WORKSHOP
FUMPHTHE MOTO2TRIUFOR MASSES 765RS ON HIRE
E2
01 9 IS SU E3 53
❯ OIL:THE LIMITS OF LUBE ❯ ZXR-8 PROJECT ❯ HOW TO CHECK AND CHANGE BRAKE DISCS ❯ TOP TOOLS RATED
JU N
! Y R O T C FULL FA
’S 200MPH ON APRILIA RSV4 1100 FACTORY
ALSO INS IDE
RACE I T KNOW RIO Y BATTER OUR IE DUN ES SPORT LOP S HICKY MART 3 ROADS ON BSB, & RIV VALS
DUCATI 1098S
WONDER WEAPON
No353 June 2019
SENSIBLE SPORTSBIKES
DUCATI SUPERSPORT VS GSX-S1000F
UK off-sale date – 28/05/2019
£4.40
ISSUE 353 JUNE 2019
IT’S THE NEWS!
Upfront ........................................... 10 All the tastiest biking titbits.
GEARED UP!
Products.......................................... 15 All the latest, coolest and trickest products.
THE KNOWLEDGE
Used Buyer’s Guide......................... 72 Everything you need to know when buying a Triumph 675.
Master Legal ...................................96 Is there a claim, where there is no blame?
YOUR LIFE ON BIKES
Addiction.........................................56
Mark Stafford’s gone to town with his KTM 690. All of your latest adventures!
Chatter ............................................80 It’s only fair we give the best readers in the world a page of their own!
20
SUB
You & Yours..................................... 78
WORKSHOP
Project Ninja ...................................82
RIBE C S e8 pag See etails d for
Rob’s ZX-8 is nearing completion.
Our guide to….................................86 Checking and changing your brake discs.
Know Your.......................................92 Batteries... Learning how to get the very best from yours.
What a tool .....................................94 What are lockwire pliers, what are they for and how do you use them?
52
OUR LIFE ON BIKES
Race Riot ....................................... 108 Dangerous and Frodo have been racing their Gixers at Donny.
COLUMNISTS
Neave twins ................................110
RACE SECTION
Pre-season testing is going well for Honda Superstock racer Tom Neave.
The lowdown on BSB, WSBK and MotoGP.
Scott Redding .............................111
Pit Pass............................................ 98 Zero to Hero...........102
TT lap record holder Pete Hick kman tells all.
The former MotoGP racer, and now BSB star is our newest columnist.
Gary Johnson ..............................112 Gaz has been be racing with anyone that will let him. m
Christian Id ddon ...........113 The first ro ound of BSB is drawing nearer for the Tyco BMW rid der.
108
Steve Parrish .......114 Parrish’s take on all things bike-racing.
TESTS COVER STORY Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory Launch .. 20 Boothy went to Mugello to sample the delights of Aprilia’s new winged wonder.
Sensible Sportsbikes ................... 30 Beano has been commuting on Ducati’s Supersport S and Suzuki’s GSX-S1000F.
Triumph 765 on track ................... 40 We aren’t allowed to call it a Daytona 765… but everyone is.
Tricolore Glory............................... 46
Boothy’s had an old flame rekindled – the Ducati 1098S.
Dunlop Sportsmart mk3 ............... 52
Bruce went to find out how good the new hypersport hoops are.
FEATURES
The limits of Lube ......................... 62 Learning about lube from the top brass at Rock Oil.
Track Bike Builder......................... 66 Bruce’s bike is finally ready to race.
4 JUNE 2019 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM
WELCOME
What a difference!
T
he clocks have sprung, the outdoor heating’s been cranked up a few notches and every which way I look there’s a motorbike. This is the best time of year. That part of the season where you’re gagging to get out and ride just for the sake of it… or typically for the tea and cake at the other end of a blast (I’m not here to judge). We’ve been pretty manic the last few weeks, eating a lot of cake, riding all kinds of bikes in all kinds of places and generally having the best of times, and if the ‘You and Yours’ pages are anything to go by, so have you guys. It’s great to see your antics and hear what you’ve got planned, so keep the correspondence coming. Perhaps Boothy’s won the award for ‘most travelled’ this month, being the jammy git who got to take Aprilia’s new RSV4 1100 Factory for a blast at Mugello. He clocked over 200mph on it, which is some feat when you take his mass into account – what an engine that must be. You might not be surprised to hear we was rather fond it, but I’ll let him talk you through the reasons why. Funnily enough, he was also quite fond of the 1098S he got to spank. That bike right there is a true gem of Italian engineering, showcasing the best of Ducati pre-Panigale… but you’ll need to have a proper rummage down the sofa if you’re hoping to afford one, and maybe a spot of Yoga would aid you in the comfort department. At the other end of the spectrum, Mr Bean has been sampling some of the most sensible sportsbikes on the market – the kind of bikes that you can ride all day long, not cost you your mortgage in fuel and won’t leave you deformed after a day in the saddle. Sounds like heaven, right? Actually, heaven to me is the Smallboy 765RS hire bike I took for a blast at Cadwell Park. I’m never going to make it on to the Moto2 grid, but taking the track-fettled, Daytonaesque 765 for a spin ticked more than enough boxes. Getting out on track is brilliant, but when the bike’s next level, life doesn’t get much better. Have you ticked off any trackdays yet? If not, make sure to get one in the diary. In fact, get our Fast Bikes Trackday in the diary. It’s on the first of July and you can read more about it in the Upfront section of this issue. It would be great to see you there… and Carl’s always after riding tips, so he’d appreciate any help you could offer him. We’ll see you there. Enjoy the mag.
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BOSS MAN
‘Dangerous’ Bruce Wilson dangerous@fastbikes.co.uk
AD MAN
Charlie ‘The Sheriff’ Oakman coakman@fastbikes.co.uk
YOUNG MAN
Carl ‘Pretty Boy’ Stevens teaboy@fastbikes.co.uk
BIG MAN
Mike ‘Boothy’ Booth race@fastbikes.co.uk
TECH MAN
Rob ‘Beano’ Bean
tech@fastbikes.co.uk
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NE W S & REV IEW S PL ANET FAST BIKES – NE W ME TA L, IN ASSOCIATION WITH
NO LIMITS TRACKDAY
THE FAST BIKES TRACKDAY IN ASSOCIATION WITH BRIDGESTONE AND NO LIMITS IS BACK FOR 2019 Following on from the success of last year’s trackday, we’re heading back to Cadwell this year… and we want you there! Were you on the Fast Bikes magazine trackday last year? If the answer is a big fat YES, then you’ll know just how much of a laugh it was. If the answer is no, then you can rectify that sin and get booked on for a day of tracked fuelled frolics! We will once again be returning to Cadwell Park for a day of summer spanking – so make sure you block out Monday, July 1 on your calendar right now. This year, we’ll be running alongside our buddies over at No Limits Trackdays, who’ll be doing a grand job of running the event as well. The day will be run across a usual trackday format, with groups for Novice, Intermediate and Advanced – meaning there’s a session fit for everyone. To add to the joys of scorched slicks and slithered sliders, we'll also have competitions on the day, goody bags, freebies, and some super-cool stuff that we’re just waiting to confirm. One thing we do promise though, is that it’s going to be bloody awesome. For more information or to book on with us, head over to www. nolimitstrackdays.com. Oh, and keep on www.fastbikesmag.com as we release more info on the lead up to it. It’s going to be a blast!
10 JUNE 2019 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM
NEW S & REV IEW S PLA NET FAST BIKES – NEW METAL,
APRILIA RSV4 X REVEALED You can read all about the new RSV4 1100 Factory in a few pages time, but until then, this should whet your appetite… Dubbed the RSV4 X, it’s really limited – only ten will be made. And it’s laden with eyepopping trickery: for example, how does a MotoGP-spec gearbox sound, with neutral at the bottom (or top) of the shift pattern? Or a blueprinted 1100 motor, with more aggressive camshafts to get the extra gee-gees, which is hand built by the firm’s race division? Not bad aye, and it’s also bloody light as well. The weight loss comes from a few areas: full carbon bodywork, titanium and carbon Akra exhaust, and forged Marchesini magnesium wheels. It also goes large on the brake calipers: Brembo’s GP4-MS calipers, which are the latest race-rep calipers from the firm – they cost £2,500 a pair, eek! And since it’s not road-legal, it comes with a set of Pirelli Superbike slicks. The RSV4 X will set you back €39,900, which isn’t really too bad at all for what you get. Good luck getting your mitts on one though, and if you do, let us have a go!
WORLD OF KAWASAKI DAY ANNOUNCED If you’re a fan of Kawasaki, chances are you won’t want to miss their ‘World of Kawasaki’ event, which takes place at Donington Park on Sunday June 30. If you fancy it, you get a proper experience from Kawasaki with a load of bike-based action to look forward to. This includes track sessions if you’ve got your own Kwak, demo rides with the brand spanking new 2019 Kawasaki models on the road, and even Kawasaki Rider Training Services, which will let you ride a Z125 or Ninja 125 for the very first time. There’s also going to be stunt shows from Lee Bowers, and even a load of bouncy castles and trampolines for the kids, alongside stalls and a whole host of entertainment. For more info, check out www.kawasaki.co.uk. Oh, and if you’re a Club Kawasaki member, you get first dibs on booking track sessions!
CLASSIC SUZUKI TRACKDAY RETURNS FOR 2019 Into your old Suzukis? Well Suzuki GB, alongside their Vintage Parts Programme, have just announced that their Classic Suzuki Trackday will return in 2019, at Cadwell Park on June 29. There’s some big names going, including Terry Rymer, Phil Read, Steve Parrish, Danny Webb and Pete Boast, while an all-star machine line-up consists of no less than four RG500s, two XR69s, one Lucky Strike RGV500, the Team Classic Suzuki Katana race bike and the renowned 12 JUNE 2019 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM
Vintage Parts restoration collection, including the GSX-R750F, GSX-R1100L and TL1000S. On the day, track action will be split into four groups – with spaces available for £139 – covering Novice, Two-Strokes, Under 750cc, and Over 750cc. There will also be a number of race bike parades. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also a paddock area with displays, trade stands and more. For more info, or to book on to the event, check out www. bikes.suzuki.co.uk
R&G WATERPROOF ROLL-TOP RUCKSACK TESTED BY: Charlie MILES: 300 Wet TIME: 3 Months PRICE: £44.99 WEB: www.rg-racing.com
Having arrived at R&G’s offices in a torrential downpour I had to present to the guv’nor with some damp documents and a few soggy s copies of Fast Bikes after a colossal bag failure… although thankfully the laptop survived. Between us it did me a favour though, as I was then presented with the R&G Waterproof Roll-Top Rucksack for my return journey. This is a great size for a day bag, complete with two padded shoulder straps and a chest buckle that holds the bag firmly in place. The back of the pack is also padded, which adds to the comfort, and although the lack of a belly strap concerned me at first I found at speed it was not necessary as the bag remained securely in place. Two external pockets are ideal for ‘need to get to quick’ items and the contents within the main bag are protected via a tough fabric exterior and an internal waterproof membrane. The top rolls down
ALPINESTARS TS TECH 10 MX BOO y TESTED BY: Booth 00 10 MI LES: TIM E: 2 Year PR ICE: £494.99 stars.com WEB: www.alpine
JUNE 2019 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 15
and closes with a long Velcro strap that runs the length of the top of the bag, and a further vertical strap and buckle makes sure this stays in place. An unobtrusive reflective strip adds to your visibility to others at night and R&G have printed their rucksack with their own checked graphic on the back. At £45 it’s a top-end budget bag, but it’s definitely waterproof – it’s looked after me through some pretty nasty conditions. At the end of the day it does what you need a day bag to do, although if you are planning a weekend away you will be needing something bigger or some on-bike luggage. But for the day-to-day. this is a good option.
I know how much of a pain it is when you brake your ankle or foot. And, having done it a few times, I also know how easy it is to do, so when I needed some new MX boots I was happy to save up in order to go for the best available. The ‘Tech’ series of Alpinestars off-road boots have been around for years, but they are constantly being improved, and are absolutely top of the range. Unlike some off-road boots, they aren’t too heavy vyy or mega clumpy, but they still feel like they offer a ton of protection. There’s loads of side-to-side rigidity, making it feel like you’d have to be really trying to break your ankle, but they still allow your feet to move up and down enough to walk properly, and to operate the rear brake and gear levers. The Tech 10s come with an inner boot tha that you slip your foot into before puttting it into the main boot, so th hey are really comfy. You can tell the ey are a really well made, high h spec boot from the very first time you put them on; in fact, there’ss reams of impressivesounding stufff in the documentation they send in th he box. It’s hard to fault them, they do exactly what it says on the tin, and aftter all the hammer I have given them (aside from a bit of discolouratio on from all the mud they h have e encountered) they are as goo oo od as new. Ten out of ten ffor the Tech 10s.
D REV IEW ED ND BUS ED AN THE VERY BEST KIT – US ED, AB
AVON SPIRIT T YRES TESTED BY: Martin MILES: 1500 TIME: 5 Months
PRICE: RRP Approx. £230 (pair) WEB: www.avontyres.com
I’ve never really had a massive interest in tyres to be honest; they have always just been one of those things you need to have that will cost you money, and I’ve never really noticed a massive difference between different tyres and grip. That was until I fitted a pair of Avon Spirits to my own personal bike though - and without getting too carried away they have
got to be the best tyre I have ridden on, on that particular machine. Now that may be because I’ve been riding around with awful tyres fitted in the past (most likely the cheap option) but I’ve really noticed a difference when riding with these on. Avon say they’ve designed the Spirit for exceptional wet grip, extra mileage with ultra-high end handling
HOOD JEANS The Hood K7 jean is the first in the UK to confirm to the new PPE regulations 2016/425 prEN 17092-3, and achieves an AA rating for doing so. What does this mean for you? If you want what is supposedly the best protecting jean on the market right now, then this is the jean for you. With CE certified D30 hip and knee armour, stirrups to prevent riding up, double stitching which exceeds the new PPE standard, airflow mesh for comfort and full length Para-aramid fibre protection, the K7 may seem overkill in comparison to some other models out on the market but if
16 JUNE 2019 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM
protects you, who cares. Even with h all the jazzy protection though, I was surprised that the Hood K7 has bee en a pleasure to ride in. I feel safe enou ugh on longer trips with the armour fitted,, and even so they aren’t bulky or uncomfortable, and the best part iss, I get to ride without looking ridiculous stopping at the supermarket to picck up the milk. TESTED BY: Martin MILES: 1000 TIME: 5 Months
PRICE: RRP from £152.99 WEB: www.hoodjeans.co.uk
and stability, and d to be fair after abusing them I'm confident that I will chicken out long before these tyres do. Only time will tell how they do mileage wise but they have ticked all the boxes so far so in my book - they are a winner and if there’s one thing I have learnt cheap isn’t always best, it just keeps the wife happier.
ENJOYED THIS PREVIEW? THE BEST ACTION IN TRIALS AND MOTOCROSS
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CLASSIC
#48
ISSUE
Forty-eight Autumn 2018
OCTOBER 2018
No. 330 October 2018 £4.30 UK Off-sale date 31/10/2018
MOTO MEMORIES // TECH TALK // MONTESA COTA 200 // BULTACO MATADOR
3.60
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BOXER CKS TRIC
HOW THE LEGEEND BEGAN
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R 2018 ISSUE 174 OCTOBER
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