Table of contents for 27th February 2019 in MCN

SAVE30% Held Rano £59.99 Durable and strong, this waterproof overjacket is ideal for stashing in your rucksack or luggage for those long weekends away or summer touring trips. Stretch fabric provides a good fit over a leathers. www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk SAVE£50 HJC IS-17 Arcus £119.99 Similar spec to the new-for-2019 i70 but at a much reduced price. Compact polycarbonate shell gives great looks and light weight, while a comfort lining and drop-down sun visor will keep you content. www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk SAVE£100 ARMA Harada one-piece £249.99 Quite possibly the best value-for-money one-piece available on the market today. The cowhide Harada suit is ready for track use thanks to pre-curved arms, stretch panels, knee sliders and an aerodynamic back hump. www.megamotorcyclestore.co.uk SAVE30% Tuzo Jeans £39.99 These regular-fit riding jeans pack decent protection in a comfortable,…

Form cannot compromise function. Beyond this diktat, motorcycle stylists begin each job with a relatively free hand. Styling is largely on the surface: the livery, the saddle cover, the just-so footpeg hangers. Yet such fripperies can make or break a new model, because style has always been key in biking’s psyche. But although we are currently spoiled for choice in terms of model diversity, styling and design have become ultra conservative. It took the industry years to wake up to the retro and custom scene, since when they’ve been milking it as hard as possible. New retro may still be marketable, but it feels played-out. The average rat bike has more individuality and authenticity. Real retro bikes are just old bikes, but they have the patina, the blemishes, the vibe…

The very fact Royal Enfield’s all-new 650 twins are amongst the most talked about bikes of 2019 is itself an indication of the scale of the ambitious Indian company’s achievement. After all, the roadster Interceptor and its café-racer brother, the Continental GT, not only lift Enfield to a whole new level, they’re even being considered as credible rivals for the likes of Triumph’s Bonneville and Moto Guzzi’s V7, as well. And while only developing an A2-licence qualifying 47bhp, with the new 650s’ prices starting at just £5500, or over £2500 less than the cheapest Bonnie, they bring attractive, credible, retro roadster motorcycling to a whole new market. But how good is it really? Time to put one around the MCN250 to find out… Of course, there’s not just one all-new…

PAUL RICHARDSON Age 47 Height 5ft 8in Current bike Enfield 500 Bullet Occupation Spray painter / panel-beater Been riding for 31 years “I’ve had the Bullet five years. I like the heritage, the nostalgic look of the bike and the simplicity of it. Mostly I use it just for commuting and pleasure. I haven’t done any big trips but wouldn’t hesitate to should the opportunity arise. Most of my mates have older bikes, too, mainly vintage BSAs, Velos and Triumphs. I like the look of the new models. The new 650 Continental looks great, better than the interceptor in my opinion because it pays a passing homage to the original. The Himalayan however would make a great low maintenance everyday ride to work bike and at £4k the price is…

1. Stoner Corner. The MotoGP gods apex with both wheels on the kerb, rear tyre smoking, but the rest of us go through in fourth or fifth, eyes on stalks. 2. Hayshed Corner. Accelerating hard from Siberia through second, third and now fourth, all your bike wants to do is go straight at this speed. You have to fight it hard to lean it in to hit the apex properly. 3. Lukey Heights. Full lean in third you feel on top of the world. The rear tyre spins as the bike goes light over the crest and you’re a millimetre of throttle away from a highside so big that you’ll land back in the UK! 4. Turn 12. Enter in fourth, on the verge of tucking the front, before a…

Riding 20,000 miles is a bloody long way. It’s the distance the average motorcyclist does in five years. In fact, in the last 11 months, I’ve basically done The Long Way Round except instead of traversing the globe, I’ve done laps of the A-roads and M-ways of Britain. Sort of like a crap, two-wheeled Bill Bryson. And what have I learned on my endless journeying? That the Tiger is, at heart, a good bike... but with flaws. Triple treat I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the best bit of the Tiger is the engine. The 1200cc triple is an absolute delight. You can leave it in third all day and lug it out of corners to your heart’s content, or you can work the gearbox like crazy…

From St Albans go to Redbourn on the A5183. At Luton Road turn right. Go on the A1081 through New Mill End, Chiltern Green, Peters Green and Kimpton and stay on Kimpton Road to Codicote then right on the B556 to Welwyn. Go under the A1M and join the A1000. Head to Digswell then Hertford. Join the B158 to Essenden, at North Mymms go left to run parallel to the A1M then take the minor roads to Shenley and Radlett then right onto the A5183 to complete the loop.…

Michael says “I was all at sea on the dirt, especially on big adventure bikes. Stood-up turns were my kryptonite, at odds with my track riding, I couldn’t work out how to stand and felt I was about to crash. “Molly has been life-changing and after his advice everything clicked. At first I felt like a passenger, but soon the bike seemed to shrink and I was in complete control. It’s not a case of being brave, just knowing what to do and when. “I’ve always felt too tall standing up, but bending my legs let me feel more connected, reach the bars properly and bend my arms. “I’d always stuck to my ‘lane’ off road, but crossing the trail and taking a racing line, as on track, opened up…

1. RST Tractech Evo 2 suit £499.99 RST kit just seems to be really well made and comes at a great price. I always used to buy Alpinestars but I think RST has come a long way and is just as good now. There’s not a lot you can fault it for. 2. Sena SMH5 Bluetooth intercom £114 This is a great piece of kit. A couple of the guys I ride with got them so they could talk to each other on rideouts, so I decided to get one. The installation into the helmet was pretty straightforward and it’s very easy to use too. 3. AGV K5-S £289.99 The lining is really comfortable and I can wear it all day. The ventilation is good on hot days, but it’s…

Don’t assume a bit of slip means you need new plates. Like most systems on a bike, clutches need a bit of maintenance and adjustment. Cables stretch, clutch plates wear and springs lose their strength through heat and constant compression and release. Because of all these pressures, adjustment at the lever soon runs out. Sometimes a secondary adjuster is located nearer the engine. Set the lever adjuster to minimum before taking up slack with the lower one. Hydraulically-operated clutches self-adjust but still need maintaining. The master cylinder fluid needs to be changed more than once a year as the fluid breaks down with pressure and heat build-up. If the fluid looks dirty, change it. Hydraulic clutches have a slave cylinder to activate the clutch pushrod to disengage the clutch. Treat…

Well, what are we to make of it then? Superannuated grand prix rider, former small-class World Champion but not good enough to keep his premier-class ride, switches to a factory Ducati in World Superbikes... and smashes it, winning the first two races with contemptuous ease. His name is John Kocinski, and the year 1996. Conclusive proof, for those on the Grand Prix side in the perennial British argument over which is the senior service, that the old proddie racing in SBK is most definitely a poor relation. After all, it only took another 23 years for it to happen again. Surely you can recognise the trend? It will probably recur in 2042. Having long championed MotoGP, most unpopularly back when Carl Fogarty was the giant of WSB, and eschewing as…

Valentino Rossi says that the addition of two Yamahas of similar spec to his is helping the factory effort as Yamaha finally follow their rivals by adopting a more integrated satellite structure. In previous years Yamaha have run Tech3 as a satellite with older machinery which limits the chance to share data, but with Franco Morbidelli and Quartararo on 2019 M1s, Rossi says that the effect has been noticeable. Rossi said: “Everyone is sharing data in MotoGP and it’s not just a team-mate any more but all the bikes of a manufacturer. The first target of a factory is to have the bike as strong as possible, and the fastest way to do this is with more data.”…

While Rins might have been making the headlines, there was an equally impressive performance on the other side of the garage from rookie team-mate Joan Mir. The young Spaniard, who has stepped up from the Moto2 championship, looked strong and finished the test more than happy. Mir said: “I made a big step at the test and I’m a lot more comfortable with the bike because of it. I’ve improved the pace and I’m not far away there either, so I have to be happy. “The learning process is never finished, but I’m surprised with the pace that we have and how close we are.”…

Off-road specialists Acerbis have released their new Discovery range, which they say offers style and durability at an affordable price. The new range includes three textile jackets that include CE Level 2 armour, zippable vents and waterproof liners for under £200. The Safary is our pick of the bunch at £199.99 but they go right down to £164.99 for the Ghibly. Sitting pretty Cable specialists Venhill have cast their eyes on much overlooked saddle cable releases. Often untouched for months or even years, the cables quickly seize. Venhill’s replacement cables use a Teflon liner for reduced friction, while a ‘birdcaged’ head reduces the likelihood of breakage. Available for a large range of bikes, starting from £8.70. Keep your lid on Shell have reaffirmed their commitment to the biking community by…

So here we are in the near future with a bunch of guys on a Sunday, meeting up for a rideout all on different makes and models of electric bike. Now herein lies the problem, at some point someone is going to need to stop and charge up before the others and the dilemma is this: does everyone top up if there are enough chargers available or just wait for the one chap then move on and keep stopping all day at various times for more electricity? You can see where I’m going with this, it just won’t work and will make the day a bloody nightmare of wasted time. Long may the petrol engine live, just so long as the fuel stations don’t start to diminish in the future.…

It’s Britain’s best road test route. A tough 250-mile mix of A and B- roads, a stretch of motorway, plus plenty of towns, villages, blind corners, ballistic straights, and a huge range of grippy to slippy tarmac. There are two cafés, an off-road section for adventure and trail bikes, track time at Silverstone for sportsbikes, and Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground and the dyno for hard and fast data when needed. You want answers? We’ve got ’em. 1 First impressions ‘The café racer riding position is not at all extreme’ Examining the Enfield up close outside the MCN lock-up I must admit I’m not that impressed. All-new engine apart it’s pretty basic and, frankly, Third World. Analogue clocks are basic, mirrors cheap, quality rudimentary and there’s not even adjustable levers. It’s very…

With Shakey out and last year’s championship protagonists Leon Haslam and Jake Dixon moving on to the world stage, the Bennetts British Superbike championship faces a significant shake-up for the upcoming season. There aren’t many more qualified to take a punt on how things could turn out this season than the six-time champ. Redding has the talent “It seems the championship have thrown quite a few of Jonathan Palmer’s chickens into the Scott Redding basket and only time will tell if that’s a wise move. It’s exciting, for sure. The profile he has, the following he has and the speed he has is unquestionable. He’s a really talented guy, but it’s whether or not that talent will shine through at a half-wet half-dry Oulton Park with Armco barriers up the…

ALASTAIR FAGAN, ROAD TESTER The clue is in the name. This is an enduro bike with 74bhp, a monster raving lunatic that blurs the scenery like no other. Put simply, the Enduro R is a trail bike that’s overdosed on steroids and you’ll need to be an experienced pilot to truly utilise its full performance. Is it worth it? Again, for such a niche product, you have to find the right environment to exploit the Enduro R’s strengths. On one hand, £9599 is pricey. On the other, when compared to genuine off-roaders, it’s on par with competition-ready rivals, and the KTM has rather handy electronic rider aids in its arsenal, as well as delivering genuine versatility. Tech spec 74 bhp  Power @ 8000rpm 54.2 ftlb  Torque @ 6750rpm 146 kg…

Andrew Shim Age 35 How long have you been riding? 19 years Occupation MCN reader (and actor) “It’s awesome, the best track I’ve ever been on. I did two No Limits trackdays there in January and had a total of six days on track. “It was as easy to do as a European trackday. We dropped off the Ducati 848 Evo I was sharing with a mate at Donington, ready to be shipped, but with the stricter Aussie customs we had to make sure things like tyres were brand new. We loaded up on October 27 and we were out on track on January 6, staying in the Silverwater Resort, included in the price our bike arrives back in on March 10. “I’d never have gone if No Limits hadn’t…

‘Do a drag then go for a ride’ Rather than just watch the show, be part of it at one of the first Run What Ya Brungs at this famous drag strip. The Route Go through Hinwick to Bozeat then south on the A509 to Milton Keynes. Take the A422 to Buckingham then A413 past Silverstone before riding through Whittlebury to the A43. Head to Towcester then go left on the A5, stopping at Jack’s Hill Café for a cuppa. Then ride to Long Buckby Wharf. Go right over the M1 into Long Buckby, right on the B5385, the A428 for a short hop then left to Spratton. Then Brixworth, Holcot, Sywell and Wellingborough where you pick up the Santa Pod signs to complete the loop. Info www.santapod.co.uk or…

I LIKE • Styling: the KRT graphics are really eye-catching • The engine: 97bhp is insane, but the delivery is so smooth • Brakes: powerful and with plenty of feel • Dealer customer service: you couldn’t ask for better I DON’T • Fast! You need a fair bit of discipline to ride it on the road! • Ugly: numberplate hanger had to go • Lack of time: I haven’t had a chance to take it on the track yet QUICK SPECS • 998cc • 197bhp • 202kg • 835mm seat height PRICE NEW £14,299 VALUE NOW £12,500…

‘Restricta big bike to meet A2’ All the machines in this buying guide have been purpose-built for the A2 licence, make no more than 47bhp and meet the power-to-weight limit of 0.26bhp per kg. However it is possible to restrict bigger bikes, such as Kawasaki’s ER-6f, Suzuki’s Bandit 650 and even KTM’s 1050 Adventure, either mechanically or electronically, to conform to A2 limits. If you plan to take either part of your A2 test using your own, restricted bike the examiner will need to see proof of the restriction, in the form of an official letter from the importer or dealer who fitted the kit detailing the bike’s registration number. No certificate means no test and a lost fee. When you’ve passed your test and are riding your restricted bike…

Torque wrench A decent quality torque wrench is absolutely essential for ensuring those critical oil-retaining bolts, such as the sump plug and clutch cover bolts, are nipped up correctly. T-bar sockets 8–10mm These give both speed and precision when spinning out small clutch cover bolts or spring-retaining bolts. They’re also good for giving you more feel when tightening up to prevent you going over the top and causing damage. Brake cleaner A good quality brake cleaner will help remove stubborn friction deposits from the internal surfaces of your clutch basket and drum. A clean clutch is a smooth clutch. Make sure you are wearing workshop gloves. Allen T-bar If your bike has Allen key clutch cover bolts, use an Allen T-bar to spin them out without damaging the heads. •…

There were smiles at BMW as the company returned as a full factory effort for the first time since 2013. Tom Sykes carried the new S1000RR to a best of seventh in Australia. Horsepower is really down but Sykes’ one-lap speed was evident as he took fourth in Superpole. Sykes was beaten up on-track in Sunday’s long race. Due to a lack of development since the SMRBMW team was assembled, it is running a standard engine. Instead of tuning the engine to such a level when blow-ups would become a genuine issue, the team will develop the machine on a gradual basis to retain good reliability. The current powerplant puts out about 204bhp (Superstock 1000 levels of power) and was over 10mph slower on the straights. Fortunately for Sykes, the…

The pre-season worries Chaz Davies admitted to MCN have been justified. The 29-time winner endured his worst qualifying result since 2012 followed by two tenth places and one seventh. Aggravating an old back injury and not getting a good base set-up have cost the Welshman dearly. “Chaz has been later getting up to speed,” explained team manager, Serafino Foti. “We need to find the best set-up. He’s very strong mentally. He’ll be there in the next races.” Barni Ducati’s, Michael Ruben Rinaldi took ninth and 14th while Eugene Laverty’s GoEleven scored in all the races: “To get two top tens was pretty positive. We still have to work on race distance.”…

Yamaha have announced new low-rate finance offers on their entire range. Rates on some models start at 0% APR over three years, with low monthly repayments and deposit. Highlights include the MT-07 ABS at £69 per month, while the banzai MT-10 SP is now just £145 per month, both at 2.9% APR. They’re joined at that rate by the Tracer 700GT and Tracer 900, both at £99 per month. The popular, and new for 2019, YZF-R125 is just £59 per month on a three-year 2.9% APR contract, after a £1036.15 deposit. Riders tempted by the naked YS125 get an even better deal, with 0% finance and prices that start at just £39 per month. Beyond the six new models available at 2.9% APR, and two at 0%, the entire balance…

We’ve teamed up with Yamaha to bring you the chance to win a new Tracer 700GT. Building on the success of the do-it-all Tracer 700, the GT follows in the path of the 900 bringing with it improved wind protection, a 17 litre tank and a proper comfy saddle. Improving its distance credentials even more is a pair of 20l colour matched panniers and a set of heated grips. We’ve always loved the Tracer 700s mix comfort and practicality, and the GT additions make it even better. For your chance to win, just visit motorcyclenews.com/winayamahabefore May 31, 2019. Full terms and conditions available on the entry page.…

FRIDAY 1ST Carole Nash Irish Bike & Scooter Show RDS, Dublin, Ireland. Entry Friday 2pm-8pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10.30am-6pm. Adults €20, Students/OAP €15, children under 12 free Info www.irishmotorbikeshow.com SATURDAY 2ND Arai and AGV helmet Servicing day Bike Stop, Stevenage, Herts Entry free Info www.bikestop.co.uk Michelin MX Nationals Round 1, Sherwood Park, Notts. www.mxnationals.co.uk Entry Weekend tickets from £12 Info www.mxnationals.co.uk SUNDAY 24TH Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway, Podington, Northants Entry Entrance and sign on from £35. Kids under 16 free Info www.rwyb.com or www.santapod.com BOOK NOW MCN Festival East of England Arena, Peterborough, May 18-19. See left for more info. Info www.mcnfestival.com YOUR HANDY EVENTSGUIDE Find more great things to do in your area…

Everyone knows singles rock because they’re small and lightweight. KTM can even make them superbly powerful too, but the trade-off for 690 owners has always been lots of vibes through the contact points. But with the two new 690s, this is a thing of the past. Jerks not welcome To understand how KTM have eliminated the problem, we first need to look at what causes the vibration in the first place. All four-stroke singles only fire every other full rotation of the crank. To stop the engine stalling, a large flywheel is needed to keep momentum and the bigger the capacity, the bigger the flywheel. On multi-cylinder engines this is less of an issue, as when one piston is coming down, another is usually going up. Without anything to counteract…

For some time I’ve been advocating buying small two-strokes while they’re still cheap. I’ve also noted that prices are rising as medium and large-capacity strokers are now silly money. And I’ve done it again. I’ve bought one of my favourite tiddlers; a Yamaha RXS100. And here is why I recommend that you do exactly the same. The RXS was on sale in the UK for about 13 years and still is elsewhere in the world, as a 110/115 (Far Eastern tax bracket), so parts are still easy to get. In fact, in Malaysia they do a nifty sports version clad in Mark One RD125LC bodywork and a whole tuning industry has been built up around it. It’s surprisingly quick: top speed is just over 70mph and it’ll cruise at 55-60…

Reader Mark Curry The Ride After cancer surgery I did the pilgrimage to the site of the Great Escape When to do it Spring to autumn Miles 2500 Time required Nine days Don’t miss this “Highlights for me were finding the very barn used in the film (as Phil West did in his recent MCN article) and the site of the wire jump.” GREAT ESCAPE Not only are you immersing yourself in the steps of the legend, but it is an amazing ride too. THE BARN Finding the barn from the movie was an emotional experience and a real highlight of the trip. GREAT TOWNS The town of Fussen is fabulous and not far from my secret best road in Europe. AMAZING VIEWS You aren't short of picturesque locations to…

Q‘Do my pillion and I need separate lawyers?’ I was riding my Goldwing on the outskirts of Guildford with my wife on the back and happily going along listening to music. A woman was waiting in her car at a junction to our right, about 60 metres or so away and indicating left. She pulled out on us giving me no time to react and there was a collision in which we were both hurt; my pillion worse than me by quite some way. My insurer appointed a solicitor to act for us both and all has been going well until recently. I have been acting as litigation friend for my wife due to the nature of her injuries, providing instructions on her behalf to our solicitor. The driver’s solicitor…

The LCD panel in the speedo contains odo, twin trips and useful fuel gauge and that’s, quite literally, your lot Standard, old-school stuff we’re all familiar with from the pre-electronics ’90s and there’s nothing wrong with that The badge matches the rest of the bike’s pleasing retro style and is another charming detail ByBre single front disc and twin piston caliper is a touch under-powered and requires help from the rear stopper Remote reservoir twin rear shocks are preload-only adjustable. Tyres are retro-looking Pirelli Phantoms…

MATT JAMES Age 49 Height 5ft 9in Current bike Triumph Street Twin (and 2005 Speed Triple) Occupation IT Manager Been riding for 30 or so years First bike Yamaha FS1-E “I got hit off my old 955i Sprint ST last year and my shoulder is still causing issues. Riding the Speed Triple for anything more than an hour causes long-term discomfort. But I needed something to ride, test rode the Street Twin and they were on three-year 0% finance so... “I use it for everything: The daily commute, weekend rides, trips. The longest trip on this one so far is 200 miles or so taking in my tri counties route Somerset, Dorset and Devon via north and south coasts of them. My mates have bikes, too, everything from full dresser…

GENESIS OF THE IDEA In 1997, Mark Jarvis and Shaun Kerrigan set up Cadmus UK. Operating out of a garage, the plan was to make hard-wearing badges but very quickly the firm started to produce their own unique design of motorcycle tank pad. The first pad was for Mark’s FZR Genesis. OUT OF THE GARAGE With the firm’s new tank pad taking off, Cadmus UK move from Mark’s garage to above a bike shop in Doncaster in 1998. The firm is re-branded Motografix, which the bike shop below copies, calling themselves Motografix Bikes! A NEW LOCATION In 2005, Motografix move to their current location in Rotherham. Despite the building about to be let out to someone else, as soon as the owner discovers what Motografix does he cancels the contract…

MICHAEL NEEVES, CHIEF ROAD TESTER Honda’s clever upgrades have made the new CB500X easier to live with than ever. That will be music to the ears of the newer riders among us, but it’s a machine that oozes so much class in just about every situation, it’ll impress the experienced, too. Power feels so much fatter than its 47bhp would suggest and just like a big-capacity adventure bike it’s spacious, agile, plush, characterful and handles superbly both on tarmac and dusty off-road trails. Finished and detailed like a bike costing twice the price, the six grand adventurer is an exceptional machine. Tech spec 47 bhp  Power @ 8600rpm 32 ftlb  Torque @ 6500rpm 197 kg (Kerb) Weight 17.7 Litres 308 mile range Front Suspension Showa 41mm telescopic forks, adjustable for…

Phillip Island Ride Days. Lots of dates from (the Aussie) spring to autumn. £163 per day. Bike hire (BMW S1000RR): £293, clothing hire: £47, (www.phillipislandridedays.com.au). Stay in Cowes. It’s a seaside town next to the track, full of bars, cafes, restaurants, hotels, B&Bs and house rentals. Eat at the Inline Four Café. Think Hard Rock Café for motorcycles: full of bike racing memorabilia, videos on the big screen and great grub. Go karting. While you are there have a blast around a mini-Phillip Island layout track at the circuit. See the Penguin Parade. Hundreds of Little Penguins appear from seemingly out of nowhere at sunset to come ashore.…

Living in the heart of the Home Counties, you might think K1600B rider Duncan would struggle to find quiet roads to enjoy. But hidden among the motorways are a network of country lanes which provide his favourite rideout. “It shows that even a long way from Wales, Scotland or Yorkshire you can still find great roads with hardly any traffic,” he says. “We don’t have the great vistas of some, but there are still impressive sights to find such as the Digswell viaduct. “It’s also a perfect distance for keeping your battery charged in these winter days for those of us that can’t commute!” ‘You can still find great roads with hardly any traffic ’…

RATINGS POOR ★ AVERAGE ★★ GOOD ★★★ VERY GOOD ★★★★ EXCEPTIONAL ★★★★★ Milenco Snaefell Diamond Lock and Chain (1 metre) £249.99 Tested by Emma Franklin, three months This is one of only three lock and chain combos that meet the tough new Sold Secure Diamond standard. With its 22mm diameter links, the Snaefell is seriously impressive. I’ve seen it attacked in lab conditions by an expert using a 12v angle grinder and it took over a minute-and-a-half to cut through just one side of the link. The circular lock is also engineered to be attack resistant. Due to its size and 15kg weight, the Snaefell is best suited for home/work use. It comes in 1m, 2m and 4m lengths but the size of the links means that it needs to…

‘It’s not as fast as it used to be, can you derestrict it for me?” As nonsensical statements go, this one was right up there with ‘my tyres are empty’! Seeing as the rider was on a Daelim AM125 Othello scooter sporting a four-stroke single cylinder engine, it had never been restricted in the first place. ‘I’m surprised all that oil didn’t blow out the seals’ But when experienced mechanic Kevin Hollingsworth, AKA ‘Dr Tepi’ at Doncaster Motorcycles rode it down the street there was no denying that instead of a 55-60mph top speed, the commuter was struggling to get over 30mph… once the engine had reluctantly fired-up in the first place. When Kev started to look around the bike, the canvas showing through the rear tyre indicated that the…

MotoGP bosses have begun plans to take the championship back to Indonesia for the first time in two decades, with Dorna announcing this week that they have signed an agreement for the country to host both a Grand Prix and World Superbike race from 2021. ‘The bikes would race on a street circuit’ Set to run on a street circuit in the new development of Mandalika near Lombok, it seems that the track will consist of a series of roads that will be in everyday use but will be designed from the ground up as a race circuit, complete with safety features like gravel traps and sufficient run-off areas. However, the news has been taken with a pinch of salt after a series of false starts in seeing the championship…

After undergoing surgery on his shoulder over the winter break, Marc Marquez is adamant his own recovery is back on track. The champion struggled with pain last time out in Sepang and admitted that losing two months of training had left him at a disadvantage but left Qatar far happier with his progress. He said: “In terms of physical condition, my rivals will not have an advantage now! In two weeks when it’s the race I might not be at 100%, but I’ll be close to it. I’m back to riding in my normal style, after being very smooth in Sepang.”…

‘I hope with all my heart that I am wrong and that Maverick is right’ ‘I can ride many laps with good pace. I feel great on the bike’ Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi have resumed their back and forth disagreement on the status of the 2019 Yamaha, with Viñales insisting at the Qatar test that the machine he’s riding is now the best Yamaha he’s ever raced: a claim that his team-mate sounds less sure about. Viñales said: “I can ride many laps with good pace and good rhythm, and the consistency is good. I feel great on the bike. “The only problem is that the level of the opponents is much higher, but this is the best Yamaha that I’ve had. But we need to keep working to…

Cal Crutchlow has almost completed his recovery following his high-speed crash at Phillip Island back in October. He ended the Losail test happy with the progress he’s made and feeling good on the bike and left Qatar more unhappy with the feedback from his Honda than any issues with his ankle. Crutchlow said: “My problem is with the brake pedal. Hopefully it’ll get better, but it’s still quite slow to move from the peg to the lever. I’m wearing a bigger boot than normal to protect my ankle and I’m getting it caught on things! “Another issue is that at the moment I don’t have much feeling from the front with this bike and it seems that no matter what way you chop or change it, it doesn’t feel like…

‘Small changes have had a big effect’ ‘The bike is getting faster on long straights’ RINS Fastest lap 1.54.593 Position 3rd Suzuki’s GSX-RR looks set to become a MotoGP title contender in 2019 in the hands of Alex Rins, after yet another impressive test in Qatar ahead of the first race of the season. Once again fast not only over one lap but on longer, race distance, runs and both the Spaniard and the bike seem to have made the step they needed to become regular race winners. Already a regular visitor to the podium in the final races of 2018, lifting himself from outside the top ten to fifth in the championship in only four races, Rins seems to be improving at a rapid rate. Lapping the Losail circuit…