Table of contents for 27 July 2022 in MCN

Riders came out in force on Sunday to help break the world record for the largest all-woman bike meet. During a five-hour window, 1549 individual female bikers rode into the carpark at the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience in Hinckley, Leicestershire, to be part of the world record, a figure that smashes the previous record by 417 women. Just before the stroke of the 3pm cut-off time, event organiser Sherrie Woolf of the Moto Adviser Facebook group rode a Triumph Tiger Sport 660 under the inflatable archway into the venue to become the 1549th and final rider of the day. “It’s been so emotional,” said Sherrie as she took her place in the line-up. “Just seeing the number of women riders lining up to come in, it’s been a really lovely…

The British motorcycle industry is enjoying a period of exciting growth, with Triumph ramping up their UK manufacturing, and iconic names such as BSA and Norton rising from the ashes, with new models, fresh backers and cutting-edge production facilities. But it’s not just the famous names of old making waves, with multiple smaller teams now taking the plunge. This includes Mac Motorcycles, who are aiming to bring a production-ready version of their British-built ‘Ruby’ café racer to this year’s Motorcycle Live, at the Birmingham NEC from November 19-27. “We are diehards about motorcycles,” co-founder Ellis Pitt told MCN. The 55-year-old began working on the brand in 2009 and was later joined by former Jaguar Land Rover powertrain engineer Ian Oliver in 2017 to create a running one-off prototype machine. “The…

Triumph’s legendary Daytona name, which dates back to 1966, is making history again by being the subject of the first dedicated motorcycle exhibition at the British Motor Museum. Featuring only cars until now, the Warwick museum has collaborated with Triumph to create its first bike exhibition – ‘The Legendary Daytona Motorcycle’ – which opens at the end of July for six months. “This exhibition, showcasing two wheels rather than four, is a first for the museum,” said the museum’s managing director, Jeff Coope. “Triumph is an iconic British brand, and this is a great opportunity to share the story of Triumph’s continued evolution and the important role that British motor manufacturing still plays today.” Visitors will see the story of how the Daytona was created, and how it continues to…

Reader Mike Bell The trip Northern Italy and Slovenia How long do you need? I pre-booked a hotel just outside Cortina d’ Ampezzo for six nights and an apartment just across the border at Slovenia’s Lake Bohinj for a further nine. How many miles? 2346 Don’t miss… On the way through Slovenia you pass through Lake Bled before another long downhill ride to lake Bohinj. Traffic is very light most of the way (apart from around lake Bled, where it gets very busy) and even on the weekends the roads around Bohinj are pretty much empty and a joy to ride. The lake itself is perfectly clear and clean for swimming and boating and there are plenty of scenic walks for when you’re not on the bike. Best bits? Empty…

FRIDAY July 29 9.20am, EUR2, Live WSB from Czech Republic: Practice 1. Practice 2 1.50pm. Highlights 7pm, 9.05pm 8pm, ITV4, King of the Roads: Southern 100 Part 1 SATURDAY July 30 8.30am, EUR2, Live World Superbikes from Czech Republic: Day 1. Also at 11.15am and 9pm 5.30pm, EUR2, Live Speedway of Nations Final from Esbjerg, Denmark 8pm, EUR2, Bennetts British Superbikes: Danny Buchan Feature SUNDAY July 31 9.30am, EUR2, Live World Superbikes from Czech Republic: Day 2. Also at 11.15am, 7pm and 10pm TUESDAY August 2 8pm, ITV4, World Superbike Highlights from Czech Republic KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT – DISCOVERY REAL TIME DSC – DISCOVERY CHANNEL DHD – DISCOVERY CHANNEL HD EXS – EXTREME SPORTS CHANNEL EUR1 (2, HD) – EUROSPORT 1 (2, HD) MOT – MOTORSPORT.TV CH4 – CHANNEL 4…

There’s much flapping about the need for retro bikes to be authentic. Kawasaki’s marketing bumf shows the Z900RS SE parked alongside the Z1 from the early 1970s, for example, and obviously Triumph like to make us think their expansive Bonneville range somehow has ties back to black-and-white times. And the bikes are smothered with details that echo the models they’re styled and named after. Truth is all three of these bikes have bugger-all in common with their ancestors beyond their aesthetics and number of cylinders. The XSR900 and Z900RS are contemporary semisupernakeds (the MT-09 and Z900), restyled using design features and details from bygone eras – or, in the Kawasaki’s case, dressed up as a replica. Triumph do things a little differently as the Speed Twin uses a platform designed…

Rides daily, all year, in all weathers. Much prefers performance to plodders. BMW’s K1600GT weighs a claimed 343kg. I weigh a claimed 75kg – but the truth is that I weigh 110kg – so by the time I’ve got a lock, my laptop and other daily detritus in the panniers, it’s a rolling 450kg. That’s a lot of mass to be squashing itself into the tarmac through a contact patch that’s smaller than your brain really wants to accept. And the other forces at play are massive on the K16. There’s nothing shy about 159bhp, and the 133lb. ft torque is even more tyre-smearing. Then take into account that the BMW branded braking hardware (with a cameo from Brembo for the rear caliper) is seriously impressive –and you’ve got a…

Remember when the first crossplane R1 broke the £10k mark and everyone complained how expensive it was? Nowadays you are looking at double – or triple – that for a range-topping model such as an R1M, Blade SP or M1000RR. Even base models are over £15k. But don’t despair, armed with a budget of half that you can still snap up some amazing used litre sportsbikes. Here’s our pick… YOUR EXPERT Jon Urry is MCN’s used bike guru. He has tested every one of these bikes both on the track and road and even snapped an RSV4 conrod in the process… £6500-£8500 BMW S1000RR The first digital superbike can be yours for under £7000 An absolutely remarkable machine in every sense, BMW’s first litre sportsbike arrived and set the benchmark…

How does the old song go? ‘Summertime and the living is easy…’ Well, yes it is, but just because your bike’s not wading through road salt and grime doesn’t mean that you should be half-arsed when it comes to washing it. I witnessed it myself the other week when my missus gave her bike a quick freshen up and de-bugging. But because she wasn’t in ‘full-on wash mode’, what did she forget to do? Yep, lube the chain. The result was a sparkly clean Suzuki but with a chain that started to go a bit tarnished. When you clean your bike you should always lube your chain. Even if you haven’t directly sprayed cleaner onto the chain, the water draining away from the rest of the bike will contain traces…

Tommy Bridewell gave his hopes of reaching the Showdown a boost with a pair of podiums at Brands Hatch as Moto Rapido took the reins as Ducati’s best hope for glory from a faltering PBM. With the top six in the standings coming into the weekend commanding a comfortable points advantage over the opposition, Bridewell in seventh started as the man with a target on his back. However, two thirds and a fifth place have given him some breathing space over the pack, while Bridewell is confident incoming updates will see his Panigale V4 R back on a par with the Yamahas. “The plan for me is to consolidate points for the Showdown. I hope we will have new parts arriving for Snetterton, which I think will make the step…

Taz Mackenzie made the headlines but it’s teammate Jason O’Halloran who leads BSB into Thruxton next month. The Australian, who narrowly missed out on the title in 2020 and 2021, is ten points ahead of Bradley Ray. Critically, he is also ahead on Podium Points – and that’s what matters once the Showdown begins after the next three rounds at Thruxton, Cadwell Park and Snetterton. “We ran a different bike in all three races to learn as much as we could about different setups,” O’Halloran said, meaning he and crew chief Les Pearson were constantly making changes both to suit the hot conditions and to get more data ready for when they return to Brands GP for the series finale later in the year. “In my last nine races, I’ve…

One of my earliest memories – and probably one of the reasons I ended up becoming a biker – was clapping eyes on a Honda CBX1000 as a toddler. I’ll never forget being eye level with that whopping bank of cylinders, all that chrome, the smell… From that day, the mighty Honda has always been one of my hero bikes, so you could imagine my delight when I was finally offered a go on an early twinshock model. Chucking a leg over, I soon became intoxicated by that incredibly smooth motor. Eyes fixated on the barely moving tacho needle, I flicked my gaze back to the road in time to see the car ahead had slammed on… Only I wasn’t stopping as quickly as I’d hoped. Late 1970s braking tech…

More than £10,000 has been raised by a 12-day biking relay covering the length and breadth of Britain — with a cuddly toy bear doubling as the baton passed between riders. The 2022 National Relay took place between June 20 and July 2 and was the first event of its kind for three years, due to Covid-19. It was organised by Tom Hurford, Jason Percival and Christina Jackson of Relay Riders and was done in aid of Mental Health Research UK. The round-the-clock, two-week adventure saw more than 150 people each take a leg of a 6250-mile route passing the bear on to the next rider. It was started by Rob Wilkes at Halesowen dealership Streetbike in the West Midlands, before meandering as far as Plymouth, Folkestone and up to…

Wigan’s Langen Motorcycles have added a flat bar kit to the options catalogue for their limited-run two-stroke café racer. Called ‘Street Bars’, the system uses a new top yoke and bar riser with internal vibration damping for a smoother ride. “It takes the bike from a café racer riding position to something more comfortable and similar to the old Yamaha RD350s,” company founder and former CCM designer Chris Ratcliffe said. “A few of our customers wanted something a bit more comfortable, even though it’s a roomy bike, with adjustable ergonomics.” But bar risers aren’t the only thing in the works, with the firm also confirming a carbon-fibre half fairing was also in development for later this year. A modern day 250 race rep stroker? Yes please.…

An epic 3500-mile solo ride around Britain is to be undertaken on a Suzuki VanVan 125, in memory of an East Sussex man’s dad and to raise money for St Wilfrid’s Hospice in Eastbourne, where he spent his final days. Jon Coupe, 38, lost his bike-loving dad, Stephen, to cancer in June 2020 before they’d had the chance to do the motorcycle adventures Jon had long dreamed of. “We never got to have our motorbike adventures together. Which made me sad for a long time. I couldn’t even look at a bike,” Jon says. “Now I want to have my motorcycle adventure with my dad, albeit him coming along with me in spirit, to raise some money.” Although a biker in his youth, as an adult Stephen’s family came first,…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com HONDA VF1000R My first litre bike, the VF1000R from 1987. The picture was taken with my Gran, who recently passed aged 95. Les Neil SUZUKI GT250 My beloved Suzuki purchased from Castle Donington Motorcycles in 1977. Great times! Steve Salt YAMAHA RD50MX This is me on my new Yamaha RD50MX aged 16 in 1985, registration was B110 FEW. Tim Lucas YAMAHA RD80LC My RD80LC which was bought new for £495 from Coburn & Hughes in Luton in 1984. I couldn’t afford the 125! Martin Cawley MZ/SIMSON 50 Loved my first bike. Brand new on the road with a year’s free tax for £324. How is that for value? Duncan Smith TRIUMPH TIGER CUB TR20 My grandad Tom Relph on Christmas day with my…

Yamaha’s dash makes no concession to olde worlde charm, instead opting for a full digital display which, in terms of functionality, is the worst here XSR eschews the application of ubiquitous Brembos with a twin-pot Advics front brake set-up Hidden rear light lurks beneath the hump of the XSR’s stepped – and amply cushioned – seat ★★★★★ £10,200 Yamaha XSR900 FUNCTIONALITY AND FEATURES Arguably the most attractive readout on test, the Z900RS takes an unfussy approach to providing the rider with all they need to know Four-piston radial Brembos allow fine metering of braking input on corner approach Would it even be considered a retro without the all-important cooling fins on the heads? ★★★★★ £12,935 Kawasaki Z900RS SE (BASED ON Z900RS ANNIVERSARY, £11,985 OTR) None of your TFT nonsense here……

“I was lucky to be a part of the team, one of the 13, and I have to say that it was probably one of the happiest times of my whole life where I could contribute to bringing the Harley-Davidson company back to being truly Harley-Davidson,” Willie G. recalls of the 1981 buy back from industrial giant AMF. “It was a strange time because we were warned, the 13 of us, about the high risk we were about to get involved in. The country was not in real good economic shape at the time. There were too many motorcycles on the market that were being sold at very low prices and we were fighting to get our quality back. At the time I was like ‘God I’m happy we’re buying…

It doesn’t matter whether you own a top-spec BMW R1250GS or entry-level Kymco 125, if you’re on fresh L-plates or have been riding since the wheel was invented, every biker in Britain – nay, the world – has owned or used something from Oxford Products. The home-grown manufacturer of clothing and accessories is as intrinsic to motorcycling as having an A-category somewhere on your licence, with product names that are embedded in the biking vernacular, Hotgrips, Super Muffs, Lifetime Luggage… Now into its 50th year, the Oxfordshire-based brand packs an impressive punch, boasting a range of 8716 motorcycling products, each one designed, developed and tested in-house at the firm’s R&D centre, part of their 200,000sqft empire near Witney. And it all started in 1973 with the humble top box… “Motorcycling…

1 What is the condition? Also known as ‘pump arm’, it is medically known as Chronic Exercise Induced Compartment Syndrome. The area affected is the forearm, which has muscles on the front and back surrounding two bones, the radius and ulna. The muscles are held inside a fibrous bag called the fascia. Leading hand and wrist surgeon Mike Hayton explains: “Imagine you’re using your hand in demanding activities like gripping under a lot of tension while racing. The pressure inside the forearm muscles increases, and there is nowhere for the pressure to go because the rigid, fibrous fascial bag is not elastic and cannot expand with the pressure build up. With increasing pressure, the muscles start to become tense, compromising their blood supply, causing a cramping pain, rigidity and hardness…

Glenn Irwin believes his against-the-odds return to the podium during the final race at Brands Hatch can re-energise his BSB championship hopes ahead of the Showdown… and says it was all down to teammate Tom Neave. Having burst out of the blocks with a dominant triple victory at the Silverstone curtain raiser back in April, Irwin’s momentum was checked by a series of modest results that added just 31 points over the following nine races. A turnaround in fortunes didn’t appear to be on the cards at Brands Hatch either after a low-side while attempting to hang it out wide at Druids on the opening lap of the first race forced the Honda man into retirement. However, after his fight back from 17th to tenth in race two earned him…

Perfect. That’s not a word which can often to applied to a motorcycle racing performance – there’s usually something to be improved. But with three pole positions, race victories, one-two finishes and fastest laps at Brands Hatch last weekend, the splendid performance from the McAMS Yamaha squad is as close to perfection any team will ever come during a single event. Not only did Jason O’Halloran blast in front of OMG Racing’s Bradley Ray to seize the BSB series lead with a Saturday win and two Sunday seconds, but teammate and reigning champ Tarran Mackenzie laid to rest his pre-season demons by following on from Race 1’s second place with a pair of emphatic Sunday victories. Almost unbelievably, his Race 2 success marked the first BSB win for the prestigious…

Coventry-based electric brand Arc have confirmed that customer-ready bikes are just 10 weeks away, having now completed their on-track handling tests with former MotoGP star and BSB race winner, James Ellison. “James has worked with us to define the production settings that will go to customers in 10 weeks,” said company CEO Mark Truman. “Arc are going to launch a very exciting programme for 10 special customers, people who want to be part of the future of motorcycle technology.” Exactly what that will look like remains to be seen at this time, however the company’s website states they are due to launch something called the ‘AE Program’ this Friday (July 29). Made in Britain, the Vector is an ultra-premium performance plug-in, with a claimed 436km (270-mile) range and charge time…

‘We will put our case directly to the Government’STEVE SARGENT, TRIUMPH Multiple major motorcycle manufacturers have spoken to MCN about the UK Government’s plans to remove the sale of all nonzero-emission motorcycles by 2035, with some criticising the proposals and others relishing the challenge. The Department for Transport (DfT) announced the plans to mark the end of the first year of their Transport Decarbonisation Plan, which aims to achieve a net zero carbon footprint on the UK’s transport infrastructure by 2050. “We support the statement made by the MCIA [Motorcycle Industry Association] on July 14 expressing disappointment at the announced 2035 date for all L-Category vehicles [mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers, and quads],” Triumph’s Chief Product Officer, Steve Sargent said. “We agree there needs to be a better understanding that large capacity…

An early Suzuki Katana, recommissioned during the Covid-19 lockdowns, raised thousands for the MS Society UK charity during an auction at the National Motorcycle Museum on July 20. The 1982 GSX1100 went for £12,650 and was built by former owner John Martin, who decided to restore a bike to raise funds following his wife’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Having founded the Air Cooled Suzuki (ACS) group online, Martin was able to gather parts from around the UK to finish the stunning build – which has now been ridden by TV presenter Henry Cole for ITV4’s The Motorbike Show. Sadly, John passed away in November 2021. Writing about the bike, he had previously said: “My wife Florence is suffering with Primary Progressive MS. There is no cure or medication for it at…

The Kickback custom and retro motorcycle show is this year taking place in its wackiest venue yet – Gloucester Prison! The annual, independent event is dedicated to DIY shed-built bikes rather than expensive concours machines, and stands out for the variety of venues it uses – with last year’s Kickback being hosted by Cheltenham Town Hall. The former HMP Gloucester, a Victorian red-brick penitentiary, which closed as a working prison in 2013, is now a visitor attraction offering guided tours. But, despite the unusual environment, organisers are promising ‘a wonderful display of café racers, choppers, street scramblers, resto-mod classics, and custom-built gems’ along with trade stalls, food, and a licensed bar. All the bikes will be displayed in the surviving cells and canteens and there’s free parking inside the grounds…

MotoArt Motoflator tyre inflator £69.95 This 12-volt inflator with an inbuilt pressure gauge measures just 96 x 105 x 36mm and weighs only 300g. Inflating a 150/70 x 17 tyre from flat to 2.5 bar/36 psi takes approximately five minutes, and the easy-to-read inbuilt analogue pressure gauge means you don’t have to disconnect the pump to check the pressure. motoartuk.com Touratech Defensa Handguards from £136.99 Touratech uses high-strength, forged aluminium for these super-tough handguards. The enclosed design consists of two bolted main components as well as an attachment set. They fit a wide range of machines. www.touratech.com Wunderlich Sun Shade for BMW dash £32 BMW’s latest 10.25-inch TFT screens are impressive in both functionality and size, yet the large dimensions leave them prone to reflections and glare. Wunderlich’s plastic shade…

After endless social media teasing, BMW have pulled the covers off their sportiest A2 category bike so far: a fully faired G310RR single based on the existing G310R naked and G310GS adventure bike. Although we get the R and GS here in Europe, the RR isn’t currently planned for our market, with a BMW UK spokesperson telling MCN: “India and China have a strong, growing and significantly younger group of motorcycle enthusiasts who want to enter the sports segment, and the BMW Motorrad brand, with an attractively priced offer.” That said, having been produced in conjunction with BMW’s Indian partner TVS, it does meet the country’s BS6 (and Europe’s Euro5) emissions limits – meaning a global launch wouldn’t be an impossibility. Although based on the existing R and GS, there…

I have just read your comparison on middleweight adventure bikes and I just don’t get it. The Ducati at over 900cc and £14,095 before you start adding crash bars, etc, wins the test. The best part of £15.5K to have a do-it-all bike. Why? For just over £5K you could have a real off-road capable bike like the CRF300L that many in the TRF will already be saying is too heavy at 140kg (the Ducati is 223k!) with more than enough money left over to get yourself a reasonable street bike like an R7. That way, you have the best of both worlds instead of the compromise. Brian Russell, Ninja SX / CRF300L Write something that spikes our interest, and you could get selected for the Star Letter slot. Each…

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 If you’re looking for a stop to refuel yourself at while being surrounded by a sea of biking heritage, then Ryka’s ticks all the boxes. In the 1960s, bikers and enthusiasts used to line the grass banks around ‘Micky Bends’ (on the A24) and watch the bikes as they raced to Ryka’s, and although the arrival of average speed cameras means this tradition has been consigned to the history books, Ryka’s still draws enthusiasts from all corners. Mike Sheppard has been part of the Ryka’s story for 25 years and its owner for seven, and he loves the wealth of history in the place. “Ryka’s goes back…

1 Chopper Show at Iron Horse July 31 Starts at 11am with live bands and food during the day. Prizes for best custom, chop, streetfighter, paint and landlady’s choice. ironhorseranchhouse.co.uk 2 Fenlanders HOG rally July 28-31 The Starwing Brewery in Suffolk hosts this 20th anniversary rally. With live music, real ale and loads more, your weekend will be jampacked with bikes. fenlandershog.co.uk 3 Summer Classic Bike Show and Jumble July 31 Walk around classic metal and perhaps find the bargain of a lifetime at the South of England Showground, Ardingly. elk-promotions.co.uk 4 Classic Sports Car and Bike Show July 31 Absolutely free, just meet at The Hangar at RAF Bentwaters, Rendlesham at 9am to join a convoy to Bridge Classic Cars Workshops in Pettistree.…

As sure as with electric vehicles and English World Cup disappointment, Chinese motorcycles remain the ‘coming thing’. And, backed by the popular success of lightweight brands such as Lexmoto and Sinnis and Chinese/European retro mash-ups like Bullit (now Bluroc) and Herald, the question’s now not so much a case of ‘if’ Chinese bikes are good enough – but ‘when’. Or, more specifically, when is a Chinese brand going to build not just a budget basic lightweight, but a truly credible mid or full-sized machine? With the new CF Moto 800MT that day has finally arrived. Unlike most Chinese marques, CF Moto specialise in increasingly large bikes – until this year 300-650cc – with decent spec and distinctive Kiska styling (the Austrian design house which also pens KTMs). For 2022 they’ve…

1976 First foray into racing Oxford begin a love affair with racing, supplying fairings for riders on Peckett and McNab Kawasakis. In 1976, this evolved into Oxford running its own roads team – Team Oxford – in the F1 series and at the TT. 1983 The birth of Hotgrips Although conceived in the late 1970s, Hotgrips were launched as a product in the early 80s, as MD Andrew Hammond explains: “They were relatively industrial in design back then, made locally and did exactly what they needed to do…” 1985 International sourcing & first security products After Alec Hammond met a Taiwanese manufacturer at a trade show, Oxford was one of the first firms to start sourcing from the Far Eastern country, allowing them to massively diversify their product range. 1991…

Love to build bikes as much as I love to ride them, old or new. The whole reason for making a plan is so you have something to cock up; no plan, no cock-up. My plan was to ride my 1949 Ariel 350 Red Hunter to an annual event I have been going to for the last 25 years, along with my dad on his Triumph TRW. We were about a week away from setting off to Hesket Newmarket in the Lake District for a weekend of riding around with the Vintage Motor Cycle Club Lakeland Section. The weather forecast looked good, what could possibly go wrong? That’s when my dad phoned me. Strange, I normally call him… “You will never guess what has happened,” he said. He was right,…

More than ever, sports-touring tyres have become all the rubber you’ll ever need for your road bike – from small nakeds to tall-roaders, adventure bikes, big tourers, sportsbikes and everything else in between. Unsurprisingly, it’s the most hotly contested tyre category. As a result, the major brands fall over themselves to produce rubber that’s not only durable and grippy in the wet, but also enhances the sporty character of your bike. Dunlop’s RoadSmarts are right up there in the top tier of the breed and now there’s a new version: the RoadSmart IV. Available in a staggering 24 sizes (the biggest fitment range of all the manufacturers) it replaces the RoadSmart III – in itself a fine tyre, not only on the road, but on the track, too. They used…

GREG HAINES INSIGHT Bringing you the inside line from the WSB paddock World Superbikes has a history of delivering the unexpected, just look at the UK round at Donington ten days ago. Or, look back at the series’ inaugural visit to Most in the Czech Republic. It was August 2021. Then reigning champion Jonathan Rea crashed twice in one race, champ-to-be Toprak Razgatlioglu triumphed in two and Scott Redding converted his early-weekend fury into end-of-weekend romance… Love & marriage In 2021, Redding waited for over a month to win and get on one knee during the podium ceremony to propose to Jacey Hayden. This was the reason for a furious reaction when overtaken for the race one lead by Razgatlioglu with two corners to go. His victory in the final…

The passion at Ducati for MotoGP is unquestioned. But patience must be in short supply as the famed red team bid to end a long and embarrassing losing streak. Now in their 20th season of premier class racing, Ducati are still in search of a second world championship crown. It is now 15 years since Ducati’s first and still only MotoGP title was delivered by Aussie star Casey Stoner in 2007. Remarkably that title came just five seasons after Ducati entered MotoGP in 2003 following decades of winning in World Superbikes. It’s been a title drought ever since. Stoner’s victory on the fast, finicky and high revving 800cc GP7 was seen as the platform for Ducati domination in MotoGP. But despite Ducati’s extravagant pay packets for superstar riders and a…