MoreBikes July issue

RACE READY

BRITISH BRUISER

The story behind Herald’s bonkers

Brute 500

Top tips for packing for a weekend in the paddock

ROAD TO THE TT

NUDE AND RUDE

The lowdown on Ducati’s Streetfighter V4S and Suzuki’s GSX-8S The best used bikes to buy instead...

The story behind Michael Rutter’s R7 road racer

I’ve just got back from Bavaria, after a cracking couple of days putting BMW's R18 Roctane through its paces. I'd ridden the bike before, taking the Classic variant on a week-long trip to the Cairngorms as part of a series we’ve co-produced with our pals over at Motorcycle Sport and Leisure magazine. I didn’t get on with it that well the first time, finding it a bit too cumbersome to keep up with my adventure-bike riding pals. This was different. It’s still a big old thing, but I immediately felt at home

rmowbray@mortons.co.uk

(once I'd muscled it off its side stand), and I got more and more comfortable as we cut our way from Munich down to the Austrian border and back again. It just goes to show that it’s always worth giving something another shot, even if you weren’t that impressed at first. What's a bike that surprised you the second time you rode it?

The roads probably helped the BMW stand out, though. We were treated to an incredible ride which took in Lake Amersee, the Oberjoch Pass and the

sensationally-beautiful Lake Plansee – and I’m already trying to find an excuse to get back there to have a proper explore of the area. Have you ridden there? Any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated as I start planning my route. I’d also love to hear about any big trips you've undertaken (or have planned), both at home and abroad. But for now, ride safe

TRICK TÉNÉRÉ

Yamaha has added the Ténéré 700 World Rally to its growing middleweight adventure bike line-up

We love Yamaha’s Ténéré 700. It’s a bloody brilliant bike that’s proved a proper hit for the Japanese factory. And so we’re chuffed to hear that there’s a new one being added to the range.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first Ténére and paying homage to six-time Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel’s 1993 machine, the new World Rally looks like a serious bit of kit.

Joining the standard Yamaha Ténéré 700, the Rally and World Raid, the new World Rally gets a funky factory makeover inspired by Peterhansel’s Dakar-winning livery from 30 years ago. But there’s more to it than that.

The latest T7 gets a handful of neat upgrades to make it even more capable of tackling tricky terrain – including long travel KYB suspension (with a very usable

230mm of travel up front and 220mm of travel at the rear). There’s also a new flat seat (complete with World Rally logo); an exclusive Akrapovic titanium exhaust; threemode switchable ABS system; and an Öhlins adjustable steering damper.

The World Rally will get the same 23 -litre, dual side-mounted fuel tank as the World Raid, and will feature a 5-inch colour rally-style TFT screen with smartphone connectivity.

Not a bad bunch of goodies to help build on the solid engine and chassis platform of the World Raid which was released back in 2022. We can’t wait to ride one – and it looks like we won’t have to wait too long for the chance, as the new Yamaha Ténéré World Rally is expected to be available come the middle of June at a price of £13,000.

HUSKY’S HOOLIGAN

The latest track-ready Husqvarna FS450 promises plenty of thrills

Following on from the big reveal of its latest batch of its MX and Enduro machines, Husqvarna’s got us hot under the collar with the release of its new FS450 supermoto machine.

It’s not road-legal, but if you’re in the market for a new track weapon that’ll be heaps of fun, then it could be well worth a look.

Sadly, Husky hasn’t released figures for power and torque, but considering it’s powered by a 449.9cc four-stroke single cylinder engine and tips the scales at just 107.6kg (without fuel), expect it to be a punchy little number that gets pulses racing in a seriously fun way.

It gets a 7.2-litre fuel tank; 16.5-inch front and 17-inch rear spoked Alpina wheels which come shod with some sorted Metzeler Racetec SM K1 tyres;

while stopping is looked after by a set of Brembo brakes (with a four-piston radially-mounted caliper and 310mm disc up front, and a single piston caliper and 220mm disc at the rear).

Suspension is looked after by WP 48mm XACT forks; an XACT monoshock with 266mm of travel (and plenty of adjustment); and there’s a good suite of electronics to play with, too, including a range of throttle maps, launch control, traction control, and a quickshifter. Oh – and Husky reckons its new one-piece seat will provide extra grip, making it less likely for you to slip back as you’re giving it the beans.

We bet it’s a hoot to ride, and although £11,249 is a lot of cash to splash on this sort of bike, there’s no doubt it’s a seriously capable bit of kit.

MANX 100 YEARS OF THE

Arai celebrates the Manx GP with a limitededition version of its flagship race helmet.

The Manx GP is an iconic event. It might not get quite the same love as the TT proper nowadays, but it should. That’s why it’s great to see this seriously cool bit of kit which commemorates its 100-year anniversary.

The lid’s a joint effort between thevisorshop.com and the Manx Grand Prix Motorcycle Club. And what an effort it is. Essentially, it’s a top-spec Arai RX7V Evo helmet (with ECE R22-06 approval) which pays homage to the Manx and the legendary 37.73 Mountain Course on which it’s been held since 1923.

Believe it or not, this is actually the first time there has been a helmet for the Manx Grand Prix – so this is a great chance to bag a piece of history and support a great cause in the process. We forgot to say… The Manx Motorcycle Club will receive a royalty from the sale of each limited-edition Manx GP lid. Nice.

If you’re interested and want to snag yourself one, they’re going to be available from July 20 through thevisorshop.com and Crossan Motorcycles. You’d better get saving though, because one’ll set you back a whopping £829.99. Sounds like a lot – but actually the standard RX7V Evo is around £800. It’s a top bit of kit as is, but this one gets a funky design that celebrates one of the most special races and places on Earth. What’s not to like?

BMW'S LATEST FUNKY ROADSTER

The Bavarian firm is celebrating 100 years of building bikes with its new R 12 nineT –and it looks great

The first-generation BMW R nineT was revealed on BMW Motorrad’s 90th anniversary back in 2013 – and 10 years later, the factory has created the BMW R 12 nineT.

Described by BMW as a ‘purist classic’, they’re touting the R 12 nineT as a powerful and hugely customisable classic roadster. Sounds about right to us.

With an air-/oil-cooled boxer engine and retroinspired styling, if you want classic bike looks with all the benefits of a modern machine, this one could be for you.

Speaking about the new R 12 nineT, Edgar Heinrich, Head of Design BMW Motorrad, said:

“The purist design language is dominated by the clear tank/seat/rear line, in the style of the traditional /5 or the legendary R 90 S of the 70s. At first glance, the

tank itself is a classic BMW boxer tank, with a typical bend in the lower edge and classic knee contact. The new R 12 NineT also features side covers in the area of the frame triangle in the authentic Roadster look – another reminiscence of BMW motorcycles of the 1970s.”

BMW also reckons its newest R nineT is the perfect platform for customisation – and in addition to a whole host of BMW Motorrad accessories to fit the bike out the box, it has made it easier to chop down by already integrating the rear light into the seat unit. Pretty clever. Expect to see some seriously cool versions of this on the road in the not-toodistant future.

Sadly, we’ll have to wait a little while for all that though, as BMW has told us not to expect any more information until later on in 2023.

At the 2023 Bike Shed Show at London’s Tobacco Dock, Norton launched its first naked sport motorcycle and the most powerful British café racer: the Norton V4CR

CAFE RACER COOL

With just 200 to be built, the hand-built superbike café racer is the first brand-new motorcycle produced by TVS-owned Norton, following on from the re-engineered V4SV and new-generation Norton Commando 961 launched last year.

It is also the second motorcycle to be powered by Norton’s own liquid-cooled 1200cc, 72-degree V4 engine, optimised to produce 185bhp. A quickshifter and auto blipper system; adjustable Öhlins front and rear suspension; Brembo brakes; solid aerospace grade aluminium billet-machine yokes; a sophisticated lean-angle sensitive traction-control; and three engine modes (wet, road and sport) are all featured on this British-made motorcycle.

As standard, the Norton V4CR has a traditional single round headlamp fitted with a modern LED unit, keyless ignition and a full-colour six-inch TFT display.

Technical specifications: An aluminium tubular chassis houses a 1200cc, 72-degree liquid-cooled V4 with Titanium inlet valves, putting out 185bhp @ 12,000rpm with 125Nm of torque @ 9,000rpm. Bore and stroke is 82mm x 56.8mm. Eight fuel injectors, full drive-by-wire system independent on front and rear banks of cylinders for control and feel.

Wheelbase: 1435mm. Kerb weight: 204kg. Front brakes: 2 x 330mm floating discs. Radially mounted Brembo monobloc calipers. Brembo discs, and Brembo master cylinder. Rear brakes: Brembo 245mm

rear disc. Brembo caliper and master cylinder. Öhlins front and rear suspension (front fully adjustable USD forks, rear fully adjustable with hydraulic preload adjustment). Fifteen-litre under-seat carbon fibre fuel tank with Kevlar reinforcement and carbon fibre body panels.

Dr. Robert Hentschel, CEO of Norton Motorcycles, said: “The Norton V4CR is a raw expression of impeccable design and intoxicating performance. We’ve taken the engineering of the V4SV and stripped back the outer shell to ensure the rider gets a truly uninhibited motorcycling experience.

“The V4CR is the first completely new model we’ve built. Our engineering and design teams have been meticulous in their approach, from initial sketches to concept production, through to the final finishing touches. The bike is the culmination of all our learnings and investment over the last three years and we’re delighted that we can now share this taste of Norton’s future.”

Available in two colour schemes, Carbon or Manx Platinum, the V4CR is priced at £41,999. To register interest, visit: www.nortonmotorcycles.com

WORDS: Bob Pickett

Q&A

Our specialist motoring solicitor Andrew Prendergast guides readers through their legal trials and troubles

QI have been left in a right pickle and I really don’t know which way to turn. All I remember is that about a week ago, I left my house on my Triumph Bonneville T120. I remember leaving home and then filling up at the petrol station. Then I remember riding up into the hills near where I live (about 20 miles away), stopping in a layby and taking my helmet and gloves off, whilst still sitting on the bike. The plan was to get a cool photo with the sun going down in the background. Thereafter, I do not remember anything else until I woke up in hospital four days (I think) later. The Police came to see me and told me another biker thankfully found me and my bike lying in the layby (with the gloves and helmet on the floor) and called an ambulance. Apparently I was unconscious. As I could not help the Police with what happened, they didn’t really see what they could do to help and left me a card saying to call if anything came back to me. And that was that. I am still lying in hospital with a smashed pelvis (now full of metalwork), a broken spine in four places and a head injury. As for the bike, my mate kindly rescued it with his van from the recovery yard. He’s not into bikes himself so naturally he does not know what he’s looking at (although he said the rear wheel and back end perhaps looks twisted). The way the Police were questioning me, I think they thought I may have

just fallen over on my own. I don’t think I did and can only hypothesise that someone may have hit me from the rear and then driven off, but I genuinely don’t know, and I can’t prove that, let alone bring a case against the unknown driver. Do you have any ideas?

AMy word you have taken a tumble. Firstly, I wish you a speedy recovery. Bikes can be fixed or replaced, but people are not so lucky. As for bringing a case, you have some hurdles to overcome, but it may not be impossible. First things first, I am not a doctor (I will come back to that in a moment) but I would be surprised if you could have suffered such serious injuries if you had fallen off your bike sideways in a layby. Instead, it sounds like your injuries have resulted from a high-energy impact, i.e., like you have been hit from the rear by a vehicle. To aid in evidencing this is what happened, you are going to need an expert report from an orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in trauma. In simple terms, if s/he advises that in their experience and on the balance of probabilities these types of injuries could only come from being hit from behind by a vehicle (rather than from falling over), then you can put your claim to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). The MIB deals with claims involving uninsured and untraced drivers.

They effectively step in as the insurer as a last resort. Also I strongly advise you do not let your Triumph disappear off to your insurers/ repairers, etc., as you need to get that inspected for damage. Hopefully the back end/wheel, etc., is damaged as this will further evidence your hypothesis of a rear-end hit and run. Lastly, this claim is likely to get technical so make sure you get a specialist personal injury solicitor who can get your evidence in order.

QI have an old Honda Gold Wing GL1500 that I have owned for the past 20-odd years. It is a big old bus, but I love it and do all the work on it myself, predominantly because I don’t trust anyone else. As I am not a royalist, when Charlie was getting coronated I decided to take advantage of the quiet roads and head out for a blast with the missus. We headed up the coast, stopped for fish and chips and then wandered inland for a cup of tea and a sticky bun. All was good with the world as we headed home and then disaster struck. Suddenly I heard a loud screeching noise from the front end, then the front wheel locked up and down we went. I bounced pretty well as it goes. However, my poor wife broke her elbow and shoulder and needed surgery. The doctors reckon it’s going to be at least a year of physiotherapy, etc. At first I thought the accident was caused by the

The MB legal column is compiled by managing partner Andrew ‘Chef’ Prendergast and his bike-riding barristers and solicitors at White Dalton Motorcycle Solicitors.

The firm deals with personal injury claims and its sister company, Motor Defence Solicitors, deals with all the motoring offences. White Dalton lawyers have a vast knowledge of bike law, and they have full bike licences, too. They don’t act for insurance companies or the prosecution.

White Dalton is Britain’s premier specialist motorcycle law practice, and if its professionals don’t know the answer

poor road surface but once I checked my bike, I found my front mudguard had come loose and jammed on the tyre. This was due to some bolts falling off. I did have the front end to bits over winter, but I am a perfectionist and know I would have done them up. I’m wondering if I can go after Honda for the faulty bolts? I wonder if the threads had stretched or something.

ANo. You can’t go after Honda for faulty bolts. You have had the bike for over 20 years and do all the work to it yourself. In fact, you had the front end to bits recently. Whilst it may be a bitter pill to swallow, sometimes you have to accept you make a mistake and from everything you have said, it seems that unfortunately the cause of the accident was down to you. Sometimes the most obvious answer is the correct one, i.e. you did not do the bolts up properly when undertaking the work to the front end. With this in mind, you do not have a claim against anyone. However, your wife can bring a claim against you for her injury and loss. Whilst that may sound like a weird concept, i.e. wife suing husband, it is not that unusual and your insurer will pay for her claim. My advice is do not let your pride and ego get in the way. Your wife is seriously hurt and your insurer will be able to fund rehabilitation and award her compensation, etc.

to your question, there probably isn’t one. Don’t rely on the advice from your insurance-appointed solicitor, get proper independent advice.

For road traffic offences, call the Motor Defence solicitors on 0800 280 0912. For non-offence cases, call White Dalton motorcycle solicitors on 0800 783 6191.

If you need advice on a biking-related legal question or query, email mail@whitedalton. co.uk. The best Q&A will be published in MB, in confidence, of course.

We love a bit of trivia here at MoreBikes. No matter whether we’re at a pub quiz with a beer in one hand and a pencil in the other, or being questioned by our mates when we’re stood around at a bike night, there’s something about knowing the answer to an unexpected question that gives us a nice fuzzy feeling inside. And if we don’t know, then there’s a good chance we might learn something. That’s why we’ve decided to introduce a regular quiz section sponsored by our good pals at Fowlers (who’ll be supplying the prizes).

We’ll be asking you questions about all manner of two-wheeled stuff, pushing your

It’s time to get out your pens and pencils and put your grey matter to the test

memories to the limit and asking you to dig deep to try and remember all manner of strange stuff from right across the biking spectrum. It’s a chance for you to show off your infinite wisdom and be in with a shot of bagging some cool prizes. All you’ve got to do is jot down the answers on the entry form below, and send it in using the details provided. We’ll then pick the winner from an upturned helmet crammed with correct answers, and that person will be sent a brand-new bit of kit that’ll help them stay safe out on the road. It’s that simple. Get cracking for the chance to win. Good luck!

How many points did Kenny Roberts have over Barry Sheene at the end of the 1978 GP season?

How many of Norton’s V4CRs are to be built?

What standard of helmet do you need to race on track in the UK?

What’s the peak power of Ducati’s bonkers 2023 Streetfighter V4S?

What’s the name of Herald Motor Co’s first (mostly) British-built bike?

LAST MONTH:

We love a pair of proper biking jeans here at MoreBikes. They look good on and off the bike, and they’re better at protecting you than ever before. These Weise Ridge ones we’ve got up for grabs are AA rated for protection. What that actually means is that there’s an abrasionresistant aramid lining and some armour at both the knees and hips. Pretty good, right? And they’re available in both black and blue, in sizes that’ll suit both men and women.

Worth £139.99

Want to know more?

Visit: www.weiseclothing. com

Which Italian factory rebadged bikes as Motobi back in the 70s?

7

8 9

6 10

On the banks of which lake does Moto Guzzi’s factory sit?

Which Japanese factory has close ties to Kymco?

Which anniversary is BMW Motorrad celebrating this year?

197.3bhp, the Snow Road, 1977, 890 SMT, 1909, a helmet, Shark Helmets, Yamaha XS650, Trident, the TET

TWIN PEAKS

Suzuki’s new GSX-8S may be the spiritual successor to its much-loved Bandit and SV650, but is it good enough to hold its own against some seriously stiff competition?

Want the full down on this funky little roadster from Suzuki? Grab yourself a copy of Motorcycle Sport and Leisure magazine.

Words: John McAvoy Photos: Suzuki

Hats off to Suzuki, who isn’t afraid of making brave and bold decisions. Recently, it pulled out of MotoGP just a couple of years after winning the world championship, then it also announced that it’s pulling out of the World Endurance Championship.

Next, it makes the GSX-R1000 obsolete due to not enough sales, swiftly followed by an announcement that it’s building a new bike so it can get a slice of the hugely popular sub£8000 category of bikes, and this is a very brave move. Brave because that price point is currently rammed with bikes that are simply great bikes, regardless of their price tags.

The competition that the GSX8S faces is fierce, with the main contenders being the Yamaha MT-07, the Triumph Trident 660, KTM 790 Duke and the Kawasaki Z650, all under £8000, and all make extremely compelling cases for your hard-earned cash. So, Suzuki started with a clean sheet of paper and predictably started by opting for a parallel-twin cylinder layout for the engine.

It’s the easiest way to achieve a decent capacity without the cost of making a fourcylinder engine or the lack of flexibility of a single-cylinder engine.

It’s no coincidence that it’s the preferred choice of engine layout for all its competitors, with the exception of the Triumph which gets a three-cylinder engine.

Elsewhere, the architecture of the GSX-8S is fairly predictable by virtue of being dictated largely by the need to achieve a certain price point, so the suspension is basic and unadjustable apart from preload on the rear shock; the electronics are equally basic in so much as there are three levels of traction control and three ‘Power’ modes, which curiously all have the same peak power, so in fact calling them ‘Throttle’ modes would be more accurate.

The tyres are Dunlop Roadsmarts, which are okay, but are never going to win any awards for being particularity dynamic or grippy. None of this is offered as a criticism of the Suzuki, this is how you build a bike to a price, and with the exception of the electronics, everything that is on the bike from the cheap drawer can be replaced easily.

is ‘Born to Thrill’ which is a much softer, approachable image that taps into the main reason most of us ride bikes. It is also a nice, open, subjective emotion which can have equal meaning to people regardless of skill, whereas being ready to race or getting in touch with your dark side are very specific actions that could put some people off The first thing to cover off are those cheap components that could ruin the bike, but thankfully in the case of the GSX-8S don’t. However, that’s not to say that they don’t irritate at times. The suspension is okay at low speeds, where, confusingly, high-speed damping is what you feel the most over bumps, and only small amounts of travel are used by the forks and rear shock. In contrast, at high speeds where the lowspeed damping should be controlling large weight transfers either under heavy braking or undulations in the road which only become noticeable at speed and which use more or all of the suspension’s travel, the forks and shock struggled to cope, making the bike feel quite unsupported and front and rear not in sync with each other.

TECH SPEC

Suzuki GSX-8S

Engine: 776cc, liquid-cooled, parallel twin

Power: 82bhp @ 8,500rpm

Torque: 78Nm @ 6,800rpm

Frame: Aluminium beam twin spar

Suspension: (F) 41mm unadjustable upsidedown forks (R) monoshock, adjustable preload

Brakes: (F) Nissin radial monobloc two piston calipers (R) Nissin single-piston caliper

Seat Height: 810mm

Wet Weight: 202kg

Fuel Capacity: 14 litres

Warranty: 3 years

Price: £7999

Yet there’s no question that this bike matters a lot to Suzuki. The fact that no less than seven department heads, the project leader and a translator were all flown in from Japan to be on hand and present to us their individual contributions to the bike. I’ve been on bike launches for bikes which are bonafide ‘Halo’ bikes packed with top-level technology, yet I’ve never seen so many significant people from the design team show up for a bike launch. It’s a measure of just how important this bike and breaking into the sector is for Suzuki – ironically a sector it dominated for years, if not decades with the Bandit 600 and then the SV650. Suzuki has an enviable track record of making middleweight affordable bikes which sold by the container load, so is the GSX-8S set to dominate the class again? Well, things have moved on since the heady days of Bandits and SV650s, and today there’s a lot more to choose from.

Contact: www.bikes.suzuki.co.uk

Equally, the engine is a bit of an enigma to me. I really can’t help but feel that in the pursuit of a smooth, vibration-free motor – which it absolutely is – it’s been robbed of any fizz it otherwise could and should have. There’s a really good initial punch low down in the revs, but the higher up the revs you go, the rate at which the motor spins up just drops off, and it feels flatter and flatter just when you expect it to just sparkle on its way to its peak of about 80bhp. The power delivery promises so much initially, but then just disappoints in the second half, getting flatter and flatter as the revs rise. When pressing on, I actually found myself instinctively short shifting for more acceleration rather than waiting for the engine to reach its peak revs.

That said, there is absolutely no denying that the GSX-8S is a cracking bike. It’s very happy leant over and carving a nice, wide, smooth arc through a corner. It needs to be kept on its side in the middle of the corner for a touch longer to avoid understeering on the corner exit thanks to its lazy geometry, but that’s okay because it’s so stable.

The good news for Suzuki and us is that while domination of a class is a pipedream today, the GSX-8S does bring something different to the class that it hasn’t had until now;: a friendly option. Where the KTM is ‘Ready to Race’ and the Yamaha invites you to ‘Find your Dark Side’, the Suzuki

The only complaints I have about the GSX8S come from when I was in full beast mode in the mountains, which feels a bit cruel given where Suzuki is pitching it. The only thing that actually matters for this bike, and the others in the same price bracket, is that at the end of the day, there was no denying I had a brilliant time on the GSX-8S.

USED BIKE GUIDE THE COMPETITION

We’re always bringing you the lowdown on the latest and greatest bikes to hit the market. But what if you’ve not got the cash to splash on a brand-new machine…? And what if you don’t fancy getting tied up paying out every month on finance…? Here are our top picks of slightly older machines that fit the same sort of mould as Suzuki’s GSX-8S, but which won’t set you back £8000.

£1200-£4000

Before the recent wave of middleweight nakeds filled the market with affordably-priced, stripped-back, smile-inducing machines, Suzuki’s SV650 was your best bet. Affordable, versatile and pretty punchy (thanks to a characterful V-twin engine), the GSX-8S has a hard job on its hands living up to it. Best of all… because it sold so well, there are still plenty of tidy examples out there which can be snapped up for a very reasonable price.

£3000-£5500

The Yamaha MT-07 has become the benchmark in this middleweight naked market. It’s proof you don’t need big power, top-spec suspension and a load of electronics to have a blast. There’s a good reason the Japanese factory has sold a ton of them the world over. It’s not perfect, and earlier models are often criticised for their soft suspension and lacklustre brakes, but all gripes are quickly forgotten when you get it singing.

SUZUKI SV650 (1999-2015)

▲YAMAHA MT-07 (2014–2018)

The lads at Fast Bikes magazine are the perfect people to test this monster from Ducati. If you want to know exactly how it goes on the road and track, scan the QR code and bag a copy of the latest issue.

BARE KNUCKLE BRAWLER

It’s one thing making the most powerful, exciting and perhaps brilliant supernaked to ever grace the earth, but what happens when the time comes to top it?

How do you perfect perfection?

The Streetfighter’s evolution was, of course, inevitable, but truthfully speaking, there wasn’t much wrong with the last one. In my humble opinion, the box-fresh beast that hit the scene in 2020 would still batter the core of today’s supernaked sector. Ducati created a monster, and several years on its brilliance still reverberates the world over. The downside to that success is the expectation that consequently follows… people always want more.

WORDS: Bruce Wilson PHOTOS: Ducati are far worse places to start, with the obvious gains including the litre larger fuel tank that’s supposedly shaped for better ergonomics when you’re giving it the big ‘uns on track. A less obvious difference is the higher set swingarm pivot point that’s been raised by 4mm. A new addition is a featherweight lithium-ion battery. This sounds a bit boring, but it saves the V4S a chunky 1.7kg and means, coupled with forged Marchesini wheels, that the model weighs in at a claimed 197.5kg. You might have got his far and wonder what all the fuss is about. How is this bike truly different? Well, the truth is that the major gains to the 2023 machine revolve around its electronics – something we’re likely to see much more of in the coming years from all manufacturers.

Ultimately, Ducati rewrote the rulebook with the Streetfighter, pumping out a street naked weighing less than 200kg and making more than 200bhp... for context, making it more powerful and lighter than a number of thoroughbred sportsbikes – the cheek of it. That formula has gone on to prove a winner in our magazine tests – but, more importantly, in the showrooms.

Fast-forward to the back end of 2022 and Ducati showcased its ‘new’ Streetfighter V4 familia. The problem is that most people, including myself, had a hard job telling it was new. From 10 yards it still looked the same, with the only obvious aesthetic difference being to the fuel tank (that’s been nabbed off the 22-spec Panigale V4) and the streamlined shoulders that brace it. Oh, and it now comes in Grey Nero paintwork as well as the iconic Ducati Red option. When you’re trying to crank the hype and justify a £23k price tag for the best-selling V4S option, those of us who are familiar with the model want more. And that’s exactly what we are getting... but it’s not that blatant to see.

It’s only when you go delving into the small print that you realise the fettling that’s taken place. As per the last iteration, the core of this bike comes from the Panigale, which means the raft of enhancements have trickled down from the brand’s flagship 2022-spec sportsbike. There

TECH SPEC

Ducati Streetfighter V4S

Price: £22,895

Engine: 1103cc 90° V4, liquid-cooled

Power: 205bhp @ 13,050rpm

Torque: 123Nm @ 9500rpm

Frame: Aluminum alloy ‘Front Frame’

Suspension: (F) Öhlins 43mm NIX30 forks,TiN treatment, Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 (R) Öhlins TTX36 unit, Öhlins Smart EC 2.0

Brakes: (F) Twin 330mm floating discs, Brembo Stylema monobloc (M4.30) calipers (R) Single 245mm disc, Brembo twin-piston caliper

Seat height: 845mm

Wet weight: 197.5kg

Fuel capacity: 17 litres

From: www.ducati.com

The V4S also comes kitted with super-smart Ohlins EC2.0 electronic suspension that’s completely dialable via the dash and switchgears. As well as being customisable to suit a rider’s preferences, there are also four predetermined base suspension maps that tally up with the four options of rider modes, which now includes wet, too. Likewise, there are now four options for engine performance, so you can cherry-pick just how far you want your arms to get pulled from their sockets – low, medium, high and full are all accessible at the touch of a button, altering the power delivery and, in the case of the low option, the output, which gets cut to 165bhp. That’s right, ‘low’ power is still a hefty 165bhp – or, in old money, the same amount of ponies you’d get from a 2008 Honda Fireblade. That one factor alone puts the Streetfighter’s heady performance into perspective, and something that ensures that the delivery is as mindwarping as you’d hope is the additional fettling Ducati’s done to the torque calibration for each of the bike’s six gears in each of the four power modes. For the first time ever, the brand’s been able to individually map each gear’s torque to give the rider the best experience possible – another way of

saying that despite the fact there’s not a single horsepower gain to this year’s Streetfighter, it’s more potent than ever.

Last but not least, the other changes revolve around rider comfort, which is no bad thing. None of us are getting younger, so I was pleased to hear that the seat has been padded out by an additional 30mm, meaning 60mm of luxury for my derriere.

Much effort has also been put into keeping the bike cooler, with new ducts to help shift the heat from the bike, plus the addition of the rearcylinder deactivation system that means only the front cylinders remain running when you’re ticking over at the traffic lights.

As for the remaining ergonomics, everything else is pretty much as what came before. The same wide, straight bars. The same spaciously placed pegs… Ducati wasn’t about to change something for the sake of it. Besides, I liked how familiar the bike felt

when I hopped on one in Andalucía’s pitlane. The Spanish track was to be our playground for this firecracker, with five sessions of speed dating on the cards, and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in.

Now, this is normally the part where I’d talk you through the whole experience, lap by lap, learning the bike as I went – which, to some extent, was what happened. But this joyride was more a reminder of its abilities, with a few added extras thrown in, thanks to its familiarity. That being the case, I’ll try to break down the package so you can get the fuller picture, with the biggest hitter first up… its monstrous motor.

The old bike’s offering was a weapon and that’s exactly how I’d define this latest iteration. How on earth could you describe 205bhp and 123Nm of torque as anything other than mental?

The power of this thing felt insane, as I was quickly reminded within about

five seconds of joining the circuit and tackling the first bend, feeling the rear tyre forced into the ground as an unholy amount of energy did its best to scrub the face from the Pirelli SC1 slicks the bike was kitted with. Even with a raft of rider aids engaged, the V4S felt overwhelming, to the extent that I’d say it took me a couple of sessions to get my head around the energy on tap, which seemed as eager down low in the revs as it was up the very top. On the back straight, which is the best part of a kilometre long, the Ducati just didn’t stop pulling, fighting down wheelies for the first few gears before the challenge morphed into how long and far I could grip at the exposed bars at 265kph. My fingers were on fire, my neck stretched like a giraffe’s, but the pure pleasure of the experience meant that any degree of rider discomfort was outweighed by the tantalising joy that the V4 motor offered.

USED BIKE GUIDE THE COMPETITION

Ducati’s bonkers Streetfighter tore apart the competition when it was first released in 2020 – and the latest generation machine builds on that winning formula and makes it even better. The only problem? The price. If just shy of £24,000 is a bit too steep for you, then here’s our top pick of used supernakeds that offer plenty of the thrills for a fraction of the price.

HONDA CB1000R (2018-2021)

£5500-£10,000

The Honda’s a bit of a left field option. It might not be the strippeddown Fireblade that everyone was hoping for when we first heard the factory was building a big naked… but it’s still got plenty going for it. Blending supernaked performance with modern retro styling, Honda’s sleek roadster is a brilliant option for those looking for something slightly less aggressive than the others. And it’s a Honda. It’ll run forever. You’ll be able to get a good deal on these early models, particularly as they come to the end of their three-year PCP deals.

APRILIA TUONO 1000 (2003-2011)

£2500-£6500

This is a great option if you’re working to a bit of a tighter budget. It offers excellent value for money, with great looks, plenty of power and some top-spec goodies as standard (if you pick the right one). It’s essentially an unfaired version of Aprilia’s much-loved RSV1000 Mille sportbike… and that’s definitely no bad thing. If you’re serious about buying, you’d be best off holding out for a tidy Factory or Racing variant. They might take a bit of hunting out, but they’re a much better choice than the less-sorted standard model.

KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE (2013-2016)

£6000-£10,000

This is a brilliant bike. We’ve spent a fair bit of time on the various models over the years, and always had a cracking time. Of course, the Austrian factory is renowned for building ludicriously fun bikes that offer arm-wrenching power and loads of mid-range punch, and the big Super Duke is no different. It’s a chunky thing, but it still feels light, nimble and surprisingly easy to ride. Although KTM has established itself as a builder of reliable bikes, some owners have reported small issues with electronics. Don’t let that put you off though… dealers have been able to resolve problems quickly.

▲ BMW S1000R (2014-2021)

£6500-£16,000

BMW’s Bavarian bullet has got a solid reputation among those in the know. Launched back in 2014, the factory stripped the fairing from its S1000RR superbike and built something for road riders with a need for speed. Proving itself easy to live with and surprisingly comfortable, the BMW is the sensible choice for riders who want something fast enough to tear it up on track but practical enough to load with luggage and bomb down to southern Spain. They’re still making them, too, which is a good sign, though if you’re wanting to save some cash you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for a tidy early example.

HERALD MOTOR CO.

The British motorcycle industry is in the kind of rude health not seen in decades. Current estimates are that 19 different British marques are building bikes. But how many of those are actually making them in the UK – and in production runs (not just bespoke builds)...? The number falls away drastically. That’s why we’ve come up with a new series to celebrate some of the firms that are putting in the graft on British soil (even if they might get a little bit of help from abroad).

WORDS: Bob Pickett PHOTOS: Gary Chapman

THE INSIDE LINE...

Herald Motor Co. is based in Cambridgeshire. Established in 2010, initially importing retro-styled bikes which it then customised, the long-term aim was always to create its own designs built in the UK. We sat down with the company recently to get into what Herald is about and what it’s up to.

It’s an interesting route you followed. There are other companies that import then customise, but you seem to have taken the path previously trod by the Japanese (studying British bikes) and then other Far Eastern countries (studying Japanese bikes), seeing how they do it before creating your own? Was this always the plan, or did fate take you in this direction?

Our passion for motorbikes has meant the goal was always to design and manufacture motorcycles in Britain. As a division of an award-winning engineering and manufacturing company, we can design and produce parts in-house and have the facilities to develop and manufacture our own British-built motorcycles, so bringing this ambition to fruition was a focus from the start.

The Brute is our own design inspired by the racetrack but built for the road – our own modern take on the street tracker. Our vision was to design and build a lightweight machine equipped with a torquey single that could provide a thrilling ride and mark a return to riding in its simplest form – and we think we’ve achieved that! Herald began in 2010 and we’ve come a long way in a

relatively short time towards achieving that goal. Consider that the path to bringing a new bike to market takes years from inception to sale, then throw in a global pandemic for good measure and we’re so proud that the Brute is what it is!

What few people perhaps realise is that Herald is part of the award-winning Encocam engineering group. Since its inception in 1988, Encocam has built its reputation in a number of areas (automotive; composite panels; interior design/architecture; precision engineering; rail and road safety.

Quite aside from motorcycles, Herald’s sister company RaceTek makes safety equipment for ex-Forces racing team True Heroes Racing. This gives Herald access to vast, sophisticated facilities in which to design and fabricate its own components where possible.

The first big step towards self-manufacture was the design of the Brat 125 and 250 bikes – designed by Herald but manufactured by its partners. 2019 saw the dream of self-production come to fruition with the release of the Brute 500, a 145kg 500cc single putting out 42.9bhp, designed by Herald and built as far as possible using a wealth of internally manufactured parts. Yokes, wiring loom, swing arm, outriggers, levers and much more were built in its own facilities.

Where necessary, Herald worked with premium UK companies if possible such as HEL Performance for its front brake system. Sister company RaceTek supplied the front and rear suspension.

“It’s really important for us to fly the flag for British innovation.”

How important was it for the Brute to be as close to 100% British as possible? And where it was not possible to fabricate your own parts, was it always the intention to form partnerships with British experts (as far as could be) in those areas?

It’s really important for us to fly the flag for British innovation. We’re proud to be a part of that heritage of British engineering and creativity, and so, of course, it was vital for us to reach out to other premium British brands where possible to fabricate parts.

The Brute's engine is from Zhongshen – who supply a number of major bike manufacturers – who are, of course, Chinese. How was this decision made? And, in time, is there a plan for Herald to design and manufacture its own engine? The 450cc single is a thumping engine with a lot of torquey guts, so it seemed a great choice for the Brute!

We’ve previously looked into producing our own engine but given the UK Government’s current direction of travel (no pun intended!) and the timelines involved, each one would be prohibitively expensive! Obviously, we have to balance the costs involved in producing a machine like this very carefully with the retail price that we can command, particularly in order to remain competitive in a marketplace that sees other major manufacturers working with overseas suppliers.

Looking at the design specs, I notice the braking system isn't ABS?

As the Brute is made to Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval (MSVA), it is not required to follow EU homologation or feature ABS. Instead we have given it a fantastic braking system designed and engineered in partnership with Hel Performance and a J.Juan rear caliper system.

Now that you have created your first selfdesigned and self-built bike, in time is the intention to move to 100% self-made machines across the range? And will you be looking to broaden into other genres, based around the current engine?

Watch this space! There are exciting plans in the works at Herald that we look forward to sharing soon. We want to continue to innovate and create unique motorcycles that people will love, drawing on our strong background in customs and making use of the creativity and skills

we have in-house. This will draw upon everything we’ve learnt so far developing the Brute and our other popular models.

An essential part of our ethos as a brand is to be a part of the community and accessible to any sort of rider, whether that be a learner or a returner. So we’ll be looking at how we can expand the range to make sure we’re covering all angles of cc, style, capability.

Herald is a proud British company, building bikes that are as British as possible in Britain. I can’t wait to see where it goes next.

&LEAN MEAN

Herald’s made a big leap forward with the release of its raucous, stripped-back custom-style single –the Brute 500. The (mostly) Britishbuilt naked is similarly spec-ed and similarly priced to the brand-new BSA Gold Star – and probably could appeal to the type of riders BSA is aiming its bike at: young, trendy types (not necessarily the old boys who remember the originals from back in the day).

We’ve tested our fair share of Herald Motor Company’s bikes over the past few years, so we’ll spare you an in-depth rundown of its short but largely successful history. In essence, it’s carved out a fairly respectable reputation for its small range of learnerfriendly, retro-styled bikes that are built in China and then tweaked and improved back home at its Cambridgeshire HQ. It’s been a winning formula that’s seen Herald sell plenty of bikes to riders new and old who want a mix of practicality, performance, styling and, ultimately, value for money. But not content to rest on its

laurels, it’s been beavering away creating its biggest and arguably best bike yet: the Brute 500. And it’s actually been designed and built in the UK (apart from the engine, and a few small bits and bobs). Which is more than can be said for the BSA…

Digs in the ribs aside, it is great to see a fledgling British firm taking the leap and trying to build its own bikes. And after years of waiting since it was first teased, we’ve finally managed to swing our leg over one and put it through its paces.

In the flesh, it’s a pretty funky looking bit of kit. The white one we were testing isn’t quite as special as the blue… but either way, it’s still plenty stylish enough to stand out from the crowd (particularly when the crowd is a pair of 60s replicas that are almost interchangeable). It’s no one thing – blending café racer, street tracker and naked bike styling to create a package that looks more custom than production. That’s no bad thing in my book.

WORDS: Ross Mowbray PHOTOS: Gary Chapman

The finish is largely good, and Herald’s done a top job both manufacturing and sourcing parts. The frame castings, aluminium swingarm, yokes and spindles are all machined in-house, while the front four-piston radial brake comes from HEL brakes down in Devon (although the rear’s a J. Juan number). The adjustable inverted and rear shock and 17-inch wheels come from Herald’s sister company Racetek, the dash comes from Acewell, and even the seat, wiring loom and plastic mouldings are made in Britain (apart from the tank… that’s made in Italy).

Slightly disappointingly, the Brute’s 499cc liquid-cooled four-stroke single cylinder motor isn’t exactly homegrown. Herald made the choice to make use of Zongshen’s tried and tested NC450 unit (which is also in Fantic’s Caballero 500) – although it has sorted the tuning itself, using its own dyno set up to get things just so.

It’s a pretty feisty little motor, which needs to be worked hard and revved to make the best use of the 43bhp on tap. Sadly that does mean it needs fairly frequent servicing, so you’ll be taking it back to the dealer every 3000 miles.

It’s great fun in a lairy kind of way – and there’s more than enough punch from the Herald to keep on the heels of plenty bigger bikes on twisty roads. It’s good for about 80mph, but anything more than that feels like a bit of a strain. It’s not the most refined thing either, so there’s plenty of vibration and you’ll get pop and bangs and burbles as you work your way down through the six-speed gearbox. It’s fun to ride.

It stops well, too, though the brakes are definitely on the sharper end of the spectrum. The British-made HEL front set up is a particular highlight, although the J. Juan at the rear has enough bite and feel to help out.

Without any ABS and traction control, you’ll definitely have to keep your wits about you if you want to stop it in a hurry in sketchy conditions.

Built specially for the Brute, the Racetek floating link monoshock out back and the inverted forks up front are fully adjustable and can be fine-tuned, but in truth they’re always going to be on the stiffer side of things, thanks to a focus on performance and handling rather than outright comfort. That said, when ridden hard, it’s surprisingly easy to forget about any shortcomings in that department, as you bob and weave and throw the thing from side to side.

The Avon Road Rider Mk2 tyres are a nice touch, providing plenty of usable grip in all but the worst conditions, although I did find their limits on a couple of occasions on particularly wet roads, but that could be partly as a result of the slightly aggressive throttle response and my heavy hands.

TECH SPEC

HERALD BRUTE 500

Engine: 499cc four-stroke single cylinder

Power: 49.2bhp

Torque: 40Nm

Frame: Steel and aluminum

Transmission: 6 speed manual gearbox

Suspension: (F) Racetek inverted forks

(R) Racetek floating link monoshock / fully adjustable

Brakes: (F) Single disc and HEL 4-piston radial caliper (R) Single disc and J.Juan radial caliper

Weight: 145kg

Seat Height: 835mm

Fuel Tank: 13.5 litres

Price: £6950 + OTR

Contact: www.heraldmotorcompany.com

Is the Herald Brute 500 really comparable to the BSA. Probably not. In fact, it’s not really comparable to any other production bike on the market.

It’s a unique (mostly) British-built proposition which’ll definitely appeal to riders of a certain kind who want something with a bit of bite that’ll

put

a smile on their face. The motor’s probably the highlight, and although it’s a bit loud and a bit lairy and a little bit unpolished, I found a lot to like.

The big question mark is the price – and at £6950 plus a bit extra for on-the-road fees, the Herald is by no means the affordable option.

For more information on Herald, the Brute 500 and the rest of its range, visit: www.heraldmotorcompany.com

LET’S GO RACING THE KIT

ACU requirements for riding on track are an approved (gold standard) full face helmet, full gloves, boots and a set of single piece leathers and a separate back protector. All of which should be in good order, without rips, tears, holes, etc.

In last month’s article I was advocating only spending your budget on bike modifications/ upgrades as and when you reach the limits of the standard parts as I had in mind this month’s article on kit. Your safety gear is where it pays the most to spend extra. Not only in terms of additional protection it offers you, as they more often than not survive ‘minor offs’ considerably better than cheaper items, which in

the long run will save you money. When it comes to purchasing your riding kit it really is worth the effort to test fit the offerings from as many brands that fall within your chosen budget range. Shapes and sizes vary massively between manufacturers and I consider it to be of the utmost importance to have the most comfortably fitting items to stop any focus from being taken away from your riding.

Here’s a bit of a breakdown about what to look out for when you’re buying each bit of kit…

Helmet

All manufacturers offer a different style and fit – and my experience

confirms that they are not ‘one size fits all’. Visiting a specialist of all the brands where you can try them on and make use of someone with proper knowledge is worth its weight in gold. Helmets continue to be updated and improved so what might not have worked a few years ago might just now be the perfect fit. Things to look out for are ease of use with a gloved hand, visor locking system, pinlock and tear offs. As a side note, a removable washable liner for me is a must... you can even order a complete new set with some helmets so that over a race weekend you can have a fresh dry liner. It also gives you longer use of your helmet and it’s not an unpleasant place to put your head.

You’ve got your licence, you’ve signed up to a series, you’ve sorted a bike and you’ve set it up. What’s left? Kit. The stuff that’s going to keep you safe should the worst happen and you end up having an off. Here are our top tips.

WORDS: Danny McFadden PHOTOS: Matt Anthony and Joel Cooper

Gloves

Much like the helmets, I do recommend trying these on. You may already have a trusted go-to brand, but if not then try them on and make sure you have good range of motion and the armour doesn’t cause you any pain. I learnt this the hard way when I ordered a pair online without trying them on first and finished a race weekend with sores on my knuckles!

Boots

Feet injury and fractures are common among racers so make sure you have a pair that offers maximum protection. I sacrifice a bit of range of motion for safety here and so far have never had to worry about my feet when I have come off the bike.

Back protector

The built-in ones in suits are often not sufficient, so I would recommend a standalone back protector such as Forcefield or Knox. I ride with an airbag system which although is costly, gives me piece of mind.

Dog tags

It is also a requirement to wear a set of id ‘dog’ tags with your name and contact details. All of these items are also covered in the ACU test I covered in my first article (available online). You will have to pass a ‘kit inspection’ at the beginning of each round and should you fall at any point another inspection will have to be carried out and passed before you can get back to racing.

The other stuff: Packing right not light

The list of items you’ll be wanting to have with you for the weekend will be a long one which you’ll be constantly adding to as and when you get caught out. They’re not all essential, but after a few years in paddocks, here are my recommendations for what to take with you for a weekend of racing. Away from the track, racers are a pretty friendly bunch – and someone in the paddock will have and often will lend anything you may need to get out of a jam.

✔ Generator: To run your tyre warmers, kettle, etc. Although most tracks have power, it is often difficult to get set up in an area you can hook up to (unless you want to hire a garage).

✔ Awning: Ideally with sides to protect you from the elements. These are available at all price points. However, again it does pay to go for a good-quality brand.

✔ Fire extinguisher(s): This is essential. It’ll be covered during your ACU test.

✔ Fuel for the event: Fuel is available at a few of the tracks, but I’d suggest you’ve always got a can with you for emergencies.

✔ Tyre warmers: I take two sets, one for the bike and one for a second set of wheels with your next set already fitted. Having a second set with you could mean the difference in missing a race entirely or having a poor result due to having to wait for your tyres to get up to temperature.

✔ Pit board and numbers for qualifying and the races: Initially you may not feel the need for this, however, I would recommend it as not only does it help bring your partner/friend/helper into the event, but also it can really spur you on knowing how far off a position you are and having them gee you on from pit wall. All race clubs now use the TSL timing system and it’s simple enough to use on a mobile phone from which to then relay your preferred information on to your pit board.

✔ General tools: Bring along as many tools as you can realistically take. You never know what you might end up having to do to the bike from fault finding to repairing crash damage to get back out.

✔ Spares:– This is something you will constantly be adding to as and when you suffer a problem

during an event so you’re covered the next time it might fail. This is why the majority of racers have such a large parts cache with them. The basic items you should have with you include oil/ brake fluid/oil filter/brake pads/levers/pegs/handle bar tubes/fairings and screens/chain/sprockets (usually in different sizes).

I would recommend also having replacements for the items that are constantly being removed/fitted, such as wheel spindles/nuts and brake caliper bolts. It only takes a thread to fail on one of these and you could be out of the event.

✔ Tyre pressure gauge: A good-quality tyre pressure gauge is a must. I would also advise that you only ever use that particular gauge. It is rare that any two gauges read the same and you could find that the bike feels different each time you go out as your tyre pressure will constantly be different.

✔ Food and drink: It is worth planning ahead to make sure you are correctly fuelled throughout the event. Due to the often hectic nature, adrenalin and exertion, the last thing on your mind is to sit down and eat properly. This is despite the fact you will be burning significant calories and becoming dehydrated throughout the day. I eat and drink constantly throughout the day. I follow the little and often mantra made up of protein shakes and snack bars – and drink a hydration mixture from a large two-litre bottle which is marked so I (my wife) can keep a track on how much I’m taking on board. I then have a substantial meal each evening followed by a decent healthy breakfast (remember my first article about getting healthier as a side bonus!)

✔ Track map/paper and pen: You can use the map to mark down your relevant braking/turning markers as well as information such as gear used and for feelings from the bike. You can also make notes of any set up changes you make throughout the weekend along with notes on the benefits/ negatives of said changes. This information is ideal to be able to revisit the next time you’re at the same track so you can try and hit the ground running on the test day by setting the bike back to those settings as I’ll guarantee you’ll have forgotten most of it by then.

Although I’ve only managed to cover a broad outline to the world of club racing over these articles I do hope I may have helped peak your interest enough to get out and give it a go! They say in our later years we regret the things in life that we don’t do more than the things we did and on that note I hope to see you in a paddock sometime soon…

“Your safety gear is where it pays the most to spend extra. Not only in terms of additional protection it offers you, as they more often than not survive ‘minor offs’ considerably better than cheaper items, which in the long run will save you money.”

BUILDINGA RACER

OurpalsatFastBikeshaveteamedupwith YamahaandMichaelRuttertobuildapairof trickracebikesthataregoingtobeputtothe testattheTT.Here’sthestorysofar.

WORDS: John McAvoy PHOTOS: Yamaha / Michael Rutter

When a Yamaha R7 was offered up to Fast Bikes to join its 2023 long-term test fleet, the answer was simple. The R7 is a cheeky little chappie that’s big on smiles and small on price, so is about as relevant as it gets these days. It’s also a bike with a very large scope for modifications, which gets another ‘tick’ from us. Then the debate started as to who should be its custodian for the months ahead with everyone making their case, only for the updated regulations for the upcoming TT and Northwest 200 to be published. They confirmed that the R7 and Aprilia RS660 are now able to have a whole host of modifications made to them in order to make them competitive in the Supertwin class which has been dominated by the uberexpensive Paton in recent years.

A quick call was made to Michael Rutter, who’s last piston-owered TT win was in 2017 in the Supertwin class, and who finished in fifth place in the 2022 Supertwin TT, just 12 seconds off the podium. He might be north of 50 years old, but he’s still bothering the podium at the Northwest 200 and TT races, especially on the Supertwin, so he was an obvious choice for a simple proposition. The conversation went along the lines of…

Me: “Fancy racing a Yamaha R7 on the roads this year? We’ll throw the kitchen sink at the bike.”

Rutter: “Yes, but can we get two bikes? We’ve just signed another rider.”

So, that’s it, Fast Biks is teaming up with Bathams Racing, Michael Rutter and the upand-coming Craig Neve to tune, modify and test our long-term R7 to be one of, if not the fastest and best examples of one out there. On the Yamaha, the plan is to have a good go at the Northwest 200 and Isle of Man TT races, with the aim of getting the old man back on the podium once again.

Because time is short, and there are two brand-new bikes to build to a new set of regulations, we’re teaming up with MSS Performance to do the initial build of the bikes. It just makes sense. The R7 is a new bike which has only just been raced in America for one season, so ‘know-how’ is limited across the board, which means we need as much experience in the room as possible, and we’ll need to involve as many brainy people as we can.

The first job is to fine toothcomb the regulations to identify exactly what we can and what we can’t do to the bike. The good news is the list of what we can do is long, very long. We can tune the cylinder head; use lighter valves and pistons; change the compression; change the exhaust; change the con-rods; and change the cam for one which allows adjustable timing and different profiles. We can change

the gearbox, bore the throttle bodies, and the crankshaft can be changed or modified so long as it is not lighter than the standard crank. The ECU has to stay the same but can be flashed or have a secondary fuel/ignition module fitted, and the rev limit can be raised to 11,000rpm. We can change the injectors, modify, remove or change the bell-mouths and also replace or modify the airbox. The clutch can also be changed along with the radiator and oil cooler, which is probably a good thing, as the target power is 100bhp, which is a whopping 25-ish bhp increase over standard. And that is just the engine.

The fuel tank can be – and will need to be – increased to 20 litres’ capacity, which is a seven-litre increase. Wheels can be replaced, and their diameter and width are free; brake discs and calipers can be changed, as can their master cylinders. The rear suspension and its linkage can be changed; the forks can be changed or modified; and the triple clamps can be replaced. Curiously, the rear swingarm can be replaced with one from another model by the same manufacturer so long as the original attachment to the frame and rear suspension remain the same, which in the case of the R7, because the rear shock is attached to the engine, rules out anything like an R6 swingarm. Finally, the other notable thing is the use of slick tyres is permitted, which, assuming we

hit the 150kg weight limit and 100bhp power target, should make the R7 a real hoot to ride, as well as a bit of a weapon.

When you lay out all the things you can and will need to do to the bike in order to make it competitive, as well as the regular stuff like replacing the bodywork, brackets, front and rear subframes, levers and lever guards, handlebars, rearsets, switchgear, etc., which you need to do to any bike if you want to race it, it dawns on you just how massive a project this is. So, a plan needs to be made and an order of things to be done established, so that no one supplier is left standing around waiting. For example, as tempting as it is to get the bike, pull it apart and take the engine out so the guys at MSS can get stuck into tuning it, the bike needs to go to K-Tech first while it’s still complete. This is because the rear shock is attached the back of the R7’s engine, meaning they can’t get their measurements if there’s no engine in the bike, so it’s K-Tech who get their hands on our R7 first, then straight from there to MSS’s Wansford workshop to be stripped and 3D scanned so the fuel tank fabricator can do his thing using the measurements obtained while the engine goes off to get the cylinder head tuned.

Meanwhile, some trick Nova gearboxes have already been ordered as they have a long lead time, but they will be essential. The standard gearbox will struggle to take the 35% increase in power, and it has gear ratios in the lower gears that are too low for racing, but just right for making the R7 feel a bit more zippy on the road. The Nova gearboxes will have different ratios more suited to racing and not road riding… in other words the lower gears will be taller. Also, they are laid out so that neutral is below (above if a race-shift pattern) first gear, so it’s impossible to hit a false neutral due to neutral not existing between any gears. One day, all gearboxes will be N, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th instead of 1st, N, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th; it’s just better and makes more sense.

Likewise, Suter clutches have been ordered as they, too, have a long lead time. They will also be more manly for the extra power, plus having some adjustability for back-slip will be invaluable, especially at the Northwest 200 where there are a lot of very heavy braking zones, less so at the TT.

With the suspension all measured up, the engine away getting its cylinder head tuned, and the long lead time products ordered, the next thing to do while waiting is to start looking at things like the brakes which will get a caliper upgrade to the Brembo GP4-RX units, which leaves a decision to be made on what to do with the discs. The standard 300mm discs can’t be replaced with the thicker ones found on the R6 because the mounting bolt holes on the R7’s wheels are different, so all options are on the table due to the fact we’ll have to go aftermarket (Brembo). We could stick with a 300mm diameter, or sacrifice some agility in the handling, and go all the way up to 320mm for maximum braking power. At the time of writing, Rutter is undecided which route to take, as there are theoretical pros and cons for each set up. This will probably be one area that might be added to the list of things to test once the bike is up and running. The Brembo GP4-RX calipers are properly trick and the ‘go-to’ for anyone looking for a serious upgrade in braking performance. The bike is only going to weigh 150kg, and not going to be achieving anything like the top speeds of the likes of a supersport bike, let alone a superstock/superbike, so any more upgrade in the calipers department would be wasted. As it is, the GP4-RX is a two-piece machined billet caliper that’s nickel plated, so on par with the kit found on very high-end production superbikes. In short, they’ll be mustard.

There’s also a large selection of parts available on the official Yamaha GYTR parts list that are inbound, such as bodywork and other ancillaries such as switchgear; quick-release conversion kits for the rear wheel as well as captive spacers; crash protection; fuel caps; rain light; steering lock stops; lever protectors; and a quick shifter which all help as they’ve already been developed, something that is one of the biggest challenges with this bike. Nobody has built or developed an R7 to this set of regulations.

A lot of the racing that has been done in America has been in a one-make series, so the bikes have been raced as standard which means zero learning for tuners. Elsewhere, an R7 won the MotoAmerica Twins Cup race at the Daytona 200 meeting last year in the hands of Blake Davis who went on to take overall honours in the championship, with the next three places being occupied by Aprilias. Even though the results of the R7 in that championship are clearly brilliant, the fact is that there was only a sprinkling of Yamahas in the championship, so the knowledge base is limited.

This might be the biggest and most ambitious project we’ve undertaken, certainly when you factor in the time available to try and turn a humble R7 into a bike that can challenge for race wins in the two toughest races on the planet. However, by more or less handing it over to the likes of Michael Rutter, Bathams Racing and MSS Performance, and knowing what we know about how good the road bike is, the words of the late, great David Jefferies seem somehow entirely appropriate to draw upon as a source of motivation and inspiration to give us the belief that it can be done.

“Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing.”

“Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing.”

MULTI PURPOSE?

We’ve ridden Kymco’s ‘adventure’ scooter before. But what’s it actually like to live with? We’ve put over 1000 miles on the clock to find out.

WORDS: Ross Mowbray PHOTOS: Gary Chapman

Big scooters are great. They’re practical, comfortable and quick off the line – and yet, in the UK, we don’t buy them in anything like the volumes as our European counterparts. Maybe it’s the weather; maybe it’s because kids here can only start riding at 16 (at which point they might as well just wait and do their car licence); or maybe it’s an ego thing, with British bikers largely forgoing scoots in favour of something a little more sexy, something a bit better suited to a specific task. Something like an adventure bike, for example… But what if you’re too short, too old or too lazy to clamber on a whopping great ADV with a tall seat and long travel suspension? What if you want something that offers top weather protection, a good whack of storage space and is quick enough to hold its own on motorways? Kymco’s DTX360 320 might be the machine for you.

TECH SPEC

DTX 360 320

Kymco has been doing its thing in the UK for years, making its name as a reliable purveyor of value-for-money commuter machines. But not content to rest on its laurels, the Taiwanese factory has raised its profile and stepped up its game, building a small suite of mid- and large-capacity scooters which are good enough to challenge some of the best-selling machines from the ‘big name’ manufacturers.

Its AK550 has Yamaha’s brilliant, but seriously expensive TMAX in its sights, and does a pretty good job of holding its own in the battle for maxi scooter superiority. But the latest firm on its hit list is Honda, and it’s ADV350. Is Kymco’s newly-released adventure-crossover scooter good

enough to swipe some sales from Honda and tempt a few others that scooters are a great way to get about? Only time will tell. But after spending a month putting it through its paces, I can confirm the DTX360 is more than up to the job – although its credentials as a go-anywhere machine are potentially up for debate.

An adventure scooter? Autos with a bit of off-road ability have actually been about for years, though Honda’s re-ignited some interest in the category and carved out a bit of a niche with its X-ADV and ADV 350.

That’s why Kymco has decided to re-imagine its existing Downtown 350i – adding a few bolt-on parts, making a few tweaks, and fitting some new bodywork to create its new DTX 360 320.

It’s worth noting that the 360 in the name doesn’t refer to its engine. It’s meant to be a clever reference to its globetrotting (360 degree)

capabilities. It’s actually powered by a 321cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, four-valve single-cylinder engine. It’s nothing groundbreaking but delivers a nice punch of smooth, accessible, usable power. It kicks out 28.2bhp at 7,500rpm and 22lb-ft of torque at 5,750rpm and is up for bombing along at 80mph all day long (with a top speed of around 95mph).

Kymco claims its capable of doing around 65mpg, which means you should be able to manage well over 130 miles from a single top-up of its 12.5 litre fuel tank. And on reflection, that’s around about right – though with more aggressive riding you might get that figure closer to 100 miles.

It’s a shame the tank isn’t bigger, particularly when you consider the scoot’s adventure intentions, but in truth, it’s unlikely you’re going to ever be that far from a petrol station (and you can always chuck a jerry can under the seat).

While we’re on the subject… scooters are often renowned for their under-seat storage space, but the DTX is a bit of a disappointment. There’s a reasonable amount of space and there’s an automatic light to help you see what you’re doing in the dark, but you’ll struggle to get a full-size adventure-style lid (or even a standard full-face one) in there. It will take a helmet, but you’ll need something a little less chunky. There is also a double glove compartment up front, to throw the stuff in you need to hand.

Back to the riding experience – and stopping power comes from a pair of 260mm floating discs with three-piston calipers up front, while at the rear a twin-piston caliper bites a 240mm disc. There’s a Bosch ABS system, too. It’s all pretty standard, but it does a very good job of hauling the 194kg scoot to a halt quickly and safely.

The 37mm diameter forks (with 110mm travel up front) and twin shocks (with preload adjustment and 108mm travel at the rear) are much better suited to rough Tarmac than any serious off-road terrain. They do a nice job of ensuring that the scooter is both comfortable and poised under pressure.

Credit must also be given to the 14-inch wheel at the front and a 13-inch at the rear, which are shod in some knobbly CST dual-sport rubber. They offer plenty of grip on the road in both dry and damp conditions, but I have little confidence in their abilities on anything other than bone-dry offroad sections.

And I have ridden the DTX off-road. The legal lanes around me are pretty tame and the weather’s been mostly good of late, so I haven’t really had the chance to slosh around on slippery stuff and see how it handles that. But for light lane work the Kymco’s quite

capable. I know that’s not exactly an overwhelming amount of praise, but in truth you could take a sportbike down a green lane with enough skill and determination. The Kymco is a bit better suited, and the knobbly tyres, soft-leaning suspension and switchable Traction Control help make it fun to ride in the dirt. I’d just not fancy taking on anything too challenging at the risk of bashing the plastics to smithereens.

You can expect a comfortable ride, thanks to the plush 800mm tall seat, roomy cockpit and two foot positions. There’s also a decent size screen and a set of knuckle protectors, which help to deflect the worst of the weather away from the rider.

It feels plenty spacious for my 6ft and a bit frame and I’d happily spend all day riding it. Elsewhere, there’s a simple LCD dash, a couple of USB ports and keyless ignition. It’s all easy to navigate and operate, although its switchgear arguably doesn’t have quite the same level of sheen as the more established competition.

It’s also worth mentioning that the battery of the scooter we rode ran flat after a week of standing still. It’s not the end of the world, and it happens, but to access the unit and pop it on charge you’ve got to remove the screen and front fairing. It’s a bit of a pain, though if it were your own bike you could feed a cable through into one of its pockets for easier access.

The Kymco DTX 360 320 is a cracking scooter. It’s quick and capable and very well put together, and priced at £5559, I reckon its very good value for money too. The only problem? It’s only a couple of hundred quid less than Honda’s £5799 ADV350. Is that enough of a saving to tempt punters to seriously considering buying Taiwanese and not Japanese? I’m not so sure.

ON THE RIGHT

Having recently passed my CBT, I was on the lookout for a motorbike which was capable of getting me from A to B, as smoothly and stylishly as possible. Enter Bluroc’s Tracker 125. With its rugged neo-retro looks and the deep rumble of its engine, it definitely turned more than a few heads. Read on to discover how it faired through a month of realworld riding, and whether it’s the right bike for you.

WORDS: Chris Bailey PHOTOS: Gary Chapman

You may have heard of Bullit Motorcycles – a Belgian brand who have been producing great-looking and affordable retro-styled 50cc, 125cc and 250cc motorbikes since 2013, such as the famous Bullit Hero. What you may not have realised, however, was that towards the end of 2021 it changed the brand name to Bluroc, in a move designed to show its global ambitions and create a new identity focused on future development, whilst still providing a range of learner-friendly machines with classic looks and modern instruments.

The Tracker 125 is Bluroc’s most recent offering and is available in two varieties, matt black with gold, or steel grey with orange, and both options are equally stunning. I had been admiring the look of it for days

TRACK

on the Bluroc website and yet when I finally saw it in person for the first time my first thought was, ‘Oh well, that’s a bit pretty isn’t it!?’ The singular round LED headlight is striking and stands out, especially given the minimalistic design of the front end of the bike. The digital display, whilst on the smaller side, gives a very clear indication of current mph, rpm, miles done and fuel, as well as a gear indicator, which is always a win in my opinion, along with an additional green neutral light. The indicator switch is ever so slightly longer, too, which I’ve found to be a great little quality of life improvement, as someone who, whilst wearing winter gloves, has been guilty of accidentally trying to turn off the indicator and signalling the other direction by mistake on other bikes.

40 FIRST RIDE: BLUROC TRACKER 125

The brake light is high up and visible, as is incorporated into the back of the seat (more on the seat shortly). My only two concerns initially over the design where that there wasn’t much space between the handlebars and the mirrors (although I quickly got used to taking my hands off the bars in a way which didn’t affect it), as well as the fact that despite being a 125cc, there wasn’t masses of space for L plates to go. The fork at the front was too big for my L plate to go round, so I ended up using a few cable ties instead. However, at the rear of the bike your only real option for putting your plate on involves covering up a reflector.

From my first ride, I could feel that the Tracker has some power behind her, which is no surprise considering she’s powered by a four-stroke, singlecylinder liquid-cooled engine, with a twin cam providing 11kW of power.

From the moment you hit the electric ignition you can hear the deep rumble of the engine rolling out of the twin exhausts, and it keeps that delightful low growl as you work your way up all six gears.

Despite you being in quite an upright natural riding position on the Tracker, it still manages to hit the high 50s when riding into a headwind, and as soon as you start to duck down over the handlebars it can quickly make its way up to the national speed limit. Having felt the power when riding around town and countryside, I took it on to a dual bypass and was thrilled to find that it could just about make its way past 70mph, which not all 125s are capable of doing.

The brakes run off a single 300mm front disc, and a 220mm single disc on the tail end, connected through CBS

(Combined Braking System), and I have zero complaints about how the Tracker was braking at all, as I never had any issues or felt I needed them to be any more or less responsive whether I was riding through towns, riding in pouring rain, or having to brake suddenly when cars in front of me suddenly slammed theirs on. Any situation I found myself in, both front and rear brakes responded beautifully and never left me feeling not in control of my speed.

Bluroc labels the Tracker as being for those who want a lively and fun motorcycle, and I really can’t argue with that; I’ve had a brilliant time whether I’ve been dipping it down around the sloping countryside corners, or really opening it open on the straights, which has all been aided by the firm suspension, which comes in the form of an upside-down fork at the front and mono shock suspension on the back end. This

firmer suspension really makes you feel like the bike is gripping every inch of the road you’re travelling, even on rain-soaked streets. However, the downside of this firm suspension is that you can feel every slight bump and dip in the road, a great trade off if you live somewhere where the majority of your journeys will be across roads which are in great nick, but if you’ll be going across less maintained roads you’ll quickly know about it. There’s a two-mile straight not far from mine which I’ve travelled down dozens of times in both cars and other bikes, and until riding the Tracker I would have sworn that this road was perfectly flat. My first time going down it on the Bluroc, I had to seriously consider pulling over for a couple of minutes to give both my arms a chance to recover from the intense pins and needles they were feeling after being shaken around from that stretch. Luckily,

TECH SPEC

Bluroc Tracker 125

Price: £3999

Engine: 125cc single-cylinder, four-stroke, twin cam

Power: 11kW

Transmission: 6 manual gears

Suspension: (F) Upside-down fork (R) Mono

shock

Brakes: CBS, (F) 300mm Single disc (R) 220mm Single disc

Wheels/Tyres: (F) 110/70-17 (R) 150/60-17

Seat height: 830mm

Weight (empty): 110kg

Fuel tank: 12 litres

Warranty: 2 Years

Contact: www.blurocmotorcycles.com

roads that irregular are rare enough (even here in Lincolnshire) that it shouldn’t prove an issue for most riders. I’ve now gone down the same stretch a couple more times, and now that I know what to expect, I make sure to keep my arms nice and relaxed and it’s not affected me as badly since. A special mention has to go to the headlights. I’d been warned off of halo lights from a few experienced riders who have had some bad experiences with their circular headlight amounting to little more than a nightlight; some people try to avoid night riding due to the additional risk from wildlife and harder-to see-hazards, etc., but I find riding along quiet roads at night to be such a serene and peaceful experience, so a decent headlight is fairly high on my list of priorities.

I’m thrilled to say that the Tracker’s headlight is more than up to the job. The first thing you’ll notice when you take it out at night is that the dipped beam vastly brightens a huge strip of the road, and never once whilst riding at night did I feel like I wished it could be a little bit brighter or that I needed to switch to full beam to really see where I was going (which is for the best as the full beam itself feels like more of a signalling light than a tool for illuminating the way), and whether I was riding through pitchblack countryside or the village streets

closer to home I could always see exactly where it was I was headed.

To sum up, the powerfully-built engine, the responsive brakes, the firm suspension and the thick back tyre all come together to provide a riding experience which isn’t just an entry-level way of getting from one place to another, but a genuinely fun experience throughout your entire journey, and whilst there are a couple of smaller points like spacing between mirrors and handlebars, and the fact you’ll know exactly when you’ve gone through a rough patch of road, these do nothing to subtract from what is a very well put together little bike which feels at home whether your leaning it round twisty roads or letting the engine have its way as you soar down a bypass.

The Bluroc Tracker is currently listed at £3,999, which is a bit more than a lot of 125s on the market, but for anyone looking for a thrilling ride it is almost guaranteed to put a smile on your face, and if you love retro styling then it is definitely worth considering digging that bit deeper into your pocket to meet that price tag, as long as the main bulk of your journeys are going to be on reasonably wellmaintained roads. However, if you anticipate a few topsy-turvy roads, your arms and behind will definitely thank you for looking for something with much softer suspension.

You always remember your first. But there’s a lot to consider before taking the leap and splashing your hard-earned cash on a new bike. So to make sure you’re fully briefed and know exactly what you want from your first ride, we’ve rustled up this brief buying guide, outlining a few key considerations and highlighting some of our favourite learner legal machines.

So you’ve got your CBT certificate in one hand, and a shiny new helmet in the other; the next step is an exciting one, purchasing your first motorcycle. There are a ton of great options and a huge variety of styles, and chances are you’ve already been envisioning the kind of bike you want, but there are a few things for you to take into consideration before you pick up those keys. Keep reading for a guide to buying your first bike, as well as an overview of different styles – with some great looking examples for you to bear in mind.

There are a few things you should be asking yourself when you’re buying a bike; obviously the kind of style you like will play a part, but you should also think about what sort of riding you’ll be doing. Are you planning on simply using the bike as a low-cost commuter tool; are you going to keep it for mainly the weekends; or, like me, are you interested in being out on the roads as often as you can, great British weather be damned?

To a lesser extent you might also want to consider the roads you’ll be travelling. If there’re lots of sudden sharp turns and steep hills, a cruiser might not be the right choice for you, whilst a lot of other bikes can handle these with no drama, whereas if you’ll be taking the bike on a lot of straights and bypasses, not much beats the thrill of tucking down behind the windshield of a sportsbike and opening the throttle up.

Here’s a selection of types of motorcycle you’ll be seeing on the market, with some information about what makes them a solid choice, along with some great examples in their class to help you decide what is going to work best for you.

Just remember there is no harm in looking at a few bikes before picking one out. Visit dealers, sit on the bikes, ask questions and speak to owners.

The more information you’ve got, the better equipped you’ll be to make the right decision! And we’d love to hear what you buy. Get in touch on the MoreBikes social channels.

WORDS: Chris Bailey

Sports Bikes

Scooters

TECH SPEC

Lexmoto LXS 125

KEY FACTS

ENGINE:125cc, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, single cylinder

MAXIMUM POWER: 13.8bhp

SEAT HEIGHT: 790mm

WEIGHT: 155kg

PRICE: £2,999

CONTACT: www.lexmoto.com

With links to seriously trick race-ready machinery, it’s no surprise sport bikes are so popular with fledgling riders looking for their first taste of speed. They are designed with a huge focus on making both bike and rider as aerodynamic as possible. With a riding position which encourages you to lean forwards over the front end (thanks to the dropped bars and high rear-set footpegs) performance is the name of the game here. Whether you’re tucked down over the tank picking up speed for an overtake, or leaning the bike over as you curl it round a sharp corner, there’s a lot of fun to be had on a road legal learner legal raceinspired machine – but what they champion in performance, they sacrifice in rider comfort, often being quite firm, quite compact and a little unforgiving on wrists, knees and backs.

Cruisers

It’s in the name… these bikes are built with the goal of providing a relaxed riding position that makes covering miles a breeze. That’s mainly down to the forward-set footpegs and a longer wheelbase than many other types of bike. Okay, so they are much less suited to dipping through bend after bend and you might find the footpegs grinding on the Tarmac as your cornering confidence grows. Their low seating position also ensures that almost all riders will be able to plant their feet firmly on the ground, though it’s worth noting that they are normally heavier than a lot of other options.

TECH SPEC

Keeway RK V125C

KEY FACTS

ENGINE: 125cc V-Twin liquid-cooled, EFI

MAX POWER: 13bhp

SEAT HEIGHT: 680mm

WEIGHT: 167kg

PRICE: £3,299

CONTACT: www.keeway.co.uk

Street Bikes

You’ve probably heard the term ‘twist ‘n go’. Scooters have an automatic transmission which means you don’t need to worry about changing gear or clutch control. Where the clutch would be on a motorcycle you instead have the rear brake – and your feet will sit nicely on the footboards in front of you, tucked behind a fairing. These features make scooters an excellent choice for anyone who will be mainly zipping through towns and cities.

If you’ve come away from your CBT wanting more, and yet still feeling a bit apprehensive about riding on your own and want to build some confidence, then chances are that a street bike could be a perfect fit for you. They offer a good compromise between comfort, practicality and ease of use, being generally low enough that your feet can easily reach the floor; provide a great upright riding position, with the handlebars a comfortable distance away. That’s not to say there’s not fun to be had – particularly if you opt for a funky little naked sports bike bike (stripped back and unfaired) over a more generic commuter.

TECH SPEC

KTM Duke 125

KEY FACTS

ENGINE: 125cc liquid-cooled,single cylinder,4-stroke

MAX POWER: 15bhp

SEAT HEIGHT: 830mm

WEIGHT: 139kg

PRICE: £4,499

CONTACT: www.ktm.com

TECH SPEC

Kymco Agility City+ 125

KEY FACTS

ENGINE: 125cc, 4-stroke, single cylinder, OHC

MAXIMUM POWER: 9.4bhp

SEAT HEIGHT: 815mm

WEIGHT: 114kg

PRICE: £2,959

CONTACT: www.kymco.co.uk

Dual-Sport/Off-Road

Dual-sport bikes are a throwback. They’re not quite so easy to come by nowadays… but back in the day, bikes designed for riding both on- and off-road were all the rage. Their all-terrain tyres, high ground clearance, coupled with extra travel on the suspension mean you’ll be able to have a good explore and learn some useful skills off-road (that’ll make you a better ride on it). The fact that you’re sat higher also ensures you’ll be more visible to other road users, but it does mean that shorter riders may struggle to get their feet down, or even get on the bike.

TECH SPEC

Rieju MRT 125 LC Enduro

KEY FACTS

ENGINE: 125cc, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, single cylinder

MAXIMUM POWER: 12.8bhp

SEAT HEIGHT: 896mm

WEIGHT: 112kg

PRICE: £3,699

CONTACT: www.rieju.co.uk

Touring/Adventure Bikes

These bikes are designed for handling whatever you throw at them – freshly paved streets, twisting country lanes or even slightly rougher terrain. The main focus is comfort which makes them the perfect tool for covering serious miles. Depending on the model, they can come kitted out with top boxes, panniers and windshields as standard.

TECH SPEC

Sinnis T125

KEY FACTS

ENGINE:125cc, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, single cylinder

MAXIMUM POWER: 12.7bhp

SEAT HEIGHT: 780mm

WEIGHT: 162kg

PRICE: £3,599

CONTACT: www.sinnismotorcycles.com

Modern Retro Bikes

These bikes have seen a real surge in popularity in the last few years. They could probably sit in the same section as street bikes, but they deserve a mention of their own due to their distinctive modern take on classic looks (and because there’re so many of them on the market). Guaranteed to turn heads wherever you go, these bikes benefit from the same relaxed riding position as street bikes, but you’ll usually have to spend a bit more cash for their funky styling.

TECH SPEC

Mutt Mushman 125

KEY FACTS

ENGINE: 125cc, air-cooled 4-stroke, single cylinder

MAXIMUM POWER: 11bhp

SEAT HEIGHT: 790mm

WEIGHT: 128kg

PRICE: £3,750

CONTACT: www.muttmotorcycles.com

Cost-effective Classics

BENELLI 2C & MOTO

GUZZI 250TS

An alternative take on 70s stroker twins

WORDS: Steve Cooper PHOTOS: Mortons Archive

Italian bikes come with reputations of various kinds. Generally they handle better than many of their Oriental counterparts, have malevolent electrics, can be unreliable and difficult to repair and, very often, are fearsomely expensive. This month we’re aiming to set the record straight(er) with a delightful pair of Latin lightweights that won’t break the bank and should have you smiling.

Benelli’s 250C first saw the light of day back in 1971 when the Pesaro firm unveiled its response to the rising tide of Japanese two-stroke twins. Commercialised a year later with some machines sold under the Motobi name, the bike would live on until 1982. Following the acquisition of several Italian manufacturers by Alejandro de Tomaso, the bike was also sold as the Moto Guzzi 250TS. Never a direct threat to the Japanese stinkwheels of the period, the Italian 250 strokers received minimal investment or upgrading and were later sidelined by an indifferent management.

The bikes

You could argue cynically that the Benelli 2C and its Moto Guzzi 250TS sister were doomed from the start. Designed and built with the best of intentions you could even suggest the basic design was hamstrung by either a lack of vision or foresight. Why, when the Japanese bikes had featured alloy cylinders since the late 1960s, would you fit heavy cast iron ones? Similarly, how was any aspiring rider going to tolerate the hassle of mixing oil with petrol when modern two-strokes had been fitted with oil injection since 1964? And yet elsewhere there was advanced

thinking with electronic ignition within two years of launch and a radically modern over square bore and stroke configuration. The former obviated the need for gapping points and setting ignition time whilst the latter ensured a punchy, powerful motor. Or perhaps accountants started cutting costs? Who knows!

Whatever the circumstances, the end result was a pair of motorcycles that oozed charm and style and, even if they weren’t as fast as the Japanese bikes, gave a good enough account of themselves on the road. Even if bean counters had been meddling with some of the bike’s components they’d not managed to influence or upset the running gear. The frame and its geometries were well ahead of anything from Japan; the suspension at both was quality Italian Marzocchi stuff; ditto the Grimeca brakes. What the bike lacked in outright performance it made up for via classleading handling.

Whereas Japanese machinery of the period was constantly evolving and being developed, the Benelli 2C really only ever received cosmetic and aesthetics upgrades. The launch of the Moto Guzzi 250TS was aimed at broadening the 250’s appeal and the adoption of alloy cylinders brought the bikes a little more up-to-date.

Faults and Foibles

1. CHAIN ADJUSTERS

Earlier 2Cs had single-sided chain pullers that are known to be weak. The units from the 250TS are much stronger.

2. TANK PANELS AND TRIM

If anything is missing it’ll be harder to find than Japanese parts and will have to come from mainland Europe.

The bikes are fitted with Dellorto carburettors so you’ll need to source parts from the appropriate agents and specialists.

4. BRAKES

The double-sided front drum brake may take a little setting up but is extremely effective. Later single disc versions are better than period Japanese versions.

5. IGNITION

Electronic from the very first models and will need expert input if there are issues.

6. CHROME

Italian chrome of the period was notoriously thin and often badly applied.

3. FUEL SYSTEM

The early 1980s saw a café racer version launched and badgeengineered as a Motobi once again. The fitting of three-spoke alloy wheels, triple disc brakes, combined seat/tank unit and a duck tail rear spoiler couldn’t digitise the fact that the model had run its course. With Yamaha’s liquid-cooled 250LC on the market, the air-cooled, pre-mix bikes were so much yesterday’s technology… on paper at least.

On board these Italian quarter-litre twins it’s a different story. Yes, okay, they are a little rawer than their peers but they also have something dialled out of many Japanese machines and that’s character… in spades. The riding position is different, the exhaust note is different and the handling simply has to be experienced to be believed. Judging these machines directly against their contemporaries now is probably unfair to be honest – just try one and be impressed by one of the most cost-effective Italian classics there is!

Lineage and Legacy

Sadly there was never any follow-up to the pair of Italian 250s and they lasted just over a decade more by luck than judgement. Sales outside of Italy were always on the low side for several reasons – the value of the Lire at the time, the lack of oil injection, and precious little in the way of development. The Italian motorcycle industry at the time was chaotic to say the least and there was no resource available to come up with anything significantly better.

Why you might want one now

These delightful Italian two-stroke twins not only represent good value for money, they are also significantly different from most other stroker twins of the period. There’s the undeniable Italian styling with lines, curves and angles you’d never get on a Japanese machine. Cost is another very good reason for homing either the Benelli or Moto Guzzi versions as either is going to between two to four thousand pounds cheaper than anything equivalent from the Orient. If that’s not sufficient justification then there’s the handing and road manners that come from Italian two wheels. Through the curves the 2C/250TS will always show the GT, RD and KH a clean pair of heels.

Typical Prices

If you want one of these exquisite machines at a bargain price then look to the used motorcycle market of Italy where many turn up for really good money. Just £1600 will buy you one locally that’s in running condition! Even top-end examples don’t go much over £3000. Meanwhile in the UK you might find a similarly-priced, £3,000 bargain for sale privately but we’ve seen dealers asking £5000, which is a little too rich to be honest. Buy a decent 2C/250TS based on condition with a V5C and aim not to spend £4000 would be our advice. And if you simply must buy a project, remember most the stuff you need will have to come from the EU so expect to be paying import duty and VAT big time.

Summary

If you wanted an alternative classic 250cc stroker twin then look no further. The 2C/250TS offer a remarkably costeffective way to get into the classic Italian bike scene. The bikes’ light weight and reassuring handling make for a good ride and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how quick these bikes are on B roads. Park up at any bike event and be assured you’ll soon have enthusiasts queueing up to have a look.

“If you want one of these exquisite machines at a bargain price then look to the used motorcycle market of Italy where many turn up for really good money.”

MAKING WAVES

The story of the technological trickery which helped Kenny Roberts beat Barry Sheene and claim the Grand Prix crown with Yamaha in 1978.

peaky. Ultimately the key to power and flexibility had to be an exhaust port whose height could somehow be varied.

As early as June 1977 rumours began to swirl around the GP paddock that Yamaha had a technical ace up its corporate sleeve and the mechanics helped ramp up the puzzlement by covering their bikes whenever they were parked up. Given the use of fuel injection on the prototype GL750 road bike a few years earlier, many thought this was what Yamaha was working on. In reality nothing quite so sophisticated had happened and if an outsider had been able to get a peak under the covers they would have come away a little disappointed. The only obvious change had been a move to utilise four separate cylinders rather than the previous two sets of twin cylinders – hardly groundbreaking and, arguably, likely to add weight. But there was method in this apparent madness. Yamaha was evaluating the four separate cylinders in readiness for another technological leap.

The filling and emptying of any combustion chamber determines the power and efficiency of said engine, but on a two-stroke the effects are more profound and beneficial or detrimental depending upon the end use. Getting fuel and air into the cylinder(s) and through the transfer ports is only part of the conundrum – ultimately how a two-stroke engine performs is substantially dictated by the shape, position, size and orientation of the exhaust port. The early OWs had proved to be exceptionally thirsty as Agostini found out when his TZ500 ran out of fuel at Imola in 1974. As the race team had found out, it was also possible to produce a hugely powerful engine (as indicated on a dynamometer at least) but end up with a power delivery that is ‘all-or-nothing’ and horrendously

Yamaha initially investigated physically moving the cylinder wall in relation to both the piston and the exhaust pipe, but swiftly abandoned this idea as it was simply too complicated and caused more issues that it solved.

The solution was as elegant and simple as it was inspired genius – a small cylindrical valve like a cotton reel partially situated within the exhaust port tract near to, but not at, the cylinder wall. By carefully profiling the horizontally-positioned valve and then rotating it according to the RPM level, it was possible to ‘convince’ the engine that the exhaust port had a variable height. On the TZ500 motor’s all four valves were linked together and actuated by a small servo motor that took its instructions via the tachometer. The initial race results for the 1978 season would tend to indicate there were still concerns but it had been tyre wear issues and then sticking carburettor slides that initially hamstrung Kenny Roberts, Johnny Cecotto and Takazumi Katayama. Come the Austrian, Suzuki’s Barry Sheene was complaining the Yamahas had a 20mph advantage over the RG500! Roberts gave the season everything he had and took the title from Sheene by 10 points with Cecotto third and Katayama fifth, Suzukis filling the interim two places. Yamaha might have back in the game with its renamed OW35Ks, but the big TZs still had profound handling issues.

Words: Steve Cooper

Photo: Mortons Media Archive

Icon Patrol 3 Waterproof Boots

£198 / www.partseurope.eu / Mark Lancaster

Introducing the Icon Patrol 3 Waterproof ‘Urban style’ boots. I’ve been wearing these boots since November last year.

How have they been? Super comfortable, keeping my feet bone dry and at a perfect temperature – probably the most comfortable motorcycle footwear I’ve worn. Skip that. Probably the most comfortable FOOTWEAR I’ve worn! I’ve ridden and walked MILES in these so far, too, in all weathers. And everyone likes them. The boots are tested and certified according to EN 13634:2017 level 1. The ‘WR’ means they’ve

been tested for water resistance, and the ‘SRA’ means slip resistance tested on ceramic tile wetted with a dilute soap solution (can’t wait to ride on THAT surface!).

The grippy soles are firm and feel substantial, although there’s no steel shank in them. They’re made from 1000 denier polyester, offering good abrasion resistance and have reinforced areas for gear changing. The boots also have a reinforced heel and toe box, providing added protection to the rider’s feet. Critical areas of the boot also have D30 armour sewn into the material.

The Boa lacing system (pull, push, dial!) off a brilliantly easy way to lace up the boot, getting them feeling ‘just right’ and secure.

They’re not going to offer you the same protection as full-length motorcycle boots, but matched to many of your journeys, they’ll do the trick. Once you’ve tried them, you’re going to want to reach for them, trust me… my commute to the office is six miles on quiet roads. I ride to work in these, wear them all day in the offi and ride home again. No faff. Two-mile dog walk? No problem with these.

In partnership with Forcefield Body Armour

We love to see what you lot are riding – and we know the rest of you like it, too. It’s just like pottering around a bike night and checking out what’s been brought out for a ride. Now we’ve decided to bring the bike night to you, asking readers to send us photos of their pride and joy for the world to see. Here’re some of our top picks from the last month.

Darren Shepherd’s Yamaha FZR. What a gorgeous thing. We’d love one in our shed.

A pair of lovely machines from Neil Russell. Here’s his ready-foranything BMW R1200GS, soaking up the views in Hunstanton – and his Harley-Davidson 883 Iron looking mean and ready for action.

Sam Carter’s a lucky man. Check out his lovely Yamaha YZV 500R stroker. We’d love to hear this thing singing.

David Franklin’s Sheene-inspired Suzuki race replica. He’s had it for 16 years. And we can see why. Never sell it David!

Yes please. We love the look of Simon White’s Lucky Stripeliveried Suzuki TL1000.

Paul Marshall bought this very lovely Suzuki GSX 750 ET back in the mid-nineties – and he still has it! We bet it’s got some stories to tell.

Left: Roland Obrecht’s Honda CX500 from 1981. We’ve heard a lot of good things about the CX, but have never had the chance to ride one. Roland? Any chance?

We love a Fazer. Here’s Geoff Orchard’s FZ1S that he’s owned (and properly looked after) for seven years. Top work, Geoff.

For Sale

AJS R12, 1930, rare vintage motorcycle, matching numbers, original registration and logbook, storage since 1960, very original condition,perfecttorestore,very rarefind,somespares,bestoffer secures Tel. 02088 944704.

Surrey.

BMW R1200RS, 2005, panniers, new pump, needs battery, mint, dry rides, low mileage, stored, £1000. Tel. 07500 119444.

DUCATI 996, 2000, not used for six years, kept indoors, would benefit service and change cam belts, £6700 text via Whats-app forpicturesandmoreinformation Tel. 07742 806790. North Wiltshire.

ARIEL Huntmaster (FH) all black, 12,800 proven miles since engine and gearbox rebuild, 12 volt lighting, with indicators, dynamo belt drive, dynamo regulators solid state electronic regulator, recent new battery, good Avon Roadrider tyres, twin leading shoe front brake, alloy sump plate with magnetic sump bolt, lovely bike in immaculate condition, regularly used, £6200 Tel. Tony 02476 598700; 07968 390994. Midlands.

BSA Super Rocket, 1959, red/black paintwork, chrome mudguards, twin clocks, T/L/S stainless rack, Avons, V5C, dating certificate, excellent condition, ready to ride, photos available, free delivery arranged, Tel. 01723 372219. North

Yorkshire.

GAS GAS TXT 125 GP, 2022, hardly used, road registration, red, great motorcycle, great starter, trials bike, original from John Shirts motorcycles, now as long distance seat fitted, £4495 Email. squida225@yahoo.co.uk

HONDA NC750X, 22,919 miles, kept in garage, Givi top box and Givi rack with two keys, Givi touring screen, I still have the original to go with the bike, radiator guard, Oxford heated grips, (ignition switched so you cannot forget to turn them off), hand guards, centre stand, fork protectors, full service history with receipts, owners manual, both ignition keys, MoT, £4800 Tel. 07761 124953.

KAWASAKI KE100, 1980, green, 8500 miles, V5, t&t exempt, ring for more information, £2395 ono Tel. 07772 797112. Derbyshire.

SUZUKI GS850, 1979, shaft driven, a few spare parts with the sale, needs fully recommissioning, £500 Tel. 07594 928111.

YAMAHA TY250, 1986, mono shock air cooled trials motorcycle, great bike, easy starter, road reg, £2495 Email. squida225@yahoo.co.uk

TRIUMPH Thunderbird 900, chrome sprocket cover, recently rechromed, fits 1995 onwards, £275, £6 postage. Also rear brake master cylinder cover plate, two bolt fitting, £35, £5 postage, excellent condition Tel. 07434 513161. Lancashire.

Wanted

ROYAL ENFIELD Crusader 250, 1962, immaculate bike, red/ blue paintwork, new seat new speedo, good chrome work, new tyres, easy to manoeuvre, lifting handle, Hagon shocks, starts easily, ready to ride, free delivery, £2950 Tel. 01723 372219. North Yorkshire.

KYMCO X-CITING 2021, 71 reg, blue, 400cc maxi scooter, auto fsh, genuine 6900 miles, summer use only, new scooter forces sale, garaged, mega comfy, one owner, adjustable screen, £3599. Tel. 07784 499299. Yorkshire. MZ ETZ 251, 1991, black, 56,960 klm, runs well, new tyres + tubes, top box, new indicators, mirrors, fork, seals, caliper o/ hauledlaterfrontdisc,rearwheel bearings, £1550 ono Tel. 07858 209027. Middx.

Parts For Sale

ARIEL ARROW 60-62 job lot, engine parts, £80 the lot Tel. Phil 01214 757249.

HENDLER HANDLEBARS

new, £30. Harley discs pair

PFM HD002-4807, rear Zodiac 235473 HDF Front, £70 pair. Suzuki GSF600 Bandit ‘new’ foot pegs, £12. New clutch switch, £2.50. Bandit new rear brake pads, £8. Gear lever, £20 Tel. 07704 343331.

BMW K75 S 1990, blue/black colour, 81,000 miles, V5C present, handbook, MoT till end of August 2023, new Avon rear tyre, new front tyre, battery, rear disc and pads, thrust piston and bearing, clutch spline lube, gearbox and diff oil all been replaced in the last few years, panniers and top box, grips and hand protectors, invoices for most parts/repairs, original age related condition, owned since January 2016, £2500 Email. scottf675@gmail.com

BSA 650, red and chrome petrol tank and black frame, 8300 proven miles since full engine rebuild, Triumph 4 spring clutch and oil filter fitted, 12 volt lighting, dynamo belt drive, dynamo regulators solid state electronic regulator, good Avon Road Rider tyres, twin leading shoe front brake, alloy sump plate with magnetic sump bolt, lovely looking bike regularly used in excellent condition, £4500 Tel. Tony 02476 598700; 07968 390994. Midlands.

BSA A7 500, 1953, Plunger frame, Star twin, owned 40 years, female rider, engine rebuilt, chrome tank, frame etc, powder coated burgundy, V5, some history with spares, delivery possible, £3750. Tel. 07989 237837. Staffordshire.

GREEVES Sports Twin Roadster, 250cc, V5C, Moorland blue, alloy mudguards, paddle hubs, new tyres, correct seat, good tidy useable British lightweight ‘The Choice of The Expert’ excellent condition, £3995 Tel. 01268 735135. Essex.

HONDA CM125CE, 1984, part restored custom, powder coated frame, swingarm, chainguard, over £650 spend on new parts, too many to list, runs and rides, phone for more details, V5C present on Sorn, little to do for MoT, £950 ono Tel. 07907 458246. Warwickshire.

SUZUKI FL125 Address, 2009, 4 speed, semi automatic same as Honda Innova, 9 months MoT, good condition, 14,000 miles, rackandtopbox,genuineSuzuki screen, £800 ono Tel. 01926 770198. Warwickshire.

YAMAHA Virago, two owners from new, well looked after, genuine reason for sale, open to reasonable offers, £1995 Tel. 01202 914692.

HONDA NT650V Deauville spares: four large top boxes, including 18 calipers, 2 x headlights, 2 x clock binnacles, 5 x stators, 5 x fuel pumps, 7 x switch gear, shock, complete HISS system + smaller parts, job lot, £250 no offers Tel. 07541 083977. Surrey.

PANNIERS through over, looks like new only used a couple of times, black waterproof and in good condition, £50 Tel. 07988 149448. Lancs.

HONDA CB400F2 1977, new tyres, new electrics, reconditioned carbs, alloy rims S/S spokes, spares good condition, 35,000 miles Tel. Keith 07391 901041. East Yorkshire. Email. keith.palmer@ tiscali.co.uk

HONDA CG125 BR-J, 1989, runs very well, 10 months MoT, remarkable condition, new forks and seals, new seat cover, 2 x original keys and log book, £1200 onoText.07969605089. Surrey.

TRIUMPH Bonneville, 2005, black and chrome, full MoT, good condition, £3500 ono Tel. Tom 01697 331834. Cumbria.

TRIUMPH Tiger Cub, 1955, trials bike with V5, modified frame, PVL ignition, Dellorto carb, alloy tanks, ready to trial, £2600 ono Tel. 07541 143259. Merseyside.

YAMAHA BT1100, 2003, 8 months MoT, new tyres, new battery, new fork seals, good condition, 11,800 miles, shaft drive, rides well, good touring bike, V-twin, £2450 Tel. 07957 974318.

TRIUMPH T120/100, 2023, new seat for sale, Triumph Bonneville seat, black, fits 2016 onwards, still in original Triumph packaging, £100 Tel. 07553 159622. Dorset.

TRIUMPH T100 EFI, Bonneville, 2016, silencers, Dunstall, will fit 2000 to 2016 carb and EFI as new condition, under one year old, £215 ono Tel. 07840 364013. Bucks.

ANY

CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE wanted by enthusiast anything considered in any condition, rusty tatty nice etc, good price paid can collect Tel. Tom 01514 470147. Cheshire.

MOTO CROSS BIKE wanted pre 1985, 125cc, Husqvarna, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki Cagiva, all makes considered, cheap as possible please Tel. 01225 469721. Bath.

WANTED SCOOTER 250cc to 300cc any year any condition considered, fair price paid Tel. 01492 534158. North Wales.

Miscellaneous

CLASSIC BIKE tax disc holder, alloy and allum key fasteners, excellent condition, £9 posted. Also heavy duty-urban chain lock, security 11 as new condition,£30plusp&porcollect

Tel. 07504 327299. Devon.

DAMEN LEATHERS two piece leathers 5’7” SM, £50. RST blademediumtextilejacket,£30. 2 mall/medium helmets one flip front one open face both very good condition, £20 each Tel. 01484 607916.

MOULTON STANDARD BICYCLE

1960s, maroon, 3 speed, Sturmey Archer gears, 16” wheels, all complete, dry stored, £75 Tel. 01299 266565. Worcs.

PAIR EVERSURE car ramps, do damage, dry stored, £25 Tel. 01299 266565. Worcs.

WATSONIAN PALMA 1950s child adult sidecar, all fittings, good order, little tlc, £300 Tel. 07932 652136. Ipswich.