Table of contents for 20 April 2022 in MCN

The Nailsea Bikers have donated more than £10,400 to a children’s hospice after running a successful motorcycle show. The amount is the most ever raised in the 11 runnings of the Nailsea International Bike Show. The money will be used by the Children’s Hospice South West to provide care and support for local children who are not expected to reach adulthood. Planning for the next show is already well under way with a date set for September 10-11. For more info on the show, visit www.nailseabikers.org.uk Ducati power on Ducati are seeing no end to their growth with the first quarter of 2022 their best ever for deliveries and profit. More than 13,450 bikes were delivered, a 5% boost over last year. UK sales grew by 46% albeit compared to…

BSA caused a stir towards the end of 2021 when a gleaming new Gold Star stole the show at the NEC in Birmingham – and you should soon be able to sling a leg over one. India’s Mahindra Group, one of the world’s largest automotive and engineering conglomerates, bought the BSA brand in 2016. The firm are still working on plans to build a factory in Birmingham with more than 200 jobs promised and are also developing a robust dealer network. They now say that the Gold Star, a 650cc single, will be hitting those dealers in June with test rides available shortly after. The looks are inspired by the original Gold Star, but underneath the retro looks is a modern, liquid-cooled, four-valve single. Claimed power output is a steady,…

German accessory firm Wunderlich have created a plug and play ActiComfort heated seat option for some GS models. There are versions to fit the R1250GS and GS Adventure and the earlier R1200GS LC and GS Adventure. The seats can be plugged straight into the wiring harness on models with an existing heated seat and run on the BMW controls, too. Wunderlich say the seat is more supportive and comfortable than stock. Prices start at £439. Savic performance Aussie electric firm Savic have scooped the top prize at the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards for their C-Series motorcycle. Savic are working on their 2022 prototype with road testing of the first two bikes taking place ahead of production planned for later in the year. They’ve also been working to improve the touchscreen…

Oxford Warrior Boots £69.99 Re-boot summer Time was that bike boots were either fully-blown race numbers or something resembling a welly. Luckily, things have moved on and there are now plenty of short-but-protective options available. Combine them with armoured jeans and you’re sorted for an evening ride. Better still, most of them are waterproof so should fend off unexpected showers, too. With a huge range of boots in stock, SportsbikeShop have some tempting bargains including a range from Oxford Products. The Warrior is made from leather and has a claimed fully waterproof membrane and dual zips to make the boots easy to get on and off. Stretch panels increase comfort on and off the bike, while there’s ankle protection plus a reinforced shank. If you prefer a slightly different style,…

The idea of having a head-up display (HUD) inside a motorcycle helmet is far from new, but despite dozens of false starts, it’s still not a technology that’s managed to break into mainstream production. But with helmet giant Shoei demonstrating their planned HUD system at the recent Osaka and Tokyo motorcycle shows there’s a better chance than ever that you’ll soon be able to ride with an in-helmet display. HUD technology itself isn’t new. Cars with head-up displays have been offered since the 1990s, and in the military the tech has been around even longer. However, the explosion in portable computing power over the last decade or so, demonstrated and driven by the smartphone market, means an affordable, lightweight and rugged helmet-mounted HUD is more possible now than ever before.…

BMW Motorrad’s massive annual gathering is back with a bang in Berlin this summer. The event takes place on July 2-3 at the city’s exhibition grounds. There will be stacks to see, including new products, spectacular stunts, test ride opportunities and ride-aways. There will also be a chance to tour the factory. Day tickets are €10 for Saturday and €5 for Sunday, with a weekend ticket €15. Starr’s stories Following a cancer diagnosis, award-winning filmmaker Peter Starr found the key to his long-term healthy survival was riding to 12 countries. Now he shares those stories in a new book, Motorcycle Traveler. This large, coffee table publication comes with a free DVD showing clips from Starr’s most memorable films. The book is on sale now for £45. It’s a Kwak-idas! If…

Ride further in 2022 with a little help from our one-stop event guide JUST BREW IT Ride out to Britain’s best biking cafés THE GREEDY PIGLET • A quaint café in the middle of a traditional English market town • Mon-Sat 8am-4pm, Sun 9am-3pm • The Greedy Piglet Oundle, PE8 4AL Naomi Dixon and husband Lee aren’t new to the world of cafés. Originally owning a venue in Corby called the Greedy Pig, the family moved to Oundle three years ago and bought a 17th century building to open up a smaller but mightier outlet called the Greedy Piglet. “We used to have loads of bike events at the Greedy Pig because we had a big yard there, and we’re just trying to bring it here, ” says Naomi. “The…

‘Border blast’ MCN’s Neevesy takes a ride from Moffat to the capital of Scotland An old favourite for our test team and over the years we’ve ridden sports tourers and adventure bikes around the Scottish borders, hammering the motorways north before hooking the A701 from Moffat. Head out of the pretty spa town and the undulating stretch of tarmac leads you into heather-strewn hills. Sheep are your main spectators and the odd hamlet or village are dotted along the route, to break up the endless twists and turns. At times, you’ll nudge the banks of the River Tweed, valley views are breath-taking. Take a moment to enjoy them and stop for a coffee at the fantastic Laurel Bank Tea Room in Broughton along the way, too. Take a right at…

Sunset Harley cruise’ R5K MEMBER NATHAN SKYRME This picture was taken on an evening cruise to Rhossili Bay, on the Gower Peninsula. It was taken after doing some motorcycle practise with the wife around the Swansea-Gower area. ‘Squires Egg Run’ R5K MEMBER ANDY GOWER AND FIONA CRAVEN A quick selfie on the Squires Bar charity egg run. There were supposedly 1000 bikes out from Squires to NY500 café, Pickering. It was a two-and-a-half-hour ride and loads of families came out to see the spectacle. ‘Vlog about my slog’ R5K MEMBER STEVE OZOUF I took this at L’Étacq, Jersey. The best bit was doing one of my Vlogs on the bike, covering what I have changed and added in preparation for my 2000-mile trip around the UK – doing LEJOG, taking…

Both bikes bring an added dimension to the middleweight category – one which is already over-endowed with a variety of bikes based around Kawasaki’s 650 parallel twin. Kawasaki still offer the Z650 roadster, the latest, fifth generation, modern interpretation of the original ER-6n, now with 67bhp, TFT screen and more. Sports fans can go for the similarly powered, fully-faired Ninja 650. While those wanting more of an adventure-sports all-rounder, have the latest, hugely popular Versys 650 which itself is also available in upspecced, luggage-equipped Tourer and even Grand Tourer forms. For cruiser fans there’s also the slightly detuned, re-framed, low seat Vulcan S. Five very different models from one engine platform. The CFMoto CL-X700 Sport tested here uses a longer stroke, larger capacity, 73bhp version of the same engine, albeit…

The Low Rider ST needs to be taken in context because Harley’s idea of what constitutes a sports tourer is obviously very different to what a Japanese manufacturer considers defines the genre. With this in mind, I thoroughly enjoyed the Low Rider ST. The 117 High-Performance engine is superb, the Softail chassis balanced and sporty enough to make the 327kg Harley feel fun in the bends and far more agile than its weight suggests and the look is contemporary, especially in the modern grey colour. Considering our fairly bumpy and twisty road network, this bagger feels right at home in the UK. THE FACTS £19,677 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST…

The Imola 200 was intended as a European version of America’s hugely popular and prestigious Daytona 200 200-mile event which had been the USA’s premier motorcycle road race since 1937. Run to the new production based F750 formula which was adopted by the FIM in 1972, the first Imola 200 took place on April 23rd of that year with a huge budget, major public relations campaign and record prize money of 35million Lire (then approx. $60,000) and was widely advertised as ‘The Race of the Century’. All of that was sufficient to attract 11 factory or factory-supported teams including hot favourite 500cc world champion Giacomo Agostini and his MV Agusta, Phil Read and Peter Williams on the John Player Nortons, the Beezumph triples, Kawasaki, Honda, BMW and stars such as…

Plumping for the FTR S rather than the standard FTR gets you a touchscreen TFT dash with multimedia controls for your smartphone, the aforementioned Akrapovic pipe and the option of this white paintjob or a metallic maroon. The S costs £14,095, an extra £1800 over the standard FTR. There’s also a Rally edition with the old, bigger wheel sizes and a few extra comforts like a flyscreen and a Carbon version with lightweight carbon fibre panels and premium Öhlins suspension.…

Saving you money on essential bike maintenance BRUCE DUNN MCN’s expert technician 1 It’s a hard life… A commuter bike’s exhaust takes a lot of abuse – heating, cooling and a year-round assault from grime. Over time this can cause it to fail, typically where the downpipe connects to the main body of the silencer, like here on this Yamaha YBR125. On the face of it, it looks like it could be welded, but the thin walls have corroded, making a weld a very temporary repair. BRUCE’S TIPS Make sure to avoid any sharp jagged edges 2 Remove the rear silencer The broken rear silencer is only held on by a single bolt, but there is another tube that feeds off the exhaust into the bike. This tube is connected…

MotoGP’s egg-and-spoon race Racing, like all sport, is better when you don’t know who is going to win. My question is this: Is it still better when you literally haven’t got a clue? Or does that reduce it to the level of an eggand-spoon race? MotoGP, this year more than ever, has become a lottery. Four races and three different winners. And for the first three races, nine different riders on the podium. Carry on like this, and the same could be true of the championship. Anyone could win it. Looking back over racing history, the so-called Golden Age was in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The heyday of 500cc two-strokes – which those who were there at the time are still prone to call “real grand prix bikes”.…

There’s a belief that Rory Skinner will push on this season now that he has a year of Superbike experience under his belt, and if Silverstone is anything to go by, the Scot is going to be a constant threat in 2022. Fast all weekend, the 2020 Supersport champion sandwiched a hard-fought podium with two fourth-place finishes as he took the fight to Honda and the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamahas. Just like Kyle Ryde and Bradley Ray, you can see the differences in riding style compared to the longer-serving Superbike riders. They love getting their elbows down, gliding through the corners and hanging off of their machines. It’s a joy to watch. Skinner is more than capable of holding his own out there too, he isn’t shy and will…

He may not have made it onto the podium, but Jason O’Halloran left Silverstone happy with the progress he and the McAMS Yamaha team had made. Alongside new crew chief, Les Pearson, the Aussie is working through an intense programme of parts and settings on his all-new R1. O’Halloran secured three top six results, but found most improvement in the final race of the weekend, challenging for a podium for the majority of proceedings. Such is the plethora of new parts, O’Halloran admits he essentially raced a different bike in each race, causing slow starts to each as he tried to learn and adapt. “We just have to stick to the plan and remember that it’s round one, we’ve got a lot of new stuff on the bike, and it…

Irwin is the ninth rider to complete the treble, and the first Honda rider to do so since Ryuichi Kiyonari at Oulton Park in 2010: 1. Josh Brookes(2013 & 2019 Brands Hatch GP) 2. Leon Haslam(2016 Oulton Park & 2018 Silverstone) 3. Jason O’Halloran(2021 Oulton Park & Thruxton) 4. Glenn Irwin(2022 Silverstone) 5. Tarran Mackenzie(2021 Brands Hatch GP) 6. Shane Byrne(2012 Brands Hatch GP) 7. Tommy Hill(2012 Oulton Park) 8. Ryuichi Kiyonari(2010 Oulton Park) 9. Leon Camier(2009 Brands Hatch GP)…

Wherever you are on the spectrum of bike racing fanaticism – there’s little doubt that racing, and all that goes with it, forms the core of our biking lives. If you’re a fan of Ducati’s road bikes, you probably owe a debt of gratitude to the fabulous Paul Smart – who would have turned 79 this week, on the same day as the 50th anniversary of his Imola 200 win which arguably paved the way to Ducati as we know it (P40). Or perhaps your biking interest was spiked in the 1980s and 90s – when the antics of Roberts, Rainey, Schwantz and Doohan drove Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha to ever greater heights. Mine was, and it means I can’t miss the opportunity to see them all as Wayne rides…

As well as the 1901, Dick Shepherd owns a great many other Triumphs – he was well over 400 at last count but doesn’t actually know what the number is at now. As Triumph produced their millionth bike last year, we thought we’d get Dick to share some his favourite examples from the marque. • The original Daytona: The 490cc race bike Bud Elmore piloted from 46th on the grid to win the Daytona 200 in 1966, ultimately inspiring the name of the production machine. • Gold medal winning 350: The 3TA that won five gold medals at the ISDT in the sixties and is the most decorated international trials bike from any manufacturer. • The first Bonnie: The very first Bonneville T120 rolled off the production line on July…

ASSISTANT EDITOR, MOTORCYCLING A 23-year-old man has been jailed for 11 years after what has been described in court as an “extremely violent” and “senseless” machete attack that followed an argument over a moped. Curtis Pettman, of no fixed address, seriously injured his victim in Margate, Kent, last July and was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday, April 1. The day before the attack, three people tried to steal the victim’s moped elsewhere in the town. Believing that Pettman was involved, the victim went to a property in Denton Way the following day to challenge him. During the ensuing argument, Pettman took the keys of the victim’s moped and threw them onto a nearby roof. Then, a dog ran from the property where Pettman was staying and bit the…

Ventura Evo Jet Stream tailpack from £79 Now available for the new Triumph Tiger 660 Sport, these water-resistant tailpacks are made from ballistic fabric, with wide openings. The packs themselves come in three sizes: 12 litres (£79), 22 litres (£130) and 60 litres (£199) while you also need the £253 brackets. www.ventura-bike.co.uk Touratech Destino Ultimate GTX boots £529 These are aimed at adventure bike riders who do more than just road riding. There’s support for the calf and heel while the BOA closure system keeps everything in place when the going gets rough. The entire lace area is covered, while a Gore-Tex membrane makes the boots waterproof and they are certified to CE Level 2. www.touratech-uk.co.uk Richa Torch Flare gloves £79.99 Made from goatskin leather and textile, these have a…

I was having one of my nostalgic moments the other day and remembering a road test I did back in 2003 with my old mate Gus Scott, who was a legend in Performance Bikes in the 1990s but was sadly killed at the TT. The test involved sports-tourers and I thought I was fast, until I saw Gus corner a VFR800 with the panniers virtually on the ground! That made me wind my neck in... But it was one of the other bikes featured in that test that got me thinking, the Aprilia Futura. I bet a load of you have just gone ‘oh god, I remember them’ but if you are unaware of the Futura, it was launched in 2001 as Aprilia’s sports-tourer and then died a few years…

What can I ride? Licences are typically restricted by capacity rather than kilowatts, so how do you know which electric bike to go for? Power in a traditional internal combustion motorcycle is measured differently from that of an electric bike, and this can lead to confusion – especially if you’ve just passed your compulsory basic training (CBT) or are only able to get an A2 licence. But don’t fret, essentially the only difference is that petrol-powered motorcycles are rated on peak power and cubic capacity, whereas electric machines are rated on continuous power over a set period of time. That’s where it gets interesting. Because electric machines aren’t measured on peak power for licensing purposes, you could get on an 11 kilowatt bike (essentially a 125cc) and have peak power…

Q ‘Penalised for no-fault crash’ A few months ago a car pulled out of a junction into my path. Luckily I was not injured other than bruising, but my bike and leathers were damaged. The driver admitted it was his fault and his insurers fixed my bike and paid towards new leathers. I told my own insurers about it, but as I did not claim from them I thought no more of it (my policy is fully comp). I recently tried to renew my insurance but they are charging more than before because of the accident. How can this be? Chris Smith, email A Unfortunately this is a problem which frequently arises after a non-fault claim. It is a statistical fact that people who have had one accident are more…

FRIDAY April 22 8am, BTS2, Live MotoGP from Portimao, Portugal: FP1&2 2pm, BTS2, MotoGP Classics: Estoril 2006 6pm, EUR2, British Speedway – 2021 Final Highlights SATURDAY April 23 8.30am, EUR2, Live World Superbikes from Assen, The Netherlands: Day 1. Also at 11.15am, 7pm and 10pm 9am, BTS2, Live MotoGP from Portimao, Portugal: FP3. Qualifying at 12pm, Red Bull Rookies Cup at 4pm SUNDAY April 24 9.15am, BTS2, Live MotoGP Portimao: Warm Ups. Moto 2 at 10.30am, MotoGP 12.30pm and Moto3 at 2pm. Chequered Flag 3.30pm 9.30am, EUR2, WSB from Assen: Day 2. Also at 7pm and 10pm 8pm, BBC2, The Speedshop KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT – DISCOVERY REAL TIME DSC – DISCOVERY CHANNEL DHD – DISCOVERY CHANNEL HD EXS – EXTREME SPORTS CHANNEL EUR1 (2, HD) – EUROSPORT 1 (2,…

MCN MEMBERSHIP at greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-join Riding bikes isn’t just something we do at MCN, it’s in our blood – in just the same way as it’s in yours. Whether we’re skinning our knuckles in the garage on an old project, reviewing all the latest new bikes, delivering the hottest news, or fighting for bikers’ rights – MCN brings you a whole world of biking every week. And if you become an MCN Member, you’ll not only pay less than you would at the newsstand, but you’ll also get a raft of other exclusive personal rewards and benefits as we build the best club in biking. Enjoy the ride, Become an MCN member from just £5.99* per month for full digital access on your new MCN app DIGITAL ONLY Read MCN on…

If you are armed with a budget of £3500 and are looking for a naked middleweight, the world is your lobster but don’t expect to bag a bargain from a dealer. A bike of this price has very little margin in it for a salesman, so there isn’t much chance of a discount – no matter how hard you haggle. Bikes in this price bracket generally arrive as part exchanges and the dealer is virtually obliged to take them off a customer’s hands in order to secure the sale of a new bike. He will be looking at the (much better...) margin in the new bike and working out how much he can offer the customer for their old bike to ensure they walk away with the new one. Generally…

Small capacity machines do tend to suffer a bit of neglect compared to their bigger brothers, mainly because some of the younger riders that run these bikes have yet to develop a sense of pride in owning a motorcycle. This Yamaha YBR125, however, has been quite well looked after, in fact the original exhaust that has failed is over 10 years old. So for a leaner capacity bike it has done surprisingly well. Normally I would recommend an original spec exhaust from Yamaha but the problem is that the cost of the new one is getting on for 50% of the value of the bike! Luckily, a dealer steered me to a much cheaper pattern one that he knows is reasonably good quality and more importantly actually works as a…

With just 39 days until the 2022 Isle of Man TT kicks off at the end of May, the all-new TT+ digital channel has gone live. TT+ marks a new era for the TT where fans around the globe will be able to watch all the action throughout practice and race week live at a one-off cost of £14.99. You will be able to sign up from Sunday, April 24. In the meantime fans can access TT+ at ttplus.iomttraces.com to enjoy incredible archive footage and features along with the very latest news and extensive range of podcasts totally free of charge.…

JOSH CLOSE INSIGHT Our man with a finger on the pulse of MotoGP Is it Suzuki’s time to shine? Suzuki lead the Teams’ Championship after a consistent start which has seen Alex Rins take charge. Rins has responded to the pressure on his shoulders with four top seven results, including two consecutive podiums. Meanwhile, Joan Mir has taken two sixths, and two fourths. Portimao presents a great opportunity. Mir podiumed in both of last year’s races, while you feel Rins can take on anything after defeating four Ducatis at CoTA. It’s time to reap the benefits of the GSX-RR’s performance gains over the winter, but to also qualify better. Do that, and we could see a double dose of blue on the podium. Who’ll lead the Ducati charge? Ducati have…

Tim Neave made history for Yamaha at the weekend by leading the blue brand to their first Superstock victories in 13 years. Neave took full advantage of a collision between Lewis Rollo and Alex Olsen on Saturday, before controlling the pace against Olsen on Sunday. The last rider to win in the class for Yamaha was Alastair Seeley, riding for JMF Milsport Yamaha at the 2009 season opener at Brands Hatch. Trio hit by injuries Dean Harrison, Bjorn Estment and Chrissy Rouse missed the final race after crashes in race two. Harrison and Estment went down at Copse, while Rouse had nowhere to go as Dan Linfoot hit the brakes to avoid the highsiding Sykes at Brooklands. Rouse had a slight concussion and tissue damage around his hip, whilst Harrison…

What a great weekend that was at Silverstone. The sun was shining, there was a great crowd and I was there celebrating my 50th birthday and still racing. On paper the results (21st and 24th) look sh**, but I’m not hanging about. It’s a savage class and there are riders out there who will ride through you for 20th place. They’re all dreaming of being world champions. I got hit from behind really hard in race one down the back straight. I don’t think I’ve ever had to grab a bike so hard, but I was determined not to go down and I managed to stay on but it needed some man-handling! I looked behind and the bloke that hit me was skidding down the track! Am I as fast…

SAVE £1450 £11,849 Honda CB1000R The Black Edition came with tweaked fuel injection, sharper styling, cunning tech and new multi-spoke wheels in 2021. As well as the £500 test ride bonus and three-years warranty and service plan and tracker that you get through all participating dealers, John Banks in Bury St Edmunds are offering another £950 off sales incentive. • www.johnbanks.co.uk SAVE £1103 £4299 Yamaha MT-03 There’s a massive 20% saving to be had on a race blue or black free-revving 2019 MT-03 in this Kent dealer’s showroom. • www.alfordbros.co.uk • Engine 321cc • Power 41bhp • Weight 168kg • Seat height 780mm SAVE £800 £15,999 Kawasaki Versys 1000SE GT Smooth, with 17in wheels for tarmac handling, this 2021-model comes kitted out with luggage. • www.5-ways.co.uk • Engine 1043cc •…

Leeds District Off-Road Bike Team have been working with Bradford Steerside Officers, Bradford East NPT and Leeds West Outer NPT to tackle illegal off-roading in West Yorkshire. The action is a response to ongoing illegal use of motorbikes and quads in Calverley Wood, 10 miles outside Leeds. A statement from the force reads: “It’s quite simple, stick to private land with the owner’s permission. Riding through woods on public paths into fields isn’t acceptable.”…

Yamaha are going to be back racing in the desert, albeit with a different focus, just months after they announced the closure of their factory rally team. At the time Yamaha said that they wanted to focus more on their production models (unlike KTM, Yamaha do not sell their rally bikes) and that’s exactly what they’re doing as Yamaha intend to race two of their new Ténéré World Raid models at the Africa Eco Race (AER). If you’re not familiar with the AER, it’s a natural successor to the original Paris-Dakar rally, taking on the traditional route after the Dakar moved to South America. Running from October 15-30, the 12-stage race will see riders traverse North Africa’s toughest environments, finishing at the traditional Lac Rose in Senegal. ‘The successor to…

Yamaha have revealed a new XSR125 Legacy edition for 2022, which builds on the firm’s pre-existing learner legal retro roadster with fresh colours, spoked wheels and chunkier Metzeler Karoo tyres. Available from June, the Legacy shares the same underpinnings as the base XSR, meaning you get a 14.8bhp 125cc single with Variable Valve Actuation in a Deltabox chassis, roomy big-bike feel, and 1970s looks. The most obvious change to the Legacy is the paint job, which features licks of gold with silver pin stripes across gloss black to create a design similar to the glorious JPS F1 cars. And then there’s the golden 17in spoked rims, which replace the blacked-out cast designs on the standard machine and are said to be inspired by Yamaha race bikes of the 1960s and…

May 14th-15th 2022 EAST OF ENGLAND ARENA With a full weekend of test rides, racing, bands, bargains and stunt shows, the Devitt MCN Festival is the perfect way to kick off your biking season. And this year we’ve something extra special to add to the proceedings, a full road and race bike auction courtesy of Silverstone Auctions. With everything up for grabs from no-reserve projects to the rarest, pristine machines, the auction is a smorgasbord of motorcycling with every pocket catered for. The Auction takes place on Saturday, May 14 from midday and you can bid in person or online at www.silverstoneauctions.com If you’d like to sell a bike or automobilia, Silverstone Auctions are still taking entries, contact Mark Bryan 07958 107974 or Dan Lovis 07472 704813. Here’s our pick…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews Put Whit on the mic What a waste having Whitham stuck in the World Superbike paddock while Toseland babbles away in the commentary booth! Time for a switch-around. John Roiche, email Buy from proper dealers With regard to fake bike kit, which you made into a huge subject in last week’s issue. There isn’t really a major problem is there? Simply buy from reputable retailers, whether in store or online, problem solved. I am a jeweller and watch retailer and our industry has been awash with fakes for years. You need never get caught out though, as legitimate retailers don’t sell them! If an ‘AGV Carbon’ model is advertised as 90% off there’s a very good reason – it’s too good to be true! John Gowing,…

1 Squires autojumble April 23 Sellers and collectors are sure to be out in force at the East Yorks venue so you might be able to pick up the perfect bargain. At a fiver for a pitch, it might be the best time to get rid of the bits clogging the garage. www.squires-cafe.co.uk 2 Enfield Club day April 24 The Royal Enfield Owner’s Club are heading to the Sammy Miller Museum in New Milton, Hants. The venue opens at 10am, and although the event finishes at 2pm, you can look at the bikes inside until 4.30pm. sammymiller.co.uk 3 International Classic Motorcycle Show April 23-24 Held at Staffordshire Country Showground, you’ll get trade stands, an autojumble, bike clubs, Bonhams auction, GP paddock and even a dirt bike experience all under one…

What’s happening? With it being one of the biggest rideouts in the Midlands, you know you’re going to be in for a good day at the Bike4Life Festival. The aim is to increase biker awareness and safety and the entire ticket price goes straight to the Midlands Air Ambulance too, so you can have fun and donate to a good cause. With the likes of Dougie Lampkin, Ollie Ollerton, Carl Fogarty and Steve Parrish in attendance (as well as live bands, food and entertainment) you know you’ll be with a good crowd. Plus, if you buy tickets in advance you could be in with a chance of leading the rideout with the celebs. The essentials The Bike4Life rideout and festival takes place on April 24. Admission is from £10 as…

MCN 250 MILE ROAD TEST • THE HOTTEST BIKES • EVERY WEEK The ER-6 parallel twin is one of the great engines of the 21st century, powering everything from roadsters and adventure bikes to mini-twin TT winners and even, in the frames of Paton, Italian exotica. But now, in Kawasaki and CFMoto form, it’s powering retro-style roadsters. The Z650RS is based on the refined Z650 most recently updated in 2020. Following its successful bigger brother, the Z900RS, it has a 1970s-influenced retro restyle inspired by the 1976 Z650/4 (the 900 took its cues from the 1973 Z1 900) and which, like the 900, is more comprehensive and credible than most, including twin clocks, bespoke wheels and lookalike colours and badging. In short, it’s a proven base bike wearing authentic retro…

These may be two Kawasaki ER6 derivative-powered retro bikes but that’s where the similarities end. The Sport is CFMoto’s best-equipped offering yet but it’s littered with so many niggles – bars that trap your thumbs, early fuel warner, iffy fuelling, our brakes and previous electric concerns, limited dealers, unproven reliability etc – that, despite being fun and £750 cheaper, it’s still too much of a reach. The Z650’s base mechanicals were already proven. The RS’s retro clothing, although not quite as comprehensive as its 900 big brother (no cylinder finning, conventional can etc), adds a classy veneer few rivals come close to and the overall result is a brilliant, stylish all-rounder for under £8K that’ll appeal to newbies and crusty old timers Sunday ride alike. Can’t help but wonder what…

Build quality is excellent and its motor is silent while delivering enough accessible torque to stay ahead at the lights. The ride is controlled and noticeably supple for this type of bike, while the handling is easy and responsive, just like the brakes. The connectivity and ease of use of the MyRide app are a nice bonus, while there is just about enough room under the seat for an open face lid (depending on if you’ve opted for one or two batteries) and the batteries are easy to access and simple to remove. The only question mark concerns battery range. Twenty three miles seems low and adding a second cell (for £980) adds just 21 miles while also reducing the under-seat storage. THE FACTS £3005 Yamaha NEO’s…

★★★★★ H2Out Traveler 2 Ladies Pants £229.99 ‘Warm and waterproof’ Tested by Saffron Wilson for 2177 miles / 6 months These trousers got me through winter – no doubt about it. They’ve taken me through rain, sleet and even 11 snowstorms (yes, I counted) and I haven’t had any kind of leak or any damp spots. Plus, the removable thermal liner has kept me toastier than expected even in the sub-zero conditions. I did get a size up so I could fit thermals and jeans underneath them as I knew I would be riding in the cold season, but they were still comfortable and the fit is great. The only small aggravation I found were sore knees from the kneepads on super-long journeys (I’m talking four hours plus) but that…

MECHANIC Nick Nomikos of the Two Wheel Centre This 16-year-old was just starting out on his biking life with his 2018 Aprilia SX50, but disaster struck when his chain jumped off the rear sprocket and wrapped itself around the front sprocket. Normally, a chain would have to snap to perform a ‘wraparound’, but this one was still in one piece and when Nick Nomikos, owner of the Two Wheel Centre in Harpenden quizzed him on his maintenance skills, the blank look told him all he needed to know. Nick said: “I blame Compulsory Basic Training, they tell them the basics, but don’t emphasis how something like chain adjustment can cause massive problems.” This chain was so loose it was almost hanging down to the ground and a vicious gearchange was…

Legendary speedway commentator Nigel Pearson has died at the age of 52 after being taken ill last week. Pearson was a longtime speedway fan, the press officer for British Speedway with an unquestionable love, passion and knowledge of the sport. Loved by fans, Pearson was also a distinguished Darts commentator having worked for Sky Sports for many years. He was also an integral part of talkSPORT radio station. MCN offer their sincere condolences to his friends and family.…

JOSH CLOSE TEAM INSIGHT Our man with a finger on the pulse of British Superbikes 1 They’re naturally gifted racers Both are race winners in British Supersport and Superbike, and podium finishers in Red Bull Rookies (a winner in Ray’s case) and the CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship. Even the best riders need to have the right bike beneath them, so the Yamaha may just be the final part of the puzzle. Ray: “The people around me and the team never doubted my ability, if they did, they wouldn’t have me on the bike. It’s easy to start doubting yourself, but you have to keep the belief and keep working. With the bike we have now and the package, and the team, everything is working really well.” Ryde: “Everyone has rubbish,…