found in public car parks. These chargers have dedicated circuits and are faster than plugging in at home.…

Charge at home Plug in at night and leave home with a full battery. Plan your journey If you’re going a long way or are in unfamiliar territory, a little time spent planning your route to incorporate charging stops can be helpful. It will help you find opportunities in advance and you can find charging points with coffee stops too. Look ahead When you’re stopped it always makes sense to use an app to check your next stop. You can make sure that the charging point is working and download any necessary apps. Get the apps Charging points can be located in different places but apps on your smartphone will help you find them easily. Other apps may be needed to operate the chargers, so having these downloaded in advance…