yjtd jy5d u65d

B r i t a i n ’ s

b e s t - s e l l i n g

b i k e

m a g a z i n e

23 pages of

JULY 2021 0$< ǫ 22 JUNE £4.60

£ ² UK great escapes ³

REVEALED:

Trials skills for road riders Gold Wing buying advice Buy a used GP bike Back protectors

2021'S BEST NAKEDS TESTED

Roads, races & places for a great riding summer NEW TRIUMPH

The gentleman thug

Yamaha MT-09 SP Kawasaki Z H2 SE Ducati Monster Moto Guzzi V7 DAWDLING

Enfields tour the Peak District (slowly)

Beefy 1200 RS Speed Triple on the road

NEW HAYABUSA TRUTHS

182bhp, 182mph, 0-60 in 2.6 secs The fastest accelerator we've ever tested!

Excessive, irrelevant, overpriced…and utterly brilliant

Chaz Davies ‘He ripped up our contract and told me to leave’ by Mat Oxley

Get it regularly

Having trouble finding Bike?

Now, more than ever, make it easy to get your monthly fix of Bike magazine, delivered to your door, or onto your digital device…

CALL 01858 438884 ONLINE greatmagazines.co.uk/bike Lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat) 2

Hello

D

Print edition to your door

estination daydreaming is getting out of hand. Seriously, it’s a wonder this issue ever made it to press as I spent most of the month fantasising about summer rides in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales when I should have been pounding on a keyboard. In my head, right now I’m on a Yamaha TRX850 on the ascent out of Weardale heading over Bollihope Common towards Middleton. It’s great.

And some rides have actually happened. I’ve been to The Peak District twice, for trials bike humiliation (p116) and a slow tour (p52), and up to into Lincolnshire too.

After our year of lockdown each excursion felt like a proper escape. Roll on the rest of summer.

Next on the agenda Wales (later this month, and again next, maybe twice), Cornwall (late July) and the Peak District again (also later this month). This is going to be the year of British roads and of understanding the geography that’s on our doorstep rather than rushing off to Europe to get my big riding fix.

A few days after our sedate, Royal Enfield powered tour of the Peaks (pictured left, descending the Cat & Fiddle), Mike Armitage and I were mesmerised by another speedo. This one went upto 195mph and was attached to the new Suzuki Hayabusa that we were speed testing; 0-60 in 2.6 seconds, the fastest we’ve ever achieved (more extraordinary numbers on page 24). The diversity of bikes on the market, and in the magazine is astonishing – just look at the list below.

My online used bike searches for this week? Aprilia Tuono, BMW K1200S and that Yamaha TRX850. But, on the advice of others (see p46), I’m also looking at the B3212, the A470 and several unclassified roads too.

Enjoy the issue, and your UK rides.

We sell single editions by post at the cover price or you can take out a subscription and save money.

Subscribe to the print edition of Bike and get FREE UK delivery as well as great discounts. Visit greatmagazines.co.uk for guaranteed best prices.

Digital edition on Bikes Unlimited We also have some superb offers available on Bikes Unlimited, our digital app that allows you to read Bike magazine as well as MCN, Ride, Practical Sportsbikes, Classic Bike and Built.

Still available in the shops Bike is still available in the shops too.

Pick up your copy on the newsstand or purchase single copies online from greatmagazines.co.uk

Hugo Wilson Editor

Bikes in this issue Aprilia RSV4 Factory 70 / BMW R18 First Edition 88 / CF Moto 800MT 10 Ducati Monster 86 / Ducati Panigale S 70 Honda Gold Wing 102 / Kawasaki ZH2 SE 68 Moto Guzzi V7 Special 78 / Royal Enfield Himalayan & Bullet 52 / Suzuki Hayabusa 24 Triumph Supersport racer 06 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS 38 Yamaha FZ400L 122 / Yamaha MT-09 SP 98

Issue 580 July 2021 Contact us: bike@bikemagazine.co.uk or 01733 468099 PIC: MIKE ARMITAGE

Carbon fibre Ducati Corse keyring adds fractions of an mph to the Bullet’s top speed

facebook.com/bikemagazineUK twitter.com/BikeMagazine

3

Subscribe to for just £4 a month CALL 01858 438884 ONLINE greatmagazines.co.uk/bike Lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat) Quote ref: DHAA

80

Mat Oxley speaks to Chaz Davies

4

38

New boss, same as the old boss?

Contents Front end 06 THE FIVE BIKES THAT MATTER THIS MONTH A Triumph Supersport racer, new Suzuki GSX-S1000 and three more.

17

BRAKING NEWS The go-faster ‘tasche is back, plus this month’s deals and more.

24 WHAT’LL IT DO MISTER… Suzuki’s amazing Hayabusa tested on test strip and dynamometer.

26 TECH How longer stroke delivers more torque, its not the way you think.

‘It was great to be there after years of war’

31 LETTERS A T-shirt from Alaska, plus getting back into bikes with an impulse.

36 SUBSCRIBE Get Bike delivered to letterbox or inbox, and save money.

Features and Tests 38 FIRST TEST: TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 1200 RS An all new Speed Triple. So does this one uphold the family name?

60

46 UK GREAT ESCAPES The Bike team on the UK roads, races and places they’ll ride in 2021.

52 LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE New and old Indian built Enfields on a slow tour of The Peak District.

60 FOLKLORE: THE 1947 TT If you think the post-Covid bounce is good, imagine if we’d been at war.

68 FIRST RIDE: KAWASAKI ZH2 SE Further refinement of Kawasaki’s supercharged nut case.

70 GROUP TEST: DUCATI PANIGALE V APRILIA RSV4 Latest versions of the Italian V4 sports bikes go head to head.

78 FIRST RIDE: MOTO GUZZI V7 SPECIAL We asked for more power and Guzzi delivered, is that enough?

80 THE OXLEY INTERVIEW: CHAZ DAVIES 20 seasons at the highest levels of motorcycle racing.

86 FIRST RIDE: DUCATI MONSTER No trellis frame and an engine covered in plastic, but it’s great to ride.

88 BIG TEST: BMW R18 FIRST EDITION The big retro cruiser tested over many miles. Does it stack up?

98 ÈËÔÕÖ ÔËÆÇ ÛÃÏÃÊÃ ÏÖ« % ÕÒ The old one was good, but the new one is even better.

88

Looks right, no matter who is aboard

Know How 102 BUYING: HONDA GOLD WING There is no better escape device than the big Honda.

104 TEMPTATION: PUKKA RACE BIKES Perfect for track day entertainment or interior decoration.

109 THE TESTS Every current model that we’ve ridden, rated.

118 GLORIOUS RIDE + TRY THIS A brisk ride in the East Midlands and advice on head positioning.

120 FAVOURITES + EVENTS Back protectors rated, plus places to ride in June.

122 WEIRD AND WONDERFUL The mildly bizarre Japanese Police spec Yamaha FZ400L.

5

Big name bits and bobs abound

BIKES THAT REALLY MATTER THIS MONTH

Bluetooth connectivity yet to be confirmed

SUSPENSION Fork tubes are standard, but have a Bitubo racing cartridge kit in them. The rear shock is a race spec Bitubo designed specifically for the bike.

FRAME AND SWINGARM Stock Triumph Street Triple 765, which should cause few problems – it’s a sweet-handling naked sports bike afterall.

ENGINE Identical to the Moto2 engines, but built by PTR using the same race kit. It makes a reliable 140bhp, so PTR aren’t doing any more tuning.

‘Our expectations are to win races… we will be one of the main contenders’ 6

ELECTRONICS

CNC LOVELINESS

Metronik ECU, Motec dash (used for all datalogging) and custom made wiring loom.

Footrests, gear and brake lever, bars, clutch perch and lever and front brake guard are all by Spider.

² SUPERSPORT TRIUMPH ³

The

Daytona Returns Well, sort of. This is Triumph’s official British Supersport racer. It could hit World Supersport next year

BRAKES Stock Brembo calipers with SBS pads. Discs are Galfer front and rear.

7

ÒÊÑÖÑÉÔÃÒÊÛ ÉÔÃÐÖ ÇØÃÐÕ°ÖÔË×ÏÒÊ

T

to join the series later in the year and perhaps even riumph continue their re-integration a few Aprilia RS660 twins and MV 800 triples too. into the racing world with this, ‘If the rules work, the world championships will the new factory-supported British operate these rules in 2022,’ says Simon. ‘The idea Supersport bike. And if it goes well in 2021, the is to get more manufacturers in.’ team will enter World Supersport next year, True to Supersport form, the race bike started meaning the factory could come to dominate with a standard Street Triple 765. ‘We picked up mid-capacity racing, as they already supply Moto2 the standard bikes in December,’ says Simon. with engines.

‘We built the engines to the exact same spec as The Supersport bike is, in essence, a mashMoto2, then went to Italy for Scott Smart [World up of that 765cc, 140bhp Moto2 motor with Superbike Technical Director] to do the balancing a standard Street Triple 765 chassis and against the other top machines. Spark [Italian a sprinkling of high-end components exhaust company] have developed a full system.’ chosen by Performance Technical Though the Triumph’s engine uses the same Racing (PTR), who are running the race kit as the Moto2 bikes, its electronics are Dynavolt-sponsored team for completely different. ‘We have a Metronik Triumph. The riders ECU, which is the control ECU for are Kyle Smith (29, World Supersport,’ says Simon. three-time World ‘We’re currently developing it for Supersport race the Triumph – in Moto2 they use a winner) and Magneti Marelli system.’

Brandon Paasch Simon The advantage of using Metronik (19, won the Daytona Buckmaster is that when the rules change in World 200 this year).

Supersport in 2022, the Triumph will But hang on, we hear comply with the regulations and be race ready, the race aficionados cry, isn’t having had a season of competition under its Supersport meant to be for 600cc belt. If the bike and riders perform as hoped this fours, 675cc triples and 750cc season, it could go into its debut World Supersport twins? Well, yes, it was, but as there year as favourite. are hardly any sporty production Simon is confident: ‘There are four of us versions of those combinations about, working on the project, and it’s been a major the rules have been changed. Now operation. But I’m confident about this year in there is far greater flexibility on capacity British Supersport and hopefully going forward because power and torque can be levelled into the world championships. We’re delighted electronically. with the way the first test went at Snetterton ‘We’ll have a torque advantage over a 600cc yesterday – we were fastest in two of the sessions inline four,’ says Simon Buckmaster, the boss of and second fastest in another so we’re in good PTR. ‘So it will be balanced electronically to make shape. Our expectations are to win races. You can our torque on a par with theirs. Our power is pretty similar to the 600s anyway with our level of never say you’re going to win the championship but we will be one of the main contenders.’ tune.’ Ducati Panigale V2 955cc twins are expected

Five bikes... ² GOING, GOING… ³

Certainly not reliable, certainly very, very rare

P, p, p pick up a Porcupine This is an AJS Porcupine GP bike, and just eight are thought to have been built. Ever. You’re going to need more than a p, p, pcp to buy this one…

T

his 1946 AJS Porcupine will almost certainly be the most expensive classic bike sold this year – the auction estimate is £250,000 to £300,000 – but its mysterious backstory means it probably won’t break any all-time sales records.

The problem is that although experts agree that the 500cc twin-cylinder engine and frame are genuine, and that it was owned by a factory racer who campaigned Porcupines in TTs, there’s no hard evidence of its race history.

‘The bike was owned by Ted Frend, a former factory Porcupine racer,’ says Ben Walker of Bonhams, who will auction the bike at Stafford on 3 July and has spent months investigating the bike’s history. ‘I don’t believe it’s one of his original bikes that he raced in period and I suspect it’s been built from parts at a later stage – often the case with these kinds of machines.’

Unfortunately the only person who could shed light on the matter, Ted Frend, died in 2006. ‘He left no details about where he acquired the bike so it’s a bit of a mystery,’ says Ben. ‘I spoke to Rob Iannucci [world famous Porcupine authority] and he was aware of the bike but didn’t know anything else.

‘I’ve found an engine number which suggests it was engine number 3 from 1946, but there’s no frame number – those were on an aluminium tab, which has gone.’

Despite the mystery, the bike is still extraordinarily valuable for two reasons.

Firstly, only eight Porcupines were thought to have been built during the eight years it raced, so it is uber-rare. Secondly, there’s a pile of racing history tied to the Porcupine, which won the first ever 500cc world championship for Les Graham in 1949. It remains the only twin cylinder bike to win a 500cc world championship.

It’s also in excellent condition. ‘This bike was bought from Ted Frend by a friend of his called Ken Senior,’ says Ben. ‘It’s been restored and run, and was in pride of place in Ken’s collection.

‘It’s pretty difficult to put a price on it. There have been two examples sold in the last 20 years or so. The first in 2000 sold for £170,000 and at the time was the most expensive motorcycle ever sold at auction,’ says Ben. ‘To give some context, back then a Brough Superior SS100 would sell for £20-30k [they can now go for over £250,000]. And in 2012 an E95 [the later Porcupine] sold for $680,000 [£490,000]. It could go crazy, I just don’t know. If it had more history then it definitely would.’ º More information at bonhams.com

8

PROBLEMS One reason the Porcupine’s engine was laid flat was to make room for a supercharger above it. Then the FIM banned superchargers but AJS carried on regardless, adapting the Porcupine for normal induction.

Carburation was always a problem and the Porcupines had a ropey TT record thanks to unreliability – Ted Frend and Les Graham were running first and second in the 1949 Senior before Frend crashed and Graham broke down.

INNOVATIONS The parallel twin engine was at the cutting edge of race technology, with unit construction (ie, engine and gearbox in one block), geardriven double overhead cams and magnesium cases. The gearbox is a stacked four-speeder.

Despite its lack of history this Porcupine is in great shape

‘Experts agree the twin-cylinder engine and frame are genuine, and that it was owned by a factory racer’

A quill of cooling fins

WANT TO BUY IT? This bike will be auctioned at the Stafford Show on 3 July.

WHY IT’S CALLED THE PORCUPINE To help cool the heads, AJS designed fins that were segmented to increase their surface area. Squint and they look like spikes. Fortunately the press nicknamed it the Porcupine rather than the Hedgehog.

9

Five bikes... ² CFMOTO 800MT ³

The China syndrome CFMoto’s 800MT is the latest attempt by China to woo British biker’s hearts and minds

B

market, above that us Brits stick to the traditional suspects. rilliant KTM 799cc engine, massive colour TFT screen, sat nav, Could this CFMoto be the bike that turns us? ‘We believe this model cruise control, quickshifter, automatic headlights, cornering would be very popular with customers in the UK and we hope to see ABS, cornering traction control, riding modes, keyless ignition, the Euro 5 version here in the near future,’ said Freddie Hinkley, heated grips and seat, Kayaba suspension and a four year Managing Director of CFMoto UK. ‘The unveiling of the warranty… for less than £7000? It’s a tempting proposition.

800MT in China is just the start of an exciting time for There are, of course, several catches. Firstly, it’s CFMoto. It shows the huge amount of development Chinese, which is enough to put off plenty of riders and investment CFMoto are putting into who immediately assume it’ll conk out or rust motorcycles, and more exciting models are due.’ before getting home from the dealer. Secondly, The 800MT is the result of a deal with KTM we’ve estimated the price – the bike was recently to use their engines, in this case the parallel twin unveiled in China at just over £5000 but will from the outgoing 790s. That motor is a cracker, inevitably cost more once shipping and import making 92bhp and 65 lb.ft of torque, and though the duties are included. We just don’t know by how CFMoto: optimistic CFMoto’s KYB suspension will no doubt be a notch much. And thirdly, it hasn’t passed Euro5 so won’t be about the future down from KTM’s WP kit, there’s no reason for it to in the UK for at least 12 months. of Chinese bikes in ruin the experience. Yamaha’s MT-07 has proved you But, despite all the reservations, we’re excited by the the UK don’t need flash suspension to produce a brilliant ride.

CFMoto 800MT. Italian and French motorcyclists have Also, in an effort to overturn quality worries, CFMoto have embraced Chinese-made bikes, with the Qianjiang TRK502 (branded Benelli) regularly in the top five best-sellers list, but we’ve been just announced all their bikes will have a four year warranty – double what the Japanese manufacturers offer. That could go some way to more reticent in the UK. Though Chinese brands such as Lexmoto, instil confidence in the bike’s longevity…

Keeway and Sym do good business in the scooter and sub-125cc

‘Brilliant KTM 799cc engine, massive TFT, sat nav, cruise… for less than £7000?’

Do younger riders really care about where a bike is made? Probably not

10

THE BMW S 1000 R

AWAKEN THE DAREDEVIL

The air is filled with the smell of petrol. An engine revs up. Pure power unfolds. Showtime for the BMW S 1000 R. Dynamic Roadster outside, Superbike DNA inside. The chassis and engine carry the genes of the RR. Ultra agile, ultra precise. 165 hp from 194 kilograms. Even more sophisticated, even more aggressive. For the first time with the optional M package including M colours and M carbon wheels. Ready for the ultimate challenge. #NeverStopChallenging Speak to your local retailer or visit bmw-motorrad.co.uk for more information or to book your test ride.

Five bikes... ² NEW BIKES ³

Lets’ face it life does not get simpler

GSX-S hits bac After years of being the invisible supernaked, Suzuki’s GSX-S1000 is back on form

response at low revs with new smaller-diameter throttle bodies and uzuki dealers are sighing with relief at the arrival of Suzuki’s revised mapping. new GSX-S1000. The uprated supernaked gets sharper styling, Inevitably there are electronic upgrades elsewhere too. There more midrange, a quickshifter as standard and 2bhp more power are now three power modes (Active, Basic and Comfort) with (taking it to a claimed 150bhp). And, crucially, the price is £10,999 varying degrees of throttle response but all leading to the – that’s around £5000 less than the latest KTM Superduke same maximum power. Though there is no inertial 1290 and Triumph Speed Triple and just over half the measurement unit (IMU), and so no cornering price of a Ducati Streetfighter V4S. traction control or ABS, the GSX-S gets an uprated ‘There are a lot of Suzuki dealers like me five-level traction control system (up from three who are optimistic about the new GSX-S,’ says on the old bike).

Marcus Blackburn of P&H Motorcycles in ‘When it first came out in 2015 the GSX-S Crawley. ‘We’re relieved because it is undeniably sold relatively well,’ says Marcus, ‘but the brilliant value for money. This is a realistic MT-09 took sales away. Now though, if you’re streetbike with all the spec anybody really looking at an MT-09SP for £10,200 and you needs – traction, quickshifter, ABS, 150bhp. see the GSX-S has 150bhp and a quickshifter Nice and smooth, easy to ride, 11 grand – you as standard, you’re going to be tempted. Is the can’t go wrong with that. It’ll be a good seller.’

GSX-S going to kill everything else in the market?

Like the new Hayabusa, the GSX-S gets a It’s all about straight No. But that’s not where Suzuki are coming from.’ multitude of engine changes that help get it through lines and angles Euro5 emission regulations while at the same time perking up the midrange. Revised camshaft profiles smooth out the torque curve, while a new freer flowing exhaust and airbox combine to marginally increase power at the top end.

Suzuki also claim to have sorted the previous model’s tetchy throttle

S

‘Traction, quickshifter, ABS, 150bhp. 11 grand’ 13

Five bikes... ² ÄÏÙ Ô ÐËÐÇ Ö ¬ ÃÎÖÊÑ×ÉÊ ÖÊÇÔÇĊÕ ÐÑÖ Ï×ÅÊ ÎÇÈÖ ÑÈ ËÖ ³

Wizard of Austria

I

Imagine being able to turn a BMW R nineT and a sheet of aluminium into this…

f you imagine the curvaceous one piece aluminium tank cover and seat unit of this R nineT custom was hard to make, you’d be right. ‘It was crazy, stupid,’ says Paul Brauchart of Vagabund, the Austrian outfit who put the bike together.

In fact, it’s even more extraordinary than it at first appears because the whole unit pivots up from the front of the tank to reveal an even more complex hand-beaten aluminium structure below that’s the petrol tank and a leather-lined underseat cubby hole.

‘Stupid as we are,’ says Paul, ‘we decided with Blechmann [the famed metal-beating wizard who made the parts] to double the work by doing a full aluminium body and fuel tank cover and additionally doing a second mono body. As if that were not enough, we integrated an automotive locking system to open the monocoque by remote control – we also made the remote housing using 3D printing.’

Press the remote and it releases a latch which lets the tank cover unit pivot upwards on a gas shock absorber.

Below is an underseat storage area, complete with a builtin credit card holder and a Leatherman pouch, plus the Motogadget clocks, which are visible through a window in the upper cover.

With most custom bikes you list the handbuilt parts but with this one it’s easier to name the bits they didn’t fabricate or replace: the engine and frame. Almost everything else – from the headlight nacelle, to the front mudguard, to the

aluminium mechanism that lifts the tank cover – is hand crafted, 3D printed or CNC machined by suppliers.

In fact, it was only regulations that stopped Paul and his co-conspirator Philipp Rabi going further. Because the client lives in Spain, they had to keep the key, fuel pump, air filter, exhaust catalyser and BMW electronics to ensure the bike was road legal. ‘European homologation sucks,’ says Paul. Though the catalyser had to stay, Paul and Philipp made a new ceramic-coated exhaust system with a removable baffle. It’s surrounded by a factorystandard stainless steel cover.

As you’d expect, the remaining components are all top drawer aftermarket jobs. The carbon fibre wheels are made

by Rotobox, the CNC-machined triple clamp is by Messner Moto, and Rizoma supplied the clip-ons, gear and brake lever and rear plate holder. The forks are actually standard, but anodised.

‘This project is, by far, our biggest one,’ says Paul. ‘It was only made possible by joining forces with our good friend Bernahard Naumann [Blechmann’s real name], who did an absolutely incredible job with manufacturing all the handmade aluminium and stainless steel parts.’

ÄÃÕÇ ÄËÍÇ Underneath the fancy aluminium frock is a 2016 BMW R nineT. To keep it road legal in Spain (where the customer lives), the engine, frame and swingarm are standard.

ËðĊï Ýê Ô êåêáÖ Ìåé Þñð êëð Ýï óá çêëó åð Ñêá ëââ ßñïðëé áôäÝñïð ïõïðáé 14

BODYWORK It’s all hand-beaten aluminium, made by Bernard Naumann, an Austrian craftsman who works under the alias Blechmann, or Tin Man (the bike’s named in his honour).

Standard forks, carbon wheels

Now that’s a hell of a lot of work

C’mon, everyone needs a leather storage area

ÔËÕËÐÉ ÕÇÃÖ°ÖÃÐÍ ×ÐËÖ A gas shock lifts the entire unit from the front. This gives access to a fancy leatherclad underseat storage compartment.

‘It was only regulations that stopped Paul going further’

3D PRINTING Tank emblems, hinges for the cover and the remote control housing were all designed on computer and printed.

15

Brakıng News From the wonderful to the weird, Bike’s pick of this month’s stories from the motorcycling world…

Ǯ DIRT TRACK ǰ

Back on track Grassroots racing is emerging from its enforced hibernation. If you’ve always fancied getting out on track, now’s the time

W

up for this weekend,’ says Anthony. ‘We’ve grown by introducing new hile MotoGP used its mighty wallet to smash through classes like Hooligans (for 750cc-plus road bikes with a stock frame) and Covid issues, that wasn’t an option for grassroots Vintage (pre-1975 twin shocks) which have really worked. And racing. It just stopped. But as restrictions the Minibikes have been good too – we used to have five or lift, clubs like the Dirt Track Riders Association (DTRA) are Sinewy racers and portly gents six and now we have 30-odd of them.’ cranking back into action after a nightmare year.

Minibike racing is something else. Watching grown ‘It’s been difficult – you couldn’t plan for anything men (kids have their own classes) thrash round on because it all kept changing,’ says DTRA co-founder shrunk-in-the-wash flat trackers is both laugh-outand head honcho Anthony Brown at the first meeting loud funny and fantastically close racing. of 2021 at Kings Lynn speedway stadium.

‘Minibikes is good racing experience,’ says Anthony.

‘For us to organise a race meeting is probably 18-20 You can buy a stock one off-the-shelf and start racing hours of work, plus getting everyone to sign on. So if for under £600. It’s a great learning class.’ we don’t run, that’s a lot of wasted time. We’ve done that But beware. Like all racing, it’s addictive. ‘Dirt track four times in the last 12 months.’ looks simple but it’s actually difficult to do well – that’s what But today at Kings Lynn, all is well. The sun is out, the keeps people coming back. Come along and have a go.’ racers are fizzing and the atmosphere is enchanting. Hardcore The next round of the DTRA series is on 12-13 June at Greenfield, professionals brimming with sinewy energy chat happily with portly Lincs. º Want to have a go? Start at dirttrackriders.co.uk gents whose race outfits look like fancy dress. ‘We had 178 riders signed 17

Braking News Ǯ 12,6( ǰ

BAFFLING N

oisy pipes could end up inflicting average speed cameras on some of Britain’s finest riding roads. A new anti-noise group is pushing for more cameras across northern England and a prominent local MP has already raised the issue in the House of Commons.

Councils Against Noise and Speed (CANS) was started after the first lockdown by parish councillors in Lancashire, Cumbria and North Yorkshire, and though the group has little direct power, it appears to have significant influence. Pressure has led to new average speed cameras being installed, and North Yorkshire’s chief constable has been persuaded to implement ‘days of action’ where extra police patrol popular biking roads on sunny weekends.

Despite the word ‘speed’ in the name, CANS seems most preoccupied with noise. ‘The problem of loud bikes comes up at every parish council meeting,’ says CANS spokesman Hamish Wilson, ‘and the problem has

got worse in recent years. As a result, we formed a group with several other councils to tackle it.

‘The noise disturbs the tranquility of the Yorkshire Dales and seems to be particularly from exhausts that have been tampered with or from bikes going extremely fast. It was particularly noticeable when lockdown was lifted last year and the irresponsible few felt like they had the freedom of the road. We’re keen to stress we’re not out to demonise motorcyclists. We recognise most motorcyclists are responsible.’

It’s easy to envisage how CANS’s pressure could turn more epic roads into dawdles. ‘We’re very keen on average speed cameras,’ says Hamish.

‘There’s one being installed on the A683 because it’s law enforcement that’s going to solve the problem. Education will help, but I think enforcement is the bottom line. We’re also fighting for increased police patrols.’ Baffles in, gentlemen.

‘ We’re not out to demonise motorcyclists’

Ǯ /(66 ,1)85,$7,1* ǰ

Better touring Turism º 7KLV LV 09oV QHZ 7XULVPR 7KH FRPSDQ\oV PRVW VHQVLEOH PRWRUF\FOH E\ D FRXQWU\ PLOH KDV GLWFKHG LWV LQIXULDWLQJ VZLWFKJHDU ZKLFK PHDQW \RX KDG WR SUHVV D EXWWRQ IRXU WLPHV WR FKDQJH WKH FUXLVH FRQWURO VSHHG 7KH QHZ ELNH JHWV D UHYDPSHG HQJLQH QHZ HOHFWURQLFV DQG IDQFLHU VFUHHQ 3ULFHV VWDUW DW ~

18

Ǯ 287 ,1 6(37(0%(5 ǰ

Faster airba º Urban kit specialists Tucano Urbano have unveiled the world’s fastest airbag. The new Airscud vest uses three accelerometers, three gyros and a GPS to do sums and then deploy in under 60 milliseconds – for perspective, that’s the same as a teenager’s attention span.

The vest can be worn under or over your gear (it’s waterproof and breathable) and costs £479. º tucanourbano.com/en

Jack Miller

Ǯ TICKLERS ǰ

Mike Hailwood

K6

Mick Grant

Go faster tache º Ducati MotoGP rider Jack Miller has Roger Marshall many fine qualities but chief among them is his ability to grow a passable moustache. It was strange then that following his heartening victory in Jerez, no-one answered the obvious question: when was the last time a slug balancer won a grand prix?

Tepi Your first thought might be Mike Hailwood, but his lip ferret appeared after he retired from GPs. A more promising candidate is Teuvo ‘Tepi’ Lansivuori, who sported an exceptional snot mop while winning the 1974 500cc Swedish GP. But we think the winner is Mick Grant, famous for the well-trimmed soup strainer he took to victory in the 1977 Swedish 250cc GP. Anyone got any later candidates?

Ǯ 7+( (1' 2) +ǫ' ,1 8." ǰ

EU pans the Pan America º The EU has said it will put a 56 percent tariff on all Harleys from June 2021 and also close a loophole Harley were using to get round previous tariffs – H-D were building bikes in Thailand to escape tariffs on American-made goods.

Because Harleys are imported to Europe before coming to the UK, it’s thought the move could send the price of the new Pan America from a tempting £14,000 to a sales-killing £20,000. Harley are appealing the decision.

Next month ºThe Oxley interview: Franky Morbidelli º Heroic comebacks º BSB preview by James Haydon º It’s the sports issue…

August issue on sale 23 June

VR46

A mere 1,220g one of the lightest road helmets in the world

Braking News

If it were my money...

The great and the Goodwood, back on track in 2021

Hugo Wilson, Bike editor, big distance tourer and trail rider on his pick of Adventure Bikes

For going off road…

Yamaha 700 Ténéré º Going off-road? Can you afford to drop it? And can you pick it up again?

The £9500, 205 kilo, 72bhp Ténéré is well made and well balanced, has decent on-road performance and dirt agility. My choice for the Pyrenees and the Peak District.

For tarmac…

Ducati Multistrada º ,oYH GRQH ELJ PLOHV RQ WZLQ F\OLQGHU 0XOWLVWUDGDV DQG ORYH WKHP )DVW FRPIRUWDEOH SRLVHG DQG JUHDW IXQ WR ULGH 6RPH FRPSODLQ DERXW QRLV\ VFUHHQ EXW LW ZRUNV IRU IW LQ PH 7KH LV JUHDW EXW WKH LV VOLJKWO\ OLJKWHU DQG FULVSHU

For all round ability…

BMW R1250GS º A zillion customers can’t be wrong, the 1250GS is an amazing device. A great tourer with magical low speed balance and off-road ability. It’s a job to fault it. But the 900 Tiger is fantastic too, in either GT or Rally versions. For the supermarket run or Southern Spain.

For charm…

Moto Guzzi V85 TT º 2Q SDSHU LW ORRNV XQGHUSRZHUHG EXW WKLV ZRXOG EH P\ FKRLFH IRU WZR XS URDG WULSV *UHDW VXVSHQVLRQ VZHHW KDQGOLQJ FRPI\ FRPSDUDWLYHO\ ORZ ZLWK JRRG UDQJH DQG *X]]LoV XQLTXH DSSHDO DQG KLVWRU\ %ULOOLDQW DW EXLOGLQJ UHODWLRQVKLSV

º Next month: Bike’s deputy editor Mike Armitage chooses the top four current retros.

20

Ǯ %$&. 21 ǰ

Go Goodwood IWHU D VWUDQJH VSHFWDWRU IUHH *RRGZRRG ZLOO UXQ DOO WKUHH RI WKHLU PRWRUVSRUW HYHQWV LQ ZLWK SOHQW\ RI ELNHV 7KH )HVWLYDO RI 6SHHG -XO\ KRVWV D FHOHEUDWLRQ RI \HDUV RI WKH 77 ZLWK PDFKLQHV IURP HYHU\ GHFDGH UXQQLQJ RQ 7KH +LOO 7KH 5HYLYDO 0HHWLQJ 6HSWHPEHU LQFOXGHV WKH %DUU\ 6KHHQH 0HPRULDO UDFH ZLWK VWDU ULGHUV RQ 0DQ[ 1RUWRQV 0DWFKOHVV * V DQG 09 $JXVWDV ZKLOH WKH 0HPEHUoV 0HHWLQJ 2FWREHU

UDFH PL[HV *UDQG 3UL[ FF WZR VWURNHV ZLWK )RUPXOD ELNHV %HFDXVH RI WKH WUDIILF D PRWRUF\FOH LV DOZD\V WKH EHVW ZD\ WR YLVLW *RRGZRRG DQG WKH 'XNH RI 5LFKPRQG ZKR OD\V RQ WKH HYHQWV LQ KLV JDUGHQ KDV UHFRPPHQGHG D FRXSOH RI FKRLFH URXWHV WR JHW WKHUH n7KH EHVW RSWLRQV KDYH JRW WR EH ZKHQ \RX FRPH VRXWK IURP /RQGRQ 2QFH \RX KLW *XLOGIRUG JR IRU HLWKHU WKH $ YLD 3HWZRUWK RU WKH $ YLD +DVOHPHUH o º More info: goodwood.com

A

Ǯ PODIUMS ǰ

RS660 winning start

Dominating already

º As soon as racers saw the spec of Aprilia’s RS660 there was much talk of it whupping rivals in twins racing. And so it has turned out – in its first outing in America’s national twins championship, RS660s took the first three places out of 23 entries (the rivals were mostly based on Suzuki SV650s and Yamaha MT-07s).

Ǯ $7 /$67 ǰ

Build your own R1M… f PDVN <DPDKD KDYH ƮQDOO\ H[SODLQHG how to make a face mask that looks like an R1M. The instructions are in the ‘handicraft’ section of Yamaha’s global website and, yes, that is a thing. º Go to shorturl.at/dhBNZ if you don’t believe us

Braking News

Deals on wheels Showrooms are open, the sun is shining (sometimes) and new models are alluring. Which makes this the right time to investigate their predecessors…

£1600 saving

£1200 saving

£700 saving i

£1500 saving

Triumph Yamaha Speed Trip’ RS MT-09 SP

Ducati Monster 821

Moto Guzzi V7 III

º Later in this fine edition of your favourite motorcycle magazine you’ll find a test of the all-new Speed Triple 1200 RS. With more cubes, extra power, less weight and sportier build it’s a sensational thing. But its performance focus means it hasn’t quite the on-road presence, easy-going feel and confidence-boosting roadholding of the previous 1050. Fortunately there are dealers still with 2020model 1050cc versions of the posh RS – Laguna (01622 681765) only want £11,995 for a box-fresh one.

º Not very often you see Ducatis being offered with money slashed off. Ducati Glasgow (01416 119863) have lopped a welcome chunk off their last remaining Monster 821 though, no doubt due to the arrival of the new Monster (see page 86).

The new ’un is a fine thing, bringing the V-twin up to date with modern rivals, which is smashing. But if you still firmly believe a Monster has to have a trellis frame then the 821 not only saves you cash, but will also cause larger butterflies every time the garage door swings open.

º Guzzi’s V7 III was offered in various forms, including the base matt-finish Stone, chrome-laden Special, and also the rare Stone Night Pack. This version had LED headlight, indicators and taillight, lots of matt surfaces, plus a shorter rear end and the headlamp and clocks located lower down for a moodier look.

Price was £8499 but On Yer Bike (01296 655999) have the 744cc twin for £6995 – not just a huge saving over list, but also £1000 cheaper than the new V7 Stone.

º We like the SP version of Yam’s fruity triple. With its fancy Öhlins shock and side-mounted remote adjuster it’s got the air of a proper special, and with upgraded forks it handles better than the base MT too. This year’s SP has the updates of the new MT-09, with a lower front end for more accuracy and a 889cc motor. And it’s ace – see page 98. However, we’re tight so would buy last year’s SP for £8995 from Appleyard (01535 287038). It’ll still be more than anyone needs on the road.

Deal of the month

Save £4000 Kawasaki ZX-10R SE

» Have you seen the latest Kawasaki ZX-10R? It’s got a funky new look, a fairing with trendy winglets and a cool colour scheme that reminds us of Foggy, Hizzy and Rymer at the Bol on a ZXR750R. Lovely. Thing is, at £15,779 it’s almost £800 more than you need to pay for the posh SE version of the previous model, with electronic suspension, Marchesini wheels and two-way quickshifter. Bolton Motorbikes (01204 584598) have got four JUDQG RƬ WKH OLVW SULFH RI WKH 6( DW D VQLS like £14,999. Superbike steal, that.

22

What’ll it do, Mister?

New bikes versus our dyno, scales and datalogger

Suzuki Hayabusa

Always the defining hyperbike, Suzuki’s ballistic 1340cc inline four returns for 2021. Now tuned for even greater bottom end and midrange, does this latest version reinforce the legend? Bike gets all analytical...

Photography: Jason Critchell/Suzuki

Glinty gold accents, chrome trim – but when you make the quickest bike ever, why not show off?

24

The needle goes all the way round and back into the red bit.

This is A Great Thing

Despite feeling weak and the ABS chiming in, these pull the Busa up pretty sharpish

THEY SAY

WE SAY

187.4bhp

182.3bhp

POWER

Suzuki say 190 metric European horses, which is just over 187 post-Brexit nags. They claimed 194bhp for the previous model...

The days of wild manufacturer claims are gone, and this rear-wheel ƮJXUH LV TXLWH VXƱFLHQW 7KH UHDO QHZV LV WKH PLGUDQJH VHH G\QR

110.6 lb.ft

113.4 lb.ft

TORQUE

They talk about optimised midrange, but though very large this ƮJXUH LV IRXU JUXQWV ORZHU WKDQ 6X]XNL FODLPHG IRU WKH ROG %XVD

Oof. More than claimed? Brilliant. It’s also way higher than the old bike’s 107 lb.ft, with up to 10 lb.ft more in the midrange. Whoosh.

264kg

268.5kg

WEIGHT

Erm, yes. The Hayabusa is a big old bird and Suzuki’s scales reckon it weighs as much as BMW’s burly R1250GS Adventure.

And our scales say a bit more. If it was a chicken it would take a long time to roast. And you’d need a big oven.

42.1mpg

38.8mpg

MPG

Measured to the standard enforced by our ex-friends in Europe.

Looks reasonable for a heavy, fast, super-powerful rocketship.

0HDVXUHG ƮJXUH RYHU EULVN % URDGV DQG PRWRUZD\ WKUXPV LV ZKDW the dash claims, too. How nice. Does a tad less caned on a runway.

186.4mph

181.97mph

TOP SPEED

6X]XNL GRQoW ERDVW DERXW ưDW RXW VSHHG EXW WKH\ VWLOO DGKHUH WR WKH Japanese manufacturer’s voluntary 300kph (186.4mph) limit.

Against a restriction, unable to rev out in top. However, it also has WKH VSHHGR QHHGOH RƬ WKH FORFN EHWZHHQ PSK DQG ]HUR &RRO

£16,499

£16,650

This is quite cheap. You get 180mph, 182bhp, a full suite of posh electronics and iconic status for £600 less than a GSX-R1000R.

Suzuki’s list price doesn’t include on-the-road fees. With a £4000 SDUW H[ WKH PRQWKO\ 3&3 SD\PHQWV DUH D UHDVRQDEOH ~

ON THE DYNO

AT THE PROVING GROUND

200 175 150 125

Power 182.3bhp @ 9400rpm Torque 113.4lb.ft @ 6750rpm

100 75 50 25

0

35,&(

2000

4000

6000

8000

10,000

There are litre bikes making more power. But look at the revs where the peaks occur – this is accessible and usable shove. It’s also much gruntier than the previous Busa, with PRUH WRUTXH from 4000 to 9000rpm and more horsepower 12,000 everywhere.

ǫ 03+

2.69s 10.0s 53.0m 5.27s

:RZ 7KH TXLFNHVW DFFHOHUDWLQJ ELNH ZHoYH HYHU WHVWHG DQG ZD\ TXLFNHU DQG easier) than 1000cc sportsbikes.

Ǭ 0,/(

Clutch out, open throttle, waste all other bikes. This was in a strong sidewind – in VWLOO FRQGLWLRQV LWoOO ƮUH RƬ VHF TXDUWHUV

ǫ 03+

Brakes have always been a Busa weak point and these still feel... well, weak. But the stopping distance is respectable.

ǫ 52//ǫ21

Quick, but not mega: an MT-09 is almost as brisk. But do the same in 4th gear instead of 6th and the Busa is mental.

25

Braking News

Stop torqueing nonsense Yes, a longer stroke will deliver more torque, but not for the reason that most people think. Jamie Turner explodes some myths, armed only with the laws of thermodynamics…

T

here are some hoary old mistruths that just won’t go away. The one that always gets me is that ‘for a given capacity a longer stroke gives a bigger lever arm and that gives more torque’ – often seen in new bike launch pieces. I can see how this looks logical and therefore people think it must be true. Well, sorry, no – it’s way simpler and more complicated than that.

Combustion engines work on differences in temperature, caused by the release of heat (one of the two forms of energy, along with work) during the combustion process. In a cyclic combustion engine, as the gas temperature rises then, because it is trapped in a closed chamber, its pressure goes up too. This pressure pushes all ways at once, and because the piston is the only wall that can move it forces it down (assuming you are after top dead centre and you’ve got your ignition timing right). Understandably, as it does this the pressure drops. The total amount of work done is the product of the average pressure throughout the volume change – we call this ‘PdV’. In an engine, where the pressure drops due to piston movement (i.e. the volume change) we use calculus to arrive at the actual value of work done. This is effectively torque.

Now, as a mistress Thermodynamics is truly beautiful.

All natural laws are subservient to her, and that includes those governing engines. She says that if your pressure profile is fixed it matters not one jot how you arrive at your volume change – the ‘dV’ part. You can have a big bore and a short stroke or vice versa – if the volume is fixed then it’s fixed, end of. Oh yes, you could say, ‘but if I have the same piston and a longer stroke then I’ll get more torque,’ and I would entirely agree with you. But I’d also respectfully point out that you have just increased your swept volume due to the longer lever arm and that is where the extra work has come from…

Please, people, stop it.

Big bores = big valves, but bigger heat losses too

‘Regardless of the desires of humans, thermodynamics demands obedience…’

26

And yet, bore:stroke ratio does indeed affect torque. Eh?? I didn’t say this was easy, so strap in.

The efficiency of a spark ignition, or Otto cycle, engine is inherently tied to its compression ratio, or ‘CR’. This is the chamber volume at bottom dead centre divided by that at top dead centre. The higher the CR, the higher the thermodynamic efficiency. Unfortunately this wonderful theoretical state of affairs is mucked up big time by the realities of building a functioning engine. Valves require controlling and this eats into the compression and expansion strokes, impacting the trapped CR. To avoid expensive collisions we need cutouts in the piston crown, again reducing the achievable CR. Bigger bores allow larger valves for more power but this drives up the surface area making the surface area-to-volume ratio of the combustion chamber – or ‘SVR’ – worse.

Then heat loss to the walls is increased, which reduces pressure uselessly – remember, heat is a form of energy, like work, and its loss reduces the work available to be done on the piston. Furthermore, heat loss is worse at low speed (more time, see), reducing low speed torque. Back flow through big valves with the long profiles necessary to get high power also reduces the trapped charge at low speed and that compounds things further.

So, yes, a longer stroke can give more torque but in reality it is because the valves necessarily get smaller (due to the smaller bore necessary for the same swept volume), and the fact that the SVR gets better. Flame travel also reduces and so knock is better controlled. A further complication is that SVR improves with larger cylinders, which rev slower.

Hmmmmm.

As an acolyte of Thermodynamics I love these interrelations. The takeaway is this: know what you are designing your engine to do, that the minimum number of cylinders is thermodynamically a good thing, and choose the stroke according to revs and mean piston speed. And big claims on CR are only that – in reality, it’s the trapped CR, not the geometric, that influences things.

And then brand values, USPs, performance stretch, and component sharing gets involved. But regardless of the desires of petty humans, thermodynamics demands obedience and keeps everything real…

Tech How stuff works, and why things are made this way

Long stroke = more torque, but not for the reasons you might think

Jamie Turner is Professor of Engines at KAUST. He owns a BMW K1200S and loves two-strokes.

27

The Road A celebration of UK tarmac PIC: ADAM SHORROCK

28

Braking News

Ǯ THE ROAD ǰ

52.681527, -0.792279 Type into Google Maps or scan the QR code and go here.

29

Bike, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA

Telephone 01733 468099 Email: bike@bikemagazine.co.uk

facebook.com/bikemagazineUK

twitter.com/BikeMagazine

² ÄÇÇÐ ÖÊÇÔÇ ÉÑÖ ÖÊÇ Ö«ÕÊËÔÖ ³

‘Interested in a trip to Alaska? Hell yes’ n ‘06 John Shaw contacted us (a guy we met on a European ride). ‘Were we interested in a trip to Alaska ?‘ Hell yes.

Five bikes were air freighted from Wiltshire to Vancouver.

Thanks to Customs delays we rode stupid mileages through British Columbia , Yukon and into Alaska. We had a rear wheel puncture in the middle of bear country in Yukon. The T-shirt

I

came from the Harley dealer in Fairbanks where I bought a new spare tube. Best question on the trip: ‘Is that a real Triumph?’ How do you even answer that? The bike in question is my one owner 1996 Thunderbird 900. Thanks for being WKHUH JX\V WKURXJKRXW &RYLG \RX PDGH D GLƬHUHQFH Doug Brown, email

ËÈ ÛÑ×ĊØÇ ÉÑÖ ÃÐ ÑÎÆ Ö«ÕÊËÔÖ LIKE DOUG’S AND FANCY SEEING IT IN BIKE, TAKE A PIC OF THE WHOLE SHIRT, ARMS ,1&/8'(' $1' (0$,/ ,7 72 7+( $''5(66 $7 7+( 723 2) 7+( 3$*( ,) :( 38%/,6+ ,7 :(o// 6(1' <28 $ 1(: 7ǫ6+,57

31

Write off

² STAR LETTER ³

‘I had not ridden a bike in 35 years’

Craig: loving being back on a bike after 35 years

n the evening of Saturday 13 March I sat at the computer looking at ebay when I spotted a 1999 Suzuki GSXF600 at £820, with three minutes to go on the auction. I took another sip of wine and thought… I’ll go £850 for that. Winner.

I emailed the seller and arranged to drive up to Lincoln the next Saturday with the van to collect it. When I got there I explained to the chap that it was an impulse purchase and I had not actually ridden a bike in 35 years. He looked at me for a couple of seconds and then explained a few things and started the motor. It sounded good to me and in the van it went.

After getting home I organised some insurance and road tax. I then ordered a new helmet, jacket and boots online as I thought that as I’ve bought a new-to-me bike I might as well ride it. Since then I’ve been out several times around east Norfolk gaining more confidence with every ride and thinking how much I’ve missed it and should have done it years ago.

Two things spring to mind now: firstly, at 57 you should go for the things you love while you still have your own teeth and hair, and secondly perhaps I should have got a more powerful motorcycle…

O

Craig Lovett, email

EACH MONTH WE GIVE AWAY A CABERG DUKE II HELMET AND A YEAR’S SUBSCRIPTION TO BIKE FOR THE MONTH’S STAR LETTER. ON YOUR MARKS

That noise thing… again

I was thumbing through Bike (June 2021) and came across the two letters in Write off regarding noise. Quite by coincidence, earlier that Saturday morning, I was in our local bakers when about 25 large cruisers passed down the narrow main street of our small Warwickshire town. Many of these bikes had extremely loud exhausts and I was witness to the profound effect that had.

A lady to the left of me had two young children who covered their ears and were shouting about horrible motorbikes while a child in a push chair started screaming. Later on I walked across the market square where several people who know I am a lifelong biker shouted across to me that, ‘my lot had just been out causing chaos’. Maybe for society to treat bikers with any respect, perhaps we first have to show respect to others.

Dave Johnston, email

32

riding for 56 years starting with a 1965 Ariel Arrow and currently a Ducati Multistrada 950.

Bob Brimfield, email

Disgust at pcp ‘adverts’ Regards the June issue and pages 89 to 114 of PCP adverts. If you are short of journalistic content maybe it’s time to hang up your pencils and crayons. I do not want to see adverts running over all those pages. If next month’s is a repeat I will post it back to you. Get a grip lads you used to be the best!

Robert Mayle, email

Above: Fid the Lid (left) and H Wilson, running on empty

Stoner brilliance What a brilliant interview with Casey Stoner by Mat Oxley, he seems very down to earth and honest. It sounds like a horrible and frustrating illness and I wish him all the best for the future. Its amazing what MotoGP rides achieve, week after week. I’ve been

Fid the Lid Nice feature on the Hayabusa and the side story on owner Dave Fiddaman (Bike, June). Dave is, of course, the founder of Davida Moto and an icon of the motorcycle trade for over 30 years.

Over the decades there have been enough Fiddy stories to fill a book, twice over…

Write off

Bike, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA

Telephone 01733 468099 Email: bike@bikemagazine.co.uk

facebook.com/bikemagazineUK

One of my favourites goes back to an NEC show last century. Alongside his helmets Dave was selling high tech Rukka clothing in huge volumes.

‘Coming for a beer Dave?’ came the call at the end of the day. Fiddy stepped away from his dozens of jackets and pulled on his tweed button up mens suit jacket. Pulling the length of sisal twine from his pocket he was ready to ride. Hero!

EDITORIAL

Phone 01733 468000 Editor Hugo Wilson Art Director Paul Lang Deputy Editor Mike Armitage Contributing Editor John Westlake Road Tester James Haydon Managing Editor Nigel Grimshaw Sensible Adult Colleen Moore Head of publishing, motorcycling Steve Herbert-Mattick ADVERTISING

Ian McDonald, email

Feel the burn My old mountain bike on a rusty turbo-trainer seemed like the perfect lockdown exercise. Risk free and an endless variety of DVDs and YouTube content to gently distract my wandering mind.

And then I came across John McGuinness’s 2015 Senior TT Lap 1 on-bike footage – 17 minutes of furious pedalling trying to match my cadence to the howl of his exhaust and hitting my head against the shed wall as I tried to lean with him. Hilarious and the best exercise I’ve had for quite a while.

Thanks for a great magazine!

Above: J. McGuinness, unaware of his workout enabling properties.

Probably

their workings are befuddling.

So I’ve shifted back in time from GS/ KTM and CCM to the point where my most modern bike is my trusty 1975 BMW R90/6, which does almost all of that I want from a bike. It starts first time, is simple to maintain with parts and upgrades readily available, cruises easily at motorway speeds, carries plenty of luggage and does 60mpg. And it takes me all over, including to Spain.

Henry Hyam, email

Loopy

Chris Vincent, email

Backwards engineering Thank you John Westlake for your refreshingly honest piece reflecting on the enjoyment of bikes vs the everonward march of technology fitted to new machines (Bike, June).

Over recent years I’ve shifted my choice of bike toward older machines.

Partly because the cost of most new bikes has become disproportionate to the joy they bring and partly because

twitter.com/BikeMagazine

Below: On the A39?

Sadly not

After ten years off bikes following a bit of a concussion-based scare due to getting it wrong at Castle Combe, I dived (dove?) back into motorcycling last February with a 1200 mile, 2019 F800 GT SE. Any road that’s not why I’m emailing.

This is: is there any chance of you putting up (online? In print?) a list of your The Road co-ordinates, please? I’m thinking of stitching some together to get back to enjoying life. Maybe it could become a thing, where readers post up their loops? Thanks for helping me back onto two wheels.

Austen Clifford, email

South of Birmingham I thought I’d drop you guys a line because I’m worried...every month my copy of Bike drops on the mat and I rush to grab it, and every month I turn to The Road to see where the coordinates take me.

And this is the part I’m worried about... you do know there are paved roads below Birmingham don’t you?

Fantastic, flowing, scenic, beautiful, roads that are I’m sure, an equal match for the roads up north. Please think about featuring one, if only to keep this old fart happy. The A39 from Porlock to Lynmouth is just one of many…

Phone 01733 468000 Commercial director gareth.ashman@bauermedia.co.uk Group advertisement manager shaun.collin@bauermedia.co.uk Account manager Samantha.Creedon-Gray@bauermedia.co.uk Classified advertising claire.spalding@bauermedia.co.uk

MARKETING Phone 01733 468499 Marketing manager Sarah Norman Newstrade marketing manager Mark Webb

PRODUCTION Phone 01733 468341 Print production carl.lawrence@bauermedia.co.uk Advertising Production 01733 468341/8397 Printed by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd, Willenhall, West Midlands Distributed by Frontline

SUBSCRIPTIONS & BACK ISSUES For the best subscription offers visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk For subscription or back issue queries please contact CDS Global on Bauer@subscription.co.uk Phone from the UK on 01858 438884 Phone from overseas on +44 (0)1858 438760

CUSTOMER SERVICES Can’t find Bike in the shops?

Call 01733 555161 and ask for sales ops Test reprints 01733 468099 (weekdays)

BAUER CONSUMER MEDIA Publisher Rachel Beesley Editorial Director June Smith-Sheppard Managing director Niall Clarkson Chief Financial Officer Bauer Magazine Media Lisa Hayden CEO Bauer Publishing UK Chris Duncan President Bauer Global Publishing Rob Munro-Hall Bike magazine is published 12 times a year by H Bauer Publishing, registered address Academic House, 24-28 Oval Road, London, NW1 7DT. Registered number LP003328. No part of the magazine maybe reproduced in any form in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publisher. All material published remains the copyright of H Bauer Publishing. We reserve the right to edit letters, copy or images submitted to the magazine without further consent. The submission of material to Bauer Media whether unsolicited or requested, is taken as permission to publish in the magazine, including any licensed editions throughout the world. Any fees paid in the UK include remuneration for any use in any other licensed editions. We cannot accept any responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, images or materials lost or damaged in the post.

Whilst every reasonable care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions nor do we accept any liability for any loss or damage, howsoever caused, resulting from the use of the magazine. H Bauer Publishing and Bauer Consumer Media Ltd are authorised and regulated by the FCA (Ref No. 845898) and (Ref No. 710067) COMPLAINTS: H Bauer Publishing is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (www.ipso.co.uk) and endeavours to respond to and resolve your concerns quickly. Our Editorial Complaints Policy (including full details of how to contact us about editorial complaints and IPSO’s contact details) can be found at www.bauermediacomplaints.co.uk. Our email address for editorial complaints covered by the Editorial Complaints Policy is complaints@ bauermedia.co.uk.Company info is H Bauer Publishing, registered office is at Academic House, 24-28 Oval Road, London, NW1 7DT. Registered in England and Wales company number LP003328, VAT no. 918 5617 01.

Bike magazine, ISSN 0140-4547 (USPS 8700) is published 12 times a year by H Bauer Publishing Ltd, Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA, United Kingdom. The US annual subscription price is $90.38. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named World Container Inc, 150-15, 183rd Street, Jamaica, NY 11413, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY 11256. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Bike magazine, World Container Inc, 150-15, 183rd Street, Jamaica, NY 11413, USA. Subscription records are maintained at Bauer Media, Subscriptions, CDS Global, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Lathkill Street, Market Harborough, Leicester LE16 9EF, United Kingdom. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent.

Peter Ballard, Somerset

34

34

Subscribe

Subscribe to for just £4 a month

CALL 01858 438884 ONLINE greatmagazines.co.uk/bike Lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat) Quote ref: DHAA

36

Subscribe today and… º Never miss an issue º Save money on shop prices º Only £4 a month º Get free UK delivery to your door or instant download to your digital device

Print only £4 every month when you pay by recurring direct debit

Digital only £2.70 every month when you pay by recurring direct debit

Subscription queries To contact us about subscription orders, renewals, missing issues or any other subscription queries please email bauer@ subscription.co.uk or call our UK number on 01858 438884. For overseas call +44 1858 438884. To manage your account online visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk/solo

Back issues

PIC: HUSQVARNA

To order back issues please call our UK number on 01858 438884. For overseas call +44 1858 438884 Terms & Conditions: Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. The minimum term is 12 issues. After your first direct debit payment your yearly subscription will continue at the price you paid on this offer thereafter XQOHVV \RX DUH QRWLILHG RWKHUZLVH { <RX ZLOO QRW UHFHLYH a renewal reminder and the Direct Debit payments will continue to be taken unless you tell us otherwise. This offer closes on 22nd June 2021. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Cost from landlines for 01 numbers per minute are (approximate) 2p to 10p. Cost from mobiles per minute (approximate) 10p to 40p. Costs vary depending on the geographical ORFDWLRQ LQ WKH 8. <RX PD\ JHW IUHH FDOOV WR VRPH numbers as part of your call package – please check with your phone provider. Order lines open 8am-9.30pm (MonFri), 8am-4pm (Sat). UK orders only. Overseas? Please phone +44 1858 438828 for further details. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes. For full terms and conditions please visit www.greatmagazines. co.uk/offer-terms-and-conditions

37

Sign of the times: the Speed Triple 1200 RS has twice the powerto-weight of the 1994 original

38

Wild power, low weight, cornering focus - Triumph’s new Speed Triple 1200 RS makes the model’s biggest ever evolutionary stride. Bike’s first full test asks big questions to see if the iconic supernaked reaches a higher plane of excellence, or has become something different…

By Mike Armitage Photography Adam Shorrock

So what’s new? º Everything. With the blueprint for the previous 1050cc Speed Triple fed through the shredder, the 1200 is a crisp fresh design. Three cylinders, two wheels, squinty lights, moniker… that’s where similarities end.

Measuring 90 x 60.8mm, the 1160cc inline three is racier than the 1050. With a bore:stroke ratio of 1.5:1 (compared with 79 x 71.4mm giving 1.1:1 for the departing bike) the motor is as radically oversquare as Ducati’s boisterous Panigale V4. With a much shorter distance to travel at any given engine speed the average piston speed is lower, allowing higher revs, and the larger bore allows bigger valves for more power. Claimed compression ratio is a giddy 13.2:1.

Interestingly, the 1200 has fewer pound-feet-per-cc than the 1050. But 92.2 lb.ft of torque outguns the old bike’s 86.3 lb.ft, and with the peak rising from 7150rpm to 9000rpm this means much more horsepower (as power is essentially torque x revs). It’s a record for any Triumph with 177.5bhp at 10,750rpm, next to the old bike’s 148bhp. Gulping fuel to make these horses and the reduced efficiency of a large bore, big valve motor at low engine speeds mean claimed economy falls from 54.2mpg to 44.8mpg, but servicing costs should reduce: intervals extend from every 6000 miles to 10,000.

There’s equal chassis revolution with frame, swingarm and geometry all revised. Wheelbase stays at 1445mm, but Triumph’s signature sharp steering is softened. Though still

39

Easy to read, a doddle to control – not before time, Triumph

Pesky joystick is still here, though

‘With such excess firepower you could own an RS for yonks without ever exploring the upper slopes of its mountainous power’

definitely sporty, the 23.9˚ steering head angle is a whole degree calmer than the previous Speed Triple, and trail is up by a significant 13.4mm to a stability-boosting 104.7mm.

Weight drops 10kg, the 198kg wet claim being near as damn it the same as the old 1050’s dry weight. Being an RS means Öhlins, Brembo and Metzeler, and there’s a tweaked riding position with wider ’bars, taller seat and more inset ’pegs. And it fizzes with toys, featuring umpteen electronic assistants, a new colour dash and an updated interface.

What’s it like to ride? º Gearing is tall. We used to think the track-honed ratios and 80mph first gear of Honda’s homologation special RC30 were daft, yet here’s a roadster doing 86mph in first. Pulling away on the Speed Triple feels like second gear, or even third.

Get rolling without stalling and you drop to first gear on a tight B-road more than you’d expect. The RS instantly shows 40

it’s stupidly fast, mind. The traction control lamp blinks frantically as the front tries to lift in the first three ratios, with a raging midrange and much harder top-end rush than the 1050 – output is identical to the old bike until 7000rpm, then the 1200 clears off. Even in Rain mode, power capped at 99bhp, it’s as punchy as the 1050 at realistic road revs with its high gears offset by fewer kilos and more grunt. In a full-fat mode the madness of high revs and full throttle leaves you breathless – with such excess firepower you could own an RS for yonks without ever exploring the upper slopes of its mountainous power. Snickety-slick gearbox and quickshifter too. The few high-rev vibes aren’t intrusive, but you’ll have to put up with 38mpg and the fuel light before 100 miles.

Triumph say it’s the most agile Speed Triple ever. Their definition must differ to mine. The riding stance isn’t as elbows-out camo-clad streetfighter as before but is still a dominating stance, with front-end weight bias pushing the

Triumph Speed Triple RS

tyre into the road. It’s a sportsbike chassis and low-speed steering is hefty, the RS isn’t first choice for moto gymkhana.

But with speed comes pinpoint steering and micronperfect handling. It delivers precise arcs on fast open roads, served with lashings of feel and a generous side order of traditional Speed Triple stability. It’s a full-on superbike dynamic, only with the control and confidence of upright ’bars rather than wristy clip-ons. Slimmer and with far more room to shuffle back and forth than previously, it’s easier to find your preferred cornering stance. It’s more KTM Super Duke R than streetfighter. And with calipers from the ‘posh’ box and a front lever adjustable for both span and ratio, the RS ripples up tarmac and has you reaching for the Radox.

Road behaviour isn’t perfect, though. Suspension quality isn’t up for debate, but forks and shock are just too firm. The old RS was stiff too, but gave a sense of luxurious damping that the new bike doesn’t – it’s so stiff that it only feels like

Smaller and yet bigger: the 1200 is slimmer and more compact, but with wider ’bars and a longer perch

it’s working at TT speed. It’s jiggly on all but glassy surfaces, skittered off-line by mid-corner ripples, smacking off bumps.

Corners are worsened by new handling traits. Dither with the gas mid-turn on the previous 1050 and it still tracked confidently, but the 1200 runs wide unless driven through.

It’ll be ace at Oulton Park, but is tiresome on Oakham Road.

How’s it stack with rivals? º European firms set the supernaked bar and they set it high. KTM’s Super Duke R tops the table, pursued by the Aprilia Tuono and Ducati Streetfighter V4. Kawasaki’s Z H2 puts in a supercharged shout for Japanese factories. And in a hand of Supernaked Top Trumps the 1200 is a welcome card. It’s lightest, equals the larger KTM and revvier multicylinder Aprilia on power, and is only aced on power-toweight by the wild, screaming Ducati. And at £2846 less than the Streetfighter it’s cheapest.

41

Triumph Speed Triple RS

‘Connectivity means turn-byturn navigation, control over music and calls, and you can link a GoPro to collect self-incriminating evidence’

42

This is effectively what a clutch lever looks like in hightech 2021

Your joints, fillings and vision will appreciate some backing off on the many adjusters

The RS also sits tech-to-tech with rivals with cruise, leansensitive traction and ABS, quickshifter, wheelie control, modes (Rain, Road, Sport and Track with preset ABS, TC and maps, plus self-set Rider), and a new display with a far better layout than the annoying Street Triple. Connectivity gives turn-by-turn navigation, control over music and calls, and you can link a GoPro to collect self-incriminating evidence.

Keyless ignition and self-cancelling winkicators too.

What it doesn’t have is their usability. Sure, the Ducati’s focused, but the benchmark KTM is fast and sporty like the RS while also being lighter on its feet, friendlier and comfier in normal use. Aprilia’s Tuono has a smooth and tractable V4 plus a tall flyscreen for this year, and Kawasaki’s Z H2 is a big teddy bear (with a crackers motor). The Triumph is at the trackday end of the spectrum, which is fine if that’s what you crave – as a sharp high-performance tool the RS is spot on.

But you’ll have to tolerate its obstinate focus on the B5324.

What about a friendlier one? º Erm... sorry, no. We’re bling-obsessed buyers – so Ducati sell more S models, BMW shift more TEs, and Triumph flog more RSs. It’s why all Street Triple dealer demos are the RS. So while there was an S version of the previous Speed Triple with a few less gizmos and a more road-biased ride, this RS will be the standalone 1200. Yes, we’re disappointed too.

So is it worthy of the name? º The departing Speed Triple was unique. Yes, it had power, speed, tech, showiness, and could slice up a trackday. But the 1050 was a chunky road bike, not a stripped racer. You could sense its muscular ancestry in the gutsy triple, handling solidity and presence, right back to the iconic 1994 original.

The 1200 is different. It’s all top-end power, tall gears, lap times and widgets. ‘The ultimate performance naked sports ride’, as they put it. It’s still a big triple, has familiar design cues, says Triumph on the tank... but with the lack of a roadbiased version, it’s not the Speed Triple we’ve come to love.

43

Triumph Speed Triple RS Does this mean buy used...?

SPECIFICATION

º Little hope of a new 1050cc Triple. The arrival of the 1200 meant deals and they’ve flown out the door, though you may find an ex-demo. But go for a used Speed Triple RS and a three-year-old with the on-road performance and look-atme parts of the 1200 but finer road manners – £9000. The friendlier S starts at £7k – half the price of the latest one.

But if you want the best value, we’d go for the 2011 revamp model. Performance, image, modernity and, crucially, oodles of iconic (and unique) Speed Triple feel from just £4500. You have to pay that for a minty 16-year-old 1050 from 2005.

Contact Price (otr) Typical finance Capacity Engine Bore x stroke Transmission Power (claimed) Torque (claimed) Top speed Frame Front suspension

The Bike verdict º I loved the real-road performance and touchy-feely charm of Triumph’s 1050cc engine, and was a sucker for the previous Speed Triple RS. Yes, it was a bit too firm and a tad showy, but on-road abilities, classiness and bold character more than made up for it. There was nothing quite like it.

There’s no doubt that the new 1200 has a monumental engine, refinement, quality, amazing outright handling and more electronic fancies than anyone needs. It’s definitely in the running for the hottest supernaked, and if you want a focused high-performance fairing-free bike you’ll be delighted (though might want to wind off some compression damping). But, for me, the 1200’s tall gears, skinny build and rock-hard ride are a step in the wrong direction for a pure road bike. It operates at a level far above where I’m willing to go on the road, and in taking it to this performance point they’ve sacrificed the glorious front end, accessible burping drive and reassuring substantial meatiness of the Speed Triple that we love. And this makes me glum.

Tyres (f/r) Rake/trail Wheelbase

triumphmotorcycles.co.uk £15,100 example not available at time of writing 1160cc YDOYH '2+& ť FUDQN LQOLQH WKUHH 90 x 60.8mm 6-speed, chain 177.5bhp @ 10,750rpm (claimed) 92.2 lb.ft @ 9000rpm (claimed) 175mph (estimated) aluminium perimeter 43mm usd forks, adj. preload, rebound and compression monoshock, adj. preload, rebound and compression 2 x 320mm discs, four-pot calipers/ 220mm disc, twin-pot caliper 120/70 ZR17, 190/55 ZR17 ť PP 1445mm

Wet weight

198kg (claimed)

Seat height Tank size Economy

830mm 15.5 litres 38mpg/129 miles (tested)

Electronics

Colours

cornering traction and ABS, wheelie control, cruise control, two-way quickshifter, modes, connectivity black, matt grey

Availability

now

Bike rating

8/10

Rear suspension Brakes (f/r)

Tale of two halves: focused and high performance, but less of a pure road bike

TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 1200 RS

‘It’s not the Speed Triple that we love, and this makes me glum’

THANK YOU Massive thanks to Webbs Motorcycles for the extended loan of their demo. Try them for all Triumph related goings-on: webbsmotorcycles.co.uk or 01733 223444

44

A AH 600 AM R6

Y FYZ

WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU...

LEO VINCE FACTORY S FULL-SYSTEM EXHAUST #1810-2695

PROBOLT FAIRING BOLT KIT #2321-0657

WRS WINDSCREEN SMOKE #2312-0697

MOTO-MASTER BRAKE ROTOR FLOATING FLAME #1710-3014

GILLES TOOLING REARSET FACTOR-X BLACK #1623-0526

...AND MUCH MORE!

GET READY FOR THE RACE TRACK!

Make your bike ready to race and ask your local PARTS EUROPE dealer for more details and the best delivery options!

Check out our PARTS EUROPE app (for free) and see prices and availability of the parts you want!

ASK YOUR DEALER!

www.partseurope.eu/dealer-search

WWW.PARTSEUROPE.EU

UK

Great Escapes Summer is here, time to explore the riding heaven that is the UK. And it’s all within a few hours of your front door.

Bike’s high mileage team (and a few friends) reveal where they’ll be riding this summer

The Escape Artists Bruised and blinking the Bike team emerge into the light and reveal their secret haunts and dirty B-road post lockdown escapes of choice…

46

Hugo Wilson

Mike Armitage

John Westlake

Andy McCandlish

Ben Lindley

Editor

Deputy Editor

Contributing Editor

Pro snapper

Ex-Bike staffer

Long-serving Bike editor may have spent more time fixing carbs by the side of northern roads than actually riding on them.

Deputy editor spends 40,000 miles a year on new bikes and circa 40,000 hours a year fettling the TDR250 in his Leicestershire shed.

Years of new bikes come and go for Northants-based Westlake, but his favourite Burford tearoom remains.

Pro snapper based north of Glasgow once bivouac’d on a Scottish beach with H Wilson.

The experience: ‘unforgettable.’

Ex-Bike staffer blats around Yorkshire on his Speed Triple 1050. An expert in Holes, be they Horcum or Hutton. It’s reet gradely.

16 14 17

15 19 13 30 36 40 1 25 7

11 20

2

26 8

4 10

35 9 24 34 44

27

6

3

32 5

33 18 28

12 40

29 23

42

31 22

21

43 45

John Naish

Peter Boast

Michael Neeves

Simon Pavey

Proper old-school journalist

Pro racer and flat track school owner

Road tester

Ex-Dakar racer

Terrorises the English South Coast with moustache (not pictured) and vintage Kawasaki Z.

First rode for Bike magazine in 2000. No one is more Lincolnshire than Boastie. He races a bit too.

Serial test rider and crossed-up wheelie enthusiast Neevesy grew up scratching on South East England’s unsuspecting byways.

Stephen Davison John Frears Hogg Irish road racing photographer

Discovers world’s greatest off-road Lives two miles from the playground: Wales. In his Dundrod Circuit. He’s words: ‘I’m Walesbeen snapping bikes in centric because it’s mid-150mph jump for bloody awesome.’

30 years.

Overland-toAustralia veteran John has been razzing about in Cornwall for 30 years. He rebuilt his Morini over lockdown from the crank up.

47

ÏÃËÐ ËÏÃÉÇ ÏÃ×ÔËÖË×Õ ËÏÃÉÇÕ ÉÏÄÊ ° ÃÎÃÏÛ ÕÖÑÅÍ ÒÊÑÖÑ

41

UK Great Escapes

1

The northern Pennines are littered with great roads, some of which I didn’t crash on while being a feckless teenager. It always feels like an incomplete year if I haven’t ridden at least part of the B6278 from Barnard Castle to Consett.

2

Yorkshire coast: road racing

3

Ice cream in Rutland

Scarborough for road racing on 26-27 June, 31 July-1 August or 11-12 September (oliversmount.com) is brilliant.

A slow, B-road, pillion-friendly ride with Mrs W to the local ice cream vendor. Ours is Ferneleys Ice Cream in Rutland, and mine’s a mint chocolate chip.

4

A slow Peak District tour

5

An evening in Bury St Edmunds

It’s worth taking a leisurely tour of your nearest National Park. See page 52.

The monthly late night meets at Krazy Horse, Bury St Edmunds are a good way to spend a Thursday evening, starting 1 July.

News at krazyhorse.co.uk

Mike Armitage

6

Mallory: grassroots racing

Go to a lower-level club race at Mallory Park, like the EMRA 10 July meet. Marvel at the machinery, characters, access to all areas and paltry £15 ticket price.

7 Roads less travelled

Get lost. Can be anywhere, as long as a) it’s suitably remote and b) it affords spectacular views. Head to the Dales, Peaks or Moors, take a small unknown turn, and revel in where a bike can take you.

John Westlake

8

Evening trackdays at Cadwell

Middling trackday riders like me adore Coppice Corner, Cadwell Park. Tipping in feels MotoGP fast, but actually there’s bucketloads of safety margin. And Cadwell’s evening trackdays are a £59 treat. trackdays.co.uk

9

:HOVK ƮUHWUDLO

A firetrail, Wales. Difficult to be precise about the location of this because I’ve always been following Mick Extance and

48

10

Donington not via the M1

A6006 Melton Mowbray to Donington.

I don’t understand people who ride to Donny Park from the south on the mind-numbing M1 – there are many more interesting options. My favourite is the A6006, which will deposit you at WSB on a high.

North York Moors. And go…

11

First left on West Lane on route to Danby off the A171. This is a gem partly because it’s a lovely left-hander, but mostly because it drops the flag on a spectacular ride across the North York Moors. And who wouldn’t want a bit of that?

12

The smell of baking bread

Huffkins Tea Room, Burford, Oxfordshire. Bike-friendly staff and an excellent full English are welcome, but I love this place because it’s also a bakery. It’s like hyper ventilating on a fog of freshly baked bread.

Andy McCandlish

13 Scotland by boat

Ride onto a Calmac ferry to head off to the west coast of Scotland. Never used a Scottish ferry? Calmac.co.uk has an interactive map to inspire the uninitiated.

14

Findhorn feed

Park up outside the Bakehouse Cafe in Findhorn for one of their almond croissants and a flat white. They also run pizza nights every Friday and Saturday from 5:30pm.

Perfect post-ride scoff.

15

The Duke’s Pass

Hitting the perfect flowing corners and switchbacks on the Duke’s Pass between Aberfoyle and Trossachs near me.

You will find me here on the very first dry day of the year.

16 Island hopping

Ride up the glorious single-track roads of the Outer Hebrides, from Barra through the Uists to Lewis and Harris, with a fully packed bike and nowhere special to be. Planning is overrated.

17

Legendary Applecross

Pints of local ale at the Applecross Inn after flying over the Bealach na Ba pass.

I usually have to fight my way to the bar on a sunny weekend. Peckish? Order food from the Inn Side Out food truck.

Turn off that sat nav and get lost

Ben Lindley

18

Gospel Pass, Wales

19

Mussels in Scotland

South Wales’ beautiful Gospel Pass.

I first blundered up here on a mid-2000s litre superbike. There was a ford, a mudslide, and at one point I leant the bike into the hedge to allow a Jeep past.

Order steamed mussels at the Tayvallich Inn, which is surrounded by utter stunners in the road department. A816 from Oban to Kilmartin: a blinder. A83 from Tarbet to Lochgilphead: grandiose gateway to Scotland’s wild West Coast.

20

£3.60 and you’re sorted

Pop into Hunters of Helmsley for a mouth watering pork and black pudding pie, then sit in the town square and observe the two-wheel beauty pageant that occurs every Sunday. You’ll need £1.60 for parking, and £2 for the pie.

PIC: BEN LINDLEY

The northern Pennines

PIC: CHIPPY WOOD

Hugo Wilson

paid no heed to which mountain I was razzing about on. Mickextanceexperience.com

‘Take a small unknown turn, and revel in where a bike can take you’

Admirable: social distancing nicely observed

John Naish The best view in England

21

The Devil’s Dyke above Brighton.

This hill fort’s my nearest go-to beauty spot. Aside from the truly excellent name, Constable reckoned it the best view in the whole of England.

22

Kent Downs

23

Books, bikes & Bury Hill

Whitstable to Folkestone via inland country lanes of the Kent Downs. This is a route my Zed’s taken so often that its steeringhead bearings could navigate using musclememory alone.

Whiteway’s Cafe at Bury Hill on the A29. Good coffee and always some interesting oddball bikes parked up. Then on the way home, a nip round historic Arundel and then pop into Badger’s second-hand bookshop in Worthing, to browse their excellent old petrol-head stuff.

24 Maraud into Snowdonia

Barmouth, West Wales. Taking the back roads from Shrewsbury to Lake Bala.

Beano-style seaside town with sandy beaches and the friendly Last Inn pub makes an excellent base for marauding into Snowdonia.

Peter Boast

25

The old Bike 440 test route

Leyburn to Hawes on the A684. My god, this was the best of the old Bike 440 test route and this section of the Yorkshire Dales was the gem at its centre.

26 Lincolnshire rozzers

Bardney to Horncastle on the B1190.

Smashing road, turn after turn, bouncing between field boundaries. It’s well used by local bikers, probably because police are rare.

27

7KH EHVW FKLSVf DQG ƮVK

A little village called Seamer near Scarborough has the best chip shop going.

49

UK Great Escapes

39

Giant’s Causeway

Giant’s Causeway from Portrush is an absolutely stunning road all the way to Ballycastle. But then don’t go inland! Keep following the road to Torr Head. Incredible switchbacks, rises and falls.

John Frears-Hogg

Not taken the road racing plunge yet?

You know, you really should…

Look for a whitewashed frontage with Seamer Fisheries knocked up on a plaque.

The Aberdare Park road race will make my 2021. It’s a circuit in a park in the centre of Aberdare town. I’m racing there on 8 August, trying to better my results from the 1980s.

Michael Neeves

29

Brands Hatch trackdays

Brands GP is one of the top three tracks in the UK. The woodlands bit reminds me of the Nurburgring. trackdays.co.uk

30 6WD\ LQ 0RƬDW

Stay at Buccleuch Arms Hotel in Moffatt: bike sheds out the back, hearty meals, top hospitality and Scottish borders roads.

Isle of Thanet

31

When it’s hot I take a slow ride round the Isle of Thanet wearing a piss-pot. This was the route of the bus I rode as a kid.

Candyfloss, stale seaweed… you get it all.

32

Simon Pavey 2Q DQG RƬ URDG

Our local evening ride includes the spectacular Black Mountain Road, the A4069 between Pont Aber and Brynamman, plus a stop at the Owl’s Nest Café in Llandovery.

And you can do this same route off-road.

50

34

Pudding time

35

Beer on the balcony

Pixies in the mines

41

Geevor Tin Mine has beautiful pasties for around £3.50. Find them in the on-site Count House Café. Miners used to eat pasties and throw the ends away to the knockers – pixies that lived down the mines.

42

Hillclimbing

43

Exeter via Dartmoor

44

Like Canada, but better

45

Culture and a good stew

Hartland Quay Hillclimb takes place from the Wrecker’s Retreat pub next to the sea in north Devon. Order a pint, find a grassy knoll, and watch wacky supermotos and oddball sidecars attempt the climb up the cliff. Other events are at scenic locations too. nhca.co.uk

Pennau Craft and Coffee Shop is a top stop between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth.

They definitely smash it on the desserts.

Cross Dartmoor. Find the B3357 from Tavistock and ride it to Princetown then turn left onto the B3212 all the way to Exeter.

Lake Vyrnwy is like a portal from Wales to the Alps. It’s a beautiful lake watched over by a posh, biker friendly, hotel.

Ride the A470 and A44 from Rhayader to Aberystwyth on a fast bike for open bends and huge views. This road goes over Plynlimon, isolated enough to remind me of North Canada but with better tarmac… and bends.

Stephen Davidson

36

I love the Goodwood Revival, the bike racing is great and the paddock is fascinating.

Plus you feel smug, gliding past the queues on the bike then parking right by the entrance.

Fancy dress? I just wear a pair of overalls.

Portrush

Visit Portrush for fish and chips and ice cream at Morelli’s. You can have your sundae, but for me their vanilla is hard to beat – that’s just how good they are.

Cornwall’s Tate Gallery has an amazing cafe on the roof above St Ives with views of the bay out to the Atlantic. Order the stew if you’re a meat eater - £8.50.

Test route

We ride between Colsterworth, Corby Glen, Grantham and back for bike testing and pictures. It looks great and rides that way too.

33

‘Bikes launch at 150mph and bottom out… sparks everywhere’

37The Dunlops

Great roads, great friends, it’s the lockdown great escape

Game of Thrones fan? Pop over to the Dark Hedges and photograph the avenue of trees in morning mist. Famous, yes, but the Hedges is also used by the Dunlops for testing their bikes in unofficial sessions.

38

Irish road racing

The Race of Legends at Armoy. It absolutely is happening this year on 30-31 July. Watch the spectacular jumps at Lagge as the bikes launch at 150mph and bottom out on the landing. Sparks everywhere. amrrc.com

PIC: BEN LINDLEY

28

Aberdare: road racing

PIC: JAMIE MORRIS

40 Step back in time

Life in the slow lane Bike’s Peaky riders go for a lovely day in Derbyshire, which you’d imagine would involve sportsbikes or the manly pursuit of supernaked wrangling. Actually, no…

By: Hugo Wilson & Mike Armitage Photography: Paul Lang & Mike Armitage

52

Rempstone to Ashbourne Shedding side-panels at 55mph Is there anything better than a weekday bike ride? The promise of sunshine is the perfect excuse to bunk off work and head for the Peak District. After the interminable and infected winter of discontent we’ve earned it. Surely…

Mike and I meet in a layby beside the A6006 at 9am and remark on the benefits of heated clothing; it’s a sunny morning, but cold. Just as well the kit is battery powered though as Mr Armitage seems to be having difficulties with the electrical system on his Royal Enfield. ‘It’s been fine,’ he claims, ‘but the starter wouldn’t work this morning so I’m kicking it.’ He then provides a lengthy demonstration of kick starting technique, but at last his 500cc single chugs into life.

Peaky riders

As a superfast rider and former sportsbike obsessive Bike’s Deputy Editor seems an unlikely owner of this Indian built eccentricity, but this is his dad’s old bike and an irreplaceable family heirloom, and surely Mike’s kids will be delighted to be lumbered with it in due course. While the Armitage Bullet is based on stone age technology (first manufactured 1948 etc.) it does have a disc brake, five-speed gear box and, intermittently, an electric start.

I press the button on the Enfield Himalayan I’m riding and the 411cc engine settles into a muted tickover. The bike’s model name is possibly inspired by its glacial acceleration though with a more modern engine than the Bullet it can be ridden flat-out at a giddy 75mph and 6000rpm without fear of mechanical carnage. A rear disc brake and monoshock suspension bring it slap bang into the 1980s.

This example is the Adventure version with handguards, enormous crashbars and very non-QD metal panniers in which to stow sandwiches, Peak District souvenirs and the pieces that will fall off Mike’s bike. The compass on the dashboard is a standard fit alternative to sat nav, but its function is comedic. Fortunately I have brought a map.

There were other, more obviously tempting machines in the Bike lock-up, but we wanted to enjoy the scenery and avoid the frustrations of choking rural 50mph speed limits.

Both bikes keep up with the traffic on the A6006 but, after circulating the gyratory junction of the M1/A50/A6/A42/A453 near Donington Park, we settle onto the dual carriageway A50 and the limitations become obvious. The Bullet is more musket than machine gun and 55mph seems to be the selected dual carriageway pace.

‘The compass is a standard fit, but its function is comedic.

Fortunately I have a map’ 53

P E R F O R M A N C E

P O SH NOW

E N I L ON

P A R T S

F O R

B IK E RS

H I G H G R AD E CHROMIUM U N I V E R S AL BALL J O INT Grafts directly to bone • May affect riding ability WAR N I N G: PHYS I O R EQ UI R ED

V I S I T U S AT B I K E RT E K S H O P.C O.U K

BIKES REPAIR EASIER THAN BIKERS U N L E S S I T ’S 1 0 0 % S A F E, D O N ’ T O V E R T A K E

Peaky riders

Still, there are other entertainments. The Bullet’s left side panel falls off, I swerve to avoid and then, while Mike continues oblivious, pull onto the side of the road and run back to retrieve it. An adrenalin drenched sprint to the A50’s central reservation and back (not sure how it got there from the slow lane) is plenty of excitement for one day. HW

Ashbourne to Cat and Fiddle Plunging into Dovedale’s splendour

sensible to balance safety and engine longevity on the fastflowing A50. Bobbing among HGVs at an indicated 60mph is far from joyous, mind.

Warming air and hazy hills along the breezier A515 revive my spirits, as does being reunited with a misplaced side panel as we stop in Ashbourne to consult Hugo’s map. A large-scale paper chart is always far better for devising a route than a sat-nav, though unfortunately the impressive one our esteemed leader has brought doesn’t show the Peak District. After ten minutes failing to find where we are, he scurries off to buy a new one, and we plot a tangled circuit.

Where the new map turns green north of Ashbourne, we dart onto The Pinch and plunge into Dovedale’s splendour.

The Bullet is the right bike here, whump-whump-whump torque and thin-tyre handling are all I want for these meandering lanes. Into Staffordshire, and traffic becomes scarce as the very British B5053 flounces to Longnor.

Left at the Grey Telephone Box at Glutton Bridge and there’s simply nobody around. Tight lanes carve through steep gullies and flick us up onto the wide-open hilltop expanse towards Buxton Raceway (home of

Thumping is better than thrashing if you ride a long-stroke single. According to the owner’s manual my Royal Enfield Bullet Electra X has a 50mph cruising speed and will creak to 78mph flat out, so somewhere between the two seems

2021 ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN ADVENTURE Engine: 78x86mm, 411cc, SOHC, air-cooled single Power: 24.3bhp @ 6500rpm Torque: 24 lb.ft @ 4250rpm Tank size: 15-litre Wet weight: 185kg OTR price: £5099

‘Whump-whump torque and thintyre handling are all I want’

2006 ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET ELECTRA X Engine: 84 x 90mm, 499cc, overhead valve, air-cooled single Power: 23bhp @ 5000rpm Torque: 29.5 lb.ft @ 3000rpm Tank size: 14.5-litre Wet weight: 187kg Value: £2500

55

Peaky riders Buxton Hitmen speedway team). We stop, taking time to soak in the silence, isolation, views and sun. It’s glorious. My Enfield must like it up here too, being unwilling to yield to the kickstart. Again.

The landscape changes again as we hop over the A53 and drop onto the A537 Cat and Fiddle. So does the traffic. MA

The descent maybe even better, especially on bikes as underpowered as these, a flowing sequence of turns as road descends into gorge before the scenery opens out at Ladybower reservoir and we turn south again.

Winnat’s Pass is a narrow, one-in-three-and-a-half tourist crawl that’s more first gear buzz than riding challenge, but it’s something to tick off the list. HW

Cat and Fiddle, Snake Pass, Winnat’s Pass More trouble with disappearing parts The Peak District is surrounded by big towns and cities; apparently 20 million people live within an hour’s drive so small wonder it’s busy. Geographically it’s two areas, the rugged High Peak to the north and the softer Derbyshire Dales (and a bit of Staffordshire) to the south. Our circular route takes in the region’s three most famous roads, starting with the Cat and Fiddle Pass. The view from the summit is amazing, but the twisting road down towards Macclesfield is strangled by double white lines, a 50mph limit, average speed cameras and endless traffic.

And the route back up onto the Peaks on the B5470 is a frustrating crawl behind a VW Polo doing 43mph. On a more powerful bike you’d make some overtakes, but in company with the thudding Bullet you just sit back and accept it.

Between Whaley Bridge and Glossop, we turn off the A624 to sit in the sunshine, backs against a dry stone wall to admire the scenery and eat our well deserved sarnies. The re-start provides further amusement as the Bullet’s kickstart lever parts company with the gearbox. It’s refitted using local gritstone as a hammer and cheap spanners from the Himalayan’s toolkit.

The Snake Pass heading back towards Sheffield is a belter.

Sure, there’s the inevitable 50mph limit, but the view is amazing and the traffic surprisingly light as the road climbs up to the 502 metre summit where, on bleak moorland the road is crossed by the Pennine Way footpath.

‘We make it to The Old Original Pudding Shop for sustenance… raspberry jam, almonds…’

56

Bakewell to Derby In search of puddings Obstinate starting, map malfunctions and our persistent dawdling mean it’s late in the day as we burble into Bakewell, but we manage to make it into The Old Original Pudding Shop for essential sustenance. Topped up with pastry, raspberry jam, almonds and other goodness, a short section of A6 leads us to the B5056. It’s a road I have never been on before but with corner after corner cascading through scenic greenery I make a mental note to return… soon. The roads are tight enough for the Enfield to be entertaining, but a KTM 890 Duke would be sensational.

Matlock passes over to our left and we point for the city of Derby on the wider B5023. The road is great – when I was a sportsbike-riding Matlock regular back in the 1990s this was the way my mates and I would come – but it’s also a little busier than it used to be back in historical times. Overtaking is frustrating, though this is because the Bullet lacks any real acceleration above 50mph as much as double white lines and speed limits stretching out from quiet villages. It wasn’t this hard work on my GSX-R. Rather annoyingly, Hugo’s

NOT JUST FOR RACE.

VISIT OUR

NEW WEBSITE!

TITANIUM | STAINLESS STEEL | ALUMINIUM

HIGH STRENGTH | CORROSION PROOF | LIGHTWEIGHT

MOTORCYCLE SPECIFIC KITS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE

RACEBOLTUK.COM D E S I G N E D D E V E LO P E D A N D M A N U FAC T U R E D I N T H E U K S E T T I N G T H E S TA N DA R D G LO B A L LY

Winnat’s Pass in late afternoon sunshine

‘Thrumming resumed, my mind drifts to the best bits of today’s route and the enticing prospect of a post-ride pint’

58

Peaky riders able to make considerably better progress on the revvier and thrashable Himalayan.

Duffield marks the end of proper routes. I lead us to the A38 and onto Derby’s ring road, the Enfield mixing effortlessly with dawdling evening traffic as we weave back to the A50. Returning to a 60mph dual carriageway cruise requires effort after our soul-soothing day of easy-going riding and relaxed escapades. Enfield claimed my bike’s stubby 1370mm wheelbase helps deliver ‘rides free from tail wagging and overturning’, but whoever decided that had clearly never clenched their bumcakes around the long, fast sweep where the A50 crosses the M1 at Kegworth.

Not enthused by the prospect of further ‘high’ speed on the A6, we sidle onto lanes in the direction of Melton.

Thrumming resumed, my minds drifts to the best bits of today’s route, the enticing prospect of a post-ride pint, and whether the Bullet will survive the final miles. MA

The last leg; 1 A frustrated GSX-R1000 in Rutland A mellow day on the Himalayan ends with a 50mph weave through Rutland which must have been frustrating for the GSX-R1000 I followed, and then down the A1. At home the tripmeter says we’ve covered 260 miles (at 77.2mpg). Going fast is fun, but going slow has its own charm.

A few years ago I would have recommended cheap used motorcycles for this kind of riding day out, but secondhand values have risen and a brand new Himalayan on minimal monthly payments is hard-to-ignore tempting. And so is a return visit to The Peaks. Britain’s National Parks are fantastic, despite the grandeur of continental Europe sitting on our doorstep. HW

The last leg; 2 Enthusiasm for an antiquated device When I got my Royal Enfield a well-known road tester who shall remain nameless (it was Michael Neeves) couldn’t understand my enthusiasm for the antiquated device.

Explaining that the Bullet’s meagre performance and engaging dynamic make sense with today’s blanket speed limits and cluttered traffic convinced me more than it did him, but our Peaky adventure has proved the point. And the age-old single averaged 88.9mpg as well.

The only problem is that I don’t live in the Peak District.

What I really need is something with the Enfield’s undoubted charm and easy-going nature, but a little more modern-day usability.

I see why so many people buy Royal Enfield’s Interceptor.

But what I really think I want is a Moto Guzzi V7 (see page 78 for confirmation). MA

59

THE

SWEETEST SUMMER

After a barren motorcycling year you’re probably making plans for an epic summer. But it would have to go some to match post World War 2 Isle of Man. Let the racing begin again…

By John Westlake Photography TTracepics.com

60

Folklore

Big crowds at the Creg are a tradition, but in those post War years they stretched all round the Mountain

61

Folklore

s t m e bi M took unprecedented festival of speed, e In fact, according to the late Mu racing fanatic who went to almost every TT from 1923 until 1978 – the era from ’47 to the mid-50s was the most joyous period, with racers and spectators revelling in the ability to do what they wanted while not getting shot at or bombed.

‘Britain and the world had been starved of motorcycle sport since 1939,’ Murray told me in 2019, ‘and all of a sudden you had this fantastic outburst of enthusiasm. It was a magical atmosphere. I had just come out of four and a half years in the army [Murray was a tank commander] so the contrast between fighting for my life to this wonderful atmosphere of freedom, enjoyment and riding a bike around the Isle of Man was just magic. Pure magic.’

Terry Moore, 87, is an Isle of Man local who watched the ’47 races near Ago’s leap and went on to be a TT marshal 62

Freddie Frith on the Guzzi was a contender for the 1947 Senior, but a broken brake torque arm threw him off in practice

for 65 years. He remembers that atmosphere as clearly as Murray: ‘It was fantastic,’ he says. ‘Thousands of people would be walking along the promenade and there were so many day trippers – there were far more ferries back then, and they had no capacity limits. There weren’t a lot of bikes because most people didn’t have the money after the war, so everyone would walk or get coaches everywhere.

‘The crowds were massive – far more than today,’ says Terry. ‘Take the 33rd Milestone for instance – there would be coach after coach going up there dropping the day trippers off. I couldn’t believe how many people there were – it was like the pictures you see of the biggest foreign GPs all the way to the Creg and right down to Brandish. If they have a good year now, they wouldn’t have a quarter of what they had then. It was so great to be there after years of war.

Everyone was so friendly.’

Peter Kissack, 90, is another local who watched the ’47 race and remembers the riders’ unfettered zest for life back in Douglas. ‘In 1947 there were Nortons, AJS and Guzzi factory teams and they used to have water pistol fights in their digs,’ he says. ‘The Moto Guzzi team were in the Douglas Bay Hotel, Norton were always at the Castle Mona, and they would go to each other’s hotels and water pistol everyone.

I saw them putting potatoes and bangers down the exhausts of each other’s cars too. It was great fun and it was lovely being amongst it all.’

Terry also spent his time milling about with his heroes.

‘In 1947 the big names were Bill Doran, Harold Daniell [who won the Senior in 1947], Artie Bell and all that crowd. Me and my pals would be up at the grandstand all the time getting stickers and hand-outs from Castrol and then hanging around the garages where the teams were.’

And when Terry says garages, that’s exactly what he means – in those days most teams were based in residents’ domestic garages. ‘In the 1960s we had Billy Guthrie [who got three TT podiums] in our garage and later Ron Haslam was in there. Back in ’47 we knew who was where and used to hang about watching the mechanics and riders – it was a good atmosphere. There were no restrictions, so we could talk to whoever we wanted and we used to make sure the riders and mechanics had plenty of tea and biscuits. A few years later me and a pal were hanging about outside the Norton garage and we ended up helping them push start Ray Amm’s fully faired race bike – the big aluminium cigar thing.’

‘You could mix with the riders after the races too,’ adds Peter. ‘There was a tremendous party atmosphere in 1947.

There was a riders’ night at the Glen Helen Hotel and they rode little bicycles round the dance floor, pushing each other off and all sorts. It was a wonderful evening. You don’t get that now.’

Just as the teams based themselves in local garages, a lot of the riders lodged with local families. ‘Ray Amm [1954 TT winner] and his wife stayed at my girlfriend’s house,’ says Peter, whose jobs at the Steam Packet ferry company and then with the government licencing department meant he met all the star riders. ‘Cromie McCandless (Grand Prix winner and third in the 125cc world championship in 1951] married a girl that I worked with in the licencing office. All the riders came through there – Geoff Duke, Artie Bell, Bob MacIntyre. Of course in those days we got car racers coming over too – Mike Hawthorn, Stirling Moss, all that lot.’

Though the top TT riders in 1947 were world class – the TT was a Grand Prix back then don’t forget – the bikes were less so. The war had decimated most industries and by 1947 motorcycle manufacturers were still struggling to turn a profit. Consequently there weren’t many factory teams – only Norton, AJS and Velocette entered the Junior, for example. And the bikes themselves were not exactly cutting edge, with the vast majority being no different to bikes raced a decade before.

But despite that, the racing was enthralling. Partly this was because there were no restrictions on where you could spectate, so if you were lucky enough to The local scouts have transport, you could plonk yourself were, as ever, anywhere on the course. ‘People would in charge of be sitting on the hedges, feet over the proceedings Artie Bell (left) congratulates Senior winner Harold Daniell

‘It was so great to be there after years of war’

63

Folklore

edge. And if anything happened, you moved your feet pretty quick,’ says Terry.

And the circuit itself was a far tougher proposition than it is today. ‘The roads were atrocious,’ says Peter. ‘To my mind, the best ever lap I’ve seen was Harold Daniell’s in 1947 because the condition of the road and the narrowness was unbelievable. The widening and resurfacing that’s taken place means it isn’t the same course really. The 33rd was a series of very difficult corners – it’s now one big sweep.

Windy Corner and Brandish are much wider now.’

Terry agrees. He spent 25 years as a marshal at Brandish and eventually moved because of changes to the course. ‘The improvements over the years have been terrific,’ he says, ‘but I think they’ve spoiled a lot of it. Brandish, for example, was a difficult second gear corner in 1947, where you braked from maximum speed. The riders had to be pretty skilful. Now

it’s just a big open bend with a grassy bank either side. When they changed it, that’s when I packed up going up there and became a marshal at Greba Castle – they could show their skills there.’

By 1949 Murray Walker was commentating at the TT for the BBC and still feeling the joyous release from the shackles of war. ‘I was the bright-eyed innocent coming into this great world of Geoff Duke, Bob McIntyre, Reg Armstrong, Jack Brett, Ray Amm, Archie Bell, Johnny Lockett…’ he said.

‘And in the ’50s you had the magic of Geoff Duke, the lone Englishman on a rather outdated single-cylinder Norton battling against the four-cylinder Gileras and beating them.

By 1957, the TT had works entries from Gilera, MV, Mondial, DKW, NSU, Jawa, BSA, Velocette… and those are just the ones I can remember.’

Murray was commentating alongside his father Graham, a TT winner and ex-Norton factory rider. But unfortunately the three other BBC commentators were less qualified.

‘The only people in the five man commentary team who actually knew what they were talking about were my father and myself,’ said Murray. ‘I don’t mean that unkindly, but the BBC had to find three other commentators and it’s a

‘You could mix with the riders after the races. There was a party atmosphere in 1947’ 65

Folklore AJS race chief very expensive business so they used BBC Matt Wright people. David Southwood’s usual program with the brand was called Seated and Circle – he was a new Porcupine film critic.

‘I remember at the TT in 1951, my old man says, “Geoff Duke is due at the Creg ny Baa now, so over to David Southwood.” And David says, “Perfect timing Graham. I’ve just seen Geoff Duke come round the left hand bend at Kate’s Cottage at the top of the hill, looking up this steep descent to me here at Creg ny Baa. He’s coming down to an applauding crowd, I can see the sun glinting off his white helmet. Oh it’s a seagull.” He really didn’t have a clue.’

Enthused by those post war TTs, Peter Kissack decided he wanted to see more racing and in 1951 decided to ride to the first German GP after the war – no small task given the state of mainland Europe. ‘I had a Norton 500T Trials with a friend on the back and my brother came with us on a trials Bantam [a 125cc two-stroke making 4.5bhp on a good day]. I used road tyres that had been used in the 1951 TT – we used to get them from either Avon or Dunlop for five bob a tyre.

‘It was good fun. We were made very welcome by the Germans, who had never seen a Norton trials bike and Norton were the world champions at the time. The trip down was great, though Europe was still pretty bashed about and coming back we had some trouble crossing the Rhine because of the damaged bridges.’

‘He’s coming down to an applauding crowd, I can see the sun glinting off his white helmet. Oh it’s a seagull’ 66

Not content with that, in 1954 Peter and four mates drove a Morris Cowley hire car from the Isle of Man to the Spanish GP in Barcelona, getting grandstand seats thanks to a letter of introduction from the Manx Motorcycle Club. But it’s that first post war TT in 1947 he has the fondest memories of. ‘I remember coming back from spectating and going to the Cadbury’s tent at the back of the grandstand and mixing with all the riders. It was such a tremendous atmosphere that I don’t suppose we’ll ever see again.’

Built to suit your rider weight & riding style 2 year guarantee Fully re-buildable Stainless 304L damper body Billet machined mounts 18mm piston rod Made in England

www.hagon-shocks.co.uk 020 8502 6222

Contact Us on Tel No: 07894 862 467 or via Email: info@bikingabroad.com

. $-&"/ MOBILE MOTORCYCLE CLEANING SERVICE

Motorcycle Holidays

We at Biking Abroad provide all inclusive Motorcycle Holidays from our family run finca in the beautiful region of Valencia, Spain EN

OP What’s included: AR ALL YE • Transfers from either Valencia or Alicante airports • Motorbike Hire on our Yamaha MT09s or MT07s • Bike Gear: Jackets, Helmets, Trousers, Boots and Gloves • Full Board at our Country Finca: including bed, breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages out on the rides and evening meal (with local wine, beers and spirits) • Motorbike Insurance • Fuel • Daily Ride Outs with Expert Guide • Toiletries, if needed ***ALSO COMING SOON*** From October 2021 we will be able to cater for touring bikers…why not follow our progress at www.facebook.com/bikingabroad?

For more information go to

www.BikingAbroad.com

TEL: 02083648588 RETURNING YOUR BIKE TO SHOW ROOM CONDITION

BEFORE

AFTER

The area covered is 75 miles radius from EN63LT Static wash available at our base • other services offered Bike transport • Bike storage • Restoration work • Servicing ONE TIME OFFER: BOOK YOUR FIRST MO-CLEAN DREAM WASH AND YOU GET AN ACF-50 & RUST TREATMENT & A TIN OF CHAIN LUBE FREE

www.mo-clean.com

Not as go-daft fast as rivals, but on the road Kawasaki’s sophisticate is the go-to supernaked

‘No other naked supplies such smooth, unruffled rides and sense of refinement, while still being able to shear the space-time continuum’ 68

First Ride ‘Not really a supernaked though, is it?’

Super Kawi g ballisti

Opulent SE version of Kawasaki’s Z H2 brings a touch of sophistication to being a supernaked…

By Mike Armitage Photography Adam Shorrock (and it’s a supercharged bike… what are the chances?)

W

heeling the Kawasaki out of Bike’s bomb shelter and a colleague wanders over for a shufty. His eyes run over the imposing lines, substantial build and fairground-ride sparkle of the Z H2 SE. ‘Impressive thing,’ he says. ‘Not really a supernaked though, is it?’

With Ducati’s Streetfighter V4 based on a racewinning superbike and KTM’s Super Duke R having the excess blubber of a supermodel, I see where he’s coming from. These are the benchmark supernakeds, the fastest and most focused plastic-free bikes and make the Zed look chubby, suggesting softness, even inability. Thing is the Kwak is most certainly naked and it’s very definitely super. In fact, it’s more than that – the new SE version is a super-duper-naked.

As runner-up in our 2020 Bike of the Year bunfight it’s obvious we’re fans of Kawasaki’s blown inline four. With air rammed down its gullet by a chirping, whistling, speed-of-sound supercharger the 197bhp motor is astounding, with the most overwhelming midrange response and immediate thrust of any two-wheeler. Yet it has total refinement and pristine manners. Sure, the Z H2 loves leaving smeary black lines and hooking wild wheelies out of third gear corners, but it’s as happy slipping gracefully around town or gliding smoothly on a motorway. Brisk county-hopping pace is effortless, and it’s great for pillions as you can go everywhere in one gear.

Helping with piloting ease and slippery condition reassurance are its friendly chassis and ergonomics.

The Z is a big smoothie. Controls are light, handling mixes easy feel with composure, and though the upright stance locks you in place there’s a fine air of control (handy with the engine’s potential). On wide, flowing A-roads handling is breezy, yet sure-footed and inspiring. Enough widgets to please hardened tech-heads too, with a TFT dash, cruise, traction, wheelie control, connectivity and all that caper.

On the regular Z H2 things get unstuck on a gnarled B-road. Scamper along with gusto and the

Eight degrees?

C’mon summer

SPECIFICATIONS Price £18,500 otr Engine 998cc, 16v, supercharged inline four Power 197bhp Torque 101 lb.ft Top speed 166mph (tested) Rake/trail %Ȗ éé Wheelbase 1455mm Kerb weight 240kg Seat height 830mm Tank size 19 litres Economy 34mpg Colours ãîááê ÞèÝßç ëêèõ Availability Now Bike verdict £18,500 åï èëðï ëâ éëêáõ and an average 34mpg is horrific. But with its posh suspenders the SE îáéëòáï ðäá ëêèõ îáÝè âèÝóï ëâ ðäåï áôßáìðåëêÝè Þèëóê êÝçáà ÏÝà âÝïð õáð âîåáêàèõ åðĊï Ý ïðÝããáîåêã àáòåßá Bike rating 9/10

It’s an anagramlover’s dream

rear shock shows up as a weak point, rattling over imperfections and unsettling the balance – it’s an average part on an extraordinary motorcycle.

Hence protruding suspension wires on this new SE version. Adding to the anagrams already smothering the Z H2 is KECS, which stands for Kawasaki Electronic Control Suspension (actually, it’s made by Showa, though I guess putting SECS on the fork tops might cause sniggering). This semi-active system continually adjusts damping front and rear based on data from fork and shock sensors, plus road speed, acceleration and braking info. It’s a Skyhook system, like Ducati use, with chassis position referenced to an imagined point somewhere up above the bike.

It works. The SE’s suspension is a little plusher than the regular Z H2 and it also keeps the 240kg chassis in check when slung deep into turns. And so the SE steers better; as with the normal Zed the ’bars drop in a little until the front tyre is fully warm, but with less chassis upset the steering response is more consistent and the bike’s less likely to become unwieldy. The semi-active’s settings are linked to three riding modes (Sport, Road, Rain) and for my tastes Road could be a tad softer – however, there’s no doubt it’s better than the base H2 and in Sport mode the SE is far more capable of high speed, big lean silliness. So the extra grab from the SE’s one-piece brake calipers is rather welcome.

If, like my doubting comrade, you think that a supernaked must be able to qualify for a BSB race and should constantly beg you to go daft-fast, buy a Streetfighter, Tuono or whatever. I’m sure you, your nerves and licence will be very happy. But for me, as a pure road bike, the Z H2 SE is the pick. £18,500 is a lot, yes. But no other naked supplies such smooth, unruffled rides and sense of refinement, while still being able to shear the space-time continuum with a tiny wrist movement and corner as hard as I dare on a road. And of course it’s got a supercharger – and nothing else is quite as exciting as that.

69

Group test

TOO FAST, TOO FOCUSED, YET STILL KICKING AND SCREAMING Yes we’ve all heard the mantra about today’s superbikes being too fast, too focused, too extreme and too expensive. So why do Aprilia and Ducati bother, and why do we all still want one… desperately?

By Michael Neeves Photography Adam Shorrock

Ducati Panigale V4 S: let’s not quibble it’s a race bike with lights and mirrors

70

Aprilia’s RSV4 Factory: WSB title winning chassis and effortless ooomph

I

t’s hard to think of two bikes that better illustrate why the world has fallen out of love with sportsbikes than Aprilia’s RSV4 Factory and Ducati’s Panigale V4 S. And here’s why: both have more power than most of us have the skill, strength and concentration to use on the track, let alone the road and they contort you into riding positions the Cirque du Soleil’s go-to contortionist would baulk at. And there’s more: they’re fitted with fancy wings and aero you’ll never need, electronics you’ll rarely touch and are so expensive they’re out of reach for all but the fortunate few.

Superbikes like these have evolved way beyond what we were buying back in their noughties heyday – they’re more extreme and we’re slightly older, creakier versions of ourselves, too. So, can anyone actually enjoy a machine with well over 210bhp and so much tech on the road anymore?

71

Buy a used Aprilia RSV4 Now 12+ years old you can get early RSV4s for as little as £7500, but the 2019on 1100 Factory version is the one. º Check where your nearest Aprilia dealer is – there aren’t many around. ºLook out for slipping clutches, bouncy rear shocks and sticky electronics. ºSpares back-up has improved greatly, but not perfect.

72

Group test

Aprilia RSV4 Factory On paper one of the most seductive motorcycles ever made, so what of the reality of the riding experience…?

I

t’s been around for so long now it’s got its own bus pass, but the RSV4 Factory really came of age two years ago when Aprilia replaced its original 1000cc V4 with a breathed on Tuono 1100 lump. At a stroke its extra oomph gave it the effortless speed to match its three-times WSB-title winning chassis and it’s been the darling of the trackday world ever since.

As a road bike it’s never had the same runaway success, largely because it was built for a 250cc GP-sized Max Biaggi. It’s tiny, but if you’re small and/or extremely flexible you’ll be instantly seduced by the RSV4’s evocative MotoGP wail, its gut-wrenching acceleration, monstrous grip and the way it can float effortlessly from corner to corner at dizzying speeds.

Aprilia have relaxed the riding position slightly for 2021 – not for us, mind, but to give track riders more room to shuffle around and get tucked, but its new layout makes life more tolerable on the road, too.

The seat is 9mm lower, pegs are dropped by 10mm and the new RSV Mille-esque fuel tank is smaller to help you get your elbows closer together in a race tuck en-route to Lidl.

Now you’re placed more inside the RSV4 and not as perched over the top. That said the Factory is no superbike super-tourer – it’s still so cramped that my arthritic knees can only bend enough to ride the pegs like Daffy Duck. Low-set clip-ons give wrists a battering, too.

You’ll probably have noticed the Aprilia also has a new look for 2021 – fresh faced with LED headlights (at long last), cornering and daytime running lights, giant faired-in wings and assorted aero. The fairing lowers are cut back to completely expose the front wheel, which Aprilia say helps agility on the track and at the rear there’s a sleeker tail and a sliver of a seat for brave pillions.

To get the V4 through Euro5 without sacrificing its big bhp numbers Aprilia have

upped the capacity, from 1077cc to 1099cc (thanks to a 1.05mm longer stroke). Claimed peak crank power is still 214bhp, but delivered 200rpm lower in the revs at 13,000rpm and torque climbs from 90 lb.ft@11,000rpm to 92 lb.ft@10,500rpm. It has a new exhaust, which thanks to clever ceramic catalyst tech, is 400 grams lighter – that’s getting on for two pasties worth.

Despite all its engine work the power delivery doesn’t feel that different – it wasn’t exactly slow in the first place. The simple fact is you couldn’t open the throttle fully on the road before and you still can’t now. If you want to enjoy your investment to its fullest you need a track.

Ride quality is still special delivery from the magic carpet shop and it still has one of the most confidence inspiring front ends of any motorcycle. Aprilia haven’t messed with its magnificent polished ali frame, but its huge swingarm is now underbraced like a MotoGP or superbike… and the latest S1000RR. For the road its extra lightness, rigidity and lower centre of gravity will make zero difference to your day, other than looking funkier, but Aprilia say it gives the RSV4 extra stability under hard acceleration. Its chain adjuster slots are longer, too, to let racers play with wheelbase length.

Lean sensitive traction control, ABS and anti-wheelie are even more track-focused, thanks to a more powerful Marelli 11P IMU (debuted on this year’s RS660). It’s all kinds of clever, refined and promises to guide the Aprilia around a lap even more smartly and with less intrusion. But, there’s so much grip from the tyres and composure from the chassis you’ll never notice them in the real world. It now has six riding modes, but for everyday riding Sport is all you need. It gives the most supple and controlled ride from its electronic Öhlins, just the right amount of eagerness from the engine and the most natural levels of engine braking and wheelie control.

Its new 5-inch colour TFT display is a big improvement over the previous model’s with bolder graphics that are easier to read at a glance.

But the bulky left switchgear block is laughably big. It does have cruise control, though, which your aching right wrist will thank you for on a long jaunt.

Having said all this the Aprilia is even more irrelevant as a road bike than ever and changes to the engine, electronics, swingarm and aerodynamics make little difference away from a circuit. But, for the rare moments you’ve got the road to yourself it all makes total sense.

‘You’ll be seduced by the MotoGP wail, gut-wrenching acceleration…’

Above: new 5-inch TFT is a big improvement over previous incumbent. Below: switchgear block is laughably big and at odds with the Factory ethos

73

Group test

Ducati Panigale V4 S The V4 S is such an over-the-top triumph all of motorcycling-dom is talking about it. The thing is, do you have to be Dovi to ride it?

D

ucati’s Panigale V4 S is an unashamed race bike with lights and slightly dodgy mirrors. Its backwardsspinning V4 engine started life in Dovi’s Desmosedici GP14 and its frame is so stiff it only really makes sense at Mugello. But it has allowed the Bologna factory to pull off a PR masterstroke…

In these days of racers using road bikes to keep their eye-in during the off-season, the Panigale V4 S is closer to the real thing than the rest, with the possible exception of Marquez’s RC213V-S. Which means at smaller tracks such as Jerez it can lap within a few seconds of a MotoGP or WSB missile. Who doesn’t want to own a superbike with that kind of pub-bragging kudos?

But on the road the Ducati is a big red bag of contradictions. Despite its ability to turn in searing lap times there’s a surprising amount of legroom and the clip-ons are nicely splayed, so even taller riders will feel comfortable. Unlike the Aprilia. But it’s still no Multistrada and you’d a brave soul indeed to set off for pastures far on this device.

In the flesh the Panigale V4 S is all aggression drenched in shiny paint, designer labels and Bimota-esque billet ali parts. It’s hard not to be completely captivated just by looking at it and although it’s even more expensive than the Aprilia, you’d never feel short changed if you took the pricey plunge.

On the move the Ducati’s V4 isn’t as smooth as the Aprilia and lacks its traditional yowl. Instead, it acts more like an angry, heavy breathing V-twin thanks to its twin-pulse firing order and it clatters, rattles, shakes and booms. Unlike the RSV4 that’s so refined and flowing it disguises its speed, the Panigale V4 S feels like it’s doing a thousand miles per hour, even at 30mph, which is exactly what you want from a road bike.

You have to work the Ducati’s revvy engine to squeeze its speed pips and the chassis feels like a block of wood unless you can brake and accelerate hard enough to get it to talk to you. As a result, even on track, unless your name is Jack Redding, you’ll be faster on the Aprilia.

Last year Ducati took steps to make the Panigale V4 S friendlier for mortals like us, which made a big difference. They softened the power delivery and pinched the frame from the V4 R, with its cut-outs around the headstock for more flex and feel in the corners. It also got the R’s more angular fairing and wings to stop it flying away down the straights. Suspension was jacked up to improve agility and the rider aids smoothed-off.

For 2021 it gets another tickle, mainly to get its Euro5 wings. Now the exhaust is cleaner, the mapping new and the rear manifold pipes are 100mm shorter and smaller in diameter (down from 42mm to 38mm).

Peak power remains at a claimed 211bhp@13,000rpm and torque stays at 91.5 lb.ft, but delivered 500rpm further down the revs at 9500rpm.

Any theoretical gain in grunt is hard to detect on a Ducati that’s already quick beyond comprehension.

Above: engineering with spades of openthe-garage-door appeal

Left: so many road and track based electronics it sets the National Grid quaking

On the road the only electronics you’ll ever really come into contact with are the riding modes. Sport and Street are the go-to settings, giving the smoothest throttle response and supplest suspension settings. The up/down shifter works beautifully at any speed, too and Ducati have refined the traction, wheelie and engine braking control, too, but like the RSV4 it’s aimed purely for trimming lap times.

You’ll only ever use Race mode on track, but now it’s been split in two: Race A is the disco setting for smooth tracks, fresh rubber and a rider who’s eaten three Shredded Wheat. It gives you direct power, minimum traction and wheelie control, less ABS intrusion and tighter suspension damping. Race B has a subtler power delivery and more electronic assistance for more normal humans.

This is the friendliest Panigale V4 S to date on the road and has more track potential, too, but it’s still hard, fidgety and single-minded. But what makes the Ducati so special is it’s a pleasure to ride slowly, albeit a complete waste of its talents. It’s only when you’re taking it easy that you appreciate the supersonic whirr of a thousand tiny parts, pushing, pulling and spinning beneath you, its Öhlins constantly adjusting to the conditions and electronics ready to throw out the safety blanket. In short: you’ll never be able do it justice, but you just can’t help wanting a Panigale V4 s. Really badly.

‘You’ll never do it justice, but you can’t help wanting a Panigale V4 S’

74

Buy a used Panigale Ducati don’t slap big discounts on new models, which keeps used prices high. An original ’18 Panigale V4 S is still 17 grand. º Early models had their share of recalls make sure they’ve been sorted. º Mechanically robust and beautifully built, some bikes have the odd electronic wobble, but they’re easily rectified. º Non-S models aren’t as bling, but they’re way cheaper to get into.

75

Group test

Verdict Your head might tell you superbikes are pointless in the real world, but that doesn’t stop you wanting one. Few bikes mix jaw-dropping aggression with beauty like the Ducati and with its new wings and monster swingarm the Aprilia screams MotoGP decadence. And there’s nothing quite like a head down dash on a road you know well, on a superbike that takes everything in its stride, like these two do.

The new RSV4 Factory maybe too small for

most, but it’s more refined and capable than ever, however Aprilia depreciation is scary. This is an opportunity for the brave to score a brilliant deal on an older model, which will only be fractionally less too much than the latest bike.

Buying new? For the ultimate in completely irrelevant, over-the-top superbike indulgence the Panigale V4 is the one you’ll want to open your garage door to. Or just plonk it in the living room and be satisfied.

‘Few bikes mix aggression with beauty like the Ducati and with its new wings the Aprilia screams MotoGP decadence’

SPECIFICATIONS

DUCATI PANIGALE V4 S

Contact

aprilia.com

ducati.com

Price (on the road)

£23,000

£24,995

Typical finance

£5750 deposit, 36 months at £309.54, optional final payment £9934

£6286 deposit, 36 months at £227.16, optional final payment £14,628

Capacity

1099cc

1103mm

Engine

16-valve DOHC V4

16-valve DOHC V4

Bore x stroke

81 x 53.32mm

81 x 53.5mm

Transmission

6-speed, chain

6-speed, chain

Power (claimed)

214bhp @ 13,000rpm (claimed)

211bhp @ 13,000rpm (claimed)

Torque (claimed)

92 lb.ft @ 10,500rpm (claimed)

91.5 lb.ft @ 11,500rpm (claimed)

Top speed

186mph (est)

186mph (est)

Frame

aluminium twin spar

aluminium twin spar ‘front frame’

Front suspension

43mm telescopic forks, adj. preload, electronic comp/rebound

43mm telescopic forks, adj. preload, electronic comp/rebound

Rear suspension

monoshock, adj. preload, electronic comp/ rebound

monoshock, adj. preload, electronic comp/ rebound

Brakes (f/r)

2 x 330mm discs, four-pot calipers/220mm disc, twin-pot caliper

2 x 330mm discs, four-pot calipers/245mm disc, twin-pot caliper

Tyres (f/r)

120/70 ZR17, 200/55ZR17

120/70 ZR17, 200/60ZR17

Rake/trail

ť PP

ť PP{

Wheelbase

1435.8mm

1469mm

Weight

202kg (claimed)

195kg (claimed)

Seat height

845mm

835mm

Tank size

17.9 litres

16 litres

Economy

49mpg

37mpg

Electronics

six riding modes, traction/wheelie/launch control, ABS up/down quickshifter

Four riding modes, traction/wheelie/launch control, ABS up/down quickshifter

9/10

9/10

Bike rating

76

APRILIA RSV4 FACTORY

77

First Ride

Eight into seven does g

Shorter rear mudguard lightens the V7’s lines

Always been easy to fall for Moto Guzzi’s V7 Special. It’s even easier now it’s grown into an 850

By Mike Armitage Photography Adam Shorrock

E

xactly 12 months ago we had a feature celebrating how motorcycle manufacture is now truly international.

There was a Japanese bike made in France, an Italian machine created in China and a British bike originating in India, and it was all pleasingly cheerful. ‘You should worry about where they’re from as much as you should a mobile phone or dishwasher,’ said the verdict.

Whoever scrawled the words was clearly a numpty (it was me). Because this is the new £8600 Moto Guzzi V7 Special, and a huge part of the reason it’s so adorable is that it’s an Italian bike, made in Italy, by Italian people (probably).

We’ve always liked the V7 on Bike. It’s an onthe-money contender in the expansive retro market, seamlessly mixing classic style, sensations and character with modern usability, quality, dependability and other desirable traits ending in ‘lity’. The Guzzi’s thin-tyred agility, breezy lowspeed control, bend-swinging handling, thrummy performance and traditional sensations are glorious.

So is the fact it’s extremely well made and won’t throw a pushrod on the A6006 Asfordby bypass.

All the V7 ever needed was a little more wallop, to make it more flexible and to keep Triumph’s torquey 900cc Street Twin in check. So now it’s an 850 and boasts a 25% power increase.

Essentially, it’s the same air-cooled 90˚ V-twin with pushrods, two valves per cylinder and heron heads as before, but up from 744 to 853cc thanks to a wider bore and longer stroke. Yes, it’s the version of the ‘small block’ V-twin also used in the V9 cruiser and V85 TT adventure bike, and with the 1380cc ‘big block’ California discontinued it means all of Guzzi’s range has this same unit. Being pedantic the upgrade should mean a change of name, as the original V7 from 1967 was so-called because it had the firm’s first V-twin with displacements of 700 and 750cc. But two V85s in the range would be rather problematic.

78

Prettier than a TFT

SPECIFICATIONS Price x$" Engine $! ßß ò ìñïäîëà Ø ðóåê Òëóáî " Þäì © "$ îìé ßèÝåéáà Torque ! $ èÞ âð © ! îìé ßèÝåéáà Top speed !éìä áïð Rake/trail $ "éé Wheelbase " éé Kerb weight çã ßèÝåéáà Seat height #$ éé Tank size èåðîáï Economy !$éìã ßèÝåéáà Colours Þèñá ãîáõ Availability êëó Bike verdict ÅäÝîéåêã ßëêòåêßåêã îáðîë âñèè ëâ âááè ãëëà Ðëð Ý ïðîåàá âîëé ðäá ëèà Ø# Þñð ïðåèè Ý ßèÝïï Ýßð Ãêà éÝàá åê ËðÝèõ Ýï åð ïäëñèà Þá Bike rating 9/10

New LED rear light is a bit XSR700

The V7’s tune is identical to the V9’s, with a claimed 53.8 lb.ft and 64bhp compared with 44.3 lb.ft and 51bhp for the 744cc motor. Peaks are 750rpm or so higher up the rev range, but maximum power is still at a realistic 6800rpm and Guzzi reckon there’s 80% of peak torque from 3000rpm onwards. The V7 definitely has increased shove from three thousand, burbling forward with a noticeable step in urgency.

Enjoy generous handfuls of the light twistgrip, and it’s certainly faster. Low-rev fuelling isn’t perfectly refined but you soon acclimatise. Light clutch and accurate gearbox, too.

I can’t help being ever-so slightly underwhelmed, though. The additional drive is welcome, but it’s not quite the V85-engined romper I expected (the adventure bike has more torque and another 11bhp).

You could argue that the sun-dappled backlane sauntering the V7 inspires doesn’t require more wallop. You’d have a point. But a Street Twin still has 10% more pound-feet, delivered 1200rpm earlier.

Longer shocks, a stiffened frame and a broader 150-width rear tyre don’t make much difference to handling and ride. As before the V7 is easy in town, enjoyable on swinging roads and has a balanced feel, with perfectly adequate brakes (with a particularly controllable rear). Hard to notice any effect of the new seat and tweaked ergonomics without a backto-back with a previous bike too, but that’s OK – the Guzzbox is comfy and natural. And despite rivals’ glitzy spec and its ‘Special’ tag there’s no whizzbang tech. You get an LCD inlay in analogue dials, basic traction, and just two modes: ignition on or off.

But this is perfectly fine. It’s more satisfying spending money on the V7’s quality, charisma and sensations than on black boxes and flashing lights; there’s a warm feeling from the idea of investing in a bike that’s built in a historic factory next to a lake in Italy (presumably by grey-haired men in smocks), rather than fired off a production line in Thailand.

Shouldn’t matter, I know… but it does.

V7 Special too spangly?

The matt-finished Stone with cast wheels is £8000

‘It’s more satisfying spending money on the V7’s quality, charisma and sensations than on black boxes and flashing lights’ 79

80

The

xley interview Mat is a TT winner, endurance racer, author and MotoGP paddock insider

‘I could crash five times a lap, but not crash – I’ve won a lot of WSB races on that limit’ This summer Chaz Davies contests his 20th season on the world stage – no other Briton has ever raced at such a high level for so long. This is his story…

T

By: Mat Oxley Photos: Ducati, BMW, Gold and Goose, and Davies archives

wenty years ago 15-year-old Chaz Davies became the youngest rider to contest a full season of grand prix racing, the 2002 125cc world championship. This year he’s still fighting for world championship glory. Davies may not be Barry Sheene or Mike Hailwood but no other British rider has spent so many years on the world stage.

During those two decades Davies has done it all: 125 GPs, 250 GPs, MotoGP, World Supersport and World Superbike. Along the way he’s won 34 WSB races, finished WSB championship runner-up on three occasions, won the World Supersport title and become the first Briton to win the Daytona 200.

The 34-year-old Welshman is modest, so he’s never grabbed the headlines like some other Brits. The best Davies headline I could find

on the internet goes like this: ‘The Welsh sportsman you’ve barely heard of who’s actually a superstar living a jet-set lifestyle’.

Davies may seem meek, but he’s always had fire in his belly. His career has played out in three chapters: GPs, exile to the USA, then back to Europe to contest World Supersport and WSB. Trying to make it in GPs nearly killed his career, so if 15 years ago you’d told Davies that he’d still be racing a factory-spec Ducati in his mid-thirties he would never have believed you.

It’s never easy for a Brit to make it in GPs. Most of the teams and sponsors are Spanish and Italian, which is why most of the riders are Spanish and Italian.

Davies was one of the first British riders to get backing from Dorna, MotoGP’s Spanish owner. Dorna earns its money by selling TV rights 81

The Oxley interview to as many countries as possible, so it makes sense to invest money in nurturing riders from as many countries as possible.

Dorna’s trick was to force Spanish and Italian teams to take foreign riders to broaden MotoGP’s global fanbase. This was a great idea, in theory, at least.

In 2002 former 500cc GP winner Alberto Puig advised Dorna to bring three non-Latin teenagers into GPs. The three were: Davies, Leon Camier and Casey Stoner. Davies was assigned to the Italian Matteoni team, owned by Massimo Matteoni, who had previously run Max Biaggi and Marco Melandri.

‘But giving Matteoni a rider he’d never heard of put his nose out of joint,’ says Davies, who recently became a dad for the first time. ‘He had no reason to believe in me, so the effort reflected that.

Matteoni liked a drink, so me and my dad would bring bottles of whisky to races to try and butter him up but it didn’t change anything. I still wouldn’t have the correct main jet in the bike on Sunday.

‘It was tough because making it into GPs was everything you’ve ever dreamed of but once you’re there it’s not going right and you’re overwhelmed by everything. It was a huge baptism by fire.’

There were good times, of course. Davies and Stoner became close friends. They’d first got to know each other in 2000, when Stoner arrived in the UK to contest the Aprilia Superteen series.

At first Davies wasn’t amused. ‘My first memory of Casey was testing at Donington before the first race. I was one of the championship favourites and here was this guy I’d never heard of in dirty old yellow leathers ahead of me and I wasn’t catching him.’

In the MotoGP paddock they became inseparable. ‘We shared this tiny little trailer his mum and dad towed behind their motorhome. We

spent a lot of time together and it was good for both of us. Casey was phenomenally talented and headstrong, so his character rubbed off on me. And I think it was good for him to have a friend around, so he could switch off a bit.

‘We’d play PlayStation for hours. It was nearly the most important thing of the weekend: who could do the best lap of Sachsenring on Takuma Aoki’s NSR V-twin without traction control. I’ve got a lot of good memories from those days.’

Despite his dog-slow Aprilia RS125 Davies did well enough to win promotion to the 250cc class in 2003, aboard an Aprilia RS250. He became a regular top-ten man, an obvious candidate for a factory bike.

‘But you needed to find a million Euros to get a factory Aprilia. You cannot imagine the difference in speed between the factory bikes and mine. It was mind-blowing – they’d take half a second out of me on every straight.’

Davies didn’t only lack horsepower, he also lacked grip.

‘I remember visiting the Dunlop truck to have a look at my tyre list for the weekend. My list was always really simple: a couple of different tyre numbers for the front and couple for the rear. That’s your lot. This time they gave me this tyre list which was more like a book: five different fronts, seven rears… I stared at it for a bit and then the Dunlop guy snatched it back off me. He had shown me [Andrea] Dovizioso’s tyre sheet by mistake. That’s what you were up against – if you paid for the better bike you got better tyres too.’

By the end of 2006 the money had run out and the dream was over.

Davies went home to work at his parents’ kart track on the Welsh borders, where he had started riding minimoto bikes ten years earlier.

‘That was that – my career was essentially done. The GP thing hadn’t come good and I was at the end of the road. Then Jeremy McWilliams

‘By the end of ’06 the money had run out… the dream was over’

Davies, Losail, Qatar. Alien ship, not really sure where that’s from

82

calls me to tell me about this little team in America that wants a rider for the last two rounds of the AMA series. I thought AMA was more like a retirement plan, but I was stood there washing a car, thinking, why not? If nothing else I’ll see a bit of the States.’

Stateside exile should’ve been the end for Davies. The USA was decades past that time when its best riders crossed the Atlantic and conquered Europe. By 2007 it was a backwater of the racing world, where you went when you were descending the ladder, not ascending.

But somehow, through ill-luck and illjudgement, the USA saved his career.

In July 2007 Davies was at Laguna Seca, contesting an AMA race during the US GP weekend. During MotoGP FP1 Pramac Ducati rider Alex Hofmann got taken out by a rival at the Corkscrew, badly mangling a hand. Pramac asked Davies to take his place and he didn’t need asking twice.

Davies didn’t win the race by a long, long way but he did impress Ducati who then offered him a tyre-testing contract for 2008. He turned them down, but he had refreshed memories.

The following March he was at Daytona to contest the 200 miler, America’s biggest bike race, aboard a Kawasaki ZX-6R. Plenty of Brits had tried to conquer the Floridian banking before: Hailwood in the 1960s, Sheene in the 1970s, Ron Haslam in the 1980s and Carl Fogarty in the 1990s. But none of them had made it.

Therefore Davies became the first Brit to hold the 200 winner’s trophy in victory lane, although that’s not quite how it happened.

‘I finished second and we went out to dinner to celebrate with the team. Halfway through dinner I get a phone call, “Josh Hayes has been

83

Davies has been beaten to the WSB title three times by Jonathan Rea (left), so every victory over the Kawasaki man is extra sweet

Chaz Davies CV Born: 10 February, 1987 Lives: Andorra

Davies raced a BMW S1000RR in 2013. If he’d taken the ride Aprilia offered him he could’ve been WSB champ on the RSV4R

84

» 1999 Superteen championship 6th » 2000 Superteen championship 2nd » 2001 125cc British championship 7th » 2002 125cc world championship 29th » 2003 250cc world championship 14th » 2004 250cc world championship 13th » 2005 250cc world championship 16th » 2006 250cc world championship 30th » 2007 US Supersport championship 13th » 2008 US Supersport championship 6th » 2009 US Sportbike championship 9th » 2010 Supersport world championship 4th » 2011 Supersport world championship 1st » 2012 Superbike world championship 9th » 2013 Superbike world championship 5th » 2014 Superbike world championship 6th » 2015 Superbike world championship 2nd » 2016 Superbike world championship 3rd » 2017 Superbike world championship 2nd » 2018 Superbike world championship 2nd » 2019 Superbike world championship 6th » 2020 Superbike world championship 3rd

The Oxley interview disqualified for an illegal crankshaft, so you are the winner of the 2008 Daytona 200!” The team boss got another round in.’

The $80,000 Davies won that day still rates as his best day’s wages.

And the ill-judgement of Hayes’ team and Hofmann’s ill-luck at Laguna put him on a plane back to Europe.

The Italian ParkinGO team – funded by an airport-parking business – wanted him to ride their Triumph 675 in the 2009 World Supersport championship. Two years later the team got hold of the Yamaha R6 that Cal Crutchlow had ridden to the 2009 WSS title.

‘That year was super-important because it was the first time I could say I was on the best bike on the grid, so I used everything I’d ever learned from minimoto, 125s and 250s to racing in the U.S. to make the best of the opportunity.’

Davies dominated the championship, graduating to WSB in 2012, riding a near-factory-spec RSV4 for ParkinGO and taking his first WSB victory, at Nürburgring. No wonder Aprilia wanted him in their factory team for 2013.

Like many Brits who had struggled to make it big in GPs Davies was making it big in World Superbikes. But he was about to make a very big mistake.

‘Aprilia made me an offer to replace Max Biaggi for 2013, who told everyone he was retiring. I didn’t trust him – I thought he was just holding out for more money. Things were dragging on and I didn’t want to end up out in the cold, so I signed for BMW Italia. When Gigi Dall’Igna [then Aprilia race boss, now Ducati race boss] found out he was royally pissed off. I went into his truck and he ripped up our contract right there and told me to leave. I was like, I’ve fucked up here!’

Aprilia’s RSV4 was the best bike in WSB at the time – Eugene Laverty rode one to second overall in 2013 and the year after that Sylvain Guintoli won the title on one. That’s life…

‘Gigi had put all his years of racing in 125 and 250 GPs into building the RSV. The right choice would’ve been to stay there – the engine was incredible and they had the budget.

‘The BMW was a bit less of a racing bike than the Aprilia, a bit more agricultural in some ways.’

During 2013 Davies won three races on the S1000RR, enough to get him his first full-factory contract, with Ducati. These were the Panigale’s troubled early days, so he didn’t win his first race for the Bolognese brand until 2015. By then he was the man most likely to

defeat Rea. Between 2015 and 2018 he finished second to Rea three times and third behind Rea and Kawasaki team-mate Tom Sykes once.

Beating Kawasaki is difficult because they are the only factory which doesn’t spend most of their racing budget on MotoGP. ‘Beating Rea and Kawasaki is challenging but not impossible. It’s frustrating because you need everything to be just right for the whole length of the season.’

In 2019 Ducati parked the V-twins in their museum, introduced the Panigale V4 and signed MotoGP rider Alvaro Bautista. While Bautista duelled with Rea for the title Davies was nowhere.

‘The twin was much more natural for me – I could put together a race weekend with a bit less stress and when everything worked I could go ahead and dominate.

‘I had the twin figured out from a geometry and riding style point of view. I had a pretty relaxed set-up with the front pushed out, so I could ride it really hard and get away with losing the front because I could really feel the limit. I could crash five times a lap, but not crash. I won a lot of races on that limit.

‘The V4 makes the lap time quite differently, plus the Pirellis had changed, so there was more time to be gained with corner speed, whereas before that you got into the corner and you got out, spending the minimum time on angle.’

During 2019 Davies was overshadowed by Bautista and last year he was mostly overshadowed by new team-mate Scott Redding. However, by mid-season Davies had got the V4 figured out and at the last nine races scored more points than both Rea and Redding.

‘I got back to being able to do that crash-but-not-crash thing. That took a drastic overhaul of the set-up, but eventually I found the feeling I’d had with the twin.’

However, these days factory contracts aren’t signed at the end of the season, they are signed well before, so Davies had lost his ride to Italian Michael Rinaldi by the time he got his V4 sorted.

This year Davies rides for Ducati’s Team Go Eleven satellite squad, equipped with a factory-spec Panigale V4. And hell hath no fury like a rider spurned…

‘He ripped up our contract and told me to leave. I was like, I fucked up here!’

Suicide, bullying, Black Lives Matter.

Mat chats with Franky Morbidelli.

On the shelves 23 June…

Davies chases teammate Scott Redding at Aragon last August – at the last nine races he scored more points than Rea and Redding

85

New silly sweeping winkers thankfully not winking. Neat location, though

‘While the new Monster is cut from very different cloth it’s very, very good. In fact, it’s something of a revelation...’

86

First Ride Still looks like a Monster... well, sort of

No need to fear chang

No trellis frame, no cooling fins, and very different to ride – but don’t run from Ducati’s new Monster

By Mike Armitage Photography Jason Critchell

H

ands up. Yes, it’s true, I wish that the 2021 Ducati Monster was still tied together with welded steel tubes.

I miss the fact that it doesn’t sit pinging in the sun after spirited escapades, and my inner traditionalist feels mildly disappointed that it hasn’t the sweepy lean-loving rock-solid handling of historical Ducatis.

But I’ll get over it, because while the new Monster is cut from very different cloth to previous models it’s very, very good. In fact, it’s something of a revelation.

The Yamaha MT-07-shaped tank, MV Agustaalike light and compact high-ride stance indicate that Ducati’s most famous model has been lavished with contemporary thinking. And it’s a fabulously modern, light-on-its-tyres ride. It’s like a red KTM 890 Duke, responding to the lightest input, changing direction like a mid-tournament squash ball and skipping around with a glorious light-hearted air.

Perky and eager engine too. The 937cc liquidcooled V-twin is smooth, flawlessly fuelled and extremely tractable, yet with 109bhp and 69 lb.ft of torque is capable of teasing the front tyre from the surface and galloping through the light gearbox.

Again, all with a delightfully breezy feel. The Monster’s become all cheeky and playful.

Obviously this stark change in character over previous low, steady, solid Monsters is from a complete redesign. The motor is the V-twin used in the SuperSport 950 and Hypermotard, while the frame – what there is of it – is the cast aluminium ‘front frame’ from the Panigale. Fitting really, seeing as the original M900 Monster of 1993 borrowed the frame from Ducati’s superbike of the era, the 851.

The new Monster is a whopping 18 kilos lighter than the Monster 821 it replaces, at just 188kg fully loaded. Rake, trail and wheelbase are sporty, if not really different to departing Monsters, but centre of gravity rises and seat height is up by 35mm to 820mm. The ’bars are closer and ’pegs are lower, giving better comfort and also a finer sense of

Fancy with fafffree function

SPECIFICATIONS Price £10,643 Engine 937cc, liquidcooled, 8v V-twin Power 109bhp (claimed) Torque 69 lb.ft (claimed) Top speed 142mph (tested) Rake/trail 24°/93mm Wheelbase 1474mm Kerb weight 188kg (claimed) Seat height 830mm Tank size 14 litres Economy 50mpg (tested) Colours red, grey, black Availability now Bike verdict Screwing up your work and starting again is risky, but the new Monster has everything it needs to be a hit for Ducati all over again (despite the ugly plastic engine covers).

Bike rating 9/10 Yellow shock spring. Very 1993

control, and the chassis is trim at the waist for easy leg dropping.

Suspension is firm-ish, and slung down lumpy backlanes the Ducati’s a little loose. Not unstable or nervous, but entertainingly flighty. Whacking into potholes shows the quality of the unadjustable front and preload-only rear though, as does the plush fork action when you grab the mighty front brakes. With the front-end feel, commanding riding position and sophisticated ABS they’re simply phenomenal.

Other tech includes quickshifter (bit glitchy first to second), traction, cornering ABS and modes.

Launch control too, activated on the colour dash with familiar lefthand switches, but it’s gimmicky – the twin nips away quicker and with more control without it. Oh, and it has Audi-style sweeping indicators too. To me they’re pretentious and just shout ‘look at me’, though Bike designist Paul Lang loves ’em. Their switch is multi-function, used to access the riding modes and also the trip – and with the winkers self-cancelling I keep pressing the button when I don’t need to and resetting it.

Chirpy, eager, high-tech, the new bike may seem a poor relation to that iconic first Monster. But its designer Miguel Galluzzi originally wanted the 851’s liquid-cooled eight-valve V-twin as well as its trellis frame; he commuted on a stripped-back 851 to test the idea, but was forced to use the air-cooled twovalve motor because the factory was full of them.

With its Panigale frame and SuperSport motor, this new Monster is actually true to Galluzzi’s concept.

Deserves to be as much of a hit, too. Sporty yet easy to ride, mischievous but practical (there’s a neat storage area with USB port under the seat), the Monster is more agile than a Yamaha MT-09, feels classier than a KTM Duke, and highlights the Triumph Street Triple as a bit stuck-up and serious.

At £10,643 on the road it’s in the ball park on price too and Ducati’s PCP deals are inviting. So are their residuals. Change can be a very good thing.

87

The

Big test Miles ridden: 1200 Riders: Mike Armitage and Hugo Wilson Fuel used: 109 litres Cool reflections in shop windows: 236

BMW R18 First Edition

One seat, less power-per-cc than a Monkey bike and 19 thousand of your pounds. Yet five months with the R18 confirms swimming against the tech tide is good sport…

By Mike Armitage Photography Adam Shorrock

T

here ain’t many bikes as capable of distracting passers-by as the R18. While it takes someone in the know to notice that a Honda Fireblade is an SP version or that a Ducati Multistrada has a radar stuffed up its snout, BMW’s enormous cruiser grabs the attention of everyone. Its lines, scale, vast engine, sense of class – you can’t help but be drawn, hardened biker or not.

We know from our group test in the February issue that the giant BMW gives the experience and feel-good to back up its kerbside presence and garage appeal. But this retro cruiser is expensive, as focused as any sportsbike and has creature comforts pared back to a minimum – and while this is great for sensations and authenticity, we want to know whether the slow-revving, heavy, simplistic, solo-seat R18 can really provide long-term ownership appeal in gizmo-obsessed 2021.

More than 1200 under-the-microscope miles and several months of nit-picking reveal all…

88

Full-face or piss-pot?

Retro leather jacket or textiles? No matter – R18 could even make Mr Tumble look cool

89

The Big Test

No scalpel, but… ‘the lumpy sense of weaponsgrade torque is superb’

‘BMW’s humongous opposed twin is a rumbling, shaking, thrusting, belching champion of grunt’

90

LIVING WITH...

Look! A wonky motor...

It’s easy to imagine the cylinders of BMW’s boxers being smack in line, but the sheer scale of the 1800 highlights how one crank pin is behind the other. It means occasionally my fat size 11 feet brush the bottom of the right pot.

...and wonky brakes too The R18’s front brake discs are mounted a few degrees out from each other. It took weeks of frustrated D-lock jiggling before I noticed and worked out why my Abus security wouldn’t just slide through like on other bikes.

Hidden crud The designers did a smart job of making the chassis look like a hardtail, but the shock’s location means a liberal coating of road filth from the fat tyre. You have to remember to squeeze a hand in during a post-ride wash-down.

Instant attraction Classic lines, lots of shiny bits and sheer physical presence mean the R18 has attracted more attention than any recent test bike. My dad Les (before his post-Lockdown trim) is one of many clambering for a sit on it.

BUYING USED BMW R5 from £25,000 º The 500 from 1936 inspired the R18. Its 494cc boxer was the first Beemer with a four-speed foot-operated gearbox, and early telescopic forks. Values are on the up – ten years ago you’d have paid £10k for a decent one.

BMW R100R from £4000 ºArguably BMW’s first retro, especially in final Classic trim.

Soft set-up and low-revving 60bhp twin mean happy Sunday bimbles. Odd switches, annoying key and heavy controls, but I think you’ll find this is ‘character’.

BMW R1200C from £4750 º BMW’s first cruiser came in ’97 with 1170cc boxer and Telelever.

Hugely unpopular new, but solid values now. Watch for flaking chrome and clunky gearboxes, avoid bikes that ooze oil from between the engine and ’box.

91

The Big Test

Sounds of spring: bleating lambs, rumbling twin, chinking ’pegs and a giggling imbecile

surprisingly easy) progress. Do inspect the rear preload setting, though: there are 26 steps of adjustment, and some owners have found their bikes have been supplied left in the ‘shipping’ position with preload wound right off. There’s only 90mm of rear wheel travel anyway, and this means the shock is near the bump stop with barely any movement. Not good for footpeg longevity or the health of your spine.

Electronics There are three riding modes, amusingly and refreshingly tagged as Rock, Roll and Rain. There’s a reduction in grunt with Rain engaged, but there’s not exactly day and night between the modes – and the motor is so civilised and controllable that our bike has been left in full-fat Rock (the fact that it looks cool displayed on the dial obviously has nothing to do with this).

Traction control keeps tyre-smoking in check, though is a basic ASC (automatic stability control) system rather than one of BMW’s swish ‘dynamic’ set-ups – nothing wrong with this on a bike like the R18. You can turn it off with a button on the left switchgear if you like heart-in-mouth junction 92

Classy dial means the R18 wins any schoolboy ‘what’s it do’ competition

‘Yes it’s long, low and weighty, but the R18’s steering, low-speed control and highspeed composure are impressive’

FACTS AND FIGURES º Whether you thrash the twin

)XHO ƮJXUHV

or pootle everywhere economy doesn’t particularly rise or fall.

Want a locking filler cap? That’s an extra £50 please.

50

MPG AVERAGE Tank size:

16 litres

Wet weight

Distance to fuel light:

130 miles Range:

345kg

176 miles Rake

Price

32.7º

£18,995 Seat height

690 mm

Wheelbase 1731mm

Trail 150mm

PERFORMANCE TESTING º Ah. The figures are

Press and hold the top left button if you like leaving thick black lines everywhere

exits and giving your hard-earned to Michelin. The BMW is also keyless: keep the tank-shaped fob in your pocket, stroll up, prod the starter and rumble away.

For an extra £390 you get Headlight Pro that includes a daytime running element and LED cornering lights. Hill Start Control is another electronic option at £100, while chill-beating heated grips are £255. Definitely get the grips.

Controls and comfort As someone with a twinging back (too much time riding sportsbikes in my 20s and too much slouching) I thought the R18’s bolt-upright perch, low-slung 690mm seat and feetforward controls would cause aggravation. But no. The first couple of hundred miles took a bit of acclimatisation, but then the R18 has been pleasingly accommodating. It helps that the ’pegs are ‘mid-mount’ rather than full-on chopper.

Hugo’s equally happy: ‘I’m 5ft 10in and did a very long day without issues, though my backside was against the back of the seat so I’m glad I’m not taller. The low seat means the headlight and forks deflect some wind compared with other nakeds, making those wide ’bars tolerable at a decent lick.’

identical to 1987 Kwak Z550. But outright numbers don’t show how the twin feels if you hit the gas, though. And the stopping distance is 2m shorter than an Aprilia RS660.

Performance 0-60mph: 4.66s 1/4 mile: 13.4s @ 104.2mph Top speed: 112.9mph (indicated 118) 40-80mph top gear: 9.75s Braking 70-0mph: 52.6m

Speedo accuracy 30mph: 28mph 60mph: 56mph 90mph: 86mph

ALTERNATIVES Harley-Davidson Softail Slim £16,495 º 1746cc V-twin has very similar performance and rides well. R18 is classier, bit more refined, but this delivers that unique H-D feel.

Triumph Rocket 3 R £20,000 º Imagine a supernaked with a Scania wheelbase and a nuclear reactor for power. Amazing, but hard ride – R18 is a better cruiser.

Indian Scout £11,995 º Revvier, not as punchy, lacks a bit of authenticity. But Indian’s mix of then-and-now is spot on and it’s fewer grands.

93

The Big Test Hand levers are unnecessarily thick but it’s just a case of getting used to them. Switchgear has a pleasing feel and button-per-function layout of previous-generation Beemers rather than silly wheels or joysticks, and is easy to use. Feels robust too. It’s a shame you can only scroll through the mass of information from the on-board computer in one direction, meaning you have to go all the way round if you miss what you’re after, but it’s hardly a deal-breaking flaw.

Practicality Don’t buy an R18 for effortless commutes or weekend tours with your significant other. Those protruding pots are a pig to persuade through a garden gate or into a busy bike park, there’s nowhere to sit a pillion, no suitable location for strap-on luggage, and despite the headlight knocking a bit of blast away the BMW is far from ideal on long straight rides.

Options exist to increase usability – BMW offer a two-piece seat that bolts to the structural rear mudguard and our bike has accessory panniers with discreet mounts – but in standard trim it’s far from an all-rounder.

At least the glorious exposed shaft drive means there’s no chain to lubricate. The R18 also has self-cancelling indicators, decent mirrors, and returns 50mpg even while enjoying available thrust. Clever sidestand too. BMW have copied what Harley have done for decades, the stand slotting into a lug as it takes the weight of the bike. So the R18 can’t roll forward off its stand if you park on a slope. Simple and effective. But you’ll still panic the first few times the stand pivots into the lug and you think it’s folding up.

Quality and finish Forget TFT screens and multi-level traction control, and instead rejoice at the R18’s high-quality engineering and presentation – especially in this First Edition guise with lashings of chrome and pinstriped tank. After many months I still find myself mindlessly ogling the finer points, great finishes and simple-yet-smart design. ‘The details are really neat and delivered with a sense of humour,’ agrees Hugo.

‘Those art deco silencers are pure Dan Dare.’

There’s just one bugbear, but it’s quite serious. The lovely drive shaft developed small orange spots after a wet winter ride. I know most owners will save their R18 for epic sunny days, but it’s irritating on an opulent nineteen-grand item.

Pushrods and fins in 2021?

Yes indeedy

94

‘The details are really neat and delivered with a sense of humour. Those art deco silencers are pure Dan Dare’

About to thrust harder from 2500rpm than most bikes can at 10,000rpm

POWER AND TORQUE º 87bhp from 1802cc looks lame – Honda’s Monkey has a 50% higher power-to-cubes ratio. But who cares? Look at the torque: at a dawdling 3000rpm the R18 is making 40% more clout than BMW’s hard-hitting R1250GS.

120

100

Power 86.7bhp @ 4700rpm Torque 111.4 lb.ft @ 3100rpm

80

60

40

20

750

1500

2250

3000

3750

4500

5250

TYRES º R18s are supplied with Michelin Commander III Touring or Bridgestone BattleCruise. Both are loaded with silica and offer grip whether wet or dry – with the R18’s limited ground clearance you can ride in rain almost as you would in the dry.

Test bike’s Michelins have no obvious wear after 1200 miles.

ACCESSORIES Heated grips £255 º Ex-works option that really should be standard, but hey-ho.

Three temperatures, from warm to truly flippin’ roasting.

Reverse gear £930 º Electric reverse is engaged with a small lever and operated using the starter button. Pricey, but also useful and very amusing.

16-litre saddle bags £684 º Robust, good looking, clips neatly hidden behind buckles... but £685? Price includes the subtle mounts, but still salty.

PureBoxer jacket £1065 º Got an R18? Get the look. Trad’ horse hide jacket with luxurious liner and classy details. Bloody expensive, but it reeks of quality.

95

The Big Test BMW R18 FIRST EDITION Contact:

bmw-motorrad.co.uk

Engine:

8v OHV pushrod opposed twin

Capacity:

1802cc

Fuel system:

fuel injection

Transmission:

six speed, shaft

Frame:

steel double cradle

Front suspension:

telescopic fork, no adjustment, 120mm wheel travel

Rear suspension:

monoshock, adjustable preload, 90mm wheel travel

Front brakes:

2 x 300mm discs, four-piston calipers

Rear brake:

300mm disc, four-piston caliper

Tyres:

120/70 R19, 180/65 B16

Reigning leader in the Exhaust Tail Pipe Shape Championship

‘The noise, the vibes and gloss, the simple lines.

It’s a near-perfect balance of oldschool with modern finesse’

Verdict Is BMW’s R18 really worth £18,995? Yes, I think it is. After several months in its company and after significant miles, with everything from wet commutes to day-long rides and many sunny outings, the enormous boxer has lost none of its appeal. I still stare at it out the window, take endless pictures in picturesque locations, gawp at my reflection in shop windows. Most important of all, I still make excuses to ride BMW’s biggest-ever boxer at every opportunity.

Actually, appeal has probably increased in its time with us. The more you ride the R18, the more you slip into its groove. Sure, there are retros that are faster, have more capable handling and are festooned with light-up gizmos.

But with the R18’s well of torque and desire for smooth lines you appreciate the ride and the sensations, rather than outright speed or lean angle. And then there’s the tummy-tingling feel generated by the details, the noise, the vibes and gloss, even the simple lines of the thing. It’s a near-perfect balance of old-school with modern finesse.

No, it’s not practical. No, it’s unlikely to be your only bike. But if you’re lucky enough to afford a luxury toy, or want something classy to sit next to a dog-eared daily ride, it’s oh-so-easy to feel the lure of the R18 First Edition.

Bike rating

96

9/10

Clockwise from above: the deep hubbub backs up the profile; these bits are easy to abuse, and it’s rather fun; cool old-style frame plate; disappointing hints of orange on the drive shaft

Competition

WI a set of

Oxford F1 luggage

WORTH

THE PRIZE

£250

º We’ve teamed up with Oxford Products to give away two full sets of Oxford F1 luggage, each worth over £250! Each set comprises 55-litre RiDE RECOMMENDED panniers, a 35-litre tank bag and a 35-litre tail pack. Oxford’s F1 luggage is a practical and lightweight alternative to their legendary ‘Lifetime‘ range, packed with the features you would expect to find in Oxford bags, including: Oxford’s approved construction methods; waterproofing systems and safety mechanisms in a wide range of styles to suit most bikes. They also boast a unique extra feature – five colour swatches come with every bag, allowing you to colour-match the bags to your bike. Simply insert your chosen colour into the windows provided!

To enter just visit

www.bikemagazine.co.uk/winoxfordluggage21 Submit your details to be in with a chance of winning. Good luck!

Terms and Conditions: The prize draw closes at midnight on August 24, 2021. This competition is open to UK residents aged 16 and over. There are two prizes consisting of: Oxford Products 55-litre panniers, a 35-litre tank bag and a 35-litre tail pack. The winners will be the first two people drawn at random from all valid entries after the closing date and notified by email within ten days of the competition closing. The winners have 30 days to respond before an alternative winner is chosen. This prize may be offered in a limited number of other promotions. No purchase is necessary. To enter for free visit www.bikemagazine.co.uk/winoxfordluggage21 Full terms and conditions can be found at www.bauerlegal.co.uk/competition-terms.html

97

First Ride Radical changes: MT-09 SP is now what it should have been to start with

Potential finally fulfille

From the get-go Yamaha’s MTs were winners, with caveats. The new MT-09 SP rights old wrongs

By Michael Neeves Photography Double Red and Yamaha

P

acking one of the most exciting engines to emerge in the last ten years and an easy on the wallet buy-it-now price, no wonder Yamaha’s MT-09 has rumbled off showroom floors aplenty. Yes its triple has to offer up a nod to Triumph, but who cares when it’s this good?

And the plaudits continue: urban warrior; monster wheelie merchant; solid build quality and utter reliability. Yet… It doesn’t handle too well – at normal speeds all is well, but the front end can sometimes feel like it’s going to wash out, especially on less grippy roads, and the back ties itself up in knots when you’re hard on the throttle. It also gets a weave-on at very high speeds, more noticeably the sports touring Tracer 900 version.

Suspension specialists have made fortunes producing replacement shocks and properly damped and sprung fork kits to cure these ills, but there wasn’t much you could do about the Yamaha’s supermoto-high front end. The only way to ride it fast was to jam it hard into a corner, trailing the brake to put pressure on the front tyre, but even then it would sometimes wander off.

Yamaha modified the MT-09 in 2017 with separate rebound and compression damping adjustment in each fork leg. This improved things slightly, but for 2021 they’ve tackled the problem head on. So, as well as giving the overhauled engine more cubes (847cc to 889cc), power (113bhp to 117bhp) and torque (64 lb.ft to 67 lb.ft), a raft of six-axis, IMU controlled electronic rider aids, a new colour dash, an up/ down quickshifter and restyled bodywork, Yamaha have reworked the frame, too. The aluminium twin spar is lighter and stronger and the headstock is a whacking 30mm lower. That’s a huge amount.

These radical changes add up to a new MT-09 that still feels supermoto tall, compared with a Street Triple RS, Duke 890 R or Tuono 660. And it still gets a shimmy-on flicking through bumpy, high speed, 98

New colour info hub

SPECIFICATIONS Price £10,202 Engine 889cc, liquidcooled, 12v inline triple Power 117bhp Torque 67 lb.ft Top speed 145mph (est) Rake/trail 25°/108mm Wheelbase 1430mm Kerb weight % çã ßèÝåéáà Seat height 825mm Tank size 14 litres Economy 57mpg (tested) Colours ÄèÝßç Availability Now Bike verdict Now óåðä äÝêàèåêã ðë éÝðßä åðï ïñìáîÞ áêãåêá ðäá ÏÖ % åï ðäá Þåçá åð ïäëñèàĊòá ÝèóÝõï Þááê Ýêà óåðä åðï ÕÒ ãëëàåáï åï Ý ðîñèõ àáïåîÝÞèá ïìëîðï êÝçáà Bike rating 9/10

And relax…

flip-flops, but now it goes into a corner without you wondering where you’ll be on the way out.

If you can find the extra £1203 the £10,202 SP version is the one to go for where, thanks to more refined suspension, it handles like a mini-super naked. Like the 2018 MT-09 SP (which was still too head-up, arse-down), it sits on KYB forks with black DLC stanchions (a la K3 GSX-R1000) and an Öhlins rear shock, both gloriously adjustable. You know the drill – they’re plusher and more controlled, but they also give you the solid footing to enjoy the rest of the Yamaha’s fruits.

Mechanically and electronically identical to the standard version, the SP has even richer power through the revs, smoother fuelling (although not completely perfect), is even shoutier (how it got through Euro5 is a mystery) and more playful than its European rivals. Brakes are strong, Bridgestone S22s are stickier than the old S20s and there are lots of lean sensitive rider aids to keep you safe… but you can also turn them off to play the fool. But staying true to its roots the MT-09 continues to be comfortable, easy to manage and even has adjustable footpegs and bars.

Not only does the MT now work as a fully functioning naked sportsbike, it’s also a machine worthy of its SP badge thanks to its black, blue and silver R1M-alike paintjob, clear lacquered ali swingarm, smoked brake and clutch reservoirs and blacked-out bars, levers and rear sprocket. It even has cruise control.

The MT-09 SP is now such a blast, you’d have to question why you’d go for something bigger, unless you do lots of two-up work or are a fast group trackday demon. It’s arguably more exciting than a super naked, as it’s always more fun to thrash a small engine than plod on a big one. A lightweight, feisty, mid-powered naked like this is all you need to ring your bell on the road… especially now it goes around corners properly.

Hard to figure how this thing passed Euro5… but it did

‘The MT-09 SP is now such a blast… it’s always more fun to thrash a small engine than plod on a big one’

99

Advice, guidance and things to do with bikes

EXPERTS IN THIS ISSUE

Hugo Wilson Multi bike owner Picks his top events for June, with a very classic flavour.

£

Chippy Wood Enthusiast Has photographed bikes on every UK corner. Knows roads.

BIKES

RIDING

Honda Gold Wing: Buying BMW F800S: Overlooked Original, but inferior: Tyred & tested Pukka race bikes: Temptation EU accident claims: Law Testing at Silverstone: Racing 276 bikes: Road test verdicts

[102 ] [102 ] [103 ] [104 ] [105 ] [106 ] [109 ]

Riding trials bikes: Skills East midlands: Glorious ride Tips for improved vision: Try this Back protectors: Our favourites See and hear in June: Events BMW booties: Tried and tested Yamaha FZ400L: Weird & wonderful

[118 ] [118 ] [118 ] [120 ] [121] [121] [122 ]

Mike Armitage High mileage rider Used bike bargain hunter with a personal thing for Gold Wings.

John Westlake Riding scientist Home mechanic and trials wobbler who’s been back to school.

Tool of the month

Replacing a chain is one of those jobs that’s almost impossible to do safely without the right tool – whacking the chain master link rivets with a lump hammer really doesn’t cut it. You can pay £100 for a posh chain breaker kit, but this one I bought for about £20 years ago works fine. You get exactly the same components as the posh kits, and it’s certainly solid enough for intermittent amateur use. The only downer was that my set didn’t come with instructions, so each time I use it I spend 10 minutes re-fathoming which anvils work with which press plate then forgetting to put the spring in and having to start again. One day I’ll remember to write it all down. Or not.. JW Ebay: £15-25

Pete Boast Road tester Track day instructor who’s running a race team this year.

Andrew Dalton Biking lawyer Knows how to get insurance companies to pay out.

101

Know How Ǯ Buying ǰ

Honda GL1800

Gold Wing

,I \RXoUH ORRNLQJ WR HVFDSH ZKDW EHWWHU ZD\ WKDQ D :LQJ" :LWK H[HPSODU\ FRPIRUW DQG KXJH VWRUDJH D */ WXUQV D ZHHNHQG LQWR D ZHHN D ZHHN EHFRPHV D PRQWK PROBLEM PIPES

SLOPPY OLD THING

5HDU SUHORDG LV DGMXVWHG HOHFWURQLFDOO\ 3URG WKH VZLWFK WR LQFUHDVH SUHORDG WR LWV PD[ ZLWK WKH LJQLWLRQ RQ EXW WKH HQJLQH RII DQG OLVWHQ IRU WKH PRWRU ZKL]]LQJ E\ WKH ULJKW VLGH SDQQLHU ,I WKH VRXQG IURP WKH PRWRU DOWHUV DV WKH SUHORDG LQFUHDVHV WKHQ LWoV OLNHO\ WKDW WKH KRVHV QHHG UHQHZLQJ s GHDOHUV UHFRPPHQG UHSODFLQJ WKH HQWLUH V\VWHP ZKLFKoOO FRVW RYHU D JUDQG ,QVWHDG MXVW VZDS WKH UXEEHU PRWRU KRVH ZLWK D EUDLGHG VWHHO RQH IRU DERXW ~ SOXV ODERXU

:RUQ RU ORRVH VWHHULQJ KHDG EHDULQJV ZLOO JLYH WKH :LQJ D YDJXH IURQW HQG DQG ZD\ZDUG KDQGOLQJ 3XW WKH ELNH RQ LWV FHQWUHVWDQG DQG VORZO\ WXUQ WKH VWHHULQJ IURP ORFN WR ORFN ZKLOH IHHOLQJ IRU QRWFKLQHVV RU VORS +RQGD PRYHG IURP WKH */ oV WDSHUHG EHDULQJV WR FKHDSHU EDOO EHDULQJV IRU WKH DQG VRPH RZQHUV JUXPEOH WKDW WKLV LV WKH UHDVRQ IRU D ORRVH IURQW HQG IHHO EXW LWoV XVXDOO\ EHFDXVH WKH\oYH EHHQ QHJOHFWHG RU DUH LQFRUUHFWO\ DGMXVWHG

ALTERNATOR AILMENTS

STICKY WIDGET

,QIUHTXHQW XVH FDQ UHVXOW LQ PRLVWXUH JHWWLQJ LQWR WKH DOWHUQDWRU ZKLFK FDXVHV FRUURGHG ZLQGLQJV ZKLFK ZLOO OHDG WR ZLULQJ ERWKHU $VN KRZ RIWHQ WKH ELNH LV XVHG DQG PDNH VXUH LW OLYHV LQ GU\ ZHOO YHQWLODWHG VWRUDJH $OWHUQDWRU FXVK GULYHV FDQ DOVR IDLO RQ HDUO\ V DQG LWoV HQJLQH RXW WR UHPHG\ :KLOH WKH ELNH LV WLFNLQJ RYHU OLVWHQ RXW IRU D ZKLQH IURP WKH EDFN RI WKH HQJLQH ZKLFK FDQ LQGLFDWH WKDW WKH GULYH JHDU LV RQ LWV ZD\ RXW RQ *ROG :LQJV ZHUH LPSURYHG ZLWK D PRUH UHOLDEOH K\GUDXOLF V\VWHP

7KHUHoV DQ DQWL GLYH YDOYH IRU WKH IURQW VXVSHQVLRQ IRXQG RQ WKH OHIW IRUN OHJ $QG LWoV D EXJJHU IRU VHL]LQJ XS :LWK WKH ELNH RII LWV VWDQG KROG WKH IURQW EUDNH RQ DQG HQWKXVLDVWLFDOO\ ERXQFH WKH IURQW HQG XS DQG GRZQ DV KDUG DV \RX FDQ DQG NHHS JRLQJ XQWLO WKH DQWL GLYH ZDNHV XS DQG WKH IRUNV ORFN :KHQ \RX OHW JR RI WKH EUDNH SUHVVXUH WKH VXVSHQVLRQ VKRXOG UHOHDVH DQG HDVLO\ FRPSUHVV RQFH DJDLQ ,I LW GRHVQoW WKH YDOYH LV ELQGLQJ DQG VR ZLOO QHHG WKH DWWHQWLRQ RI D VHQVLEOH DGXOW

Ǯ Overlooked ǰ

BMW F800S

Usable sporty road bike? Step this way º We motorcyclists are a conservative lot who compartmentalise bikes. So ZKHQ D ƮUP NQRZQ IRU ODUJH ER[HU SRZHUHG DGYHQWXUHUV DQG WRXUHUV PDGH D PLG VL]HG SDUDOOHO WZLQ VSRUWVELNH ZLWK EHOW GULYH ZKDW" DQG D IXHO ƮOOHU LQ WKH VHDW UHDOO\" PRVW IRON ZRUH EHPXVHG H[SUHVVLRQV %XW %0: JRW WKH ) 6 ULJKW 7KH 5RWD[ GHYHORSHG WZLQ SXQFKHV KDUG DW ORZ UHYV \HW LV ZLOOLQJ XS WRS WKH VWHDGIDVW FKDVVLV LQVSLUHV KXJH FRQƮGHQFH DQG \RX GRQoW JHW OXEH RQ WKH UHDU ZKHHO 'HVSLWH ZLQQLQJ Bike JURXS WHVWV WKH ) 6 ZDVQoW SRSXODU LW ZDV GLVFRQWLQXHG LQ WKH 86 DIWHU MXVW PRQWKV

VR LV D VWHDO QRZ SULFHV VWDUW DW ~ *HW \HOORZ REYLRXVO\ Mike Armitage

102

FROM

£6500

RUBBER DUCK 8S XQWLO WKH *ROG :LQJ ZDV PDGH LQ 0DU\VYLOOH 2KLR 86$ 3URGXFWLRQ WKHQ VWRSSHG IRU PRQWKV ZKHQ +RQGD PRYHG WKH WRROLQJ WR -DSDQ ZKHUH V IURP RQ KDYH EHHQ EXLOW 7KH\ ORYH WKH :LQJ LQ WKH 86$ DQG SUH ELNHV PDGH IRU $PHULFD ZHUH D KLJKHU VSHFLILFDWLRQ WKDQ (XURSHDQ ELNHV -DSDQHVH EXLOW ELNHV ZHUH PXFK FORVHU EXW 86 ELNHV VWLOO KDYH WKH HGJH DOORZLQJ ILWPHQW RI D SOXJ DQG SOD\ +RQGDOLQH &% UDGLR $QG HYHU\ :LQJ QHHGV D &% DQG ORQJ ZKLSS\ DHULDOV

HARD MIDDLE, SOFT OUTER :LQJV DUH UREXVWO\ PDGH DQG WKHLU EXLOG TXDOLW\ LV LPSUHVVLYHO\ KLJK s LWoV D IODJVKLS PRGHO DIWHU DOO %XW FKHFN WKH ERG\ZRUN IRU VSOLWV DQG VFXIIV 7KH SODVWLFV DUH YXOQHUDEOH LQ ORZ VSHHG VSLOOV DQG RYHU HQWKXVLDVWLF RZQHUV FDQ VQDS IDLULQJ OXJV DQG EUDFNHWV ZKHQ UHPRYLQJ SDUWV 7KH ERG\ZRUN LV IL[HG ZLWK DVVRUWHG PP DQG PP $OOHQ EROWV ZKLFK DOO ORRN VLPLODU EXW KDYH GLIIHUHQW VKRXOGHU DQJOHV IRU GLIIHUHQW ORFDWLRQV RQ WKH ELNH &KHHULO\ XVLQJ WKH ZURQJ EROW ZLOO FDXVH WKH ERG\ZRUN WR IUDFWXUH DQG *ROG :LQJ FRVPHWLFV DUH H\H ZDWHULQJO\ SULFH\

‘US-made bikes allow Hondaline CB radio... and every Wing needs a CB and long whippy aerials’ ELECTRICAL WOES

BRAKE RECALL

7KH PDLQ LVVXH ZLWK DQ\ :LQJ LV WKDW D SUHYLRXV RZQHU ZDV D KDPILVWHG HOHFWULFLDQ 7KH KDV DQ DX[LOLDU\ SRZHU VXSSO\ XQGHU WKH OHIW IDLULQJ SRFNHW VR \RX QHHG WR SXOO RXW WKH OLQHU WR LQVSHFW WKH VWDWH RI WKH ZLULQJ 0DQ\ JDGJHW REVHVVHG NHHSHUV WU\ WR VHOI ILW HOHFWULFDO DFFHVVRULHV DQG WR\V VR LWoOO SUREDEO\ EH D WDQJOH RI ZLUHV FKHDS FRQQHFWRUV DQG LQVXODWLRQ WDSH WKDWoOO RYHUORDG WKH EDWWHU\ $YRLG DQ\ ELNH ZLWK HYLGHQFH RI DPDWHXU ZLULQJ

+RQGD LVVXHG D UHFDOO IRU DOO *ROG :LQJV EXLOW EHWZHHQ DQG 7KHUH ZDV D SRWHQWLDO IDXOW ZLWK WKH VHFRQGDU\ PDVWHU F\OLQGHU WKDW FRXOG FDXVH WKH UHDU EUDNH WR GUDJ 9HU\ IHZ ELNHV ZHUH DIIHFWHG DQG GHDOHUV VKRXOG KDYH UHFDOOHG DQG WHVWHG HDFK RQH EXW LWoV ZRUWK XVLQJ WKH ELNHoV 9,1 WR GRXEOH FKHFN LI D LW ZDV DIIHFWHG DQG E WKDW D QLFH +RQGD WHFKQLFLDQ VRUWHG LW RXW

2001 +21'$ */ *2/' :,1* Engine FF OLTXLG FRROHG Y RSSRVHG ưDW VL[ Power 116bhp Torque 123 lb.ft Top speed 112mph Rake/trail ť PP Wheelbase PP Dry weight 363kg Seat height 740mm Tank size 25 litres Economy 35mpg Bike verdict /X[XULRXV VL[ F\OLQGHU SRZHU VXPSWXRXV FRPIRUW serious presence – there’s nowt like a Wing. Reliable and rock-solid values too. If you’ve ever been tempted, now’s the time to buy.

Bike rating 8/10

Ǯ Tyred & Tested ǰ

Same name, different gri º You’d think tyres with the same model name would be identical, but that’s

not the case. Tyres fitted to some new bikes as original equipment (OE) are not as grippy as apparently identical aftermarket tyres. Bike contributor and tyre obsessive Michael Neeves: ‘There are several bike and tyre manufacturers at work here, and the reason is cost. Here’s how it works: 100,000 tyres will be ordered by the bike manufacturer at a certain price, and the tyre producer will make them to that cost. The OE tyres are often very stable but aren’t made of the aftermarket equivalent’s compound – some aren’t even dual or triple compound – and grip levels are lower. It’s odd because it must put buyers off the tyre brand forever.’ John Westlake 103

Know How Ǯ Temptation ǰ

Own a pukka racer Ever wonder what it would feel like to race in a top-level national championship, or even a Grand Prix? Find out first-hand by investing in genuine ex-race exotica... Mike Armitage

£16,500

£8250

£21,750

Aprilia RSW125

Kawasaki ZX-6R

Ducati Maltry TT2

º Yes, it’s ‘only’ a 125. But this 2003 Aprilia is a factory Grand Prix bike raced by the Aspar team.

This means swanky Brembo, top-drawer Öhlins, carbon bodywork, wheels that weigh as much as a packet of Walker’s salt and vinegar, and a super-crisp two-stroke single making 50bhp at 12,500rpm. That’s 400bhp per litre. Yes, four hundred. Weighing just 70kg, it’d be hilarious on a trackday riding around the outside of… well, everyone. It’s got the wrong mudguard and is missing the data acquisition sensor for its forks, but has a certificate of authenticity from Aprilia.

º If you’re a track addict eight grand buys a secondhand S1000RR or Fireblade, or maybe a 600 already converted for trackdays and racing. They’ll be mega. But the cash also buys this bonafide factory ZX-6R, used in the 1999 World Supersport championship by granitehard Scotsman Iain MacPherson. He won three races in the season, set as many fastest laps and reckons the opening round at Kyalami was his best-ever race, where he won by 12 seconds. We can’t guarantee the ZX-6R will make you quite as fast, but it’ll be fun trying.

º Ducati’s TT2 bikes were handy, though German tuner Walter Kaiser thought they could be better.

In 1983 he commissioned Swiss engineer Werner Maltry to build his own frames, knocked up in Pesaro, Italy. Adorned with posh parts including magnesium wheels and forks, his four 500cc Pantah-powered TT2s had success in national and international races, including a fourth at the Ulster GP. This example has been restored over three years, with a Harris tank and adjustable yokes. It’s done zero miles since its last refresh and is in perfect nick, ready to go.

£15,000

£19,000

£12,175

Aermacchi Ala d’Oro FTR Moto2

Honda RS250R

º The greatest overhead-valve single ever?

Aermacchi’s Ala d’Oro (Golden Wing) must be up there. The oversquare motor features an external flywheel (like a modern MotoGP bike) and dry clutch, and though it never won a world championship race the old-school pushrod 350 regularly beat Yamaha’s two-stroke twins and got many seconds, including at the 1970 Junior TT. This one from 1968 has only done 150km on a fresh engine with Yamaha piston, KTM conrod and Cosworth valve gear, and has top-drawer period-correct chassis parts.

º Is there anything finer than a two-stroke 250cc race bike? The balance, the exquisite build, the purity of purpose... it makes me come over all giddy. This Honda from 1989 is the second-generation NF5 version of the V-twin produced for privateer teams alongside the full-factory RS250RW and NSR250. Exhaust, radiator, discs, master cylinders, calipers, steering damper and wiring are all HRC parts, and the sweet 104kg bundle zings along thanks to 72bhp from its edgy motor. Imagine the noise and smell.

104

º Slip into your Union Flag boxers. Founded in 1994, Fabrication Techniques was a British firm that built the frames for Kenny Roberts’ Modenas KR3 500cc GP bike and the Petronas FP1, among others. In 2009 they set-up as FTR and built race-winning chassis for both Moto2 and Moto3 (Maverick Vinales won the first-ever Moto3 race riding his FTR). This CBR600RR-powered bike from 2012 has all the trinkets and baubles including datalogging, has done no miles since its last engine rebuild, and has spares including bodywork, tank and paddock stands.

Ǯ Law ǰ

Brexit and reasons not ðë ßîÝïä åê Ç× t is safe to say Brexit hasn’t been the Armageddon some pessimistic commentators anticipated, at least so far as travel to the EU by motorcycle is concerned. Yet there’s one very large change in the law which needs addressing before we flock to Dover.

And it is this…

If you sustain an injury, or collision damage, while riding in the EU the pre-Brexit method of bringing a claim in your home jurisdiction ie Great Britain has now gone. That’s to say if you are injured within the EU the direct right of action you had pre Brexit, and during the transition, against the insurer of the vehicle that harmed you, to be brought in a British Court using a British lawyer, with proceedings in English has now gone. Also, the database by which you or I could look up the insurer and the British agent of an EU insurer has gone.

I £56,500 Kalex Moto2 º How much for a competitive modern-day Grand Prix bike? Just over 56 grand. This Triumph 765-powered Kalex was ridden by Nicolò Bulega for the Gresini team in last year’s Moto2 championship (and he’s riding one for the team in this year’s title chase, too), with a best finish of eighth place. It’s everything you’d expect a top-level GP bike to be, with OZ wheels, Magneti Marelli data recording gubbins, and more parts with Brembo and Öhlins logos than you’ve ever seen. Wild card at this year’s British GP, anyone?

à ãëëà ğãäð It is frankly unlikely that EU insurers will allow claims to be brought in the British Courts without a fight for a couple of good, commercial reasons.

The first is that in English law the loser pays the winner’s fees and an English or Welsh biker who brings a case is largely protected against adverse costs. The position in Scotland is different, and experience has taught me not to comment on Scots law unless I am very confident about it. However, Scottish bikers have also lost the right to sue in a Scots Court for an EU sustained injury as of right. In my opinion an EU insurer will commercially resist the claim being brought in a British Court.

The second problem is the hassle factor of bringing a claim has risen exponentially. You will need to be very determined and have funds to bring a claim in the EU with a local lawyer and

if you bring the claim yourself, fluent in the language of the jurisdiction. There will be a huge drop out rate in claims, I am sure.

Õëéá äëìá Having said all this there is a method by which the English or Scots Courts can take jurisdiction of a claim, on the basis that the loss was finalised in Britain (because that is where you are living with your injuries and their consequences). This means the British Court has a potential jurisdiction but there is a second string, namely which court is the most convenient for all parties – if you have a collision in Belgium the police report will be in Flemish and the witnesses will most likely be Belgian. Also, as a matter of law, the case will be tried applying Belgian Law – whether in GB or Belgium you can see there is a strong argument that the appropriate court would be Belgian.

In England and Wales, we have got used to no-win, no fee with the client and their lawyer splitting the risk of a case. No win, no fee is unlawful in most EU jurisdictions so you pay your lawyer as you go, usually with a modest contribution made to their fees at the conclusion of the case by the insurer. However, this is nothing like the level of fee recovery that an English lawyer would expect to recover in a serious injury case. You will be making that shortfall up out of your damages.

This situation is not going to change as long as Great Britain declines to recognise the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, a key plank of the Brexit rationale.

‘It is unlikely EU insurers will allow claims in Brit courts’

£21,750 Gilera Saturno º Gilera made a racing comeback in 1989 when journo Alan Cathcart won a Sound of Singles (later known as Supermono) race on a tuned Saturno 500. Suitably inspired, Gilera stuck an overbored 558cc engine into a beam frame for the Saturno Piuma proddie racer. 51 were built in ’90-’91, weighing just 121kg with a super-short 1340mm wheelbase and razor steering. This one has its original 58bhp motor swapped for a new 620cc unit (the original’s included, mind). º All bikes for sale at Amatumoto Grand Prix Motorbikes, www.gpmotorbikes.com

Andrew Dalton Ýð Ùäåðá ÆÝèðëê Õëèåßåðëîï 105

Know How

Ǯ Racing ǰ

Tyre starter It’s the first official test session for 16 year-old Franco Bourne and his Kawasaki ZX-6R Junior Superstock race bike. It’s all about tyres reports team boss Peter Boast Photography: Jamie Morris

’d forgotten what a serious place the British Superbike Paddock is. It’s full of kids who think they’re the next big thing and their dads. They’re all in matching team clothing and no-one stops by for a bit of a yarn. The paddock atmosphere when you’re racing on the roads or in classics is loads better. Still, we did our best to lower the tone at Silverstone with a rusty van, unpainted bike and woolly hats for our first official BSB test day.

This was only Franco’s second time on the bike. He was out at Cadwell the week before, just to get used to it. We were changing things around to get him comfy. He did a 1:43 second lap, I said: ‘Fair enough Franco, but I can do 1:43 seconds round Cadwell on my old Kawasaki GPZ F2 bike.’

Fair play to the lad, he went straight back out and did a 1:37, and I certainly can’t do that on a GPZ. After Cadwell we put the ZX-6R on Phil Crowe’s dyno, and when we’d dialled in the Power Commander it’s delivering 128.6bhp with a decent mid-range which is good power for a 600 and it was certainly fast enough at Silverstone.

We also fitted a steering damper because it’d been shaking its head at Cadwell. In fact a bloke found us in the paddock and said Franco’d passed him at Barn corner and then started down the straight fighting the biggest tank slapper he’d ever seen. Anyway, I’m hoping there’s no more money to

I

106

Early days: Franco getting his eye in.

Let’s get behind the lad and fund him to a win

spend on the bike because judging by the way we got through tyres at Silverstone that’ll be what bankrupts us.

We started on the tyres we’d used at Cadwell and did a 1:00 dead, but the bike was sliding around all over the place.

We stuck a new set on and he did a 59.4, but after 14 laps the rear was about shagged again. I couldn’t believe it.

He did a few more laps on that tyre but soon enough we were back in the queue at the Pirelli truck to get another rear. His times dropped to 58.6, and the Junior Superstock lap record on the National Circuit is 57.1 so we’re in good company, but the tyres were soon destroyed again.

It’s a control tyre so we’ve all got to run them, so why can’t they make them last longer? It seems like madness to me, but everyone seems to accept it. Pirelli are onto a nice earner.

Before the first race we’ll do a track day at Oulton, and maybe another test at Donington, though at £350 in entry fees and £600 in tyres a BSB test is a bit of a luxury.

Unfortunately the first BSB meeting at Oulton on 26-27 June clashes with the Barry Sheene Classic at Scarborough which is a highlight of my year, so I’ll be enjoying the atmosphere in Yorkshire and racing my Tigcraft KTM and the GPZ while Franco’s looked after by Ryan Higgins.

And if you want to help us with tyre costs feel free to contribute at Franco Bourne’s Go Fund Me page. PB

Team woolly hats: lowering the BSB test day tone

Tale of early testing: tank slappers and tyres that don’t last

Boasty: giving back to the next generation

MOTORCYCLING ICONS FROM BYGONE TIMES

All kinds of classic motorcycles

View our current stock at: www.ClassicSuperBikes.co.uk

Tel: 01252 625444 Mobile: 07809 894777

Bike Batteries 0800 310 2100

www.mdsbattery.co.uk

SUZUKI BANDIT PARTS & ACCESSORIES NOW SUPPLYING GSX 1400 PARTS Tel: 01773 521800 Mobile: 07971 321932

WWW.JUSTBANDITS.COM

Know How

Knowledge

Listings

This isn’t a limp brochure-style round-up of all the bikes you can buy.

No, your guide is far more useful as it only contains bikes that we have tested, with comparable on-the-road prices plus data, expert opinion and must-know detail gathered by fussy full-time testers. We do hundreds of thousands of miles, dyno, datalog, ZHLJK DQG DQVZHU WKH ELJ TXHVWLRQV 'RQoW EX\ D QHZ ELNH ZLWKRXW UHDGLQJ WKLV ƮUVW ** Claimed * Estimated

BIKE

PRICE

ENGINE

TOP SPEED

POWER

MPG

BIKE VERDICT

RATING

TESTED

Aug ’19

APRILIA UK.aprilia.com, 00800 15565500 Bike’s choice: RSV4 is everything a race rep should be... but we’d buy an RS660 Tuono V4 1100 Factory

£18,100

1077cc V4

168mph*

173bhp**

40mpg*

Supernaked is fast, sharp, hi-tech, yet civil and calm if needed. Ace road-going sportsbike.

9/10

RSV4 RR

£15,999

999.6cc V4

186mph*

196bhp**

36mpg

Super-sharp, fast, high-tech and underrated. Exotic RF depreciates as quick as it rides.

8/10

Sep ’18

Dorsoduro 900

£8999

896cc V-twin

125mph*

93bhp**

40mpg

Looks are deceiving: this is more solid, friendly all-rounder than edgy, thrilling supermoto.

6/10

Aug ’18

RS660

£10,150

659cc twin

139mph

91bhp

45mpg

Sportsbike handling, punch and tech; sports-tourer comfort and usability. Impressive thing.

9/10

Mar ’21

Tuono 660

£9700

659cc twin

135mph*

90bhp*

50mpg

Naked RS has less tech but is comfier and super-agile. More fun than a Street Triple R or RS.

9/10

Jun ’21

8/10

Jun ’19

ARIEL arielmotor.co.uk, 01460 78817 Bike’s choice: loads of options and extras, but it’s got to have girder forks 165mph**

173bhp**

40mpg*

Machined alloy frame, Honda V4, girder forks, endless choices. Fast, capable, work of art.

Ace

£28,345

1237cc V4

TRK 502

£5199

500cc twin

95mph*

46bhp**

72mpg**

Great value long-distance tool but lacks a little balance and refinement. Don’t pay over £5k.

6/10

Mar ’18

752 S

£6699

754cc twin

95mph*

75bhp **

55mpg

Designed in Italy, built in China. Solid, pleasing and decent value, but not yet in MT-07 league.

7/10

Jul ’20

BENELLI benelli.com, 0844 4128450 Bike’s choice: not ridden it yet, but the Leoncino 800 Trail looks tidy...

BMW bmw-motorrad.co.uk, 0800 777155 Bike’s choice: yeah, it’s predictable... but brilliance of the GS can’t be ignored R18 Classic First Ed

£20,980

1802cc flat twin

115mph*

91bhp**

51mpg

Excellent R18 cruiser dressed like a Harley. Quality, but screen and panniers loose cool points.

8/10

May’21

R18 First Edition

£18,995

1802cc flat twin

115mph*

91bhp**

50mpg

Just-so balance of modern rideability and quality with classic sensations and retro flair. Lovely. 9/10

Feb ’21

K1600 Grand America

£24,875

1649cc inline 6

154mph**

156bhp**

41mpg**

Toys, comfort, steamy engine, impressive handling... It’s a bunga-bunga party on wheels.

Oct ’18

R1250RT

£14,875

1254cc flat twin

142mph

117bhp

50mpg

Go-to tourer not be to all tastes, but you can’t argue the variable-valve radar-shod tourer is ace. 9/10

Jun ’21

R1250GS

£13,700

1254cc flat twin

133mph

115bhp

44mpg

Grunty, nimble, easy, clever. Endless options. Defines adventure, but Multi’ V4 better on-road.

9/10

Apr ’21

R1250RS SE

£14,995

1254cc flat twin

139mph

127bhp

50mpg

Fast, comfy, accomplished, lots of tech – sports-tourers aren’t dead. Not perfect, but it’s close. 9/10

May ’20

R1250R

£11,515

1254cc flat twin

150mph*

134bhp**

60mpg**

Ace variable-valve motor in friendly, comfy, capable chassis. Better pure road bike than a GS?

9/10

Aug ’19

R nineT

£13,145

1170cc flat twin

139mph

101bhp

49mpg

Cheap? No. Ace quality? Yup. Top mix of modern and classic. Basic-but-capable Pure is £10k.

8/10

May ’21

R nineT Urban G/S

£11,510

1170cc flat twin

139mph

101bhp

49mpg

Classy roadster with wide-bar’d controllability and trad’ styling. Also in Scrambler form.

8/10

Mar ‘18

S1000RR M Sport

£20,010

998cc inline 4

190mph*

207bhp**

44mpg**

Astounding engine, super-sharp chassis, every possible gizmo. Amazing. Base model £15k.

9/10

Feb ’20

S1000XR

£14,285

998cc inline 4

155mph

161bhp

43mpg

Adventure? Nah, it’s a high-rise sportsbike. Fast, agile, well equipped, supple ride, curious seat.

8/10

Apr ’21

S1000R

£11,570

998cc inline 4

156mph

159bhp

40mpg

Presence, performance and practicality. Sport has all tech widgets for just £13,380. Superb.

9/10

Oct ’17

F900XR

£9825

895cc twin

130mph*

100bhp

50mpg

Easy-to-ride Tracer rival with eager twin, quality chassis, fine spec. Very good. Naked R is ‘meh’. 9/10

May ’21 Oct ’18

8/10

F850GS

£10,180

853cc twin

120mph*

94bhp

58mpg

Smooth parallel twin and dirt-ready chassis. The GS we’d use to solo round the world.

9/10

F750GS

£8595

853cc twin

110mph*

76bhp

69mpg**

Slim front tyre and 19in wheel make this detuned 850 a better road bike. But lacks some ‘wow’.

8/10

May ’18

G310GS

£5320

313cc single

88mph**

34bhp**

84mpg**

Decent quality, easy to ride, but missing a defining GS character. Not peanuts, but good.

7/10

Mar ‘18

Great detail, engaging ride, lots of look-at-me. Expensive, but Motocorsa have them from £35k. 8/10

Oct ’16

BROUGH SUPERIOR broughsuperiormotorcycles.com, +33 0562 892 460 Bike’s choice: SS100 is fabulous, but we hear a turbo is coming...

SS100

£59,999

997cc twin

130mph*

100bhp**

45mpg*

CCM ccm-motorcycles.com, 01204 544930 Bike’s choice: of the various Spitfire variants the flat-tracker models look coolest Spitfire Foggy Edition

£11,995

600cc single

Spitfire Bobber

£9995

600cc single

100mph*

55bhp**

50mpg*

Feel-good ride, custom looks, scythe-like cornering, hard ride. Expensive, but exclusive.

8/10

Jun ’19

100mph*

55bhp**

56mpg

Curious mix of laid-back bobber styling with stiff chassis and revvy power. Not mega, but good. 8/10

Jan ’20

DUCATI ducatiuk.com; 0845 718500 Bike’s choice: you’ve got to ride the Panigale V4... astounding XDiavel

£17,743

1262cc V-twin

159mph

147bhp

50mpg

Cruiser style with supernaked grunt and sportiness. Clever, but ride is hard. Flash S is £20,443.

8/10

May ’21

Monster 1200 S

£15,038

1198cc V-twin

155mph*

150bhp**

45mpg*

Looks a bit like the old M900 but it’s a modern high-tech smoothy. R (£16.3k) is track ready.

8/10

Feb ’17

Multistrada V4 S

£18,565

1158cc V4

155mph*

170bhp**

43mpg**

The most sophisticated, rounded, clever Ducati ever. Fast, sharp, but also comfy and civilised.

9/10

Apr ’21

Panigale V4 S

£25,143

1103cc V4

191mph

203bhp

39mpg

Still absolutely mental-fast and sharp, but now a tad more friendly for ‘normal’ folk. Staggering.

10/10

Apr ’20

Streetfighter V4 S

£20,143

1103cc V4

175mph*

203bhp**

27mpg

Easy (ish) to ride, but also mind-warp fast. It’s remarkable... but also a bit pointless on the road.

8/10

Sep ’20

Scrambler 1100 Pro

£11,443

1079cc V-twin

110mph*

83bhp**

45mpg*

1100 Evo-engined, easy-riding Scrambler has charming twin and more comfort than 800s.

8/10

Aug ’18

Panigale V4 R

£35,143

998cc V4

195mph*

221bhp**

35mpg*

Head-down, short-stroke, 16,500rpm nutter. Useless unless you’re a racer... when it’s ace.

8/10

Oct ’19

Panigale V2

£15,143

955cc V-twin

169mph

140bhp

45mpg

‘Entry-level’ superbike is fast yet friendly, focused yet usable. Better for most than the hairy V4.

9/10

Apr ’20

SuperSport

£12,443

937cc V-twin

145mph*

113bhp**

43mpg*

Top, usable, sporty road bike for normal folk. New 950 version due, so there are great deals.

9/10

Jan ’18

Multistrada 950 S

£13,701

937cc V-twin

135mph

107bhp

50mpg

Proper thing: eager motor, easy handling, effective semi-active ride. Worth £1.5k over non-S.

9/10

Dec ’19

Hypermotard 950

£11,143

937cc V-twin

140mph*

113bhp**

45mpg*

Great Multistrada engine, fine spec, fun, bit of a looker – but limited by supermoto leanings.

7/10

May ’19

Monster

£10,643

937cc V-twin

135mph*

110bhp**

45mpg*

Italian icon goes from trad’ to contemporary. Light, fun, usable street bike with badge appeal.

9/10

Jul ’21

Scrambler Desert Sled

£10,143

803cc V-twin

120mph*

71bhp

55mpg*

High-rise twin looks, rides and feels great, and almost works off-road. Best 803cc Scrambler.

9/10

Oct ’17

Scrambler Icon

£8543

803cc V-twin

123mph

71bhp

56mpg

Looks the part, feels the part, and popular. Limited usability though. Street Twin is classier.

7/10

Dec ’16

ENERGICA motocorsa.co.uk, 01747 811196 Bike’s choice: they build a sportsbike, but Esse Esse makes more sense in cluttered UK Eva Esse Esse9

£21,999

electric motor

125mph**

87bhp

60mpc

Great acceleration, response, quality. Cheaper than was, but still pricey. Got a charging point?

7/10

Aug ’18

Eva Ribelle

£19,825

electric motor

123mph

144bhp

112mpc

Performance and handling to rival (most) petrol supernakeds. Best road-going electric bike.

7/10

Apr ’20

Rev-happy, ex-enduro single in a light, good-quality package. Frantic on long rides, but top fun. 8/10

Oct ’19

FANTIC fanticmotoruk.com Bike’s choice: there are three versions of the Cabellero, but just go for the best colour (so that’s the Scrambler) Caballero Scrambler

£6399

CVO Street Glide

£33,095

449cc single

100mph*

43bhp**

60mpg

ÊÃÔÎÇÛ«ÆÃØËÆÕÑÐ harley-davidson.com, 0871 6412508 Bike’s choice: the Fat Bob has looks, finish, good ride... and funny name 1868cc V-twin

115mph*

80bhp*

50mpg

Bold, loud, glitzy, pricey. Most refined and usable big H-D twin yet, let down by choppy ride.

8/10

Nov ’17

World Superharley º 7KLV LV ZKDW FRPHV WR PLQG LI \RX WKLQN +DUOH\ 9 WZLQ %XW LQ o DQ RXWVLGH ƮUP GHVLJQHG them a motor for WSB. To allow a tiny wheelbase the crank was low at the front, with one cylinder facing up, one facing back, and the gearbox in the V-angle. Air valves too. Planned WR GHEXW LQ o + ' SXOOHG WKH SOXJ ZKHQ *3V ZHQW IRXU VWURNH DQG :6%oV SURƮOH GHFOLQHG 109

Know How

Knowledge

Listings

ROAD TEST BACK ISSUES BLUE = Available just on iPad RED = Available on iPad and Android ORANGE = Available in print only ** Claimed * Estimated

BIKE

PRICE

ENGINE

TOP SPEED

POWER

MPG

BIKE VERDICT

RATING

TESTED

FXDR 114

£17,995

1868cc V-twin

120mph*

91bhp**

44mpg**

Drag-bike styling, huge back tyre, massive stomp, dubious cornering. Fat Bob much better.

6/10

Nov ’18

Low Ride r S

£15,825

1868cc V-twin

115mph

93bhp*

50mpg**

Top looks and noise, more fun to ride than you think. But better in California than Croydon.

6/10

Jan ’20

Ultra Limited

£24,695

1745cc V-twin

105mph*

67bhp*

43mpg

H-D take on a tourer. Best-ever ride and handling, water-cooled heads. Good, if not ace.

7/10

Nov ’13

LiveWire

£28,995

electric motor

115mph*

104bhp**

90mpc

Superbike acceleration, jet-like noise, decent handling, smooth, well made. And expensive.

7/10

Oct ’19

Road Glide Special

£22,995

1745cc V-twin

105mph*

67bhp*

42mpg

Ride, finish and 8v motor much better than old H-D. War of the Worlds fairing blows minds.

6/10

May ’15 Dec ’16

Street Glide Special

£22,895

1745cc V-twin

115mph*

40bhp*

45mpg*

Classic looks, decent suspension, good finish and latest 8v motor is the best yet. Fine thing.

8/10

Sport Glide

£15,295

1745cc V-twin

116mph

99bhp

51mpg

Hammering engine, civil road manners. One of the most appealing H-Ds – and now cheaper.

7/10

Sep ’18

Fat Bob

£14,295

1745cc V-twin

115mph*

75bhp*

44mpg**

Bold looks, fine details, huge punch, and surprisingly usable too. 1868cc option is £15,495.

8/10

Feb ’18

Breakout

£18,855

1745cc V-twin

115mph*

75bhp*

50mpg**

Low-slung, drag-inspired cruiser that rides better than expected. Classy, refined hot-rod.

8/10

Dec ’17

Street Bob

£12,295

1745cc V-twin

110mph*

75bhp*

50mpg**

Classic chopper-ish lines, clean handling, modern 8v power. But new Fat Bob is far better.

6/10

Dec ’17

HONDA honda.co.uk/motorcycles, 0845 2008000 Bike’s choice: Get a V4 quick – they’re killing the VFR after almost 40 years. Boo, hiss, etc GL1800 Gold Wing Tour

£28,349

1833cc flat-six

112mph

125bhp**

51mpg

Still opulent and huge, but super-tourer has cunning front suspension and its finest ride ever.

8/10

Sep ’18

Crosstourer

£11,499

1237cc V4

130mph**

133bhp**

43mpg

Noise and floaty ride are GS-like, finish is ace, V4 is strong. Dropped this year, so get a bargain.

8/10

May ’12

CB1100RS

£9999

1140cc inline 4

130mph*

86bhp

43mpg

Better-handling 70s superbike version of CB. Fine thing. 20bhp more would be nice. Ace price.

7/10

Aug ’17

CB1100EX

£9799

1140cc inline 4

130mph*

86bhp

43mpg

Classy retro is smooth, usable, charming, if lacking a little soul. Great quality, yet bloody cheap.

7/10

Jun ’17

CBR1000RR-R Blade SP

£23,499

1000cc inline 4

185mph*

214bhp**

45mpg**

Shrieking, rev-happy sportsbike. Small, exquisite, hi-tech, classy, pricey. Are you fast enough?

9/10

Apr ’20

CBR1000RR Fireblade

£19,999

1000cc inline 4

185mph*

214bhp**

45mpg**

Same power and electronics as SP (above), but no semi-active or quickshifter. Save for the SP.

9/10

Apr ’20

Africa Twin Adv’ Sport

£14,649

1084cc twin

130mph*

97bhp

44mpg

All the tech, plush optional semi-active, classy feel, huge range, stupid switchgear. So close...

8/10

Feb ’20

Africa Twin

£13,049

1084cc twin

130mph*

97bhp

47mpg

Feels like a big, refined enduro bike, so is different to a GS. Cheaper too. Daft switches and dash. 8/10

Dec ’19

CB1000R

£11,649

998cc inline 4

145mph

135bhp

46mpg

Fast, luxurious, high quality – and has a touch of the soul Honda have been lacking. Nice.

8/10

Feb ’19

VFR800F

£9999

782cc V4

141mph

98bhp

46mpg

Classic V4 charm and ability, modern air. Buy a legend while you can: it’s discontinued this year.

9/10

Jun ’14

Crossrunner

£9999

782cc V4

134mph

98bhp

46mpg

VFR for adventurers is superb: smooth, brisk, comfy, well-made. Discontinued so ruddy cheap. 9/10

May ’20

X-ADV

£10,349

745cc twin

105mph*

54bhp**

70mpg*

Off-road scooter you’ll never take off-road. Pricey too. But also practical, enjoyable and top fun. 8/10

Dec ’18

Forza 750

£9999

745cc twin

110mph*

54bhp**

70mpg

Capable bike with looks and practicality of a scooter. And DCT. Odd concept, ace execution.

9/10

May ’21

NC750X DCT

£7949

745cc twin

110mph*

54bhp**

62mpg

Flexible twin, top mpg, clever gears, big storage, well made. Not flash, but oh-so-very useful.

10/10

Feb ’17

CBR650R

£7949

649cc inline 4

138mph

86bhp

54mpg

Flexible, handsome, fun, fast-enough road sportsbike. Remember 1990s CBRs? You’ll love it.

9/10

Aug ’19

CB650R

£7199

649cc inline 4

140mph

93bhp**

50mpg

Naked version of CBR (above) is fabulously balanced. Quality, dynamic, value all superb.

9/10

May ’19

CB500X

£6119

471cc twin

110mph*

43bhp

68mpg*

Well-made, able, A2 adventure bike. Naked F (£5599) and faired R (£6149) are even nicer.

7/10

May ’19

CRF450L

£9499

449cc single

80mph*

24bhp**

55mpg*

CRF dirt tool detuned for dual-purpose use. Ace on trail, not very good elsewhere. And £9k!

7/10

Apr ’19 Mar ‘18

CRF250L

£4949

249cc single

78mph*

23bhp**

70mpg*

Fine green-laner and friendly urban commuter. Rally (£5649) has big tank, useful screen.

7/10

Monkey

£3749

125cc single

65mph*

9.2bhp

105mpg

Supersize Monkey: MSX (below) in convincing 1960s mini-bike custom. Fun, not practical.

7/10

Oct ‘18

Super Cub C125

£3449

125cc single

65mph*

9.2bhp

124mpg

Descendent of iconic step-thru’. Glorious urban transport. Discontinued, so haggle a top deal.

8/10

Jul ‘19

MSX125

£3449

125cc single

70mph*

11bhp*

105mpg

Half Monkey bike, half proper bike. More giggles than a naked bouncy castle party.

8/10

Aug’13

701 Supermoto

£9799

693cc single

121mph

71bhp

54mpg

Engaging, fun at sensible speed, frugal, sexy, friendlier than it looks. Proper midweight tool.

9/10

Sep ’17

701 Enduro

£9799

693cc single

120mph*

71bhp

54mpg

Proper dirt bike, yet refined, frugal and plush on the road. Big-tank LR (long range) version, too.

9/10

Apr ’19

HUSQVARNA husqvarnamotorcycles.com/gb Bike’s choice: Supermoto is desirable, funky, silly... and yet usable day-to-day

Vitpilen 701

£7549

693cc single

125mph*

71bhp*

56mpg

KTM 690 with classy styling, ace single, lively ride. Knobbly Svart’ version is more comfy.

8/10

Sep ’19

Svartpilen 401

£4299

375cc single

105mph*

43bhp**

65mpg*

Built for A2 riders avoiding the mainstream. Essentially KTM’s fine 390 Duke with more style.

7/10

Jul ’18

Roadmaster

£26,199

INDIAN indianmotorcycle.co.uk Bike’s choice: classic character, modern quality, sensible price – Scout Sixty is a market leader 1890cc V-twin

110mph*

90bhp*

40mpg*

Fully-loaded, over-the-top celebration of touring opulence is actually very good.

7/10

May ‘15

Chieftain Dark Horse

£23,999

1811cc V-twin

120mph*

90bhp*

40mpg*

Half-faired, long-haul ‘bagger’ with satin finish and lots of tech. Impressive, genuine Harley rival. 8/10

Nov ’14

Challenger

£24,999

1770cc V-twin

112mph**

122bhp*

46mpg*

Full-on tourer with ace water-cooled motor, physics-defying chassis, full tech. Watch out, H-D. 8/10

Jan ’20

FTR1200S

£12,999

1203cc V-twin

140mph*

120bhp**

45mpg*

Likeable, stylish, high-quality V-twin flat tracker. Sporty ride is a tad firm, mind (non-S is softer).

8/10

Feb ’20

Scout

£11,899

1133cc V-twin

120mph

100bhp**

45mpg*

Distinct, classy mix of trad’ style and modernity. Mean Bobber version (£12k) is very black.

8/10

Feb ’18

Scout Sixty

£10,499

999cc V-twin

110mph*

78bhp**

45mpg*

Style, quality and details of big ’un (above), but affordable. Finest ‘medium’ cruiser there is.

9/10

Nov ’17

KAWASAKI kawasaki.co.uk, 01628 856750 Bike’s choice: has to be the Ninja Z H2. Friendly, usable, yet suitably deranged ZZR1400

£12,747

1441cc inline 4

186mph

193bhp

38mpg

End of the line for the epic, continent-eating, fine handling, legendary ZZR. Buy while you can.

8/10

Jul ’18

Versys 1000 S

£13,145

1043cc inline 4

144mph

114bhp

47mpg

High-rise, high-spec ‘adventure tourer’ is genuinely great. Its only problem is no BMW badge...

9/10

Apr ’21

Ninja 1000SX

£11,447

1043cc inline 4

149mph

140bhp**

43mpg*

The best-selling Z1000SX sports-tourer, with more tech and refinement. Sports-tourer datum. 9/10

Jun ’20

Z1000

£10,647

1043cc inline 4

147mph

131bhp

37mpg

Eager chassis, fit motor, child’s-toy looks, firm ride. Far from perfect, but distinct and pleasing.

7/10

Aug ‘15

Ninja H2

£26,146

998cc inline 4

183mph

205bhp

25mpg

Glorious excess in a hi-vis cotton-wool world. Part-throttle acceleration is mind-blowing.

10/10

Feb ’17

Ninja H2 SX SE+

£22,145

998cc inline 4

186mph*

197bhp**

39mpg

Sports-touring exotica. Not perfect, but classy, usable, and that motor... Base model £16.5k.

8/10

Jun ’19

Z H2

£16,047

998cc inline 4

175mph*

197bhp**

40mpg*

Mega blown H2 motor in bespoke naked chassis. Far more road focus than supernaked rivals.

8/10

Oct ’20

Ninja ZX-10RR

£24,947

998cc inline 4

180mph

189bhp

44mpg

The already-capable ZX-10R with tuned motor and fancy wheels: basically a base for racing.

9/10

Jun ’18

Ninja ZX-10R

£14,647

998cc inline 4

180mph

189bhp

44mpg

Amazing race-derived motor, handling, electronics. SE with semi-active ride is £19,292.

9/10

May ‘21

Flying greenies º Kawasaki always used red for their race bikes. But during 1968 they developed a lime green to be used for their team at the 1969 Daytona 200, complete with colour-coded overalls and riders dressed like jockeys. The subsequent success of the bogey-coloured IDFWRU\ $ 56 DQG $ 5$6 PDFKLQHV PDGH .DZDVDNL GHFLGH WR DGRSW LW DV WKHLU RƱFLDO KXH 111

Know How

Knowledge

Listings

ROAD TEST BACK ISSUES BLUE = Available just on iPad RED = Available on iPad and Android ORANGE = Available in print only ** Claimed * Estimated

BIKE

PRICE

ENGINE

TOP SPEED

POWER

MPG

BIKE VERDICT

RATING

TESTED

Z900RS

£10,547

948cc inline 4

143mph

102bhp

51mpg

Modern Z900, tweaked into a retro. And better for it – dynamic, feel and detailing are great.

8/10

Jan ’19

Z900

£9047

948cc inline 4

145mph*

123bhp**

52mpg**

If you grew up on inline fours, this feels ace. Not as agile or punchy as MT-09, but very good.

7/10

Sep ’17

Versys 650

£7497

649cc twin

115mph*

62bhp*

54mpg*

Twin-cylinder tall-rounder is a great multi-purpose tool. Full-kitted Grand Tourer is £8792.

9/10

Oct ’15

Vulcan S

£6647

649cc twin

115mph*

61bhp**

63mpg*

Affordable, good-looking, modern cruiser with ER-6 power. Surprising ability, keen price.

8/10

Jan ’18

Ninja 650

£7247

649cc twin

130mph*

67bhp**

70mpg*

Z650 dressed up in ZX-10R costume. Comfy, easy-to-ride, cheery twin for J. Rea wannabes.

9/10

May ’17

Z650

£6997

649cc twin

130mph*

67bhp**

70mpg*

Confidence-inspiring Zed is fun, fit, frugal. More fun than SV650, nicer build than MT-07.

9/10

Mar ’17

Ninja ZX-6R 636

£9847

636cc inline 4

165mph

116bhp

44mpg

Full-on sports 600 now has TC, modes and a big snout. Focused, but surprisingly rideable.

8/10

Aug ’19

Ninja 400

£5698

399cc twin

110mph*

44bhp

63mpg**

Pricey A2-legal entry sportsbike with nice bits: assist-slip clutch, LCD dash, bungee hooks.

8/10

May ’18

KTM ktm.co.uk, 01280 709500 Bike’s choice: fast, light and funky, but safe and secure – 790 Duke is a wonderful creation. Loads knocked off too...

49mpg

Super-tech, radar-shod, all-roads missile dressed as adventure bike. Ace, but Multi’ V4 better.

9/10

May ’21

158bhp

45mpg

Mad power, sports handling, all the toys and eats miles. Couple of iffy bits, otherwise ace.

9/10

Jan ’19

161bhp

42mpg*

Fast yet friendly, sharp but safe, and loads of gizmos – perhaps the best all-round supernaked.

9/10

Sep ’20

130mph*

103bhp**

63mpg**

The previous 790 with extra bhp, smoother delivery, tweaked chassis, more tech. Very good.

8/10

Jan ’21

889cc twin

140mph*

119bhp**

53mpg

Buy this, not an R6 – the souped-up 790 is the defining mid-size sportsbike, but still friendly.

9/10

Nov ’20

£10,999

799cc twin

130mph*

95bhp**

67mpg**

Fit power, proper chassis, better off-road than F850GS. To be replaced by the 890, so haggle.

9/10

Nov ’19

£9799

799cc twin

128mph

93bhp

70mpg

Flexible motor, proper image, easy to use. Good, but Yam Ténéré is better value. Going soon.

8/10

Sep ’19

790 Duke

£7499

799cc twin

140mph*

102bhp**

64mpg**

Light, punchy twin is also easy to ride. 2018 Bike of the Year but discontinued, so grab a steal.

9/10

Dec ’20

690 Enduro R

£8999

690cc single

115mph*

73bhp**

60mpg*

Super-clever Duke/Husky 701 lump in long-legged trailie. Pukka, classy, dual-purpose tool.

8/10

Feb ’16

390 Adventure

£5649

373cc single

105mph*

43bhp**

56mpg

Chirpy A2-legal adventurer looks like a 1290 (sort of). But it’s basically a 390 Duke in wellies.

8/10

Jul ’20

RC 390

£5249

373cc single

107mph

42bhp

53mpg

Fast, frantic, flighty, yet efficient and usable. Dissolves in winter. In teen-friendly 125 form too.

6/10

Jul ’15

390 Duke

£4899

373cc single

108mph

41bhp

70mpg*

Revvy, eager motor in agile 125 chassis? Yes. Looks like the 1290 and less toy-like than it was.

7/10

Jun ’17

125 Duke

£4299

125cc single

75mph*

15bhp**

100mpg*

Indian-made Duke for teens is huge pan-Europe success. It’s perky, handles and looks top.

7/10

Jun ’11

650 X-Ride

£4999

644cc single

90mph*

40bhp**

60mpg*

Ex-Honda Dominator motor in 70s-style trailie. Good quality, keen price, let down by chassis.

5/10

Apr ’21

DirtStar Scrambler

£4496

398cc single

80mph*

28bhp**

70mpg**

Inoffensive aesthetics, affordable price, steady performance. Simple two-wheel pleasures.

6/10

Nov ’16

Roadstar

£4096

398cc single

80mph*

28bhp**

70mpg**

French brand, made in China, fine Honda-based motor. Some iffy details, but cheap and fun.

6/10

Dec ’17

Super Adventure S

£14,999

1301cc V-twin

155mph*

160bhp**

1290 Super Duke GT

£15,599

1290 Super Duke R

£15,749

1301cc V-twin

159mph

1301cc V-twin

160mph*

890 Adventure

£10,999

889cc twin

890 Duke R

£10,649

790 Adventure R 790 Adventure

MASH mashmotorcycles.co.uk; 01264 889012 Bike’s choice: go for the X-Ride (but budget for new tyres and suspension)

MOTO GUZZI uk.motoguzzi.it Bike’s choice: unique image, sweet ride, classy quality; it’s not fast or clever but V85 is lovely V85 TT Travel

£11,999

853cc V-twin

115mph

68bhp

50mpg

Pleasing V85 with hit-and-miss extras (luggage, tall screen, hot grip, fogs). Buy the stock one.

8/10

Mar ’21

V85 TT

£10,899

853cc V-twin

115mph

68bhp

50mpg

Convincing road-going adventurer. Capable dynamic, fine quality, charm and great looks.

9/10

Jan ’20

V9 Bobber

£8999

853cc V-twin

110mph*

53bhp**

55mpg*

Pleasing V-twin in a trendy, well-made package. Shiny Roamer (£8699) looks a bit too ’80s.

8/10

Jun ’16

V7 III Special

£8600

853cc V-twin

115mph*

53bhp**

63mpg

Style, ride and badge all spot-on. 850 V-twin isn’t as grunty as a Street Twin, but we forgive it.

9/10

Jul ’21

Milano

£13,700

8/10

Nov ’19

Retro 125 built in China to Mutt’s spec, finished in UK. Knobblies are limiting, but a decent thing. 6/10

Nov ’18

MOTO MORINI motomorini.eu Bike’s choice: if you’ve got the cash, the factory’s ‘One-Off Department’ will do you a custom to your spec 1187cc V-twin

145mph*

114bhp**

42mpg

Instant chunky power, firm and direct chassis, neat 70s paint. Buying is a gamble, but it’s cool.

MUTT muttmotorcycles.com, 0121 439 4774 Bike’s choice: endless ‘custom’ versions available, so get creative RS-13 125

£3570

125cc single

80mph*

12bhp**

80mpg*

Superveloce

£17,780

798cc inline 3

160mph*

146bhp**

41mpg

Super-sporty F3 in semi-retro dress. Fast, sharp, sounds top, looks superb, quite demanding.

8/10

Nov ’20

Turismo Veloce 800

£15,780

798cc inline 3

136mph

110bhp**

48mpg*

Adventure bike? Nah, it’s like a high-rise sportsbike. So-so ride, busy dash, but it’s good.

8/10

Jan ’19

F3 800

£14,380

798cc inline 3

161mph

148bhp**

34mpg*

Crisp, punchy, trim. Easier on the road than a 600 but still focused – needs a track to really shine. 8/10

Apr ’14

Brutale 800 RR

£13,880

798cc inline 3

153mph**

138bhp**

40mpg**

Top engine, nimble, great looks, ridiculous hard ride. Semi-auto clutch version a bit gimmicky.

6/10

Apr ’19

8/10

May ’15

MV AGUSTA mvagusta.co.uk, 0844 4128450 Bike’s choice: gotta be the Superveloce, even if it’s just for the looks

PATON krazyhorse.co.uk.com; 01284 749645 Bike’s choice: There’s only one road bike available. Good job it’s brilliant S1-R Lightweight

£24,745

649cc twin

135mph*

71bhp**

55mpg*

Replica of TT winner. ER-6 motor, bespoke Italian frame, top-drawer parts. Pricey but superb.

ROYAL ENFIELD royalenfield.com/uk; 0844 412 8450 Bike’s choice: it’s tough... Interceptor has the appeal, Himalayan has the practicality Continental GT

£5899

648cc twin

110mph*

44bhp

60mpg*

Café racer has flexible motor, light handling, keen price – but Inter’ version (below) is nicer.

8/10

Apr ’19

Interceptor

£5699

648cc twin

110mph

44bhp

60mpg

Charming twin has authentic feel, fine looks and great price. Think Indian-made Guzzi V7.

9/10

Aug ’19

Bullet Trials 500

£4699

499cc single

80mph*

27bhp

80mpg*

Venerable Bullet as ‘works replica’, which just means with high ’bars, blocky tyres, single seat.

6/10

Dec ’17

Classic

£4699

499cc single

80mph*

27bhp

80mpg*

Simple Bullet (below) with more style. Hi-tech as a brick, but a cool, engaging weekend toy.

7/10

Dec ’17

Bullet

£4199

499cc single

80mph*

27bhp

80mpg*

Not retro, but a real old bike they forgot to stop making. Basic, slow, but oddly appealing.

6/10

Dec ’17

Himalayan

£4499

411cc single

80mph*

25bhp

84mpg

Refreshingly different, reassuringly usable. Rugged build, laid-back motor and decent ride.

8/10

Jul ’21

SUZUKI suzuki-gb.co.uk; 0845 850 8800 Bike’s choice: has the be the Hayabusa, doesn’t it? The thing’s a legend Hayabusa

£16,650

1340cc inline 4

186mph*

187bhp**

42mpg**

There are more powerful bikes. But nothing goes stupid fast with the ease and class of a Busa.

8/10

Jun ’21

V-Strom 1050 XT

£11,747

1037cc V-twin

137mph

99bhp

52mpg

Loads of gizmos, amazing screen, plush-yet-secure ride, solid motor. It’s no GS... but top value.

8/10

Dec ’20

V-Strom 1050

£10,147

1037cc V-twin

137mph

99bhp

52mpg

Not got the XT’s toys, spokes or cool colours, but well priced with usual V-Strom friendliness.

7/10

Dec ’20

GSX-R1000R

£17,147

999cc inline 4

186mph*

199bhp**

45mpg*

Variable-valve engine with grunt and power, slick chassis, top electronics. A serious thing.

9/10

Jul ’18

Katana

£11,647

999cc inline 4

152mph

147bhp

46mpg

Superb GSX-S (below) given edge it lacks with sharp 80s-inspired styling. Bold yet usable.

8/10

Nov ’19

GSX-S1000F

£10,947

999cc inline 4

153mph

143bhp

45mpg

Upright sports, not a sports-tourer. Not flashy, but fast, composed, plush: a modern ZX-9R.

8/10

Jun ’20

Eyes on the prize º Harold Daniell was rejected by the army for poor eyesight but could see his way around WKH 77 +HUHoV KLV 1RUWRQ LQ WKH o 6HQLRU RQ KLV ZD\ WR WKH ZLQ DQG ƮUVW VXE PLQXWH ODS at 91mph – a record that stood for 12 years. Daniell won again in ’49 when the TT was the ƮUVW UDFH RI WKH LQDXJXUDO *3 FKDPSLRQVKLS JLYLQJ WKH %ULW WKH ƮUVW HYHU FF *3 ZLQ 113

Know How

Knowledge

Listings

ROAD TEST BACK ISSUES BLUE = Available just on iPad RED = Available on iPad and Android ORANGE = Available in print only ** Claimed * Estimated

BIKE

PRICE

ENGINE

TOP SPEED

POWER

MPG

BIKE VERDICT

RATING

TESTED

GSX-S1000

£10,847

999cc inline 4

149mph

143bhp

45mpg

GSX-R motor, supple ride, comfy, fine finish, low price. Hard to fault, but lacks a little ‘wow’.

8/10

Jun ’20

GSX-S750

£8147

749cc inline 4

145mph*

113bhp**

58mpg**

Ex-GSX-R750 engine, capable chassis, good ergonomics. It’s decent, just a bit shy on fizz.

7/10

Apr ’17

V-Strom 650

£7747

645cc V-twin

115mph*

60bhp*

45mpg

More able and better-equipped than ever, still cuddly and cheap. Not stand-out, but good.

7/10

Jul ’17

SV650X

£7147

645cc V-twin

122mph

74bhp

50mpg

Standard SV with on-trend tuck-and-roll seat, bikini fairing and clip-ons. Buy the stocker.

6/10

May ’18

SV650

£6647

645cc V-twin

122mph

74bhp

50mpg

Chirpy, cheerful, usable, quick, proven, though Yam MT-07 has a bit more zip and charm.

7/10

Apr ’19

GSX-R125

£4574

124cc single

80mph*

15bhp**

123mpg**

Perky motor, better power-to-weight than rivals, and cheaper. Won’t suit big-boned, mind.

9/10

Nov ’17

GSX-S125

£4274

124cc single

75mph*

15bhp**

123mpg**

Naked version of trim GSX-R. Light, agile, stable, but not as ‘complete’ as the sportsbike.

8/10

Nov ’17

7/10

Sep ’19

SWM swmmotorcycles.com Bike’s choice: missing Yam’s XT660? Buy a SuperDual. Currently no UK importer, mind...

120mph*

54bhp**

50mpg

Ex-Husky single, made in China, built-up in Italy. Decent dual-purpose tool. Don’t pay over £6k.

SuperDual X

£7895

600cc single

Rocket 3 GT

£20,700

2458cc inline 3

138mph**

165bhp**

35mpg

Huge motor is amazing, handling is ridiculous, but firm ride and sheer bulk limit use as ‘real’ GT.

8/10

May ’21

Rocket 3 R

£20,000

2458cc inline 3

138mph**

165bhp**

35mpg

Cruiser? Hardly. With a stiff chassis, handling and crazy grunt, the R is a Mad Max supernaked.

8/10

Feb ’21

Tiger 1200 XR

£12,200

1215cc inline 3

131mph

122bhp

44mpg

Heavy, but has easy handling, smooth power, quality, toys. New one here before end of 2021.

8/10

Aug ’18 Mar ’20

TRIUMPH triumphmotorcycles.co.uk Bike’s choice: Speed Twin whacks ticks in so many boxes

Thruxton RS

£13,000

1200cc twin

130mph*

103bhp**

50mpg

Trad’ charm and neat details with punching, revvy twin, track-able chassis and premium finish.

9/10

Scrambler 1200 XE

£12,300

1200cc twin

130mph*

96bhp**

50mpg

Thudding big twin in tall, plush, quality trail bike with a dash of dirt skill. Loads of toys, too.

8/10

Nov ’19

Scrambler 1200 XC

£11,500

1200cc twin

130mph*

96bhp**

50mpg

B-road-ready 1200 is top quality, high tech, pleasing, but Street Scrambler is better value.

8/10

Mar ’19

Speedmaster

£11,650

1200cc twin

110mph*

76bhp**

55mpg**

Low-slung Bobber transformed for the USA with beach ‘bars, shiny bits and pillion perch.

8/10

Sep ’18

Bobber Black

£11,650

1200cc twin

120mph*

77bhp**

56mpg

Bobber (below) with smaller front wheel, twin discs, and better ride quality. Impressive.

9/10

Sep ’18

Bonneville Bobber

£10,650

1200cc twin

120mph*

77bhp**

56mpg

Bonnie as low-riding solo bobber. Lazy wallop, top quality, rides better than looks suggest.

9/10

May ’18

Thruxton

£11,000

1200cc twin

130mph*

96bhp**

50mpg

Lower-spec chassis than the RS, but matters not on the road. Subtle, refined, able café racer.

9/10

Aug ’17

Speed Twin

£10,700

1200cc twin

130mph*

96bhp**

50mpg

Thruxton grunt, T120-based chassis, Street Twin looks... and mega. The retro-supernaked.

9/10

Mar ’20

Bonneville T120

£10,600

1200cc twin

120mph*

79bhp**

54mpg

Lolloping grunt, steadfast chassis, top finish. Hasn’t Street Twin’s agility, but has finer ride.

9/10

Sep ’18

Speed Triple RS

£13,600

1050cc inline 3

160mph

142bhp

48mpg

Presence, posh chassis, big wheelies, tech. Fabulous thing, as long as you want the sporty ride. 9/10

Mar ’20

Tiger Sport

£10,950

1050cc inline 3

140mph*

124bhp**

45mpg*

Sporty, solid, comfy, easy – the best 1050cc Tiger yet. Adventure? No. It’s a tall Speed Triple.

7/10

Sep ’18

Street Scrambler

£9300

900cc twin

110mph*

54bhp**

60mpg

Street Twin with semi-knobblies, taller ride, high pipes. Bit more spacious and stable. Nice.

9/10

Feb ’19

Bonneville T100

£8900

900cc twin

110mph*

54bhp**

60mpg

All the style and easy-going pleasures of the T120. Makes 24bhp less, but is £1000 cheaper.

9/10

Sep ’18

Street Twin

£8100

900cc twin

110mph*

54bhp**

60mpg

Handsome, pleasing, well-made retro with decent grunt and easy-to-flick chassis. Really good. 9/10

Feb ’19

Tiger 900 Rally Pro

£13,400

888cc inline 3

130mph*

94bhp**

55mpg**

The Tiger 800 was ace... and the 900 is even better. The pick of sub-1000cc adventure bikes.

9/10

Oct ’20

Tiger 900 GT Pro

£12,800

888cc inline 3

130mph*

94bhp**

49mpg

Great spec, comfort and usability. But road-biased GT doesn’t stand out like the Rally version.

8/10

Jan ’21

Tiger 850 Sport

£9300

888cc inline 3

125mph*

84bhp**

49mpg

Confusingly, 850 is actually the base Tiger 900. Lowest power, fewest toys, but you won’t tell.

8/10

May ’21

Street Triple RS

£10,500

765cc inline

148mph

124bhp

48mpg

Big power, glittering spec, rock-hard ride. Top naked sportsbike, but lacks fun of old Street Trip’. 8/10

Nov ’20

Street Triple R

£9100

765cc inline 3

149mph

118bhp

42mpg

Fast, crisp, fine spec. Gruntier and plusher than RS (above) but still sporty. MT-09 more fun.

8/10

Apr ’18

Trident 660

£7195

660cc inline 3

130mph*

80bhp**

60mpg**

Affordable and friendly like an MT-07, sweet handling like a Street Trip’, and well made. Brilliant.

9/10

Jun ’21

YAMAHA yamaha-motor.co.uk, 01932 358000 Bike’s choice: Well priced, nicely made, ace to ride – Ténéré 700 is a glorious thing YZF-R1M

£22,599

998cc inline 4

186mph

192bhp

40mpg

MotoGP-derived electronics + track-focused superbike = incredible. Limited availability.

9/10

Feb ’21

YZF-R1

£17,399

998cc inline 4

186mph*

192bhp

40mpg

Stiff, tall, high geared on road, but raciest of the race reps is special and peerless on track.

9/10

Dec ’19

MT-10 SP

£15,049

998cc inline 4

153mph

152bhp

38mpg

Already amazing MT-10 with R1 SP’s electronic suspenders. Great, if not obviously better.

9/10

May ’17

MT-10

£12,499

998cc inline 4

153mph

152bhp

38mpg

Fast, sporty, friendly, great spec. Bit thirsty, but mega. Touring version (£12.8k) even finer.

9/10

Nov ’16

Niken GT

£15,499

847cc inline 3

117mph

105bhp

42mpg

Large screen, better pillion bits and luggage turn the three-wheeler into a great sports-tourer.

8/10

Jun ’20

Niken

£14,199

847cc inline 3

117mph

105bhp

42mpg

Lose preconceptions – it rides and feels like a bike, but gives way more grip and confidence.

8/10

Jun ’20

Tracer 900GT

£11,197

847cc inline 3

129mph

112bhp**

47mpg

Fabulous distance-ready sports-tourer. Swift, stable, comfy. Being dropped, so work a deal.

9/10

Jan ’19

Tracer 900

£9597

847cc inline 3

129mph

112bhp**

47mpg

Adventurer presence, comfort and practicality in a great road bike. Being replaced by Tracer 9.

8/10

Jan ’21

XSR900

£9699

847cc inline 3

130mph

104bhp

49mpg

Ace MT-09 (below) in ’70s get-up. Not ‘authentic’, but as fun and the best-value sporty retro.

9/10

Aug ’18

MT-09 SP

£10,199

847cc inline 3

130mph

104bhp

49mpg

SP has Öhlins rear shock, R1M paint job, blue seat stitching. Good, but base model is nicer.

8/10

Nov ’20

MT-09

£8999

889cc inline 3

130mph*

117bhp**

49mpg*

Wonderful gurgling triple now with more tech, oomph and rider confidence than ever. It’s mega. 9/10

May ’21

Ténéré 700

£9499

689cc twin

120mph*

72bhp**

55mpg*

Great MT-07 motor in Dakar-style chassis. Charms on the road, rocks on a trail, and good value. 10/10

Feb ’20

Tracer 7

£8199

689cc twin

125mph*

70bhp

56mpg

Super-fun MT-07 with practical niceties. The datum for all-rounder value. GT even better.

9/10

May ’20

XSR700

£7699

689cc twin

119mph

70bhp

49mpg

Mega MT-07 in period costume. Proof that retro looks can work with a modern dynamic.

9/10

Jun ’16

MT-07

£6899

689cc twin

122mph*

74bhp

48mpg

Knocking on, lacks tech, but the defining midweight naked. Fun, capable, appealing, ace value.

9/10

Jun ’21

YZF-R6

£12,221

599cc inline 4

172mph

114bhp

38mpg

Hardest, sharpest 600 ever, with full electronics and R1 looks. Dropped for ’21, so haggle hard.

8/10

Feb ’19

YZF-R3

£5649

321cc twin

102mph*

41bhp**

65mpg

Light, revvy, fun-to-ride, well finished. Ability and spec fight for title of best A2 sportsbike.

8/10

May ’19

YZF-R125

£4799

125cc single

80mph*

15bhp

92mpg

R1 looks, big bike feel, clever engine. Easy to see why they sell so many to enthusiastic teens.

8/10

May ’19

ZERO zeromotorcycles.com, +3172 5112014 Bike’s choice: SR/F is pricey, but shows the potential of these whizzy battery jobs SR/F

£19,045

electric motor

124mph**

110bhp**

300mpg**

Quick, decent range, simple to ride, easy to like. Bit drab to look at, usual charging point issue.

8/10

Sep ’19

DSR Black Forest

£18,145

electric motor

110mph

69bhp

3.3cpm

Electric adventure bike is actually pretty good. Until you can’t find a charging point...

6/10

Sep ’18

S

£10,045

electric motor

86mph**

59bhp**

200mpg

Simple commuter has basic chassis, slow charging, but keen price and equivalent of 200mpg.

6/10

Dec ’20

65 years of twaddle º You’re forgiven for thinking Yamaha employ out-there young advertising hotshots. Ray RI 'DUNQHVV" %RUQ 7RPRUURZ" 5HDOO\" %XW WKH ƮUP KDYH EHHQ VSHZLQJ RXW PDUNHWLQJ JXƬ IRU DV ORQJ DV WKH\oYH EHHQ PDNLQJ ELNHV WKH <& RI WKH GHOX[H YHUVLRQ RI WKH ƮUVW YA-1 in ’55, was said to take its look ‘from the wet pavement of the Champs-Elysees’.

115

Know How

he body position required to get a trials bike round a corner is deeply weird. You tip the little machine one way by pressing with your inside foot, stick your knee out the other side, straighten the inside arm and do something with your hips I never quite mastered.

Around me in a sunlit field on the edge of the Peak District, various road-riding mates are flapping their knees while swerving erratically or going round in circles. Every now and then I stop my practicing to watch. A bunch of 50-somethings in motocross jerseys blundering randomly about on tiny motorcycles is a mesmerising sight. It’s like a modern art installation with added giggling.

With turning mastered (ish) we set off across the farm where Trials Day is based – chief instructor Stu splits his time between teaching people to ride trials and raising cattle.

Both occupations involving the control and motivation of dull-witted beasts.

After a bottom-clenching ride beside a lake we stop next to a copse sprouting from the 45-degree slope of a dam. ‘To get up here you need grip not revs,’ explains Stu as it dawns that he expects us to ride down and then up the ridiculous incline. The trick is to get engine chugging happily in first – the two-strokes are amazingly torquey – then plod uphill with just enough weight over the back wheel to provide traction but not so much that you loop. This balance requires a feel for grip, something in short supply at first.

But, amazingly, after a few goes most of us get the hang of it, reining in the natural urge to give it a handful and instead deploying what might even pass for finesse. Who’d have

T

116

thought that such satisfaction and glee could be generated by titting about at one mile per hour?

After lunch we climb into the hills, razzing up farm tracks and across fields, watching in awe as Stu’s three golden retrievers pelt up the mountain (they cover 15 miles with us during the day). The afternoon is a joyous blur of simple trails and magnificent views interspersed with new challenges where skills learned in the morning are put into practice. More or less.

The course is cleverly structured, with each afternoon section increasing skills and confidence without us noticing.

By the end of the day we’re all attempting things we would never have considered possible at 10am, and – for the most part – succeeding. When Stu says it’s time to head back down, the child in me is disappointed because I want to keep playing, but the 53-year-old is relieved. My forearms are aching and I’ve got that last-trackday-session-of-the-day feeling that skills and sense are waning.

Afterwards one of the lads asks Stu if any of the skills transfer to road bikes and his answer (see below) is entirely plausible. But that’s not why you should do this course.

Do it because it’s a life-affirming day of laughter with your mates, and after the year we’ve all had it feels like motorcycle heaven. JW º How to do it Trials Day run courses especially for road riders who’ve never been off-road. For £150, you get the bike, all kit, multiple instructors and lunch. It’s based near Leek.

º Details: trials-school.co.uk

‘By the end of the day we’re attempting things we’d never have considered possible at 10am’

Westlake and Wilson line astern

Two big things you can learn from trials Stu Day has been teaching trials techniques to road riders for over a decade. Here are the two crucial skills he’s found transfer directly from dirt to tarmac…

Feel for the controls. Because you’re going so slowly tiny changes to clutch, brake and throttle position have a huge effect on the bike. Trials teaches you to be far more sensitive and aware of the controls when you’re back on your road bike.

1

Feel for grip. This is the main advantage of doing trials. On a trials bike you spend all the time feeling what the bike is doing – you’re feeling how much traction there is and how stable the bike is. It makes you more alert to what the machine is doing, so when you go back to your road bike you’re more aware of what’s happening. If you ask most road riders how much grip there is, most don’t know because they haven’t been feeling for it. On a trials bike, you’re doing that all the time.

2

At this stage not graceful, but it’ll come

117

Make the most of the East Midlands

Ǯ Glorious ride ǰ

East Midlands hidden gem

º The small town of Uppingham is worth stopping at for a gentle stroll, and to enjoy a slice of home made cake at Raffs Coffee Shop. It’s also home to Sycamore HarleyDavidson, so stop off and try and get a test ride on something.

ot all Glorious Rides are in Scotland, the Peaks, Yorkshire Dales or the Pennines – but we all have our favourite local routes and sometimes they’re so good it’s worth spreading the word, even at the risk of making them busier. This one has been pretty popular with Bike over the years too and plenty of road tests have been photographed on almost every section. In fact Triumph and Suzuki used much of this route to launch a couple of their latest models, the incredible Speed Triple and the ballistic Hayabusa.

The ride is 100-ish miles and it passes through Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland. The roads are almost all B-roads, which means they’re usually pretty quiet, and cram in a lot of variation.

The ride starts outside Bourne, Lincolnshire and heads towards Corby Glen on the A151, diving under a green canopy of overhanging trees. A right outside Corby Glen onto the B1176 goes off to Bitchfield with some crazy undulations and whoops, then it’s the B6403 to Colsterworth – an old and (mostly) dead straight Roman road, but watch out for some recent pot holes that’ll swallow your front wheel whole.

N

At Colsterworth grab a cuppa at the truckstop café then pick up the B676 which bombs into Melton Mowbray, home of pork pies. There is, however, a fly in the ointment here – average speed cameras. On the positive side this is all classic British B-road riding, with plenty of rolling hills and sleepy villages.

After Melton the B6047 heads for Market Harborough, but a quick detour before you get there picks up the B664 back to Uppingham – this is the rollercoaster part of the ride. At Uppingham stop for another bite to eat before taking a short hop on the fast, wide A6003 down to Caldecott where the B672 takes you under the magnificent Welland Viaduct, built in 1878 and still in use today. After that blast back towards Bourne via Ketton, but dodge the narrow, traffic strangled, streets of Stamford.

All in all the ride should take three to four hours, if you do it right and stop often enough for a brew. The scenery is as good as it gets in this part of the world ie it’s not Glen Coe, but it does have a pacifying calm about it. And judging by the number of motorcycles I hear from my garden, throughout the fine months of the year, I’m not the only one who thinks this route is a hidden gem. But not so hidden anymore. Chippy Wood

PIC: CHIPPY WOOD

Bike staffers have been enjoying this Glorious Ride for decades…

Ǯ Try this ǰ

Improve your vision – it’s all about your head

It needs to feel strange

Back where you came from

Mike Armitage

Keep your chin up

º You go where you look, so really look. Using º Radical head turns are the secret for º When filtering, don’t focus on a patch a few vanishing points to read the road is great, effortless feet-up U-turns as well. You want yards ahead. Worry too much about your but try significant head movement to see far to go back where you’ve come from so that’s immediate surroundings and you’ll plot a around a turn like the late, great Norick Abe where to throw your gaze, and not down at the weaving, ragged, stop-start path. Force your above. If it feels daft you’re turning your bonce middle of the road. Full-lock peg-scuffing turns head high to look ahead for tight spots and lane enough, and will be rewarded with a more will follow in no time. Shuffling your bum to the changers – as a biker your tip-top peripheral flowing ride, crisp lines and less running wide. outside of the turning bike may help too. vision will spot close-proximity concerns.

118

Know How

‘Triumph and Suzuki used much of this route to launch Speed Triple and Hayabusa’

Ǯ Screen time ǰ

Terrifying

Carrots not required º Head positioning also helps at night. It’s easy to fall into a trance, eyes sucked into the pool of light ahead. Dragging your gaze away by turning your noggin lets you read the road ahead by using the lights of other vehicles and street lights, and keeps you aware of otherwise unseen hazards. Black visor not advised, mind.

º Because the lap times of early TT riders were slow compared with today’s it’s easy to assume the old boys weren’t trying very hard. Crummy black and white footage (often shown on YouTube at the wrong speed) doesn’t help either.

But I challenge anyone to watch parts of this colour video of the 1952 Senior TT and come away with anything other than awe for the top riders of that generation. The fast sections look utterly terrifying – you can see the bikes losing traction on corner exits as the rear shocks have nervous breakdowns over the bumps. And there’s one slow motion sequence of 1949 world champion Les Graham tying his MV in so many knots it makes you wonder how his frame didn’t snap.

The race itself is a cracker too, with Graham fighting neck and neck with factory Norton rider Reg Armstrong for most of the six laps. JW

Search: 1952 Isle of Man Senior TT (scan QR code for YouTube link)

119

Know How Ǯ Our favourites ǰ Go-to armour for spine defence (and comfort working under the car)

Back protectors Dainese Wave ~ dainese.com º The classic built by the people who, along with Barry Sheene, came up with the idea in the first place.

It’s a near-perfect piece of design, which is why the Wave has barely changed since I got this yonks ago.

The shell is hard plastic with a honeycomb crumple zone behind, and the sections articulate for easy movement. It fits perfectly and is light and vented enough to use on the hottest days. After six years the shoulder straps are losing their elasticated powers but it’s still perfectly serviceable. JW

Knox Track Vest £179.99 planet-knox.com º This is Knox’s Aegis CE approved back protector, but worn using a zip-up gilet rather than straps so, unlike other back protectors I’ve tried, it is really comfortable. There are five sizes and varying levels of adjustment to get the fit spot on without the faff of straps. The claims for the protective capability of its hard shell and honeycomb structure are really convincing, though I’ve never had to test them. They are a UK company too, which is good thing. HW

)RUFHƮHOG 6SRUW 6KLUW £140 IRUFHƮHOGERG\DUPRXU FRP º More than just a back protector, this stretchy blue baselayer has pockets for shoulder, elbow and chest armour too, so you wear the armour in the shirt, not your leathers. Sport Shirt 2 comes with six pieces of top quality CE2 armour. That’s good value and might even suggest a beendoing-big-weights-in-the-gym vibe if you are feeling weedy. I’ve had my Sport Shirt for four years and can happily say it is still super comfy and super safe. It’s a quality item. BL

6SLGL 'HIHQGHU ~ spidiuk.com º I’ve used the Defender for longer than my tired brain can recall. While paranoid enough to want proper protection, I don’t want the feeling of chunky armour so I like how this thin, light stuff slips under leathers, even with post-lockdown tub. Easy adjustment too, plus good vents in the chest. The only downside is cost. It’s effectively the Warrior CE level-two back protector and level-one chest armour strung together, but buying them separately is £30 cheaper. MA 120

‘Watching bikes hurtle down the Craner Curves on the first lap will be a good place to be’

Ǯ Blast from the past ǰ

Badges Enamel badges should really EH SLQQHG WR D VDZQ RƬ denim jacket for authenticity, but even without Wrangler authentication they are lovely things. I’ve got a couple from teenage years, the rest are autojumble accumulation, but lots available on ebay from just a couple of quid. Modern versions aren’t as nice. HW

Ǯ Events ǰ

Scott Redding to shake up WSB? Let’s hope so

See, hear...

Bike editor, classic motorcycle nerd and relocated northerner, Hugo Wilson reveals his choice events for late June (check before travelling etc.)

British Superbikes, Oulton Park, Cheshire 25-27 June º Season opening British Superbike meeting is late, and much anticipated. Obviously there’s the face off of the big guns in the three main races, with Josh Brookes, Danny Kent and co battling with young upstarts for honours, and there is also Peter Boast protégé Franco Bourne running in the Junior Superstock series.

britishsuperbike.com

Kendal Nostalgia Scramble Cumbria 26-27 June º The atmosphere and spectacle of ’70s scrambles. Extra incentive this year with special events for the 50th anniversary of CCM. Expect thunder in the hills, those big four-strokes sound fantastic. Plus great local roads to get there.

Info on Facebook

Barry Sheene Classic, Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough 26-27 June º I bang on about the amazing racing spectacle at Oliver’s Mount, but you must see it. Classic races, with 1980s superbikes and 1960s singles are well supported and competitive. The meeting’s name? This was one of Barry’s favourite tracks. Worth the trip from the south and booking a B&B (turn off the A1 north of Stamford, wiggle up through Lincolnshire, across the Humber bridge and then through the East Yorkshire Wolds, it’s a great ride).

oliversmount.com

PIC: DUCATI

World Superbikes Donington Park 2-4 July º Scott Redding to shake up World Supers? We live in hope.

Johnny Rea to continue his relentless dominance? More likely, but with some sunshine, sitting on the hill side at Donington and watching riders and bikes hurtle down the Craner Curves on the first lap will be a good place to be.

worldsbk.com

Ǯ Tried and tested ǰ

Clobber to match their bikes BMW ProRace boots Used for: two months Price: £225 Info: bmw-motorrad.co.uk º Something about manufacturer-brand kit always makes me wary; surely it’s average stuff with a hefty tag due of the label. These BMW boots show it’s a foolish assumption. They do the racy thing with replaceable sliders, go-faster flashes and soft suede on the inside for ‘best possible contact with the bike’, yet are also utterly pleasing for normal use. They open wide and have a natty strap to pull them on, the inner is sumptuous, insoles can be removed and washed, and they have a higher CE ‘superior pass’ for abrasion, cut and rigidity. Despite reassuring toughness of the synthetic leather they’re very comfy, and waterproof too.

Genuinely love ‘em. Shop around and find them for £185 or so. MA 121

Know How

Ǯ Weird & Wonderful ǰ

’86 Yamaha FZ400L 1RW D VSHFLDO %ODFNSRRO HGLWLRQ QRWKLQJ WR GR ZLWK &KULVWPDV DQG QRW WKH ZRUN RI D SDUND FODG /DPEUHWWD RZQHU 7KLV LV D SURSHU IDFWRU\ ELNH DQG LWoV QRW DORQH

aunched in 1984, Yamaha’s FZ400R was their super-sharp race replica for Japan’s booming sports market. Compact and light at just 165kg, the FZ featured a 16-inch front wheel for steering you could shave with, a perimeter frame, endurance-style twin round lamps nuzzled into its fairing, a plank masquerading as a seat and clip-on ’bars. And it was powered by a thrashable 399cc liquid-cooled inline four that made a datum-setting 59bhp (five more than the FZ600, the air-cooled XJ600-powered version we got here in the UK).

Developed alongside the Formula 3 racer that won the All-Japan Championship at its first attempt, the FZ400R was clearly a rather serious motorcycle. And so this therefore made it the perfect base for a production bike designed specifically for Japanese riding schools.

The L in FZ400L stands for learner. High ’bars instead of clip-ons give easier control, crash bars are ready for comedy tumbles, and a centrestand is fitted for use while honing manoeuvring skills. But the best bit is the clutter of Thunderbird-style additional lamps, linked to

L

122

the FZ’s controls so instructors and examiners know what you’re doing wrong. There are electrical terminals on the side too, the purpose of which is anyone’s guess. Be better if the sticker said Pure Mystery.

The FZ400L wasn’t Yamaha’s first leaner bike and certainly not the last. Other models loaded with illumination for riders getting Japan’s most popular up-to-400cc licence included the XS400 parallel twin, XJ400 inline four, and 400cc versions of the Fazer and Diversion.

Not content with being the go-to brand for training bikes, Yamaha also established themselves as plod’s favourite with a series of machines in full police uniform. There were XJs and FJRs with a P tacked on the end but the 1983 XJ550 Police was coolest, with CHiPs-style screen and boxes, massive side-mounted siren, huge flashing light on an extendable pole, and a natty tub for the officer’s handcuffs (or sandwiches).

The chances of finding an FZ400L that’s still in full learner spec are slim to say the least – however, every now and then a scrappy import will turn up on ebay. Bidding is compulsory. Mike Armitage