Table of contents for 13 October 2021 in MCN

AWARD-WINNING BIKES Welcome to the 12 best bikes you can buy right now – from funky new 125s to adventurers and electric stunners AWARD-WINNING DEALERS Discover the UK’s best new bike dealers-and invaluable riding kit AWARD-WINNING PEOPLE Every year, MCN awards the Dave Taylor Lifetime Achievement to a proper legend. This year, it’s Clive... INSIDE YOUR SPECIAL ISSUE ‘The very best of biking in 2021’ The debate raged long and hard, but we have eventually picked the bikes, dealers, kit and people that deserved to be this year’s winners. This isn’t about picking personal favourites or simply saying ‘that’s new, it’ll do’ – these awards are only bestowed after thousands of miles of testing across the MCN team, and a depth of analysis you simply don’t get elsewhere. MCN’s reviews…

Bonhams are hosting their first Italian sale at the Museum of Genesio Bevilacqua in April 2022. Genesio was the General Manager of the Althea Racing Team, which won both World Superbike and Supersport crowns in 2011. As part of the sale, Genesio is auctioning the ex-Carlos Checa, 2011 WSB title-winning Ducati 1198 F11. For more info on the sale visit www.bonhams.com. Good for the mind The UK’s largest independent road safety charity, I AM RoadSmart, have teamed up with mental health charity Mental Health Motorbike to help members look after mental health. As the winter months approach, which often takes extra toll, the two charities will work together to offer support, including mental health first aid classes. New under the hood KTM have been testing an all-new 450RR Factory Rally…

A new product that promises to make fogged up visors a thing of the past is going through the final stages of production. The ‘Visin’ is a heated visor insert claimed to prevent visor fog in even the most extreme conditions. The Visin uses a battery pack to provide eight hours of fog-free riding and it can be attached to most visors. The makers are looking for feedback with a gift for the first 100 responses: www.surveymonkey.com/r/visin2…

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride has kicked off its tenth anniversary with a special helmet auction which raised more than £20,000. The auction brought together 10 top artists from around the world to create 10 unique Hedon helmets. Among the list of luminaries who took part were globally-renowned skateboarder and artist, Steve Caballero, and industry-revered tattoo artists, Luke Wessman and Mo Coppoletta. Each created their own one-of-one helmet design to be sold off to the highest bidder. Mark Hawwa, who founded the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride movement, said: “We gave each of these incredible folks a helmet and asked them to imprint their style into this celebration of our history. Each has done exactly that and created exceptionally individual and imaginative pieces for our cause. “On the 10-year anniversary of DGR, I’m…

Communication unit We’ve teamed up with Sena to give away a 5S Dual Pack communications unit to one lucky MCN reader. With this easy-to-use and accessible unit, you get High Definition in-helmet speakers, HD two-way intercom, and integrated LCD screen; all the features you need at an amazing value. The 5S with Bluetooth 5 keeps you connected to your riding companion or passenger with HD sound quality, music sharing, and audio equalizer profiles built right in. With even more features packed in, it also lets you answer phone calls hands-free, listen to FM Radio, and hear your GPS prompts. The 5S features a Helmet Clamp Kit and Boom Microphone. The Jog Dial makes for an intuitive user interface that is much easier to control while riding, which means you’ll ride…

ALASTAIR AIM 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 Alastair’s pick... Jim Aim Motorcycles is the UK’s longest-standing KTM dealership. Founded in 1976 by motocross rider Jim Aim and selling mainly off-road bikes, the business began importing KTMs in 1981 and has stuck with the Austrian brand ever since. The family-owned dealership is now run by Jim’s son Alastair as well as Alastair’s brother Ian and brother-in-law Jerry. So, what would the man with orange blood in his veins buy in the used bike market? Well, it would have to be a KTM, wouldn’t it? “We have seen all sorts of things with KTM over the years,” remembers Alastair. “From…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews Time for change on age In his September 29 column, John McGuinness considers the tragic death of 15-year-old Dean Berta Viñales following a Supersport 300 race and questions whether 13, 14 and 15-year-olds should be racing on track at all, suggesting 18 as a minimum age. He also asks whether having 42 youngsters in a world championship race is a good idea. For what it’s worth, I think that competitive track racing is so dangerous that only those able to understand, weigh and remember the risks, should be doing it. I would guess that some, but very few, younger riders could do this. Andrew Coe, North Lincs Ed: It seems that the majority of readers agree, see this week’s poll Triumph followed my lead! I am…

‘Explore the Scottish Borders’ Bruce Dunn shares his perfect rideout from Moffat From the bike-friendly Buccleuch Arms Hotel, this route takes you across some of the most amazing and remote scenery in the Scottish Borders. I used this route on the way back from a test after a stop over at the hotel, and it’s a great way to avoid a chunk of motorway. The roads are often narrow with some steep gradients, giving you a both a challenging and exciting ride. Head north from Moffat on the A701 and almost straight away you will find virtually no traffic on the roads. Stay on the A701 for about 14 miles, then take the next right turn – as far as I’m aware the road has no name or number, just…

SATURDAY October 16 12pm, EUR2, Live BSB Showdown 3pm, EUR2, WSB from Argentina SUNDAY October 17 12pm, EUR2, Live BSB Showdown 3.30pm, EUR2, Live World Superbikes from Argentina MONDAY October 18 11am, BTS2, FIM SidecarCross World Championship KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT – DISCOVERY REAL TIME DSC – DISCOVERY CHANNEL DHD – DISCOVERY CHANNEL HD EXS – EXTREME SPORTS CHANNEL EUR1 (2, HD) – EUROSPORT 1 (2, HD) MOT – MOTORSPORT.TV CH4 – CHANNEL 4 CH5 – CHANNEL FIVE BBC BBCI – BBC INTERACTIVE ESPN – ESPN CLASSIC CHANNEL ITV DST – DISCOVERY TURBO SHED – DISCOVERY SHED INST – INSIGHT SS1 (2, 3 OR X) – SKY SPORTS 1 (2, 3 OR EXTRA) QUEST BTS1 – BT SPORT 1 BTS2 – BT SPORT 2 TVL – TRAVEL UK…

Cassie Bennitt Age 42 Height 5ft 1in How long have you been riding? 7 years Occupation Series Editor, TV/film industry Current bike Ducati Scrambler 2018 / 1993 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 (a custom Flat Tracker built by Warrs) / 1982 CB 100N First bike 1982 CB100N Dream bike Vincent Black Shadow “I love the freedom of riding and the fact that when you jump on a bike, everything else going on with work and life just melts away. That and riding with all my mates. “I’ve got a terrible track record when it comes to owning reliable bikes. In fact I’ve never owned one until now because new machines have never floated my boat. But after suffering reliability issues I decided I needed to get over this and buy something that…

NAME: JOHN ALLEN AGE: 58 “Around town and on A- and B-roads it is a perfect ride – the gearing is spot on. Get up into sixth and you can just roll on and off the throttle (it is still comfortable as low as 30mph) as the road and conditions warrant without any major issues. “It’s a lot of bike for the money, although I have spent more on personalising it – both official Triumph items: Heated grips, several protective bits & bobs (engine / frame / fork etc). And from other companies: Powerbronze Seat Cowl, Iconic Parts Radiator Guard, and Evotech Tail Tidy are all about to be fitted.”…

1 Slime 2020-A Dually RV Dial tyre gauge £18.12 I have had this gauge for over 10 years. I use it more than any other garage tool I own. John Steers, Lincolnshire 2 Halfords Advanced torque wrench £85-£95 The quality and value of these can’t be underestimated. Jon Ashley, Manchester 3 Snap-On Micro cordless impact wrench £281.58 Strong enough to undo most bolts, meaning you can save time. Matt Sutherland, Sleaford 4 Tirox Snapjack V2 £59.99 As there is no centrestand on my Honda CB500F, I use this for chain cleaning and lubricating. Lawrence Micallef, Cambridge 5 Ledlenser H3.2 LED head torch £29.95 This is a bit of kit that makes almost every job in my garage so much easier. Clive Turner, Haverhill REVIEW YOUR KIT IN MCN Got a…

Saving you money on essential bike maintenance MCN’s expert technician 1 Will it go any lower? If you find yourself tip-toeing every time you come to a stop at traffic lights, and struggle to manoeuvre your bike at low speed then you might want to think about lowering it. There are a couple of ways to do this. First, check to see if your seat height is adjustable, because many modern bikes – especially adventure models – have this feature as standard. 2 Choose your kit If your bike has no seat height adjustment, it’s time to consider buying a lowering kit, either as an OE part from your bike’s manufacturer or the aftermarket. The kit used in this guide is from specialist suspension component company Lust Racing, whose range…

Shakespeare knew a thing or two about bike racing. Why else would he have written: “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown”? He put the words in the mouth of Henry IV. But he was talking about Jonathan Rea. (Among others.) This has been the best season of World Superbikes since… well, almost ever. Young pretender, old master, epic clash. The ingredients of the finest drama. And it’s not over yet. Things were tense for six-times champion Rea in 2019, when Bautista ran him close. But Rea kept his cool, and emerged as the rightful victor. It was nothing like the toe-to-toe of 2021. Read between the lines of the riders’ comments. Razgatlioglu (crazy name, crazy guy) is full of carefree quips. Like any 24-year-old, with the best yet…

James Whitham BSB RUNNER-UP & COMMENTATOR ££££ on Mackenzie “I’d be happy for any of the top four, or six, to win it. It’s a shame for O’Halloran because he’s put the best season together out of all of them. But, if I had to put money on it, I would put it on Mackenzie.” Keith Huewen COMMENTATOR ££££ on Mackenzie “BSB champion? It’s got to be Tarran. He’s got the ruthless tenacity to get the job done. But we all know what a brute Brands can be when the weather intervenes. There’s going to be drama that’s for sure.” Michael Guy MCN SPORTS EDITOR ££££ on lddon “My money is on Iddon. He’s got his consistency back and if Brookes gets back to his Brands winning best then the…

Just because the RS660 is a sportsbike that works as a daily rider, don’t think it can’t cut it on track. It may lose a game of performance Top Trumps to a conventional supersport 600, but our own long-term test machine fought well above its paygrade on a ‘Road Bike Only’ trackday at Brands Hatch earlier this year – proving you don’t need to be hunched over like Marquez to have a good time. Winding up the standard suspension at both ends and dropping the tyre pressures, the tractable twin-cylinder motor and taut chassis were the perfect partner for the 1.208-mile Indy layout. Punching off the corners with more gusto than a four-cylinder 600 and precisely snatching more cogs via its standard-fitment quickshifter, it’s only when you get into the…

Some years this award is simple to give by dint of the volume or significance of wins, in other years it’s given for a single moment of genius, a market-defining bike release, sales results, or a particularly impressive innovation. This year it was the sheer breadth of strength and success, innovation, product development and racing clout that saw Ducati emerge victorious. Ducati have also won key accolades in this year’s other award categories, taking Best All-rounder (left) and Best Sub-1000cc Naked class wins – both with bikes that have come to define the growth and diversity within their range. Where once Ducati would have been only considered a superbike brand, their wins with the bold new Monster and highly-evolved Multistrada V4 S demonstrate how broad and deep the range has…

• £12,001 • 47bhp • 41lb.ft • 220kg • 15 litres CHIEF ROAD TESTER Scooters have enjoyed a bit of a UK renaissance in 2021. They’ve always been a hit in Europe where they’re a part of everyday life, but with the way the world has changed they’ve become more popular here, too. Many have snubbed crowded public transport for the fresh air of a twist and go to dodge Covid. Demand from companies who deliver fast food to your door is getting steadily higher, too. Back in June not only was Yamaha’s new NMAX 125 the most popular selling 50-125cc scoot, it outsold big bikes, too. Scooters come in all shapes, sizes and prices, whether they’re petrol powered or electric, so it’s easy to choose the right one for…

FABIO QUARTARARO Although his speed has never been questioned, his mental strength has. But in 2021 Fabio 0.2 has brought his A-game. He’s single-handily leading the Yamaha charge and he does it all with unbounded enthusiasm. PECCO BAGNAIA If there is a man that has stepped up to the mark in 2021 it’s Bagnaia. We’ve always known the 2018 Moto2 champion and Rossi prodigy had class but the verdict was out as to whether he could really make the grade and be a winner in MotoGP. TOPRAK RAZGATLIOGLU Mesmerizing to watch on a bike, Razgatlioglu is the first man to be able to take the fight to Jonathan Rea for the title. The impressive Turk is doing things on a bike no one thought possible with his impossibly late braking…

It might have been over-shadowed by the FireBlade but Yamaha’s YZF750R was based on the OW-01 and had inverted forks, Deltabox chassis, decent brakes, öhlins shock (after 1995) and spat out 125bhp from its five-valve head motor. Although it didn’t quite make it onto the track early enough in 1993 to turn heads, it did manage to achieve six WSB wins before Yamaha dropped the model in 1998 after the launch of the R1. So, if you’re after a 750cc, 1990s superbike that you can ride on the road with fast handling as well as being instantly recognisable, the YZF is a great option. You’re going to need to keep an eye on the oil. Yamaha specified that a litre of oil used per 1000 miles was ‘within tolerances’ –…

We take the MCN awards very seriously. It’s not a beauty pageant, a game of spec-sheet Top Trumps, or an opportunity for any one member of the team to pick favourites. Nor are they decided by brown envelopes stashed with advertising cash. The winners are the embodiment of our values, all wrapped up in a list of bikes, kit, dealers and people that we really believe in. I hope you enjoy the 32- page awards special supplement in this issue. And that’s not the only end-of-season climax that’s ensuring 2021 will go out with a bang. The superb Bennetts British Superbike Championship reaches the final Showdown this weekend – and what an incredible year it’s been. Who will take the title? Well, if we knew that already it wouldn’t be…

New bike sales have bounced back brilliantly so far in 2021 – although September did see a slight slowdown compared to the same month in 2020. Sales to date have stormed to an impressive 86,431 – that is 13.4 % up on the first nine months of 2020 and a healthy 3% up on a (pre-Covid) 2019. September 2020 saw bumper sales as pent-up demand and new bike arrivals resulted in a sales boom. Even though this September saw new bike sales drop by 6% on 2020, it was still up slightly on 2019 figures, which is a more accurate comparison. Adventure bikes, customs and scooters have seen the biggest growth with the BMW R1250GS still Britain’s best-selling big bike. Honda’s PCX125 fought back against Yamaha’s NMax 125 in September…

Disabled motorcyclist Claire Lomas raised over £10,000 by completing the London Marathon in a wheelchair, while wearing full bike gear, but now she has her sights set on riding a lap of the TT circuit as part of the Manx GP in August 2022. Claire said: “We were on the brink of getting this done a while back but then Covid hit and it couldn’t go ahead. I’d love to get this sorted and hope the organisers of the Manx will let me do a lap for charity.” Time to Kickback! The 2022 dates for the UK’s largest custom bike show have been announced. The Kickback Custom and Retro Show will be the 21st running of the UK’s national custom bike show hosting the annual championships for the UK and…

Sidi XPower boots £286.55 The XPower follows the X-3 and offers excellent protection at the foot and ankle for offroad riders. They are made from waterproof Techno Micro fabric and have a soft lining to ensure maximum wearability. Four replaceable levers help close the boots securely and they’re available in black, grey, blue, and red. www.sidi.com Holy Freedom Prison textile jacket £245 This textile, short-style jacket is made from cotton canvas and is claimed to be water-repellent. The jacket features CE-armour at the shoulder and elbow and also comes with a back protector (it’s certified to A standard). The lining is cotton and has a funky chequered design. saltflatsclothing.co.uk Pyramid Plastics Radiator Guard (Yamaha MT-09 range) £50 Pyramid Plastics have a new radiator guard for the 2021 Yamaha MT-09 range.…

Anglo-Chinese bike firm Bullit Motorcycles are rebranding and will now be known as Bluroc Motorcycles. The change recognises the firm’s most popular model range – the Bluroc 125 and 250. Alongside a new name, the company also say that they are investing heavily in new showroom materials for dealers and are set to launch a new range of merchandise before the end of 2021. Keith’s no Lemon TV personality and host of Celebrity Juice Keith Lemon was out on two wheels earlier this month completing his Compulsory Basic Training (CBT). The ITV favourite posted a video about the day to his 1.3 million followers on Facebook. It wasn’t all plain sailing though, with Lemon’s Lexmoto scooter running out of fuel during his assessed road ride! Sweeping signals Oxford Products have…

Ride further in 2021 with a little help from our one-stop event guide Ride out to Britain’s best biking cafés CHEQUERED FLAG • Events are set to be packed into the calendar next year • Tuesday-Sunday 8am-5pm • facebook.com/chequeredflagsw • Plymouth Road, Liskeard, PL14 5GD When it opened in 2015, the Chequered Flag had a mission to be more than just about great food; they wanted to break the mould and be more accessible to women riders too – and six years later, they’ve accomplished just that. Robin Partington, co-owner of the Liskeard-based venue with wife Karen said: “I question the industry quite a lot and its stigmas. Since we’ve opened, we’ve really stirred the pot.” The café not only has a menu full of biking-themed breakfasts and burgers, such…

1 Squire’s bike meet Every Wednesday at Squire’s Cafe, Sherburn in Elmet. Wrap up warm and there is the option of camping as well as great food and a full bike park. www.squires-cafe.co.uk 2 Super Sausage café Head on down to this popular meet at the excellent Super Sausage cafe on the A5 near Towcester every Sunday. Make sure to check out the brekkie. supersausagecafe.co.uk 3 Ace Café bike night Starts from 6pm on October 15. Also, Brit Bike Night on October 13 with Triumph, Royal Enfield, BMF and WIMA. london.acecafe.com…

Ever fancied taking your bike on a dragstrip? You could have the chance this weekend. What’s happening? Straightliners have documented more land-speed and drag racing records than anyone else, and now with their event at Santa Pod, you can join in the action with your own bike – that’s right, anyone can enter. They’ve got a whole host of events on their website, straightliners.events, but this weekend, you could take to the hallowed drag strip at Santa Pod on your own wheels. The essential stuff Round 10 of the Straightliners championship takes place at Santa Pod on Sunday, October 17 with non-competitive Run What You Brung on the Saturday. If you’re looking to enter, check out straightliners events and select bike entry (£45 for earlybirds) or junior entry (£25 for…

GUEST ROAD TESTER MCN 250 MILE ROAD TEST ● THE HOTTEST BIKES ● EVERY WEEK £8000 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone ● 853cc pushrod 2v V-twin ● 65bhp @ 6800rpm ● 218kg kerb weight £10,195 Ducati Scrambler Nightshift ● 803cc desmo 2v V-twin ● 73bhp @ 8250rpm ● 189kg kerb weight Moto Guzzi’s V7 retro roadster has been the Italian legend’s biggest seller since its 2007 introduction due to its authentic style, charm and decent value. But with just 48bhp, later rising to 52bhp, its performance has always been lacking. Ducati’s 803cc Scrambler, meanwhile, first introduced in 2015, has always had a decent 73bhp, but its sometimes basic, sometimes confused styling, hasn’t always hit the retro mark. Now with the V7 getting a major makeover, including a more powerful engine and…

2000 SETTING UP XENOPHYA “I met Ian at uni and we set up Xenophya to design body kits. We were pretentious idiots. We were going to call ourselves Kinetic Art but that had been taken, knew we needed a distinctive name and my mum found it in a dictionary…” 2006 STARTING WITH ENFIELD – 500 CLASSIC “The chance to work on the Classic changed my life. I fell in love with India… it’s like a second home now. We didn’t do all the Classic but we came up with the idea and it was what cemented our relationship.” 2007 FIRST COMPLETE BIKE – RIEJU RS3 “We started working for Rieju to design the new RS3. That was a big step for us – it was the first bike we designed…

DEPUTY EDITOR, MOTORCYCLING This is quite a big deal. We’ve used to accepting small super-cheap Chinese bikes as pretty much disposable, and know larger ones need accessing with their low price at front of mind. But the CFMoto marks the moment when a Chinese-built machine can be judged against established rivals without caveat. Yes, some parts will need anti-corrosion gloop, but that’s true of machines costing twice as much. The CL-X does the job of Ducati’s Scrambler Icon but with a better ride and a £2200 saving. It’s comfier and nicer on a Sunday thrum than Triumph’s Trident, which costs £1100 more. And while not quite as fruity as a Yamaha xSr700 it’s £900 cheaper. Four-year warranty too. It’s hard to predict longevity, but admit it – you’re tempted. THE…

American brand Zero continue to lead the way with electric bikes and claim this funky new lightweight, Al-licence compliant FXE is their most accessible yet. With updated supermoto styling by US award-winners Huge Design and fresh tech, it replaces the old FXS. And at just £12,300 (dropping to £10,800 with the £1500 OLEV government grant), with a kerb weight of 135kg (50kg less than the best-selling DS and nearly 100kg less than Zero’s range-topping SR/S), they could be right. But who’s it for, does it deliver and what about those nagging electric doubts such as recharging, range and battery life? You asked, we found the answers... ‘The half-size battery makes the new Zero light and fun’ Q How much are new batteries? Richard Brookes A Complete failures of EV batteries…

MARTIN BRENNAN Triumph Tiger 800 and Street Triple 675R I’m doing the three levels of Bikemaster. Level 1 is two days on the road, Level 2 is a day on track and another two days on the road. I think Level 1 is about cornering, visibility and that kind of stuff and then it’s another trackday and another two days on the road for Level 3. Today, doing the on-track workshop has been brilliant. I think the difference from start to finish in terms of my cornering has been massive. The bike has leaned over a lot more now my technique is better. I’m being a bit looser on the bike and letting it do its thing, and then accelerating out far quicker than before. It’s made a massive difference…

It’s a very easy bike to live with. You can do practically anything on it, provided you stick to what it’s designed for – tarmac roads and gravel trails. It’s quick enough to keep up with most bikes on the twisties, but if I fit the panniers there’s more than enough space for my weekly shop. It’s an all day, every day, real world bike. I’m off to Portugal in November on a weeklong gravel tour and may spend the rest of the winter over there. HOW GOOD IS THE RUBBER? OE Bridgestone A41 Absolutely fine and I got 10,500 out of the first set. I tried Metzeler Karoo 3, which were better off-road, but only lasted 4.5k. I’ve now got Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2. They’re good, but more road…

If you’re a short-legged rider, reducing your seat height can boost confidence, especially when it comes to getting a foot firmly on the floor at a standstill. I am only 5ft 5in so can relate to this, usually when riding some of the adventure bikes that we get to test. I can only touch the ground by shuffling across the seat and dropping onto one leg – a good technique to try if you’re not keen on lowering your bike. Or you could opt for an aftermarket seat, as often reprofiled seats with less padding and a different shape can also help you get a foot solidly on the ground. But if you do go for a lowering kit, be aware that as these lower the seat height by as…

Everybody loves the BSB Showdown and everybody knows what they’re getting into. If you’re on the winning side of it, it’s magnificent, but if you’ve lost out because of it then it’s soul destroying. O’Halloran has made such an effort this year, all those wins but then he goes down twice at Oulton and he’s back to square one. If he ends up not winning it, he’s been hit by the Showdown. It’s practically impossible to call. For Yamaha there really are two sides that could play out this weekend. The brilliant side is that they come away with a 1-2, and the bad side is that they don’t win it at all. What we do know is that neither of those Yamaha riders are going to give each other…

Biking has recovered remarkably well since we came out blinking from lockdown. Dealers report bumper sales, and racing is back bigger and bolder than ever. 2021 has also played host to rush of tasty new metal and you can read about the very best from MCN’s test team, beginning with our Bike of the Year. The biggest innovation continues to be in electronics. Harley-Davidson produced a Pan America that lowers at a standstill, BMW fitted a cinema screen-sized dash to the R1250RT and when you buy a humble Yamaha Nmax scooter you get keyless ignition, traction control and stop-start tech. We also saw the middleweight naked class get some serious action with a daring new Monster and a Yamaha MT-09 with handling to match its engine. Throw in the KTM…

Every once in a while a bike comes along with a piece of new tech that changes the motorcycle landscape forever. In 2021 that bike was the Pan America 1250S. Adventure bikes have been a sales sensation for the last decade but their long-travel suspension and comfortable riding positions have one unwanted side effect – lofty seat heights. For many this has meant awkward car park shuffles, bruised egos or perhaps avoiding them all together. But the optional adaptive ride height on the Pan America drops the bike by up to 50mm, making those fears much more a thing of the past. “The adaptive ride height is a concept that we’ve been working on and dabbling with over time and now is the time when we have the right vehicle…

Ocean BMW Motorrad Going the extra mile for BMW riders... Scooping their second MCN award in just three years, Ocean bMw Motorrad have forged an enviable reputation in the Devon and Cornwall area based on their high standard of service. Combining BMW cars, Mini and Motorrad in each of their three showrooms, it would be easy for the two-wheelers to take backstage but Ocean’s experienced team ensure that motorcycles are most definitely not left to play second fiddle to their four-wheeled friends. “When we received our first MCN Award in 2019 we had just opened the Motorrad shack at the Torbay showroom to sit alongside Plymouth and Falmouth,” said Mathew Jones, Ocean Motorrad Sales Manager. “Since then the business has grown, we have moved the Torbay Motorrad site into the…

It’s been more than two years since teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn lost his life, but his family are campaigning as hard for justice now as they were then. They’ve had countless setbacks, both legal and political, yet they have been unrelenting in their pursuit of justice while maintaining unbelievable composure. It’s for these reasons that MCN names the Justice for Harry campaign as our Campaign of the Year 2021. “The support we’ve had from the biking community has been amazing and working with MCN to get our message across has been an incredible partnership,” says Radd Seiger, family spokesperson. “This has been a long and relentless campaign but after the first year, with the noise that was being made, people realised we weren’t going away and since then we’ve made…

Masters of the limited-edition, MV have unveiled another short-run model, this time a modified version of their hypernaked Brutale. Dubbed the ‘Nürburgring’ after the iconic German track, the machine is effectively a Brutale 1000RR with a load of fancy carbon fibre bits bolted on. Just like the standard 1000RR, the Nürburgring produces a substantial 205bhp @ 13,000rpm and 85lb.ft of torque, which is more than enough to be getting on with. For this special edition, MV have focused primarily on losing weight, so everything that could be carbon fibre is carbon fibre – including the airbox, wiring cover, clutch cover and air intakes. There’s even a nifty little carbon spoiler over the top of the headlight, although quite how much of an aerodynamic difference it makes is anyone’s guess. The…

£18,485 BMW K1600GT SE There is no smoother way to travel than the mighty six-cylinder K1600GT. This high-spec SE model comes with comfort pack and satnav, the Dynamic package, Comfort Plus Pack, GB Export Package, DTC, Dynamic ESA, Audio System, reverse gear, ABS Pro, and Intelligent Emergency Call – and a hefty saving. • www.bowkermotorgroup.co.uk SAVE £1052 £13,999 YamaHa MT-10SP Yamaha’s SP is a fantastic, fun bike that delivers on the road and track thanks to its semiactive suspension. • arnoldsmotorcycles.com • Engine 998cc • Power 160bhp • Weight 210kg • Seat height 825mm SAVE £951 £5799 Suzuki SV650 Suzuki’s evergreen V-twin remains a temptingly priced ‘first big bike’, even more so with close to a grand off list. • www.thunderroad.co.uk • Engine 645cc • Power 75bhp • Weight 197kg…

Following a two-year hiatus caused by Covid, BMW are bringing back the Motorrad Days event. The celebration of everything BMW will take place on July 2-3, 2022, in the Summer Garden of the Messe Berlin trade fair grounds. The event will immediately follow the Pure&Crafted Festival (July 1) which BMW sponsors at the same location. Pure&Crafted will serve up a distinctive mix of live music, motorcycle culture and new heritage lifestyle before the BMW Motorrad Days on Saturday and Sunday. As well as new products, spectacular stunts, motorsports celebrities, test rides and more, guests can party... Bavarian style.…

JONURRY ‘Hello there stranger, remember me?’ I happened to ride past a local bike haunt (ok, it was a ‘roach-coach’ at the side of the road) last week when something caught my eye – a Buell Firebolt. I have always had a soft spot for Erik Buell’s wacky bikes, and back in 2002 I went on the worldwide launch of the XB9R Firebolt at Valencia and then ran one as a long-termer for MCN. Naturally it snapped a belt, sprang an oil leak, a bolt holding the shock failed and the gearbox got stuck, but for all its many and varied faults I loved that bike as it had so much character. So when I got home I hit the internet to check out the Firefault’s used prices. Which is…

YOU’RE NEVER RIDING ALONE The approach of Winter unleashes confusing contradictions and conflicting emotions. But if I were to write a list of all the pros and cons, it would go a little like this... The Pros: Crisp, glorious, sunny mornings, filled with dense cool air that makes your bike feel like it’s gained 10bhp overnight; the most beautiful light of the year; I’m built for the cold weather, with enough insulation that I can’t risk swimming off the coast of Japan for fear of harpoons; I love wrapping up and riding through adversity, and the ‘fair play mate’ or ‘you’re nuts’ comments I get from bikers at petrol stations as they retreat to their cosy car cocoons; I find riding at night every bit as enjoyable as riding in…

Q ‘Accident has left me nervy’ I had an off in May and have been too nervous to get back on a bike – and don’t see that changing in the future. In my compensation case my solicitor told me I can’t claim for the future use of a car rather than a bike. If I hadn’t had the accident, I would have continued to use my bike most of the time and not the car. Unfortunately, the car is much more expensive to run than my motorcycle was. Over the next ten years of commuting this will be a lot of money. Why can’t I claim for this cost? Mark Griffiths, Scunthorpe A It sounds like it is psychological reasons that are keeping you from getting back on a…

Readers Matthew Helliwell and best mates the Vegan (Chris) and the Ginger (Jay). The trip Honda C90s on the TET (Trans European Trail) from Dover to Plymouth via the Great Southern and Western route – destination AFF (Armchair Adventure Festival) run by Matt Bishop and Reece Gilkes who rode a scooter fitted with a sidecar around the world. How many miles? 260 How long Five days on the TET Tell us about the trip... In 2019 we rode from London to Morocco. Then Covid hit and we sat and waited. Then the Ginger had an idea: Let’s show that the UK is one of the best places for adventures. My first thought was ‘this is going to take ages’ but the Ginger set me at ease with his gentle voice…

KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday October 13 BIKE MEETS ■ Squires Cafe Newthorpe, Yorks 01977-684618 or www.squires-cafe.co.uk ■ The Old Stores Pontblyddyn Mold, Flints 6pm-9pm 07548224866 or Facebook: The Old Stores Motorbike cafe ■ Seaways Bike night, Fridaythorpe, East Yorks. 4pm-8pm mike@seawayscafe.co.uk ■ The Plough Cadsden, Nr Princess Risborough Bucks www.plough-at-cadsden.co.uk ■ Loomies Moto Cafe West Meon, Hants. Open till 9pm www.loomiescafe.co.uk TRACKDAY ■ No Limits Oulton Park Cheshire, £139. 01525-877087 or www.nolimitstrackdays.com Thursday October 14 BIKE MEETS ■ Iron Horse Bike Night Market Deeping, Lincs. 6pm-9pm www.ironhorseranchouse.co.uk ■ Vic Bikers Pub Coalville, Leics, 01530-814718 or www.vicbikerspub.co.uk ■ Manor Farm Diner Bellerby, North Yorks. 01969 624705 ■ Zoom Zoom Tearoom Sand Lane, South Cave, East Yorks. 6pm 01430-424242…

‘Exploring the Isle of Man’ R5K MEMBERS TRACY AND KEVIN ATKINSON Just back from Isle of Man on our KTM 390 Dukes. It was great fun, although the island was covered in fog for some of the trip. We explored the Calf of Man, Peel, Castletown, and the famous TT course – plus a bit of light green-laning. ‘Touring on a superbike’ R5K MEMBER JEMMA KING I’ve been touring to Cornwall on my BMW S1000RR. Safe to say that after over 1000 miles in four days, touring on a sportsbike is more than doable! ‘Crossing the Hellfire Pass’ R5K MEMBER DAVID FORBES I took this on a late September’s ride looking over the Hellfire Pass in north Wales. It’s a stunning road and there was great weather and a perfect…

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 ROAD TESTER Although this test pits together two updated Italian, 800cc, V-twin retros, there are plenty differences. The Guzzi is a revitalised old bike, the Scrambler a retro-styled new one. The Stone is the base model of the V7 family, the Nightshift is top of the Scrambler 800 one. But it also gives a perspective on what updates have been made, what variants are available and what you get for your money. And with all that said, we have to also say that, although both are significant improvements over the old (particularly the Guzzi), we wouldn’t actually have either – we’d go for different variants instead. Although the V7 is now the performer it always should have been, in Stone spec its dash annoys and its blackness is drab.…

Electric bikes continue to advance yet also have their limitations – and the new FXE is a good example of both. By being available in 11kw form, it’s accessible to A1 riders. Its funky style has youth appeal. The new 5in TFT screen, LED lights etc bring the old FXS up to date. And it’s light, manageable and perky enough to appeal round town. Ridden hard, though, it’s range is under 50 miles and, although costing buttons to run, its price is still more than double that of, say, Honda’s CB125R. THE FACTS £12,300 ZERO FXE (11kW) Engine Air-cooled electric motor Suspension (F) Showa 41mm inverted telescopic fork, adjustable preload, rebound and compression damping (R) Showa single shock, adjustable preload, rebound and compression damping Brake (F) 320mm single disc, J-Juan…

• Rapid Training offer a range of on-track courses. The Cornering Confidence Workshop (£395) has been designed to give you confidence on the road and track. It’s also available as part of Rapid’s Bikemaster Level 2 and 3 courses (from £1195). • The Roadmaster course is geared towards road riding and has three levels. Without the track time, this course gives you the fundamentals for £795. • Rapid also offer bespoke training as well as trackdays and adventure tours. www.rapidtraining.co.uk…

★★★★★ Sena 50R £309 ‘It’s a powerful communicator’ Tested by Richard Newland for 3 months/3100 miles There are some primary ‘must-haves’ for me when it comes to intercom units: The sound must be clear and loud (I wear earplugs); the buttons must be chunky; it must be intuitive to set up and use; and it must have a decent battery life. Audio integrity and button pressability aside, ease of use and battery are key for me, because I’m not an overly eager intercom user. But when I do actively use it – as opposed to it simply being ‘on’ in case someone rings – the 50R is impressive. I’ve previously used a Cardo Packtalk Bold, and I’d say the Sena is (marginally) the easier to use, and certainly better in…

MECHANIC Kevin Hollingsworth of Doncaster M/C This Honda CG125 had been bought for a young lad by his grandad, but it arrived at Doncaster Motorcycles in the back of grandad’s car. “It took them an hour to get it out of the car and we diagnosed the problem a lot quicker than that. When he described the circumstances, we said it sounded like it was run low on oil. ‘No, no, no’ says the lad, although his grandad was giving him the eye, So we dipped it and the engine oil was as fresh as a daisy,” explained Doncaster boss Kevin Hollingsworth. To confirm their suspicions Kevin whipped the head and barrel off and, sure enough, the piston was a mess with speckles of its remains embedded into the cylinder…

GREG HAINES INSIGHT Reporting from the inside of the WSB paddock Is this the best World Superbike season ever? It’s certainly one of them. Heading to Argentina this weekend, things couldn’t be more finely poised as Toprak Razgatlioglu and Scott Redding look to take the title away from Jonathan Rea. Where were you on the night Sylvain Guintoli clinched the 2014 world title? It feels a while ago, doesn’t it? That was the last time anybody other than Rea claimed the ultimate prize in superbike racing. It was also the last time that the title fight went down to the wire. If 2021 is anything to go by, all of that could change rather soon. Could this be the last round? Although Indonesia has been confirmed, some five weeks after…