Table of contents for 4 September 2024 in MCN

Suspension firm WP have announced discounts across their motocross, enduro and adventure segments. Riders of the KTM 790 Adventure, 890 Adventure and 890 Adventure R – and Husqvarna Norden 901 and 901 Expedition – can save over £750 on the WP Xplor Pro 7548 fork and Pro 6746 shock, which offer more travel for venturing off-road. Go to wp-suspension.com to find dealers. Prizes don't get much better! MCN Compare have upped the stakes of their free-to-enter ‘Win a Bike’ prize draw by adding a host of Furygan riding kit into the pot alongside the main Yamaha MT-09 prize. The kit list includes Furygan's Yori jacket, Starker D30 Primaloft gloves, D12 x Kevlar Straight jeans and their Sacramento D30 shoes. To enter, simply get a bike insurance quote at mcncompare.com now.…

Europe's largest used bike retailer, SuperBike Factory has announced plans to expand into the European mainland and open further UK stores – although the locations of these remain unannounced. The news accompanies claims by the dealer chain that 2024 is expected to mark a record year in terms of sales. Last year SuperBike Factory expanded its reach by opening five additional showrooms, including sites across Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, West Yorkshire, the South West and Donington Park. Chief Executive Edward Armitage said: “In 2024 we have invested significantly in expanding our stock range and we are on track to have a record year, establishing a strong foundation for future growth as we look towards 2025 and beyond.”…

Ruroc Marvel Collection £499 The latest addition to Ruroc's collection of limited-edition helmets is a trio of designs depicting three of Marvel's latest and greatest superheroes – Deadpool, Wolverine and Venom. Appearing exclusively on the Brit firm's EOX lid, they reflect not just the looks but the personalities of the characters with some cheeky, well-chosen details. ruroc.com Richa Bogota gloves £79.99 Heading up Richa's range of summer gloves is the Bogota, a short sporty glove constructed from ‘SuperFabric’, a material claimed to offer 14 times the protection of Kevlar. TPR-injected armour is used in the fingers and knuckle, with inner D3O sheet to soak up impacts and perforated leather panels for ventilation. richa.uk.com Alpinestars Hurricane V2 rain suits from £42.99 Upgrade your waterproofs for winter with Alpinestars’ latest wet weather…

Order books have now opened for the 1190cc liquid-cooled V-twin Buell Super Cruiser, produced in collaboration with American bike builder Roland Sands. Buell unveiled the bike at Daytona Bike Week in February 2023, but buyers have had to wait until now to place an order at an introductory price of $23,900 (around £18,135). Customers who placed a pre-order on the bike will be able to confirm their order in on September 12, with the general public then able to get involved from November 12 at a hefty base price of $25,900 (circa £19,650). “We are grateful for our pre-order customers. They've given us feedback and we are listening,” said Bill Melvin, CEO of Buell Motorcycle Co. “And in the next couple weeks we will be announcing some amazing progress in…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Here is an old pic of me with my 1995 GSX-R1100. Would be great if it appeared in your weekly newspaper. Andy Sellars Me and now my wife camping on the brilliant GS750 at 17 years old. Now 61, we're still biking. Steve Rees Chloe's first motorcycle after passing both tests first time a week apart – and not a single minor. Nathan Colclough This is my granddaughter (Orla, aged five) when my mate Chris gave her her first bike. I've got to repaint it pink… Dave Finch My first bike was this 1975 RD250B. After a break of 45 years I am back on two wheels with a Speed 400. Anthony Brownless Thought you might like this one. Complete with L-plates around…

September 8 Kickback Custom Show Sammy Miller's Museum is playing host to Kickback's Custom Classic bike show this Sunday. Over 600 bikes on display. Tickets are £14.95. www.kickbackshow.com September 6-8 Goodwood Revival Take a step back in time at Goodwood this weekend. Period dress is all part of the fun. Tickets start at £100. www.goodwood.com September 5-9 Euro Drag Race Finals Santa Pod is home to the FIA European Finals. Enjoy high-octane action including top-fuel dragsters and 200mph-plus drag bikes. www.santapod.co.uk September 7 Rufforth Autojumble Roll up and grab yourself a bargain at Rufforth Park this Saturday. For just £2 admission you can browse around 350 pitches. Café on site, too. www.rufforthautojumble.…

This is not the first time that the Pôle Mécanique d'AlèsCévennes circuit in southern France has hosted exceptional test rides, but pit box 20 has rarely concentrated so much value in its 480sqft. Four Aston Martin AMB 001s sit on their stands in square formation – three of them the latest top-spec Pro model – at a cool €189,000 each. Resplendent in their Aston Martin Verdant Jade livery, with fluorescent flourishes on their wheels, fairings, and the ends of the prominent aerodynamic wings designed to increase downforce pressure on the front wheel. Speaking of pressure, it rises slowly at the idea of riding one of these mechanical marvels for the first time. Each bike displays the famous Aston Martin ‘Lacewing’ aluminium logo designed for the Valkyrie programme, which appears on…

‘The real treat begins when I cross the border into Switzerland’ ‘Stands are packed, stunt team wowing the crowd’ I wake up as the sun peeks over the horizon and my body aches for another 10 minutes of rest. But my brain is already raring to go – after all, today is the beginning of an adventure… The mission; to get to BMW Motorrad Days in Garmisch, southern Germany, in time for the unveiling of the brand-new BMW R1300GS Adventure. The plan; to ride as many passes in the Swiss Alps as possible before arriving in Garmisch. Sounds like I'm in for a great few days… Heading into the Alps The first day is spent on the French toll roads racing to Dijon. But on day two, with the ache…

Something that I hear a lot when out and about on the GS is: “I can't imagine riding such a massive motorcycle, especially off-road.” It's an observation that, inexplicably, never ceases to surprise me. Maybe it's because I ride a lot of adventure bikes, and maybe it's because I've visited the excellent Off Road Skills centre in Wales to really learn how to ride the GS off-road – but I genuinely don't find the GS unwieldy. Okay, so I'm neither tall nor short (5ft 11in), and I'm very definitely on the chunky side of human forms (17st 2lbs to be precise), so perhaps I exist within a decent window of acceptable height and powerful build. But while I've never struggled with the GS or GSA, there's no doubt the R1300GS…

£1800-£3500 (2001-2005) Very comfortable with good weather protection and a brilliant engine. It has enough zip to make it engaging to ride while remaining easy-going thanks to a strong midrange. Sure, the chassis is a bit soft and the suspension soggy (easily remedied), but the Fazer is still hard to fault and makes for a brilliant mile-muncher that is also great fun for weekend blasts. BUYER BEWARE ● Second gear is a weak point, so check on a test ride. If it hops out under hard acceleration, there are false neutrals or the action is excessively clunky, walk away. ● The shock is notoriously poor quality. Bounce the rear of the bike and check there is some resistance. If not, assume it needs a new shock. ● Ensure the engine…

£2500-£4400 (2005-2008) BMW offered the R with a huge array of extras such as ESA, ABS, luggage, heated grips and more, making it a remarkably practical option. With a storming motor that pulls like a train thanks to 96lb.ft of torque, the K1200R is big and roomy, and while it lacks a decent screen, there are lots of aftermarket options (or even the K1200R Sport variant). BUYER BEWARE ● The K1200's switchgear is notorious for water ingress, leading to corrosion and failure. Replacing switchgear is costly so check all the switches work. ● The R's radiator has a habit of trapping water and dirt, leading to it rotting through. As well as visually inspecting it, on a test ride see if the bike gets overly hot in traffic. ● Check…

It is a golden era for Ducati in MotoGP, winning 10 of the 11 MotoGP races this year. But it's not only success on track that defines Ducati, their road and now off-road bikes remain the bench mark in many sectors and they've also launced the all-new Panigale V4 to keep them at the top of the sportsbike ladder. They've begun their assault on the off-road world scoring points in the recent Motocross world championship race in the Netherlands, and last month's WDW (World Ducati Week) saw an incredible 94,000 people from 85 countries turn up for the party. MCN spoke with the man at the very top of the Italian factory – CEO Claudio Domenicali… How do you evaluate this year's WDW? “Every time, we try hard to do…

A back-to-the-future strategy has invigorated rookie Pedro Acosta and reinvented his eye-catching early season form as a star rookie. A front row qualifying and double podium Sprint and GP at Motorland – his first, and a best result since CoTA (second) – erased the nightmare of a dismal performance two weeks ago in Austria. That was a demoralising 13th and 33 seconds behind at KTM's home race. The step forward took various forms – a return to an earlier “standard” set-up on his GasGas-branded KTM RC16, an additional factory technician for upgraded telemetry programs and a clarity of communication in the garage. “Sometimes you are trying too many things and also, I was thinking too much. We needed to try this way to be competitive again,” Acosta said. It was…

WELCOME Marc Marquez's comeback is, quite rightly, being described as one of sport's finest, with many going so far as to describe his effort to get back to winning ways as ‘super-human’ and a triumph over adversity. Although Marc's clearly a one-off, he's certainly not alone in the motorcycling world when it comes to showing extreme resilience and determination. The obvious comparison comes again from Grand Prix, with Mick Doohan's recovery from horrific leg injuries in 1992, before going on to begin his five-season reign of domination between 1994 and 1998. But outside of racing, motorcycling is full of stories of riders who overcome tragedy, pain, and personal setbacks to continue doing what they love… It raises the question, are motorcyclists naturally more resilient people or does motorcycling make a…

The NMC's Craig Carey-Clinch also said that while no decision has been made on the future of motorcycle propulsion in the UK, now is the time to deliver it – with many sectors, including dealers, needing clarity to prepare for the future. “There's a lot of flip-flopping around on the on the car side of things, but the real issue is that there's no clarity whatsoever on where the old administration or the new administration intends to take motorcycling and powered two-wheelers,” he said. “We've done so much work with officials on the decarbonisation side of the DfT, that we're hoping the impact that we have made will be carried forward into the new administration. So, if Government is prepared to listen to the very real and sensible reasons for…

Two-stroke tuning legend Stan Stephens has retired after more than six decades in the trade. The former sidecar and speedway racer had been building high performance, championship-winning engines well into his seventies when he made the decision to retire following family health problems. “My wife had a bad accident,” Stephens told MCN. “It was a bit of a sudden decision. I just thought ‘sod it’ one day and left a message on the answerphone saying that I'd retired.” Stan's racing career began at an early age, starting initially on solo machines before finding his competitive calling aboard sidecars – which he spent nine years racing until 1980. In between, Stephens rode speedway and drove stock-cars. However, it was his tuning accolades that enshrined Stephens’ name among the greats of British…

Bike meets and group rides in the West Midlands could be outlawed as a council looks to ban gatherings of two or more vehicles and forbid groups from riding in convoy. The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) drafted by Newcastleunder-Lyme Borough Council would prohibit any vehicles gathering on roads or public spaces – unless official approval has been granted. Anyone in breach of the order would be liable for a fine or a fixed penalty notice of £100. The order has been put forward in an attempt to crack down on ‘car cruising’, which the council says has caused a negative impact on the well-being of residents. Councillor Gill Heesom said: “Residents, visitors and businesses have repeatedly told us – and Staffordshire Police – that car cruising in public places…

Breakdown specialists, the RAC are predicting that the 5p cut in fuel duty will be scrapped during October's Budget statement. Head of Policy, Simon Williams said: “We've reached the conclusion the Chancellor [Rachel Reeves] has no option but to put fuel duty back up to 58p a litre in October's Budget. “She knows the 5p discount is losing the Treasury £2bn a year. She also knows drivers were overcharged by a staggering £1.6bn last year according to the Competition and Markets Authority's recent report.” Former Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, confirmed that the 5p cut in fuel prices would remain, alongside a freeze in fuel duty, for another 12 months during the previous Budget in March. Williams added: “We'd normally be against any increase in duty, but we've long been saying drivers…

Pierer Mobility – the parent company of KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas and WP Suspension, and 50.1% owner of MV Agusta – have announced further plans to axe jobs in the light of poor sales figures which saw their net debt rise to €1.469 billion. An additional 200 employees are set to lose their jobs in the third quarter, with 373 already laid off since the year began. Pierer expect the cuts – alongside increased manufacturing migration to India and China, plus a 25% drop in planned production – will see them back on track heading into 2025. ‘Additional 200 employees set to lose their jobs’ Total headcount for the company now stands at 6024, with the full consolidation of MV Agusta adding 213 members of staff. The manufacturing giant confirmed earlier…

Motorcyclists across the UK are being encouraged to support their local air ambulance charities during an upcoming national week of fundraising. Air Ambulance Week 2024 will take place from September 9-15 and is being run by national charity Air Ambulances UK. There are 21 individual air ambulance charities in the UK, with a total of 37 helicopters shared between them. All of them are funded by public donations. Around 126 missions are attended every day at an average cost of £4110, with the teams often providing critical care to motorcyclists. On average, each crew will arrive with the casualty within 16 minutes of a call. This year's campaign centres around the message of “Today's Supporter, Tomorrow's Lifesaver” and focuses around the fact that anyone can become a patient at any…

Fancy a new bike? We're giving you the chance to win a brand-new Yamaha MT-09, a model which benefits from a raft of updates for this year. To be in with a chance of winning, you simply have to tick the box when getting an insurance quote with us. It really is that simple. No questions, no payment, no tricks – get an insurance quote, tick the box, and cross all your fingers and toes (not while riding) that you're the lucky winner of our Yamaha triple. It's one of the best nakeds you can buy MCN's Carl Stevens rode the new MT-09 at its world launch earlier in the year, and to whet your appetite, this is what he had to say… “Yamaha have been back to the drawing…

Bike meets are so popular they're already running out of space… JUST BREW IT Ride out to Britain's best biking cafés THE DETAILS ● Open 7 days, 9am-9pm…ish ● More info: thepistonclub.co.uk ● Alcester Rd, Stratford-uponAvon B49 6NQ The Stag isn't your regular kind of pub. Owned by Adam Weaver, who sponsors British Speedway legend Tai Woffinden as well as a Touring Car squad, the Stratford-upon-Avon venue mixes in all his loves into one. “We wanted to be about homecooked food, a family environment with some really cool bike meets,” says general manager Vikki Fox. Bikers have flocked to the pub following a complete revamp just after COVID. Now there are weekly bike nights, with a big event once a month on a Tuesday, complete with live band. Sunday…

What's happening? There are ride outs happening all weekend in celebration of the Ace Café's 30th reunion anniversary. The café itself will be alive with music, guests and more over Friday and Saturday, including a day of it on Saturday from noon. Plus, on Sunday, you can opt to join the ride out from the café, or meet thousands of like-minded bikers on Brighton's seafront for the annual Burn Up. The essentials On Friday, the Ace's traditional bike night ride-in will coincide with live music and special guests. On Saturday, café racers will flood the car park and join the annual ride out at 10.30am. On Sunday, the ride begins at 10.30am and heads to Brighton where there will be entertainment and stands from 12pm. Head to london.acecafe.com for information.…

KTM YAMAHA TRIUMPH…

Milled to perfection The level of quality necessary to manufacture engines used in Aston Martin vehicles has required Brough Superior to take a step forward in its development and investment. Last year, the Toulouse plant acquired a Haas 5-axis machining unit for its engine production line which, until then, had been made from a traditional foundry block. The Haas unit is also used to shape the wheels on all Aston Martin models, as well as a number of other aluminium parts on the bike. Developed for the production needs of the new Aston Martin AMB 001 Pro, the CNC-machined engine fits perfectly into the new Brough Superior Dagger or Lawrence models, but can also be used in the classic range – if the design of the CNC-machined block suits the…

JUST PAY & DISPLAY If you're taking on the twisties, you should be able to avoid any road charges. But if you're going across Europe quickly, be aware of some of the road charges that may catch you out: France Toll roads are easy. You're given a ticket as you enter, then asked to pay with cash or card once you get off. So, no need to do anything prior to your trip. Be aware that there are low emission zones in a number of French cities – including Paris, Strasbourg and Reims – if you plan to stay overnight. You'll need a Crit'Air (French for clean air) sticker. Newer bikes can be exempt, but make sure you check beforehand. Switzerland If you want to use certain roads in Switzerland…

In 1994, Scottish racer Ian Simpson did something extraordinary – he won both the British Superbike and British Supersport 600 championships in the same year. No-one has ever repeated the feat. What's more, ‘Simmo’ won the BSB title on a British bike and remains the last man to have done so. Simpson's motivation for taking on such a challenge was a simple one – he needed to earn a living. “I only did it because I wasn't getting paid a penny by Norton to race the superbike and I knew I could make some money in Supersport with Avon Tyres and Yamaha,” he remembers. Raised in Dalbeattie in southwest Scotland, Simpson was born into bikes. His dad Bill – who sadly passed away in April this year – was a…

BUYING USED EXPERT GUIDE TO Can you imagine hammering a Panigale V4 through driving rain? No, neither can we! How about a good old-fashioned big-bore workhorse of a bike, such as the five we have picked to feature in this week's used guide. There is nothing wrong at all in having a workhorse bike, a machine that you aren't precious about and will happily soak up those challenging miles with little or no fuss. And one needn't cost the earth – as these five prove. Setting a budget of £3000, we have unearthed a great selection. YOUR EXPERT Jon Urry is MCN's used bike guru. He is a big fan of cheap and cheerful big-capacity bikes and is always in the market for an FZS1000 Fazer.…

£3000-£4000 (2001-2004) Powered by a ZZR-derived inline four, the S has effortless drive and although heavy, its chassis is more than up for a spirted blast along a B-road. But the S's main selling point is the fact it has a huge seat, which is incredibly comfortable, as well as good weather protection. Affordable, reliable and quick, the ZRX1200S isn't that common but it is worth searching out. BUYER BEWARE ● The ZRX has a nasty habit of holing radiators. Most bikes have a diamond-shaped rubber pad in the centre of the radiator, which traps grit and if left unchecked can wear a hole. Remove it to avoid this issue. ● Older bikes suffer from generators packing in and the cam chain tensioner needing replacing. Listen for a noisy tensioner…

TOP STORY It's been over two years since the Department for Transport (DfT) proposed the idea of phasing out all-new combustion-engined motorcycles by 2035. The idea was floated in an online consultation that began on July 14 2022 and ended two months later, with the then Johnson Conservative Government boldly claiming electric motorbikes were “to soon become the norm on UK roads”. Fast-forward to September 2024 and no final decision on phase-out dates have been made, with larger electric bike sales now dwindling. Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) data shows that just two battery-powered bikes producing more than 14.8bhp (11kW) were registered during July. This year has also seen the arrival of a new Labour Government that pledged in its manifesto to reinstate the 2030 phasing out of internal combustion engined…

Paralysed motorcyclist, Claire Lomas MBE who raised almost £1million for charity has died aged 44 following an accident in Jordan. The news was announced by local paper the Melton Times, who released a statement on behalf of her family stating they were “absolutely devastated to lose Claire”. Claire became paralysed from the chest down in 2007 in a horse riding accident and learned to ride a motorcycle after her injuries. She went on to gain her race licence and tackled a number of iconic tracks across the UK, raising thousands of pounds for good causes with every ride. She also tackled a lap of the North West 200 course in 2023 aboard her Suzuki SV650, raising money for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation. “Once I got out on the course…

Triumph are celebrating 20 years of the Rocket 3 by hosting a special event, inviting owners to ride their bikes at Elvington Airfield. Titled, ‘Rocket Launch’, the event will take place on September 18. For just £10, R3 owners can enjoy flat-out runs down the two-mile airstrip aboard their muscle machines. A number of Rocket 3 Storms will be available for owners of older Rockets to try the latest model. Spectating is free and all riders will receive a printout showing their speeds, as well as a sticker and photographs from the day. Go to triumphmotorcycles.co.uk for more information on the event.…

Mutt Motorcycles – famed for laid-back, low-capacity retro nakeds – are entering the adventure bike segment with a 36bhp Stravaig 401 twin priced at £4995 plus OTR costs. Said to be available from September 2024, the bike comes in a choice of matt green or matt black and is designed to join the expanding accessible A2 adventure segment – taking on established competition including the £6599 KTM 390 Adventure and £6579 Honda CRF300 Rally, as well as Chinese-produced alternatives like the £5699 CFMoto 450MT. The Stravaig is Mutt's largest motorcycle to date, featuring a 401cc liquid-cooled, 8v, DOHC parallel twin-cylinder engine. Maximum power comes at 8500rpm, with a claimed 24lb.ft of torque at 6500rpm. It's a break from the norm for the Birmingham company, which was formed in 2013 and…

Kent representatives from the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) joined forces with police and Medway Council to host a recent in-person workshop tackling bike theft. Held at Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre, the day welcomed riders and bikes of all capacities, with experts on hand to deliver advice on theft prevention as well as hand out free security, marking equipment and more. Stephen Mallett, MAG South East Regional Representative, told MCN: “A friend of mine who's been riding for years stopped at a cash machine, jumped off his bike, turned his back, turned back around and the bike had gone. You have to lock them up every time. “It shouldn't be this way, but unfortunately motorcycles are magpie objects that glitter in the sunlight and people nick them. This is the trouble.”…

WHAT'S NEW IN TECH? Not everybody wants a huge tablet flashing information towards them as they ride. For many riders, a simpler setup is a welcome antidote to the huge electronic screens that now adorn many modern machines. British firm Beeline have offered such a solution since 2015, with their initial Moto device standing as a welcome alternative to established GPS systems – showing essential information without the distraction of additional data. The micro nav maestros introduced a more advanced Moto II range earlier this year, which starts at around £179.99 and offers more advanced capabilities while retaining its diminutive size. “It's the result of extensive research and development, as well as feedback from our existing users who have travelled over 150 million kilometres with Beeline,” Cofounder Mark Jenner told…

Send your trips to yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Reader Tony Marsland The ride Through France and Spain, into Portugal and back When to do it May/June so it was out of school holiday times How many miles? Around 2300 How long do you need? I was away for 28 days Bike Triumph Thunderbird LT 1700 Tell us about the trip… The route for this journey took me approximately 2300 miles from Roscoff in France down to Barcelona, then across Spain through the Doura Valley to Porto in Portugal. From there it was up the West coast to Asturias and Santander. Highlights along the way included the amazing roads and scenery. Places like Segovia in Spain are simply stunning and I found some amazing villages plus some brilliant accommodation along the way (especially in…

KEY TO THE AREA ■ SOUTH WEST ■ CENTRAL ■ NORTH & SCOTLAND ■ SOUTH EAST Wednesday 04 September 2024 BIKE MEETS ■ The King Billy Rock Bar - Bike & Burger Night, Northampton Northamptonshire 6.30pm Facebook: The King Billy Rock Bar ■ Amici Coffee Biker Night, Amica Coffee Cafe & Grill Girtford Bridge Sandy Bedfordshire www.amicicoffee.co.uk ■ Sycamore Cafe, The Causeway Great Billing Northamptonshire 4pm - 9pm www.facebook.com/SycamoreForestCatering ■ Huggys Speedshop, Mallory Park Leicestershire From 10am www.huggysspeedshop.co.uk ■ The Old Stores, Pontblyddyn Mold Flints 6pm-9pm 07548-224866 or FB: The Old Stores Motorbike cafe ■ Seaways - Bike Night, Seaways Fridaythorpe East Yorks 4pm-8pm mike@seawayscafe.co.uk ■ Squires Cafe, Newthorpe near Sherburn in Elmet West Yorks 01977-684618 or squires-cafe.co.uk ■ English Riviera Bike Night - Paignton Seafront, Eastern Esplanade Paignton Devon…

Armed with the Duke 990's £12,999 price tag, you have a lot of middleweight naked bike options available, with even some higher-spec models falling within this budget. If you like the all-new MT-09 but desire slightly sharper handling, the MT-09 SP costs £11,806, which is only £1700 more than the stocker for an Öhlins shock, uprated forks, Brembo brakes and Icon Performance paint. Triumph's Street Triple RS costs £11,795; as well as packing more power than the stock bike it wears an Öhlins shock, uprated forks, a TFT dash and tricker electronics. Kawasaki have the Z900 for £9871 with the £11,401 Z900 SE adding (yep, you guessed it) an Öhlins shock, Brembo brakes and uprated forks. Both bikes are available in Performance spec with an Akrapovic can and more for…

‘Valentino would always listen’ “I've been told I'm lucky as when Vale came back, there was less fire between him and Jorge and the wall that was there had gone.” He may have missed the first stint of the Rossi-Lorenzo Yamaha squad, but Meregalli was there for the reunion and worked with Rossi until he moved to Petronas Yamaha in 2021. “What surprised me was how much Valentino was into our sport; the passion, the hours he spent at work, he was always trying to find something. He's open-minded to change the way to ride and once one season was finished, he was already thinking about the next. “He arrived a nine-time world champion, but the approach felt like that of a young rider. He never took anything for granted,…

‘Surgeons wanted to amputate both of my legs…’ Ian Simpson's racing career – and very nearly his life – was cut short following a crash at Brands Hatch in the first round of the 2000 season. Riding his Red Bull Ducati 748, he was attempting to pass Dean Thomas around the outside going into Clearways, Brands’ ultra-fast final corner. Already on the outside, he had naturally reduced the distance between him and the tyre wall, so when the front tucked as he was completing the overtake, Ian ended up barrelling straight into the wall – legs first. He broke both his femurs and his right tibia and fibula, was placed in a medically induced coma and woke up in hospital a week later. “I was very close to death; so…

One reason I was drawn to the Scrambler version of the new baby Triumph is that I like to occasionally dabble off-road. I'm no Billy Bolt, and I don't pretend to be, but I love the challenge of tackling unpaved terrain because it offers a different kind of thrill to road or track riding. I like to take in my dirt riding at a gentlemanly pace, and I'm unlikely to appear on the starting line at any hard enduros, so there's no need for me to get dressed up as Sam Sunderland and ride the sort of competition ‘crosser that measures its service intervals in hours rather than miles. I love stylish, retroinspired bikes like Triumph's whole Scrambler line-up. If Ducati build an 1100 version of the Desert Sled I'll…

£2000-£4000 (2006-2009) The CBF is an effective and wellconsidered bike – just not very thrilling. Powered by a (heavily!) re-tuned Fireblade engine, the CBF makes an unassuming 96bhp that is delivered in a smooth and nonintimidating fashion with its focus on low to midrange drive. Add to this a fairly basic chassis, effective fairing and 19-litre fuel tank and it all equals a solid commuter. BUYER BEWARE ● Watch out for a bike that has been overloaded with electrical accessories as the reg/rec and stator aren't the strongest units. ● Check the spec and if it has C-ABS, ensure none of the pistons in the caliper are seized as they can get sticky on their sliders. ● A few bikes have aftermarket fairing lowers. If the one you are looking…