Table of contents for 14 September 2022 in MCN

Honda have new colours for the 2023 X-ADV, NC750X, Forza 750, and NT1100. Starting with the quirky X-ADV adventure scoot, both the 330cc and 745cc receive a special edition ‘Shasta White’ design. Elsewhere, the NC750X will come with ‘Mat Jeans Blue Metallic’, ‘Candy Chromosphere Red’ and the odd sounding ‘Pearl Deep Mud Gray.’ The bike retains the options for ‘Mat Ballistic Black Metallic’. The Forza 750 has four new colour designs, with choices for mat blacks, pearl whites, greys, and reds. Finally, the NT1100 tourer gets a new ‘Gunmetal Black Metallic’, plus options for ‘Matt Iridium Gray Metallic’ and ‘Pearl Glare White’.…

Moto-Detail 50-litre Trekking Roll £43.00 This 50-litre waterproof roll bag is part of a new six-piece soft luggage range from Moto-Detail that includes tank bags, rucksacks and panniers. It’s lightweight and flexible with plenty of mounting options, and has a wide entry to swallow all your stuff. www.louis-moto.co.uk Sealey Sidestand Dolly £95.94 British tool specialists Sealey have released, and promptly discounted, a whopping 600 new products as part of their latest promotion. Amongst the garage goodies on offer is this rear wheel dolly, specifically designed for bikes with sidestands. It allows for easy manoeuvring where space is limited and uses your bike’s front wheel for steering. www.sealey.co.uk Oxford Original Approved AA Jeans £129.99 Oxford’s popular riding jeans have been given a host of upgrades, including better stretch, improved construction and…

Ducati look set to unleash a new V4 version of their Diavel power-cruiser, which has been a staple of the Bologna firm’s V-twin line up since 2011. Currently powered by a 1262cc liquid-cooled two-pot spewing out an impressive 159bhp and 95lb.ft of torque, the £21,795 bruiser will now join the large-capacity Multistrada and Panigale ranges as a four-cylinder machine. Although the bike spotted has been covered in black tape to hide much of the detail, the clearly evident Granturismo V4 engine, sculpted four-exit exhaust, complete switchgear and ‘Diavel V4’ logo stitched into the seat unit, suggest that the finished machine will be revealed very soon. Away from the V4 engine, which will be derived from the 1158cc Multistrada unit, the new Diavel retains its traditional raked-out silhouette. The bike we…

Council plans to reduce speed limits appear to be an attempt to avoid repairing potholes and reduce compensation paid out because damage to vehicles is less at lower speeds. The repeated mantra about increasing road safety and reducing pollution is just PR spin to sell the idea. Engines run less efficiently at lower speeds in lower gears and increase emissions, while road safety could be improved by better education of all road users. Chris Bell, Galashiels…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com TRIUMPH 3TA My Triumph was very much a purchase of the heart not the head – it hated being outside during Irish winters. Mat May YAMAHA RD125LC My 1982 Yamaha RD125LC. I got the bike in October 1988. Current owner of KTM 390 Duke and 1976 Suzuki GT185. Derek Horne VESPA PK50 1985, 16 years old, Vespa PK50, ready for the scooter rallies. I am now on my 35th bike. Neil Holmes YAMAHA SR500 Greetings from Sweden! My first bike… a 1981 Yamaha SR500 and my second was a Laverda 1200 Mirage, seen here on a faded pic from 1983. Per Kringberg YAMAHA FS1-E My dad helped my brother Guy to buy this bike by paying half towards it. Guy sold it to…

Massimo Tamburini was the most celebrated designer of modern times with not one but two biking icons under his belt, a significant player at Cagiva and co-founder of Bimota. Yet the seeds for such exotica were sown in humble beginnings. Born near Rimini, Tamburini was enthralled by bikes. “I’ve always had a huge passion,” the great man remembered shortly before his death in 2014. “My mother used to complain about it when I was a little boy, calling it my obsession!” With his farming family unable to send him to university, Tamburini instead went to technical school in Rimini before, in 1966, setting up an engineering company specialising in air conditioning with friends Valerio Bianchi and Giuseppe Morri. Its name, Bimota, came from the first two letters of each’s surname.…

First it was petrol heading towards two quid a litre. Then came inflated food prices, and now it’s the cost of energy for the home that’s got bums twitching. And let’s not mention the price of beer… But the soaring cost of living doesn’t have to mean less riding time as there’s a rich assortment of bikes that’ll cost you shrapnel to run. And the best thing is that enjoying low running costs doesn’t mean a boring bike. YOUR EXPERT Mike Armitage has been a full-time tester and journalist for 21 years. The ex-engineer rides 20,000 miles a year and knows how to spot a hound. £1800-£3849 Honda MSX125 Cheap to run, reliable, more fun than naked trampolining You don’t need to be a thermodynamic genius to work out small,…

Axel Bassani was the star performer in France. Off the back of three fifth places in the Czech Republic, the 23-year-old Italian finished on the podium in both long races at Magny-Cours. It was a stunning performance from the Motocorsa Ducati rider, who was instrumental in a personnel reshuffle within the team earlier this season. Will he be rewarded with a factory seat in 2022? Over recent weeks, Bassani’s management has been talking with Yamaha as well as Honda. The latter is no longer an option as Xavi Vierge remains alongside Iker Lecuona. However, the former might be a possibility. Knowing the Panigale V4 R well, Bassani’s preference would be a spot alongside Alvaro Bautista in the factory Aruba Ducati team but Bautista enjoys having Michael Ruben Rinaldi as teammate.…

Glenn Irwin heads into the three-round title shootout as the closest contender to the leading Yamaha trio. The Honda Racing UK rider has 16 podium credits, two more than Kyle Ryde in fourth and three more than Lee Jackson in fifth. Irwin could have had one extra credit to his name but was handed a two-second penalty for his involvement in the safety car incident on Sunday [see p71]. Buoyed by fourth in race two, Irwin thought he’d gone one better and sealed his fifth podium of the year, but was told by officials after the race that he’d been demoted. Irwin was furious at the decision and was seen deep in conversation with Series Director Stuart Higgs. Irwin was fast all weekend, losing out on a higher position in…

The entire BSB paddock paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II over the course of the weekend at Snetterton. With the decision made to keep racing, procedures were introduced to ensure a respectful weekend from start-to-finish. Prior to races one and two, there were two minutes silence before the playing of the National Anthem, whilst the warm-up laps were started by the lowering of the Union flag. Celebrations were kept to a minimum with no traditional podium presentations, whilst only essential working crew personnel were allowed on the grid prior to races. Special tributes could also be found on several race bikes.…

JOSH CLOSE INSIGHT Our man with a finger on the pulse of BSB Advantage Bradley Ray! It’s Showdown time once again in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship and Ray is now the man to beat after claiming his first-ever triple at Snetterton. Unstoppable from the get-go, the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rider produced three excellent rides – a runaway on Saturday followed by two head-to-head battles with Tarran Mackenzie on Sunday – to extend his advantage to 13 points now that the Showdown calculations have been made. This despite being caught up in a safety car debacle [see right] towards the end of the final race. “That’s the best weekend I’ve ever had as a superbike rider,” Ray told MCN after collecting his Quattro Plant Hire Race of Aces…

There are numerous things in life that are more important than motorcycles – but it has long been, and long will be, our editorial policy to ensure that they don’t encroach on the pages of MCN. But it would be inexcusable to fail to pay our respects on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Her incredible life, and phenomenal 70-year reign, spanned some of the most pivotal events, changes and challenges in modern history – and it’s hard to comprehend that her constant and consistent presence will no longer be felt during times of national joy, sadness, and significance. She was an impressive, intelligent, influential, inspirational and indomitable lady, who used her power and privilege to get closer to people of all classes, nationalities, religions, races, and orientations…

A charity event that saw motorcycle racers take to the grid in striking pink outfits has raised over £4500 for Cancer Research UK, and now they’re after more. Set up by Craig Harris of the Formula Prostocks racing club, the ‘Racing in Pink’ event took place at the Castle Combe round on August 20-21 and was inspired by the tragic passing of club photographer Jenny Triker Wells, who lost her fight with cancer on July 11. “It’s amazing really,” he told MCN. “We never thought in the current climate we’d make anything like that. “We set a target of £2000 and we’ve achieved more than double. On the Sunday I was in tears more than I was racing – just from the support from the crowd, people clapping as I…

Moto2 engine suppliers, Triumph, are gunning for higher top speeds, more overtaking and greater excitement from 2023 – with the firm announcing significant upgrades to their circa 140bhp, 765cc racing triple. The factory took over from Honda as the official engine supplier in 2019 and have since signed a three-year contract extension. “There was a lot of discussion around, ‘if we do the extension how do we keep the series interesting?’” Chief Product Officer Steve Sargent told MCN. “So we said: ‘Well, if we’re going to do this, what do we do in terms of keeping things moving forward?’ “I don’t think it’s any secret that when Honda were supplying engines they kept the [same spec] the whole way through, so it’s a way of creating interest – not just…

1 Kickback Show September 18 A custom bash in a prison! This year’s Kickback show is hosted in Gloucester Prison from 10am-4.30pm this Sunday. Motorcycles can park in prison grounds themselves. www.kickbackshow.com 2 Oliver’s Mount September 16-18 England’s only road racing circuit, Oliver’s Mount in Scarborough, is back in action this weekend for the Steve Henshaw Gold Cup. Advance tickets are £50 for the weekend. www.oliversmount.com 3 South Mids Jumble September 17 Takes place at Ross-on-Wye livestock centre. Admission is £4, 9am entry, just off the M50. www.southmidlandsautojumble.com 4 Newark Autojumble September 18 Grab your chance to pick up those parts for your next project. Early birds are £10 and can enter from 8am, with general admission £7. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk…

Classy 4.3in colour TFT is easy to read and full of functions, but by today’s standards it’s small, which could leave you feeling short-changed The mechanically adjustable Showa forks are on the firm side of plush on stock settings Stubby pipe looks neat. Exhausts route under the seat, which can cook you in the heat ★★★★★ £16,095 Ducati Panigale V2 5.5in colour TFT tells you all you need to know, but it’s more basic than the V2’s more compact unit. Surrounding idiot lights are slightly dull The MV has rudimentary ‘on or off’ cruise control. It also has launch control, but would you ever use it? Carbon fibre fairing lowers with aerodynamic strakes, producing 8kg of downforce at 149mph ★★★★☆ £19,660 MV Agusta F3 RR…

Although Massimo Tamburini’s 916 is clearly one of the most successful motorcycle designs of all time – in terms of style, engineering, sales and racing success – it was Tamburini’s later design work for the revived MV Agusta operation which the great man favoured most of all. “As a complete project, the F4 is my favourite machine,” Tamburini observed in his later years. “With the Ducati we already had a good base to work on, with the MV it was a blank piece of paper and we had to create everything, even the smallest of details such as the footpegs. “But working on the Ducati was easier because it is a cleaner bike when it comes to design; it is far easier to work on, to take apart.” Tamburini added:…

What would you think if your significant other expressed an interest in sharing your passion for bikes? Terror at the thought of your two-wheeled time being encroached upon? Or would it make you love your partner even more? For most of us, it’s the latter and it’s a trend which has inspired Sweetlamb Adventure Bike Rally Academy to launch a couples training day. Run by a husband-and-wife team, it’s already become a hit with folk looking to do more biking together. MCN Reporter Saffron Wilson and her partner of 10 years, Kieron, booked themselves a place to find out more, and also hear from four other riding duos who believe that couples who bike together, stay together. That sense of adventure Husband and wife, Louise and Paul Hodgkinson are instructors…

ALISON SILCOX OFFICE MANAGER Owns a Ducati Monster and a Yamaha XMAX400. Loves solo touring trips With two versions of the Honda NT1100 available, manual and DCT, I’ve opted to run the standard machine for the duration of my long-term test… but how does it compare to the automatic offering? I thought it an ideal opportunity to rope in the services of my other half, Mark. He’s never tried any of Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission bikes and because he has a disability which leaves him unable to change gear on a manual, he reckons it might be a viable option. What does Mark think? “I’ve only got limited use of my left foot, following a life-changing motorbike accident in 2009. Along with pins in my ankle, my brain doesn’t talk…

Scott Redding finished on the podium for the third weekend in succession. Donington and Most had always been touted as strong BMW tracks but continuing the pace into France, and leading for much of Saturday’s race before being overhauled by Alvaro Bautista, cements the fact Redding can lead a team and mould a squad around him. August’s test in Catalonia was mightily important, not least as BMW improved their braking system to give Redding better feel on the initial bite of the lever. The M1000RR is still struggling for traction exiting corners but, instead of the fist shaking and post-race complaining we saw from Redding earlier this year, the Englishman is knuckling down and embracing the challenge of riding for a new team with the added dimension of developing a…

GREG HAINES INSIGHT Reporting from the heart of the superbike paddock All hell broke loose at Magny-Cours as Jonathan Rea found himself involved in massive controversy at the French Round of World Superbikes for the second consecutive year. In Sunday’s final race, the six-time title winner’s collision with championship leader Alvaro Bautista left the Spaniard accusing the Northern Irishman of deliberate tactics to take him out of the race. As they head to Barcelona next week, the levels of tension in the WSB paddock could not be higher. Last year, Rea was slated on social media following Kawasaki’s contentious (and successful) protest to dock Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu a position for touching a green-painted out-of-bounds zone on the final lap. This time, it was Rea’s hostility at Chateau d’eau corner which…

Aruba Ducati say Jonathan Rea deserves further punishment at the next round in Barcelona, stating that his single Long Lap penalty for taking out Alvaro Bautista in France was not sufficient and set a bad example. “When the track goes right, why is Jonathan sitting up to the left?” former rival Chaz Davies asked on Eurosport. Two-time World Champion, James Toseland, added: “Perhaps another Long Lap penalty in Barcelona would be suitable.” Post-race, Ducati made a point of getting one of their big bosses in front of TV cameras for a passionately-worded interview. “We don’t expect a six-time World Champion to pull off dangerous manoeuvres,” declared Marco Zambenedetti, Ducati Corse’s Superbike Technical Coordinator. “It is not in line with the spirit of Ducati, World Superbikes or the FIM; especially after…

Jack Kennedy clinched a recordbreaking fourth British Supersport title at Snetterton after another dominant display. The Irishman took glory in both races and has now won 13 of the 16 races held so far, whilst he’s finished second in the other three. A crash for nearest rival Bradley Perrie on Saturday meant that victory for Kennedy would secure him back-to-back titles. The Mar-Train Yamaha man did just that after an intense, race-long battle with Perrie on Sunday. This year’s title, his fourth in five years, means that Kennedy is the only rider in history to have won four British Supersport titles, moving clear of the late three-time champion Karl Harris. “I’m delighted! It’s great to set myself aside in the record books as the most successful Supersport rider ever and…

Tarran Mackenzie is well and truly in the title fight heading into the Showdown after taking a trio of podiums, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Mackenzie crossed the line in second in each race, but was demoted one place in race three after an incident with the safety car. Whilst leading, Mackenzie was deemed to have overtaken the safety car on the restart before it’d entered pit-lane. Bradley Ray and Glenn Irwin duly followed. All three were handed two-second penalties, and Mackenzie was given two penalty points on his judicial record. “I thought that I gave the safety car enough room, I accelerated out of the final corner, and it was going slower than I thought,” Mackenzie explained. “I didn’t want to back off because it would’ve been unfair…

The much anticipated, affordable Norton 650 Atlas twin will now no longer go into production. First unveiled in April 2019 towards the end of the now infamous Stuart Garner era, the Atlas was set to be an all-new, entry-level, retro-styled naked, priced between £9995 and £11,995. Powered by a 650cc, liquid-cooled, parallel twin co-developed with China’s Zongshen, two versions were mooted – a cheaper retro-roadster Nomad and a more scrambler-styled Ranger. MCN tested a prototype back in October 2019 and were impressed (see right). Bikes were then shown at Motorcycle Live that November, attracting numerous deposits. That was all put into jeopardy when Norton went into administration in January 2020, with Garner himself later receiving a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to making illegal pension investments into the business. Deposit…

Yamaha have added their R1 superbike to the track-only GYTR range for 2023, giving customers a chance to get closer than ever to owning a World Superbike-spec machine. Although GYTR parts (Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing) have been available as bolt-ons for a number of years, this is the first time the superbike has been offered as a ready-to-race package. “When we started the development of this bike, the target was to make something that was as close as possible to the World Superbike, but also more usable for a wider range of riders,” said WSB test rider and world endurance racer Niccolo Canepa. “But, it’s also more usable and more rideable and more enjoyable. Especially with the Bridgestone tyres – it’s really nice to ride, and really stable and this…

One-make championships run alongside the British Superbike circus have always played a pivotal part in providing entertaining racing as well as offering a stepping stone for progression (or a retirement party for those more experienced). For 2023, there’s a very different looking class arriving, as the F900R Cup rolls into town to replace the long-running Ducati TriOptions series. As well as upright bars and a complete lack of race fairings, the BMW F900R Cup looks, financially, vastly more appealing. Riders will be able to purchase a race-ready bike from any BMW Motorrad dealer for just £11,000, which is at least half the price of a fully-kitted Ducati Panigale V2. The less complex BMWs should crash better, too. As well as the usual ACU must-have mods (lever guards and shark fins,…

This cut-down, minimalist, modernised Triumph Bonneville Bobber is the latest from German customiser JvB Moto – who’ll soon be offering replica parts for you to make your own! It’s called the Bobber B-Type and is the latest project from Cologne-based custom wizard Jens vom Brauck who’s been building special bikes and parts since 2001. It’s based on the original 2017 version of the Bobber, with a 19in front wheel and features all-new front and rear ends, seat, bars, mudguards, Vance and Hines exhaust, carbon fibre rear wheel cover, number plate holder, chain guard, very 1980s square headlight and much more – all due to be available through JvB to enable you to build a replica. “I like the Bobber for its minimalism, not really its retro elements,” Jens told MCN.…

The first-ever Lincolnshire Wolds Vintage Hill Climb has raised an estimated £5000 for Cancer Research UK and selected good causes in and around Lincs town of Louth. The event, held on September 3 just a stone’s throw from Cadwell Park, was run by the local Rotary Club and saw motorcycles, cars – and even a three-wheeler – all manufactured between 1912 and 1939 take to the 0.8-mile closed road course in the village of Scamblesby. “It was quite an emotional moment when the first bike went off the line,” Louth Rotary president, Alan Curtis told MCN. Locals and enthusiasts were out in force for the event, with landowner Steve Hunt opening up a field free of charge for the static vehicle displays, food stalls, live music, and the competitors’ paddock.…

1. Honda CBR1000RR It’s my superstock bike from last year, and I love it. This model is a real step-up from the one it replaced, it has more involving GP tech with closer tolerances and much improved power and performance. 2. Suzuki RGV250 I was on holiday down in Cornwall with my parents when I was 14 and I saw one parked up in Lucky Strike colours. I really, really wanted one. The shape, the lines, the graphics. It was the nicest thing I’d ever seen. 3. Honda NSR500 I once saw an NSR500 with licence plates, so I want one now! It would be like having a GP bike on the road, and when not riding it I’d happily tinker with it in my wonderful garage. 4. Honda CBR600RR…

WORTH £395 We’ve teamed up with Oxford Products to offer one lucky MCN reader the chance to win the ultimate dream garage bundle. The prize includes front and rear dolly stands with lockable caster wheels to make it easy to turn your bike in a small space, a Zero G workshop mat designed to absorb minor oil spillages and compliant with FIM requirements. To complete the bundle you’ll also receive a gear tidy and heavy duty hanger, providing ventilated helmet and glove shelves, a hanging facility for clothing and dedicated space for a disc lock and keys – all in one neat solution. Enter now for your chance to win at: motorcyclenews.com/windreamgarage ENTER FOR FREE – NOW! Visit www.motorcyclenews.com/windreamgarage TERMS AND CONDITIONS: The prize draw closes at midnight on September…

Reader Lee Hartshorn The trip Sunrise at Lowestoft Ness in Suffolk to sunset at Whitesands Bay in Pembrokeshire, raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society in memory of my in-laws – my mother-in-law having been a longterm Alzheimer’s sufferer. Visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sun2sun4as if you’d like to donate. How many miles? 365 across 13 counties and two countries Tell us about the trip… The idea was to stick to A&B-roads, but practicality did mean a few stretches of dual-carriageway. In the end, the forecast wasn’t great, although I survived until Malvern before being caught in rain, then it was come and go until the end with thick cloud. For me, the A422 across central England, and most of the A40 across Wales provided the best riding and the Towy valley and final coastal…

FRIDAY September 16 8am, BTS2, Live MotoGP from Aragon, Spain: Opening Day 11pm, QUEST, Bennetts British Superbikes from Silverstone: Highlights SATURDAY September 17 8am, BTS2, Live MotoGP 11.30am, ITV4, World Superbikes highlights from Magny Cours, France 5.30pm, EUR2, Live Speedway Grand Prix from Malilla, Sweden 9.15pm, EUR2, Endurance Moto Racing World Championship – Bol D’Or SUNDAY September 18 5am, EUR2, Bol D’Or. Also at 8.20am 8am, BTS2, MotoGP Warm Ups. Moto3 9.15am, Moto2 11am and MotoGP at 12.30pm. Chequered Flag at 2pm MONDAY September 19 8pm, ITV4, MotoGP highlights from Aragon, Spain 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 -…

In a bid to inject life back into a class that’s gone stale in recent years, mainly due to the absence of relatable new models, ‘New Generation’ rules have been developed in British and World Supersport. They allow the likes of the Panigale V2, F3 RR and faired Triumph Street Triple RS to race against traditional supersport machines, like the Yamaha R6 and Kawasaki ZX-6R. The new category was introduced last year in BSS and this season in WSS, but it’s at world level where it’s captured the imagination the most with factory entries from Ducati and MV Agusta. The Bologna firm have hit the ground running the quickest and although they’ve yet to win a race, ex-Moto2 star Nicolo Bulega and his Aruba.it Racing Team Panigale V2 are drawing…

Zero haven’t just dressed up an existing model to create their new adventure offering. The DSR/X is an entirely new bike with a completely new frame, subframe and swingarm, all designed to be stronger to take the extra weight and demands of off-road riding. There’s long-travel, fully adjustable Showa suspension front and rear, increased ground clearance, a stronger belt drive and re-designed sprocket, plus off-road biased wheel sizes (19in front 17in rear). The electronics are new, with five riding modes: Rain, Eco, Sport, Canyon and Standard. There isn’t a specific off-road mode, but each mode has its own off-road setting, which is simple and easy to select. Lean-sensitive ABS and traction control settings have been produced in partnership with Bosch to work both on and off-road. You can turn off…

MCN’s Saffron and partner Kieron put their relationship to the test at Sweetlamb’s couples training session… “I’m not sure who was more excited about the prospect of exploring the 6500 acres at Sweetlamb and learning new skills – me or my partner of 10 years and off-road novice, Kieron. “At first, Louise and Paul took us for a ride together down to the skills area so they could judge how comfortable we were off-road. After a few pointers, it wasn’t long before we took to the gravel trails and mastered deep gullies full of water and loose stones, and Kieron took off over wet grassland and boggy patches. Considering it was his first time, I thought it was very impressive. As did Paul, I think. “We spent time in the…

DAN SUTHERLAND NEWS EDITOR Year-round rider, weekend blaster and racetrack dweller The past 5000 miles with the SDR Evo have been a lesson in restraint. Packing a claimed 177bhp between the luminous orange beams of its taut trellis frame, it is effortlessly fast and will grunt its way past lines of traffic faster than you can say ‘mirror, signal, manoeuvre’. Away from the prying eyes and endless dashcams of main road Britain, it turns the giggle factor up to 11 – holding a line as well as any sportsbike and thrusting out of bends with all the shove of a high-speed train. To discover how good it is when ridden in anger, I headed to a sunny Snetterton 300 with MSV for a play – and to test my 2000-mile-old…

Four wins from four, Francesco Bagnaia is making history. This weekend the MotoGP circus heads to Aragon, the track where, one year ago, Bagnaia secured his maiden victory. Now, 20 races later, the 25-year-old has scored ten wins and in doing so has slashed Quartarao’s lead of 91 points to just 30. MCN spoke with Bagnaia following his latest victory in Misano. What does racing at Misano mean to you emotionally? Misano is always special and winning the way I did was unbelievable, I think it was the tightest race I have ever experienced. It’s a victory that has a great value for me. Did you watch the race back again afterwards? Twice already on Sunday, I couldn’t wait, and a few more times in the coming days. It seemed…

‘It’s been a strange weekend but I’m very pleased’TOPRAK RAZGATLIOGLU As Rea went over the top and Bautista blew his top, it was Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu who benefitted most from the pure sporting drama that was Magny-Cours last weekend. While his closest rivals collided on Sunday, the Turk secured two wins as his charge to the top continued. Absolutely everything happened in France. Rain, sunshine, thunder, lightning, barging, crashing, arguing, fighting and – some might say – acting. On Saturday, for the first time in the 35-year history of WSB, the top two riders in qualifying registered identical times. As a result, Rea’s secondbest time secured pole position over Razgatlioglu (and even then there was less than a tenth of a second in it). Kawasaki’s repair job was impressive following…

Remy Gardner is about to be announced as a GRT Yamaha WSB rider for 2023. Last year’s Moto2 World Champion has been left without a ride in GP, where he competes with Tech3 KTM. Garrett Gerloff moves from GRT to Bonovo BMW as Eugene Laverty retires, while Kohta Nozane will return to Japan. Numerous riders are vying to become Gardner’s teammate: Dominique Aegerter and Lorenzo Baldassarri head the list along with Tarran Mackenzie and Bradley Ray.…