Table of contents for 8th May 2019 in MCN

I was at Silverstone for the British MotoGP in 2018, family in tow as we trudged through the rain and into the relative comfort of grandstand seating at Copse. As the hours ticked away, our confidence that any racing would take place was gradually washed away with the persistent rain. It was all over before it had started. And home we went. It was a disaster for us fans, an embarrassing failing for Silverstone, and instigated a tsunami of fallout that has taken the best part of a year to unpick and resolve. But the resolution is in action. The eyes of the racing world (on two wheels and four) are now on Silverstone and new circuit contractor, Tarmac. The very fact that there is no room for error does,…

‘Dorna haven’t thrown us under the bus for a single bad year’ Surface works start next month GP contract extended to 2021 Michelin will provide special fourth compound Silverstone have secured the future of the British Grand Prix until at least 2021 having had their MotoGP contract extended after confirmation that the circuit will undergo a full re-surface ahead of this year’s race in August. It will be Silverstone’s second full track re-surface in just over a year having split with former asphalt contractors Aggregate Industries after the abandoned 2018 race. Industry goliaths Tarmac will commence work between June 10-13. This is fantastic news for British racing fans and brings to an end a period of uncertainty after last year’s race, where standing water meant the track was declared unfit…

Suzuki often have some great finance deals – and currently offer 0% on the GSX-R1000R, making its flagship sportsbike a tempting proposition with its top-spec, fully-adjustable suspension, TFT dash, quickshifter and a full suite of electronic rider aids which are right up there with the best. But if you want to sample the GSX-R’s heritage you can pick up a proper barnstormer for under three grand. 2019 GSX-R1000R What is it? Suzuki’s flagship GSX-R is lightly tweaked for 2019 with steel brake hoses and an adjustable swingarm pivot. MCN says “The motor combines old-school GSX-R1000 grunt with a modern superbike top end rush, a flawless power curve and an accurate throttle.” Want to buy one? £3300 deposit, £141 for 36 months. 2015 L5 What is it? From 2012…

Anti-theft volunteer group Biker Biker have stepped up their patrol and recovery work, returning bikes to their rightful owners completely free of charge. Working with Knights Recovery, a Kent-based independent recovery service, Biker Biker have saved hundreds of owners hefty official fees. If you have a bike stolen and the police recover it for you, they charge £150 plus £10 per day storage – something Biker Biker feel is wrong. “Doing these free recoveries is so important to us,” says Shane, Biker Biker’s founder. “We are bikers at the end of the day and just want to see people reunited with their pride and joy.” ‘Doing these recoveries is so important’ SHANE, BIKER BIKER Since MCN last went out on an anti-theft patrol with Biker Biker, even catching some thieves…

John McGuinness should give up his Norton TT ride and hand it to Jenny Tinmouth instead . After all, Jenny leaves him for dead at short circuit track days . We need Jenny back in racing at the TT or British Superbikes . I miss seeing the blind panic of male riders who would rather crash than get beaten by Jenny in BSB races. She is already the lap record holder for fastest woman around the Isle of Man TT course so she deserves a top-flight ride on the Island. Potential sponsors for Jenny should head for her Twitter account to see what she's about. Stuart of Norton that means you. Think of the publicity for Norton! Tim Wild, email MCN Star letter Write something that spikes our interest,…

I’ve been trying to keep up with all the one-make series out there to develop young talent. The period that sticks in my mind is the R6 Cup which produced riders like Cal, Tommy Hill and Tommy Bridewell. You also had riders like Johnny Rea and Eugene Laverty coming up through Redbull Rookies. ‘CAL’S FOUGHT FOR THINGS OTHER LADS WOULDN’T’ You can go back even further. In 1991 I was a Superteen racing Suzuki RGV250s and Kawasaki KR-1Ss against 400 four-strokes and if you go down the list there were a few interesting names. You had me who’s done alright, Sean Emmett who did alright and David Jefferies who did alright, while Jason Vincent went on to be 250GP rider. At the other end you’ve got Rory Skinner who won…

The run from Stow-on-the-Wold to Seven Springs highlights how a chassis can deal with a fast ride on some pretty uneven roads. An overly stiff chassis and brutal throttle will leave you feeling battered, while softly-sprung suspension means you get bounced around terribly. Thanks to its DDC semi-active suspension, the RR lapped up this ‘Cotswold TT’ at an astounding rate. Growing up in this area I know the sections where you can safely let a sportsbike stretch its legs and also where the worst of the bumps are, meaning I generally aim for them just to see what the bike’s response will be. With the RR set in ‘Road’ mode, although the ride was firm, it was settled, controllable and allowed me to ride at a pace that let’s just…

Great ideas are often born out of necessity and in the case of British firm BikerTidy, it was to retain marital bliss as founder Phil Mitford-Barberton was getting an ear-bashing from his wife Bonny! “Dad took over an engineering company called Sartoris Products Ltd in 1993, which had been established since 1947,” explains Tanya Wong, who – alongside her brother Simon, sister Sarah and mother Bonny – still runs the company. “He was a keen biker but was driving mum to distraction as he always left kit hanging around. In 2007 dad decided to turn his engineering skills, and fabrication company’s resources, to developing his own design of biker-specific storage unit. BikerTidy was born.” With Phil creating a wall-mounted unit whose metal-construction ensured it could support weighty kit, and also…

‘You’re rewarded with speed, drama, and V-twin vibes’ It may look like just another On Any Sunday inspired tribute, but Indian’s new £12,999 FTR1200S has a bit more about it than that. Built to mimic the US firm’s dominant FTR750 flat track racer, the FTR1200S, which arrives in dealers mid-May, is more than just striking good looks and quality, although that’s not a bad place to start. The Indian is calm and comfy cruising through Santa Monica and Malibu, here at its world launch in California, has lots of legroom and a comfy stretch to the bars. It’s loaded with tasty morsels: Brembos, fully-adjustable Sachs suspension, an underseat fuel tank, LED lights, a touchscreen dash and Bosch lean-sensitive traction control and ABS. It’s a classy little number, but the FTR1200…

‘I think I have a relatively normal grasp of fear’ Twenty years-ago on his 15th birthday Travis Pastrana separated his spine from his pelvis when a dirt bike jump went horribly wrong. He was only the fourth person ever known to have survived such an injury but while the other three just felt lucky to be alive, Pastrana went on to become the world’s most extreme motorcycle rider and daredevil – Evel Knievel’s spiritual successor. And it was all down to the mentality he adopted after that hideous accident. As Pastrana says: “There’s nothing more to fear because I’ve already experienced more pain than the human body can possibly take.” Brave beginnings From a background in motocross and supercross – where he won many titles in his native America –…

Alongside regular 5K runs to stay fit, to compete you also need a race licence, obtained through a classroom-based multiple-choice Competitor Training Course (CTC) and Basic Rider Assessment (BRA). I did mine in February with Bemsee at a cost of £160 for both parts. Teaching you the need-to-know info surrounding the layout of a race weekend, as well and the important safety info regarding flags, procedures and your own bike and riding kit, a number of top-class instructors and high-ranking club officials are on hand to answer any questions and guide you towards being a safer motorcycle racer. Before you can do this, you also need to sign-up to the club itself at a cost of £35 as well as pay for your ACU licence application. As I have a…

• ‘We made a gutsy change for race two and upped the pace’ The only man to get anywhere Josh Brookes at Oulton Park was fellow Ducati V4 R pilot, Tommy Bridewell. The Oxford Racing Ducati rider gave Brookes an honest fight in race one having been tempted to make a move late on, but the gap in the second outing to the factory outfit was too much for Bridwell to make a realistic challenge. Nonetheless, he finished round two with two second places and joint leader in the title standings. “In 2015, Josh followed me for the whole race and I thought this year, he’s having it! The way in which this championship works with The Showdown, you have to weigh up every situation. Ultimately, I wanted to win…

• ‘When I look back at the weekend I can only be happy’ In only his fourth race in the premier class, French MotoGP newboy Fabio Quartararo had a rollercoaster weekend at Jerez. Showing off his talent to take pole he spent 13 laps battling with Marquez until a mechanical problem with the Petronas Yamaha left him watching from the side lines. Forced out of second place when a gear broke on his satellite M1, the 20-year-old was left devastated in the garage afterwards. But after holding back the tears and regrouping, Quartararo said that while he might have been left disappointed by the result, he’s delighted with what he learned racing with Marquez. “The pace was fast, but when you’re riding with these guys you end up riding like…

Jack Miller and Aleix Espargaro have agreed Miller was to blame for Sunday’s collision that saw Miller crash out and run Espargaro wide after going for a gap that wasn’t there. Fading in the closing stages of the race and falling back through the pack, Espargaro ran a little wide while Miller tried to hold his inside line, leaving him nowhere to go but down. It wasn’t the result he needed as he finds himself locked in battle for the second factory Ducati seat in 2020 with current occupant Danilo Petrucci. It was Miller’s second DNF of the season after his technical problem in Qatar.…

Jorge Lorenzo was frustrated with his performance on the Repsol Honda at Jerez, finishing Sunday’s race a lowly 12th despite showing flashes of brilliance. Slowly finding his feet after making the switch from the Ducati and now almost free of injury for the first time in half a year, it still wasn’t enough for him to be able to deliver on Sunday. Echoing many of his complaints from when he made the switch from Yamaha to Ducati machine two years ago, Lorenzo still isn’t quite comfortable on the RC213V – but says that’s something that only time and experience can rectify.…

Andrea Dovizioso says the high speed corners of Jerez highlighted the negatives of his Ducati package despite substantial improvements in recent years. Forced to settle for fourth and safe points, he was unable to do anything to steal third from Maverick Viñales in the closing laps of Sunday’s race. Getting the bike turned has been a problem that has plagued the Italian factory as far back as the Valentino Rossi era nearly a decade ago. But despite having made significant progress in recent years there’s still plenty of work to be done according to the unhappy Italian. • ‘I thought that we were further ahead. Our speed wasn’t enough’ Dovi told MCN: “It was both a good day and a bad day, because our goal was to make a podium,…

Biking celebrities, including Carl Fogarty, rugby ace Mike Tindall and Bez from The Happy Mondays were among those who joined Bike4Life’s ninth annual charity ride-out last week – raising £82,000 for charity despite terrible weather conditions. A total of 3500 bikers, including Neil Hodgson, Dougie Lampkin and Steve Parrish, rode from Shrewsbury to RAF Cosford in aid of the Midlands Air Ambulance. Former GP star Ron Haslam met the crowds as they arrived at the RAF base. Although restricted to 3500 participants, the group is now so large that the police closed the M54 to all but bike traffic. The first event had just 200 riders but it’s now become so successful the money raised is enough to fund 30 potentially live-saving missions. Bike4Life is also part of the Safer…

‘It’s a great way to share experiences and get information’ It’s been busy few weeks for MCN’S #Ride5000Miles Facebook group. Following its recent second birthday celebrations, the group has now passed the 10,000-follower milestone – and is still growing. So to mark this achievement we we caught up with some of the group’s original members and biggest stalwarts. Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport rider, Des Cooper, responded to one of the very first posts on the group in early 2017. “I joined #Ride5000miles because I thought it would be a great way to share biking experiences with like-minded bikers and get information and feedback on routes and trips from other bikers,” he said. “I visit the page most days, have made comments and taken advice from other members.” Trisha Waugh joined…

Bonham’s Spring Stafford Sale was a major success with 92% of the lots sold, including some special bikes smashing their estimates. One of the biggest sales on the day was a 1962 Triumph TR6SS Trophy as ridden by Bud Ekins, Steve McQueen’s double in The Great Escape.Notonlywas the machine very rare but Ekins actually rode it to an ISDT victory while preparing for the fence jump. It sold for £85,000 against an estimate of £20 -£30,000. Equally impressive was a 1925 Coventry Eagle Flying-8, which sold for almost twice its estimate at £190,000. If that’s a bit rich for your blood then perhaps you could have snuck a bid in on a 1969 ‘Sandcast’ Honda CB750 that went for a mere £22,000. Bonham’s next sale for motorcycles is the Beaulieu…

KTM are testing an updated 390 Duke which appears to be physically larger to suit a wider range of riders. Small capacity bikes are big business, not just in Europe but around the world. Unlike years gone by when little bikes were favoured by new riders, many older riders are now turning their attentions to the lower capacity machines. In doing so people are finding things a little, well, small, so KTM have done some supersizing. The biggest change visible to the bike is a new frame. The current model uses a sort of steel twin spar but with extra bars for support. The new frame is a more classic steel trellis (not a million miles away from a Ducati Monster) with a new subframe to match. Both are clearly…

There was thunder in the valleys over the bank holiday weekend as more than 60 bikers dressed as Evel Knievel came together to ride the 1070-mile perimeter of Wales in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. Known as Ride Cymru, it runs over five days and follows the entire Welsh border as closely as possible. That means riding anything from nadgery, barely paved single-track roads to smooth, sweeping coastal A-roads, covering over 200 miles a day with participants in the saddle for ten hours or more. “I can’t even put it into words, it’s so difficult,” laughs an exhausted, but smiling, Alison Wood (50) from Cardiff. “There are some really experienced riders here and even they’ve struggled. I’ve never seen my bike so dirty!” ‘It’s about nostalgia, fun and doing some…

Readers Andrew Fulbrook and Nicholas Priestley (AKA The Africa Twins!) The Ride D-Day Beaches and Memorials, Normandy, France When to do it Spring to autumn Miles 300 Time required Four days Don’t miss this “The American and British cemeteries are absolutely awe-inspiring!" THE BIKES Our Africa Twins are comfy, do 54mpg and have plenty of go, too COMPANY Great to have a mate who rides at your pace, it's almost intuitive! EASY RIDE We did about an hour at a time on the brilliant French roads RESPECT It puts life in perspective to see what this generation went through SEND US YOUR TRIP PICS EMAIL YOURPICS@ MOTORCYCLENEWS.COM…

LAMBRETTA GP 150 This scooter cost a week’s wages (£25) and was risky in the dark as applying the brakes turned off the lights! Brian Jones BSA ROCKET GOLDSTAR My 1962 Goldstar pictured on the Old Bath Road, Twyford. It cost £369 from Miles Motors, Uxbridge and was good for 100mph. Gwyn Jones TRIUMPH 3TA T21 This was my first proper bike. It looks like a really flash café racer but was in fact a 350cc 3TA T21 with all the tinware chopped off. Brian Newbold HONDA CX500 My lads Peter and Christopher. We all have bikes now, Peter (front) has a Blade, Chris has a CBR600 and I have a Victory. Paul Arnold YAMAHA FIZZY This is me on my FSI-E at 16 in 1974. I wish that I…

The numbers speak for themselves: a true 205bhp at the rear wheel and all backed up by a ShiftCam motor that has significantly boosted the S1000RR’s already bulging midrange. As I roll the first, and possibly only (see p29), road-going BMW S1000RR in the UK off the dyno, I’m starting to appreciate what a serious bit of kit this is. BMW said their target was to significantly improve the RR’s performance with this new generation, a goal that the dyno certainly hints they have smashed home. But only a small percentage of riders buy an RR to race, which is why the S1000RR’s ground-breaking power figure is concerning me as I start the MCN250. Speaking to RR owners, a big part of its appeal, beyond its performance, is the fact…

‘VERY COOL’ PAUL WOODROFFE Age 63 Height 5ft 8in Current bike XJR and R1 Been riding 45 years Dream bike I fancy the new S1000RR! “I didn’t like the odd headlights on the old RR, so I’m glad BMW have seen sense and junked them. The TFT dash is very cool, far more modern than my R1’s dash, and very nice. I like German engineering and I now like the overall look and the fact it is compact and has loads of power.” ‘TOO COSTLY’ SCOT ELLIOTT Age 47 Height 5ft 6in Current bike CBR600F and 2004 R1 Been riding 12 years Dream bike The RR “It’s a good-looking bike, but the price is an issue. I’m not a fan of PCP, I prefer to own a bike and it…

1 Cutting it down to size British steel arrives in six-metre lengths before being cut down to size. The mesh for the shelves is delivered in 8ft by 4ft sheets and is also cut to size by BikerTidy. 2 Bend me, shape me… Steel is bent into shape using a CNC machine to create the hangers or shelf’s structure. 3 Welding it up A team MIG weld the various sections together by hand to create a finished shelf, hanger or wall bracket. 4 Powder coating for rock-hard durability Parts are powder coated using an epoxy before being baked at 200-degrees for ten minutes. Although normally black, you can request a BikerTidy in a range of brighter colours for an extra £10. 5 Assembly time The…

Full-colour touchscreen dash Indian’s 4.3in touchscreen Bluetooth dash seems complicated, but everything from choosing modes to which of the three displays you desire is easy to do with a swipe and a prod. Super Sachs suspension This S model comes with fully adjustable suspension, which, in its middle settings, has the same damping values and spring rates as the non-adjustable units on the standard model. Monsterous V-twin powerplant Developed for the FTR1200 with Swissauto, the high compression V-twin has a gas flowed head, dual throttle bodies, ride by wire, magnesium engine covers and power-assist slipper clutch.…

1 ‘No parachute’ jump He was chased by two other skydivers who caught up and strapped a parachute on. His sky-diving licence was instantly revoked. 2 Being shark bait Not content with the danger of swimming in shark-infested waters, he baited the water to encourage the sharks into a feeding frenzy. 3 Back-flipping The Grand Canyon Pastrana launched his bike into The Grand Canyon, performed a 360-degree backflip, then let go and parachuted to the bottom. 4 Landing that Caesar’s jump Doing what Knievel didn’t, he successfully landed after jumping the Caesar’s Palace fountains. That night he did two more ‘Evel’ jumps. 5 The double backflip One of the first to perfect a single, 360-degree backflip, Pastrana was later the first rider to complete a…

‘My body shakes with the biggest shot of adrenaline ever’ It has been said that there’s nothing like racing to improve your road and trackday skills. Riding in close-proximity at high-speed, pushing your bike and tyres to the limit is the ultimate in track-riding nirvana. You must trust those around you implicitly as you fight for every apex and slipstream for that top-speed advantage down every straight. It’s a focusing, intense workout for both your body and your mind – and something every racing enthusiast should experience at least once. Like many trackday riders, I have often wondered about the option of going racing, and growing up with the fantastic Cadwell Park on my doorstep I have spent many a weekend watching swarms of club racers push themselves (and their…

BMW BIKE DAY ACE CAFE, LONDON NW10 7UD MAY 12 ‘From the Sausage to the Ace’ It’s the annual BMW Bike Day at the Ace Café and to make this year’s event a must-do, the guys at the Ace will play host to Navy Wings, the Royal Marines Charity and Royal Navy Winter Sports Association, who have a Bahnstormer Custom Edition BMW R nineT Racer to give away. The Route Why not meet up with your mates at our Golden Sausage winner for 2018, the Super Sausage Café, before you head into London via some pretty back roads. Take the A5 from Potterspury into Milton Keynes and follow signs to Aylesbury, pick your way through the Chiltern Hills on the A413 before traversing the M25 and as you…

THE STUDENT Simon Baird, 45, Leicestershire Simon took his test three years ago and has been making up for lost time ever since, riding his Moto Guzzi V9. Simon’s riding problem “I’ve got a trip with some mates up to Scotland and I need a bit of help with my overtakes on lanes to make sure we stay together.” THE TUTOR Mark Edwards, Rapid Training Former police motorcyclist,Mark’sbeen teaching people to be safer,better,faster riders on the road for the last 20 years. Mark’s action plan “Overtakes require careful planning. I’ll show Simon a system for passing slower vehicles that is smooth and effective.” THE LESSON 1 Spot your opportunity When you’re gaining on a vehicle but can’t yet see an overtaking opportunity, slow down and follow at a safe…

Mark Davis’ proud ownership of a 2017 Triumph Street Twin is the culmination of a 22-year journey, he tells MCN. “I started out on a (1979) BSA GT50 which my dad got me because he was a fan of British bikes, even though at the time those bikes were mostly Italian,” he says. “But it looked like a proper bike and I liked it.” That desire for ‘proper’ looking bikes remained even after parents, driving lessons and eventually a family kept him off two wheels. “I took my Direct Access in 2004 and bought a Suzuki SV650 and a Triumph Trophy, which I owned for about six years. Then we started a family and I started to wonder what would happen if I had an accident. It just didn’t feel…

Guess what are the top three most popular used tourers, according to a recent insurance survey? (Hint: they’re relatively cheap, to keep down insurance.) So no, not the latest BMW, or Gold Wing, FJR1300 or Versys 1000. Instead we’re looking at three Hondas: the Deauville, ST1100 Pan European and pre-VTEC VFR800F. But they don’t own the whole market, and even at this price you can bag a premium bike. £2500 HONDA PAN EUROPEAN 1048cc | 100bhp | 795mm seat height • Dealer £1700-£3500 • Private £750-£2500 • This one 2000, 26,000 miles Honda’s carefully-considered attempt to encroach onto BMW turf was also known as the ST1100 and developed, appropriately enough, in Germany. The purpose-built, transversely-mounted, V4 produces amazing torque, is very smooth, has shaft drive and is almost completely…

It’s clear to see the 2019 BMW S1000RR’s potential in the hands of Christian Iddon and Peter Hickman. The latter stuck his Smiths BMW on the front row for race one after a strong qualifying and backed that up with a sixth, but was penalised for a tyre pressure infringement in the second outing. Riding alone, Hickman has the pace to run right at the sharp end, yet struggles in a group to exploit the immense corner speed the BMW is capable of carrying. He said: “It’s good, because we’ve just finished sixth at round two on a brand-new bike that we’ve had for six weeks. In the grand scheme of things, it’s mega! I had the pace to be on the podium in the first race but we’re strong…

With fifth and fourth place finishes at Oulton Park, probably the trickiest circuit to learn, Scott Redding gave another impressive performance as he continues to adapt to life in the BSB paddock. “I’m happy because my target for the weekend was top six. I got a bit stuck in the practices with the weather but in qualifying I made some big steps and felt quite comfortable in the races. Physically, my arms are pumped a little bit; they’re not used to a track like this. It’s nothing major but it takes your focus away a little bit. “I just need a little bit more tyre life as I was losing a couple of tenths with a lack of mid-corner speed. I tested the new swingarm in practice and in qualifying,…

Alongside competing on the SG8 superbike at the North West 200, John McGuinness will make his debut on the 650cc Norton Superlight in both Supertwin races at the Portrush circuit. McGuinness will be the firm’s sole representative on the new twin with his Norton team-mates in the class, Peter Hickman and Davey Todd, sitting out the races. “It has all been a bit last minute and working with one rider is enough for us to deal with,” said Norton boss, Stuart Garner. McGuinness has been testing the 650 alongside the superbike in recent tests and said: “I have ridden the twin at Rockingham and did 20 laps at Anglesey plus a few at Croft. I am still trying to understand the bike as it is new territory for me. I’ve…

The radical BMW R7, an art deco-styled, one-off concept machine built by the Bavarian marque in 1934 but which never went into production, has been fastidiously recreated by Florida custom house NMoto. Based on an R nineT, the ‘Nostaligia’ is coming to Europe and is available to order now – if your pockets are deep enough. The R7 was built to show the world what BMW’s engineers were capable of. The idea was for a range-topping superbike, so the designers wrapped it in aerodynamic bodywork, raised the cylinders for better ground clearance and fitted a set of telescopic forks – a world first for motorcycling. But it never saw the light of day and was eventually dismantled and hidden away until 2005 when it was restored by BMW before going…

‘200 miles in the saddle and there’s absolutely no discomfort’ It’s Britain’s best road test route. A tough 250-mile mix of A and B- roads, a stretch of motorway, plus plenty of towns, villages, blind corners, ballistic straights, and a huge range of grippy to slippy tarmac. There are two cafés, an off-road section for adventure and trail bikes, track time at Silverstone for sportsbikes, and Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground and the dyno for hard and fast data when needed. You want answers? We’ve got ’em. 1 Ticking every box You don’t buy a stock BMW, you use it as a base to build upon by diving headfirst into the extras list. The standard RR is £15,290, but the Sport variant costs £16,700 and adds features such as a pit…

What is so remarkable isn’t the fact it makes 205bhp, or that its electronics package and chassis are so advanced. What is truly amazing is how BMW have made such a potent superbike feel anything but terrifying. The RR is so refined and so full of low-end grunt that you can treat it like a sports-tourer and ride it low in its rev range, making the most of the ShiftCam engine’s torque. Even the riding position is comfortable. But don’t get the impression BMW have gone soft. Encourage it into action and it’s every bit the full-on superbike. The chassis is stunning, the brakes staggering, the electronics class-leading and the top-end makes the world go into reverse at an alarming rate. I really dislike giving a bike five out of…

‘My favourite stretch is around St Mary’s Loch’ Whether she’s on a solo blast, a jaunt with her fiancé or a fun-filled ride with mates, Sue loves to spend her time exploring the perfect roads that surround her Annan home in the Scottish Lowlands. The route takes in some astonishing landscapes with dramatic views and challenging roads, so it is easy to see the appeal of getting out there. Sue says: “I regularly take rides out on my BMW F800GS Adventure and I love the tranquillity of this route. Depending on how I feel, it can be shortened or lengthened to suit. My favourite stretch, through the passes and around St Mary’s Loch, reminds me of the Alps. It is awesome.” TAKE OUR ONE-GALLON CHALLENGE We want to hear about…

1. FOLLOW When you can see you’re catching a vehicle, reduce your speed to take a following position. 2. OBSERVE Assess the road layout for hazards. Try to see what the driver ahead might do and what is happening behind. 3. GET READY Minimise the distance you have to travel to overtake. But don’t get too close… it will jeopardise safety. 4. MOVE OUT Select a responsive gear, check behind, flick your indicator and move out then make final observations ahead. 5. OVERTAKE Accelerate smoothly past the vehicle ensuring that you leave plenty of space when you return to your lane. 6. MOVING IN Once you’re past the vehicle, do a life-saver and start to gently arc back in to your lane. Don’t dive back in too rapidly.…

1 A sticky situation A sticky throttle can creep up over time and you don’t notice how bad it’s got until the MoT tester informs you of a fail. For most bikes, the throttle comprises a plastic tube that rotates around the handlebar and pulls a cable connected to a pulley on the carburettors/throttle body. Cables can become worn/corroded causing them to stick and stretch. 2 Access the cables First remove the tank and airbox as per the procedure in your bike’s workshop manual. When the airbox is removed this will expose the carburettors/throttle body, and will reveal where the two throttle cables attach to the pulley – one opens and the other closes the butterflies. Loosen the cable lock nuts on the adjusters. 3 Unscrew and…

• ‘I knew we’d come back strong after Silverstone’ Josh Brookes got his assault on the Bennetts British Superbike championship back on track with two dominant lights-to-flag victories at the second round of the series at Oulton Park. Having left round one at Silverstone with zero points following a series of technical failures, it was the turnaround he needed. Brookes topped the time sheets throughout testing and the race weekend giving the Be Wiser Ducati team rider and the all-new Panigale V4 R its debut BSB win. A new factory swingarm to enhance tyre life and edge grip was available to both PBM riders as a significant upgrade from Round 1 at Silverstone. “Everyone in the team has been beating themselves up after what happened at Silverstone and not scoring…

Cal Crutchlow admitted his frustration in leaving the Spanish Grand Prix unable to do any better than eighth place, despite being able to limit the damage to his championship after two disastrous weekends in Argentina and Texas. First being penalised with a ride-through penalty and then crashing out, he at least leaves Jerez with safe points on the board from a track where he has a rocky record. Putting himself under pressure to achieve all weekend, the result might not have been what he was after, but he was nonetheless aware afterwards that sometimes it’s better to be safe than sorry in the championship race. • ‘I was just surviving for ten laps and I had no grip at all’ “It’s good to finish, but the rest wasn’t fantastic. I…

Fabio Quartararo made up for his race retirement by smashing the lap record in a one-day test at Jerez on Monday. He finished half a second ahead of to Britain’s Cal Crutchlow, who was also under the lap record, with Petronas team-mate Franco Morbidelli in third. • ‘We’ve found some really positive things for future races’ Speaking to MCN, the Frenchman was quick to downplay his pace, saying: “At the end we decided to make a time attack and the track was in a much better shape than it had been with all the Michelin rubber down. We were able to go much faster then earlier. We tried a new front fork and some new settings, and we’ve found some really positive things for the coming races too.” Championship leader…

The fight to lead the 2019 MotoGP championship standings reached a new level of intensity in Jerez when Marc Marquez took a stunning win to go from fourth in the standings to first after four rounds of the series. But while his victory bagged important points, it hasn’t been enough to allow the reigning champion to pull away. Now locked firmly in battle with not only long-time rival Andrea Dovizioso but also Suzuki superstar Alex Rins, the trio are now separated by just three points. In Sunday’s race, Marquez was able to put his game plan into action perfectly, making the most of the inexperience of the Petronas Yamaha duo of Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli who started alongside him on the front row to make a break. Eventually winning…

Get on the bike of your dreams This year’s test bike fleet is bigger than ever with hundreds of test ride slots available over the weekend. Just bring your lid and licence! See over the page for a full list of bikes. TRY OUT AN ELECTRIC BIKE! RIDE A ZERO AT THE MCN FESTIVAL! Watch some great racing The Dirt Track Riders Association will be holding a full two days of flat track racing at the Festival, including the thrilling Hooligan series. New for 2019 is the DirtQuake Showdown special. Madcap races will see choppers and mopeds battling it out in the Indian Live Action Arena. Campers get to watch the Hooligan and Pro Class finals on Saturday night. More stunt shows than ever before Two Brothers Racing, Dave Coates,…

The Devitt MCN Festival boasts Europe’s biggest test fleet with bikes from BMW, Ducati, Herald, Honda, Indian, Kawasaki, KTM, Triumph, Yamaha and Zero. Getting on a 2019 bike couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is take your lid and licence to the Black Horse Finance Manufacturer Zone and book your rides! Kawasaki • Z400 Performance • Ninja ZX-6R 636 Performance • Z650 Performance • Ninja 650 Performance • Versys 650 Grand tourer • Z900RS • Z1000R Performance • Z1000SX Tourer • ZX-10R • Versys 1000 SE-GT • Ninja H2 SX SE+ • ZZR1400 Performance Sport HONDA • CB300R • CBR500R • CB650R • VFR800F • CRF1000 Africa Twin DCT • CB1000R • CBR1000RR Fireblade KTM • 1290 Super Duke R • 1290 Super Duke GT • 1290 Super…

Buy a used bike at the show... We’re bringing MCN’s classified ads to life at this year’s Festival with the new MCN Bikes for Sale Live pavilion. Featuring a wide range of machines from dealerships and private sellers the area will be packed with bikes for every pocket from low mileage minters to restoration projects. ...and sell yours too! With 20,000 people expected at the show there’s no better place to sell your bike. Displaying your machine in the MCN Bikes for Sale Live pavilion couldn’t be easier. Pre-register now on www.mcnfestival.com and on the day bring along your driving licence and the V5 document for the bike your selling.…