Table of contents for 2 June 2021 in MCN

‘As a first attempt at an adventure bike, it’s very promising’JON URRY ON THE NEW PAN AMERICA FIRST TEST The PanAm has landed Riding bikes in glorious sunshine on the best roads on Earth at their launch events is always dangerously beguiling. Luckily, we’re a cynical bunch, so we’re never fooled by the euphoria. But the Pan America was launched on bumpy and nadgery Welsh roads amidst a persistent deluge that would be enough to make any bike feel a lot less thrilling. But the bold all-new PanAm still managed to impress with its blend of superb engine, stability, and exceptionally clever tech. So it must be good, right? PAGE 36 OUT & ABOUT Plan a run in the glorious sun... With much of the country enjoying the appearance of…

Only six months after it was introduced, Ducati have sold more than 5000 Multistrada V4s all around the world. Number 5000 was bought by German Ducati rider Karl-Heinz Lebenseig, who ordered a V4 S Sport with all the trimmings from a dealer in Ingolstadt. To celebrate the milestone he was presented with a letter certifying its serial number, alongside a small sculpture of the bike. Guarded sprocket R&G have released a completely redesigned set of chain and sprocket guards. Made from nylon, glass fibre and aluminium, the new guards have been designed in conjunction with Senior TT winners Silicone Engineering with the intention of being longer and providing extra protection. The new-look guards are offered to fit a large range of popular bikes and are priced at £39.99. Triumph hand…

This electric, and sometimes pedal-powered, bike could be coming to the UK as the German firm that builds them ramps up production. Chief Operating Officer Markus Leder said: “The eROCKIT bike is only the first step in our plans to deliver this highly-innovative and effective technology.” With a top speed of 56mph and a range of 75 miles, it currently costs £10,000 in its home market. Yukon do it! SW-Motech have a new waterproof tankbag called the Pro Yukon WP. The six-litre bag fits neatly to a tank ring mount fitted to your fuel cap fixings, meaning no cumbersome straps or scratched paint either. The Pro Yukon WP has an RRP of £128.30 while prices for the model-specific mounting ring start at £25.66. Head to motohaus.com for more information. Cheap…

RST IOM TT Team CE textile jacket £95.99 Get set for summer It’s time to lighten up your wardrobe and cast aside heavy, winter riding gear to make space for summer clobber. We’ve scoured the web for the latest bargains and found some corkers. With stores nationwide and a massive internet shop, J&S Accessories have some great deals, including this fantastic textile jacket from RST. This is an attractive option for all TT fans, emblazoned with official Isle of Man TT logos on the chest and back. It’s made from abrasion resistant textile and is triple stitched, it meets CE standards and has CE-approved armour at the shoulders and elbows. A waterproof and breathable membrane makes it suitable for our sometimes unpredictable summer weather. Adjusters on the sleeve and waist…

As governments propose firm dates for the end of petrol and diesel powered vehicles you might be forgiven for thinking we’re living in the end days of the internal combustion engine. But the technology that’s literally driven the transport revolution for more than a century isn’t ready to give up just yet and could be thrown a lifeline by the development of synthetic fuels that are nearly as green as going electric. Synthetic petrol, diesel and aviation fuels are all the subject of heavyweight pilot projects and are gaining interest fast as they eliminate the CO₂ emissions from transport without the need for end-users to switch to new tech. Aviation in particular is backing the idea but motorsport is getting in on the action, with the World Rally Championship due…

Isle of Man TT racer John McGuinness and stunt rider Dave Coates have teamed up with Northumbria Police and Road Respect to help keep riders safe on the regions roads this summer. In a special video the duo talk about specific things to look out for when returning to the road after a long lay off, covering everything from checking tyre pressures to certain road situations to be aware of. To watch the five-minute video, head to facebook.com/roadrespectuk. Insurance tweak From January insurers can only charge the same price for a policy as they would a new customer, the Financial Conduct Authority has ruled. This is in response to ‘price walking’, where a customer’s premiums rise at renewal without any change in risk. This should put an end to cheap…

MCN staff and readers share their favourite routes This fantastic route begins at Loomies Moto Café, otherwise known as the West Meon Hut. It’s a local haunt for bikers and a great place to meet friends and enjoy refreshments before heading out for a quick spin. You need to head east on the fabled A272 – a road so legendary there’s a book written about it – into the bustling town of Petersfield. Turn left on Bell Hill and wend your way through the stunning Ashford Hangers National Nature Reserve. From here hang a right onto the A32 for a short section before darting right, through country lanes to Selbourne. The A3006 takes you directly north to Alton, at which point you double back on the A31 and join the…

Who else has missed mooching around browsing for all those parts, tools and bikes you absolutely, most definitely need? Well, we have good news! One of the biggest autojumbles in the UK is back in action this weekend at Newark Showground. What’s happening? The venue will be filled an array of parts, restoration services and more. The classic vehicle display isn’t taking place this weekend to adhere to official guidelines, but it will hopefully be revitalised at an autojumble later in the year. Where and when? Just off the A1/A46/A17 junction, the autojumble takes place on Sunday June 6. You can still get advance tickets – until 3.30pm Friday 4 – or you can pay £7 on the day for standard admission which will get you in at 10am. Earlybirds…

It’s Britain’s toughest road test route. A fun but punishing mix of A-and B-roads, busy motorway, towns and villages. It’s all Britain’s road types compressed into one route. There are three sections and we combine the two that best test the bike’s character. On average we ride 450 miles per bike, per test. ROUTE 1 122.73 miles of fast-flowing A and B-roads ROUTE 2 126.94 miles of open A and B-roads and towns ROUTE 3 117.88 miles of big A roads and motorway MCN 250 MILE ROAD TEST ● THE HOTTEST BIKES ● EVERY WEEK…

GUEST TESTER Yamaha have transformed the MT and in SP guise, it is now the brilliant do-it-all naked bike it always promised to be. Is it the pick of the premium middleweight nakeds? That depends on what you want in your ride. If you prioritise agility over comfort, there is no denying the Street Triple RS just edges the Yamaha. Better handling, faster turning and lighter, the RS is a proper sporty middleweight that would be equally as happy on a trackday as a B-road blast. It isn’t as relaxed as the MT, but what it lacks in comfort it more than makes up for in the bends and the quality of its running gear means its ride quality is superb. Which leaves the KTM. The 890 Duke R is…

GUEST TESTER The bottom line is that the Pan America isn’t as good as a GS – that is to be expected for a machine in its fledgling stages compared to one with over 40 years of development. But the Harley is a really good machine that, a few rough edges aside, has heaps of potential and has entered the market at a very high level. The tech is impressive, the ride quality good, the price attractive and although the look is certainly unique, there is a definite appeal to that due to the fact it doesn’t blend into the hordes of other adventure machines in a bike park. Well done Harley – we like it. THE FACTS £15,750 (OTR) Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special…

The Trans Euro Trail (www.transeurotrail.org) is Europe’s biggest off road route cofounded by Adventure Spec who produce kit designed for riding it. This completely free resource allows you to download a GPX route and navigate your way around the best, fully legal routes that Europe has to offer. The route will take you from the edge of Africa to the Arctic. Our three days of riding saw us complete a very small section from Wooler in Northumberland to Alston in Cumbria. The TET is aimed at lightweight adventure and enduro bikes and our KTM 890R and Yamaha T7 took everything in their stride, but there is no question it would have been easier in places on smaller bikes. The right tyres are key and we fitted Continental TKC 80s which…

Ixon RS Genius 2 leather £209.99 ‘Superb comfort and good protection’ Tested by Richard Newland, two years, 4500 miles The fit and feel of bike kit is supremely important but nowhere do you feel it more than in a pair of gloves. Badly designed ones are infuriating, and ones with scratchy seams, shoddy linings or flappy finger ends are plain annoying. But these Ixons are just about perfect. I’ve used a few pairs of their gloves over the years and always been impressed, but these are the best yet. They feel better constructed and offer a nicer fit than my Astar GP Plus gloves and everything about them just feels solid, well thought out and robust, although they’re only CE 1 KP certified (the base standard). They boast a little-finger…

‘I’m smoother, with no swoop!’ “I’ve been trying to solve this issue myself by working on my cornering and countersteering, but all I’ve achieved is to overthink it and with both arms fighting each other I may actually have made it worse. The day was really good, with plenty of feedback that will help me make the best use of Ryan’s advice over time – it’s not just about what I’ve done, but what I can add to my riding in the future. The biggest thing I’ll be taking away is not to swoop into bends like an eagle, it’s a great analogy that’ll stick in my mind.” Ryan says: “Most people who ride adventure bikes will have a degree of swooping in their cornering because the wide bars amplify…

The owner of a tidy 2016 Triumph Street Twin was confused and frustrated as his bike was unloaded at Zenith’s workshop in London recently for ace mechanic Bernie Roe to work out what was wrong. Bernie said: “He’d come back to his bike to find it lying on its right-hand side in a motorcycle parking bay. The crankcase cover on that side had a graze in it and the right-hand Vance & Hines can had been dented and scratched too. “There was no sign of the guilty party. But the brake lever hadn’t taken a hit, the throttle was moving freely, and it started up OK, so he hopped on and selected first gear.” Only he couldn’t. The gear lever was moving freely, but too freely as it was not…

Veteran MotoGP correspondent shares his unique racing insight Talk about hero to zero. After winning the past two races at unfavourable tracks, Ducati came home to Mugello… their test track, where they won for the past three years straight - and couldn’t even get a bike on the podium. It was the opposite of what was the numbers suggested was going to be the outcome. Mugello’s 0.71-mile straight is the longest on the calendar; Ducati had already set a new top speed record at Doha (0.68 miles) when Zarco flashed through the traps at a blistering 225.1mph. And sure enough Zarco was top Ducati again at Mugello, at 223.7 in qualifying. But things were already going awry. For one thing, Binder’s KTM had gone 1.5mph faster. For another, Quartararo’s new…

MUGELLO CIRCUIT 16 Bastianini 20 17 Martin 17 18 Marquez M 16 19 Rossi 15 20 Lecouna 13 21 Bradl 11 22 Marini 9 23 Pirro 3 FINAL POSITIONS MOTOGP FINAL POSITIONS MOTO 2 11 Canet +35.250 12 Aldeguer +35.300 13 Garzo 35.450 14 Dixon +36.161 15 Bendsneyder +40.700 16 Vietti +46.263 17 Baltus +46.403 18 Chantra +48.566 19 Marcon +1’16.213 FINAL POSITIONS MOTO 3 11 Salac +1.080 12 Toba +1.351 13 Antonelli +1.429 14 Nepa +4.472 15 Alcoba +12.491 16 Artigas +23.493 17 Guevara +23.499 18 Rossi +23.609 19 Fellon +23.774 20Bartolini +36.959 21 Izdihar +40.023 22 Matsuyama +40.035…

If a distant 10th place was Valentino Rossi’s final fling at his beloved Mugello, it wasn’t the parting of the ways the Doctor would have ordered. A first top 10 in 12 races will hardly convince Rossi he’s competitive enough to race on in 2022, particularly when he finished a whopping 25 seconds behind series leader Fabio Quartararo on identical kit. The wins and podiums have dried up, but it’s been his undiluted love of racing that’s kept Rossi motivated enough to keep competing at the ripe old age of 42. But time waits for no man, and time finally seems to be catching up with Rossi’s racing prospects. Even a perennial optimist like Rossi is finding it harder to put a positive slant on his form, as the man…

If you want a focused V-twin sportsbike buy a Ducati. If you’d prefer a flexible, high-quality, usable, real-roads V-twin then try a FireStorm. There are loads about, starting at less than £1000, so for £1500 you can be choosey - go for a 2001-on model for the bigger tank and better forks, maybe with things like heated grips and rumbling pipes. Some dealers are trying their arm with prices, in the hope that the ‘modern classic’ thing has extended to VTRs. It hasn’t (yet). There’s no need to pay over £1750. Quality and finish isn’t quite the same as late 80s/early 90s Hondas, but is still very good. Forks get pitted and the engine and exhaust get blasted with road muck. Expect scruffiness. Motors are pretty much bulletproof and do…

If you want a focused V-twin sportsbike buy a Ducati. If you’d prefer a flexible, high-quality, usable, real-roads V-twin then try a FireStorm. There are loads about, starting at less than £1000, so for £1500 you can be choosey – go for a 2001-on model for the bigger tank and better forks, maybe with things like heated grips and rumbling pipes. Some dealers are trying their arm with prices, in the hope that the ‘modern classic’ thing has extended to VTRs. It hasn’t (yet). There’s no need to pay over £1750. Quality and finish isn’t quite the same as late 80s/early 90s Hondas, but is still very good. Forks get pitted and the engine and exhaust get blasted with road muck. Expect scruffiness. Motors are pretty much bulletproof and do…

If you want a focused V-twin sportsbike buy a Ducati. If you’d prefer a flexible, high-quality, usable, real-roads V-twin then try a FireStorm. There are loads about, starting at less than £1000, so for £1500 you can be choosey – go for a 2001-on model for the bigger tank and better forks, maybe with things like heated grips and rumbling pipes. Some dealers are trying their arm with prices, in the hope that the ‘modern classic’ thing has extended to VTRs. It hasn’t (yet). There’s no need to pay over £1750. Quality and finish isn’t quite the same as late 80s/early 90s Hondas, but is still very good. Forks get pitted and the engine and exhaust get blasted with road muck. Expect scruffiness. Motors are pretty much bulletproof and do…

Everyone has preconceptions about the things they’ve never tried. Few things in motorcycling are more divisive than the new breed of electric bikes, and it’s always interesting to hear the vitriolic hatred spouted by some in that particular debate. But the other seemingly huge point of division is one of biking’s oldest brands: Harley-Davidson. I hear just as much love for the bar-and-shield brand as I do from riders claiming they’d rather saw parts of their anatomy off than have to ride a Harley a mile. Of course, the pattern usually follows that they’ve never actually tried the thing they espouse such dislike for. ‘I don’t need to,’ they usually proclaim in defence. Such clairvoyance should make them millionaires, but oddly never seems to. I rode Harley’s new adventure bike…

Piaggio have unveiled a new electric scooter aimed at being easy and affordable transport for youngsters. There will be a few different models, with differing power outputs and battery sizes to suit varying licence regulations and presumably to suit different budgets. There will also be some nifty tech including digital instruments that change according to ambient conditions, full LED lights, keyless start and two throttle maps. It sticks with the standard scooter layout with a flat floor and pull-out passenger pegs plus Piaggio claim it’s the only e-scoot in this category that has a spacious luggage compartment under the seat. The batteries can be removed for straightforward home charging. The bike will be available in the UK by the end of July, with the price announced closer to the release.…

The Triumph Factory Visitor Experience has reopened with a new Land Speed exhibition. The experience was forced to close due to the pandemic, with Triumph taking the opportunity to install new bikes, as well as give the café area a spruce. The start of the new exhibition is the Land Speed Rocket Streamliner that was built for Guy Martin to attempt the Motorcycle Land Speed Record at Bonneville Salt Flats in 2016. On public display for the first time, the bike is powered by two turbocharged 1485cc inline triples taken from the previous generation of Rocket III. Together they deliver more than 1000bhp. The reopening was attended by a couple of special guests including Kyle Smith, a new rider for the Dynavolt Triumph team, who will compete in the British…

Pyramid Plastics Flyscreen (BMW F900XR) £65 This bolt-on flyscreen lends a bit of weather protection to BMW’s naked F900XR machine. Colour-coded options are on the way shortly and promise to create a factory OEM look. The British firm have also released a new Shock Shield to keep crud off the BMW’s rear suspension. Easy to fit, it requires just four bolts to mount. www.pyramid-plastics.co.uk LS2 Pioneer Evo Dual Sport helmet £99.99 The shell is made from Kinetic Polymer Alloy (KPA), a strong material rivalling high-end composites, which offers flexibility for energy absorption and high penetration resistance. Weighing just 1350g, the Pioneer Evo comes in three outer shell sizes. It comes in red and black, grey and blue, and black and has a drop-down sun visor. www.ls2helmets.com IXS Classic LD Andy…

‘Rocketships are set to soar’ There’s an incredible shortage of decent used bikes. Oddly, the public doesn’t seem to realise this (unless they’re trying to buy) because I’m seeing some things advertised for, and selling for, less than I’d have thought. Dealers short of good used stock are pouncing. I know this because I bid on a late low-mile VFR750 (RC36 model) on eBay. A mate in the trade reckoned it was worth £1300 because it was in an unpopular colour (green), and I finished up as the highest bidder at £1295 but it hadn’t met reserve. This is a place I like to be. “Hey, I’m serious, so what do you really want for it?” In this instance, the seller didn’t reveal the reserve but said he’d been offered…

As a rider and motorcycle photographer I am lucky enough to be involved in all aspects of the biking world, and so I get to see all sides of the industry – the one thing that unites across all the various disciplines is the sense of camaraderie and community. The bike is the most amazing conduit for people to come together to enjoy this shared passion; whether it’s out riding, tinkering in a garage or meeting up with mates. There’s nothing so liberating as putting on my lid and heading out; as soon as I get on my motorcycle, I feel a sense of calm flood over me. In some ways I see motorcycling as a form of moving meditation; it’s just you, the bike and your surroundings. The adrenaline…

Q ‘It’s left me scared to ride’ Eighteen months ago I was involved in a collision with a car that pulled across my path, causing me some fractures and psychological problems. I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder but the symptoms are fortunately now only minor. My injuries have healed but I had to buy a car as I am too nervous to get back on a bike. This is costing me a lot more to run and as I am only 42 this is going to be a large amount of money over my lifetime – can I include this cost in my compensation claim? James, Leicester A Potentially, yes you can claim this from the other side. Your solicitor should send you to a clinical psychologist who will…

Reader Corinne Cutler of www.motorbikescape.co.nz The ride Waipu to Te Anau in New Zealand Time required 13 days How many miles 3355 Best bit about it I moved out here from Cheshire in 2003 and quickly restocked with motorbikes (currently a 1996 Transalp, a 2008 Street Triple and a 2014 Ducati Monster) then met Andrew in 2008. Andrew and I now organise trips for ourselves but share our plans to a mailing list so anyone can join us along the way. We don’t charge anything for people to come with us, it is purely a hobby that has grown a bit out of control. This time we set ourselves the challenge of getting from as far North to as far South without using State Highway One. For those who know…

KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday June 2 BIKE MEETS ■ Squires Cafe Newthorpe near Sherburn in Elmet West Yorks 01977-684618 or www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ The Blue Anchor Southport Merseyside 7pm Facebook: Southport Carousel ■ The Old Stores Pontblyddyn Flints 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 ■ The Plough Cadsden, Nr Princess Risborough Bucks www.plough-at-cadsden.co.uk ■ Ryka’s Cafe Box Hill Surrey http://www.rykas.co.uk ■ Loomies Moto Cafe West Meon Hants Open till 9pm www.loomiescafe.co.uk ■ Paignton Seafront Devon www.bmad.co.uk SPEEDWAY ■ Birmingham Brummies birmingham-speedway.com ■ Poole Pirates Dorset www.poolepirates.co/ TRIALS ■ Waterlooville MCC Manor Farm Langrish Hants www.waterlooville-mcc.co.uk Thursday June 3 BIKE MEETS ■ Iron Horse Bike Night Market Deeping Lincs 6pm-9pm 01778-346952 or www.ironhorseranchouse.co.uk ■ Manor Farm Diner Bellerby North Yorks 01969 624705 ■…

Steve Wyld Age 63 Height 5ft 6in Current bike 2020 Triumph Street Triple RS Been riding 48 years First bike Yamaha FS1-E “I owned a 2006 Fireblade but I do a fair bit of touring and the last trip to the Pyrenees saw me make the heart-breaking decision to sell it, I just needed something a bit more comfortable. I bought a Tuono V4, which had all the handling of a sportsbike but with a more relaxed riding position, and for a few years I was happy. But then I started noticing my mate’s Triumph. “He has had Street Triple RSs since 2017 and whenever we go on group rides he is always at the front and even on the Tuono I struggled to keep up. He just looked like…

1 Oxford Screamer XA7 disc lock £39.99 This is alarmed, which was critical and it’s also a visible deterrent. It’s very light, travel-size and solidly built. William Hobson, East Yorkshire 2 Roadlok XRA £196 (+ shipping) It’s fixed to the bike and locks it in place with a pin through the disc. I ride all year, and it still looks new. Dave Jackson, Andover 3 Kovix KCL10 alarmed chain (1.5m) £124.99 It’s a good quality product, plus comfortable and easy to use. David Burns-Keane, Holmfirth 4 Litelok Gold Moto 108 £139.99 This is very light and easy to carry. You can also lock it without the key, which prevents faff. Patrick Collum, Watford 5 ABUS Granit Detecto XPlus 8077 £151.99 This has a 100dB alarm. It’s loud and the right…

Saving you money on essential bike maintenance 1 Make a date with security Datatag is a form of passive security designed to deter thieves by acting as a way to help trace your bike and its parts back to you in the event of a theft. Each kit features minute electronic transponders, ultraviolet markings and data dots which are applied to various areas of the bike. All of these have a unique ID that corresponds to the company’s database. 2 Into the seat The kit contains two pairs of tiny transponders - button type and glass type. The glass type is about the size of a grain of rice and has been designed to be inserted into the underside of the seat. Use the applicator to inject one directly into…

One of six riders to lose his qualifying lap due to a yellow flag infringement, Chaz Davies led Sunday’s Ducati charge to return to the podium for the private GoEleven team – just six races on from being dropped by the Italian brand’s factory outfit. After the bike broke and was stripped on Friday, the qualifying dramas left Davies 15th on the grid. His demons then came back to haunt him, making a poor start but he still progressed to sixth. Managing ninth in the Sprint Race for a Row 3 start in Race 2, Davies took advantage of dramas ahead before attempting to reel in Jonathan Rea to finish second and achieve his 99th podium. It has not gone unnoticed at GoEleven that their man is 23 points ahead…

MOTOGP REPORTER Joan Mir has not forgotten what made him MotoGP world champion. The Spaniard was classy and calm on an emotional and physically draining day at Mugello with a timely surge to invigorate his title defence. This third place podium, his best ride in the last six races, was crucial to Mir’s midseason attack. “It’s really important because it builds confidence. I’m not looking at the championship, just at being on the podium at every race. “There are tracks coming in the calendar where with the same effort as this race, or even less, I can win.” Mir’s gutsy ride overcame the Suzuki GSX-RR’s 8mph top speed disadvantage to Ducati and KTM on a day marked by the passing of Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier (see right). ‘It was sad…

‘Want to win? First you have to back yourself’ I’ve said before that I don’t get how everyone goes on about how it’s a ‘Yamaha’ track or it’s a ‘Ducati’ track. For me it’s down to the belief of the rider. Take Quartararo, he had his problems last year and he’s addressed them by seeing a shrink, then he had the arm pump issue and boom - he’s got that sorted. Now he’s strong and he’s gone to Mugello and he’s thought ‘as long as I’m fast through sector two and three I don’t care what the others are doing in sector 4’. It comes down to who is on the bike, the situation they are in and how they go about their business. Before the race you’d have a…

Getting the inside line on grand prix racing since 1996 Fabio Quartararo has always had to live with comparisons to Yamaha legend Jorge Lorenzo. As soon as he threw his leg over an M1 at the end of 2018 in Valencia, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were watching Lorenzo at the peak of his powers when he won three titles for Yamaha. Lorenzo’s riding style was so silky smooth and precise that when he caressed an M1 to 44 wins, he looked slow when he was actually blindingly fast. His pinpoint accuracy on corner entry and high corner speed perfectly exploited the agility of the chassis and before he quit for Ducati in 2017, Lorenzo and the M1 always appeared to be a match made in heaven. Quartararo’s blossoming…

Finding a way through the complexities of learning to ride and buying your first new bike is hard enough but finding a truly exhilarating and funky A1 or A2 category bike can be even more of a struggle… So KTM Finance are making life a little easier by offering a new 0% deal on their brilliant 125 Duke, 390 Duke and 390 Adventure over 36 months. Begin with a CBT The 125 Duke is a great bike to start your riding career and perfect for urban commuting. It might be entry-level, but that doesn’t mean it’s short on features. A TFT dash, illuminated switchgear buttons, an LED headlight, WP suspension and a four-piston radial caliper up front all give the Duke a premium big-bike feel. The gearbox is slick, and…

Finding a way through the complexities of learning to ride and buying your first new bike is hard enough but finding a truly exhilarating and funky A1 or A2 category bike can be even more of a struggle… So KTM Finance are making life a little easier by offering a new 0% deal on their brilliant 125 Duke, 390 Duke and 390 Adventure over 36 months. Begin with a CBT The 125 Duke is a great bike to start your riding career and perfect for urban commuting. It might be entry-level, but that doesn’t mean it’s short on features. A TFT dash, illuminated switchgear buttons, an LED headlight, WP suspension and a four-piston radial caliper up front all give the Duke a premium big-bike feel. The gearbox is slick, and…

Finding a way through the complexities of learning to ride and buying your first new bike is hard enough but finding a truly exhilarating and funky A1 or A2 category bike can be even more of a struggle… So KTM Finance are making life a little easier by offering a new 0% deal on their brilliant 125 Duke, 390 Duke and 390 Adventure over 36 months. Begin with a CBT The 125 Duke is a great bike to start your riding career and perfect for urban commuting. It might be entry-level, but that doesn’t mean it’s short on features. A TFT dash, illuminated switchgear buttons, an LED headlight, WP suspension and a four-piston radial caliper up front all give the Duke a premium big-bike feel. The gearbox is slick, and…

Triumph have unveiled an updated version of their popular Speed Twin with a range of changes to the engine and suspension, plus a few subtle component upgrades. The Speed Twin, which first arrived in 2019, took the firm’s sharp and focused Thruxton and switched up the ergonomics to make it more relaxed and welcoming. It was an instant hit. The biggest change for 2021 comes in the engine department where Triumph have managed the Holy Grail of a Euro5 update that also brings more power. This is achieved through lighter internal components resulting in a 17% reduction in inertia and the ability to rev higher. There is a new exhaust, too. The result is a new peak power output of 98.6bhp @ 7250rpm and peak torque of 82.6lb.ft @ 4250rpm,…

MV Agusta have released the F3 800 Rosso: an entry-level supersports bike. The firm have been on an update spree of late, bringing their entire range into compliance with the latest Euro5 emissions regulations. Just like the Brutale, Dragster, Turismo Veloce and Superveloce, the F3 has had some adjustments to the engine and frame along with some big updates to the electronics. Sitting at the heart of the new machine is a tweaked engine that gains a string of changes to reduce internal friction. The result is a Euro5-compliant unit that loses none of its 147bhp. Interestingly, and unlike other Rosso models in MV’s catalogue, the F3 800 Rosso doesn’t give away any power to the premium versions. Again, like the other 800s, there’s a redesigned clutch plus an improved…

£15,502 Yamaha Niken GT The outlandish three-wheeled Niken and Niken GT models are being offered with £3602 worth of Yamaha’s sports accessory pack free of charge. The deal includes an Öhlins rear shock, full Akrapovic exhaust system, sports seat, handy tank bag with mounting kit and a fancy chain guard. • www.yamaha-motor.eu/gb SAVE £1100 £12,795 Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport Pro Ducati dealers are offering an £1100 Performance voucher until June 30. • www.ducati.com/gb • Engine 1079cc • Power 85bhp • Weight 206kg • Seat height 810mm SAVE £792 £14,999 2021 Kawasaki Z H2 The Z H2 is a great back-road blaster while also being comfy, well equipped and packed full of super-charged charm. • claycrosskawasaki.co.uk • Engine 998cc • Power 197bhp • Weight 239kg • Seat height 830mm SAVE £750…

The attempted theft has cost Richard some money repairing the bikes and his employee’s van but it could have been much worse. He told MCN: “A couple of those bikes belong to customers who would have been gutted if we hadn’t got them back. The truth is that if we’d lost £30-£40k worth of stock there’s a good chance we’d have folded waiting for the insurance to pay out.” Hampshire Police were able to confirm that the van used in the crime was stolen and that investigations are ongoing.…

We’ve teamed up with Oxford Products to give two lucky readers the chance to win a set of Oxford F1 luggage worth over £250! Each set comprises a pair of 55-litre RiDE Recommended panniers, a 35-litre tankbag and a 35-litre tail pack – giving you 125 litres of capacity. Oxford’s F1 luggage is a practical and lightweight alternative to the firm’s legendary ‘Lifetime’ range, packed with all the essential features you would expect to find in Oxford bags and a few more besides. The bags retain all of Oxford’s construction methods, waterproofing systems and safety mechanisms in a wide range of styles to suit most bikes. They also boast a unique extra feature… Five colour swatches are provided with every bag, allowing you to colour-match the bags to your bike.…

Six barn-find bikes will go under the hammer next week and could net as much as 50 grand. The collection was discovered during a probate valuation in deepest Norfolk, alongside various classic cars. The earliest of the bikes is a 1915 Norton Model 1 Big Four 6, which is in good original ‘barn-find’ condition, and carries a pre-sale estimate of £7000- £10,000. Under the dust and debris was a 1952 Norton 88 Dominator (valued at £3000-£5000), a 1957 Norton International Model 30, which will need some restoration work and a Norton 350 Café Racer International. But the most valuable machine was a relatively recently restored 1937 Velocette KSS 350, which is expected to fetch around £12,000. Other outbuildings at the property also gave up treasures. A 1960 Excelsior 98cc Consort…

Every week we give a different rider a wodge of fictional cash and ask them to ‘buy’ the bike that sets their soul on fire. This is James’ pick… James Haydon is one of those riders whose impressive career is easily overlooked. As well as taking 48 podiums and 13 race wins in British Superbikes, James has competed in 500GPs against the likes of Doohan, ridden for Kenny Roberts in MotoGP on the Proton and raced in WSB, most memorably with the Foggy Petronas team. James is now a pundit for Eurosport and a property developer with a garage full of two-wheelers. So, how would he spend his cash? “These days I’m a fair weather road rider,” he says, “so I have a few classic two-strokes: an RD500LC and an…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews Time to act on Le Mans The debate on Le Mans shouldn’t be targeting the weather or tyres. I am amazed the safety commission has not requested that changes be made – over 100 crashes in all classes is unacceptable. Does someone have to be seriously injured before action is taken? Turn 3 needs more camber, Garage needs to be reprofiled and the whole track needs resurfacing! Rory Mcallister, ex-club racer Boot out the trolls There is an easy solution to the ‘trolling’ problem that has affected racers such as Maverick Viñales. Each and every device that connects to the internet has a MAC (Machine Access Code) address which is hardwired and, unlike the more familiar IP address, can’t be changed easily. This identifies the device,…

1 Battlesbridge Motorcycle Museum The funky museum re-opened on May 23 and is packed full of vintage two-wheelers – and entry is only a quid. www.battlesbridgemotorcyclemuseum.co.uk 2 Craven Collection of Classic Bikes This quaint collection in York is packed full of working classics. Booking is essential. www.cravencollection.co.uk 3 Haynes International Motor Museum The huge museum in Sparkford boasts a comprehensive history of motoring all under one roof. www.haynesmotormuseum.com 4 Norfolk Motorcycle Museum This family-run museum has over 150 motorcycles on show. A must-visit spot. norfolk-motorcycle-museum.business.site…

FRIDAY June 4 7.45am, BTS2, Live MotoGP from Catalunya, Spain: Opening Day, Free Practice 1&2 11am, ITV4, Isle of Man TT: Best Senior Races of the Decade SATURDAY June 5 8am, BTS2, Live MotoGP from Catalunya, Spain: Free Practice 3. Qualifying at 11am SUNDAY June 6 7.15am, BTS2, Live MotoGP: Warm Ups. MotoE at 9am, Moto3 at 9.30am, MotoGP at 11.30, Moto2 at 1.15pm. KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT – DISCOVERY REAL TIME DSC – DISCOVERY CHANNEL DHD – DISCOVERY CHANNEL HD EXS – EXTREME SPORTS CHANNEL EUR1 (2, HD) – EUROSPORT 1 (2, HD) MOT – MOTORSPORT.TV CH4 – CHANNEL 4 CH5 – CHANNEL FIVE BBC BBCI – BBC INTERACTIVE ESPN – ESPN CLASSIC CHANNEL ITV DST – DISCOVERY TURBO SHED – DISCOVERY SHED INST – INSIGHT SS1 (2, 3 OR…

GUEST TESTER MCN 250 MILE ROAD TEST ● THE HOTTEST BIKES ● EVERY WEEK £10,500 Triumph Street Triple RS ● 765cc inline triple DOHC 12v ● 121.4bhp @ 11,750rpm ● 184kg wet weight £10,649 KTM 890 Duke R ● 890cc parallel twin DOHC 8v ● 119.3bhp @ 9250rpm ● 180kg wet weight £10,202 Yamaha MT-09 SP ● 889cc inline triple DOHC 12v ● 117.3bhp @ 10,000rpm ● 190kg wet weight Like so many riders, I can’t help but feel my love affair with sportsbikes on the road is waning. I still delight when given a 200bhp missile and an open track to play with but on the road I don’t feel like I can enjoy a litre bike in the way I used to. I’ve not grown up, far from…

By Harley’s own admission, 90% of Pan America owners aren’t expected to take their bike up a trail, but that didn’t stop H-D devoting over half-a-million miles (half its development distance) to off-road testing. So can it cut it? Taking to some fairly stony Welsh fire trails in very wet conditions, the Pan America was a surprise. Running the road-targeted Michelin Scorcher Adv tyres and set in Off-road mode the Pan battered its way merrily along the trail. With the rubber peg inserts removed and the tip of the rear brake lever flipped to a higher position for off-road use, the Harley’s tall bars (risers are an option) give enough room for taller riders to comfortably stand up and despite its chunky 258kg weight it felt pretty secure. The suspension…

1997 LAUNCH OF CSS Andy met A Twist of the Wrist author Keith Code on the California Superbike School in America. Two years later, the pair had brought the concept to the UK. The school’s now had over 25,000 UK riders through its gates. 2005 LUTHI’S TITLE “It’s not so much mindset coaching – it’s all technique. Tiny changes that add up to making a big difference. If a rider’s willing to try, sometimes amazing things can happen.” 2008 DAY WITH ROSSI Yamaha arranged for Andy to spend a day with Valentino at the Ascari circuit for a special riding tips video to celebrate the launch of the R6. 2017 THE FIGHTBACK The stroke left Andy initially paralysed on his right-hand side and unable to speak. Ten years on, following…

Datatag is one of those systems that’s so familiar but at the same time we seem to know little about. It’s been around since 1992, I was working in a local Kawasaki dealer back then and can distinctly remember Datatagging bikes with this new, innovative system. The stencils and etching kit in those days produced a visible ID number on panels, not UV-reactive like today’s, but the real magic was the kit’s miniaturized RFID transponders. The radio frequency identification tech was relatively new to the consumer world in those days; remember, this was a time before mobile phones were mainstream. Looking back at it now, it seems Datatag was ahead of its time, at least with the technology. But unfortunately then, as it still is today, it was necessary and…

Just like Scott Redding, Toprak Razgatlioglu made Jonathan Rea’s life even easier. The Turk, twice a winner and three times a podium man at Estoril last year, should have been contending for a treble Estoril is widely known as a Yamaha circuit, not least after it sealed an historic 1-2-3 in last year’s Sprint Race. Razgatlioglu’s weekend started to unravel when he exceeded track limits in qualifying for the second consecutive round; afraid of starting 19th, the Turk didn’t push as hard as he could have on the qualifying tyre and lost a shot at pole. Had he started there, he would have had a far better chance of leading Race 1 from the off instead of being caught in a fight for second with Rea. After finishing second to…

‘Let’s have three Sprints’ Superpole is only 15 minutes long but decides the grid for the first two races; if something goes wrong, your weekend is in trouble. Also, everybody always bangs on about how good the Sprint Race is. So, if you still want three races per weekend, why don’t you just have three shorter races? Three races is enough on a weekend – and they don’t have to be long. We could have, say, a 12-lap race on Saturday and two on Sunday. To decide the grid for Race 1, we have qualifying. To shake up all the grids, we could say your fastest lap or finishing position from Race 1 decides your starting place for Race 2, then the results or fastest laps of Race 2 decide…

John McPhee’s case for a 2022 Moto2 ride was aided by finishing seventh at Mugello. McPhee inherited two places due to Pedro Acosta and Sergio Garcia being penalised, but more importantly he was back in the mix and challenging. His confidence has returned, and his maturity stands out amid the chaos around him - you’ll rarely see McPhee attempting a risky move. Dennis Foggia took an emotional victory at home to end Spain’s dominance in the lightweight class this season. However, most eyes will have been on rookie sensation Acosta, despite finishing eighth. Acosta once again looked to be a class above everybody else, with race craft beyond his years. Overtaking around the outside at turn one was just the tip of the iceberg. Acosta also purposely went wide whilst…

BT Sport’s technical guru unmasks secrets at the sharp end of MotoGP 1 Tyres Keep it simple Michelin brought a more regular tyre allocation to Mugello, choosing not to include an asymmetric front tyre option. The inclusion of a hard option front tyre with a single compound of rubber rather that the dual compound asymmetric selected for 2021 season provided not only KTM but also Honda and Aprilia with a tyre more suited to their machines’ weight balance. The theory behind the asymmetric front tyre is correct, combining the stability of the stronger rubber and the grip of the soft, but in practice? Not so much. 2 Fuel Better combustion KTM have formed a new MotoGP partnership with ETS racing fuels, a French company with whom they collaborate in their…

If you go back a year or two it’s likely that you’d never imagine Aleix Espargaro and Aprilia being disappointed with seventh, but this is very much the case in 2021. This feeling of under achievement highlights just how far the Italian underdogs have come. A loss of acceleration compared to earlier in the weekend cost Espargaro at the beginning of the race but despite this he was able to keep tabs on the podium chasers for most of the race. The Spaniard finished 8.030s behind the winner, compared to 20.523s in the last Italian GP in 2019. That’s significant progress in anyone’s book. Espargaro has more points now (44) than he collected in the entire 2020 season. Can any of it be attributed to Andrea Dovizioso becoming Aprilia’s official…

Fabio’s lap three move to the front was as simple in its execution as it was clinical and perfectly timed. Using the Yamaha’s superior edge grip and turning through turn one, he then pounced on the Ducati’s lack of turning into turn two to set the pass up on the inside of Johann Zarco in the fast flick right into turn three. And by making the move early in the lap, he had 12 more corners to utilise Yamaha’s superior corner speed to gap Zarco by nearly 0.4s, preventing him slipstreaming by with the a dose of Ducati brutal power.…