Table of contents for 08 February 2023 in MCN

‘It’s impossible not to be impressed by the GT’s high spec’ THREE GREAT TALLROADERS TO BATTLE NEW BIKES The return of the pocket rocket Once upon a time there were hordes of 400cc inline-four pocket rockets screaming down country roads and around trackdays at the top of their lungs - but much like usable sports 600s and grunty litre bikes, they all melted away… until now! In a move that almost defies logic, but has us reaching for our credit cards, Kawasaki have resurrected the breed with their new ZX-4R. Here come the 1990s… PAGE 6 DREAM RIDE Sturgis: Ride the American dream Riding into town like a modern-day cowboy, propping up the saloon bar at nights and exploring the wide-open wilderness during the day… Few places feel more filmic…

Kawasaki have launched an expanded range of luggage from backpacks to trolley bags. Among the collection are four Kawasaki branded items made by luggage speciaList Ogio. They include a waterproof backpack constructed from weLded 420D nylon with a TPU film Laminate and a roll top closing, plus water-resistant outer pockets and a capacity of 26l. Ducati find the way The 2023 Ducati DesertX will be the first bike in the range to include a new turn-by-turn navigation kit. The integrated navigator is based on the Ducati MuLtimedia System, which uses the bike's TFT dash to display the route. The setup uses Bluetooth to connect a smartphone with the bike and helmet earphones to allow the display of notifications of calls, messages and music on the instrument panel. Get set for…

KTM have announced tweaks to their A2-compLiant 390 Adventure singLe-cyLinder, adding a new set of graphics and a pair of spoked rims for more off-road capability. The final, piece in a six-strong adventure bike updatejigsawthat began at the back end of Last year, the 390 now comes in at a base price of £6699 and features a pair of anodised aLuminium rims with spokes in an attempt to improve its aLL-road prowess. The same sizes as before, they come as a 19in front and 17in rear and roLL on ContinentaLTKCZO tyres. The previous cast designs that have been on the 373cc Euro5-friendLy machine since its 2020 Launch remain as an option, too. The easy-going twin overhead cam, four vaLve motor is untouched for 2023, and is fed via a 14.5-Litre…

Scorpion EXO-1400Air Carbon Black £239.99 Hot offers on the coolest helmets In January 2024 the new ECE 22.06 helmet safety standard will be mandatory, making it illegal for retailers to sell lids manufactured to the previous ECE 22.05 regs. It will still be legal to wear them, though, so as shops clear their shelves to make way for new stock now is a great time to snap up a bargain. The Scorpion Exo-1400 Air Carbon notched up a top three spot in RiDE magazine's high-end sports touring helmet test and at this price is an absolute steal. The shell is a glossy carbon composite with adjustable vents and an aerodynamically tuned rear spoiler designed to reduce lift. It's light, too, weighing in at 1293g. The Exo also features Scorpion’s Airlift…

COMPETITION Many riders believe their faster mates must have more natural talent, but that’s very rarely the case. Riding is a skill, and those mates are faster and safer because they’re doing certain things effectively - which means you can learn to do the same. Rapid Training's Bikemaster course is the fastest way to gain this knowledge and turn yourself into a seriously good rider. The course comprises six days of coaching on the road with one of Britain’s most highly trained motorcyclists, and two days on track learning the machine control skills that are essential for high performance riding. Bikemaster is suitable for all experience levels. MCN reader Martin Brennan won the competition last year and was astonished how his riding developed. In particular he loved the two days…

Send your trips to yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Readers Tony (Ton-up Tone), Peter (3 Hips), David (Shubby), Trevor (Rain Man), Les (Grave digger), Martin (Stumpy) The Ride From Cambridge area to Central, North & South Wales When to do it We went in Spring for good weather and roads that weren't too crowded How many miles? 819 Tell us about the trip… We are six guys ranging in age from 57 to 73 and for some of us it was our first long trip. We left the Cambridge area and made our way to our B&B at The Old Vicarage at Llangurig in Mid Wales. The hosts Michael and Diane are first class and treated us to tea and biscuits on arrival, and the accommodation was exceptional, including full Welsh breakfast. Our routes…

FIRST RIDE Taiwanese brand Sym has long been synonymous with small-capacity, value-formoney commuters and scooters. In recent years the firm has stepped up from its staple range of attractively priced lightweights to go head-to-head with Japanese and Italian rivals in terms of style, technology and finish. Sym’s Jet X125 offers crisp styling, usable performance and a tempting smattering of up-to-theminute tech. It also enjoys a price advantage over many of its betterestablished rivals. At £3499 on-the-road it’s almost £300 cheaper than Yamaha’s NMax, £200 less than Aprilia’s SR GT125, and a whopping £1650 more attractive than a new Honda Forza 125. It’s hard not to be intrigued seduced even - by the Jet’s thoroughly on-trend styling. There’s a Ducati Panigale feel to the twin headlamps that could well appeal to…

Dirty, yes, but holding up well Tested by Gareth Evans for 3000 miles/five months These boots arrived with a somewhat distressed Look on the soLe, and to be honest I've done nothing at a LL to heLp matters, because I've been wearing them in aLL sorts of conditions; incLuding freezing temperatures, 40°C+ heat, and pouring rain. They've taken a reaL pasting, in fact, as my day-to-day riding footwear of choice. I wore them as a road boot to go aLongside the more focused items I used for trackdays, so their number one requirement was comfort, and they're excellent in that respect. One of the features that heLps most is the Liner, which is a mix of polyester and Hipora, so it's breathabLe, soft and 100% waterproof. It's a joy to…

The humble spoke doesn't get any real credit for the job it does, but it should. Collectively, these skinny bits of tensioned steel take on an enormous amount load all of the time. Even when parked up, the bike is solely supported by the spokes via the rim and hub. And when a motorcycle is being ridden, the entire power of the engine via the drive chain is put through the hub, spokes and tyres. It doesn't stop there, either. When exiting a corner and accelerating, huge lateral and rotational loads are created. Not to mention the braking forces, which are even more demanding as most bikes will brake harder than they accelerate. But sorting out a loose or broken spoke or two is fine for the home workshop, and…

With 16 Isle of Man TT winner’s trophies, a record five TT wins in a single race week, and an all-time TT-victory ranking of fifth, Ian Hutchinson might, at the age of 43, be forgiven for throttling back on his racing ambitions. Especially when you consider that he has bounced back from two near-fatal crashes, undergone countless operations, and now rides with a fused left foot. Yet, despite all the pain, the years of rehab and living with life- changing injuries, the man who 20 years ago dramatically won the Newcomers race on his Manx GP debut remains an unstoppable force. Focused but relaxed at his home in North Yorkshire, Hutchy opened up to MCN to recall his Island debut and reveal what it takes to compete for victory. What…

Ex-national champions Charlie Nesbitt and Josh Owens will ride for Hawk Racing this season in the Bennetts British Superbike championship. Nesbitt made his BSB debut at Donington Park towards the end of last season and also raced at the season finale at Brands Hatch. During his six-race stint, he had five points-scoring results and a best finish of eighth at Brands. The 21-year-old became British Moto3 champion in 2016, before clinching the GP2 crown in 2021 after winning 14 races and recording a further seven podiums. Nesbitt moved into the Superstock class Last year with Hawk, clinching a maiden win at Cadwell Park, as well as podiums at Thruxton, Oulton and Donington. “It's a great team to be part of and their experience and support really helped me make the…

Reporting from the heart of the World Superbike paddock TOP STORY Alvaro Bautista was on hot form as World Superbike testing continued in Portugal last week but ahead of a possible second consecutive title this season, the Spaniard is remaining coy over whether he will hang up his leathers if he wins again. With the season fast approaching, freight has been collected from WSB team headquarters en route to Melbourne ahead of the Phillip Island curtain-raiser on February 24-26. This follows tests In Jerez and Portimao, the second of which saw Bautista, Jonathan Rea, Michael Rinaldi and Toprak Razgatlioglu all breaking the WSB lap record. So sensational was Bautista’s top time of 1:39.035 that it was four tenths quicker than Fabio Quartararo’s MotoGP race lap record and only three tenths…

In a BLackadder-esque Line, MichaeL Ruben Rinaldi has toLd MCN “I have a (cunning) pLan” in order to mix it with the WorLd Superbike Titanic Trio' of Bautista, RazgatLiogLu and Rea. With dose friend and 15 -time MotoGP winner Andrea Dovizioso having turned down the opportunity to become Rinaldi's rider coach, citing his hectic scheduLe, the Italian has turned to the same people who work with teammate, Bautista. At the end of Last season, a Ducati insider hinted that Bautista's 'very compLete' body training made sure he had his weight in the right p Laces specif icaLLy not his Legs. In Portimao Last week, RinaLdi's mixture of confidence and caLmness was impressive. "We use science to improve our heaLth and skiLLs," says the 27-year-oLd from Rimini. “I've changed my routine…

WELCOME There are two instances when buying bikes can be dangerous: Post-pub online auction bidding has to be the number one in the danger stakes, and falling in love with something through the dealership's window on the way home from the pub is almost as troublesome. There appears to be a common theme here… Thankfully, in the Late 1990s there was no such thing as online purchase and delivery from bike dealers, and while eBay launched in the UK in 1999 - it was thankfully too late to allow me to make a terrible blind error. The scene of the nearly-crime was a motorcycle dealership in Hildenborough, Kent, in 1997 - and the man causing the trouble on our customary stop-off to look through the window on our way home…

Luxurious motorcycle Luggage providers Malle wiLL return to sands of Margate this May for a weekend of beach racing excitement. The Malle Mile Beach Race 2023 wiLL take place on May 13-14 of this year and invites riders of custom, cLassic and eLectric machinery to race head to head on the Kent coast - as well as enjoy Live DJs, motorcycLe polo and more. “With all Malle events, it focuses on the pure fun of motorcycLing, where aLL riders are encouraged to bring ever wilder and more inappropriate machines," Malle co-founder and beach race marshall Robert Nightingale toLd MCN. “No one is expected to win, and we aLL Lose and party together aLL weekend, ceLebrating and eLevating the humbLe motorcycLe." He continued: "We aLso take the environmental aspect of the…

NEWS EDITOR Public service The three-wheeled hybrids are being, used to support the community in Northamptonshire Smart aeros The gap between the front wheels allows air to flow into the bike's central venturi duct Room for one The rear box for the batteries means the WMC300FR can only accommodate one officer Northamptonshire Police are leading the charge into the future of motorcycle based enforcement with an eight-strong hybrid fleet based around the Yamaha Tricity - and they have gone down a storm with the public. The three-wheelers, called the WMC300FR, were designed and engineered by UK-based White Motorcycle Concepts, who delivered the first bikes ahead of active service in Sentember 2022. “I think before we got them there was a degree of scepticism,” Neighbourhood Policing Team Sergeant, Greg Taylor told…

Trackday firm No Limits are helping riders take on the infamous Corkscrew with a trip to Laguna Seca in California. The US track wiLL be avaiLabLe to ride between November 20-22 at a cost of £2695 with four nights' accommodation in the four-star Hyatt Regency Monterey HoteL and Spa. Your bike will need to be delivered to Swindon, ready to be shipped off to the States. The circuit experience firm have previously run trips to PhiLLip IsLand in Australia and Sepang in MaLaysia. For more, visit noLimitstrackdays.com…

THIS WEEK ‘Awesome deals and the very best live action’ BOOK NOW AND SAVE! Adult tickets only £22 when you order your tickets before 16.02.2023 mcnmotorcycleshow.com There’s less than one week to go until the Devitt Insurance London Motorcycle Show fires up at ExCeL in London’s docklands. Featuring huge displays of all the key bikes of 2023, premier kit retailers with awesome deals and the very best live action, it’s the show you can’t afford to miss. New for this year’s event is the high-octane Supersprint which will see classic motorcycles, custom machines, historic race bikes and all-new 2023 models charge down the world’s only indoor drag strip running the entire length of the exhibition hall. It’s a spectacle you’ll have to see to believe. With a host of new…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com…

WEDNESDAY February 8 6pm, ITV4 The Motorbike Show, with Henry Cole THURSDAY February 9 2pm, EUR2 British Speedway Highlights - 2022 Final 9pm, EUR2 Motorcycle Live Show 2022 SATURDAY February 11 9pm, EUR2, World Superbikes - Season Review KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT - DISCOVERY REAL TIME DSC - DISCOVERY CHANNEL DHD - DISCOVERY CHANNEL HD EXS - EXTREMESPORTS CHANNEL EURI (2, HD) - EUROSPORT 1 (2, HD) MOT - MOTORSPORT.TV CH4 - CHANNEL 4 CH5 - CHANNEL FIVE BBC BBCI-BBC INTERACTIVE ESPN - ESPNCLASSIC CHANNEL ITV DST - DISCOVERY TURBO SHEDDISCOVERY SHED INST - INSIGHT SS1 (2,30RX) - SKYSPORTS1(2,30R EXTRA)QUEST BTS1 - BTSPORT1 BTS2 - BTSPORT2 TVL - TRAVELUK…

For the past 50 years, British motorcyclists have been legally required to wear a helmet while riding, but prior to 1973 it was down to personal choice. By today’s standards, the thought seems ludicrous, but when the helmet law first came into force in '73, not all of the British public was behind it. Many saw the new legislation as a chance to extinguish bikers’ freedom of choice in the matter, especially as seemingly the only danger was to the rider. Fred Hill was one of those people. Before getting on the soapbox as an influential member of the Motorcycle Action Group throughout the 1970s and '80s, Fred served as a WWII dispatch rider then became a mathematics teacher after the war. The helmet law came into force as Fred…

ESSENTIAL INFO Saffron's family in convoy at Devil's Tower Sturgis A hive of activity and held in August, anyone can attend the rally. But don’t miss the surrounding areas and places like Full Throttle Saloon (biggest biker bar in the world) and Buffalo Chip where big music acts play every night. www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com Mount Rushmore Although there is technically no fee to visit the memorial, it’s $10 to park (with discounts available) but if you don't mind seeing it from a distance there is a pull in down the road. www.mtrushmorenationalmemorial.com Crazy Horse During Sturgis bike week, it's $10 per person on a bike to get into the Crazy Horse Memorial. But as a hub of history with bus tours to the monument and even a café, you can easily spend…

MILES 1000 ON TEST Tested by Ben Clarke for three months This garment can be used as part of the Vanucci+ moduLar kit system but because it has no fixing system, it can aLso be used as a mid-Layer with any bike jacket. The buiLd quaLity feeLs high with sturdy seams and zips and nice attention to detaiL. The OutLast material., originaLLy deveLoped by NASA, works by absorbing excess body heat when you get too hot and then returning it when you need it. It works, too. I've worn this as an off-the-bike jacket to social, occasions and the office without anyone thinking it was bike kit. As a muLti-purpose insuLated mid-Layer, the Vanucci is fairLypriced, comfortabLe, practical, and goodLooking. But if you want something more motorbike-specific or that can…

Loves nothing better than disappearing on a solo adventure 500 miles: Off to France What better way to get to the 500-plus miles first service than a quest to find moules et frites with a lovely chilled glass of Côtes de Provence. Right from the first ride, it’s a comfortable and very capable touring machine, making short work of motorway miles, as I head to Folkestone for the short hop under the Channel. With colour-matched panniers fitted as standard, there’s plenty of space for my two nights’ worth of essentials. 1500 miles: DCT is a revelation I’ve opted to run the manual gearbox but, as with other machines in their range, Honda offer a DCT version. My hubby’s gammy left leg means he can’t change gear and makes him the…

Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow topped the timesheets on each of the opening two days of the MotoGP shakedown test at Sepang. The three-day test, which ended a day after MCN went to press, was open to test riders and rookies. Crutchlow topped both days with an overall best of 2:02.079 onboard his Yamaha Ml. According to Sepang's live timing feed, he recorded a top speed of 330kph - a 3kph improvement on Last year's Sepang test. This will be music to the ears of Fabio Quartararo as Yamaha continue their search for more power. The factory's test riders were also seen trying out a new swingarm. Dani Pedrosa continued his testing programme with KTM, albeit without a time transponder for the majority. He's working through various engine specifications, and…

‘Going into corners is the critical point’ Former racer and MotoGP paddock veteran Last week MotoGP tech guru Max Oxley looked at what Ducati were doing to stay at the front of MotoGP and what Aprilia and KTM were doing to keep up with the reigning champions. In part two, and with the first round of testing in Sepang about to kick off, Oxley gets under the skin of Ducati’s biggest threats: Honda and Yamaha. Honda RC213V: It needs a little bit of everything Since HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) was established in 1982 the marque has only gone two years without winning a MotoGP race: in 2020 and 2022. The last three years have been brutal for Honda, for three main reasons… First, six-times world champion Marc Marquez has been…

DaniLo Petrucci is stiLL searching for a base setup with his Ducati. A seLf-confessed perfectionist, never Leaving home before his TV remote is at a right-angLe to the edge of his coffee tabLe, he might need to settle fora compromise with his Barni Spark PanigaLe V4R. In World Supersport, star Ducati technician Giovanni Crupi becomes crew chief to OLi BayLiss. Concession regs start to take shape An 'overshooting' scheme wiLL be written into the regs to keep 'Super Concessions' under control., MCN has Learned. It means Honda could be reeled in if their bike performs too strongly, having been aLLowed speciaL geometry changes. TechnicaLLy, BMW no Longer have 'Super Concessions' as they re-homoLogated their bike. The ruLebook is yet to be pubLished. First day of term for BSB champions Tarran…

TOP STORY Moto Morini have confirmed that a 1200cc V- twin will be returning to their fleet in 2024, alongside plans to introduce a mid-size design for potential supersport duties. “For 2024, the range will be joined by a Euro 5+ version of our long-lived CorsaCorta 1200cc V-twin engine with full electronic capability including ride-by-wire, a choice of riding modes, and traction control,” General Manager Alberto Monni told MCN. Founded in 1937, the firm was rescued from extinction in October 2018, when owner of Chinese small bike company Zhongneng Vehicle Group, Chen Huaneng, acquired 100% of the business from the previous Italian owner. Models are now designed in Italy and then built in China, with production jumping from around 300 bikes annually in recent years to 3500 machines across 10…

I NEWS EDITOR 'It‘ll rev past .15,000rpmand features ram air’ Kawasaki are channelling their inner 1990s and have confirmed that a new Ninja ZX-4R four-cylinder screaming sportsbike will be on its way to dealerships during the Autumn of 2023. A recipe unseen in the Japanese firm’s line-up since the ZXR400 of almost 30 years ago, the ZX-4R borrows styling traits from its larger sporting siblings and will produce a claimed 78.9bhp from its 399cc DOHC four-cylinder engine revving to in excess of 15,000rpm. This motor will be housed in a high-tensile steel trellis chassis borrowed from the smaller four-cylinder ZX-25R, with the whole bike suspended by quality Showa springs. Up front there are upside-down seperate function, big-piston forks, with a monoshock at the rear (on the higher-spec models it is…

THIS WEEK Time is running out to benefit from earLy bird discounts for tickets for this year's Goodwood Revival meeting, to be heLd from Friday, September 8 to Sunday, September 10. Tickets for the entire three days start at £215 whiLe day passes start at £67 for Friday admission rising to £94 for Saturday admission. Sunday tickets cost £86. Visit: www.goodwood.com. Indians united The world's Largest gathering of Indian MotorcycLe riders is expected at this year's Indian Riders Fest taking place in Budweis in the Czech RepubLic between June 9 and 11. Over 100 exhibitors wiLL attend the event which wi LL also feature Live music, a waLL of death, rodeo shows and demo rides. Organisers hope the festivaL wi LL attract more than the 2500 riders who attended Last…

Kawasaki are on the hunt for WorLd Superbike gLory once more, with a new ZX-lORR compLete with a more advanced air intake system. Desperate to take the titLe back from the Ducati PanigaLe V4R and ALvaro Bautista, the Limited-run, £24,799 four-cyLinder superbike wiLL now get a VariabLe Air Intake system (VAI) fitted within the airbox. The tech aLters the intake funnel, height, reguLated by servos, for cLaimed performance gains across the rev range. When the funneLs are raised, the system is bypassed for greater high-revving performance. They are then Lowered at Low-mid range rpms so that air can pass through the taLLer funneLs. Providing those revs is the same 998cc engine as before, producing a cLaimed 211.7bhp (with ram air) at 14,000rpm and 82,5Lb .ft of torque at ll,700rpm. The…

THIS WEEK A near-90-year-oLd Indian Four is expected to fetch between £54,000 and £58,000 when itgoesunderthe hammer at the National MotorcycLe Museum at the end of March. The 1936 machine wiLL be auctioned with H&H CLassics at the SoLihuLL venue on March 29 and is reported to be in working order, with some paperwork. Given its age, it has previously been restored and retains a paintjob appLied in the 1980s. It comes with a current V5 and sports a 1265cc engine, complete with a raised twin-exit exhaust aLong its righthand side. See handh.co.uk for more detaiLs. Keep furry friends at nine lives please! A Law to ensure that drivers who are unLucky enough to run over cats stop and report the incidenttothe police couLd improve safety for everyone, according to…

WHAT'S NEW IN TECH Sound plays an integral part in how you perceive your surroundings when you are out on the bike, but helmets and earplugs limit the amount of information you can gather. Now that could be about to change. Tech firm Resonar have developed something called bat8D auditory technology which does not amplify or modify surrounding sounds, but instead aims to restore your ability to hear them naturally. The company’s Michel Wehe told MCN: “In our global race towards protective innovation and technological advancement, it seems we forgot about one of the most fundamental of senses.” The tech is contained in a device that can be retro fitted onto any full or three-quarter face helmet and still limits excessive decibels while restoring awareness of so- called ‘deaf spots’…

KTM look set to reveal a replacement for the much missed 990 SMT of the late noughties - with spy shots emerging of a new road-biased version of an 890 Adventure, complete with a sporty 17in front wheel. The Austrian firm appear to have been developing the long-distance supermoto for the past three years, with the first images of a machine in testing coming to light in October 2021. These latest shots show some styling changes to the front fairing and headlight unit, making the test mule appear more like the former V-twin 990 SMT, with a wraparound screen taken straight from the 890 Adventure R model. The front wheel has dropped from the standard 21in down to 17in, providing plenty of options for road orientated performance tyres, with the…

JUST BREW IT Ride out to Britain's best biking cafés 'Lions, tigers, speedway…' Grab a bite at this most unusual of destinations THE DETAILS •Located at the Paradise Wildlife Park, so speedway as well as snakes! •Winter, Fri-Sun l0.30am-4pm, summer, seven days a week • Find out more www.pwpark.com/attractions/national-sppedway-museum •White Stubbs Lane, Broxbourne EN10 7QA Fancy some history with your cuppa? The National Speedway Museum is the only place in Britain where you can immerse yourself in speedway, from the beginning up to the champions of today… and bizarrely it shares a home with a wildlife park. "Peter Sampson who founded the park used to be a speedway rider,” explains volunteer and exspeedway rider Bert Harkins. “As part of the World Speedway Riders Association, we had the idea to open…

UK’S TOUGHEST TEST Top bikes that can do it all Suzuki's GSX-S1000GT was the UK's best set. ng sports tourer Last year. Costing £12,499 it's good vaLue and has a decent LeveL of tech, aLthough it Lacks an IMU and therefore aLso angLeresponsive eLectronics, Sticking with inLine fours, the Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX isfuLLy-loaded with tech and costs £12,349, making it great vaLue, or you couLd go for its long-legged sibLing, the £10,876 Versys 1000 or the more tech-heavy £13,579 Versys 1000 S. Swapping to Honda there is the NT1100, which costs £12,499 (£13,499 with DCT), and comes with panniers as standard but Like the Suzuki Lacks an IMU so its eLectronics GSX-S is a big, big seller aren't angle-responsive, Alongside the Tracer 9 GT, Yamaha sell a Tracer 9, which Lacks…

Although Fred wasn’t a founder member of the Motorcycle Action Group, he was a staunch member who helped put the organisation’s name at the forefront of political action groups. MAG is a group that has exclusively promoted motorcyclists’ rights to both local and national government since it was founded after the helmet law’s introduction in in 1973. It is now celebratinq its 50th year. One of the founders, Ian Mutch, recalls the day MAG was born: “I was in a room with (founding members) Michael Griffiths and Patrick Faulkner. But at the same time, in another part of town, was Dennis Howard (who was the first president), Owen Christianson and Mohan Singh. I phoned Dennis and said some friends wanted to form an organisation; I knew he was thinking about it, too."…

Haven’t we all thought about that dream ride across America? Whether it’s Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway or a cross-country epic, there are seemingly limitless possibilities beneath the USA’s endless skies. But everyone has to start their adventure somewhere, and we opted to kick off with biggest motorcycle rally in the world - Sturgis, South Dakota. Rumbling into Sturgis There’s nothing quite like the assault on the senses that you get from riding through Sturgis for the first time. Rolling through the Black Hills from our hotel 17 miles away, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the low rumble echoing off the land masses was constant throughout the year, but this small South Dakotan town usually only has a population of 7000, and is frequently cut off during the…

Tested by Steve HerbertMattick for two years The test of these gLoves for me isn't the near-perfect heating or the easy operation — it's how weLL they work as a winter gLove when the battery runs out. Decent armour is fitted not just in the knuckles but a there's a scaphoid sLider too. And they're totaLLy waterproof, warm and comfy. You get three heat settings, easiLy controLLed by a coLour coded LED Light on each cuff, FuLL power wiLL drain the batteries in about an hour and a half. The short cuff isn't enough to aLways stay over sLeeves, while the batteries make them a bit buLky for going under the cuffs of some jackets. But their fuLLy-synthetic, crueLty-free construction, battery Life on the Lower settings and fantastic warmth across…

All eyes will be on Andrew Irwin this season following his return to Honda Racing after two years away. Irwin shone on the latest generation Fireblade upon its release in 2020, winning its first two outings at Donington Park. Another win followed in the shortened campaign but, to the surprise of many, Irwin left Honda at the end of the season. Two tricky years with BMW followed, but Irwin is now back with Honda. MCN visited the team’s Louth workshop to talk 2023… The sun rises again “You come to the workshop, and you know it’s proper,” Irwin says with a big smile on his face. “It’s professional and I still get those butterflies that I got when I first came here.” It’s clear the Northern Irishman is pleased to…

NEW TYRE PRESSURE RULES The biggest tech challenge of 2023 is a load of hot air. MotoGP's minimum tyre-pressure rules will be enforced for the first time and this couLd transform the racing. Until now teams could cheat, by going under pressure to find more grip, without being penalised. The main issue is the front tyrethe minimum limit is 1.9 bar and if it goes much over 2.1 bar the motorcycle becomes pretty much impossible to ride. That's a very narrow window! “Michelin says we cannot go lower because of safety concerns, but higher is very dangerous for the riders," says KTM's Sebastian Risse. "We worked out some statistics about our riders - how often they crashed and at what pressure - and it couldn't be dearer that there's a…

“My God, we've got some work to do," a BMW team member toLd MCN in Portimao Last week - and it appears as though the German manufacturers have gone backwards since Scott Redding ended 2022 optimistic about big improvements for '23. As the Latest version of the M1000RR is a new homoLogation, BMW are no Longer aLLowed a 'Super Concession' which was granted to both them and Honda by virtue of their LowLy 2022 titLe positions. In theory this shouLd not be an issue as the changes requested (decLared successful Last year) have now been integrated onto the road bike, in-turn coming back to the race machine. However, the chassis changes (such as bracing and brackets) initiaLLy assembled by the team appear to have been done differently by the factory,…