Table of contents for 18 December 2024 in MCN

SPORTS REVIEW OF THE YEAR 36-PAGE in-depth look back over an incredible year GLOSSY 2025 WALL CALENDAR Essential dates and hot bikes – perfect! FIRST RIDE Is new Hornet the full SP? We’ve been waiting patiently to get our backsides into the saddle of Honda’s CB1000 Hornet after the prototype was teased at the end of last year. We were doubly excited when Honda confirmed the price: just £9999 for the Öhlins-encrusted, 155bhp top-spec SP – massively undercutting rivals. But does this low price mean the Hornet thou is less fun? Neevesy went to Spain to find out. PAGE 26 DREAM RIDE From TT to trials It’s the time of year where many riders turn their thoughts to hitting the dirt as a way of boosting their skills for the…

A chopper belonging to Great British Bake Off star Paul Hollywood is set to go under the hammer at the upcoming Devitt Insurance MCN London Motorcycle Show, on February 16. The bike in question is a Kansas made ‘Big Dog Ridgeback’. It is a traditional hardtail style chopper powered by a 1750cc S&S V-twin. A price estimate of between £12,000 to £14,000 has been set, which is approximately half the machine’s original cost. Visit mcnmotorcycleshow.com for early bird ticket deals and turn to page 16 for show news.…

BMW have launched their 2025 clothing collection, with a wide variety of kit available to cater for all motorcycle genres. Alongside protective clothing, there are casual items on sale, too. Products available include the £670 Grand Racer Helmet, which can now be equipped with a retro orange and silver ‘Daytona’ colour scheme – mirroring the finish on the firm’s new £18,460 R12 S boxer twin café racer. Elsewhere, you’ll find full Gore-Tex touring suits, plus a new £1070 Pace Pro jacket finished in a sporty M livery, inspired by the firm’s most aggressive fourcylinder models. Visit bmw-motorrad.co.uk for more on the new range. Guintoli gives back Former World Superbike and Endurance World champion, Sylvain Guintoli has auctioned off several racing items from his 2024 season in order to raise money…

Roadskin Ladies Hoodie £149.99 Best known for their riding jeans, Brit-based Roadskin have just released a new version of their popular Easyrider hoodie designed specifically for the female figure. It may look casual, but safety is serious with a CE AA certification and Level 2 armour for shoulders, elbows and back. roadskin.co.uk Shoei X-SPR Pro Harrison TC-2 £749.99 New to the race rep grid is this tribute to three-time TT winner Dean Harrison, which adorns Shoei’s range-topping sports helmet, the X-SPR. Barring a couple of sponsors, it’s identical to Dean’s current lid, with a fully customisable interior. shoeiassured.co.uk Oxford Chain Tool Pro £74.99 Replacing your own drive chain can save you a bundle, and this kit makes the job a doddle. Everything’s included to break your old worn chain and…

Well we’ve finally got all the composites through for the Yamaha YZR GP bike we’re building. That means the airbox and other bits, so we can fit the carbs and the wiring loom, which is a lot more complicated than you’d think it would be given that it’s a two-stroke. Right now it looks like a rat’s nest, but we’ll get it sorted. Both wheels are in, but the bike came with steel discs, which are in good order and what you’d actually want if you were parading or just riding it. But clearly if you want the thing to look at, it needs the carbon discs on it and that makes life a bit more complicated. There will no doubt be a few snags, but if you were racing…

1 December 26 Cold turkey meet The Ace Cafe in London (NW10 7UD) is once again celebrating the festive season with everything automotive. To shake off the Christmas blues, there’ll be a meet on Boxing Day. The long-established venue is also hosting a New Year’s Eve party, and a hangover meet on January 1. london.acecafe.com 2 December 26 Wild and Woolly After a year’s hiatus the Wild and Woolly returns, and the mud-filled, MX action will be back in full swing. This time it’s taking place outside of Northamptonshire at Polesworth MX Track, Tamworth (B79 0JS). It’s a fiver for car parking and donations will be accepted for local charities. facebook.com/groups/wildandwoolly 3 January 1 Sammy Miller New Year’s Day ride-in Sammy Miller’s Museum (BH25 5SZ) down on the south coast…

THE MCN TEST • THE HOTTEST BIKES • EVERY WEEK £5195 Triumph Speed 400 • 398cc liquid-cooled single DOHC 4v • 39.5bhp @ 8000rpm • 170kg wet weight £4850 (plus £145 and £200 for paint options) Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 • 451cc liquid-cooled single DOHC 4v • 39.5bhp @ 8000rpm • 184kg kerb weight This year a new naked bike star has emerged – the Triumph Speed 400. Topping the UK’s naked bike sales charts almost every month since its launch in January, this budget-friendly machine has hit the right note with buyers and the results are plain to see. However its reign at the top is now under threat from a company that, just a few years ago, enjoyed the same showroom success Triumph are having with an unexpected…

£5195 Triumph Speed 400 £4850 Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450…

Although Vincent produced some incredible machinery, the company as a whole weren’t able to withstand the test of time. In fact, the brand only manufactured motorcycles from 1928 until 1955, with around 11,000 machines sold after the Second World War. Things weren’t easy during those post-War years with slow sales for their high-end bikes into the early 1950s that ultimately led to Vincent ceasing manufacturing just one week before Christmas in 1955, when the very last machines rolled off the production line, prior to going into receivership in 1959.…

RATINGS Exceptional Very good Good Average Poor 11 months ON TEST Halvarssons Gruven jacket £599.99 & Gnon trousers £429.99 ’Great fit from the start’ Tested by Alison Silcox for 11 months This laminated suit felt comfortable from the word go – it fits well, the sleeves are long, cuffs are adjustable, plus there’s an inner cuff, that ensures a snug fit inside my gloves. Well-placed vents on both the jacket and the trousers have proved useful, too. Sizing is good, it’s tailored for the female form, with adjustments at the waist of the jacket, plus the trousers accommodate middle-aged spread around the hip area, and also come in regular, short and long leg lengths. The kit’s not oversized, and because of the clever Outlast technology, which regulates heat without bulk,…

BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician Fixing your spark Perk up your performance by treating your bike to fresh plugs 1 Know what to look for A spark plug will last for thousands of miles, and often beyond the service life without any issues, but its efficiency will decrease over time. This is caused by wear, as the gap between the electrodes becomes wider and the angular edges of the electrodes get rounded off. This can reduce the quality of the spark, thus reducing combustion efficiency. BRUCE’S TIPS If possible, use the original specification of spark plug 2 Finding the issue If you have a misfire or your bike feels like it is running on fewer cylinders, this can often be a symptom of a spark plug not working correctly. A lot of…

Former TT winner turned MotoGP tech expert TECH INSIGHT Part 2 of 5 Next week: Honda Ducati’s domination was very nearly total in 2024: Desmosedici riders won 19 of the 20 grands prix and – even more incredible – filled 53 of the 60 podium places! There’s no reason to believe the Bologna brand will be any less dominant in 2025, because it has its strongest-ever factory line-up: twice MotoGP champion Pecco Bagnaia and six-times MotoGP king Marc Marquez. And chief engineer Gigi Dall’Igna will be as determined as ever to stay ahead of his rivals. “Even right now, when the Ducati is the best bike on the grid, Gigi keeps pushing,” says Marquez, who’s built a close relationship with Dall’Igna since he defected from Honda at the end of…

When I saw the pages in MCN about Rider of the Year I straight away started scratching my head, because who do you pick? I was shortlisted a couple of years ago and even though I knew that I probably wasn’t going to win it, I still felt mega proud. Looking through the list of ten riders, there have been some really high achievers but for me it’s between Dunlop and Toprak. I’d like to see Michael Dunlop win it, but I’m biased towards road racing. There are a lot of reasons to vote for Michael. He does things his own way and all he wants to do is win races. Even when he was leading the Superbike race and had the visor problem, he could have stood there and…

‘In every discipline, we’ve witnessed some of the finest racing in history this year…’ You’d have thought having 36 pages for this year’s sport review of the year would be plenty, but with everything that has gone on… well it’s been a struggle to fit it all in! Starting on home turf, British Superbikes was a cracker and culminated in a breathtaking showdown between Kyle Ryde and Tommy Bridewell at Brands Hatch. Ryde got it over the line first in the final race of the year to become champion, but you have to be equally in awe of Bridewell for the way he returned Honda to winning ways. It was a history-making two weeks at the TT that saw Michael Dunlop become the most successful rider of all thanks to…

The Mart1nator reigns Jorge Martin avenged his 2023 title loss in style this year to become the first satellite rider to win the premier class title since Valentino Rossi in 2001. He did it by putting together a super-consistent season during which he proved that he’d, largely, learned from his mistakes of 2023. On a weekend where Pecco Bagnaia was unstoppable, Martin would settle for second rather than overdoing it and making a mistake. He did that on 10 occasions in the long races, crossing the line in second knowing that victory was out of reach. The fact that Bagnaia won 11 GPs to Martin’s three says all you need to know about how the season went. While Bagnaia suffered eight DNFs, Martin had just four – crashing out of…

7 Kyle Ryde won seven of the final 12 BSB races in 2024. The people’s champion Kyle Ryde finally became the rider that many suspected he always could be this season as he put together a totally consistent and at times unstoppable campaign onboard the OMG GRILLA Yamaha R1. The 27-year-old played his part in what was the most entertaining final day, and without doubt the most exciting race in the history of British Superbikes as he pipped Tommy Bridewell to victory at Brands Hatch to be crowned champion. It was a year which saw Ryde come of age, vanquish previous weaknesses and ultimately prove critics wrong. In the past, Ryde would win races but there wasn’t the consistency required to win the title. In the wet, you’d see the…

Number of races Toprak won on his way to giving BMW their first WSBK title The stuntman, the gentleman, the top man Those who believe nice guys don’t win really do need to reconsider their thought process. Plenty of people succeed in sport but who are the ones we most remember? It’s the ones with charisma, charm, elegance… that certain je ne sais quoi. Toprak Razgatlioglu is unique and he does it his own way. He doesn’t play stupid mind games like some riders because, he’s so good, he really doesn’t need to. The Turk does all of his talking on the track. Some said Toprak was crazy for going to BMW. They also said manager, Kenan Sofuoglu, was too keen on improving his bank balance. As it happens, they’ve…

With the exception of Alex Lowes’ fourth overall, it was a tough year for the Brits. Jonathan Rea was a calamitous 13th, while some say Scott Redding was made to look silly as he finished last of the BMWs and 69 points behind MGM teammate Garrett Gerloff. There were flashes of brilliance for Sam Lowes early on, not least overtaking Toprak and leading in Barcelona, but he failed to shake off that crashing reputation from Moto2 as he topped the Falls Report, tied with Bautista with 17 get-offs. Many questioned why Tarran Mackenzie bothered with an MIE Honda, although his optimism was raised post-season when he got a test on the factory bike and gave Xavi Vierge a run for his money. BSB-bound Bradley Ray never really got going in…

SAVE £5904 £14,995 Kawasaki Z H2 SE Kawasaki’s super-naked version of the 200bhp supercharged ‘H2’ family was the last to join the ‘blower brood’ and like its stablemates can sometimes be found with substantial dealer discounts. This brand new, 0-mile 2023 model is an example of the top-spec SE with semi-active suspension and more. www.ironcitymotorcycles.co.uk SAVE £5545 £13,750 Harley-Davidson Pan America Special Harley’s adventure bike is a credible rival to the likes of BMW’s GS and can sometimes be had for a song. www.sycamoremotorcycles.co.uk •Engine 1252cc •Power 150bhp •Weight 258kg •Seat height 895mm SAVE £3100 £15,499 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa The latest Hayabusa is a wellequipped, hyper-bike wonder. This brand new, 0-mile, all-black example at Fraser’s of Gloucester is a discounted bargain as well. frasersmotorcycles.co.uk •Engine 1340cc •Power 187bhp •Weight 264kg…

‘Ludicrous - but a whole lot of fun!’ I was trying to clear up some space on my iPhone and while sifting through 33,826 pictures and 1607 videos I stumbled across some I did when I got my hands on a Polaris Slingshot. It was quite an eventful few days we spent together… In case you are scratching your head and wondering what a Slingshot is, let me enlighten you: it’s a three-wheeled vehicle that is effectively what would happen if a Lamborghini and Diavel had a one-night-stand. Made by Polaris, the parent company of Indian, the front is the same width as a supercar (2m) while the rear end comprises a single-sided swingarm with a single car tyre on it providing drive. And it is open-top with waterproof seats,…

South Yorkshire Police are reminding people of the laws surrounding e-bikes and scooters this Christmas, warning shoppers to remain on the right side of the law. “Electric Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPC) are legal to ride if you are over the age of 14 and do not require a licence,” the force said. “Electric scooters can be bought from most toy stores and cycle shops, are powered by a battery motor and generally have no pedals with them. This makes them illegal to use on a public road, pavement or cycle lane.“…

• Meet hard-riding MotoGP hotshot Pedro Acosta! • See the latest motorcycles and classic icons, the biggest names in biking, live flat track racing, kit and accessories bargains, ride away on your dream machine with the Iconic Auctions Motorcycle Auction and more! • Save £££s with our limited time Christmas offer! • Tickets are just £23.50 until midnight on January 2, 2025. • Use code XMAS to save 24% on the door price, plus FREE indoor motorcycle parking. • Book your early bird tickets today: www.mcnmotorcycleshow.com Save cash by booking advance tickets now www.mcnmotorcycleshow.com…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews Keep up the pressure The article in last week’s MCN regarding the Labour Party’s disinterest in motorcycles is quite concerning, and the advice from Emma Franklin to write to your MP is sound, but it would also be a good idea to include the new Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband too, because these are the MPs that make the big decisions in Parliament. Above all though, however angry we may be, it’s very important to be polite when communicating with these people, otherwise they will just turn off. Colin Humphries, Hampshire Ed: Very good points. We are currently drafting a letter format which will be available on www.motorcyclenews.com for readers to download, sign and send to their MP STAR LETTER Write something…

KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday December 18 BIKE MEETS ■ Huggys Speedshop, Mallory Park, Leics.www.huggysspeedshop.co.uk ■ Chequered Flag Cafe, Darley Moor, darleymoorcentre.co.uk ■ Amici Coffee Biker Night, Sandy, Bedfordshire www.amicicoffee.co.uk ■ Squires Cafe, Newthorpe, West Yorks www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ The Old Stores, Pontblyddyn, Mold, Flints 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 or ■ Loomies Moto Cafe, West Meon, Hants. Open till 9pm www.loomiescafe.co.uk ■ The Pathfinder Cafe, Blackbushe, Surrey. From 10.30am-1pm Facebook: Pathfinder Cafe ■ Ryka’s Cafe, Box Hill, Surrey 5pm-9pm www.rykas.co.uk RIDEOUTS ■ Burgess Hill & DMC, Station Road Car Park, Burgess Hill, Sussex 7pm-7.30pm burgesshillmc.com Thursday December 19 BIKE MEETS ■ Vic Bikers Pub, Coalville, Leics www.vicbikerspub.co.uk ■ The Whistlestop Motorcycle Club, Rhyl Rugby Sports & Social Club, Rhyl, Denbighshire. From…

‘Triumph’s out in front’ While there isn’t much wrong with the Guerrilla, I can’t help but feel that it represents a missed opportunity for RE. Lacking the charm of Enfield’s other models, the Guerrilla is also disappointingly low tech and I don’t understand why the company invested all that money in a new water-cooled engine and then scrimped on chassis components. Ultimately, the Enfield Guerrilla under-delivers where the Speed 400 over-delivers in every way. More fun to ride, lighter and with not only much classier styling but also a level of technology and spec that is expected on a modern naked bike, it isn’t hard to see why the Speed 400 has been such a resounding success. If Enfield had armed their Guerrilla with inverted forks, maybe a radial brake…

FIRST RIDE Back when it was launched in 2019, the Triumph Speed Twin 1200 was conceived to be the road-focused take on the café racer-inspired Thruxton. With its kinder riding position and more wallet-friendly price tag, it was so successful the Thruxton was eventually dropped from the range. In 2021 it was updated with a smidge more power and racier suspension, brakes and tyres, but for 2025 it’s all change. The £12,495 retro, available in dealers now, gets its biggest makeover with even more power, new chassis parts, electronics and styling. We’re at its world launch in Mallorca to see how it has evolved. 1 Beefier power New cams, throttle bodies, cylinder head work and a freer-flowing exhaust gives the 1200cc, 270-degree parallel twin an extra 5bhp. It now nudges…

I have mentioned it before, but it’s important to use original specification spark plugs if you are fitting new ones. Quite often it will be a brand like NGK, as these are fitted to a lot of bikes. But these days there seems to be a wider choice of plug available from unknown brands, and these items are often bought because they are much cheaper than a quality, well-known brand. I recently fitted some parts to a small two-stroke bike for a friend who sorted out the parts, and when I had a look at them I noticed that the spark plug was completely unbranded – it didn’t have a code number or anything stamped on it, and even the box it came in was plain white! Needless to say…

Digging into MotoGP’s crash statastics for 2024 TOTAL CRASHES 865 The number of falls across MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 (144 fewer than 2023) 335 Crashes in MotoGP (23 fewer than 2023) 268 Crashes in Moto2 (76 fewer than 2023) 262 Crashes in Moto3 (45 fewer than 2023) 273 Spills during races in 2024 • 91 in MotoGP • 102 in Moto2 • 80 in Moto3 91 Smashes during Q2 • 27 in MotoGP • 27 in Moto2 • 37 in Moto3 55 Crashes during Q1 • 16 in MotoGP • 16 in Moto2 • 23 in Moto3 865 865 falls is the lowest season total since 2020 (722), when there were only 15 Moto2/Moto3 rounds and 14 MotoGP rounds with no sprint races. 3 Martin crashed out of the lead…

‘Hold onto your sofas in 2025!’ Fans who complain that MotoGP is nothing more than a Ducati cup have a point, but their words echo the days of Mick Doohan dominating 500 GPs. Back then an MCN journalist suggested to Doohan that he was making GPs boring, to which the Aussie retorted, “What do you want me to do – slow down?”. The problem for the other manufacturers is that Gigi Dall’Igna dug Ducati out of a massive hole – five years without a single victory – by introducing radical new technologies. These had been under development for some while, so Ducati is a year or two ahead on everything. And every time a rival gets a step closer, Ducati takes another step. Once you’re way ahead with something new,…

‘Join MCN for a festive cracker…’ Imagine having Christmas dinner with some of the most talented, outspoken and best-loved characters in motorcycling. What would you ask them? MCN’s brilliant biking columnists – John McGuinness, Dave Hancock, Allen Millyard, Jenny Tinmouth and James Whitham, along with unexpected guest, TT winner Dean Harrison, joined the MCN team for Christmas dinner so we could put the biking world to rights. Find out what Whit thinks about Chinese bikes, discover what Christmas Day is like in the McGuinness household, how Jenny thinks more wheelies are the way to save biking, and why Deano likes to indulge in a bit of Boxing Day enduro. While the raucous rabble were eating, drinking and being merry, Allen Millyard escaped for a ride on a 1994 Yamaha GTS1000…

JOHN McGUINNESS Modern racer? Yes GP rider? No TT rider? Yes Won TTs? Yes Famous uncle? No… Raced for Honda? No… not at TT, so yes… Won Superbike races? Yes… Rides for Honda now? No – it’s not you, John… I’m lost now! Won TTs and not ridden for Honda… Irish? No Australian? No! New Zealander? NO! English? Yes. Is it really obvious? YES! Rides BMW? Yes. Oh Davey Todd! NOOOOOO! Are you taking the piss? Oh it’s Peter Hickman! JAMES WHITHAM Am I a man? Yes Am I alive? Unfortunately not Was I a road racer? Yes Did I win a World Championship? Yes Was it a smaller class? No Was I most known for riding a 500? No World champion off road? No Joey Dunlop? No Was I…

‘FANCY A TRIPLE?’ 1971 Kawasaki H2 Mach IV Guide price £16,000-£46,000 In our environmentally conscious world with regulations that shape modern, clean-burn four-stroke engines it can be hard to appreciate that a mainstream manufacturer once offered up a three-cylinder, 748cc two-stroke as a normal production bike. But that’s what Kawasaki did in 1971 with the H2 Mach IV, and quite probably the reason why they’re in such high demand today. “All the big capacity triplecylinder Kawasakis are holding their value really well,” says Dave. “The pattern’s not really replicated with the smaller models, but for the 500s, 750s, there’s strong interest.” Prices have been climbing, with a 1975 Kawasaki H2C selling for just over £10,000 in 2011, whereas more recently a 1974 H2B fetched £16k. Over in the States, demand…

Michael Dunlop 2024 STAT 135.970mph Set during the Superbike race, it was the fastest lap of TT 2024 The TT’s charging bull Michael Dunlop finally realised his dream of becoming the most successful TT rider by overtaking his uncle, Joey Dunlop’s all-time TT win record. Having notched up his 25th victory in 2023, Michael stormed to four TT wins in 2024 to first match and then overhaul the long-standing record. With wins in both Supersport and Supertwin races Dunlop concludes 2024 with an incredible tally of 29 TT victories. Michael had become synonymous with winning races in the smaller classes and he duly delivered by notching up win number 26 to match Joey’s record in the opening Supersport race. Clearly in form and in harmony with the Hawk Racing Honda,…

1975-2024 Anthony Gobert Regarded as one of the most talented riders ever to grace the world of racing, Anthony Gobert died in Australia aged just 48 as a result of decades of hard drug and alcohol abuse. This precocious childhood talent started on Pee Wee 50s, then dominated Australian Supercross (1992 champion) and used that success to self-fund his transition to 250cc proddy racing and then Australian Superbikes, where he won the 1994 national title with Honda Australia. A dramatic late switch from a factory HRC Honda RC45 to a Muzzy Kawasaki saw Gobert jolt the motorcycling universe by winning the final World Superbike race of 1994 at Phillip Island. Two seasons (1995 and ’96) with Kawasaki in World Supers followed – taking fourth in the ’95 title – before…

As Dakar 2025 looms onto the horizon, fans of the gruelling desert event are being invited to attend an evening of pre-race celebrations on December 28 at the Bike Shed, London. Hosted by Brake Magazine and the Trail and Adventure Motorbike Podcast, the event will kick off from 4pm with a Rally Bike Prep masterclass, presented by Dakar finisher Neil Hawker. From there the evening will offer a further four rally themed presentations, including a display of Dakar machinery spanning a 46-year lineage. An array of special guests has been confirmed, including Long Way Round star Charley Boorman and Patsy Quick – who was the first British woman to complete the Dakar in 2003. Current raid competitors Skyler Howes and Ross Branch will also be involved virtually and there will…

Although teasing us with the potential for more new models, Suzuki also took the time to launch a new DR-Z4S and SM during the recent show season – ready to replace the DR-Z400 still available in some markets. “There are big demands already, and in the USA especially, many dealers are waiting for this refinement of the DRZ,” Suzuki’s Akira Kyuji told MCN. “So, in responding to the question, simply we want to feed that demand, that’s why we made this. “The DRZ in the past was really good: the engine, suspension, and weight of the bike was so perfect, and many customers are waiting for that new bike. That’s why we chose to respond.” Despite leaving UK dealers in the noughties, the DR-Z remains a best-seller in the USA.…

Racing enthusiasts are in with the chance of owning the Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade that James Toseland piloted to victory in the 2007 World Superbike championship. Having taken the British racer to his second global title (following his first win in the 2004 season), this bona fide piece of racing history is now up for grabs through The Bike Specialists in Sheffield for the hefty asking price of £149,999 – making it the most expensive item in their inventory. Included in that figure is a personal handover from Toseland himself, with the opportunity to snap a picture and have the bike signed. Toseland has been the custodian of the Honda since it bested the competition in the 2007 season, keeping it in his own personal collection where it has…

Life-saving charity Freewheelers EVS Blood Bikes Service are celebrating the swift return of one of their Yamaha Tracer 9 GT delivery motorcycles, after it was stolen from the driveway of a volunteer rider in broad daylight. Avon and Somerset Police say the three-cylinder Yamaha in Blood Bikes livery was reported as having been abandoned in Victoria Park, Bristol. It had sustained a broken steering lock, and the panniers had been forced open, but the charity are confident it will return to active duty soon. “Yes, the bike will return to service,” charity Vice Chair, Joe Tooker told MCN. “It was escorted back by the rider who had the bike at the time, and members of our maintenance team.” The bike is one of two Yamaha Tracer 9s on the charity…

KTM UK have confirmed they are ending their Sweet Lamb Adventure Bike Experience ahead of 2025, after a five-year partnership with the expansive mid-Wales venue. A spokesperson for the UK arm of the orange brand told MCN that the decision had not been made as a result of the current ‘selfadministration’ financial process being undertaken at KTM’s Austrian headquarters, however it remains a blow for customers wanting to experience off-road biased product in a controlled environment. KTM say they will focus on providing better test ride opportunities at shows including the Adventure Bike Rider Festival. ‘The 6500-acre site will remain open for action’ Established in 2019, the KTM experience has used bikes from the A2 licence-friendly 390 Adventure, through middleweights like the 890 Adventure R, and even the 1290 Super…

We’ve now got to a stage where pretty much every manufacturer is making an auto or a paddle-shift gearbox and I made sure I had a good look at them when I was at Motorcycle Live last month. I got to have a look inside Yamaha’s system and it’s not actually too complicated other than having some solenoids in there. I think it’s a great idea for touring bikes, or when you want to just have a steady, relaxed ride, but I’m not sure about sportsbikes because people enjoy changing gear. For me one of the joys of riding motorbikes is that you’re not just sitting there. The interaction with the bike… the road… the wind… is the joy. Everyone I spoke to at the show tried to convince me…

Q ‘Will changing cost me?’ I am getting frustrated with the solicitors that my insurer instructed after my accident. I was in hospital with some nasty fractures when they signed me up as a client and I didn’t really have time to do my own research on which solicitors’ firm to use. My telephone calls and emails go largely unanswered but when I do hear from them nothing seems to be happening. I have read that I can change solicitors, but will I have to pay the current firm for their work over the last year? Mo, email A You are free to use the solicitors of your choice and you do not have to use the firm arranged for you by your insurer. We frequently take over serious injury…

GET 12 ISSUES FOR JUST £19.99! Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer ‘Raise the Titanic’ THOMAS DONNELLY At the Titanic museum in Belfast before heading home to Ayrshire. As the ferry had been cancelled on Sunday evening I had some time to spare after riding back from Donegal. ‘Blast on the marsh’ JAMES WILLIAMS I’m at about 6000 miles this year, which isn’t as many as usual but life happened! I’m always out for a blast on the marsh – this was back in June with my GSX-R. ‘Euro-traveller’ TRACY ATKINSON World Ducati Week family trip – 3500 miles on three bikes, over 18 days with my hubby and son on his first euro tour. We went to Imola, Mugello, Misano and Le Mans. ‘Fab roads in France’ GRAHAM BELL…

‘A breath of fresh air’ Even if you put its price to one side, the new CB1000 Hornet SP is impressive. It’s rapid, exciting, sharp handling, easy to ride and well equipped. The Öhlins shock and Brembo Stylema brakes ooze specialness, attention to detail is top notch and the level of equipment is more than generous. When you factor in the price it becomes even more tempting. Honda deserve a round of applause, because not only is their new sports naked good news for your wallet, it’s a breath of fresh air in a world where performance bikes have become ever more expensive and out of reach. THE FACTS £9999 Honda CB1000 Hornet SP…

No shortage of A2-legal options… The A2-legal naked bike category seems to be going through quite a resurgence of late with some very tempting machines out there. Leading the way both in terms of its performance and also sales success is the Triumph Speed 400 but if you want something sportier, the KTM 390 Duke (£5699) is a modern-looking naked with lots of tech. Slightly more retro-styled is the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 (currently £4643.30), which is basically a Duke in disguise and has a similar spec level. The Honda CB500 Hornet (£6199) is new this year but is very much a tweaked tried-and-tested CB500 while the all-new Kawasaki Z500 (standard is £5849, the SE is £6188 with its flashier dash) is pleasingly sporty and the Yamaha MT-03 (£6108) pretty old-hat.…

‘Acceleration far greater than any other motorcycle’ If the Brough Superior SS100 is the ultimate pre-WWII British bike, the 1948-55 Vincent Black Shadow is surely the ultimate from the immediate post war period. In fact, with the official ‘world’s fastest’ tag, a 1000cc V-twin in an era associated with 500 twins, pioneering cantilever suspension and top-quality components, the Black Shadow can fairly claim the title of the world’s first superbike, 20 years before Honda’s CB750 arrived. And yet… it almost didn’t happen at all. Vincent’s story dates back to 1928 when wealthy enthusiast Philip Conrad Vincent purchased liquidated manufacturer HRD, as set up by ex-First World War pilot Howard Raymond Davies, after being advised to buy an existing firm rather than start out under his own name. The price for…

‘Now even smoother’ Triumph’s Speed Twin 1200 mixes retro style, with flawless build quality, detailing, high performance and comfort. It isn’t a huge step on from before, but the whole shebang is smoother and more refined. Its engine is a rumbling riot of grunt, the handling and brakes are superb, it’s all-day comfy and easy to get the best out of. Some might say the modern clocks don’t fit with the old-school look, but they’re functional and easy to read. The pricier RS version may have the designer chassis labels, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the way the base 1200 performs. THE FACTS £12,495 Triumph Speed Twin 1200…

Being without your motorcycle while it’s awaiting repairs can be a real headache, but for those who rely on two wheels to ferry them to and from work every day, this inconvenience can quickly escalate from frustrating to downright disruptive. So, when Kevin Hollingsworth – owner of Doncaster Motorcycles – came across a well-used Yamaha MT125 with a sloppy suspension linkage, he knew the owner needed it back on the road asap. “The guy had brought it in for an MoT and it failed on excessive play in the linkage,” said Hollingsworth. “After stripping the linkage, it turned out to be just one bearing that had collapsed, but I replaced the whole lot as they were all worse for wear. “When it failed, he was nearly crying that he’d be…

18 Zonta van der Goorbergh topped the Moto2 falls leaderboard. 18 David Almansa crashed out the most in Moto3. 86 Crashes for full-time KTM/GasGas riders – Acosta accounted for 28 of those 128 Crashes for full-time Ducati riders – that’s up seven on 2023. 43 Crashes for full-time Aprilia riders – 15 fewer than during 2023. 43 Spills for full-time Honda riders – down 30 on 2023. 19 Falls for full-time Yamaha riders – 3 more than 2023. 29 Riders fell at Turn 4 (Miller Corner) at Phillip Island, more than at any other corner on the calendar. 3 Riders crashed while leading the Sprint race at the Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona: Raul Fernandez (T10), Binder (T5) and Bagnaia (T5). 3 Marc Marquez crashed out of three Sprint races:…

Looking ahead to another wild year of BSB racing Storm Stacey begins a new adventure in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship next year as he seeks to progress up the field with Bathams AJN Racing. Stacey joins Michael Rutter’s team as it makes its Superbike debut with the BMW M1000RR, with the 21-year-old leaving GR Motosport after five BSB campaigns. 2024 was a breakout year for Stacey thanks to two excellent wet weather displays at Snetterton and Oulton Park, the former seeing Stacey celebrate a maiden victory. Dry results weren’t as positive onboard the aging Kawasaki ZX-10RR, and Stacey has decided that it’s time for a change. Change needed Stacey believes he’s taken the ZX-10RR as far as it will go and that he was always going to be on…

‘Wheelies are both big and clever. I still love doing them’ Christmas isn’t just about cracking open the Baileys and cosying up to an open fire. It’s also a time to share joy, have fun and… learn a new skill. Why not? Contrary to what you may have been told, wheelies are both big and clever, and the feeling of mastering the balance and control of your machine will not only make you a more skilled rider, but will fill you with joy – and make you look cooler than Santa Claus in the process! 1 Pick the best bike Although it’s easy to think that you need loads of power to wheelie, you’ll become far more skilled on a smaller, lower capacity machine; for example, trials bikes, small motocross bikes…

Tickets for Donington World Superbikes £62 What better way to look ahead to next summer than with a weekend at Donington Park for the British round of WSBK. Buy a pair and treat your nearest and dearest to three days of high octane action – onsite camping is available from £38. donington-park.co.uk London Motorcycle Show tickets adult £26.50 Get the new year off to a flying start with a family day out at the Devitt MCN London Motorcycle Show. See the latest bikes, watch some awesome mini flat track and be entertained by Henry Cole, Charley Boorman and celebrities galore on the MCN World of Bikes stage. mcnmotorcycleshow.seetickets.com Sweet Lamb Adventure bike courses from £299 Want to get muddy on a Multistrada? This one-day course is just the ticket for…

ROUND1 2024’S HEADLINES MCN’s news team test your knowledge of current biking affairs 1 Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are returning next year for the new Long Way Home series, but what bikes are they riding this time? a) Kawasaki Ninja 7 Hybrid & Energica Eva b) BMW R13000GS Adventure & BMW R1150GS Adventure c) Moto Guzzi Eldorado & BMW R75/5 2 This new technology has been adopted by numerous manufacturers this year, including KTM and Yamaha, but what does the acronym AMT stand for? a) Automated Manual Transmission b) Automatic Mileage Trip c) Adjusted Motor Torque 3 Aprilia released the 230bhp Ex3ma RSV4 earlier this year to honour Max Biaggi’s first 250GP world title, but how many world championships in total did the Roman Emperor win in his career?…

“We do two big sales a year and we still get between 250 and 300 bikes, and it’s just amazing to think where they’re all coming from. We’ve already got 30 bikes now and we’ve only just done one sale! So the bike world is still there, it’s still thriving,” says Dave. And it’s Vincents that are getting all the big interest. At their October Sale back in October, Bonhams set a new world record when a 1936 Vincent-HRD 998cc Series-A Rapide was sold for £322,000 – the highest price ever reached for that model. Painstakingly restored, the bike was the second example ever produced and oldest surviving complete bike, it was also actual machine that made the Rapide model’s debut at the 1936 Olympia Motorcycle Show. It contributed to…

7 Alonso won the final seven races of the Moto3 season Totally world class Fans didn’t have to wait long for the next superstar to arrive after Pedro Acosta’s quick rise through the GP ranks. David Alonso has more than filled the void after putting together a history-making campaign in Moto3. Nicknamed the Baby GOAT, Alonso is already a megastar in many people’s eyes and the prospect of him and Acosta going at it in MotoGP in a few years is mouthwatering. Alonso was a level or two above the rest of the Moto3 grid this year, becoming the first rider in Grand Prix history to win 14 races in a single season. The previous best in the lightweight category was set by Valentino Rossi in 1997 (11). The smiley…